AMD today announced its collaboration with Microsoft Corp. for more than 125 Windows 8-based PC designs from leading OEMs including ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and more. With a hardware accelerated user interface, Microsoft and AMD have collaborated to design Windows 8 to unlock the high performance graphics capabilities found in AMD accelerated processing units (APUs) and discrete AMD Radeon graphics processing units (GPUs) to deliver the best HD video, gaming and app experience consumers want with the always on, always connected, touch-driven interface with great battery life they need.

"There is a lot of exciting innovation happening in the marketplace today -- from the new Windows 8 graphics-accelerated user interface and apps, to ultraportable and sleek hardware designs -- and AMD's CPU, GPU and APU technology designed for Windows 8 helps enable a no-compromise solution," said Stefan Kinnestrand, director of Product Management, Windows Division at Microsoft.

The ASUS ROG G46VW finally brings genuine game-driving power to the compact and portable 14" segment. Endowed with every advantage offered by other ROG gaming notebooks, it embeds 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors, discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M graphics, NVIDIA Optimus technology for long battery life, and extra-fast data transfers with Intel Thunderbolt. Advanced ROG engineering achieves unmitigated performance in a very transportable and light product. The G46VW keeps the powerful rear-venting dual-exhaust thermal design of fellow G Series notebooks, running cool and quiet. It offers gamers superior comfort and input ergonomics, maintaining renowned eye-catching G Series aesthetics. For customers who demand true mobility without having to forego performance gaming, the G46VW presents an ideal proposition.

SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today announced that the company is providing the solid state drive (SSD) for the new ASUS TAICHI Ultrabook, introduced today by ASUS. Running on the Windows 8 operating system, the unique ASUS TAICHI is an ultrabook that features a tablet on the outside of the laptop lid, allowing users to quickly and easily transition from a tablet to notebook functionality, or operate both simultaneously, for superior mobile computing versatility.

With fast, reliable storage provided by a customized SanDisk X100 SSD, a high-performance stand-alone SSD model, the sleek and powerful ASUS TAICHI features a full notebook experience for consumers or business users, as well as the convenience of a tablet with stylus support, all in one device. The SanDisk X100 SSD used in the ASUS TAICHI (available in both 256GB and 128GB1 capacities) enables the ultrabook to boot up quickly and provides incredibly responsive, small form factor storage. With the ASUS TAICHI, both the tablet and notebook screens can be used at the same time, each featuring different content and applications. This enables the device to be easily shared by family, friends or co-workers simultaneously. While offering both notebook and tablet capability, the ASUS TAICHI is surprisingly thin and lightweight, due in large part to the compact form factor of the SanDisk X100. The customized SanDisk SSD also enhances application performance in the ASUS TAICHI and includes thermal control features to help protect the device from overheating, even when both the tablet and notebook capabilities are being operated at once.

ASUS unveiled the Zenbook UX42VS, UX52VS and U500VZ. This launch marks the first 14- and 15-inch models in a series that consists of ASUS' flagship Ultrabook products. The UX42VS features a 14-inch 1366 x 768 pixels screen, it tips the scales at 1.9 kg, and features a wedge-shaped chassis that is as just 6 mm thick at its thinnest point. It is driven by Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processor (options), with 6 GB of memory, GeForce GT 645M graphics, and 1 TB of SSD-accelerated HDD storage.

The Zenbook UX52VS and U500VZ feature 15-inch screens. The UX52VS (pictured below), features Core i5/i7 ULV processor options, 10 GB of memory, GeForce GT 645M graphics, and SSD-accelerated 1 TB HDD. The U500VZ is an anomaly in this lineup, as it features mainstream quad-core Core i7 processor, 8 GB memory, 1080p display resolution, GeForce GT 650M graphics. Despite the kind of hardware it packs, it weighs just 2 kg, and retains the wedge-shaped chassis that's as low as 6 mm-thick.

ASUS also unveiled the 15-inch VivoBook S500 compact touch-enabled Windows 8 notebook, which joins the X202 or C200, and S400. A physical upscale of the 14-inch S400, the S500 starts at US $649.99, armed with Core i5 and Core i7 processor options, 4 to 16 GB memory options, integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, and 500 GB HDD storage that's cached by a 24 GB SSD. In addition to WiFi b/g/n, gigabit Ethernet, 1.3 MP web-camera, and Bluetooth, the S500 features USB 3.0 ports and HDMI display output. It features a compact wedge-shaped body that resembles (although not compliant of) the Ultrabook specification.

At a press event in New York, ASUS unveiled the ET2300, an all-in-one desktop featuring a 23-inch IPS LED touchscreen that can be tilted on desk to make touch ergonomic. The desktop comes with optional Thunderbolt connectivity, a variety of processor options spanning the Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 lines, GeForce GT 630M graphics, 8 GB of memory, 2 TB of HDD storage, slot-loading DVD SuperMulti drive, and Windows 8 to drive it all.

Ahead of its launch, at a special event no less, ASUS' flagship Windows tablet, the VivoTab RT was pictured at an Office Depot location. The 10.1-incher is powered by NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core ARM processor, and packs 32 GB of storage, half of which is occupied by the operating system, Windows 8 RT. USB connectivity depends on an adapter. Most other specifications, and its price remain under wraps, although it is expected to be priced in the US $599 range.

Using ASUS' very own F2A85-V PRO and AMD's latest A-series APU, ASUS set a new record of 10297 marks in 3DMark Vantage Performance for APUs. ASUS is committed in providing only the best quality and performance motherboard for AMD new A-series APUs.

The ASUS F2A85-V PRO coupled with the AMD A10-5800K APU set a new record of 10297 marks in 3DMark Vantage Performance[1], cooled by liquid nitrogen and aided by 2 DIMMS of memory running stably at a speed of 2720MHz. Even under air cooling, it still achieved a commendable 8070 marks[2], further cementing ASUS FM2 motherboards capabilities in performing well under a wide variety of environments. The new overclocking record in benchmarks such as 3DMark Vantage indicate that ASUS FM2 Series motherboards deliver customers long-lasting stability, reliability and performance as part of the ASUS commitment to the highest quality possible.

The ASUS Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition USB digital-to-analog converter and headphone amplifier carries on the award-winning tradition established by previous Xonar Essence products. It includes acclaimed MUSES 01 Op-Amps from New Japan Radio Co. Ltd., generating bigger, bolder, and livelier sound to meet the highest audiophile standards. The product maintains a swappable Op-Amp approach, and includes highlights such as WIMA capacitors, linear power delivery, XLR connectors, symmetrical 8X upsampling, a dedicated 600ohm headphone amplifier, and 120dB SNR. Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition proves ASUS Xonar products continue to lead the way in marrying audiophile-grade hardware with PC-based multimedia.

Follow up to winner of CES Innovations Awards
The latest Xonar offering improves on Xonar Essence One, winner of a 2012 CES Innovations Award in the audio component category. Xonar engineers and product managers continuously aim to improve sound quality, resulting in Xonar Essence One Plus Edition launching in June 2012 with an Op-Amp DIY kit, which allows customers to easily tune sound to their preference. The third Xonar Essence One offering, Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition maintains this pursuit of sound excellence, integrating some of the best audio components in the industry.

Next week ASUS will be rekindling the netbook flame with the release of the F201E trio. The F201E models feature a 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) display, a 1.1 GHz Intel Celeron 847 processor, 2/4 GB of RAM, a 320/500 GB hard drive, a 0.3-megapixel webcam, a 3-in-1 card reader, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, and a 5,200 mAh battery enabling up to 5 hours of operation.

The cheapest of the F201E lot, priced at €299, runs Ubuntu and has 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB HDD. The same specs, paired up with Windows 8, cost €359. Last but not least, there's a €329 model with 2 GB of RAM and a 320 GB hard drive.

ASUS GeForce GTX DirectCU, DirectCU OC, and DirectCU TOP graphics cards now arrive in a special World of Warcraft Mists of Pandaria edition. Customers get a bonus Pandaren Monk Pet downloadable character, coinciding with the release of the latest expansion to the globally-popular MMORPG. The TOP version uses a hand-picked GPU operating 157MHz faster than reference, and all cards make sure adventuring stays cool and quiet with DirectCU thermal innovation. Exclusive ASUS DIGI+ VRM and Super Alloy Power contribute greater stability, overclocking, and product longevity, plus GPU Tweak returns to give gamers easy access to diverse card tuning capabilities.

In addition to the VivoBook X202 and TAICHI 21 seen last week, ASUS is gearing up to release another 11.6-inch notebook running Microsoft's Windows 8. Seen below is the Q200E, a 0.9-inch-thick machine with an aluminum casing that features an 11.6-inch touchscreen, a 1.4 GHz Core i3 processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard drive, integrated graphics, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, a webcam, one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, and an HDMI output.

The Q200E is backed by a one-year warranty and costs $549.99.Source: Liliputing

Yet another ASUS-branded Windows 8 mobile PC has went up for pre-order this week and it is a 0.8-inch-thick ultrabook boasting a 14.1-inch (1366 x 768) touchscreen. Named VivoBook S400, ASUS' creation runs Windows 8 Home Premium (64-bit) and features a 1.7 GHz Core i5-3317U processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 24 GB SSD, a 500 GB (5400 RPM) hard drive, Intel GMA HD graphics, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, an HD camera, plus one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports.

The VivoBook S400 costs $699 and will ship on October 26.

For those put off by TAICHI 21's second display and its price tag ASUS has introduced a simpler, but still touch-enabled, and Windows 8-loaded, laptop, the VivoBook X202. Priced at $599, the X202 is 0.9-inch thick, it runs Windows 8 Home Premium, and features an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) LED-backlit touchscreen, a 1.8 GHz Core i3-3217U processor, 4 GB of RAM, Intel GMA HD graphics, a 500 GB hard drive, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a 0.3 megapixel camera, a 3-in-1 card reader, one USB 3.0 port, an HDMI output, and a 2-cell battery (battery life is up to 5 hours).

The VivoBook X202 is available for pre-order and is set to ship on October 26.

With two weeks to go until the official launch of Windows 8, ASUS has given the green light to pre-orders of its Win8-running TAICHI 21 convertible notebook featuring two 11.6-inch touchscreens. The back-to-back displays of the TAICHI 21 have an IPS panel, support up to 10-finger touch, and offer a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

ASUS' multiple monitor mobile machine runs Windows 8 Home Premium (64-bit), is less than an inch thick, and also packs an Intel Core processor (a 1.7 GHz i5-3317U or 1.9 GHz i7-3517U), Intel GMA HD graphics, 4 GB of RAM, a 128/256 GB SSD, stereo speakers with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower technology, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, dual HD cameras, two USB 3.0 ports, and a 6-cell battery enabling up to 5 hours of operation.

The TAICHI 21-DH51 with a Core i5 CPU and a 128 GB SSD costs $1,300 while the 21-DH71 with a Core i7 chip and a 256 GB drive goes for $1,600.

ASUS, a global leader in the new digital era, today announces the launch of the ET2220 All-in-One PC Series. This elegant 21.5" All-in-One PC features a frameless 10-point capacitive touch display, SonicMaster audio technology, USB 3.0, HDMI connectivity and VESA mount compatibility.


Stylish and ergonomic, space-saving design
The ASUS ET2220 sports a unique space-saving photo frame-inspired design, with a frameless 21.5" FHD LED-backlit display that can be tilted from 16° to 45° to give users an ergonomic viewing position. Its smart and elegant design gives it a silver stand that can also be used as a carrying handle, and also features an intricately-designed speaker mesh.

ASUS released the P8Z77-I Deluxe/WD, a variant of the P8Z77-I Deluxe socket LGA1155 motherboard based on the Intel Z77 Express chipset, in the mini-ITX form-factor. Essentially identical to the original, its WLAN controller features Intel Wireless Display Technology (WiDi), which lets you stream high-definition video to displays and projectors wirelessly. The P8Z77-I Deluxe/WD features a 10-phase Digi+ CPU VRM, two DDR3 DIMM slots, a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot, two each of SATA 6 Gb/s and 3 Gb/s ports, and connectivity that includes 6-channel analog and 8-channel digital audio, DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort display outputs, and a number of USB 3.0 ports. ASUS could charge a small premium over the original's US $199 price-tag.

ASUS today introduces the ET2701 All-in-One PC Series - an AiO PC with a frameless 10-point capacitive touch screen optimized for the Windows 8 experience through precise touch inputs. It utilizes a VA panel that delivers a wide-view 178° angle on both horizontal and vertical planes. The ET2701 is coupled with an enhanced version of SonicMaster technology, DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC technology, and a bundled external subwoofer that takes the audio and visual capabilities of AiO PCs to the next level.

Immersive crystal-clear audio through innovative technology
The ET2701 features built in SonicMaster technology optimized by audio experts - it features a finely-tuned digital signal processor that produces every note in pristine clarity with near-zero distortion. Also onboard is DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC ll audio technology, which delivers the most realistic, three-dimensional sensation of being completely surrounded by sound. The ET2701 comes with an external subwoofer with a 580cc resonance chamber dedicated to low-range frequency audio signals that provides a rich bass response never before heard in ASUS AiO PCs.

ASUS rolled out its first GeForce GTX 650 Ti graphics cards, which include the GeForce GTX 650 Ti Dual-Fan (GTX650TI-1GD5), the GeForce GTX 650 Ti DirectCU II OC (GTX650TI-DC2O-1GD5) and the premium GeForce GTX 650 Ti DirectCU II TOP (GTX650TI-DC2T-1GD5). The GTX 650 Ti Dual-Fan sticks to near-reference clock speeds of 928 MHz core with 5.40 GHz memory, while the DirectCU II OC ups the core speed to 968 MHz, and DirectCU II TOP to 1033 MHz.

The Dual-Fan card features a slightly trimmed-down version of its DirectCU cooler, which features a monolithic aluminum heatsink with a copper core. The DirectCU II, on the other hand, is ASUS workhorse performance-segment VGA cooler, which uses three copper heat pipes that make direct contact with the GPU, to convey heat to a compound aluminum fin heatsink, which is ventilated by a pair of fans. All three models feature 1 GB of GDDR5 memory. Based on the 28 nm GK106 silicon, the GeForce GTX 650 Ti packs 768 CUDA cores, 64 TMUs, 16 ROPs, and a 128-bit wide memory interface. Prices remain under wraps.

Here are some of the first press-shots of ASUS, ZOTAC, and Point of View custom-design GeForce GTX 650 Ti graphics cards, slated for launch a little later today. ASUS decided to arm its GTX 650 Ti with a dual-fan cooling solution (first revealed here). It is a simpler version of DirectCU II, except that it replaces a heat-pipe fed aluminum fin stack design with a monolithic aluminum heatsink. The card packs 1 GB of memory. Moving on, the Point of View TGT Tuning combine dished out an UltraCharged graphics card that ships with 10-15% factory OC, a compact PCB, and Arctic Cooling L2 GPU cooler. Lastly, there's ZOTAC and its GTX 650 Ti base-model, which uses a compact PCB much like Point of View, with a simple fan-heatsink that has spirally-projecting aluminum fins.

ASUS announced the GTX670-DC2-4GD5, a new GeForce GTX 670 graphics card based on the DirectCU II 2-slot design. The card is armed with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, across a 256-bit wide memory interface, clocked at 6.00 GHz (192 GB/s). The card implements a custom-design PCB, with 6+2 phase Digi+ VRM that uses SuperAlloy chokes (which don't whine on load). The Digi+ VRM controller provides a certain degree of software voltage control using the GPU Tweak tool. The GPU is clocked at 915 MHz, with 980 MHz GPU Boost frequency. The card draws power from two 6-pin PCIe power connectors. Display outputs include two DVI, and one each of HDMI and DisplayPort. The new 4 GB GeForce GTX 670 DirectCU II from ASUS is expected to be priced around US $450.

AMD Japan teamed up with ASUS to display a concept 100% fanless (silent) HTPC build to buyers at Tokyo's Akihabara electronics shopping district. The build uses Streacom FC5 chassis with a CPU base modified for socket FM2. The base conducts heat from the processor using four copper heat pipes to the aluminum chassis, which doubles up as a heatsink. The build utilizes AMD A10-5700 APU, ASUS F2A85-M Pro micro-ATX motherboard based on AMD A85X chipset, 8 GB of AMD-certified DDR3-1866 MHz memory, and Corsair Force GT SSD. The concept build shows buyers that AMD's "Trinity" APUs are ready, willing, and able to power silent HTPC builds.

AMD today announced retail and distribution channel availability of its second generation AMD A-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) for desktop, small form-factor and home theater PCs. These new APUs target do-it-yourself (DIY) PC builders, mainstream gamers and value-added resellers who want to upgrade their PC infrastructure with affordable performance, discrete-level graphics, multiple cores and fast processing for outstanding responsiveness.

The second generation desktop AMD A-Series APU is available at prices ranging from $53 to $122 USD. Compared to similarly priced competitive offerings, the new APUs offer more cores, more speed, best-in-class entertainment experiences and an easy upgrade path based on a stable socket infrastructure. AMD APU users also gain access to the AMD AppZone and a comprehensive list of accelerated applications that leverage the full compute power of the APU. With hardware-accelerated support for DirectX 11 on AMD Radeon graphics and AMD Eyefinity technology delivering a more immersive experience, the AMD A-Series APUs are the ideal solution for systems running the highly-anticipated Microsoft Windows 8 and today's Microsoft Windows 7 operating systems.

ASUS is working on a new graphics card based on the upcoming GeForce GTX 650 Ti GPU, augmented with a non-reference design cooling solution. ASUS refers to it as "dual-fan," stopping short of calling it "DirectCU II." One can infer that the cooler could look very similar to dual-slot DirectCU II featured on GTX 660 DirectCU II, with the exclusion of direct-contact heat pipes. The new cooler, according to leaked marketing material will be 11% quieter, and run the GPU 14% cooler than NVIDIA reference cooler. The new marketing materials confirm specifications revealed by an older leak. The GPU is clocked at 980 MHz, with 1350 MHz memory (5.40 GHz GDDR5-effective), with 576 CUDA cores, and 1 GB of memory across a 128-bit wide interface. The GeForce GTX 650 Ti is expected to be priced around US $149, and is slated for October 9.

ASUS announced a pair of new monitors addressing different segments of the market, the PA248QJ for creative professionals, and the VG27AH for gamers. The 24-inch PA248QJ provides a native resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, and packs a high-grade IPS LCD panel with 10-bit color resolution, high coverage of Adobe RGB palette, 6 ms response time, 300 cd/m² brightness, 1000:1 static and 8000:1 ASCR contrast ratios, and a range of inputs including DisplayPort, DVI, and HDMI. The monitor also includes a 4-port USB 3.0 hub. Moving on, the VG27AH is a 27-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixels native resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, 5 ms response time, IPS LCD panel with 178-degree V/H viewing angles, 250 cd/m² brightness, 80000000:1 ASCR, and a variety of 3D display features.