Those of you who are regular readers of Best Buy Canada’s blog know that there are some big ASUS fans here, myself included. The company makes some of the most innovative computers on the planet. I’m especially fond of ASUS laptops, with features like NanoEdge displays, ErgoLift hinges and ScreenPad secondary displays. All very cool stuff. And the company’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) division is killing it with laptops and desktops for PC gamers at all budget levels. AT CES 2020, ASUS had a huge presence, and earned an amazing nine Innovation Awards. There were too many ASUS products announced to be able to feature them all, but Ted Kritsonis is in Las Vegas and he snapped photos of many of the more interesting ones.
Note: all photos are by Ted Kritsonis.
ASUS ZenBook Duo
ASUS has really been making headway with the second screen idea in laptops, and the new ZenBook Duo (pictured above) brings that concept into the mainstream. This laptop features a 14-inch Full HD primary display, accompanied by a 12.6-inch “ScreenPad Plus” display. It’s powered by 10th generation Intel chips. At almost exactly 1 kg, the ZenBook Duo is considerably lighter and more portable than the ZenBook Duo Pro that inspired it—in addition to being much more affordable.
ROG Swift gaming monitor
ASUS’ Republic of Gamers division doesn’t just make laptops and desktop PCs, ROG also offers some great accessories and peripherals.
Case in point is the new ROG Swift PG43UQ monitor that the company was showing off at CES. This is a 43-inch gaming monitor with 4K resolution, 10-bit colour, HDR support, and a fast 144Hz refresh rate. Naturally, it supports Nvidia G-Sync. In terms of other big features, look for incredible contrast thanks to the monitor’s VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification.
Chromebook Flip 436
The new ASUS Chromebook Flip 436 was one of the focal points of my feature on the Chromebooks of CES 2020. I really enjoyed the time I spent with last year’s version of this convertible laptop and it looks as though ASUS has doubled down on everything that made the last one so great. It features a premium design (including a magnesium alloy case, Full HD 14-inch touchscreen display, Harmon Kardon speakers, a fingerprint reader, and 10th generation Intel Core CPUs), but at the same time it remains affordably priced. This is what Chromebooks should be: flexible, functional, capable, reasonably priced, and attractively designed.
TUF gaming laptops
Gaming laptops mean you can game on the go, but just because they’re portable doesn’t mean they’re indestructible. ASUS is aiming at the truly mobile gaming crowd with the latest versions of its TUF gaming laptops. Built to be durable, powerful and affordable, the new TUF laptops come in 15-inch and 17-inch sizes and feature high refresh rate IPS Full HD displays. The choices don’t stop there, though. The A-series versions are equipped with AMD’s latest Ryzen mobile processors. Choose the F-series and they come with 10th generation Intel Core processors. All versions are equipped with Nvidia GeForce graphics. And all are equipped with TUF keyboards that are optimized for gaming with RGB backlighting, and built to last through 20 million keystrokes.
VivoBook S-Series
The ASUS VivoBook laptops have a reputation for mixing style with performance. The VivoBook S-Series continues the theme. ASUS showed off new models in 13-inch, 14-inch and 15-inch sizes, and a range of colourful lid options. Each version features a premium all-metal chassis with diamond cut edges, a 10th generation Intel Core processor and NanoEdge bezels framing its Full HD display. They feature plenty of ports (including both USB-A and USB-C), Wi-Fi 6 and storage that combines an SSD with Intel Optane memory.
New ROG Strix desktop gaming PCs
While laptops tend to get all the attention, ASUS also had a pair of new ROG Strix desktop gaming PCs on display. The ROG Strix GA35 is powered by the latest Ryzen processors (up to the mighty 32-thread Ryzen 9 3950X). The Strix GT35 is equipped with 10th generation Intel CPUs. Both models come with a choice of Nvidia graphics cards. New for 2020 is a super-efficient liquid cooling system with two cooling zones and Wind Shear chassis that keeps system noise to a whisper, even during intense gaming. That chassis also includes a glass side panel that puts the RGB LED-illuminated interior on full display.
Zephyrus G14
Hands-down, one of my favourite laptops among those I reviewed in 2018 was an ASUS ROG Zephyrus. This gaming laptop was impossibly thin, but its battery life didn’t set any records. Can’t have everything, I suppose … However, this is 2020 and there’s an all-new ROG Zephyrus G14 on display at CES.
The magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis (in black or white) is less than 20 mm thick, but that’s enough room to stuff in a 4th generation AMD Ryzen processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics card. This time, ASUS says you can expect up to 10 hours of battery life.
That thin design also requires ultra efficient cooling, which is supplied by custom-designed n-Blade fans featuring 81 liquid crystal polymer blades. While the display is an eye-grabber (whether you choose Full HD at 120Hz or WQHD resolution) in this case the laptop’s lid is getting all the buzz. Why? ASUS CNC-machined 6.536 perforations and added 1.215 mini LED lights to turn the lid into a customizable display panel. It can show off your initials, text messages and even animated GIFs.
Availability?
This is the Consumer Electronics Show, so you probably know the drill. Companies typically expect to release the products they show at some point this year, but that could mean spring, summer or even fall. And not everything makes it to the Canadian market. Stay tuned, because if any of these new ASUS releases are coming, you’ll hear about it here—and with any luck, we’ll have some of them for hands-on reviews.
You won’t want to miss anything that’s happening at this year’s edition of the Consumer Electronics Show. The latest in computers, smart home gear, appliances, TVs, smartphones, and many other high-tech categories are still being revealed. Make certain you check out the Best Buy blog’s ongoing CES 2020 coverage for all the latest new technology from ASUS and all your favourite companies.
Update: Want to see more? Check out below for additional photos of the ASUS and ROG exhibit at CES, as taken by a Best Buy Canada representative.
