IFA was also the venue where Asus unveiled its newest Zen products which included its new all-in-one and stick PCs.

On one end, we have the Zen AIO S series that includes a 23.8 and 21.5-inch versions. The entire series boasts a premium all-aluminum design and can be spec’d up with gaming PC-grade components such as a 6^th generation Intel Core i7 processor, NVidia’s GeForce GTX 960M graphics with 4GB of video memory and up to 32GB of RAM.

In terms of connectivity, the ZEN AIO S series support USB 3.1 Type-C connector and sports four USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The machine also comes with 10-point multi-touch IPS display that delivers 4K/UHD resolution and 100% sRGB color gamut.

Asus has also installed 6 speakers in the device that delivers crisp and clear full-range sound. There’s also an Intel RealSense camera that allows users to login by just looking at the device.

The Zen AIO S Series will also come bundled with a number of Asus apps including Asus HomeCloud, PC Link, Share Link and SyncUp apps. Furthermore, 100GB of Asus WebStorage will be available to users for one year.

Now for those who are looking for a different all-in-one solution at a much, much smaller package, Asus also launched the Asus VivoStick.

The HDMI stick features an Intel Cherry Trail processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage. It also comes with two USB 3.0 ports, a headphone jack and Bluetooth 4.0 that will allow users to connect a keyboard and mouse.

The device will be sold for $129 though shipping dates are yet to be announced. The VivoStick will be available in a variety of colors including blue, gold, white and black.

The company also formalized the announcement of some of the company’s new products along with specific details about its pricing and availability. This includes the new Zen Watch 2 which will be sold starting at $170 for the 45mm model and $190 for the 49mm version.

Both versions will come with AMOLED displays (1.45 inches on the 45mm model and 1.6 inches on the 49mm model), 512MB of RAM, a Snapdragon 400 processor and 4GB of internal storage. The watch will also have a 300mAh battery (400mAh for the 49mm version) and will be available in three color options: gunmetal, silver and rose gold.

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Asus’ Republic of Gamers line has always been a brand associated with high-end and high-performance PC gaming. This year, Asus’ is going head-to-head with another Taiwanese PC maker – Acer.

To compete with Acer’s Predator gaming products, Asus unveiled several new Republic of Gamers products at the German event this week including two high-performance laptops, and a special edition small form factor desktop.

First one up, we have the ROG G20 special edition, which is actually a refresh of the G20 that was introduced at Computex 2014. This edition features the latest generation of Intel’s Core i7 processor and NVidia’s GeForce GTX Titan X GPU that supports 4K resolution displays.

The chassis of the G20 is adorned with Mayan-inspired markings and uses special design to naturally cool itself. Furthermore, the casing uses natural convection through hidden airflow channels with fans to cool its internal components. The chassis also features customizable LED effects that can show up to 8 million colors.

Then we have the new ROG G752 laptop. Just like any other gaming laptop announced at the event, the G752 boasts the latest Intel Core i7 processor which is complemented by an NVidia GTX 900M graphics processor.

One interesting feature of the G752 would be its innovative dust-release thermal solution that collects dust and channels it outside the device to prevent dust buildup and increase system stability and longevity. The laptop also features Armor Titanium and Plasma copper accents that add to the device’s gaming-centric design.

Then there’s the ROG GX700, which looks very similar to the G752 with its Armor Titanium and Plasma copper accents. It also packs the latest NVidia graphics processor, a 6^th generation Intel K-SKU processor and a 17-inch 4K IPS display.

The most interesting feature of the GX700 lies somewhere else in the form of an external water-cooling accessory which is said to provide better gaming performance through effective heat management.

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Asus was feeling very generous this week to the entire mobile phone community by announcing three new handsets – the Zenfone Max, Zenfone 2 Deluxe and the Zenfone 2 Laser.

First one up, is the Zenfone Max, an almost typical mid-range smartphone apart from its massive 5000mAh battery. This effectively puts the Zenfone Max in direct firing range of the Gionee Marathon M5 and the Blu Sutdio Energy in terms of battery capacity.

As for the rest of the specs, the Zenfone Max comes with a 5.5-inch 720p IPS panel with Gorilla glass 4, a Snapdragon 410 chipset with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage.

A 13MP is also situated at the back of the handset with dual-LED dual-tone flash with laser-assisted autofocus. On the other hand, a 5MP snapper with an 85-degree wide-angle lens is placed at the front for selfies and video calls. The device will also support dual-SIM functionality as well as 4G LTE connectivity, GPS and Bluetooth v4.0.

Also part of Asus’ announcement is the Zenfone 2 Laser, a 5-inch handset with a 720p display with the same Snapdragon 410 chipset, 2GB of RAM and 8GB or 16GB of expandable storage. The device’s display is also protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass 4 and it also packs Android 5.0 Lollipop and LTE connectivity.

What’s interesting with the Zenfone 2 Laser would definitely be its camera equipment. The handset boasts a 13MP rear camera whose resolution can be extended up to 52MP using a special mode. The main camera also uses laser autofocus and a 5-element lens with an f/2.0 aperture.

Meanwhile, the front camera has a 5MP sensor with a wide-angle lens for selfies. There’s also a Super HDR mode that allows the Zenfone 2 Laser to shoot in bright light conditions. The phone’s battery is rated at 2070mAh for the 8GB version and 2400mAh for the 16GB variant.

Finally, those looking for a more stylish Zenfone 2, there’s the Zenfone 2 Deluxe. It’s a 5.5-inch handset powered by an Intel Atom chip with a 1080p display, 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of expandable storage.

This phone has a 13MP+5MP camera combo, a 3000mAh battery with BoostMaster fast charging and a specially crafted back cover that features a polygonal design. Asus says the design of the back cover features over 500 triangles joined together to resemble a crystal.

There are no details yet on when and how much the three phones would sell.

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Asus’ mobile department isn’t the only one announcing new products at COMPUTEX this year. The company’s PC wing is also debuting a number of devices at the event including a new AIO computer, a mobile projector and two transformers.

First up, the 23.8-inch Zen AIO is packing a 3D camera technology that provides gesture control and 3D face recognition for people who are too tired to use a keyboard or mouse to control the PC or type a password. The computer is built using aluminum with the Zen line’s iconic rippled brush pattern.

The internals is composed of a Core i7 processor, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M with 4GB of dedicated video memory and up to 4 PCIe Gen 3 SSDs. Asus also claims that the device is the first AIO to bear USB 3.1 Generation 2 connectivity that can transfer data up to 10Gbit per second.

Asus has also made a very portable projector that can be used for its line of smartphones and tablets. The Asus E1Z can fit in one’s packet and comes with its own rechargeable battery that’s rated at 6000mAh. The specs of the device hasn’t been fully disclosed yet but Asus says the device can go up to $200 when it becomes available.

The company also showed a demo gaming PC unit called the H-tower that transforms at a flip of a switch. The device is the product of the collaboration between the company’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) wing and In Win case manufacturer. 

The computer features a set of pistons and hinges that separates and provides easy access to the machines internals allowing for easy swapping of internal components. There’s no concrete information yet if Asus will mass produce the device and its specs are still not been fully disclosed yet.

Lastly, there’s the company’s latest 2-in-1 device, the Transformer Book T100HA. Specs-wise, this device packs an Intel Atom X5 chip with 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of eMMC storage.

The device’s 10.1-inch has a resolution of 1200 x 800 and Asus claims the battery can last up to 14 hours on a single charge. It’s also quite interesting that Asus is jumping into the USB Type C bandwagon with this model just like the new MacBook.

 Pricing and shipping dates for the devices mentioned above are not finalized yet, so we just have to wait a little longer for an official word from Asus.

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It’s that time of the year again where Taiwan becomes the center of Asia (and arguably the tech world) with COMPUTEX, the region’s largest tech-centered event kicking off in Taipei. This year, the event opens with one of the country’s resident tech giant announcing several devices including a new smartphone, a smartwatch and a few tablets.

First, there’s the Asus Zenfone Selfie, which as the name implies is a Zenfone made for people who like taking selfies. The device is packing a 13MP front-facing camera just like its main competitors such as the HTC Desire Eye, Micromax Canvas Selfie and the Sony Xperia C4. 

It’s also sporting a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS LCD display, a Snapdragon 615 chipset with an octa-core processor, Adreno 405 GPU, 2GB or 3GB of RAM depending on the market and 16GB to 32GB of on-board storage. There’s also a 3000mAh battery and 4G LTE connectivity.

The star feature of the phone though is of course its 13MP cameras. Both cameras come with dual-LED flash with the one on the front flaunting an 88-degree f/2.2 lens. The front cam also comes with an HDR mode, a set of beautification tools and a special setting for low-light conditions.

Asus also unveiled the second-generation ZenWatch, which now comes in two sizes: a 37mm model with an 18mm strap and a 41mm model with a 22mm strap. In terms of finishes, the new ZenWatch 2 comes in stainless steel, silver, gunmetal and rose gold.

The bands also comes in different variants including rubber (in blue, orange, red and taupe), leather (khaki, brown, gray, blue and orange), stainless steel (silver, gunmetal, rose gold) and a special leather strap with a diamond pattern and Swarovski crystals. The charger is now magnetic and Asus claims it can now charge faster.

Lastly, there are the four new ZenPad models. There’s a 7-inch model, two 8-inchers and a 10.1-inch version with an optional keyboard.

The 7-inch model has a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels and is powered by an Intel Atom chipset with a quad-core processor and a PowerVR GPU. It also comes with 1GB of RAM and either 8GB or 16GB of on-board storage.

Then there are the two 8-inch models. The first one is packing a 1280 x 800 HD IPS panel with an Intel Atom chip packing a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB or 2GB of RAM, 16GB/32GB of expandable memory and a 5MP+2MP camera combo.

The second 8-inch tablet is an S-version and sports much higher specs than the base ZenPad 8 model. The display has a resolution of 2048 x 1536 and the processor is bumped up to a 64-bit Intel Atom processor with a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM and up to 32GB of expandable storage. The tablet also has an 8MP+5MP camera combo.

Both models get a 4000mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and LTE connectivity (for the ZenPad S version). Asus also made several accessories for these two tablets. The ZenPad 8 can come with optional interchangeable covers in different colors and functionality. The ZenPad 8 S on the other hand has an optional Z Stylus that supports up to 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity and up to a 1.2mm writing tip.

Lastly, the ZenPad 10 is touting a 10.1-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It also comes with an Intel Atom X3 C3200 processor with 1GB to 2GB of RAM, a Mali-450 MP4 GPU, up to 32GB of storage, a 5MP+2MP camera combo, Bluetooth 4.0 and front-facing stereo speakers.

Just like its smaller 8-inch siblings, the ZenPad 10 will be offered with a number of accessories including a Bluetooth keyboard with build-in speakers and the Z Stylus pen, again with support for 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity.

All devices mentioned above are running Android 5.0 Lollipop. No word yet on pricing and availability.

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