GIGABYTE today rolled out the Aorus GTX 1080 Gaming Box, an external graphics solution built on the same platform as the company's GTX 1070 Gaming Box, but taking advantage of its new GeForce GTX 1080 Mini graphics card, which is the world's most compact card based on this chip. The enclosure powers the card with an 80 Plus Gold-certified 450W PSU. It connects to the host machine using 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 3, and puts out downstream connectivity that includes four 5 Gbps USB 3.0 ports, from which one is a quick-charge port.

Under the hood, the GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card ticks at reference clocks out of the box, but has a software-enabled "OC Mode" which spools them up to 1632/1771 MHz (core/boost). The memory is clocked at 10 GHz (GDDR5X-effective). Display outputs include three DisplayPort 1.4 and one each of HDMI 2.0 and dual-link DVI-D. The enclosure is studded with RGB multi-color LEDs, which you control using the included GIGABYTE RGB Fusion software. The enclosure is expected to be priced around USD $750.

HP has announced the first Omen X laptop for the consumer market, and this is one laptop that HP hopes is enough to rule them all. Omen is HP's high-performance gaming brand, and the Omen X brings with it true desktop replaceability pedigree to justify that target audience. Most important: the Omen X laptop allows for overclocking, due to a cleverly designed vapor-chamber and high-powered fans cooling methodology. It allows users to overclock their unlocked i7 processor, alongside the DDR4 memory and GTX 1080 graphics card - and a translucent window lets you take a peek under the hood. A single removable panel offers access to the RAM, storage and other user-replaceable parts. A mechanical keyboard with programmable macros ensures perfect responsiveness and customizability, sporting per-key RGB lighting.

At SIGGRAPH 2017, NVIDIA announced it is working with a number of partners towards the development of external graphics enclosures that can power - and increase mobility - of their professional-geared GPU solutions. Namely, NVIDIA has announced external GPU solutions featuring the powerful Titan Xp and Quadro graphics cards. These external GPU solutions are meant to upgrade the capability of notebooks to support new workflows such as video editing, interactive rendering, VR content creation, AI development and more. Such has been enabled by the latest, high-bandwidth Thunderbolt 3 protocol. For the Quadro eGPU program specifically, Nvidia is working with established manufacturers like Sonnet, Magma, Akiti, and Bizon. The company says there are more to come.

Pricing information has not been revealed for now, but Titan Xp can already be ordered, while the Quadro solutions will see availability in a few weeks.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today launched the TVS-882BR Blu-ray NAS series (including the TVS-882BR and TVS-882BRT3 models). QNAP also announced a partnership with Fengtao Software to provide an all-in-one backup solution with its DVDFab software. DVDFab provides a complete solution for backing up disc-based files to the NAS for more convenient storage while also enabling NAS-based files to be written to discs for disaster recovery purposes. The TVS-882BRT3 also features four Thunderbolt 3 ports, providing a highly-efficient collaborative environment for media professionals, while also allowing instant writing of their creative works to disc. The TVS-882BR can also serve as a Blu-ray player, allowing direct playback via HDMI using Linux Station or Virtualization Station (third-party media player software required - may require separate license purchase).

"The TVS-882BR series - available with a pre-installed Blu-ray Disc drive or an empty 5.25-inch bay - takes a unique place in the QNAP NAS line-up by enabling users to directly consolidate optical disc-based data to their NAS for easier management and sharing. The ability to write data to discs also provides another layer of data protection alongside modern NAS and cloud-based methods," said Dan Lin, Product Manager of QNAP. "With robust hardware and M.2 SATA 6Gb/s support, the TVS-882BR provides users with a complete range of IT solutions, including deploying resource-demanding virtualization applications, online collaboration, and building a shared Blu-ray NAS workstation," Lin added.

Today, HP Inc. unleveled the playing field with the launch of an entirely new, cutting-edge and comprehensive portfolio of OMEN by HP gaming products. Re-designed and re-engineered from the ground up, the new lineup gives esports athletes and competitive gamers the edge and confidence needed to perform at the highest global level. Every inch inside and out of the new OMEN PCs, displays and accessories are packed with features designed to target the needs of gamers around the world, instantly changing the game like never before.

The OMEN X Compact Desktop provides a factory-overclocked GPU from NVIDIA and a versatile form-factor, creating the ability to dock and undock quickly for gaming in any room, or attach the desktop to a backpack accessory for an unparalleled, untethered VR experience. The addition of a backpack accessory to the OMEN X Compact Desktop adds a new dimension of flexibility to the platform, and by expanding the OMEN accessory lineup with a new OMEN mechanical keyboard, a mouse with weight customization, a headset with cushioned ear cups to reduce background noise and mousepads designed for precision, HP is bringing attention to every aspect of the gaming experience.

Apple today previewed macOS High Sierra, the latest version of the world's most advanced desktop operating system, delivering new core storage, video and graphics technologies that pave the way for future innovation on the Mac. macOS High Sierra offers an all-new file system, support for High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and an update to Metal, Apple's advanced graphics technology that powers everything from machine learning to virtual reality content creation. macOS High Sierra also includes a number of refinements to the apps Mac users enjoy every day, including Photos, Safari and Mail.

"macOS High Sierra delivers important forward-looking technologies and new opportunities for developers wanting to tap into the power of machine learning and create immersive VR content on the Mac," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "The core technology innovations in macOS High Sierra, combined with our advances in hardware, will continue to push the Mac forward in exciting new ways."

Apple today gave a sneak peek of iMac Pro, an entirely new workstation-class product line designed for pro users with the most demanding workflows. The all-new iMac Pro, with its gorgeous 27-inch Retina 5K display, up to 18-core Xeon processors and up to 22 Teraflops of graphics computation, is the most powerful Mac ever made. Featuring a stunning new space gray enclosure, iMac Pro packs incredible performance for advanced graphics editing, virtual reality content creation and real-time 3D rendering. iMac Pro is scheduled to ship in December starting at $4,999 (US).

In addition to the new iMac Pro, Apple is working on a completely redesigned, next-generation Mac Pro architected for pro customers who need the highest-end, high-throughput system in a modular design, as well as a new high-end pro display. "We're thrilled to give developers and customers a sneak peek at iMac Pro. This will be our fastest and most powerful Mac ever, which brings workstation-class computing to iMac for the first time," said John Ternus, Apple's vice president of Hardware Engineering. "We reengineered the whole system and designed an entirely new thermal architecture to pack extraordinary performance into the elegant, quiet iMac enclosure our customers love - iMac Pro is a huge step forward and there's never been anything like it."

Apple today updated its iMac line with up to three times more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3, faster storage options and brighter Retina displays, and added a Retina 4K display and discrete graphics to the $1,299 (US) 21.5-inch iMac. With its incredibly thin and seamless enclosure, fast processors and storage and stunning Retina display, iMac sets the gold standard for desktops. iMac delivers powerful performance for 3D graphics, video editing and gaming, and with macOS High Sierra coming this fall, iMac becomes a great platform for virtual reality content creation. Apple also today updated MacBook and MacBook Pro with faster processors, added faster SSDs to MacBook and introduced a new $1,299 (US) 13-inch MacBook Pro.

"With major updates to iMac, and a refresh of our MacBook and MacBook Pro lines, the Mac is stronger than ever," said John Ternus, Apple's vice president of Hardware Engineering. "Today iMac gets a huge graphics performance increase, faster CPU performance, Thunderbolt 3 and a brighter Retina display with support for 1 billion colors. We're also increasing CPU and SSD speed on MacBook, adding faster processors and making faster graphics standard on our 15-inch MacBook Pro and introducing a new $1,299 (US) 13-inch MacBook Pro."

PowerColor showed off its Gaming Box external graphics enclosure, at the 2017 Computex. With dimensions that almost match a cubical SFF desktop (343 mm x 163 mm x 235 mm), the enclosure can hold a graphics card up to 32 cm long and up to 15.5 cm tall, with 2.5-slot (2-slot bracket). Powering the enclosure is a 550W internal PSU, with two 6+2 pin PCIe power connectors. A Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps) connection links the box to your notebook, PC, or NUC. Downstream connectivity includes a Thunderbolt 3 port, three USB 3.0 ports, and a 1 GbE wired network connection. The enclosure supports most current high-end graphics cards, such as the R9 Fury/Nano series, RX 400/500 series, GTX 10-series, and TITAN Xp.

In addition to the Thunderbolt 3 External Graphics Dock, ZOTAC also showed off a smaller contraption which does essentially the same thing - wire your laptop to a graphics card over Thunderbolt 3. This device is unnamed for now, too, and is referred to as "Thunderbolt 3 External Box" (with "graphics" being a notable omission).

Unlike the graphics dock, this one looks like a ZBOX. It takes in Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s) input, too, but isn't designed for high-end graphics cards. What you have instead, is a 120W power-supply which doesn't have any additional PCIe power connectors, and a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot, which can hold on to graphics cards that make do with slot-only power. The card can be dual-slot, but no more than 17 cm in length. You also get a 32 Gb/s M.2 NVMe slot, which you don't on the dock, and four downstream USB 3.0 ports.

ZOTAC also showed off its unnamed external graphics dock. This dock is designed for high-end graphics cards connected to your notebook over Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s) interface. The dock encloses a 400W power-supply with two 6+2-pin PCIe connectors, which should prove sufficient for a high-end single-GPU graphics card. The dock can seat one dual-slot graphics card up to 22 cm (9-inch) in length. A ZOTAC GTX 1080 Ti Mini was showed off in the dock exhibit. The dock even has a downstream Thunderbolt 3 port, and four USB 3.0 ports, including a quick-charge (2,000 mA) port. Ventilation is care of a 140 mm front intake fan, and a 120 mm rear exhaust. The body, which opens up like a clam-shell, is made of ABS with brushed aluminium finish, with acrylic windows.

SilverStone showed off the Fortress Box (FTB01), an external Thunderbolt enclosure, which expands the connectivity of your notebook. The case stands tall, with a small desk footprint. It encloses a 500W power supply, and plugs into your machine with a Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s) connection. Inside, you'll get a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot, letting you install a high-end graphics card (over 25 cm long), and some front-panel connectivity such as USB 3.1 ports. The top of the enclosure scoops into a cavity with air vents, and is arched by a convenient handle.

At its Computex 2017 showcase, Sapphire showcased (ahem) an upcoming e-GFX enclosure. The unit delivers its display signal through a Thunderbolt 3 port, which is being hailed as "The USB-C that does it all", with up to 40 Gb/s connections, dual 4K @ 60Hz support, charging capabilities, and support for the USB and DisplayPort interfaces.

The unit makes use of what appears to be a SFF PSU (it isn't clear whether or not a PSU comes bundled with the chassis), and space for a dual-slot high performance graphics card. The side of the enclosure presents an airflow-enabling grill, so that your graphics card can pull in fresh air from the exterior. There's also what seems to be an Ethernet port and 2x USB 3.0 ports, which means this enclosure can be used as a hub, or as an extra charger for your other pieces of tech. Aesthetics-wise, this unit uses the tried and true black and white contrast, with a black design language on the front and back, and a smooth white contour on the top and sides of the enclosure. I enjoy the understated design here, with no extremely hard and "gaming" screaming angles, and the neutral color scheme and LED design doesn't look half bad. It remains to be seen whether that blue LED lighting is too strong so as to be distracting, but if it's not, it stands as a good complement to the overall design. Expect this unit to be released sooner rather than later, though no details on pricing or specifications were at hand.

SAPPHIRE Technology is unveiling brand new products at Computex 2017. The SAPPHIRE NITRO Gear Series will provide SAPPHIRE users with more customization options than ever, with LED fans as well as new backplate & shroud sets. After the enthusiastic reception of the SAPPHIRE NITRO+ Radeon RX 580 Limited Edition, SAPPHIRE will offer a Special Edition version with blue shroud and backplate, and high factory overclock as part of its regular offer. For ultrabook owners, SAPPHIRE is bringing new Thunderbolt 3 dongles with 2x DisplayPort or 2x HDMI outputs.

Accessories for NITRO-charged gamers
Demand for personalization in PC gaming hardware is increasing. To meet it, SAPPHIRE is introducing a brand-new NITRO Gear Series of accessories. To begin with, the company will offer extra LED fans (with dual-ball bearing) in 3 backlight colors - white, red and blue. SAPPHIRE users can easily swap their stock fans with the SAPPHIRE Quick Connect system. Packs with one 95 mm fan in selected colors will be available to buy. The fans are compatible with all SAPPHIRE NITRO+ and Pulse RX 580 / 570 models as well as NITRO/NITRO+ RX 480 / 470 models.

Thunderbolt is one of the most flexible data delivery mechanisms ever developed: it boasts of both enormous versatility and performance. These connectors have seen increasingly higher adoption rates due to these characteristics, but are still to trickle down towards mid-range and entry-level offerings, which would be certainly some of the products to benefit the most, allowing them to substitute numerous, costly ports for a single jack-of-all-trades connection.

Intel is looking to solve this problem by removing royalties from Thunderbolt, further increasing adoption by integrating controllers within its own processors. The first Thunderbolt 3 "Alpine Ridge" chips, introduced in the third quarter of 2015, were manufacturer's only solution to implement Thunderbolt in their products; an extra chip which added costs and complexity to designs, which ended up limiting adoption to only higher-margin products. With Thunderbolt 3 an integrated part of the processors, those issues largely evaporate, with system builders being freed of having to design accommodations for an extra chip. Intel did not specify which processors would include the controllers or when they will ship, but the company says that it is going to make the Thunderbolt 3 specification available on a non-exclusive, royalty-free basis. Intel could have played towards eliminating the royalties on Thunderbolt 3 but only supporting it on its own processors, but the company has chosen not to do that: the door will be open for AMD and other companies to bake in support for the interface on their own solutions, spurring innovation and, more importantly, driving down costs of adoption.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today released the TVS-1582TU - a pioneering 19-inch rack-mountable Thunderbolt 3 NAS that is suited for moving vehicles and outdoor media editing environments. The TVS-1582TU includes four Thunderbolt 3 ports, two 10GbE ports, and can utilize its Thunderbolt 3 ports to have USB-C 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gbps) connections for high-speed data transfer and backups. The collection of high-speed connections provides an ideal 4K solution for SNG/OB van live productions in the fast-paced media industries.

"TV and film production and outdoor broadcasting require on-location recording and editing, and need their videos to be backed up immediately to prevent file loss," said David Tsao, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "The TVS-1582TU is designed for this environment, and its 19-inch rack form factor makes it especially usable for SNG/OB van live media production that requires frequent relocation."

QNAP Systems, Inc. today released the new TVS-882ST3, a 2.5" 8-bay Thunderbolt 3 NAS. Powered by an energy-efficient 6th Generation Intel 14nm Core i7/i5 quad-core processor with AES-NI encryption, the TVS-882ST3 includes dual Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, 10GbE 10GBASE-T dual networking ports, USB 3.1 10Gbps Type-C/Type-A ports, and 4K HDMI output to exclusively provide a Thunderbolt/NAS/iSCSI SAN triple solution. The TVS-882ST3 is a compact NAS that can greatly boost workflow collaboration between Thunderbolt 3-enabled Mac and Windows users. It is also ideal for an all-SSD configuration to provide the utmost performance.

The TVS-882ST3 combines versatile high-speed interfaces including Thunderbolt 3, 10GbE, and USB 3.1 (Gen2 10Gbps Type-C and Type-A) in a powerful NAS solution to realize optimized data transfer in different applications," said Jason Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "with its compact frame and eight 2.5" bays that are ideal for SSDs, the TVS-882ST3 is perfect for small offices and teams looking for a NAS with performance and functionality that is normally reserved for high-end servers."

I'll turn the table on its head with this article, and start by its ending: if you are one of those users willing to spend $629 on a motherboard that carries all the bells and whistles and then some, the ROG Maximus IX Extreme is probably the product for you. And the opposite is also true. This is as premium a Z270-chipset motherboard gets, I'd wager. The integrated monoblock - which covers the CPU, VRM, and M.2 slot - was designed in collaboration with Bitspower, and features embedded temperature and flow-rate sensors as well as a built-in leak detector. It joins the usual staple of Z270 features: DDR4 support up to 4,133MHz, dual PCIe 3.0 x16 slots for SLI and CrossFireX, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1 Type-A/C, and the aforementioned M.2 socket, which is Intel Optane-ready.

The monoblock, IO cover, logo, and RGB headers feature RGB lighting effects such as breathing, strobing, pulsing, music effect, rainbowy, and... more. The RGB lighting can even be set to change color to reflect CPU temperature and load. Even the 3.5mm audio connectors are LED-illuminated. A sparkly Christmas tree finds itself floating through my mind, for some totally unrelated reason. ASUS' exclusive (well, "exclusive-ish") features make their way to this premium motherboard, such as the pre-mounted I/O shield, strengthened SafeSlot PCI Express slots, SafeDIMM memory slots, and a copper-plated PCB edge. Asus' Extreme Engine Digi+ is composed of NexFET MOSFETs, MicroFine alloy chokes, Digi+ PWM controller, and 10K black metallic capacitors. The Maximus IX Extreme also features 12 fan headers throughout its PCB are, as well as additional temperature and flowrate sensors for anyone who wishes to use two distinct cooling loops.

Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ: WDC), a global storage technology and solutions leader, today announced upgrades to its award-winning G-Technology product lines, including the addition of Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connectivity technologies. The upgrades optimize the speed and performance of these drives, meeting the growing needs of creative professionals who are capturing and transferring vast amounts of high-resolution content.

"G-Technology recognizes the need for a complete workflow solution that takes advantage of the power of Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C," said Sven Rathjen, vice president of marketing, Client Solutions, Western Digital. "The result is a substantial upgrade across several product lines that delivers reliable, fast, and easy-to-use storage solutions to fit the current and future needs of our customers."

AKITIO today unveiled their new Thunderbolt 3 PCIe box, the Node Lite. The new Node Lite is an upgraded version of their popular Thunder2 PCIe Box. The Node Lite features PCIe Gen 3, which provides much improved performance when using new PCIe cards such as video capture cards, RAID cards, NVMe SSD storage, 10G and even 40G network cards. The Node Lite is compatible with both macOS and Windows computers, making it the ideal companion for the new 2016 MacBook Pro as well as new Thunderbolt 3 Windows PC's.

The Node Lite features the same compact, tool-less design as the Thunder2 PCIe Box in a stylish new space gray outer case. Inside the case, the Node Lite features two Thunderbolt 3 ports, which can be used to daisy chain other Thunderbolt 3 devices as well as USB 3 Type-C devices. Another new addition is a DisplayPort version 1.2 port which can be used to connect an additional 4K@60Hz monitor.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today announced its new powerful Thunderbolt 3 NAS - TVS-1282T3 that features 7th Generation Intel 14nm multi-core processors, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, HDMI output, and higher transfer speeds than its previous generation. Providing superior functionality and huge storage potential, the TVS-1282T3 is a perfect match for the Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pro, and is backward-compatible with Thunderbolt 2-enabled devices by using a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 converter. The high-bandwidth Thunderbolt 3 connection provides great advantages for video editing and sharing, making the TVS-1282T3 highly suited for Thunderbolt 3-enabled Mac and Windows users for 4K media workflows, file storage, and high-speed sharing.

"We are very excited to offer the pioneering Thunderbolt 3 NAS to the market," said David Tsao, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "with more Windows devices featuring Thunderbolt 3 and the latest Final Cut Pro X 10.3 adding support for the SMB protocol, the TVS-1282T3 empowers cross-platform file sharing while greatly improving teamwork and workflows between Mac and Windows users."

Akitio continues to lead the way in Thunderbolt technology and has several new product releases planned for the 2017 National Association of Broadcasters show (NAB) later this month. Akitio, which already has more Thunderbolt products on the market than any other brand will be adding to their already impressive Thunderbolt product lineup that currently includes 1Bay, 2Bay and 4Bay Thunderbolt storage products, the extremely affordable Node eGPU Box as well as several other products such as their popular Thunderbolt2 and 3 PCIe boxes, docking stations, Thunderbolt3 cables and 10 Gig Network Adapter.

New products that Akitio plans to introduce at NAB include a long PCIe box, a Thunderbolt3 10G Network Adapter, a Thunderbolt3 docking station as well as revised versions of their popular Thunderbolt3 storage products that will be compatible with both Windows and the new 2016 MacBook Pro line-up of computers.

ZOTAC International, a global manufacturer of innovation, is pleased to announce more innovation ahead of CeBIT 2017 from March 20 to 24 in Hannover. Incorporating exciting technologies in the new products that will revolutionize homes and businesses. A new ZBOX lineup containing next generation processors and features including Thunderbolt 3 dominate the Mini PC side, and the new ZOTAC flagship graphics completes the tour.

ZOTAC has a new generation of ZBOX Mini PCs for both gaming and business. Each Mini PC in the lineup features Intel Kaby Lake processor and provides DDR4 memory support as the foundation. "The Mini PC is replacing the traditional desktop at a rapid pace with their identical capabilities and space saving features, and we want to inject even more features so it is even more accessible to users," says Jacky Huang, Director of Products (Mini PC), ZOTAC International.

Eurocom is proud to announce the launch of the EUROCOM Sky X9E3 Supercomputer laptop. This new platform has support for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Pascal SLI graphics, powerful Kaby Lake Intel Core i7-7700K Desktop Processor, up to 64GB of DDR4 3000MHz memory and up to 14 TB of RAID storage via five drives, including three NVMe based M.2 SSDs.

The Sky X9E3 is an SLI Ready and VR capable super high-performance supercomputer laptop. With an upgradeable desktop CPU and two upgradeable desktop GPUs cooled with high-quality copper heatsinks and IC Diamond thermal paste, and controlled by an unlocked system BIOS for the ultimate in overclocking capability.

QNAP Systems, Inc. will be exhibiting at the Photography Show taking place at the NEC, Birmingham, UK, from March 18th to March 21st, 2017. Visitors heading to QNAP's stand C51 will have the chance to get hands on with QNAP's latest NAS solutions for all image creators, including the industry-leading Thunderbolt 3 NAS and many other models of the feature-rich NAS series.

QNAP will present amateur and professional photographers a variety of QNAP NAS solutions designed to suit their needs in image production. With live demos, visitors will see how QNAP NAS can help optimise their workflows. The TVS-882T Thunderbolt 2 NAS is a perfect match for Mac users. The TVS-882T features up to 20Gb/s bandwidth to deliver high-speed file transfers and to boost the 4K video editing process, making it ideal for 4K image production workflow. For image creators with multiple needs in backup, the TVS-473, equipped with the powerful AMD R-Series APU, is the perfect NAS solution to build a private cloud.