To date, WiFi 7 routers have been costing hundreds of dollars, with high-end models going for as much as US$800 for standard routers, with mesh systems easily breaking the US$1000 barrier. TP-Link's new Archer BE3600—also known as the Archer BE230 in some markets—is the polar opposite to those expensive routers, as it's being sold for a mere US$99. We've even found it for less than that in some countries, although we've also seen the BE230 model for twice as much, so the pricing varies quite a lot depending on where you live. You might be wondering how much router you get for your money, since there has to be some trade-offs, right?

Well, you wouldn't be wrong, but there are fewer trade-offs than we expected. As the model name implies, the combined WiFi speed is 3600 Mbps in theory, with the 5 GHz radio delivering up to 2882 Mbps and the 2.4 GHz radio delivering up to 688 Mbps. Both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios are 2x2, but at least the 5 GHz radio supports up to 240 MHz channel width, although 160 MHz is far more common on the device side. However, there's no 6 GHz radio to be found at this price, which isn't entirely unexpected at this price point. However, new features like Multi-Link Operation (MLO) are supported. You also get a pair of 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports, something only routers at around twice the price of the Archer BE3600 has featured so far. There's even a USB 3.0 for those that want to connect up a storage device to their router as a makeshift network drive. According to a teardown done by the FCC, the Archer BE3600 is based on a Broadcom SoC with integrated WiFi and a Realtek switch for the Gigabit ports.

Cable Matters, an industry leader in connectivity solutions, is excited to announce the integration of Thunderbolt Share technology from Intel into its existing Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station. This enhancement brings unprecedented Windows PC-to-PC connectivity and collaboration capabilities to the popular 16-in-1 docking solution.

Thunderbolt Share is an innovative software application that enables fast and seamless Windows PC-to-PC connectivity. By leveraging the power of Thunderbolt 4, users can now transfer files, share storage devices, and enjoy smooth screen sharing with minimal latency, enhancing productivity and collaboration.

Gigabyte's new Stealth series of motherboards has to date only had a single product, the Z690 Aorus Elite Stealth, but now, Gigabyte has added its first Stealth board for AMD CPUs. The B650E Aorus Stealth Ice not only has all of its connectors on the back of the board, but it also has a white/silver PCB with a similarly coloured front and back cover. Apart from the DIMM slots, all connectors are also in somewhat matching colours, although judging by the pictures, the colours don't quite match on all the connectors and slots. That aside, the B650E Aorus Stealth Ice is a pretty competent board, as long as you're not interested in adding anything more than a graphics card and some NVMe SSDs, as it has zero additional PCIe expansion slots. It's a rather bold move by Gigabyte, but at the same time, most gamers and consumers don't tend to add PCIe devices to their computers outside of additional storage these days.

Besides the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, you get two M.2 sockets wired to the CPU, one PCIe 5.0—with its own, larger heatsink—and one PCIe 4.0, as well as a third PCIe 4.0 M.2 socket via the chipset. There's also support for four SATA 6 Gbps drives if more storage is needed. Gigabyte has also added an internal HDMI 1.4 port that's limited to 1080p30, which is intended to be used with Gigabyte's LCD Edge View display. Other connectivity on the back of the PCB includes a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) port, a USB 3.2 (5 Gbps) pin-header as well as the usual USB 2.0, fan headers and LED headers that you'd expect from a modern motherboard. The VRM design is a 12+2+2 design with a 60 Amp DrMOS configuration for the 12+2 phases for the CPU and GPU.

TP-Link, a leading global provider of consumer and business networking products, today announced availability of the highly anticipated, 2023 CES Innovation Award Honoree, Archer GE800 BE19000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router. Designed for gaming enthusiasts, the Archer GE800 sets the stage for a new era of gaming performance with jaw-dropping tri-band speeds of up to 19 Gbps†, two 10 Gbps ports, and game-acceleration features that redefine gaming experiences.

The Archer GE800 is the ultimate choice for power-players seeking to elevate their gaming experience with revolutionary Wi-Fi 7 technology. With advanced capabilities like reduced latency and enhanced stability, Wi-Fi 7 creates a superior gaming environment for a more responsive and immersive experience. Offering Wi-Fi speeds of up to 19 Gbps across three bands and 12 streams, supported by dual 10 Gbps and quad 2.5 Gbps wired ports, every device receives unparalleled bandwidth.

NETGEAR, Inc., the leading provider of innovative and secure solutions for people to connect and manage their digital lives, today expanded its WiFi 7 mesh and standalone router lines with the new Orbi 770 Tri-band Mesh System and Nighthawk RS300 Router. NETGEAR's most affordable WiFi 7 products to date build on the company's promise to provide powerful WiFi performance and secure connectivity.

WiFi 7 Changes the Game
WiFi 7 unlocks 2.4 times faster speeds than WiFi 6, delivers low latency and better handles WiFi interference for families to seamlessly enjoy next gen 4K/8K streaming, video conferencing, gaming, and more. Since the launch of NETGEAR's first WiFi 7 offerings - Nighthawk RS700 and Orbi 970 - multi-gig internet speeds have become more affordable, work from home demands have remained steady, and more devices such as AR/VR headsets or AI-focused platforms like CoPilot+ have been introduced that require extreme low latency and higher throughput.

We've seen a lot of motherboards with the power, SATA and USB connectors on the rear at Computex this year, but Chinese Maxsun decided to put the PCIe x16 slot on the back of its Mini-ITX MS-Terminator B760BKB D5 motherboard. This might seem like a crazy move, but with the right chassis, this means that the graphics card won't need a PCIe extension cable, while fitting in a compact chassis. It's also become increasingly hard to retain signal integrity over ribbon cables and with PCIe 5.0, it might be impossible. Another added benefit of this design is that the board also has a PCIe 3.0 x4 slot available for something like a 10 Gbps network card or just about anything else you'd want to plug into a compact PC.

The overall board specs don't really stick out from the crowd, as the Intel B760 chips is a somewhat limiting factor as well. In addition to the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and the PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, the board also has a pair of PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe slots—one on each side of the PCB—and a slim SAS connector using an SFF-8654 connector. In addition to this, the board also has two DDR5 DIMM slots, four SATA ports, a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, a DP 1.2, an HDMI 2.0 port, a USB Type-C port of unknown speed and WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. The power design consists of a fairly basic 8+1+1 phase setup. We'd like to see this board design to become a standard, as it makes a lot of sense for the SFF market to allow for a better placement of the PCI x16 slot to allow for a more compact chassis without having to compromise on the choice of graphics card.

ASUS today announced the innovative concepts and upcoming designs that it will be demonstrating at its Computex 2024 booths, including AI PCs, prototype AMD and Intel motherboards, as well as fresh CPU coolers.

AI PC-ready hardware
With all the groundbreaking AI-powered apps and features available today, and many more on the horizon, PC enthusiasts the world over are searching for hardware that will let them run AI tools on their own AI PC in addition to using cloud-based subscriptions. At Computex 2024, ASUS is showing off the PC hardware that builders can leverage to explore the future of this revolution. An AI PC is an entire platform ready to unlock advanced AI features—in turn, revolutionizing the way that people build, customize, and use such a device.

MSI announced a new range of wireless mesh WiFi 7 products at Computex called the Roamii and with the press release being somewhat feature light, we'll try and fill the blanks here. MSI will offer three different variants of the Roamii mesh system which will be the Roamii BE Lite, Roamii Be Pro and Roamii BE Max. Starting with the Lite which sports a combined WiFi speed of up to 5 Gbps, but the division between the supported bands is unclear, although it's likely to lack the 6 GHz radio, but it supports Multi-Link Operation (MLO). It only has one 2.5 Gbps and two Gigabit Ethernet ports. The Pro model ups the game with 11 Gbps WiFi and four 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports, as well as a single USB 3.0 port.

Finally the Max dial things up to 21 Gbps on the wireless side of things and adds one 10 Gbps Ethernet port to the mix. In addition to the Roamii products, MSI was also showing off the BE6500 WiFi 7 USB adapter which is a tri-band dongle and the first of its kind that we've seen. It supports speeds of up to 2880 Mbps on the 6 and 5 GHz bands and 688 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band, assuming you have a suitable WiFi 7 router or access point. It also offers support for MLO and interestingly enough, it also has built in drives, which means you don't need to download drivers to get it up and running. Finally MSI is promising support for Windows 10 and 11, as well as Linux. So far Windows 10 has lacked proper support for WiFi 7 devices, so this is an interesting development.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the ROG Rapture GT-BE19000 tri-band WiFi 7 gaming router at Computex 2024. This next-generation powerhouse is designed to dominate gaming and computing experiences with ultra-fast tri-band WiFi 7 speeds of up to 19 Gbps, innovative features like Automatic Frequency Coordination, and comprehensive wired and wireless network functions.

Next-gen WiFi power
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE19000 router boasts ultra-fast wireless speeds of up to 19 Gbps, thanks to innovative WiFi 7 features like 320 MHz channels, 4096-QAM, and Multi-Link Operation. It is the world's first gaming router with Automatic Frequency Coordination. AFC automatically checks the WiFi environment and chooses the least congested channel in the 6 GHz band, boosting peak transmit power by up to 63 times higher than Low Power Indoor networking devices. The GT-BE19000 also provides up to 31 Gbps of wired capacity, including dual 10 Gb Ethernet and quad 2.5 Gb Ethernet ports, ensuring strong, stable connections for building a robust local network in the new era of AI.

Acer today announced the expansion of its wireless router portfolio with two new options designed for gamers and a wide range of individuals, including families and remote workers. The Acer Wave 7 leverages the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology to deliver broad, reliable coverage for large homes with many devices, while the Predator Connect W6x utilizes Wi-Fi 6 to prioritize speed and performance for smooth online gaming experiences.

The W6x boasts dual-band connectivity, utilizing both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies to ensure strong and consistent signals throughout the home, while the Wave 7 elevates further with the additional support of up to 6 GHz of Wi-Fi 7. Additionally, they come equipped with Hybrid Quality of Service (QoS) software and the Intel Killer Prioritization Engine, working together to identify and prioritize critical network traffic for maximized speed and minimal lag. User-friendly interfaces make setup and management a breeze, while built-in Trend Micro Home Network Security safeguards network and connected devices from potential threats.

Acer today debuted two new premium Chromebook Plus laptops - the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 and Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE - that combine versatile designs with a 2x faster Intel Core processor and up to double the memory and storage, giving people the power to do even more all at once.

As Chromebook Plus devices, the two new models support enhanced generative AI features for connectivity, creativity, and collaboration, such as a "help me write" feature available with just a right click, Google Photos' Magic Editor, Gemini, and more. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is a slim convertible optimized for on-the-go productivity and connectivity with a 360-degree hinge that allows it to be used in myriad ways and places, and the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is a next-generation cloud-gaming Chromebook with the latest gaming-centric hardware to stream and play AAA games with NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Boosteroid, Amazon Luna and more.

Radxa is a Chinese manufacturer of various Arm based devices and something of a minor competitor to the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The company has just launched its latest product which is called the ROCK 5 ITX. As the name implies, it's a Mini-ITX form factor motherboard, which in itself is rather unusual for Arm based hardware to start with. However, Radxa has designed the ROCK 5 ITX to be a NAS motherboard and this is the first time we've come across such a product, as most Arm based boards are either intended for hobby projects, software development or routers. This makes the ROCK 5 ITX quite unique, at least based on its form factor, as it'll be compatible with standard Mini-ITX chassis.

The SoC on the board is a Rockchip RK3588 which sports four Cortex-A76 cores at up to 2.4 GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8 GHz. This is not exactly cutting edge, but should be plenty fast enough for a SATA drive based NAS. The board offers four SATA 6 Gbps connectors via an ASMedia ASM1164 controller, each with an individual power connector next to it. However, Radxa seems to have chosen to use fan-header type power connectors, which means it'll be hard to get replacement power cables. The board also has a PCIe 3.0 x2 M.2 slot for an NVMe drive. The OS boots from eMMC and Radxa supports its own Roobi OS which is Debian Linux based.

Targus, the number one third-party docking station and laptop bag brand in the US1 and a leader in laptop cases and mobile computing accessories, today announced the availability of its new USB4 Triple Video Docking Station with 100 W Power (DOCK460). With full USB4 (and Thunderbolt) speeds in a triple video enterprise-grade dock, this Alternate Mode dock packs all of the ports and power necessary to support and power a wide variety of laptop brands and various platforms.

"Our new DOCK460 is an outstanding docking solution for enterprise users who want more power, speed, and performance than previously available, while offering ultra-compatibility with a wide variety of laptop brands and platforms," explains David Dorantes, Director, Product Marketing, Targus. "With this powerful dock, users can enjoy a native triple-video workstation that stays charged and ready with 100 W power delivery, plus the addition of a USB4 connection and 2.5G Ethernet."

The GEEKOM XT12 Pro, a new mini PC that rocks an incredible Intel Core i9-12900H processor, is now available for pre-orders! The unit with 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and licensed Windows 11 Pro is priced at only $699, making the XT12 Pro arguably the best-bang-for-the-buck i9 powered mini PC ever.

The GEEKOM XT12 Pro employs a uni-body aluminium chassis that measures 117 x 111 x 38.5 mm (0.5 liter). The anodized matte finish gives the mini PC a refreshingly gorgeous look, and the minimalist design makes it DIY customization easy. As small as it is, the XT12 Pro still packs a wide array of I/O, including two full-function 40 Gbps USB4, four USB-A, two HDMI 2.0, a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

ASUS today announced the RT-BE88U, the world's first WiFi 7 router that offers up to 34 Gbps of combined wired network capacity. With a 10 Gbps LAN / WAN port, a 10 Gbps LAN / WAN SFP+ port and four 2.5 Gbps ports, the RT-BE88U stands ready to deliver massive amounts of Ethernet performance for online gaming, media streaming and more - now and well into the future. It also offers up to 7200 Mbps of cutting-edge WiFi 7 networking, bringing the enhanced data rates of 4K-QAM and dual-band Multi-Link Operation to compatible devices. Plus, Guest Network Pro, subscription-free security features and site-to-site VPN support help to make an RT-BE88U-based network flexible, safe and easy to manage.

The WiFi 7 advantage
With WiFi 7 cornerstones such as the boosted data rates of 4K-QAM and dual-band Multi-Link Operation (MLO), the ASUS RT-BE88U ushers in a whole new wave of networking possibilities. 4K-QAM increases speeds by packing signals more tightly, which increases bandwidth efficiency. Thus, data rates can be up to 20% higher than what a WiFi 6 network can achieve. Meanwhile, Dual-band Multi-Link Operation (MLO) lets a WiFi 7 device connect to both a 2.4 GHz and a 5 GHz network to increase throughput and minimize latency. This future-proofs the network, giving users the capacity to handle even more connected devices without sacrificing performance

Sabrent today introduced the NT-25GA, a portable 2.5 Gbps wired Ethernet adapter featuring a USB type-C connector. The adapter comes in a premium-looking aluminium body. On its business end is a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port with separate link/activity LEDs; on the other is a short cable with a USB type-C connection. The Ethernet port supports Cat5E cables with cable lengths of up to 100 meters. The adapter is tested by Sabrent to work with not just Windows and Linux PCs, but also macOS, MacBooks from after 2018, and iPad Pro after 2018. As a network adapter, the Sabrent NT-25GA also supports WoL and UEFI boot functions thanks to its PXE driver. The company didn't reveal pricing.

NETGEAR, Inc., the leading provider of networking products that power both home and office, today announced the availability of the next-generation Nighthawk DOCSIS 3.1 High-Speed Internet Cable Modem (CM3000), specifically engineered to handle today's fastest DOCSIS 3.1 cable internet speeds that can only be accessed with mid/high-split technology. The CM3000 delivers unprecedented download speeds, up to 2.5 Gbps, and faster upload speeds, up to 1 Gbps, for lag-free gaming, crisp video conferencing, smoother music and video streaming, and instant app downloads.

Historically, low-split products with downstream speeds far exceeding upstream capabilities were sufficient for email, web browsing, and video streaming. Today's needs, including video conferencing, livestreaming and the use of smart home surveillance, have necessitated mid-split products to provide increased bandwidth for upstream traffic. According to OpenVault, average upload usage has grown 290% since 2019. The CM3000 delivers not only blazing fast download speeds, but upload speeds up to 2.5 times faster than its DOCSIS 3.1 predecessor.

Ugreen, a global leader in consumer electronics and charging technology, is pleased to announce the launch of its Revodok Series Hubs & Docking Stations. Under the banner "Expand Your Creativity," these new products cater to diverse user demands and comprise of three distinct series: Revodok Max Series, Revodok Pro Series, and Revodok Basic Series. The Revodok Max 213 is available from Ugreen and Amazon US for £399.99/$399.99, the Revodok Pro 313 is available from Ugreen and Amazon US from £129.99/$129.99 and the Revodok Pro 210 is available from Ugreen and Amazon US for £69.99/$69.99.

The Revodok Max 213, the premier product of the Revodok Max Series, is specifically tailored for professionals in fields such as media, data/financial analysis, photography, audio/video production, engineering, and design. It epitomizes "Ultra-high Speed and Ultra-high Efficiency", facilitating seamless collaboration and productivity in multi-device offices and high-performance equipment settings.

As the Philips 49B2U6900CH makes its debut, it brings a plethora of new features along with it that increase collaboration and aid teamwork in the modern digital workplace. In addition to these new features, the Philips 49B2U6900CH also boasts a large 48.8-inch screen and 5120 x 1440 DQHD resolution for a wide viewing and high-quality setup that would otherwise be comprised of two separate monitors.

Built for the Professional Work Environment
Perhaps one of the most powerful and useful features of the Philips 49B2U6900CH are those that pertain to the professional work environment, and it is safe to say that it is built for it.

TP-Link, a leading global provider of consumer and business networking products, and the first-to-market Wi-Fi 7 brand, is proud to announce its latest line of Wi-Fi 7 innovations at CES 2024. This exciting lineup features a more robust collection of Deco Mesh Wi-Fi systems, next-gen Archer routers, and the industry's most powerful gaming router, along with the debut of the world's first Wi-Fi 7 client adapter. TP-Link is committed to delivering an unparalleled connectivity experience for homes of any size and internet access type.

Wi-Fi 7 Whole Home Mesh All-Scenario Solution
Deco offers a seamlessly integrated and comprehensive mesh Wi-Fi solution, allowing users to effortlessly create a whole home mesh Wi-Fi system. Whether consumers have a small apartment or a spacious residence with expansive floor plans and outdoor requirements, Deco ensures a robust and reliable network with faster speeds, lower latency, and more capacity than ever before. At CES 2024, TP-Link will unveil an impressive end-to-end range of Deco solutions that fit any scenario, including the BE95, BE65 Pro, BE63, BE65-5G, BE65-PoE, BE25, BE25-Outdoor, and more.

Today marks the launch of not just two new incredibly well-designed NAS devices, but also two new features brand new to the ASUSTOR line of NAS devices with ARM processors. The introduction of the Drivestor 2 Pro Gen2 and Drivestor 4 Pro Gen2 come with an upgraded SoC, providing 21% more performance, which increases read and write speeds and performance for the features and apps available for the Drivestor Pro Gen2. The Drivestor Pro Gen2 series comes with 2.5-Gigabit Ethernet, hot-swappable hard drive bays, hardware transcoding, tool-free design and more! The upgraded iGPU found in the Drivestor Pro Gen2 now gives even better performance when transcoding multimedia.

The all-new Drivestor Pro Gen2 series comes with a new killer feature. Btrfs is now supported on the Drivestor Pro Gen2, a first for ASUSTOR NAS devices running ARM CPUs. Btrfs helps protect data by enabling snapshots of data at certain points in time and is able to rewind the clock should any unintentional modifications be made and restore data if needed.

Raising the bar and becoming a CES 2024 Innovation Award Honoree, Dell Technologies is introducing the world's first 40-inch 5K monitor certified for five-star eye comfort, the Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U4025QW). Marking nine years of being an industry leader in PC monitors, Dell continues to push the boundaries of display innovation, bridging the gap for those who demand ultimate performance with the best technology and design.

Whether you're a content creator, data scientist or engineer, or you just need a monitor to keep you in your flow—a device with the best value in precision and efficiency is critical to keeping you productive in any work environment. Known for outstanding visuals, the U4025QW is a must-have for professionals who require clarity and remarkable color. This ultrawide curved VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified monitor comes with IPS Black Panel technology for greater color contrast and intricate detail in 5K resolution (5120x2160).

TerraMaster, a professional brand focused on providing innovative storage products for homes and businesses, recently introduced the 424 series, a new upgrade of 423 series. It is equipped with an Intel Core i3 CPU and up to 32 GB DDR5 memory, catering to the needs of individuals and business users who demand higher performance. The 424 series will come with TOS 5.1 operating system and can be smoothly upgraded to the TerraMaster TOS 6 in the future.

Peak Performance 4-Bay NAS
Intel Core i3 8-core 8-thread CPU at 3.8 GHz (turbo), integrated UHD GPU at 1.25 GHz, 32 GB DDR5, dual 2.5G Ethernet ports, and dual M.2 NVMe slots for SSD caching.

Kensington, a worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business, and home office professionals, today announced the launch of the SD5800T Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Quad Video Docking Station. The powerful plug-and-play docking station supports up to four 4K monitors, delivers data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, provides up to 100 W of power delivery, and features 16 connectivity ports enabling users to release the potential of their premium laptops.

Providing a true plug-and-play experience with no drivers or downloads required, the SD5800T is one of the first Thunderbolt 4 docks capable of supporting Quad 4K displays, and is compatible with Windows and macOS, as well as Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, and USB-C devices. Ideal for graphic designers, video editors, and animators, the 16-in-1 design includes built-in UHS-II SD and Micro SD card readers for the efficient transfer of files at ultra-fast speeds.

Belkin, a leading consumer electronics brand for 40 years, today announced a new 11-in-1 dock featuring the latest Silicon Motion technology to add more power and productivity to any desk setup. This universal dock offers additional key ports that newer laptop models no longer support and can expand to three monitors with resolution of up to 4K at 60 Hz for one monitor.

With universal capabilities, devices stay charged with up to 100 W of pass-through power and fast transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps. This dock also doubles as a laptop stand and includes a 350 mm centered connection cable for easy connection to a laptop in any space.