ASUS today announced the ASUS Chromebook CZ series of laptops tailored for K12 students, which offer a portable and durable design for enduring value and empower engaged learning - anywhere. Featuring a 180° lay-flat or 360°-flippable design and an 11.6-inch (CZ1104C/F) or 12.2-inch (CZ1204C/F) 16:10 WUXGA display or touchscreen with TÜV-certified eye-care technology, the series not only enhances the visual experience but also prioritizes eye protection. ASUS Chromebook CZ series laptops are built for easy IT maintenance, with a modular design that minimizes downtime. The series boasts an extended battery life for uninterrupted use throughout an entire day of classes, empowering students to extend their learning beyond traditional limits.

A reliable study companion
For K12 students, an everyday-use laptop should be invincible. With lively and active users, scratches and knocks are an almost-inevitable part of their daily routine, so the ASUS Chromebook CZ series features an all-round rubber bumper for extra peace of mind. The laptops also feature a rugged design that's tested to meet or exceed the MIL-STD-810H US military-grade standard, and use tough Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the screen from scratches. Additionally, the spill-resistant keyboard can cope with minor water spills without harm, so minor splashes on the desk or at the dinner table can be easily drained, cleaned, and dried. Finally, the special fingerprint-resistant finish keeps the laptop cleaner for longer.

Corsair proudly announced the launch of its new series of all-essential gaming headsets: HS35 v2 and HS35 SURROUND v2. Boasting exceptional wide-ranging audio and universal 3.5 mm connectivity, HS35 v2 and HS35 SURROUND v2 deliver game-changing sound, across multiple platforms. The HS35 v2 series opens up a rich world of audio. A pair of custom-tuned 50 mm neodymium drivers produces a powerfully wide range of sound, enabling you to detect new details within your games. And with a multiplatform 3.5 mm connection, these headsets aren't limited to PC gaming - plug in and play on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and more.

For an even more immersive experience, HS35 SURROUND v2 adds another dimension to your games' soundscapes. The included USB receiver unlocks industry-leading Dolby Audio 7.1 surround sound on PC and Mac, placing in-game music, dialog, and audio cues all around you. Pinpoint the direction of enemy movements and abilities in competitive games such as Overwatch 2, or let yourself become completely engulfed in lush atmospheric titles like Starfield.

ASUS ROG just published an interesting post on X/Twitter, previewing a future product: the ROG Mjolnir power station. This portable power solution aims to provide uninterrupted gaming experiences, even in outdoor settings. The ROG Mjolnir boasts interesting features catering to modern outdoorsy gamers' needs. It has four power outlets, allowing users to simultaneously power multiple devices such as gaming laptops, monitors, and peripherals. Additionally, the power station includes two USB Type-A and two USB Type-C ports, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of gaming accessories. Using Nordic mythology as inspiration, the ROG Mjolnir's design pays homage to Thor's hammer, Mjölnir. The sleek and rugged exterior not only looks impressive but also promises durability for outdoor use. As an added bonus, the handle of the power station doubles as a torch or light source, providing convenience in low-light environments.

While ASUS has not yet disclosed the specific capacity options or pricing details for the ROG Mjolnir, the company has confirmed that it will be officially unveiled at the upcoming Computex 2024 event in Taiwan. Gamers can expect to learn more about this interesting power station during the event, which is set to commence on June 4th. With the ROG Mjolnir, ASUS aims to provide gamers with a reliable and portable power solution that complements their gaming on-the-go lifestyle. An interesting quote from legendary Stan Lee is suitable here, which many Marvel universe fans might appreciate: "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."

Edifier International, the award-winning audio electronics designer, reveal the QR65 Desktop Active Monitor speakers - a new all-in-one unit that combines the brand's renowned acoustic technology with immersive Lumia light effects and TurboGaN fast-charging capabilities.

One of 4 Edifier products to win a prestigious Visual Grand Prix 2024 award and also highly recommended with a much sought after VGP 2024 Gold Medal Award, the QR65 is remarkably versatile, placing an emphasis on both compatibility and multi-use functionality. As the brand name develops, audio quality remains paramount with the QR65 featuring an advanced Acoustic Architecture. Equipped with 2.75" mid-low drivers, an aluminium alloy diaphragm and a long-throw design, the QR65 can produce consistently punchy bass frequencies whilst bolstering rich and full-bodied mids. Thanks to 1.25" silk diaphragm dome tweeters, finely tuned by Edifier's world-leading audio engineers, the speakers boast precision-tooled high frequency reproduction, creating crisp and bright trebles that stand out above even the most bass-laden of mixes.

The Trust Gaming GXT 612 Cetic Bluetooth speaker set is the latest and greatest in its speaker offering. Giving the best of both worlds, it can be both wireless or wired as it has the option to connect via Bluetooth or a 3.5 mm audio cable. Making movies, music and games sound better in powerful stereo, it has 18 W peak power to really bring boom and atmosphere. Also sustainable, you can listen with clear sounds and a clear conscience too. Made with a composition of 76% recycled plastics, it is a planet-friendly choice. Featuring touch-controlled multicolor RGB lighting and multiple modes, it is the ideal choice for setting the mood and creating a bit more of a vibe! Plug and play, it can simply be plugged into a laptop or PC or connected without the need for a wall socket.

Trust's GXT 606 Javv wired speaker set is compatible with every PC and laptop. Allowing users to play music, games, and movies with clear sound, the speaker set provides enhanced audio so that computer audio can be listened to in stereo without having to wear a headset. Simply plug the USB and aux cable into a laptop to get started.

CHERRY XTRFY, the specialist for high-quality gaming peripherals, announces the availability of the new K5V2 keyboard - the first gaming keyboard with CHERRY's new mechanical MX2A switches.

CHERRY XTRFY redefines the 65% keyboard class with the K5V2 Compact. The renowned company combines well-known CHERRY quality with a modern design and durable mechanical MX2A Red switches. The keyboard's advanced per-key customizable RGB illumination creates impressive effects with innovative strip LED technology, which can be further enhanced with the USB 3 mode.

Corsair proudly announced the launch of two attention-grabbing additions to the M75 gaming mouse lineup: M75 and M75 WIRELESS. Blazing onto the scene with the same award-winning shape and match-winning performance established by the M75 AIR, these new mice deliver utmost comfort and control, while also infusing a streak of RGB into their lightweight designs. For the most competitive matches, M75 and M75 WIRELESS put you in fantastic shape to win, and look great doing it.

The meticulously sculpted M75 mouse design glides into the spotlight once again, with an unwavering focus on precision and ergonomics. M75 series mice are uniquely shaped from the ground up to comprise some of the most thoughtfully crafted gaming mice available. At 74 g and 89 g respectively, M75 and M75 WIRELESS are lightweight and agile enough to make deft flicks and microadjustments.

Sparing no effort in creating the cutting-edge mechanical keyboard for keyboard enthusiasts, Epomaker proudly presents the Brick 87.

TKL layout With Stackable Block Bar
In hopes of bringing better typing and visual experience to keyboard enthusiasts, the Epomaker Brick 87 features a concept of combining fun with a mechanical keyboard. To make the keyboard a perfect amalgamation of functionality and practicality, the TKL layout of Brick 87 conserves desk space without compromising usability. Users can now revel in an uncluttered and efficient workspace, fostering productivity and creativity. The Brick 87 was designed in a special angle, making it distinctive in the keyboard market. With the stackable block bar on the top, DIYers can put various blocks on it as decoration for the keyboard. Each Brick 87 will become unique and distinguished.

Hitachi LG Data Storage, SK hynix's global distributor has recently unveiled the 'Tube T31,' a novel USB stick-type SSD, in Japan and Korea. This innovative product aims to alleviate the storage constraints of gaming devices like PlayStation 5 and Xbox. The Tube T31 features a sleek and lightweight design, making it suitable for a variety of devices including gaming consoles, PCs, laptops, and smart TVs. With an impressive transfer rate of 10 Gbps and sequential read and write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s, it meets the demands of avid gamers.

Following its favorable reception in Japan and Korea, Hitachi LG Data Storage is preparing for a global launch of the Tube T31, with a special spring promotion targeted at console gaming enthusiasts worldwide. The promotion is tailored specifically for customers in 10 countries, including the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, and Singapore.

Introducing the RC Prestige Collection: Elevating the Art of Design and Mechanical Keyboard Functionality. The cornerstone of AZIO Corporation's success, the Retro Classic Collection, has epitomized our brand's vision to create premium lifestyle workspace tools. The original typewriter-style keyboard, born from our dedication to excellence, has delighted our valued customers with an exceptional ownership experience and unparalleled customer support. Today, we are thrilled to unveil the latest addition to our lineup: the RC Prestige Collection.

Remaining true to AZIO's distinctive brand identity, the RC Prestige Collection introduces two new captivating colors, Ebony and Ivory, further infusing our signature material-centric design philosophy. The Ebony variant features a faceplate adorned in an elegant black wood finish, embraced by a sleek gunmetal grey aluminium frame and accents. The Ivory edition stands as a striking contrast, showcasing a refined white leather face encased within a silver aluminium profile. Every keycap set impeccably follows their respective color schemes, either presenting black keycaps with gunmetal edges or white keycaps complemented by a silver framing. This time, the keycaps are thoughtfully designed with a rounded square profile, setting them apart from the renowned circular keycaps found in our Retro Classic Collection.

The PC master race has yielded many interesting activities for enthusiasts alike, with perhaps the pinnacle of activities being overclocking. Usually, subjects for overclocking include CPUs, GPUs, and RAM, with other components not actually being capable of overclocking. However, the enthusiast force never seems to settle, and today, we have proof of overclocking an off-the-shelf 2.5-inch SATA III NAND Flash SSD thanks to Gabriel Ferraz, a Computer Engineering graduate, and TechPowerUp's SSD database maintainer. He uses the RZX Pro 256 GB SSD in the video, a generic NAND Flash drive. The RZX Pro uses the Silicon Motion SM2259XT2 single-core, 32-bit ARC CPU running up to 550 MHz. It has two channels at 400 MHz, each with eight chip enable interconnects, allowing up to 16 NAND Flash dies to operate. The SSD doesn't feature a DRAM cache or support a host memory buffer. It has only one NAND Flash memory chip from Kioxia, uses BiCS FLASH 4 architecture, has 96 layers, and has 256 GB capacity.

While this NAND Flash die is rated for up to 400 MHz or 800 MT/s, it only ran at less than half the speed at 193.75 MHz or 387.5 MT/s at default settings. Gabriel acquired a SATA III to USB 3.0 adapter with a JMS578 bridge chip to perform the overclock. This adapter allows hot swapping of SSDs without the need to turn off the PC. He shorted two terminals in the drive's PCB to get the SSD to operate without its default safe mode. Mass Production Tools (MPTools), which OEMs use to flash SSDs, were used to change the firmware settings. Each NAND Flash architecture has its own special version of MPTools. The software directly shows control of the Flash clock, CPU clock, and output driving. However, additional tweaks like Flash IO driving with subdivisions need modifications. Control and Flash On-Die Termination (ODT) and Schmitt window trigger (referring to the Schmitt trigger comparator circuit) also needed a few modifications to make it work.

Back at Computex last year we got a look at the first USB4 add-in card, which was from MSI. Some six months later, ASUS has finally revealed its USB4 add-in card that simply goes by the name of USB4 PCIe Gen4 Card. The general design of the two cards appear to be more or less identical, at least in terms of outputs and inputs. As such, both cards feature two USB4 outputs and two DP 1.4 inputs for those that want to use the USB4 ports to connect to a display. Other inputs include a USB 2.0 header, a custom USB4 header for communication with the motherboard—similar to Thunderbolt add-in cards—and a 6-pin graphics card type power input. The card supports up to two monitors and three devices or one monitor and four devices when daisy chained.

ASUS has gone for a shroud on its card, so it's impossible to make out any real details, but based on the manual, ASUS has installed a heatsink on the ASM4242 USB4 host controller from ASMedia, albeit a smaller one than MSI. However, ASUS has only gone for 60 W USB Power Delivery compared to 100 W for the MSI card. If this makes any useful difference in a desktop PC is up for discussion though and would depend on specific use cases. On the other hand, ASUS allows for 60 W through both ports, whereas MSI only delivers 27 W through its secondary port. The card should work with any ASUS motherboard that has a TB/USB4 header. As ASUS has only just put up the product page, there's no word on pricing.

In addition to the new AIO coolers and PSUs, ENERMAX brought a full lineup of new PC cases to the CES 2024 show, including the new ENERPAZO lineup, the new EK98, and the SK30 V2 PC cases. The ENERPAZO lineup with the ENERPAZO EP33 mid-tower and the ENERPAZO EP23 mini-tower PC cases, and the EK98 mid-tower PC case, all come with built-in USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C ports and reusable PCIe slots, as well as feature recognizable ENERMAX design with grill front and glass side panel.

The ENERPAZO EP33 supports up to an E-ATX motherboards, has support for a 420 mm AIO liquid CPU cooler and up to 11 fans, while the ENERPAZO EP23, as mini-tower PC case, supports up to a micro-ATX motherboard and a 360 mm AIO liquid CPU cooler and up to 8 fans. The EK98 supports up to a 360 mm AIO liquid CPU cooler and up to 9 fans, as well as comes with vertical GPU installation support with rotatable PCIe slots and pre-installed 4 ARGB PWM fans. ENERMAX also showcased the new SK30 V2 PC case mid-tower PC case which also comes with USB 3.2 Type-C ports, supports up to 360 mm AIO liquid CPU cooler ass well as comes with the same vertical GPU installation support and couple of pre-installed ARGB PWM fans.

Razer also unveiled its new 11-port USB C Dock at CES 2024 show, and while it might not be interesting as the new Blade laptops or high-end gaming chairs, Razer is keeping up with the theme, making a simple USB C Dock feel like a premium device with its lightweight cnc aluminium chassis.

Razer USB C Dock comes with a total of 11 ports, including two standard USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, one standard USB 3.2 Type-C port and one USB Type-C Power Delivery port with support for 20 V USB PD 3.0 charging of up to 100 W, HDMI port with support for 4K @ 60 Hz output, Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 port, microSD UHS-I and SD UHS-I card slots, and 3.5 mm audio combo jack powered by Razer 7.1 Surround Sound. The Razer USB C Dock is now available in Black and Mercury color options and priced at $119.99.

ASUS and Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced an exciting lineup of displays for gaming, professional content creation, hybrid work, and entertainment at CES 2024. ROG continues to drive gaming display innovation with the introduction of the 39-inch ROG Swift OLED PG39WCDM 800R-curved monitor, the 32-inch PG32UCDP—the world's first dual-mode gaming monitor with a Frame Rate Boost feature that lets users switch between 4K 240 Hz and FHD 480 Hz modes - and the PG27AQDP, the world's fastest 27-inch OLED monitor. In addition, ROG also unveiled the award-winning ROG Aura Monitor Light Bar ALB01 and ROG Ergo Monitor Arm AAS01 to upgrade any gaming setup.

Content creators will appreciate the latest ProArt Display PA278CFRV, an eco-friendly QHD (2560 x 1440) IPS monitor featuring 95% DCI-P3 and USB-C with 96 W power delivery—perfect for Windows laptop and MacBook users. ASUS unveiled a trio of portable displays including ZenScreen Fold OLED MQ17QH—the world's first foldable OLED portable display—and the 21.5-inch, 100 Hz ZenScreen MB229CF with several versatile stand options, along with the 15.6-inch ZenScreen MB166CR featuring a 360° kickstand that doubles as a wall mount.

Samsung Electronics America today announced new Odyssey OLED gaming monitors debuting at CES 2024, the world's biggest tech event owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), in Las Vegas next week. The new OLED models deliver the performance and visual clarity gamers look for in their monitors, and include the Odyssey OLED G9 (Model Name: G95SD), Odyssey OLED G8 (Model Name: G80SD), and the Odyssey OLED G6 (Model Name: G60SD).

The Odyssey OLED G9 is a 49" curved ultra-wide gaming monitor with DQHD (5,120×1,440) resolution and a 32:9 aspect ratio and other upgraded features. The Odyssey OLED G8 is the first flat 32-inch Samsung OLED gaming monitor with 4K UHD (3,840×2,160) resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Both monitors have a 240 Hz refresh rate and 0.03 ms GTG response time. The Odyssey OLED G6 is a 27" QHD (2,560×1,440) monitor which supports a 16:9 aspect ratio, 360 Hz refresh rate and 0.03 ms GTG response time.

Chinese company Sipeed has introduced the Lichee Pocket 4A, one of the first handheld gaming devices based on the RISC-V open-source instruction set architecture (ISA). Sipeed positions the device as a retro gaming platform capable of running simple titles via software rendering or GPU acceleration. At its core is Alibaba's T-Head TH1520 processor featuring four 2.50 GHz Xuantie C910 RISC-V general-purpose CPU cores and an unnamed Imagination GPU. The chip was originally aimed at laptop designs. Memory options include 8 GB or 16 GB LPDDR4X RAM and 32 GB or 128 GB of storage. The Lichee Pocket 4A has a 7-inch 1280x800 LCD touchscreen, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity, and an array of wired ports like USB and Ethernet. It weighs under 500 grams. The device can run Android or Linux distributions like Debian, Ubuntu, and others.

As an early RISC-V gaming entrant, performance expectations should be modest—the focus is retro gaming and small indie titles, not modern AAA games. Specific gaming capabilities remain to be fully tested. However, the release helps showcase RISC-V's potential for consumer electronics and competitive positioning against proprietary ISAs like ARM. Pricing is still undefined, but another Sipeed handheld console retails for around $250 currently. Reception from enthusiasts and developers will demonstrate whether there's a viable market for RISC-V gaming devices. Success could encourage additional hardware experimentation efforts across emerging open architectures. With a 6000 mAh battery, battery life should be decent. Other specifications can be seen in the table below, and the pre-order link is here.

Cyber Acoustics, a leading manufacturer of reliable and affordable computer peripherals used in schools, businesses, call centers, and homes, today announced the CA Essential Webcam Flex is now shipping and available on CyberAcoustics.com and Amazon.com.

The CA Essential Webcam Flex is the ideal tool to give powerful presentations, conduct authentic live interviews, lead captivating webinars and livestreams, or present engaging demonstrations, via a simple, unobtrusive webcam that's perfect for people spanning industries, professions, interests, and hobbies, as its unique design offers a more collaborative experience for any use.

Leading digital lifestyle accessories brand, Trust Electronics Ltd, is thrilled to introduce the GXT490 Fayzo 7.1 USB RGB Virtual 7.1 surround sound Gaming Headset, an exceptional over-ear wired gaming headset designed for PC, laptops, consoles, and other 3.5 mm devices. Made with 85% recycled plastics, the Trust GXT490 Fayzo 7.1 gaming headset allows gamers to take on challenges in-game and do their part for the planet in real life too. The Trust GXT 490 Fayzo 7.1 USB Headset is available from Very for £39.99.

The Fayzo 7.1 USB Gaming Headset has been designed for those who want to hear every footstep, word, shot and more. Virtual 7.1 surround sound transports players right to the centre of the game, whilst the noise-cancelling microphone ensures no background noise gets picked up whilst you're playing. Multicolour RGB lighting with three colour modes add a pop of cool colour for a stylish setup, and the extra-long USB connection cable makes it easy to connect to PC or PlayStation. With the possibility to use the included PC software to tune the headset's EQ, it can even be customised to provide the ideal sound experience for every player.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, today is excited to introduce the H510MHP-E 3.0 motherboard, designed to run 10th/11th Generation Intel Core Processors. The H510MHP-E 3.0 motherboard excels as the ideal choice for a wide range of users. It offers reliable performance for office tasks, immerses home entertainment enthusiasts with HDMI support, streamlines data management for system integrators, and empowers holiday season HTPC setups with its impressive performance. With its versatile features, this motherboard caters to diverse needs seamlessly.

The H510MHP-E 3.0 motherboard boasts a robust set of specifications to meet the demands of business and casual use. It offers versatility and compatibility, supporting both 10th and 11th-generation Intel Core processors. With its Intel H470 single-chip architecture, this motherboard ensures efficient and seamless operation.

BenQ has launched their latest Industry-leading dual source dock, the beCreatus DP310 Hybrid Dock, fitted with both USB-C and HDMI inputs. BenQ's latest product launch is aimed to support programmers, creators, designers, and editors to enhance their display productivity and efficiency when navigating different input sources. The new beCreatus DP310 Hybrid Dock, supports both hybrid and remote workers, allowing them to use their workstation as an entertainment hub.

The beCreatus DP310 Hybrid Dock enables users to seamlessly switch between inputs as needed, for both work, gaming and personal use. The two input sources-an USB-C and HDMI-have a dedicated button for switching, letting you go back and forth between sources with just one press of the button. Users can easily switch from editing to gaming to browsing with one button. With the USB-C input users can add new displays as needed to utilize the screen space required. The beCreatus DP310 Hybrid Dock has multiple inputs to allow users to connect to three monitors at 4K resolution, when utilizing the USB-C input, for maximum productivity and enjoyment.

IBASE Technology Inc. (TPEx: 8050), a pioneering force in embedded computing solutions, proudly presents the IB961 3.5" Single Board Computer (SBC) engineered for peak performance, extensive connectivity, and unmatched versatility. Harnessing the prowess of 13th Gen Intel Core processors, including the i7-1370PE, i5-1340PE, i5-1335UE, and i3-1320PE, the IB961 delivers exceptional computing capabilities across diverse applications. These processors advance performance hybrid architecture with up to 6 Performance-cores (P-core) and up to 8 Efficient-cores (E-core), ensuring unparalleled power for memory-intensive tasks.

This compact SBC offers a rich array of connectivity options, including M.2 (M-Key, E-Key, B-Key) mini type slots, and USB 3.2 ports, enabling 5G communications and ensuring seamless integration with peripherals. Dual Intel LAN support guarantees reliable, high-speed network connectivity. Integrated graphics from 13th Gen Intel Core mobile processors provide stunning visuals through 2x DisplayPort (1.2), eDP, and LVDS outputs. The IB961 signifies a leap forward in embedded computing technology, empowering businesses to enhance efficiency and adaptability across diverse industrial applications.

Science fiction is coming to life with eternity.ac, a new startup offering personal digital cloning where anyone can challenge the boundaries of physical limitations with an affordable artificial intelligence that looks, talks, and converses just like you. The new venture empowers individuals to preserve their unique appearance, thoughts, experiences, and memories with a simple 3-step clone creation process.

The innovation opens up a new spectrum of meaningful AI uses, such as allowing future generations to interact with loved ones, enabling fans and followers to engage with their favorite public figures, and helping people understand the viewpoints and experiences of others. Once created, people can interact with the clone via written chat or through vocal conversations.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today unveiled the T5 EVO, a lightweight portable Solid-State Drive (SSD) that provides up to 8 terabytes (TB) of capacity, which is the largest capacity size currently offered by portable SSDs available on the market. Along with its capacity, the T5 EVO delivers ultra-fast speeds in a compact, durable design as a cutting-edge, versatile SSD solution.

"For consumers who are looking for substitutes for traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), the T5 EVO - offering the largest-available capacity along with speed and durability in a compact design that fits in the palm of your hand - is an innovative, new external storage option," said Hangu Sohn, Vice President of the Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. "The T5 EVO is built to fulfill the needs of a wide range of consumers with diverse lifestyles. Its capacity of up to 8 TB, fast speeds, compact design and data protection from external shocks are well-suited for users who want to store and access data anywhere, anytime."

MINISFORUM, known for its expertise in mini PCs, is taking a significant step towards building a holistic desktop ecosystem. The introduction of the MINISFORUM MKB i83 keyboard marks the company's expansion into the world of peripherals, allowing users to experience a complete desktop environment.

The MINISFORUM MKB i83 is a testament to premium quality, featuring an anodized aluminium body that not only provides an elegant texture but also ensures enduring performance. This keyboard is designed to cater to a diverse range of users who demand the best.