I’m attempting to navigate my way to the heart of the Computex show floor, but there’s a crush of people all heading in the same direction. I can see the enormous ASUS booths somewhere ahead; they dominate the center of this exhibit hall.

The crowd is much larger than usual, and as I’m attempting to swim downstream, I hear murmurs of “Jensen” and “ASUS” from others heading in the same direction. Well, that explains the swelling crowd; NVIDIA’s CEO must be planning to visit the ASUS booth, where new ProArt laptops with the RTX Spark chip are on display.

I reach the ROG exhibit just as the crowd closes in. This booth, too, is crammed with interested attendees and ASUS personnel offering formal and semi-formal tours of the gaming products.

“We’re in a bit of a holding pattern,” I’m told. “Jensen is making an appearance any time now.” No problem. I’m here to check out all of ASUS ROG’s new releases.

The first stop around the ASUS ROG exhibit is to check out the new Strix OLED XG259QWPG ACE esports gaming monitor, the world's first of its kind. What makes it so special?

Well, it boasts a 540Hz refresh rate at 1080p for its gorgeous tandem OLED panel, something unseen anywhere else in tournament-grade displays. It's also sized at 24.5 inches, which is a sweet spot for many pros.

It was tough to get near them, popular as they were, but I eventually managed to see the new ASUS ROG Strix gaming laptops — including the ROG Strix Scar 18, ROG Strix G18, and ROG Strix G16 — just announced this week.

The biggest attraction here, in my opinion, is the Strix Scar 18's 4K Mini LED display with ROG Nebula Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB). Set at a 4K resolution with a 240Hz refresh rate, this screen looked incredibly smooth.

ASUS ROG is celebrating 20 years in style

I left the laptops behind and made a move to check out more of the ASUS ROG 20th anniversary gear.

Yes, the global gaming brand has been around for two decades; I still remember its first-ever Crosshair motherboard and G-series gaming laptops that launched the year I graduated.

As a lifelong PC gamer, I was eager to check out the new ROG Ally X20 special edition bundle, featuring the gaming handheld with a transparent shell and brighter OLED display, as well as ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 smart glasses.

Believe it or not, this was the first time I've ever tried smart glasses, and I fear I've ruined myself for anything else. I have a 14-hour flight home, and there's nothing I'd like more than to sit back with a 117-inch screen with a 240Hz refresh rate in front of me. Alas, maybe next time.

The new ROG Edition 20 mouse and keyboard stole the show

Sitting in the center of the ASUS ROG booth on its own pedestal, gathering most of the attention (there was a small line of people waiting to take photos and video), were the new Edition 20 versions of the ROG Azoth Extreme keyboard, ROG keycap mystery box, and ROG Harpe II Extreme mouse.

I'm especially glad now that ASUS sent me this trio to test out before I headed to Computex; I wouldn't have had enough time with them at the show, popular as they were.

If the names sound familiar, it's because they're iterations of flagship ROG gaming peripherals. The ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is an updated version of the 2024 keyboard with the same name, now featuring gold accents, a 24K gold backplate, and stylized keycaps with new ROG branding.

In my ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 review, I called it "the best gaming keyboard I've ever used," and I stick by that statement. Adding to the fun is the keycap mystery box, featuring six limited-edition, hand-painted keycaps.

Although I'm most in love with the keyboard, the ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse is no slouch, either. In fact, I think it might have been more popular with the other booth attendees.

It's a take on the celebrated ROG Harpe II Ace gaming mouse, albeit with new colors, gold internal plating, and a new, superior sensor better cut out for competitive play. It's undeniably gorgeous, and I noted that it "has practically every high-performance feature I can think of" in my ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 review.

If you're interested, the ROG Edition 20 keyboard, mouse, and keycap mystery box are all available to preorder now.

ASUS and ROG are crazy popular in Taiwan

Remember the hubbub about Jensen Huang making an appearance? As I bid farewell to my ASUS guides, a roar went up through the crowd. NVIDIA's CEO had just appeared with his entourage, positioned between the ROG and ASUS exhibits.

With everyone's attention turned to the center of the hall, I took my chance to slip out. As I headed for the exit, alternating chants of "ASUS" and "Jensen" rocked the room.

It was a bit of a shock to see just how popular ASUS and its ROG gaming brand are here in Taiwan, but it makes sense. The company's laptops are the best they've ever been, its gaming hardware is a top choice for many (my RTX 5070 Ti is nodding its head), and its peripherals are used worldwide by pro and casual gamers alike.

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I love mini PCs, and as such, ASUS has all my attention with its dual Computex and Microsoft Build reveal of its new Ascent QN10.

On the outside, it looks like a normal mini PC that could have been made by any of the manufacturers in the space. But inside it has what I've been waiting to see.

Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X2 Elite. Hoo boy.

So let's get right down to business. The releases from both Build and Computex are, of course, full of talk about AI, and yes, this is very much an AI PC. Like pretty much everything else coming out right now.

But here's what we're looking at on the hardware front.

ASUS is proud to declare the Ascent QN10 as the world's first mini PC with an 80 TOPS NPU inside. Being a Snapdragon X2 Elite-powered device, it'll of course also be fully Copilot+ compatible.

I tried using a mini PC as a primary machine in 2025 and quickly found there are very few drawbacks. Generally they have more ports than I'll ever use, they take up no space, they're quiet and efficient, and they're perfect for an unseasonable British heatwave because they're not spitting great lumps of hot air back into my office.

Whether for work, play, or, yes, AI, a mini PC really can do it all, and there's nothing to suggest the Ascent QN10 will be any different. We already know the Snapdragon X2 Elite is highly capable, and I know first-hand that gaming on a Snapdragon PC isn't as bad as some corners of the internet would have you believe.

There is one factor to consider carefully, though.

The spec sheet for the Ascent QN10 states that it tops out at 32GB RAM. Admittedly, for the majority of users this is fine. I have 32GB in my own mini PC and equally so in my gaming rig.

But Intel and AMD-powered mini PCs can offer much more than this. The QN10 and its Snapdragon platform uses LPDDR5X memory, which is great, but also not user-upgradeable. By contrast, my own Geekom A9 Max with a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at its heart uses SODIMM, which, while slower and less efficient, can be upgraded.

This is the tradeoff we'll have to make. But it does mean that for some workloads, including as an example, running larger local AI models, the QN10 might not be for you.

Nevertheless, I'm excited for this. As a do-it-all machine, it looks like it'll tick more than enough boxes. Windows on Arm is better than its ever been, and Qualcomm is a huge part of that.

Hopefully this kickstarts the rest of the PC makers into having a go themselves and not just with the higher-end chips. What we still need to know is how much it'll cost and when we can get one. But for now, color me impressed.

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ASUS's Republic of Gamers (ROG) has, over the past 20 years, become one of PC gaming's most recognized brands. Encompassing gaming laptops, desktops, monitors, headsets, peripherals, and more, ROG products find a home in countless gaming rooms.

ASUS is taking advantage of Computex 2026 to highlight two decades of ROG, and it has launched a new 75% ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 mechanical keyboard to celebrate. The keyboard landed on my desk well ahead of launch, and it's been in full use for the past couple of weeks.

ASUS had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 cost?

The ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 makes its debut at $599.99, a full $100 more expensive than the regular, non-anniversary Azoth Extreme model. It's available to pre-order now at Best Buy and Newegg.

The keyboard is expected to launch on July 19, when it will also show up at Amazon and Micro Center.

ASUS is also selling 20th Anniversary ROG Keycap Mystery Boxes for $24.99. These kits come with six randomized special-edition keycaps related to the history of ROG. The kits are available at Best Buy and Newegg.

There's a 1/48 chance of landing a 20th Anniversary Special Edition ROG keycap, but I didn't get so lucky. What I can say is that these special keycaps are top quality, to the point that each one is hand-painted. I'd say pick up a kit of six if you're a real ROG enthusiast; otherwise, stick with your own designs.

What's in the box?

The ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 comes with the keyboard, gold-plated nameplate, USB-C cable, four magnetic feet, keycap puller, switch puller, USB dongle, USB extender, three extra switches, extra silicon pins and foam stickers, and a wrist rest.

A high-end redesign inside and outside

The ASUS Azoth Extreme keyboard isn't exactly new. It's technically been around since 2024 as a flagship mechanical gaming option, but it's never looked as good as this Edition 20 model.

What does that mean? Well, rather than the regular black finish across the board, ASUS has gone heavy on the gold accents and transparent keycaps. Let me break it down.

The outside edges of the keyboard, including the areas around the port outlets and the built-in control, have a gold finish. It's also found on the inner edges that surround the keycaps.

The magnetic feet? The wrist rest baseplate? The control knob? Also finished in gold. ASUS tops it all off with a 24K plated gold nameplate that attaches to the bottom of the keyboard to cover the gasket control and the USB dongle garage.

These accents offset nicely against the otherwise black aluminum alloy chassis, which features a bladed pattern that sort of gives it a carbon fiber look.

Transparent keycaps are a nice touch with the gold and black

Rather than using full black keycaps like on the regular Azoth Extreme, ASUS made a change to transparent caps with black tops. With the right RGB lighting, it sort of looks like a bunch of shining crystals.

A carbon fiber positioning plate surrounds the keycaps, but that's just one layer. Below is a layer of PORON dampening foam, a PORON switch pad, and a silicone pad. This stack dampens annoying "pings" from switches and also helps make typing as comfortable as possible.

I can attest that the Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is the most comfortable keyboard I've ever used for regular work. At this point, I've typed thousands of words on it when not gaming, and I can't get enough of the feel and sound of the switches.

Something I've never had on a keyboard before is an adjustable gasket. With just one toggle, you can transform the typing feel from soft to hard. I keep it on soft while working and switch it to hard when gaming for a more responsive feel.

The only complaint I have has to do with keycap legibility. The black finish on the top and a lack of transparent lettering make it hard to see the font in most conditions. The fully transparent keycaps are not quite so hard to make out (and I do love the custom graphics on most of them), but they're still not perfect.

I can't get enough of the ROG NX Edition 20 mechanical switches

ASUS is offering two different types of switches. I have ROG NX Snow Edition 20 switches, which have the most satisfying, full sound. These switches have a 1.8mm actuation point, 40gf of initial force, and 53gf of total force.

If you prefer a more clacky experience, I'd recommend you stick with ROG NX Storm switches. In any case, the switches come pre-lubed and ready to go. I appreciate that each switch has a "walled" design that helps keep out dust and dirt, and I also love that they're hot-swappable.

On some keyboards, wider keys like the spacebar (with just one switch in the middle) can feel wonky. Not the case here, thanks to stabilizers that keep all keys feeling the same.

Easy to control, easy to customize

In the top-left corner of the keyboard is a 1.47-inch OLED touch display attached to a control knob. The screen is small enough not to be intrusive, but big enough to be legible from a distance.

The screen's animations can be customized through Armoury Crate software, or you can swipe between a bunch of presets. No matter the backdrop, the little screen displays things like Caps Lock, profile, connection, battery, and the function carousel (showing things like volume, brightness, etc.).

Using the control knob next to the screen makes switching between per-key RGB setups easy, and it also controls screen/RGB brightness, music, and volume. You can customize the knob with your own commands as well.

Customize your keys any way you see fit

As long as you don't mind jumping into Armoury Crate on your PC, every key (except Fn) on the ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is customizable. You can also set up any number of macros to help automate your flow.

This is also where you can sync your keyboard's lighting with Aura Sync.

Performance and battery life

The ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 connects with USB-C, Bluetooth, and a 2.4GHz dongle. These modes are easily toggled with a built-in switch.

ASUS uses its proprietary SpeedNova tech for 2.4GHz connections, boosting battery life up to 1,600+ hours with all lighting disabled. At least that's what ASUS claims — I still haven't had to charge in the two weeks I've been using the board.

More realistically, with RGB lighting and OLED display enabled, you should be able to get about four days of constant use out of the board before the battery runs dry.

1,000Hz polling rate can be boosted to 8,000Hz

ASUS includes a nifty little ROG Polling Rate booster dongle in the package. You can plug it into your PC and use it like a wireless dongle, or you can plug the keyboard into your PC through the booster.

Either way, it bumps the stock 1,000Hz polling rate up to 8,000Hz, something I'm sure some competitive gamers can appreciate.

Should you buy the ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 keyboard?

You should buy it if ...

✅ You're a rabid ROG fan and want to celebrate 20 years of gaming hardware.

✅ You're a fan of premium mechanical keyboards that are ideal for work and gaming.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You already have a hard time seeing the lettering on keys.

❌ Your $600 could be better spent on PC performance hardware upgrades.

The ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is hands-down the best mechanical gaming keyboard I've ever used. It's built better than any peripheral I've tested or otherwise purchased myself, and it has everything I need for both gaming and work.

That's really the selling point here, especially at an eye-watering $600; the keyboard is just as good for having fun as it is for typing thousands of words every day. It sounds good, it feels good, and it looks good.

My only qualm has to do with the font visibility on the main set of keycaps. They can be very hard to read, backlight or not, in low-light conditions.

Other than that issue, which is fairly minor for anyone who doesn't have to look down when typing or gaming, the only other impediment is the price tag. The ROG Azoth Extreme was firmly in the enthusiast camp, and a $100 price bump makes it even more so.

ASUS's Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand is turning 20 this year, and to celebrate, the company has launched a 20th Anniversary edition of its ROG Harpe II Extreme gaming mouse at Computex.

I was lucky enough to get the new Edition 20 mouse a couple of weeks ahead of the announcement, so I've had plenty of time to test it out in many a real-world situation. If the idea of a gold-plated mouse tickles your fancy, read on to see if it's worth buying or not.

ASUS had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 cost?

The new ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse makes its debut at $259.99. It's available for pre-order at both Best Buy and Newegg, and it's expected to launch fully on July 19.

After launch, it will also be available at Amazon and Micro Center.

Considering the regular ROG Harpe II Ace, on which this special Edition 20 is based, costs about $170, you're looking at roughly a $90 cost difference.

What's in the box?

Alongside the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse, the special display case has an ROG SpeedNova 8K receiver and extender, an ROG paracord, grip tape, extra mouse slides, stickers, a cleaning cloth, and documentation.

What I love about the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20

The new ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 is based on the Harpe II Ace that launched in late 2025. And just like its sibling ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 keyboard, it's been given a makeover with gold accents, improved internals, and special anniversary branding.

Impeccable design that's comfortable to hold

The Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 has been in use on my desk for gaming and for work for a couple of weeks, and it's just as comfortable to hold at the start of the day as it is at the end.

Its sidewalls are lightly tapered to fit my fingers, and it has an ideal shape that rests firmly under my palm. It's the perfect size for me, though I can see it maybe being a bit too big for those with smaller hands.

I was concerned with how slick the outer transparent shell can be when gaming, but ASUS has that issue covered with included grip stickers you can add if needed.

The mouse's shell primarily has a semi-transparent black finish to help show off the internals. The outside is a little busy, what with all the extra ROG branding in honor of the anniversary, but that's largely the point.

A gold-plated interior ... with RGB lighting

The biggest aesthetic upgrade you get here comes in the form of an inner metal frame with real 24K gold plating.

The layered design helps give the mouse's internals some depth beneath the transparent shell, and it's finished off with an RGB 20th Anniversary ROG logo right in the center of the main internal plate. This logo connects to other RGB via Aura Sync.

Despite the new design, the mouse still only weighs 82 grams. It's one of the lighter mice I've used, and although I'm now used to it, it would be nice to have adjustable weights like other high-end mice.

Scrolling, clicking, and gliding

The mouse's black finish is nicely offset by a gold-colored scroll wheel and metal side buttons. I had no issues with any of the three inputs; the side buttons are perfectly placed for easy control with my thumb, and the scroll wheel is smooth but tactile.

ASUS uses its ROG Optical Micro switches below the main mouse buttons, making the mouse feel incredibly responsive. I also noticed while playing FPS games that it seriously drops the likelihood of double clicks, felt most when tapping fire on a rifle set to full auto.

👉 Best mouse in 2026: The best mice for gaming, ergonomics, and more

These switches are also very durable, with ASUS claiming 100 million clicks before the switches wear out. Not bad.

Flipping the mouse over reveals stylized slides at the front and back of the mouse. These are made of Gorilla Glass for extra durability (nothing worse than your slides wearing away before the mouse is through), but they also make the mouse super smooth.

Here is where you'll also find DPI and pairing buttons, as well as a toggle for 2.4GHz (via the SpeedNova 8K dongle), Bluetooth, or wired connectivity. There's no dongle storage on the mouse; instead, ASUS says to use the (bulky) plastic carrying case when in transit.

The high-performance sensor you want for competitive gaming

I'm getting too old to have a real chance in competitive games, but I can say that the ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 had me playing my best.

ASUS has its premier ROG AimPoint Pro 65K sensor on board, featuring a 65,000 DPI, adjustable lift-off distance (LOD) from 0.7mm to 1.7mm, maximum acceleration of 70g, and a max speed of 800 inches per second (IPS).

The mouse also lets me adjust its polling rate from 1,000Hz all the way up to 8,000Hz, which at the top provides just 0.2ms latency even when used wirelessly.

I didn't really need it for my purposes, but a Zone Mode is available for competitive gamers. It quickly locks the mouse into the top settings so you can jump into a game after work without too many adjustments.

Battery life is excellent

ASUS uses something called dynamic wireless transmission power to boost battery life, and it claims the mouse can go for 195 hours with a 1K polling rate. I still haven't hit that limit, but I've also not yet had to charge the mouse in the two weeks I've had it.

If you bump it up to an 8K polling rate, the battery life falls to about 37 hours. Still a respectable number that won't have you reaching for a cable before every gaming session.

What I don't like about the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20

ASUS really did a great job of overhauling its flagship mouse for ROG's 20th anniversary, and there are just a couple of nitpicks I'd like to mention.

One is the shell's slick feel. Yes, ASUS includes grip tape, but adding it to the mouse kind of interferes with the overall sleek look.

Another nitpick is the lack of a USB garage built into the mouse. I don't want to carry around a bulky plastic carrying case in a bag, and I also don't want to just toss a dongle in there loose.

Finally, I can't skip mentioning the price. I know this mouse is for ROG fanatics who want to help celebrate 20 years of gaming service, and I understand that its performance is superior to the ROG Harpe II Ace on which it's based.

Still, asking $259.99 for one mouse is a bit steep, especially if you're already dropping $600 on a matching keyboard.

Should you buy the ASUS ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse?

You should buy it if ...

✅ You love the ASUS ROG brand and want to help ring in its 20th anniversary.

✅ You're a competitive PC gamer who wants a high-performance, comfortable mouse.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You have particularly small hands or are left-handed.

❌ You prefer a heavy mouse or a mouse with adjustable weight.

Like the sibling ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 keyboard I reviewed, the new ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 is a special accessory that's not meant for the masses. That helps explain the price, at least.

If you are a ROG fanatic (or simply love the idea of a gaming mouse with some extra flash), I can promise that you're landing one great device. Sure, it has a few little drawbacks, but overall, it's a gaming mouse that has practically every high-performance feature I can think of.

It's comfortable to hold (if a bit slick without grip stickers), the buttons respond as you'd expect and feel nice and snappy, and it has the right sensor and polling rate to keep up with even the fastest reactions.

ASUS, known to many Xbox fans as the company behind the ROG Ally line of handhelds, first entered the market with the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X before partnering with Xbox to create the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. Both handhelds offer solid value for money, especially following Valve's recent Steam Deck price increases.

Despite that, one of the biggest criticisms of the lineup was the lack of an OLED display. Thankfully, ASUS has now revealed the ROG Ally X20 at Computex 2026, which finally addresses that complaint with a larger 7.4-inch OLED screen.

Unfortunately, ASUS has yet to confirm pricing, and the internals are largely what we've come to expect. The handheld uses the same Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chipset found in the Xbox Ally X, meaning the biggest changes appear to be focused on the display and design rather than performance.

Now, you may be a bit confused by the device's name. The X20 branding is simply there to celebrate the ROG line's 20th anniversary, with the brand originally launching in July 2006. It was a very different era, dominated by flip phones and the launch of Nintendo's Wii.

For me, though, 2006 will always be remembered as the year Kingdom Hearts 2 released, so that's what defined the year more than anything else.

As for the ROG Ally X20 itself, I actually think it looks pretty cool. While it isn't drastically different from the Xbox Ally X, it does feature a translucent shell with gold accents that help it stand out from the crowd.

It also comes bundled with a pair of ROG XREAL R1 glasses, which are AR glasses that can be connected to the device to create a private virtual display. The glasses themselves can provide a screen size equivalent of up to 171 inches, with support for refresh rates of up to 240Hz.

I've always wanted a pair myself, but I've never quite been willing to spend the money on them. Seeing them included as part of the bundle is pretty neat, and it certainly helps make the package feel a bit more special.

With that said, let me know your thoughts on the ROG Ally X20. Do you like the look of it, or were you hoping for more than just an OLED screen and a new design? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

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I have been saying for months that Windows on Arm was about to hit a second gear that most people did not see coming. While much of the recent oxygen has been taken up by thin and light devices, there was always a missing piece of the puzzle: true, high-performance creator workstations with the same promise of Windows app compatibility.

Today at Computex, ASUS filled that gap in a massive way by announcing the new ProArt P16 and P14. These are the first laptops from ASUS built on the NVIDIA RTX Spark platform (N1x CPU, RTX graphics, and unified memory), and they represent a different class of computing than what we have seen from the current crop of Snapdragon X devices.

ASUS has been on an absolute tear lately, consistently pushing the boundaries of thermal engineering and display technology (we're huge fans of the Qualcomm-based Zenbook series). With the ProArt P16 and P14, they are taking that momentum and applying it to a new architecture. These machines are designed for what Microsoft calls the new wave of agents, meaning they have the local compute power to handle AI tasks that would normally require a server farm.

The silicon: RTX Spark and Blackwell

The core of these new ProArt machines is the NVIDIA RTX Spark platform, the same one that appears in Microsoft's all-new Surface Laptop Ultra. This is not just a standard GPU swap; it is a full-stack collaboration between Microsoft, ASUS, and NVIDIA that pairs power-efficient Arm-based CPU cores with the brand-new Blackwell RTX GPU architecture.

The P16 specifically is a monster, featuring up to 6,144 Blackwell RTX cores and a staggering 128GB of unified LPDDR5X RAM. This unified architecture delivers 1 petaflop of AI performance, capable of running complex local models without round-tripping to the cloud.

This is the area where Qualcomm's current offerings simply do not compete; the ProArt series is aimed at niche pros who need to render complex 3D geometries or train local AI models while on the go.

Displays and Pro-grade engineering

ASUS is known for its displays, and they are bringing its Lumina Pro OLED technology to these machines. The P16 features a 16-inch 16:10 4K Tandem OLED touchscreen that can hit up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness. The P14 isn't far behind with a 3K HDR 120Hz version. Both panels offer 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and are Pantone validated with a Delta E < 1 color accuracy.

What fascinates me is the physical footprint. ASUS managed to get the P16 down to just 12.9 mm thin while weighing only 1.77 kg (3.9lbs). That is significantly lighter and thinner than the 2026 MacBook Pro 16, which weighs in at 2.15 kg (4.73lbs) and measures 16.8 mm thick.

The chassis is a meticulously CNC-machined aluminum "C-part" that feels every bit as premium as the hardware inside.

Thermal innovation: Keeping Blackwell cool

ASUS is offering two distinct thermal paths depending on the model you choose. The standard H7607BA version uses their "Ambient Cooling" technology with a vapor chamber and a "stealth air outlet" design that disperses heat effectively without making a sound. In contrast, the performance-oriented H7607IA version simplifies the perforations, centering its design on dual linear side intakes to deliver peak thermal performance under heavy loads.

All models benefit from Thermal Grizzly's liquid metal thermal compound, which significantly lowers CPU temperatures compared to standard paste. This inward airflow design and a built-in dust filter help maintain CPU efficiency during long rendering sessions or intensive 3D work.

Local AI and the Zenni Claw Agent

A major theme of this announcement is the new wave of agents. For casual readers, "containment" is a concept you need to know. It essentially sandboxes these AI agents, ensuring they only have access to the data you permit and cannot interfere with the core integrity of your operating system. It provides visibility into what the agents are doing, giving you a level of governance that is impossible when using cloud-based AI.

ASUS is launching its own AI agent platform called Zenni Claw. I know the name sounds a bit like a gaming accessory, but this is a serious tool. It is designed to be an orchestrator that can route tasks between local hardware and the cloud depending on the need. Because the ProArt has up to 128GB of RAM, it can run multi-gigabyte neural network models like Stable Diffusion locally via ComfyUI. This means you can generate commercial-grade marketing assets or edit video without an internet connection.

Windows Central's Take

Some might see these high-performance NVIDIA-powered laptops as a threat to Qualcomm, but I see it as the opposite. This is a massive feather in the cap for the Windows on Arm movement. It proves that the architecture can scale from ultra-portable tablets all the way up to 128GB RAM workstation monsters.

ASUS has created a comprehensive ecosystem for creative explorers that includes everything from a military-grade 13-inch tablet (the PZ14) to these massive P16 powerhouses. This level of variety is exactly what was needed to convince professional industries to move away from x86.

We don't have firm pricing yet, as the markets for high-density RAM and storage remain volatile, but ASUS is targeting a release later this year (a trend with all NVIDIA N1x laptops).

Do you think the move to local AI agents and 128GB of RAM is enough to make professional creators switch from the MacBook Pro to a Windows on Arm workstation like the ProArt P16? Let me know in the comments.

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Apple's MacBook Neo may have some new competition, and I'm not talking about Windows laptops that have been discounted. New PCs from Honor, ASUS, and HP have been spotted at Chinese retailers. All three of the laptops are powered by the Intel Core 5 320 processor.

VideoCardz highlighted the three new laptops. Since the PCs appear on a retail site based in China, their prices are in RMB. A rough conversion to USD places them all in a similar price range to the MacBook Neo.

Despite costing about the same as the MacBook Neo, all three of the Windows laptops feature 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Both those specs are double what's seen in the base MacBook Neo (and more RAM than any MacBook Neo is available with).

The Intel Core 5 320 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor. It has two performance cores and four low power efficient cores, according to Intel.

Benchmarks of the Intel Core 5 320 stack up favorably against Apple's A18 Pro, which powers the MacBook Neo. Figures from PassMark show a single-core score of 4,047 and a multi-core score of 15,222 for Intel's new chip. The A18 Pro scored 4,066 single-core and 11,993 multi-core.

The Intel Core 5 320 is an Intel Wildcat Lake CPU made for affordable laptops.

The new laptops are listed in China, but we should see other PCs powered by Intel Wildcat Lake chips in other markets soon.

Windows 11 vs macOS

The price of the MacBook Neo is the main way the laptop disrupted the market. Before the introduction of the MacBook Neo, people would have to purchase a used MacBook to dip into the sub-$600 price range. I could argue that even in 2026 a MacBook with an M1 processor is a better choice than the MacBook Neo, but that's not really the point. Many people want to purchase new devices rather than rely on the second-hand market.

Windows has dominated in the budget-friendly space for years. The financial reality is that for many, a MacBook was not even an option worth looking at for the longest time. The MacBook Neo changed that, and pitted Windows 11 against macOS in a new price band.

The trendy opinion is to assume that this means the MacBook Neo will dominate Windows laptops in the same price range. Many reviewers, bloggers, and social media users would have you believe the only thing preventing macOS from being king across the board was the lack of a budget option. I'm not sure that's the case.

I'm sure some people will pick the MacBook Neo as their first device. College campuses will have plenty of the colorful laptops come fall. But Windows has been around for a long time and has billions of users for a reason.

Even the reaction of the Windows Central team to the MacBook Neo was split. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden argued that Microsoft should panic. Our Senior Editor Ben Wilson lost interest in the MacBook Neo after seeing its specs.

I argued that Microsoft abandoned the true budget market and left the door open for the MacBook Neo. But that was about Microsoft-made hardware, not Windows laptops overall. The new laptops from Honor, ASUS, and HP show that other OEMs can step up and fill the void on the Windows side of things.

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When I first tried the ROG XREAL R1 at CES 2026, I remember thinking, “Okay, AR glasses might finally be ready for actual gaming.” Not productivity demos or floating YouTube windows (though they're great for that). Not the usual “imagine the future” pitch.

Today, ROG and XREAL are making that pitch global. Preorders for the ROG XREAL R1 gaming AR glasses are opening worldwide, and this time the message is clear that these are built to be a legitimate gaming display you can wear on your face.

Also, they're not cheap (as you're getting a control dock with it) at $849.99 at Best Buy, but hey, maybe XREAL will come out with something on the other extreme at the low end for entry level? I think that is in the realm of possibility.

We've seen a few of these come close (you could always use XREAL's for gaming), but the R1 feels different because it’s unapologetically focused on one thing: turning your handheld or PC into a massive, ultra‑fast, portable gaming theater.

They're like the XREAL One Pro AR glasses, which we previously reviewed, but tweaked to the extreme for gaming nerds. That's totally something I'm on board with.

A 171-inch display strapped to your face

The headline spec is the same one that caught my attention back in January: a 171 inch virtual screen running on a 240Hz micro‑OLED panel with 0.01ms response time. In the press release, ASUS calls it the “world’s first 240Hz micro‑OLED gaming AR glasses,” and the numbers back it up.

“240Hz micro‑OLED gaming AR glasses deliver ultra‑smooth visuals on a massive 171‑inch wearable display,” the release states.

This is the first time I’ve seen AR glasses where the refresh rate isn’t an afterthought. If you’re playing shooters, fighters, or anything fast, this matters.

ROG Ally integration is the secret weapon

At CES, the thing that surprised me most wasn’t the display. It was how tightly the R1 integrates with gaming handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally and new Xbox Ally series. The glasses act as your giant screen, while the Ally stays active as a control panel (basically, dual-display functionality). You can tweak brightness, aspect ratio, tint, 3D mode, and more without pausing your game.

The press release highlights this again:

“The Ally’s built‑in display remains active to allow real‑time adjustments… without interrupting gameplay.”

This is the kind of detail that separates a gimmick from a gaming tool.

3DoF spatial modes make AR feel less like a tech demo

The R1 uses XREAL’s new X1 spatial computing chip to deliver native 3DoF, letting you “pin” the display in space or have it follow your head. Anchor mode was the standout for me at CES, and has been a hallmark of the higher-end XREAL glasses before. You look at the screen, and it stays exactly where you left it. Turn away, and the lenses automatically adjust transparency so you can see your surroundings.

It’s subtle, but it makes the glasses feel less like a toy and more like a real display.

The ROG Control Dock turns this into a PC battlestation

For PC players, the R1 pairs with the ROG Control Dock and ASUS DisplayWidget Center. You get keyboard‑and‑mouse control over spatial layout, GamePlus tools, and AI‑enhanced visual tweaks. It’s the kind of ecosystem play ROG loves, and it makes the R1 feel like part of a larger strategy rather than a one‑off experiment.

This also helps explain the slightly higher-than-expected price of the whole package.

Bose audio, electrochromic lenses, and the little things

The R1 also includes:

• Sound by Bose for spatial audio
• Electrochromic lenses with auto‑tinting
• Three manual tint levels
• Instant transparency mode
• 700‑nit peak brightness
• 91g weight

I'm an unabashed fan of Bose's sound profile, as they're local here in Massachusetts, so for me that's a big selling point. The rest are all similar features found in XREAL's Pro-level glasses, but to see them tuned for gaming should be a treat.

Why this launch matters

We’ve seen AR glasses before. But we haven’t seen AR glasses built for gamers first. The R1 feels like the first attempt at a category that could actually stick: wearable gaming displays.

Not VR or mixed reality. Not productivity overlays.

Just a giant, fast, portable screen that works with the devices you already own (while ASUS focuses on its own handhelds and gaming PCs, it works with anything, including Steam Deck, so I'll be excited to try it out on my Lenovo Legion Go 2, which is my go-to these days).

Will this work? I dunno. The experience will be A+, but I'm still skeptical about glasses going mainstream, especially at the $849 price. That said, going for the "wow" factor to draw attention to this genre, then offering lower-priced versions later, could be a winning strategy. I guess we'll find out!

What do you think, gaming AR glasses, yay/nay/depends on the price?

Preorders and what’s next

Preorders open:

• May 15 via Best Buy
• May 17 via XREAL’s official store

We’ll have a review unit soon, and I’m genuinely curious to see how the R1 performs outside the CES bubble. Specs are one thing. Real‑world gaming is another.

If the R1 can deliver the same experience I had in Las Vegas (but consistently, comfortably, and across multiple devices) this might be the first pair of AR glasses I’d actually recommend to gamers, assuming the price doesn't hurt you.

And that’s a sentence I didn’t expect to write in 2026.

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ASUS has been a key player in advancing dual-screen laptops with its Zenbook Duo, but many don't know that a gaming-focused Zephyrus Duo actually came first.

No, older models from the early 2020s weren't a "true" dual-screen laptop, with their 1.5 displays and embedded keyboard, but they clearly inspired the new ROG Zephyrus Duo that ASUS unveiled at CES 2026.

I got my hands on the new dual-screen RTX 5090 mobile gaming laptop a few days before its initial launch. Here's what I discovered.

How much does the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo cost?

ASUS offers two ROG Zephyrus Duo (2026) configurations. The more affordable model (GX651AR) costs $4,499.99 and comes with the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD.

ASUS also has a model with an RTX 5090 mobile GPU and otherwise identical specs for $5,499.99. That's a full $1,000 upcharge for the RTX 5090, as both models have the same displays, ports, cameras, etc.

Here's a deeper look at the specs available in the new ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo.

ASUS supplied Windows Central with a temporary review unit for testing. It had no input on, nor saw the contents of this review prior to publishing.

How does a dual-screen gaming laptop like the ROG Zephyrus Duo work?

The ROG Zephyrus Duo is heavier than the average 16-inch gaming laptop at 6.17 pounds (2.8kg), but it's packing a full dual-screen setup within its CNC-milled aluminum borders. Like the Zenbook Duo, the two displays fold together like a normal notebook, sandwiching the removable keyboard.

Without the keyboard attached, you have two full 16-inch displays to work with. A built-in stand on the bottom of the chassis makes for a sturdy horizontal or vertical setup, and 320-degree hinges allow the PC to fold flat or into a tent mode when sharing or playing local co-op games.

The number of actual PC games that can do this isn't huge, but megahits like Portal 2, Stardew Valley, and It Takes Two might tempt you to try it out. Let me know your favorite local co-op PC game in the comments section.

The real utility of a dual-screen gaming laptop is having a full second screen for guides, podcasts, streams, controls — whatever. If it seems overkill, that's because it is for what's probably a majority of gamers. But it's so, so cool at the same time.

And just like the Zenbook Duo, the ROG Zephyrus Duo doesn't feel like a gimmick when you're using it outside of its standard notebook mode. It's truly useful to have a second display ready to go at all times, and it works just as well if you're holding the PC like a book, standing it up on a desk (vertically or horizontally), or laying it flat on a table.

Are the ROG Zephyrus Duo's features as premium as its design?

Everything about this PC is carefully designed, and I'm impressed with the overall quality. ASUS has truly made huge strides in engineering and presentation in recent years, and it's on full display here.

I'm reminded of this every time I open the lid. ASUS designed the hinges with two levels of torsion; the lid can be opened with one hand to a regular notebook display angle, before it grabs harder for more stability in dual-screen modes.

Without the keyboard attached, the bottom half of the chassis is relatively thin considering the hardware inside. On the left edge is a proprietary charging port, HDMI 2.1, USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), Thunderbolt 4, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack.

The right edge includes secondary Thunderbolt 4 and USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) ports, as well as a full-size UHS-II SD card reader. A lack of Ethernet without an adapter will irk some, but Wi-Fi 7 is crazy fast, assuming your router and ISP can keep up.

Audio from six speakers, each with 2W of output, is superb, and Dolby Atmos is included. Two speakers live on the bottom panel of the second display, two live near the center, and a couple are located in the hinge area.

ASUS managed to fit a 1080p webcam with IR for Windows Hello above the main display, and it does a good job if you're occasionally video conferencing.

Is the ROG Zephyrus Duo's detachable keyboard good for gaming?

The keyboard attaches to the bottom display with strong magnets, communicating and charging via POGO pins when "docked." When pulled apart, it immediately switches to Bluetooth.

It's rigid enough that it's no problem to use in my lap, and the larger deck makes it feel like a sort of base station. It's covered in an oil-resistant, soft-touch finish that's quite luxe.

Typing is surprisingly comfortable, owing to deep 1.7mm key travel, ample spacing, and a smooth finish on each keycap. All keys belong to the same RGB zone, compatible with Aura Sync.

I wish the touchpad used haptics, but that's really my only qualm. The mechanical style is nevertheless tactile, and I appreciate the oversized area.

How did ASUS fit an RTX 5090 in the ROG Zephyrus Duo?

ASUS often uses the keyboard as an air intake on its gaming laptops, but with a second screen covering the entire bottom portion of the Zephyrus Duo, that isn't possible.

Instead, it has an oversized intake panel on the bottom of the PC to feed the fans inside. ASUS built a custom vapor chamber here to cover nearly 50% of the motherboard, and it uses a Graphite Nano insulation layer between the board and the OLED display.

Something I've never seen before is an angled exhaust vent that doubles as a raised footing. It's joined by a much larger heatsink exhaust running along the entirety of the bottom half's rear edge.

In Turbo performance mode, the fans can get loud. I measured 61.2 decibels when pushing the system with Red Dead Redemption 2. In performance mode, noise drops by about 5 decibels.

NVIDIA RTX 5090 mobile performance — is it worth it?

I applaud ASUS for fitting an RTX 5090 mobile GPU inside a dual-screen laptop, but I stick by my opinion that it's not worth the upcharge compared to NVIDIA's lower-tier GPUs.

The 5090 mobile, no matter what PC it's in, only delivers about half the performance of its desktop counterpart. Although none of NVIDIA's mobile GPUs match up to the desktop options, the 5090 takes the biggest hit.

Overall, the RTX 5090 model seems more like a flex aimed at big spenders, especially considering ASUS doesn't offer an RTX 5080 model. Outside of gaming, high-end creators might be swayed to the 5090 combined with quality OLED displays. Otherwise, go with the RTX 5070 Ti model.

Benchmarking the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo

ASUS caps the RTX 5090 mobile GPU at 150W in Turbo and Manual modes. It falls back to 135W in Performance mode. I ran all benchmarks in Turbo mode, using the main display's native 2.8K resolution.

• Black Myth: Wukong — DLSS On, Frame Gen On, Ray Tracing Very High, Cinematic, 2.8K: 64 FPS (AVG), 35 FPS (MIN), 80 FPS (MAX)
• Red Dead Redemption 2 — DLSS Auto, Ultra, 2.8K: 75.68 FPS (AVG), 23.19 FPS (MIN), 137.42 FPS (MAX)
• Cyberpunk 2077 — Ray Tracing Overdrive, Path Tracing On, Frame Gen 2x, 2.8K: 75.28 FPS (AVG), 65.63 FPS (MIN), 85.67 FPS (MAX)

I also tested Red Dead Redemption 2 with the second screen enabled and streaming a YouTube video. Under the same settings, the average dropped by 5 FPS. That's not a huge performance hit for a very demanding game, which is great to see.

Does the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo get too hot to handle?

ASUS has clearly done a great job of balancing power within the laptop's limits. It's constantly adjusting power to the CPU and GPU, and AIDA64 showed no throttling in an extended 15-minute stress test. The RTX 5090 hit 76°C during the test, the hottest CPU core 92°C.

Toward the end of the stress test, I also used a FLIR camera to check external temperatures.

The keyboard, attached, reached about 40°C between the keys. With the screen removed, the bottom OLED display hit about 42°C. And on the bottom of the laptop, the exhaust hotspot hit about 54.7°C.

Keep in mind these are extreme measures. Nevertheless, if you want less heat, go with the RTX 5070 Ti GPU instead.

More ROG Zephyrus Duo benchmarks

I ran a series of more general synthetic benchmarks measuring productivity and gaming power. Here's how they compare to other laptops we've recently tested.

Although I don't have graphs for them, the 3DMark Fire Strike score came out to 34,496 and the Port Royal score to 12,230.

I'm still working on measuring battery life, and I plan to write a separate piece with deeper tests. What I can say right now is that the Core Ultra 9 386H "Panther Lake" chip seems very efficient when not gaming, sipping power even with two displays active.

The ROG Zephyrus Duo's dual 2.8K OLED displays are its best assets

ASUS uses two 16-inch OLED touch displays, each with a 16:10 aspect ratio. They have a crisp 2880x1800 (2.8K) resolution, a 120Hz maximum variable refresh rate, and a 0.2ms response time.

Only the main (top) display is equipped with NVIDIA G-Sync tech, which I don't mind since it's the screen that you'll be using most for gaming.

The OLED displays get super bright when HDR is enabled, pushing past 1,000 nits. Without HDR enabled, I tested 483 nits using my colorimeter.

I also tested color accuracy out of the box. The top screen managed 100% sRGB, 94% AdobeRGB, and 98% DCI-P3. The bottom screen hit 100% sRGB, 92% AdobeRGB, and 99% DCI-P3.

These results are suitable for creative work, and they make all games look incredible.

Should you buy the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo (2026)?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You're a gamer who always uses two screens and wants the same setup on the go.

✅ You're a creator who needs an RTX 5090 Laptop GPU and dual OLED screens at any time.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You want to maximize a mobile RTX 5090's performance.

❌ You won't be using two displays simultaneously most of the time.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo is a one-of-a-kind gaming laptop that I'm sure a small cadre of gaming enthusiasts (and creators) will love.

Are there some drawbacks? Certainly. ASUS performed some engineering magic here to fit everything inside a relatively compact chassis, but the reality is that you can find better thermal capacity in single-screen gaming laptops.

The trade-off, of course, is the convenience of having two high-res OLED displays at your disposal everywhere you go.

I doubt the ROG Zephyrus Duo will ever hit mainstream appeal, especially with its elevated price, but I doubt that was ASUS's goal in the first place.

Like Lenovo, it's not afraid to experiment to push the idea of gaming laptops forward, and that should be applauded.

If you have the budget and this sort of device suits your needs, I can say that you're going to have a ton of fun with the ROG Zephyrus Duo.

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Despite what I can describe only as one of the biggest dilemmas the PC industry has ever faced, global shipments of laptops and desktops have gone up in 2026.

As hardware costs continue to rise, forcing all brands to reevaluate pricing, a new report from Counterpoint Research reveals that global PC shipments grew by 3.2% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026.

That growth comes out to approximately 63.3 million units shipped in Q1 2026 compared to 61.4 million units in Q1 2025. As Counterpoint notes, this growth was caused by the rise of memory prices and the trailing effects of Windows 10's retirement.

ASUS, which I consider to be one of the most improved brands of late when it comes to hardware quality, saw the biggest growth at 20%. It shipped 4.8 million PCs in Q1 2026, though it remains in fifth place overall.

Lenovo, which has been the world's largest PC manufacturer for years, remains in top place with 9% growth, which comes out to 16.5 million units shipped in Q1 2026. Overall, it holds a 26% global market share.

HP remains in second place despite a 5% year-over-year decline, and Dell also holds its spot in third with a modest 8% increase. Apple's global shipments also grew by 11%, no doubt helped by the affordable MacBook Neo.

👉 Microsoft reveals major price increases for all Surface PCs as RAM crisis continues: Flagships now $500 more expensive than at launch

Weren't PC sales supposed to decline in 2026?

I've been keeping tabs on PC shipments and hardware prices ever since the AI-driven RAMpocalypse really kicked off in 2025, and there have been plenty of warnings from analysts that spiking costs will crater PC sales in 2026.

Unfortunately, the growth seen in Q1 2026 isn't actually a sign that PC sales have leveled off. As I mentioned above, this is more about the lasting effects caused by panic buying and Windows 10 users upgrading to Windows 11 PCs.

It's not all bad news, at least for the big PC brands. Counterpoint suggests that a combination of Windows 10 upgrades, interest in Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 chips, and demand for AI PCs using Intel and AMD hardware will help balance growth as we head into 2027.

As noted by Senior Analyst Minsoo Kang, "the PC market's decline is likely to be less pronounced compared to other consumer electronics segments."

It's not looking good for the smaller PC brands

The five companies at the top of Counterpoint's charts ship almost 80% of the world's PCs. Counterpoint lumps other, smaller brands into the same category. Overall, this section fell by 7% year-over-year.

This data aligns with an IDC study I covered in January 2026, which warned that "smaller brands may not survive, and consumers, particularly DIY enthusiasts, may delay purchases or shift their spending to other devices or experiences."

Market growth will ultimately hinge on supply chains, says Counterpoint, as well as the ability to shift away from "low-margin models to more sustainable mid-tier and premium segments."

Windows Central's take

As someone deeply involved in the PC world, I hate to see all the negative market predictions. What's worse is the assumption that entry-level PCs will all but disappear in the next year or two.

Although I love to test the most premium hardware, the reality is that a majority of Windows users are buying in the sub-$1,000 range.

If that market completely disappears, we'll be having an entirely new conversation about how to keep your PC going even when it's far past its expiry date.

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ASUS launched its new Zenbook A16 Windows laptop on April 7 this year, and it certainly earned high praise in my review after I tested the similarly new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme processor inside it. That chip comes from Qualcomm, part of the Windows on ARM platform and the Arm64 architecture in general, rather than the "traditional" x86-64 examples you'd see from manufacturers like Intel's Core Ultra and AMD's Ryzen.

It's undoubtedly a monstrous, monolithic SoC (System-on-Chip), offering a power-efficient combination of a high-end "Oryon" CPU and a wealth of on-package memory (RAM), particularly for the X2 Elite Extreme variant inside my Zenbook A16 sample. You also get a "Hexagon" NPU for local AI tasks, rated for up to 80 TOPS, alongside an "Adreno" GPU for graphics.

Now, ASUS never put much marketing emphasis on the Zenbook A16 to suggest it's a gaming laptop, despite a brief mention of "ultra‑smooth gaming" supported by the Snapdragon X2 processor. Then again, PC gaming handhelds like my still-beloved Steam Deck use integrated graphics, which should be much lower-spec than a 16-inch Zenbook, so — can the A16 play games?

TL;DR: Yes, the Zenbook A16 can play games because it is a computer. No real shock there. However, its reliance on Microsoft's Prism translation layer for titles that don't offer native ARM64 builds muddies performance expectations.

1. World of Warcraft: Midnight

• Verdict: ✅ Perfect

So, let's start with World of Warcraft, a game that I knew for a fact had native support for Windows on ARM since 2021. Even an MMO that's celebrating 21 years of gameplay raises its minimum PC specs over time, so it's interesting to see how an integrated GPU handles it. WoW isn't the most graphically impressive game in the world, but there certainly can be a lot to draw on the screen.

Using the improved Xbox Game Bar to track metrics, I saw the retail build of WoW running at a solid 60 FPS inside a major city while the Zenbook A16 was on battery power. I didn't need any resolution scaling, sticking instead to the native 2880 x 1800 desktop setting with whatever other graphical settings the game recommended, and the result was impressive.

I have to give Blizzard respect for supporting World of Warcraft's ARM64 build, even if it means borrowing my wife's account and having her see how well it performs with minimal fan noise. Now she wants the Zenbook. Either way, this is good news for anyone tempted by the A16 who moonlights in an active guild.

2. Cyberpunk 2077

• Verdict: 🟠 Playable

My first experiment with an x86-64 game didn't yield particularly encouraging results, and I deliberately avoided any community-led rabbit holes for "best settings" recommendations. No, this needed to be from the perspective of a casual gamer who might pick up a productivity-first laptop like the Zenbook A16.

Keeping Cyberpunk 2077 on its "low" preset and using upscaling tech to reduce the internal resolution in favor of blown-up graphical tricks didn't significantly improve performance, and I was lucky to maintain around 30–40 FPS.

In this state, it is technically playable, and some tinkering in the options could likely squeeze out a few more frames, but it doesn't feel worth it. At this point, I'd recommend playing the game on practically anything else that was built for gaming, whether that's an Xbox console or a dedicated gaming handheld.

3. Counter-Strike 2

• Verdict: 🟠 Playable

CS2 is a mess on the Zenbook A16. At its lowest settings, the game can't maintain a steady framerate and regularly hitches at bizarre moments in any match. Resolution changes didn't help with frame pacing, and while the metrics show hints of 100 FPS, it's never sustained for an extended period; crashing up and down like a tsunami of disappointment.

Counter-Strike 2 might stand as one of the world's most popular online shooters, but forget it, you won't be enjoying a second of it on this laptop. It's a sad result, considering how Valve is developing its upcoming Steam Frame VR headset for the "androidarm64" architecture (not Windows on ARM), but maybe things will improve in the future. Skip for now.

4. Minecraft: Bedrock Edition

• Verdict: ✅ Great

Much like World of Warcraft, Minecraft has an impression of being simplistic enough that it seems like it should run on anything. However, the rendering demands happening behind the scenes can become quite intense on your PC, depending on what you build and how many creatures and monsters might be nearby at any given time.

Sticking to the default render distance of 12 "chunks" keeps a smooth, consistent framerate around 55–60 FPS without requiring any other changes, and you get exactly what you'd expect from Minecraft. It's not as pretty as the game can get, and visual mods would definitely have you turning to Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) for a chance at a few extra frames.

Ray tracing is out of the question, though. Completely grayed out in the options menu, the lack of support for Qualcomm's Adreno GPU means you'll be stuck playing Minecraft without RT, relying instead on standard lighting. No big deal, and not too surprising, considering the integrated graphics.

5. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

• Verdict: ❓ TBD

The black sheep of the testing group, cut short early with a disappointing revelation that the Xbox PC app does not offer the same ARM64 build as Steam, and KCD2 falls back on x64 code. Given how much Cyberpunk 2077 struggled at its basement-level graphical settings, it's hardly worth pushing a year-old RPG through Prism emulation when a native build should be available to all.

Stick a pin in this one. Games with native support are already rare, so missing a chance to try the latest effort in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is frustrating. Still, I expect this update will soon be available to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, and that's when I'll see how the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip handles it. Until then, we don't need to dig into the specifics of its emulated performance.

A far cry from Valve's Proton efforts on Linux, but native support is inspiring

These results are what I expected from an integrated GPU that's already on the fringe of niche, and expecting developers to build native ARM64 versions of their games is a much bigger ask than requesting it from your average GitHub app creator. None of this affects my opinion of the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme processor, but it does have me pondering the Windows on ARM platform.

Prism is certainly helping, even if it isn't delivering quite the same experience as Valve's Windows-to-Linux translation via Proton. However, I'd like to see more attention given to Windows on ARM, especially in this portable space.

We've discussed the idea of an ARM-based gaming handheld multiple times before, and it's still an interesting prospect — if we can figure out the software side. I will test more games for as long as I have this laptop sample; it just takes time, and fitting it into a busy schedule is an art form in itself. Still loving the Zenbook A16, though. Even after that surprise price change.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

ASUS recently launched its new Zenbook A16 with Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chips, and aside from being one of the lightest 16-inch laptops on the market, it's also a great way to gauge the newfound performance and efficiency.

ASUS also has a Zenbook S 16 paired with AMD Ryzen AI CPUs, and it shares a lot of similarities with the A16. Now that my colleague Ben Wilson has reviewed both PCs here at Windows Central, I've put together a comparison to help you choose the best laptop.

How do ASUS Zenbook A16 and Zenbook S 16 specs compare?

This specs table includes the new Zenbook A16 (UX3607) with Snapdragon X2 chips, as well as the Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) available with both Ryzen AI 300 and newer Ryzen AI 400 chips.

I expect the Zenbook S 16 with the older AMD CPUs will slowly disappear as models sell out, but it's still worth including here.

Is the Zenbook A16 lighter than the Zenbook S 16?

A big part of the Zenbook A16's appeal is its lightweight magnesium alloy chassis that weighs just 2.65 pounds (1.2kg). Although the Zenbook S 16 certainly should not be considered heavy as far as 16-inch laptops go, it does weigh in at 3.31 pounds (1.5kg).

👉 ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) review: AMD's new AI CPU challenges Snapdragon X and stomps Intel Meteor Lake

Both laptops use what ASUS calls "Ceraluminum," which is a ceramic-coated magnesium alloy that helps reduce smudges, fingerprints, and scratches.

Despite the weight difference, the Zenbook S 16 is actually the thinner laptop, measuring 0.51 inches at its thickest point compared to 0.65 inches on the A16.

Features across both laptops are quite similar. Both PCs offer Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, both have six speakers and a 1080p webcam with IR for Windows Hello, and both offer a similar selection of ports.

Despite the thin designs, both laptops have dual USB4, USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, an SD 4.0 card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Neither PC has a haptic touchpad, opting instead for a traditional mechanical pointer.

TL;DR: The Zenbook A16 is the lighter laptop, but it is slightly thicker than the Zenbook S 16. Features like camera, audio, and ports are so similar that your decision will likely come down to other factors.

Are there any major differences in display options?

Because the Zenbook S 16 is currently in flux between two generations, there are two display options to watch out for. The main difference between them is maximum brightness; older models top out at around 400 nits even with HDR enabled.

Newer Zenbook S 16 models with Ryzen AI 400 chips use what appears to be the same display as found in the A16, with peak HDR brightness of 1,100 nits and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification. They're available in touch with pen support and non-touch options.

These OLED screens otherwise offer a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, a fast 0.2ms response time, and a crisp 2880x1800 (2.8K) resolution. The screens offer 100% DCI-P3 color reproduction and have PANTONE validation, making them great for creative work.

TL;DR: Older Zenbook S 16 models with Ryzen AI 300 chips don't have as bright a display as the newer models or the Zenbook A16. If you want the best, go with one of the new laptops.

Snapdragon X2 efficiency and performance is evident

The Zenbook A16 we tested most recently has the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-94) chip inside for Windows on ARM. This isn't the most powerful CPU that ASUS offers; you can opt for the X2E-96 chip instead if you want more power.

👉 I tested ASUS' Zenbook A16 with Qualcomm's incredible Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme CPU, and I'm convinced: This is everything a flagship Windows laptop should be

The Zenbook S 16 model we tested is also not using the most powerful AMD chip. We clocked the last-gen Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 for our benchmarks, but ASUS now offers up to a Ryzen AI 9 HX 470. On average, you can expect about an 8% performance uplift between generations.

Working with the numbers I have, it's clear that the new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip has a lot of power, blowing the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 away in Geekbench and Cinebench scores.

We still plan to do more Qualcomm Adreno GPU testing now that proper drivers are available. AMD's Radeon integrated GPU in the Ryzen AI chips is an impressive piece of hardware, and I suspect Snapdragon will have a hard time keeping up.

A note on app compatibility: Snapdragon chips require ARM64-based apps or emulation via Microsoft's Prism layer. This has become almost a non-issue for the average user, and unless you absolutely know that one of the apps you need to use won't work with Windows on ARM, I wouldn't let this differentiation stand in the way of your final purchase.

After using the Zenbook A16 regularly, we were able to grab a relatively accurate Windows 11 battery report. It showed an average of 16 hours of life from a charge when tackling a regular workflow. In PCMark 10's local video playback test, the A16 lasted 20 hours and 30 minutes.

For the Zenbook S 16, we ran PCMark 10's Modern Office rundown and saw 13 hours and 11 minutes of runtime. While these aren't exactly 1:1 comparisons, the 16 hours we saw from the A16 when hitting a regular workload shows off Qualcomm's efficiency.

TL;DR: If you want the best mix of power and efficiency, the Snapdragon-powered Zenbook A16 is the better choice. However, AMD's Ryzen AI 400 models aren't far behind, and you might have better luck with app compatibility in certain specialized cases.

ASUS Zenbook A16 vs. Zenbook S 16: Which should you choose?

The Zenbook A16 model we reviewed, with a Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-94) chip, 48GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and 1TB SSD, costs $1,699.99 at Best Buy. That's a fairly steep price for entry, but it does have a lot of memory, storage, and that gorgeous OLED display.

Comparatively, the Zenbook S 16 with last-gen Ryzen AI 9 365 CPU, 24GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and a dimmer OLED display usually costs $1,499.99 but is often on sale due to its age.

👉 I compare the new ASUS Zenbook A16 to show how it dominates Apple's sleek notebook in key areas

Should you instead opt for a newer Zenbook S 16 model with Ryzen AI 9 465 CPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and OLED display, you're looking at about $1,899 at Best Buy.

That makes the Zenbook A16 a far better value with all things considered. My advice? Unless you absolutely need an AMD CPU or prefer a thin chassis over a light chassis, stick with the Zenbook A16. Both are great laptops, true, but you can get more PC for a lower price with the A16.

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The ASUS Zenbook A16 is many things. It's a 5-star laptop, a showcase for the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, the main story on our front page, and a warning to Microsoft about the next Surface device.

Unfortunately, it's also one more thing: more expensive than it was yesterday. Just hours after reviews went live for the new laptop, ASUS and Best Buy seemingly raised the price of the PC.

Hardware Canucks claimed on X that Best Buy and ASUS "issued the wrong prices" for several Zenbook laptops, and the differences are staggering. We've reached out to ASUS for comments.

Pre-launch prices and launch day prices are not always identical. It's quite normal to see a company announce a laptop at one price and change pricing before the PC comes out. But the ASUS situation stands out.

A $350 difference between pricing communicated while a review is under embargo, and the sudden "real" price of a laptop is striking. The latter is what Hardware Canucks suggests is the case for the Zenbook 14.

The Zenbook A16 has a smaller, yet still uncomfortable, price difference of $100. And that difference isn't just between pre-launch communication and the price at launch. When we published our ASUS Zenbook A16 review yesterday, the laptop had a starting price of $1,599. Best Buy listed that price for an exclusive touchscreen model. That same exclusive model now costs $1,699.

It appears that the new prices will stick around. A statement from ASUS suggests that the starting price of the laptop was never meant to be $1,599. Despite that statement, Best Buy did actually sell the Zenbook A16 for $1,599 for a brief period to a few lucky shoppers.

"We were notified by Best Buy that an error was made on their end when sharing pricing information for the new Zenbook A series and other Zenbook launches internally and publicly on their website, and this includes several models (Zenbook A14, A16, S16, S14 and Zenbook 14)," said ASUS to Windows Central. "The price has been corrected and updated on their website to reflect it."

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When Apple introduced its new MacBook Air 15 with M5 chip on March 3, 2026, I knew it'd only be a short while before it began seeing serious competition from new Windows laptops powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X2 silicon.

ASUS has now launched its new Zenbook A16 for 2026, a laptop that Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson tested and reviewed thoroughly, only to have a hard time finding any faults.

👉 I tested ASUS' Zenbook A16 with Qualcomm's incredible Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme CPU, and I'm convinced: This is everything a flagship Windows laptop should be

I've put together this comparison between the Zenbook A16 and the MacBook Air 15 based on design, display, features, performance, and battery life to help you make the right decision.

How do ASUS Zenbook A16 and MacBook Air 16 specs compare?

Before I get into a more detailed explanation of the similarities and differences between the Zenbook A16 and MacBook Air 15, here's a table with raw specifications.

It's worth noting that ASUS lists a Zenbook A16 model (UX3607QA) sporting a last-gen Snapdragon X (X1-26) chip starting at 16G of RAM and 512GB of storage. This model is perhaps arriving later on in different markets.

The UX3607OA model I compare in the table above is the one that's arriving first for US markets.

Is the ASUS Zenbook A16 lighter than the MacBook Air 15?

Despite having a larger display, a larger battery, and overall slightly larger dimensions, the ASUS Zenbook A16 weighs less than the MacBook Air 15. It's not exactly a close margin, either, with the A16 coming in at 2.65 pounds (1.2kg) and the MacBook Air 15 weighing 3.3 pounds (1.51kg).

I also want to note that the Zenbook A16's footprint isn't wildly larger than the Air 15. The Z-height (thickness) is really the biggest difference, with Apple's laptop maintaining its lead at 0.45 inches (1.15cm) compared to 0.54-0.65 inches (1.38-1.65cm).

ASUS uses a "Ceraluminum" material for its chassis, and it's basically a magnesium alloy that's super light but durable. The MacBook Air also uses an aluminum base that's plenty rigid and refined.

Looking at ports, the Zenbook A16 easily bests the Air 15. The ASUS PC comes with dual USB4, USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), native HDMI 2.1 out, an SD 4.0 card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The MacBook Air 15 offers just two Thunderbolt 4/USB4 and a 3.5mm audio jack. That means that the Air 15 can only run up to two external displays, topping out at 4K@144Hz. With native HDMI and dual USB4, the A16 will offer better external screen support.

Both ASUS and Apple make excellent keyboards, and this area should come down to personal preference. One area where the MacBook Air 15 definitely pulls ahead, however, is with its pointer.

Apple's Force Touch trackpad uses haptics to simulate the feel of a click; this hardware is almost always preferable compared to traditional touchpads with moving parts below.

That's what the Zenbook A16 uses, and while its touchpad is certainly big enough with good accuracy, it's really the only downside we noted in our Zenbook A16 review.

Both laptops feature a six-speaker audio system, but only the MacBook Air 15 adds Dolby Atmos tuning. The webcams are similar with 1080p video capabilities, but because the Zenbook A16 is running Windows 11, its camera adds an IR sensor for facial recognition through Windows Hello. On the MacBook Air, it's fingerprint Touch ID or passwords.

And finally, both laptops feature cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. ASUS pairs it with Bluetooth 5.4, whereas the MacBook Air 15 gets newer Bluetooth 6.

TL;DR: Both laptops are impressively thin and lightweight; the MacBook Air 15 is thinner, but the Zenbook A16 is lighter. The A16 has a better selection of ports and facial recognition abilities, whereas the MacBook Air 15 has a better touchpad.

Does anyone prefer LED at 60Hz compared to OLED at 120Hz?

With the ASUS Zenbook A16, you're getting a 16-inch OLED display with a sharp 2880x1800 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and optional touch functionality.

It's a screen with 500 nits maximum base brightness, climbing all the way to 1,100 nits with HDR enabled. That makes it certified for VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000, and a killer display for creators.

The MacBook Air has a 15.3-inch display with a slightly sharper 2880x1864 resolution, which works out to a higher pixels-per-inch amount due to its smaller dimensions. However, the display tops out at a measly 60Hz and doesn't have optional touch functionality.

It also doesn't get nearly as bright, often falling short of the advertised 500 nits brightness in SDR and HDR content.

TL;DR: With an OLED panel, twice as fast a refresh rate, far more brightness, and touch or non-touch options, the ASUS Zenbook A16's display is an easy winner compared to the MacBook Air 15.

Does the ASUS Zenbook A16 have better battery life than the MacBook Air 15?

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chips are a rather significant upgrade over the first-gen Snapdragon X silicon, and that applies to performance and efficiency.

We tested the X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-94) chip in the Zenbook A16 for our review. It has 18 cores and a 4.7GHz maximum boost frequency. The Zenbook A16 is also available with the higher-tier X2E-96 chip with a higher boost frequency and a locked 48GB of LPDDR5x RAM. It costs $1,999.99 direct from ASUS.

If you want more power, it's available, but the X2E-94 chip we tested is impressive. In Geekbench 6, the X2 Elite Extreme hit 3,806 single-core and 22,872 multi-core scores. The M5 in the MacBook Air 15 hit 4,191 single-core and 17,276 multi-core scores.

Apple maintains single-core dominance, but not by a whole lot anymore. And multi-core isn't even close. We plan to test the GPU after the A16's launch when better drivers are available.

This is but a brief look at synthetic performance, and yet it suggests that Snapdragon X2 could be the true turning point for Windows on ARM that we've been waiting for.

Improved efficiency is another key ingredient in Qualcomm's latest silicon. During testing of the Zenbook A16, we basically used it for constant web browsing and some occasional photo editing and spreadsheets.

Windows 11's battery report estimates about 16 hours of life based on that type of use. In PCMark 10's local video playback test, the laptop ran for 20 hours and 30 minutes.

Streaming 4K video from YouTube with the screen set at about 65% brightness and volume at 10% resulted in 14 hours and 13 minutes of battery life.

Our friends at Tom's Guide ran a similar test on the MacBook Air 15 during its review process. With continuous web surfing and the display at 150 nits brightness, the MacBook Air 15 lasted 15 hours and 37 minutes.

That's roughly the same as what you can expect from the Zenbook A16, and it's a testament to the efficiency upgrade Qualcomm has promised from its X2 hardware.

TL;DR: The X2 Elite Extreme chip falls short of single-core performance compared to Apple's M5, yet it delivers superior multi-core performance. Efficiency is essentially the same between the two laptops.

ASUS Zenbook A16 (2026) vs. MacBook Air 15: Which should you buy?

There's one important aspect I haven't yet discussed: pricing. The Zenbook A16 makes its debut in the US for $1,599.99 at Best Buy. This price lands you the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-94) System-on-Chip (SoC), 48GB of LPDDR5x-9600 RAM, a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and the usual 2.8K OLED display.

The MacBook Air 15 M5 starts at a lower $1,299 price at Best Buy, although it has just 16GB of RAM and half as much storage at 512GB.

Bumping the MacBook Air 15 M5 up to 24GB of RAM (still half as much as the Zenbook A16) and a 1TB SSD pushes the price to $1,699, a full $100 more than the ASUS laptop.

So while you can land a MacBook Air 15 M5 for a lower introductory price, Apple's laptop does become more expensive than the Zenbook A16, even without matching memory amounts.

With pricing and everything else I've covered above in mind, it quickly becomes evident that the ASUS Zenbook A16 is going to provide stiff competition for the MacBook Air 15.

If you're a regular Windows user, the choice is clear: the Zenbook A16 should be your next laptop. It's a tougher decision for regular macOS users. If you're beholden to Apple's OS, you're probably sticking with the MacBook anyway. But if you're considering a switch to Windows 11, the Zenbook A16 should be the best way to make an easy transition.

I dare say that the MacBook Air is no longer the best lightweight laptop on the market. The Zenbook A16 offers so much more for a lower price, and in this economy, that's perhaps the most important feature.

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ASUS already demonstrated the appeal of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors with last year's beloved Zenbook A14, and it remains one of our most highly-recommended Windows laptops for its all-around quality. Well, it's back again, and this time, it's bringing a 16-inch Zenbook A16 variant that promises to be even better.

Powered by the all-new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme and alternatives with a lower-spec Snapdragon X chip, Qualcomm's "fastest and most efficient processors" promise to supercharge ASUS' flagship laptop. That, and you'll get Windows 11 26H1 pre-installed with Microsoft's modern features, so it should stand out as an attractive, flagship-grade PC. Here's what I think.

How much does the Zenbook A16 cost?

The ASUS Zenbook A16 (UX3607OA) starts at $1,599 $1,699 at Best Buy (ASUS points to Best Buy pricing errors for its unexpected $100 increase) as an exclusive touch screen model. You can pick up a non-touch Zenbook A16 for $1,999 at ASUS' eShop, though it uses the same Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E-94-100 processor and 48GB of LPDDR5X-9600 memory (RAM).

In the United Kingdom, the non-touch Zenbook A16 starts at £2,099.99 at the respective ASUS eShop. Wherever you buy the X2 Elite Extreme models, you'll always get a 16-inch OLED panel with a 3K (2880 x 1880) display at a 16:10 aspect ratio that can switch between 60Hz and 120Hz.

All models include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless networking and devices, along with 2x USB-C 4.0 ports that support display output and power delivery. Plus, a single USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port handles common dongles and drives, while HDMI-out 2.1 connects to more traditional external monitors, and a full-size SD card reader handles common memory cards.

Finally, a built-in 1080p (FHD) webcam supports Windows Hello for secure face logins with a microphone for voice calls, all within a "Zabriskie Beige" chassis coated in ASUS' custom Ceraluminum (magnesium-aluminum) material, weighing 2.87 lbs (1.30 kg) with the touchscreen or 2.64 lbs (1.20 kg) without.

What about Windows 11?

Our sample with an X2 Elite Extreme X2E-94-100 chip comes with Windows 11 Home for ARM64 in both the US and the UK. However, a more powerful Zenbook A16 can be configured for $1,999.99 (not yet listed post-launch) is expected to appear at the ASUS eShop, with a bump to the X2 Elite Extreme X2E-96-100, which should offer around a 300 MHz increase in its boost frequency, and comes with Windows 11 Pro.

For this review, we tested two Zenbook A16 (UX3607OA) models: one US-built touchscreen model (photographed) and one UK-built, non-touch model (described). ASUS provided both samples, though it had no input, nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

Is the Zenbook A16 well made?

After testing a collection of 14-inch laptops, I was convinced it was the perfect form factor. That's generally because it comes with a certain weight expectation, and a 16-inch laptop is often so much heavier that it can feel almost inconvenient when I have to throw one in a bag and travel.

There's a fine line between reasonable and lightweight, and many casual onlookers see Apple's 15-inch MacBook at 1.51 kg as the benchmark. In that, ASUS went even further and somehow managed to make my 16-inch Zenbook A16 weigh just 1.2 kg. Make no mistake, that's firmly in the lightweight category.

Natural skepticism has many, myself included, initially thinking that ASUS must have made some cuts to the Zenbook's internals to make it the same weight as the excellent Intel Lunar Lake-based Zenbook S 14 I've traveled with until now. On the contrary, I couldn't find anything detrimental about its featherweight chassis, one coated in ASUS' lavish and unique Ceraluminum material.

You can expect the same quality from the Lumina OLED display in the Zenbook A16 as you would with any other that uses the same panel, though the HDR-capable screen still looks great when I enable the feature for the first time. ASUS claims a peak brightness of 1,100 nits, and colorimeter testing showed a maximum of around 500 nits without HDR.

Otherwise, an automatic switch between 60Hz and 120Hz happens when you switch between AC and battery power, but you can permanently force the smoother option with a tweak in Settings if you want to. The bundled MyASUS app includes color profiles for creators, but the "Normal" setting scored 100% accuracy for sRGB and Display P3 anyway, so I never feel the urge to switch.

Does the Zenbook A16 have a good keyboard?

The Zenbook A16's backlit keyboard feels good, with a respectable 1.3 mm key travel distance and otherwise unremarkable design. It's mostly a sharp-edged, square affair that matches the rest of the laptop, and the function keys are mostly pedestrian. Exceptions include MyASUS on F11 and ASUS' "ScreenXpert" monitor management app on F12. No numberpad, but zero complaints.

An 18 cm glass-covered touchpad dominates the lower portion of the laptop, with invisible gesture points to control functions like volume and screen brightness. Despite not being a haptic touchpad, it's still a satisfying option that never caused any annoyances during my time with it. Defined physical edges also keep the Zenbook away from the "invisible" touchpads I always disliked.

How fast is the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme?

Improvements in the availability of native ARM64-based Windows apps mean that even benchmarking apps can skip Microsoft's Prism x86-64 translation layer to show off some proper scores. We already knew that the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme was dominating its competitors in pre-release testing, but it's another thing to see the results firsthand.

Per-app tests and gaming experiments with Qualcomm's Adreno GPU can come later, using post-launch driver updates to provide a more realistic view of what consumers can expect. Still, synthetic CPU testing is hard to resist, and comparing the Zenbook A16 against the M5-based 15-inch MacBook Air and M4 Pro-based 16-inch MacBook Pro tested by Tom's Guide shows exciting numbers.

It's one thing to see a new Windows laptop predictably outrank another, but sure enough, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme just edges past Apple's M4 Pro in multi-core testing, and flies past the standard M5 chip. Then again, it's admirable to see the Zenbook A16 pull ahead of Intel's latest "Panther Lake" Core Ultra X9 388H CPU, appearing in ASUS' recent Zenbook Duo.

Comparing the scores of first-generation Snapdragon X Elite processors in Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7 and, to a lesser extent, the Surface Pro 11, shows how much of an incredible jump the new X2 Elite Extreme provides. A Cinebench 2024 test even has the Zenbook A16 passing HP's "insanely powerful" ZBook Ultra 14 with AMD's Strix Halo chip, the Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395. Impressive.

Does the Zenbook A16 have good speakers?

For such a skinny laptop, the audio quality is surprisingly great. There's a six-speaker array inside, with two tweeters for high-end sounds and four woofers to cover the lower frequencies of bass. Without getting into the weeds, I can attest that I happily had Spotify playing throughout my day and enjoyed a few YouTube videos in my downtime. It all sounds great, and I'm left captivated. Great speakers.

The built-in webcam and microphone are decent, too. I've paid a lot of money for external cameras and mics over the years, even if only to avoid the usually lackluster options on laptops. Windows Studio Effects handles portrait blur better than Google Meet, and the pairing generally looks better than some creator-centric laptops that I've tried in the past.

Besides, if I wanted to use a dedicated replacement, I'm hardly struggling with connectivity. Two USB-C 4.0 ports on the left side and a single USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 on the right cover common dongles for mice and keyboards at the very least. Plus, HDMI-out 2.1 means my older monitors still work, and a full-size SD card is there for whoever needs that. Good news for photographers.

There's a 3.5mm combo audio jack if you want to get really old-school with wired headphones, or you can lean on Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless options. This variant of the Zenbook A16 also supports Wi-Fi 7, if you have a compatible router at home. I'm still using Wi-Fi 6E, but I'll never turn my nose up at future-proofing because I'll upgrade my mesh system at some point.

So, to ASUS' credit, it's implementing all the modern technologies on offer with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 chips, like USB 4 and Wi-Fi 7, without cutting out long-standing necessities like a USB-A port or opting for a proprietary charger. A beefy 130W charging brick is included, but the business end is still USB-C, so you could fall back on a lower-powered alternative if you accidentally traveled without it.

Does the Zenbook A16 have good battery life?

Once it's fully charged, ASUS claims around 21 hours of battery life with constant, offline video playback, or around 12 hours of constant web browsing. My workflow is certainly closer to the latter, and a Windows 11 battery report estimates I could expect around 16 hours. I ran experiments, and PCMark 10's local video playback test saw the Zenbook A16 last for 20 hours and 30 minutes.

After a full charge, a constant 4K video stream from YouTube with the screen at 65% (around 200 nits) and the volume at 10% delivered 14 hours and 13 minutes of battery life before it switched off, and that's without energy-saving mode. So, while 21 hours is certainly possible, the Zenbook A16 still realistically hit around 10 – 16 hours of battery life in my usual workflow at 60Hz.

Should you buy the ASUS Zenbook A16?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want one of the best Windows laptops around

✅ You need something lightweight and portable

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You only need a basic web browsing machine

ASUS is on a winning streak with its latest Zenbook range, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 processors are an absolutely perfect pairing. Just like the A14 before it, the A16 will stand as one of the absolute best Windows laptops you can buy. Any apprehension about Windows on ARM64 is a low-effort excuse, especially when the raw horsepower behind the X2 Elite Extreme would effortlessly run traditional x86-64 apps under Microsoft's Prism.

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Last week, Apple unveiled the MacBook Neo at $599, powered by its A18 Pro chip. The news certainly hit the industry by storm and was received with mixed reactions, depending on who you asked. While the Neo is touted as an affordable and efficient entry, we have our own varied opinions.

Senior Editor Zac Bowden calls it "the nightmare scenario" for Windows OEMs, and says, "Microsoft better be panicking." A week later, the MacBook Neo is still a hot topic in the industry, after my colleague pointed out that Windows laptops with higher specs than the Neo do exist in the same price range.

Now, insights and commentary from that same Windows PC ecosystem have appeared via ASUS' co-CE, S.Y. Hsu, indicating during an earnings call that the MacBook Neo will have a significant impact on the PC market, and believes that players in the sector, including Microsoft, Intel, and AMD, should take the threat seriously (via PCMag).

While the executive admitted that the MacBook Neo is a real threat, he questioned its capabilities to handle complex tasks that may require more computing power.

macOS certainly has a reputation for processing efficiency thanks to the latest Apple silicon chips, and direct comparisons to Windows are usually held to scrutiny. As Senior Editor Ben Wilson says: "As a Windows guy, 8GB of unified memory certainly seems slim, and I wouldn't recommend that anyone buy a laptop with Windows 11 with the same count."

💬 Do you think the MacBook Neo is a threat to Windows?

Early signs are appearing for how well the A18 Pro SoC (the same chip that powers Apple's iPhone 16 series) handles productivity-heavy tasks. It seems to deliver performance similar to, and even slightly faster than, that of the Apple M1, which, as described by Bowden, "is still widely regarded as one of the best value-for-money SoCs you can find in a device."

Nevertheless, ASUS' Hsu seemingly indicated that the MacBook Neo is a "content consumption" device, more akin to an iPad. However, he says the entry differs from the use case of a mainstream notebook because it can handle more compute-intensive tasks.

It'll be interesting to see whether the MacBook Neo will actually impact Windows' market share over time, especially given software differences and its scrutinized specs. They are likely to fly off the shelves anyway, given that the average Mac buyer’s mindset revolves less around raw specifications and more around the identity of owning a Mac rather than a Windows PC.

At $599, Apple’s MacBook Neo is being called a “shock to the entire industry.” Do you think it’s worth it? Let me know in the comments!

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You probably heard that Apple unveiled its new MacBook Neo, and it's causing quite a stir with its more affordable $599 price and entry-level specs aimed at casual users and students.

However, there are still Windows laptops offering higher specs for your money, including a 23% discount on the ASUS Vivobook 14, now on sale for $579 at Best Buy — even lower than the Neo. Here's what you get:

Why buy a Vivobook 14 over the MacBook Neo?

So, for starters, the ASUS Vivobook 14 is equipped with a spec bump that gives it an edge to handle productivity tasks in Windows over the newly announced MacBook Neo. It includes a (slightly) bigger 14-inch display versus the MacBook Neo's 13-inch, a larger memory capacity with 16GB of RAM over the Neo's 8GB, and doubling its storage to 512GB over Apple's 256GB.

Combine all this with Qualcomm's efficient Snapdragon X processor, and the Vivobook 14 can handle multitasking web browsing, media, and document work in Microsoft Office simultaneously.

What's more, the same processor inside the ASUS Vivobook 14 features an NPU rated at up to 45 TOPs, meaning it can run locally-processed AI tasks with Copilot+ PC certification, whether it's analyzing text, generating images, or improving compatible third-party apps. Other notable benefits include up to 29 hours of battery life (thanks to Windows on Snapdragon), a large touchpad with Smart Gestures, and an FHD IR Camera compatible with Windows Hello for face-recognition logins.

However, the MacBook Neo still has a couple of advantages over the ASUS Vivobook 14. One is a 500 nits max brightness compared to the Vivobook 14's 300 nits (around 250 is fine indoors), and the other is the MacBook's usual MSRP of $599.99 over the Vivobook 14's $749.99.

Still, the ASUS Vivobook 14's discount to $579 at Best Buy proves that not only can Windows laptops exist at such low prices, they can also do so without compromising their specs.

But who knows? If the MacBook Neo starts selling like Apple hopes, then perhaps it'll convince the competition of Windows OEMs to start creating more laptops at similar prices without needing a discount in the first place? If the memory crisis allows, anyway.

In the meantime, if you need a reliable, long-lasting laptop guaranteed to help you power through mountains of digital paperwork in the office, at home, or abroad, you can't go wrong with the ASUS Vivobook 14.

FAQ

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For the Hideo Kojima fans out there, I have some good news. The legendary game developer's latest foray into hardware has resulted in one of the most futuristic 2-in-1 laptops I've ever seen. Seriously, it looks like it was torn straight out of the Death Stranding universe, and it's now available to buy.

I'm talking, of course, about the ASUS ROG Limited Special Edition Kojima Productions Flow Z13 2-in-1 gaming PC that originally went up for presale orders last week. If you didn't happen to secure your model with a preorder, you can now purchase it directly from Antonline.

The limited-edition ASUS ROG Flow Z13-KJP was designed in collaboration with legendary artist Yoji Shinkawa, and the results are extraordinary.

While the PC holds onto its Flow Z13 DNA, new carbon fiber accents for the body, a black-and-gold color scheme, and angular cutouts on the CNC-machined aluminum body turn it into a work of art. The detachable keyboard has been revamped, with new colors, a new typeface, and angled edges that play into the sci-fi motif.

Completing the collection is a custom carrying case styled after the Death Stranding world, an exclusive Armoury Crate theme for the PC's onboard software, two months of PC Game Pass, and keys for the upcoming Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Crimson Desert. Both games are expected to launch later this month.

As for performance hardware, you're looking at an AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 CPU, 128GB of RAM, a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and a dazzling 2.5K IPS touch display sitting at a 180Hz refresh rate.

Wait, no discrete graphics? That's right; this PC's AMD Ryzen AI chip includes a Radeon 8060S iGPU that can essentially borrow up to 112GB of system memory for VRAM, giving it a massive boost. When we tested the PC, it hit frame rates well above 100 FPD in titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Black Ops 6.

Windows Central's take on the ASUS ROG Flow Z13

My former colleague Zachary Boddy reviewed the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 favorably and gave it a Windows Central Recommended Award thanks to its "surprisingly good execution of the form factor with a comfy keyboard and sturdy kickstand," as well as "excellent mobile performance, with solid efficiency to boot."

Ultimately, Boddy positioned this PC as a great buy for anyone who loves a 2-in-1 but wants gaming power running behind the screen. Here's how Boddy explains it:

"The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025) is weird in the best possible way. It takes a form factor no one associates with gaming or serious, intense workloads, and then packs it with the most ridiculously powerful, overqualified mobile hardware AMD has ever created. It's thick and heavy, not subtle in the slightest, and somehow blends the opposing design ethos of thin-and-light Windows 2-in-1 tablets and big-and-powerful Windows gaming laptops into a single chunky slab."

As I mentioned, you can now buy the ASUS ROG Limited Special Edition Kojima Productions Flow Z13 directly from Antonline. As the name suggests, the PC was manufactured in a limited quantity, so if you're interested, I wouldn't wait too long.

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Recently, we reported that AMD was stopping support for the Z1 Extreme, at least in the case of the excellent Lenovo Legion Go, a handheld released in 2023 that now appears to be receiving no further updates from AMD.

That understandably raised concerns, myself included, that support could also be winding down for other Z1 Extreme devices, including the ASUS ROG Ally and the Legion Go S, the latter only launching last year.

However, for now at least, ASUS devices appear to be continuing to receive support. A new graphics driver update for the Z1 Extreme handhelds has just landed, so let’s take a closer look at what it includes.

What this new ROG Ally driver actually changes

ASUS has released a new AMD graphics driver for the ROG Ally with the Z1 Extreme. The latest version is 32.0.22029.13001, dated February 24, 2026. Prior to this, the most recent update arrived in November 2025 (via VideoCardz).

Unfortunately, that is largely the full story. This latest release appears to be a minor revision of the existing 22029 branch that was already in place in late 2025, which previously added support for Call of Duty Black Ops 7.

In other words, this is not the major graphics overhaul that some owners may have been hoping for. There is no indication of a new driver branch, a shift to AMD’s latest public releases, or a broad architectural update.

What it does confirm, however, is that ASUS is still maintaining its Z1 Extreme driver package. That alone is significant, especially given recent concerns surrounding support for devices like the Lenovo Legion Go.

ASUS provides very little in the way of detailed patch notes for this release. The description simply states, “This package includes the AMD Graphics Driver, to provide your system the powerful graphic computing experiences,” and does not elaborate further.

That lack of detail makes it difficult to assess what has changed under the hood. Still, the presence of a new build number in 2026 suggests the ROG Ally has not been quietly dropped, at least for now.

If you wish to find the latest drivers, find them here, then find your device and navigate to support.

🗨️ Passing it back over to you!

Are you still using the ROG Ally or Ally X with the Z1 Extreme? Let me know in the comments here or comment over on our Reddit and make sure to take part in our poll below:

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Hideo Kojima is undeniably one of the most renowned video game figureheads of all time, and the appeal surrounding his body of work transcends the digital format. Although Kojima made a name with Metal Gear and Death Stranding, lately he's been branching out into fashion and hardware.

Last year, we covered a $1,500 Hamilton watch with a Death Stranding 2 theme. Now, as part of his latest crossover partnership, ASUS has cooked up a Special Edition Kojima Productions version of its awesome ROG Flow Z13 2-in-1 gaming PC.

This is a lot more in line with our interests, and the best part? You can now pre-order it from Antonline. This PC is strictly limited edition, so if it's on your shopping list, you won't want to wait too long.

ASUS unveiled its ROG Flow Z13-KJP special edition laptop at CES 2026, complete with Death Stranding stylings designed in collaboration with legendary artist Yoji Shinkawa.

The end result is a 2-in-1 gaming PC that looks like it was pulled straight out of the sci-fi world. The Flow Z13's framework is still evident, but everything on the outside has changed to fit the new motif.

The external panels, now with carbon fiber accents, are styled in a black-and-gold colorway, and the CNC-milled aluminum frame now has angular cutouts. On the detachable keyboard, new colors, a bolder typeface, and angled edges set it apart from the stock PC.

The special edition version of the laptop comes with an AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 CPU, 128GB of RAM, a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and a 13.4-inch IPS touch display with 180Hz refresh rate and 2.5K resolution.

Included with each purchase is a custom carrying case to keep your PC safe and a custom (exclusive) Armoury Crate theme for onboard software. Two months of PC Game Pass is included, and you'll also receive keys for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Crimson Desert.

Bottom line? If you're a fan of Kojima's work, this PC and its accessories will be immediately recognizable.

We tested the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and (mostly) loved it

We got our hands on the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 that originally launched in 2025 for a full round of testing, which eventually resulted in a positive review and a Windows Central Recommended Award.

We noted its "surprisingly good execution of the form factor with a comfy keyboard and sturdy kickstand," as well as its superb mobile performance afforded by its AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 CPU.

The main attraction to this CPU is its ability to use shared system memory located on the System-on-Chip (SoC) itself. That means that its integrated Radeon 8060S GPU can "borrow" up to 112GB to be used as VRAM, significantly boosting its gaming abilities.

In our tests, even Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing enabled was capableof hitting a 65 FPS average. Other, less demanding titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Black Ops 6 landed well above a 100 FPS average.

Pre-orders for the ASUS ROG Limited Special Edition Kojima Productions Flow Z13 are open now, and the PC is expected to launch March 3, 2026.

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ASUS revealed a new ExpertBook B5 G2 business laptop this week, and in the press release was an interesting tidbit regarding operating systems.

Our friends at TechRadar were among the first to notice that ASUS lists a "Windows 11 pure OS (not for open channel)" option under its operating system choices, right alongside Windows 11 Pro, Home, and Pro with Driver WHQL support.

With no other reference to this version of Windows 11 in the new ExpertBook's marketing documents, we were left to surmise exactly what it could mean. I reached out to ASUS to get an official explanation.

According to ASUS, Windows 11 pure OS is a clean installation of Windows 11 that does not include any third-party apps or ASUS software. As an example, ASUS says that even its MyASUS control app is absent.

As most people, including our colleagues at TechRadar, guessed, Windows 11 pure OS is made for the enterprise and public sectors. More specifically, it's aimed at tender and Request for Proposal (RFP) processes.

ASUS points out that it also offers the ExpertBook with no OS installed at all, which suits those organizations that might wish to deploy their own image in order to "maintain existing education or enterprise licensing agreements."

Unfortunately, that means that regular buyers don't have an option to load this stripped-back version of Windows 11 onto a consumer laptop when they order from ASUS. It's the same sort of setup that Dell, Lenovo, and HP also offer for their enterprise customers.

What is the ASUS ExpertBook B5 G2?

ASUS says its new ExpertBook B5 G2 is "built with enterprise flexibility at its core," and a big part of that is offering the Windows 11 pure OS option that makes IT deployment and internal compliance a lot easier.

Delving into the laptop's specs, it's a rather sleek notebook running on Intel's latest Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" mobile chips. It's available with up to a Core Ultra 7 366H CPU with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 50 TOPS. That puts it into Copilot+ range, with full compatibility for all of Windows 11's built-in AI tools.

ASUS offers both 14- and 16-inch display options, going up to a 2560x1600 (QHD+) resolution for both sizes. The smaller 14-inch model weighs in at just 3.0 pounds (1.38kg), while the 16-inch model hits 3.9 pounds (1.79kg).

As expected from a business laptop, it comes with MIL-STD-810H durability certification and a ton of extra security features.

ASUS has not announced availability or pricing for the ExpertBook B5 G2. You can check out the official product page at ASUS, where you can also sign up for notifications.

What do you think about the new ExpertBook B5 G2?

Interested in what a "Windows 11 pure OS install" would look like on your laptop? Have experience with this type of stripped-back version of Windows? Let me know in the comments section!

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Lenovo and ASUS both unveiled new featherlight 14-inch laptops at CES 2026, and they're both expected to launch in Q2 this year.

The ASUS Zenbook A14, now in its second generation after a glorious debut in 2025, looks like it will remain the best option for budget shoppers, whereas Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition (what a mouthful) will appease those who want more premium features and Intel hardware.

I put together this in-depth comparison to help you make the right decision when these laptops launch.

How do Yoga Slim 7i Ultra and Zenbook A14 specs compare?

Here's a look at the raw specs that go into these two laptops. Lenovo already has a fairly detailed spec sheet available, while the Zenbook A14 (2026) could have more configs when it launches.

Can I buy the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra and Zenbook A14 right now?

Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition and the ASUS Zenbook A14 (2026) are not yet available to buy. They are both expected to launch in Q2 2026.

Lenovo mentioned a $1,499.99 starting price at its CES 2026 reveal, although whether or not that price sticks due to DRAM and NAND shortages remains to be seen.

Based on the first-generation PC, I am expecting the ASUS Zenbook A14 for 2026 to launch at a more affordable price compared to the Yoga laptop. You can still find the original Zenbook A14 from 2025 starting at $699 at Best Buy.

Two featherweight 14-inch laptops; which one has the better features?

The original Zenbook A14 that launched in 2025 absolutely blew us away with its lightweight chassis and overall sleek design. Former Windows Central laptop expert Zachary Boddy noted in their Zenbook A14 review:

"With a magnesium chassis as light as air and as tough as stone, Snapdragon X series chipsets that barely sip on the physics-defying massive battery, and a great balance of practical function and aesthetic form, the Zenbook A14 is one of the best laptops of the year."

This brilliant design really isn't changing for the new 2026 model. Compared to the new Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, the Zenbook A14 will have a slightly smaller footprint while weighing about 13 grams more.

It's also going to offer a much more varied port selection, with dual USB4 (which uses the USB-C form factor), USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, on the other hand, offers three Thunderbolt 4 ports. It's far more likely you'll need to add a Thunderbolt docking station to the Yoga laptop in order to connect all your accessories.

Lenovo does a great job with its laptop cameras and speakers, and that's no different here. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra comes with a quad-speaker setup with 8W of total output and Dolby Atmos tuning.

The new Zenbook A14 only lists stereo speakers. The original Zenbook A14 did have Dolby Atmos tuning, so I'm expecting it to return for the second-gen model.

Lenovo's camera is set at 5MP with an IR sensor for Windows Hello. The Zenbook A14 also has an IR sensor for that added layer of facial recognition security, but its camera tops out at 1080p (or about 2MP).

The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra has a small, raised camera bar along the top of the display, which allows it to house the superior hardware. I love the look, but others might prefer the straight Zenbook A14 top bezel.

The keyboard and touchpad quality will need to be tested, but I can say that Lenovo and ASUS both make great keys. The same goes for touchpads, with both PCs offering a spacious pointer.

OLED or pOLED? Lenovo and ASUS use slightly different displays

Lenovo and ASUS are each using 14-inch displays in their new laptops. For Lenovo, it's a Plastic OLED (pOLED) display that's more durable and resistant to drops. ASUS is using standard OLED tech, which should mean it has a glass covering. In any case, both displays come with a glossy finish.

Lenovo and ASUS both appear to be offering just one display option. In the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, you get a 2880x1800 (2.8K) resolution, touch, 500 nits brightness (up to 1,100 nits with HDR), a 120Hz refresh rate, DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification, Dolby Vision, and perfect color reproduction across sRGB and P3 gamuts.

Here's where I imagine a lot of the price difference comes into play. The Zenbook A14's screen hits a lower 1920x1200 (FHD+) resolution, a lower 60Hz refresh rate, and a lower peak brightness of 600 nits with HDR enabled. It does have DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification.

Ultimately, Lenovo's Yoga display should be the right choice for creators who need the extra pixels. However, the Zenbook A14's FHD+ display should save battery life while still delivering the outstanding color and contrast you expect from OLED tech.

Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 or Intel Core Ultra Series 3?

These two laptops are both using the latest hardware from Intel and Qualcomm, and the performance differences will be interesting to check out once we have an opportunity to benchmark firsthand.

I can, however, make some key initial comparisons when looking at the higher-level platforms.

Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" mobile chips are a big step forward, especially in regard to the integrated GPU. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra will come with up to a Core Ultra X7 385H chip with 16 cores, an Arc B390 integrated GPU with power nearing a discrete RTX 4050, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with 50 TOPS of power for AI workloads.

Lenovo will also offer a couple of wimpier Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 chips for its more affordable configurations. Make no mistake; these are still excellent performers.

ASUS has upgraded to the Snapdragon X2 Elite; more specifically, the X2E-88-100 with 18 cores, Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, and an NPU capable of 80 TOPS of AI power.

Generally speaking, you should expect superb productivity performance and efficiency from the Snapdragon X2 chip, with Intel Panther Lake delivering stronger GPU performance and no need for emulating certain programs and games.

Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition vs. Zenbook A14 (2026): Which should you buy?

Both of these thin and light laptops are expected to launch in Q2 2026, and we'll soon have more information as to how exactly they perform, how well the designs work, and what the displays look like in real life.

As it stands now, the Zenbook A14 (2026) should remain the go-to lightweight PC for budget shoppers. No, the display, speakers, and webcam aren't as impressive, but that won't matter for a ton of people who just want a reliable PC that's easy to carry around.

Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition, thanks to its set of more premium features, is expected to cost more, but will be more appealing to creators thanks to its high-res display and strong Intel Panther Lake integrated graphics.

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Acer and Asus are two of the biggest names in the PC space. If you are an Xbox fan, you will likely recognize ASUS, as it produces the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, both of which have sold well, despite some early issues.

However, both companies have temporarily stopped selling laptops and desktop PCs in Germany. It follows a court ruling that granted Nokia an injunction, preventing Acer and Asus from selling certain desktop and laptop devices in the country.

In the country, a court recently granted Nokia an injunction that legally blocks Acer and ASUS from selling certain PCs (via Tom's Hardware).

The ruling applies to the companies themselves. Retailers that already have stock can continue selling existing units. However, once that stock runs out, Acer and Asus cannot import or replenish new devices while the injunction remains in place.

Now, you might be wondering what Nokia has to do with all of this. The case centers on HEVC, which stands for High Efficiency Video Coding. It's a video compression standard, patented by Nokia and used for streaming, recording, and playing high-quality video more efficiently.

Nokia claims that Acer and ASUS are using technology covered by its patents without the proper licensing terms in place. An injunction is simply a court order that forces a company to stop doing something. In this case, it requires Acer and ASUS to pause sales of affected products in Germany.

If Acer and ASUS reach a licensing agreement with Nokia, sales could resume. As the situation is still developing, either company could also choose to appeal the decision in court.

What do you make of this HEVC patent dispute, and do you think Acer and Asus should settle or fight the ruling in court? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:

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My Xbox ROG Ally X is dead. Long live the Xbox ROG Ally X. I'm joking because if I'm not laughing, I'm crying.

I spent 800 Great British Pounds ($1,095 USD) on this device in September 2025, only for it to very randomly give up the ghost. I’m sharing this because my customer service experience so far hasn't exactly filled me with confidence — and poor customer service is something ASUS has become notorious for in the past. How will I fare this time around?

My Xbox ROG Ally X just ... stopped turning on

This isn’t my first rodeo; tech has failed on me before, and I’ve spent plenty of time troubleshooting devices back to life. However, this unit is brand spanking new. I’ve been treating it like a newborn baby, diligently transporting it everywhere in a JSAUX hard case. I haven't even been pushing the specs to their limit. Lately I've mostly been playing Stardew Valley and other lightweight games.

After a recent session, I turned off the console and put it away, only to return a day later and find it wouldn't wake up.

"No bother," I thought, "it must just be a dead battery." I plugged it into the official charger, only for my heart to drop: there was no LED indicator to show it was drawing power.

Thinking the charger might be the culprit, I tested it on my phone. The charger was totally fine. The Xbox Ally X itself was the problem.

Unfortunately, this isn't the first time the Ally has stalled on me. There were two prior instances where it did this, but I was able to hold down the power button for 30 seconds to force it back to life. Both those times, I at least had a charging light; this time, I had nothing. I followed every troubleshooting guide online. Holding power and volume, cycling the charger, the works. Nothing. It is dead, extinct, an ex-ROG Xbox Ally.

First stop, the retailer. Currys: my arch nemesis.

I ordered my ROG Ally X through Currys. In my opinion, they can be one of the more frustrating electronics retailers in the UK. I stress this is my personal opinion — your mileage may vary.

I’ve had a number of unfortunate experiences with Currys' customer service in the past, so you could say it’s my own fault for taking another punt with them. But they were the only ones with stock in the UK at the time. Much to my regret.

I couldn't simply send an email or call them. You have to wait in line via "live chat." After jumping through hoops on day two, I was informed that because my item was older than 30 days, I couldn't use the chat at all. I needed to call a dedicated phone number, which of course wasn't listed on the website.

When I finally got through, I spoke to someone who seemed to know significantly less about the device than I did. They actually suggested I try turning it off and on again three times. Babe, it won’t turn on in the first place!

Anyway, after half an hour with Currys Customer Service and their "troubleshooting" if you can call it that, I was foisted off to ASUS to request a repair. ASUS who ... weren't answering or accepting enquiries over the weekend. Great, more waiting. Which brings me to today.

Submitting my RMA request with ASUS

So, a total of 4 days after I first got this issue, I've started the process with ASUS to get an RMA sorted out. Now, for all I know, the rest of the experience may be fine, but I'm not filled with confidence when I'm met with this message on the ASUS website:

The message reads "ASUS are currently experiencing high repair volume.

Therefore, as a temporary measure some UK Mainland RMA repair requests will temporarily be routed/diverted to our Overseas Repair Facility."

Oh dear. While this doesn’t specifically mean there is an influx of ROG Ally units failing, it certainly gives me the "heebie-jeebies" to know that ASUS is currently overwhelmed with repairs across their product range. Could the Xbox Ally be the culprit? There doesn't seem to be an influx of failures over on the primary subreddit ... so perhaps I am simply supremely unlucky. If you're an Xbox Ally owner reading this, I hope for your sake that my situation is a one off. I did find a handful of threads (see below), but not an overwhelming amount.

My ROG XBOX ALLY X died from r/ROGAlly

When I first bought the ROG Ally X, I wrote that I’d put down my Steam Deck for good and hoped I wouldn't live to regret it. Right now, after paying £800 for a device that barely lasted five months without causing me major stress, I’m already questioning if I made the right move.

The saga continues...

I was emailed a form to complete by ASUS for my RMA on Monday of this week, following which they arranged a collection of the device on Wednesday. Pretty speedy by any measure so I was feeling more positive.

What was odd, was that I received a notification when the collection was booked stating an item was to be delivered, and to "have the other item ready for exchange." What? I thought wow, are they giving me a new unit already and just taking the broken one? Asus redemption arc incoming!

Alas that was not to be the case, when friendly delivery driver Tajinder arrived on my doorstep the only item he had to deliver to me was a receipt of the collection. My ROG is now winging it's way to ASUS for examination with a notification received that repairs will have an "estimated completion date" of 20 February. I am sad, but appreciate the updates. Will the ROG be repaired? Will it be replaced?! Will I ever recover my Stardew farm? Stay tuned!

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Qualcomm's ARM-based Snapdragon X Systems-on-Chip (SoC) kicked off a renaissance for Windows PCs when they launched in 2024, and the company announced the Snapdragon X2 as a successor in 2025.

We've had to wait patiently since the second-gen announcement for the PCs powered by X2 chips, and they're still expected to launch in the first half of 2026. Windows Central's Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino got an early look at the new chips late last year, running some benchmarks to discover just how much faster the new X2 Plus was compared to Intel's Core Ultra 7 265U and Ultra 7 256V.

At that time, several big questions remained. How would the Snapdragon X2 hardware compare to Apple's M5? How would it compare to Intel's impressive new Intel Series 3 "Panther Lake" Core Ultra chips?

Hardware Canucks got its hands on a sample unit from Qualcomm and was allowed to run tests with the understanding that the drivers are early, the firmware is beta, and Windows itself still isn't optimized for the new hardware. This also isn't Qualcomm's flagship chip; it's the X2E-88 that's one step down from the top (that'd be the X2E-96-100, aka the Elite Extreme).

Nevertheless, the results are impressive.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite beats Apple's M5 in three major tests

Cinebench tests performed by Hardware Canucks put the X2 Elite (X2E-88) at a 1,432 multi-core score running at 31W. The Apple M5 running at 26W puts up a score of 1,153.

Notably, Intel's "Panther Lake" Core Ultra X9 388H scored 972 in the same multi-core test, while AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 scored 925.

Turning to single-core performance, the Apple M5 jumps ahead with a score of 200 compared to the X2 Elite's 146. The X2 Elite otherwise bests the latest chips from Intel and AMD.

In Blender 5.01 tests, it took the X2 Elite just 3:31 to complete frame rendering, compared to the 5:33 time posted by the Apple M5. The X2 Elite also easily beat the Intel Ultra X9 388H and the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.

In Handbrake, the X2 Elite wrapped up the test in 3:29, while it took the Apple M5 5:14. Same story for Intel and AMD — the X2 Elite is way ahead.

With the hardware by all means looking like a huge step forward compared to the first-gen Snapdragon X chips, it's largely going to be up to Microsoft to deliver a stellar "Windows on Snapdragon" experience in support.

👉 Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite vs. X Elite: How do the new ARM64 chips compare to the old?

We already know that Windows 11 version 26H1 is arriving as an exclusive for Snapdragon X2 (and maybe NVIDIA N1) ARM-based chips later this year to coincide with the hardware launch. Microsoft has stated that 90% of users employ apps natively compiled for ARM already, but there remains work to be done regarding gaming support (especially anti-cheat) and specific GPU-heavy workloads.

What do you think about these early benchmark results? Are you concerned about battery life results when they become available? What would convince you to switch to an Arm‑powered Windows laptop?

Let me know in the comments!

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The ASUS ROG Kithara doesn't look like any other gaming headset I've tried in the past, and is essentially an audiophile-style open-back set of headphones that happen to also ship with a boom mic and a pile of cables so you can use it for gaming. The vented design reminded me straight away of the rear of the Xbox Ally X, which is pretty neat.

Going into this review, I was pretty sceptical, it looks awkward on my head for one, and is also very expensive at $299.99 for something that is wired only. That said, after using it for a few weeks now, it's grown on me immensely, and its unique style only adds to the character for me. Despite my initial qualms on it being so different from my usual choices, I've ended up loving it.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by ASUS. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

ASUS ROG Kithara Headset: Specs and pricing

The main selling point here is the 100mm planar magnetic drivers, developed in partnership with HiFiMan. These are much larger and more expensive to make than the dynamic drivers used in most gaming headsets.

It’s a fully wired, dual-entry design headset, which in normal talk means a cable for each side. The unboxing itself is a bit of a cable fest with all the optional accessories and attachments. It was a bit like when I unboxed my wireless vacuum and all its heads for different floor types. You get a boom mic cable (with volume/mute toggles), a standard headphone cable, and every connector you could possibly need, and some I didn't even know still existed (3.5mm, 6.3mm, 4.4mm, and USB-C). You can hook it up to basically anything that fits the connectors so PC, console, or DAC, without having to mess around with any software. It's not advertised as Xbox-compatible, but it will work if you plug the 3.5mm jack into your controller.

It isn't cheap, though $299.99 puts this squarely in the premium bracket. For a wired headset, you’re paying a serious markup. It’s clearly aimed at competing with "real" studio headphones rather than the usual gaming stuff you see from this brand. In the United Kingdom, you can pick up the ROG Kithara for £284.99 at Scan.co.uk.

ASUS ROG Kithara Headset: Comfort and build quality

Build quality was impressive straight out the box. The frame feels solid and the hinges feel like they could take a few beatings at the bottom of my backpack (not that I'm putting that to the test). The headset feels closer to studio headphones than your average plastic gaming headsets.. In fact, my son, who likes to record audio for his music and acting project, is looking to swipe these away from me as they fit into his microphone perfectly with the generous bundle of attachments.

Although the Kithara is pretty damn big and weighs around 420 grams, I was surprised by how comfortable it actually is. I expected it to feel heavy and awkward, especially given how it looks on my head (see in slideshow above), but in practice it feels very well balanced and much lighter than I anticipated. I had no issues wearing it for long sessions, even if it did look comically large compared to my normal headsets.

The headband doesn't dig in at all, and since it’s an open-back design, my ears stayed way cooler than they do in standard closed-back sets. I normally wear the LucidSound LS50X, but I have to admit my ears usually get pretty stuffy in those after a while.

My only real gripe is that the earcups tend to slide down if I move around too much during a frantic game. I’m constantly nudging them back up, though that might just be a "me" problem. The men in my family tried them on and didn’t have any issues. It probably just comes down to how massive these things are relative to my head!

Two sets of ear pads are included in the box, including velour pads which feel cooler and softer over time, but they slightly reduce isolation and bass compared to the stock pads.

Overall, the Kithara is very well built and, despite my initial scepticism about its size and appearance, it turned out to be far more comfortable than I expected.

ASUS ROG Kithara Headset: Mic and audio quality

The detachable MEMS boom microphone is solid but I wouldn't say it is outstanding. As in, it is perfectly fine for gaming but if you stream or podcast you will want to stick with something entirely seperate. But yeah, this is a gaming headset remember.

Voice clarity is good, background noise is handled well, and it works perfectly fine for gaming chat, Discord and my work calls on Microsoft Teams. And its always fun to have something a bit different on when we are asked to turn our cameras on. People will still be able to tell that you are using a headset microphone when you talk through this but it is cleaner than what you usually get from most gaming headsets.

One concern with open-back headsets is whether game audio leaks back into the microphone. In my testing, this was not an issue and I did not experience any obvious audio bleed being picked up by the mic.

The audio performance is where the ROG Kithara clearly separates itself from normal gaming headsets. Before getting into sound quality, it is important to be clear about one thing. The Kithara does not offer virtual surround sound or any form of spatial audio processing. It is a purely passive stereo headset.
I had to go back to school for this review just to figure out what "open-back" actually meant. Basically, since the earcups are vented rather than sealed shut, the sound breathes (supposedly). Audiophiles love to rave about the "spacious soundstage" of open-back headsets. What this does mean, though, is you get zero privacy. I’m hearing everything happening in my house, and worse, everyone else can hear my music too. There’s no way I’m winning any cool points for my indie taste when everyone in the room can clearly hear I’m just blasting Taylor Swift again. Definitely don't be that person who wears these on a bus.

This is a selling point if you play in a quiet room and care about natural presentation and spatial depth. It won't be for you if you game in noisy environments or shared spaces around family. Personally, while I'm normally gaming around other people I do actually want to be able to hear my family so this doesn't bother me at all. If you prefer to drown out the sound of petulant children, you may want to look elsewhere.

In use with actual games, the open back and flouncy-sounding "airy soundstage" actually makes a bit more sense. So environmental sounds, gunshots etc are easy to separate. Positioning is generally easy to follow in shooters, and there's no echoey effect from the cups.

Sound-wise, I noticed this headset was substantially less 'bass-heavy' than other gaming headsets, and it's up to your preference whether you like that.

Volume was also dependent on my connection. Bear in mind, I'm writing this as a millennial who spent most of their teens destroying their eardrums with the highest possible iPod volume. Plugged directly into my PC, the headset gets reasonably loud but can feel slightly limited at the top end. Using the included USB-C adapter makes it noticeably louder when it benefits from the extra power delivery (up to 90W), as it did when I plugged it into my phone. No amount of finicking around with Windows 11 audio settings changes this otherwise. So your experience may vary depending on what you plug it into.

ASUS ROG Kithara Headset: Should you buy it?

The ROG Kithara is a niche headset that puts sound quality ahead of features. It makes sense for a very specific type of user.

✅ You should buy this if...

• you mainly play in a quiet room and do not need isolation
• you care more about sound quality and separation than surround sound features
• you want one headset that works well for gaming, music and general listening

❌ You should not buy this if...

• you want wireless, noise cancelling, RGB lighting or software features
• you rely heavily on virtual surround or spatial audio modes
• you play in noisy or shared environments

The ASUS ROG Kithara feels less like a gaming headset and more like a pair of high-end studio headphones that just happened to have a mic slapped on at the end. I was pretty skeptical at first, that price tag is hard to ignore, especially for something with a wire. But once I actually put it on, it was way more comfortable and easy to deal with than the size suggests.

It’s not trying to win a feature war with brands like SteelSeries or Turtle Beach. You aren't getting a million buttons or gimmicks here; you’re paying for the sound quality and that open-back feel. If you’re hunting for that specific "audiophile" sound but don't want the hassle of a separate desktop mic and headphone setup, the Kithara is basically in a league of its own.

Another day, another Windows update breaking something it shouldn’t. This time, instead of power issues or black screen crashes, users who bought into the Xbox Ally lineup, or earlier ROG Ally devices, are being greeted with an “Oops!” moment as Armory Crate simply refuses to work.

For those unfamiliar, Armory Crate is ASUS’s companion software for the Xbox Ally and ROG Ally. It is used to manage performance profiles, system settings, and other essential features.

What’s going wrong with Armory Crate

Users on Reddit report that Armory Crate is hitting them with an error message reading, “Oops! There was an issue with the connections to Armory Crate SE. Please open Armory Crate SE for repairs and try again.”

The issue appears to be tied to Windows Smart App Control, which many users are mocking as not so smart, given the circumstances. Neowin, which also reported on the problem, summed up the irony neatly by calling it a “Not-so-smart Windows Defender.”

Armory Crate is an essential part of the Xbox Ally and ROG Ally experience. It lets users tweak device settings, manage controls, adjust performance profiles, and install important system updates.

Windows Smart App Control is a security feature in Windows 11 that, if you could not already guess from its breaking things, uses AI to block what it considers malicious, untrusted, or harmful applications by analyzing them before launch.

In typical Microsoft fashion, whether through overreliance on AI or poorly tested updates, Smart App Control now appears to be blocking Armory Crate from opening at all, locking users out of a genuinely useful tool their devices rely on.

How to fix the issue

To fix the issue, users can disable Smart App Control in Windows 11. Here is how to do it.

1. On your device, switch to Windows desktop mode.
2. Open the Start menu.
3. Search for Windows Security and open it.
4. Go to App & browser control.
5. Select Smart App Control settings.
6. Set Smart App Control to Off.
7. Restart your device once disabled.

Once disabled, Armory Crate should open and function normally.

So far, this is the only consistently reported fix circulating online. If it does not resolve the issue for you, the next step is to uninstall and reinstall Armory Crate after doing the steps above. ASUS provides a clear FAQ covering both the uninstall and reinstall processes, which you can find here.

Windows’ AI‑powered security tools are supposed to make the platform safer, but issues like this show how easily they can collide with the realities of handheld gaming. Until Microsoft and ASUS smooth out the compatibility gaps, Ally owners are stuck navigating yet another Windows‑on‑handheld growing pain.

Are Windows 11 updates and forced AI features starting to impact how you use your devices, or is this just another isolated misstep? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and make sure you take part in our poll below:

It's a new year, and that means that top tech analysts are poring over data from 2025 in an attempt to make sense of the next 12 months.

Earlier this week, I covered a report from tech research and advisory group Omdia, suggesting that 2026 will see a laptop supply that fails to meet demand, driving up prices for consumers.

That same sentiment is being shared by the International Data Corporation (IDC) in an independent report that looks eerily similar to the one from Omdia.

According to IDC's research VP, Jean Phillipe Bouchard, "the PC market will be far different in 12 months, given how quickly the memory situation is evolving."

Bouchard is, of course, referring to the ongoing DRAM shortage caused by AI firms buying up production for the months and years ahead. AI datacenters require an unfathomable amount of memory to operate, and unfortunately, the core tech is the same that goes into the consumer RAM found in our personal PCs.

Given the choice of selling to consumers or to AI firms, memory manufacturers are following the big money that seems to swirl endlessly around the latter.

On one hand, the big laptop manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, Dell, and ASUS — which had stellar sales in 2025 — are likely better positioned to weather the storm thanks to their "scale and memory allocations." On the other hand, IDC warns that "smaller brands may not survive, and consumers, particularly DIY enthusiasts, may delay purchases or shift their spending to other devices or experiences."

Laptop makers had a great 2025, and Lenovo continues to lead the way

IDC points out that 2025's holiday season saw strong laptop sales, which isn't out of the ordinary. However, news of the impending laptop price spike likely amplified sales as consumers and the big brands attempted to get ahead of the newfound costs.

Add to that the lingering uncertainty of Windows 10's end-of-life and the push for Windows 11 PCs, and you can certainly see why PC sales were so strong. Lenovo alone shipped 19.3 million PCs globally in Q4 2025, according to IDC.

Just like Omdia's results, IDC shows Lenovo at the top of the PC sales charts with around 71 million (70.8 is the exact number IDC shares) shipments throughout all of 2025. HP comes in second place with 57.5 million shipments, Dell in third with 41.1 million, Apple in fourth with 25.6 million, and ASUS in fifth with 20.5 million.

My recommendation for those who need a new PC? Buy now and get it over with before the big price hikes hit. There are plenty of laptops from 2025 available, many of them at a discount as retailers attempt to clear out inventory for new 2026 models. I just put together a roundup of 13 top laptops on sale at Best Buy's Winter Sale if you need a bit of inspiration.

Do you agree with analysts who suggest that PC sales will decline in 2026? Do you see any way around the factors driving those price hikes? Let us know in the comments section below!

A surprise debut at last year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took home our "Best Laptop of CES 2025" award, and it ended up being one of our favorite (and most written about) device of the entire year.

I'm talking, of course, about ASUS' incredible Zenbook A14, which helped set the bar for thin-and-light Windows laptops powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon. I loved the ASUS Zenbook A14 (2025) in my 4.5/5-star review, and now the laptop is being refreshed with a whole lot more power at CES 2026.

The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 silicon is great, but the laptop itself isn't changing much. What's even more exciting is the new 16-inch version of this sleek device, which is arriving as one of the first to use Qualcomm's most powerful laptop chipset ever. I'm excited for this one.

The OG but better, and a new big sibling

First, let's get the simple stuff out of the way: ASUS didn't shake up the Zenbook A14 for 2026, which isn't all that surprising. The only major change is inside, where you can now equip the Zenbook A14 with the latest Snapdragon X2 silicon, including up to an 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite with an insane 80 TOPS NPU.

That means a massive increase in overall performance, especially for gaming and AI workloads. That's great, if not super exciting. I wish ASUS had also updated the 14-inch OLED display to be 120Hz instead of a measly 60Hz. That'll definitely hurt it in my final review.

The real star of the show is the new arrival to the family, though, and that's the ASUS Zenbook A16. It takes the same beautiful design, but scales it up to a 16-inch display with boosted firepower.

The new Zenbook A16 is among the very first laptops equipped with the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme SoC, an 18-core monster with a 5.0GHz boost, Qualcomm's most powerful GPU yet, and massively increased memory bandwidth compared to other Snapdragon X2 chips.

The Zenbook A16 also gets up to 48GB of super-fast LPDDR5X memory, an SD card slot, and a gorgeous 2.8K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,100 nits of brightness with HDR content. All of that, and it's still among the lightest 16-inch laptops, weighing less than 3lbs (or around 1.2kg).

I definitely tend to prefer more compact, 14-inch laptops, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more interested in the 16-inch half of this Zenbook duo. This could end up being one of the best Windows laptops of the year, if the new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme lives up to the hype.

What do you think about the new ASUS Zenbook A16? Could it be your next laptop? Let us know in the comments below!

ASUS revealed dozens of new devices this week as part of CES 2026, including its latest version of its beloved ASUS Zenbook Duo, a laptop that features two 14-inch displays and comes with an adjustable stand, along with a separate keyboard.

This refresh was expected; however, ASUS also made a somewhat surprising announcement: the Duo is getting a new version under the gaming ROG subbrand — the ROG Zephyrus Duo, which is designed for gamers and creators.

As someone who regularly creates digital art and spends my free time playing video games, I'm also very interested in getting my hands on the new ROG Zephyrus Duo.

Just take a look at our own Ben Wilson's ASUS Zenbook Duo (2025) review, and you'll see that we at Windows Central were impressed with the previous iteration's ability to change between landscape and portrait orientations thanks to the sturdy and adjustable stand. Another cool aspect is that the separate keyboard magnetically connects to the bottom display if you just need one screen. The Zephyrus Duo shares many of these same characteristics.

The Zenbook Duo and Zephyrus Duo are versatile multitasking laptops designed for business, and now creative work and gaming. The new 2026 models build upon the foundation of what was already there with more powerful Intel AI processors, larger battery capacities, and more.

ASUS Zenbook Duo vs ROG Zephyrus Duo

Of course, I was immediately curious about how the Zenbook Duo (2026) and new Zephrus Duo compared, so I created the following chart using all of the revealed specs we know so far.

At the time of writing, ASUS has revealed more spec information for the Zenbook Duo, including its two separate configurations. I've gathered all of that information into the chart below, along with all of the spec information I could find so far for the new ROG Zephyrus Duo.

As you can see from the specs above, the Zephyrus Duo offers larger 16-inch OLED touchscreens compared to the 14-inch OLEDs on the Zenbook Duo. This larger design better accommodates creative workflows and gaming.

It's not too surprising that the 6.28-pound Zephyrus Duo also weighs notably more than the 3.64-pound Zenbook Duo, considering this newer device has larger displays, higher RAM and storage capacity, and a far more robust NVIDIA RTX GPU compared to the Zenbook Duo's modest Intel Arc Graphics.

So, while the Zenbook Duo (2026) is a fantastic multitasking option for your typical office or school workflows, the far more powerful Zephyrus Duo is designed as the better multitasking choice for those who play AAA games or use more demanding creative software like 3D rendering programs.

You can get the Zenbook Duo with either an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 processor, sometime soon, since its anticipated launch date is January 2026. However, if you'd like a more powerful iteration, you can get the Intel Core Ultar 9 386H option when it launches sometime in February 2026.

Zenbook Duo (2026) prices have yet to be revealed, but these devices should be available at Best Buy and the ASUS website. Given that the previous 2025 model has a starting price of $1,699.99 at ASUS, it's very likely that the refresh will cost more than that — and that's before considering the ongoing US-China tariff situation, rising DRAM prices, and GPU shortages.

Meanwhile, it's currently uncertain when the Zephyrus Duo will launch, and pricing hasn't been revealed for it either. Considering its beastly specs, it will likely have a significantly higher starting price than the Zenbook Duo (2026), but we'll have to wait to know for sure.

What do you think about the Zenbook Duo (2026) and the brand-new Zephyrus Duo? Are you interested in getting either one of these devices? Tell us which one and why in the comments.

During the last few months of 2025, the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X finally made their grand debut to take on gaming handheld heavyweights like the Steam Deck and Lenovo Legion Go.

The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X sold out quickly over the 2025 autumn and winter seasons. However, the Xbox Ally X has managed to find new stock at Best Buy for the retail price of $999.99.

If you act fast and order it there now, you will be able to acquire immediate shipping for it so you can have your Xbox Ally X delivered promptly.

For those unaware, the Xbox Ally X is a new gaming handheld that improves upon the technical performance of the ASUS ROG Ally X while incorporating compatibility for Microsoft's Xbox ecosystem.

It's able to run games at rock-solid framerates above 60fps thanks to its advanced AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, comfortable ergonomic grips, efficient and silent cooling systems, intuitive Xbox Game Bar integration, a high-quality 7-inch IPS display with 120HZ and VRR, and much more.

Our own gaming handheld expert, Rebecca Spear, gave the Xbox Ally X a staggeringly high 4.5/5 review, stating that it's, and I quote, "...a worthy successor to the ROG Ally X and offers excellent handheld performance to keep up with a wide library of PC games. Its grips also provide a very comfortable holding experience on a handheld."

So, if you have missed out on grabbing an Xbox Ally X during 2025 and fancy grabbing one of the best gaming handhelds in the premium category to play 2026's upcoming Xbox and PC games on the go, then now's the time to do so at Best Buy before it sells out again.

Will you be buying an Xbox Ally X now that it's back in stock, or do you prefer using other gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck? If you have any thoughts on this matter, please let us know in the comments below.

A surprise debut at last year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took home our "Best Laptop of CES 2025" award, and it ended up being one of our favorite (and most written about) device of the entire year.

I'm talking, of course, about ASUS' incredible Zenbook A14, which helped set the bar for thin-and-light Windows laptops powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon. I loved the ASUS Zenbook A14 (2025) in my 4.5/5-star review, and now the laptop is being refreshed with a whole lot more power at CES 2026.

The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 silicon is great, but the laptop itself isn't changing much. What's even more exciting is the new 16-inch version of this sleek device, which is arriving as one of the first to use Qualcomm's most powerful laptop chipset ever. I'm excited for this one.

The OG but better, and a new big sibling

First, let's get the simple stuff out of the way: ASUS didn't shake up the Zenbook A14 for 2026, which isn't all that surprising. The only major change is inside, where you can now equip the Zenbook A14 with the latest Snapdragon X2 silicon, including up to an 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite with an insane 80 TOPS NPU.

That means a massive increase in overall performance, especially for gaming and AI workloads. That's great, if not super exciting. I wish ASUS had also updated the 14-inch OLED display to be 120Hz instead of a measly 60Hz. That'll definitely hurt it in my final review.

The real star of the show is the new arrival to the family, though, and that's the ASUS Zenbook A16. It takes the same beautiful design, but scales it up to a 16-inch display with boosted firepower.

The new Zenbook A16 is among the very first laptops equipped with the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme SoC, an 18-core monster with a 5.0GHz boost, Qualcomm's most powerful GPU yet, and massively increased memory bandwidth compared to other Snapdragon X2 chips.

The Zenbook A16 also gets up to 48GB of super-fast LPDDR5X memory, an SD card slot, and a gorgeous 2.8K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,100 nits of brightness with HDR content. All of that, and it's still among the lightest 16-inch laptops, weighing less than 3lbs (or around 1.2kg).

I definitely tend to prefer more compact, 14-inch laptops, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more interested in the 16-inch half of this Zenbook duo. This could end up being one of the best Windows laptops of the year, if the new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme lives up to the hype.

What do you think about the new ASUS Zenbook A16? Could it be your next laptop? Let us know in the comments below!

ASUS has unveiled its refreshed flagship Windows laptops for 2026, the ZenBook S14 and ZenBook S16, now powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 and AMD Ryzen AI 400 series chips, respectively.

Both S14 and S16 models are Copilot+ capable, with NPUs outputting 50+ TOPS of power. The S14 is 1.1cm thick and 2.65lbs light, making it one of the thinnest and lightest 14-inch notebooks on the market.

Of course, the new Intel Core Ultra 3 series chips found in the ASUS ZenBook S14 are a huge upgrade over the Intel Lunar Lake processors found in the last generation models. These new chips offer X more performance and better efficiency, which, when paired with the S14's 77Whr battery, equals a laptop that will easily last you the day.

The S14's display is also still excellent, featuring a 2880x1800 resolution in a 16:10 aspect ratio. It's one of the sharpest displays on a 14-inch laptop, meaning text and images look crisp and clear. It also has a high-refresh-rate 120Hz panel, which makes scrolling apps and moving windows smooth as butter.

It's the same story for the S16, which features a larger 16-inch display at the same 3K resolution, same 16:10 aspect ratio, and same 120Hz refresh rate. Both models are touchscreen too, and are capable of 1100 nits of peak brightness for HDR content.

The S16 features a larger 83Whr battery and AMD's new Ryzen AI 400 series chips instead of Intel, offering similar performance gains over the last-gen S16 with the AMD Ryzen AI 370 HX. Both the S14 and S16 can be configured with 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage.

New for this generation is a redesigned lid, which has been simplified with the ASUS ZenBook branding. It places it more in line with the ZenBook A14 and A16, which were also just announced. Overall, this is a great refresh to two already amazing products, bringing them up to date with the very latest mobile processors on offer from Intel and AMD.

Perhaps worryingly, ASUS has not mentioned pricing for these new laptops. The company recently announced that it expects prices for its products to go up across the board this year in the wake of the RAM shortage crisis, which means the new S14 and S16 might be more expensive than their older generation counterparts.

What are your thoughts on the new ASUS ZenBook S14 and ZenBook S16? Let us know in the comments!

ASUS revealed dozens of new devices this week as part of CES 2026, including its latest version of its beloved ASUS Zenbook Duo, a laptop that features two 14-inch displays and comes with an adjustable stand, along with a separate keyboard.

This refresh was expected; however, ASUS also made a somewhat surprising announcement: the Duo is getting a new version under the gaming ROG subbrand — the ROG Zephyrus Duo, which is designed for gamers and creators.

As someone who regularly creates digital art and spends my free time playing video games, I'm also very interested in getting my hands on the new ROG Zephyrus Duo.

Just take a look at our own Ben Wilson's ASUS Zenbook Duo (2025) review, and you'll see that we at Windows Central were impressed with the previous iteration's ability to change between landscape and portrait orientations thanks to the sturdy and adjustable stand. Another cool aspect is that the separate keyboard magnetically connects to the bottom display if you just need one screen. The Zephyrus Duo shares many of these same characteristics.

The Zenbook Duo and Zephyrus Duo are versatile multitasking laptops designed for business, and now creative work and gaming. The new 2026 models build upon the foundation of what was already there with more powerful Intel AI processors, larger battery capacities, and more.

ASUS Zenbook Duo vs ROG Zephyrus Duo

Of course, I was immediately curious about how the Zenbook Duo (2026) and new Zephrus Duo compared, so I created the following chart using all of the revealed specs we know so far.

At the time of writing, ASUS has revealed more spec information for the Zenbook Duo, including its two separate configurations. I've gathered all of that information into the chart below, along with all of the spec information I could find so far for the new ROG Zephyrus Duo.

As you can see from the specs above, the Zephyrus Duo offers larger 16-inch OLED touchscreens compared to the 14-inch OLEDs on the Zenbook Duo. This larger design better accommodates creative workflows and gaming.

It's not too surprising that the 6.28-pound Zephyrus Duo also weighs notably more than the 3.64-pound Zenbook Duo, considering this newer device has larger displays, higher RAM and storage capacity, and a far more robust NVIDIA RTX GPU compared to the Zenbook Duo's modest Intel Arc Graphics.

So, while the Zenbook Duo (2026) is a fantastic multitasking option for your typical office or school workflows, the far more powerful Zephyrus Duo is designed as the better multitasking choice for those who play AAA games or use more demanding creative software like 3D rendering programs.

You can get the Zenbook Duo with either an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 processor, sometime soon, since its anticipated launch date is January 2026. However, if you'd like a more powerful iteration, you can get the Intel Core Ultar 9 386H option when it launches sometime in February 2026.

Zenbook Duo (2026) prices have yet to be revealed, but these devices should be available at Best Buy and the ASUS website. Given that the previous 2025 model has a starting price of $1,699.99 at ASUS, it's very likely that the refresh will cost more than that — and that's before considering the ongoing US-China tariff situation, rising DRAM prices, and GPU shortages.

Meanwhile, it's currently uncertain when the Zephyrus Duo will launch, and pricing hasn't been revealed for it either. Considering its beastly specs, it will likely have a significantly higher starting price than the Zenbook Duo (2026), but we'll have to wait to know for sure.

What do you think about the Zenbook Duo (2026) and the brand-new Zephyrus Duo? Are you interested in getting either one of these devices? Tell us which one and why in the comments.

A lot of innovation is happening in the wearable tech space, especially when you look at AR and smart glasses.

XREAL is one of the biggest players on that front, and now the company is teaming up with ASUS on a brand-new product: AR glasses focused entirely on gaming. Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the ASUS ROG XREAL R1 glasses boast a world's first with dual, 240Hz micro-OLED displays.

AR glasses are already a great choice for elevating your gaming experience, whether you're at home, in bed, or traveling, but the ROG XREAL R1 glasses shown at CES 2026 want to be the best in the category. Here's what you need to know, including why anyone should consider this over XREAL's main offerings.

Peak performance for gaming on the go

I reviewed the XREAL One Pro and called it "the absolute best" of AR glasses, and this collaboration with ASUS ROG does borrow a lot from XREAL's flagship specs. Namely, the ROG XREAL R1 seem to use the same optical design, so you get the same wide 57-degrees FOV the equivalent of a 171-inch display that only you can see, and best-in-class optical transparency.

However, these glasses double the refresh rate to an unheard of 240Hz, and lower the latency from 3ms to just 2ms. Both those numbers matter a lot when it comes to competitive gaming. There are other similarities and differences, too.

The ROG XREAL R1 borrows the excellent Bose stereo speakers, electrochromic dimming, and 3DoF tracking, but doesn't boast the XREAL X1 spatial computing chip or support for the XREAL Eye attachment that enables 6DoF tracking. It also weighs about 4g more, but it still isn't heavy for a pair of AR glasses at 91g.

On the ASUS side of things, the company designed the ROG XREAL R1 glasses with the Xbox Ally gaming handhelds in mind, guaranteeing plug-and-play support and full compatibility through the USB-C ports. These glasses will also be released alongside the new ASUS ROG Control Dock, which will feature a DisplayPort and two HDMI 2.0 ports to connect to devices that don't support USB-C display output.

That basically sums it up — the ASUS ROG XREAL R1 trades some of the spatial tracking and productivity-focused features of the flagship XREAL One Pro in favor of improved gaming performance. AR glasses are already awesome for gaming, so this collaboration makes a lot of sense. It's also practically guaranteed to be significantly better than the ASUS AirVision M1 glasses I reviewed.

It'll all depend on price, but we don't have that information... yet. The ASUS ROG XREAL R1 AR glasses should release in the first half of 2026, but we'll have to wait to know exactly how much they'll cost you.

Have you experienced AR glasses for yourself, and do you think they're worth it? Let us know in the comments below!

Before ASUS performed one of the best refreshes ever on its Zephyrus G14 (2024), older models featured something called "AniMe Matrix" lighting on the outside of the lid. Customizable with images, GIFs, and text, it was a neat way to give your laptop some personal flair.

AniMe Matrix may no longer be available on the ROG Zephyrus laptops — it was replaced with a Slash lighting feature — but it has now (sort of) returned to light up the new ASUS ROG G1000 gaming desktop just announced at CES 2026.

Rather than a fairly small addition based on LEDs and pinholes, the new implementation has the side and front panels of the PC lit up with full-color customizable holograms. This is achieved via spinning arrays of LEDS on the inside of the case.

ASUS is calling it "ROG AniMe Holo" this time around, and I admit that it gives the PC a stunning look. There are two separate holograms on the front, as well as another, larger hologram on the side. All can be customized to your liking, and yes, they can be disabled.

ASUS built the PC in a custom 104L case featuring three dedicated thermal sections: one for the 1000W 80+ Gold PSU, one for the main compartment with CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage, and another along the top that houses a 420mm AIO CPU cooler.

This top chamber pulls in air from outside the case rather than inside the case, helping it keep the system cool under load. ASUS calls it an "ROG Thermal Atrium," and it's similar to what HP implemented in its flagship OMEN gaming desktops.

That's especially important considering ASUS is offering up to an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU and an NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU, along with up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM and four M.2 SSD slots. A common disadvantage with pre-built desktop PCs is a lack of easy upgradeability, but ASUS says it uses "standard-sized components" in a case accessible without tools.

There's no word yet from ASUS regarding pricing and a release date, but I don't expect this PC to come cheap. It has some of the most expensive performance hardware inside — especially with RTX GPUs expected to cost significantly more in 2026 — and it's certainly built in anything but a plain case.

Are hologram side panels the new best way to show off your style, or are you more interested in a cleaner, more traditional look for your gaming PC? Let us know in the comments section below!

It was likely only a matter of time, given current market conditions and the growing influence of AI across the industry. Still, ASUS has now confirmed upcoming price adjustments in a private document intended for internal use, and not intended for the public to see.

The increases are set to begin on January 5, 2026, according to the document.

While ASUS has not yet confirmed which products will be affected, it has made clear that this will not be a blanket price hike. Instead, the company says it is implementing targeted, strategic adjustments across select product combinations.

Why ASUS says prices are rising and what’s driving the change

It is tempting to almost point and laugh at AI as it fumbles while also feeling the very real frustration of it pushing PC prices ever higher. Component pricing has become increasingly volatile, and ASUS is now acknowledging the pressure this is putting on the broader market.

ASUS specifically states:

ASUS also mentions explicitly "... upward pressure on costs for key components, particularly memory (DRAM) and storage components (NAND and SSD). These changes reflect shifts in capacity allocation by upstream suppliers ..." referencing the RAM/DRAM shortage driven by AI.

While the exact impact on individual products has yet to be confirmed, speculation has already begun around devices such as the ROG Xbox Ally, where memory and storage are integral to the overall configuration and cost.

ASUS frames the situation as a system-wide issue rather than a component-specific problem. The company points to structural volatility in the global supply chain, shifts in upstream capacity allocation, and rising AI-driven demand, which it says are now affecting system planning, configuration decisions, and the long-term stability of pricing across consumer hardware.

With January 5, 2026, just around the corner, we will not have to wait long to see which products are affected and to what extent. For now, the full impact remains unclear.

That said, if price adjustments do land where many expect, the next few days may represent the last chance to pick up an Xbox Ally X or Xbox Ally at what could be considered a relatively reasonable price in a few days' time.

Would you rather accept higher prices in exchange for continued AI development, or see the industry scale back AI features in favor of cheaper hardware and a more stable market?

Let us know by taking part in our poll or leaving us a comment with your thoughts.

The last ASUS keyboard I reviewed cost a whopping $300, and — as much as I liked the keyboard itself — it was tough to recommend to most people. Now, I'm back with an even more expensive keyboard from ASUS. Is history repeating itself?

This is the ASUS ROG Falcata, and it's one of the most interesting keyboards I've ever had on my desk, thanks to the uncommon split design and absolutely ridiculous specs. ASUS is also asking $420 for the Falcata, making this one of the priciest peripherals I've ever tested.

I'd be lying if I said the Falcata hasn't won me over, though. Almost no one will actually go out and buy this wireless gaming keyboard for themself, but there will undoubtedly be those drawn to this fascinating form factor and insane performance. The ROG Falcata is unlike any other keyboard I've reviewed, for better or worse.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by ASUS. ASUS had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

My first split keyboard experience

Split keyboards aren't a novel concept, being an alternative approach to the ergonomic keyboards that plenty of people swear by. The idea is to be able to position each half of the keyboard to line up with how your hands naturally rest, making typing and gaming more comfortable over long periods of time.

Honestly, it does take some time to get used to an ergonomic keyboard, let alone a split keyboard — but the benefits are real. The ROG Falcata honestly does feel more natural to use than more traditional keyboards, but this ASUS board takes things a lot further than even other split keyboards.

For one, all the Falcata's most important components are on the left side of the board, so you can only use that for gaming (giving you the WASD keys and important shortcuts) for a significantly more compact setup. When you need both halves, a simple USB-C cable connects them; it's a slightly awkward design, but it works well.

Most ergonomic and split keyboards are also productivity-focused, and even the premium offerings tend to heavily compromise on performance. The ROG Falcata takes things to extremes with truly phenomenal gaming and typing performance, as well as a list of features too long to fully break down.

Hall Effect magnetic switches with adjustable actuation and advanced customization? Check. Support for an industry-leading 8,000Hz polling rate in both wired and wireless modes? Check. Bluetooth support for true multi-device connectivity? Check. Beautiful per-key RGB lighting and intuitive, multi-function, customizable shortcuts? Check. Detachable silicon wrist rests? Check.

On paper and in person, the ASUS ROG Falcata checks every single box for an ultra-premium wireless gaming keyboard. It's clear ASUS also put a lot of thought into how to make this split, 75% layout make sense.

Brilliant, but far too expensive for most

The ROG Falcata sold me on the appeal of a split gaming keyboard, but this keyboard has to nail everything to come close to justifying its price tag. I already mentioned the impeccable performance, but the simple feel of typing is just as brilliant.

The ASUS ROG Falcata's magnetic switches are responsive and precise, and the four-layer sound dampening helps deliver warm, gentle, and pleasant typing acoustics up there with the absolute best keyboards I've used. ASUS deserves some praise for that, at the very least.

Build quality is top-notch, and there's plenty of accessories included in the box to add further value, too. No part of the ROG Falcata made me think "this is simply not good enough for such a luxury product."

That doesn't mean there aren't some oddities. The silicon wrist rests are attached to bulky metal plates that you actually need to screw into the bottom of the keyboard (so they're not easily removed), and there's no built-in kickstand to adjust the angle or height — you instead have to attach these odd, spherical feet that come in the box. It just feels more awkward than it probably needed to be.

Overall, though, there's little to complain about. Battery life is impressive for a high-performance, RGB-lit wireless keyboard, and ASUS Gear Link is a fairly intuitive and responsive web-based app for diving into the Falcata's extensive list of software options and features. The multi-function wheel and button are also excellent, once you learn what each mode does.

I still never forgot that the ROG Falcata retails for $420, though.

ROG Falcata review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if ...

• You want an ergonomic keyboard with serious gaming performance.
• You see value in being able to just use the left side of your keyboard.
• You want a truly luxurious, feature-packed gaming keyboard.

❌You should not buy this if ...

• You understandably have no interest in spending so much on a keyboard.
• You're not interested in an ergonomic, split keyboard design.

When I reviewed the ASUS ROG Azoth X, I also criticized its high $300 price tag and the various oddities that came along with it, but that was a "normal" keyboard. The ROG Falcata is nearly 50% more expensive, but it offers something basically no other keyboard around does.

It's not just one of the most premium keyboards I've ever used in terms of features, performance, and typing experience — it's also one of the most versatile, thanks to the unique split keyboard design we don't often see cross over into the PC gaming world.

The ASUS ROG Falcata is honestly amazing, but there's a catch — most people simply don't want or need this, especially when it costs so much. It's absolutely a hyper-niche keyboard with plenty of its own bizarre characteristics, but I'm genuinely so happy that it exists. If you know this could be the keyboard for you, the ASUS ROG Falcata can be yours for $419.99 at BestBuy.com.

Each year, I test and review a wide range of tech from laptops, desktops, and handheld gaming PCs, to various computer accessories.

Since this year is drawing to a close, I took a moment to think back on all of the devices I've tested that stood out to me most, whether due to their impressive performance, unique features, or reliable designs.

Here are my favorite tech things of 2025 that I personally have used and love. Some of them even happen to be on sale, so you can grab them at a discount if interested.

Whether you're looking for some new tech for yourself or are trying to find the perfect gift for a loved one, these are all devices I personally have used and recommend.

My favorite tech things 2025

Amazing devices from 2025 that I recommend

Whether it's time to replace your current tech or you're looking to get a gift for someone else, I cannot recommend these devices enough.

I've spent at least dozens of hours with each of them, and they're seriously my favorite tech things from 2025 that I cannot stop thinking about.

If you'd like a small computer that can easily keep up with common program usage, web browsing, and video calls, then I highly recommend the Geekom IT13 mini PC.

As for any creatives who might be looking at this page, you should consider the ASUS ProArt PA27JCV. Its fantastic color range with DisplayHDR500, KVM switch, and a healthy range of ports make it ideal for artistic endeavors.

Finally, if you're interested in getting a new desktop that can run the latest games but is also ideal for work, school, or personal use, then you should check out the Dell Tower Plus (EBT2250). This desktop puts up a modest front, but it's actually a powerful computer that runs beautifully and provides plenty of ports to fit your needs.

Regardless of what you're looking for, good luck finding the perfect new gear as we go into 2026.

If you're in the market for a new GPU and you happen to be a Call of Duty fan, then this Radeon RX 9070 XT would probably pique your interest. It's a limited edition version of the latest offering from AMD with 16GB of VRAM, built by ASUS in its TUF Gaming subbrand, and wrapped with Black Ops 7 stylings.

Indeed, it's a fancy version of a high-end desktop graphics card that isn't from NVIDIA, for a change. The Radeon RX 9070 XT sits somewhere above the RTX 5070 and just below the 5070 Ti in terms of gaming performance, but leans on AMD's FSR 4 (now Redstone) tech for upscaling images and increasing framerates rather than NVIDIA's DLSS suite.

Essentially, what you're physically getting is a variant of AMD's GPU with some fancy stickers over the top, but it's bundled with a digital copy of the standard PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. So, it's sort of strangely aimed at gamers who aren't already playing the latest CoD entry, but who are fairly confident they'll want branded components.

Where can you buy it?

The only problem with this limited edition GPU is that it's supposedly limited to 1,000 units, and even those will be restricted to "select retailers around the world." Obviously, the next question would be "which retailers?", but therein lies the real mystery — I can't find this thing at any of my usual haunts.

Best Buy? Nope. Newegg? Nada. Surely, Micro Center? Negative.

If nothing else, you can enter a sweepstakes giveaway event themed around The Game Awards for a slim chance at winning the thing for free. It ends today, though, so if you're going to throw your hat in the proverbial ring, then now's the time to do it.

To make up for it, you do have a chance to win AMD's monstrous Ryzen 9 9950X3D gaming desktop processor, so at least that's something. You'll be responsible for any taxes due if you win, and AMD clarifies that "some items may have been opened and repackaged by vendor for photography purposes", so don't hold onto the notion that you could keep these things sealed and make a mint 10-20 years down the line.

Are you going to enter the sweepstakes? Do you even care about Black Ops 7 at all? Let me know in the comments. I'm half tempted just to have a Radeon card for a change, since I usually stick with NVIDIA and Intel Arc.

It took far too long for Xbox to allow other companies to create their own wireless Xbox controllers, but we're finally seeing the dam break over the last year or so. Now, ASUS is joining the party with its latest Raikiri controller, and it's a multi-platform monster with some hardcore specs.

The ASUS ROG Raikiri II is now available for $189.99 at BestBuy.com, making it another premium wireless Xbox controller to compete with the best from Xbox and Razer. It boasts anti-drift Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) thumbsticks, two-stage triggers, plenty of extra buttons, RGB lighting, and multi-device wireless connectivity.

ASUS designed this controller alongside the new Xbox Ally handheld, so it also features dedicated Armoury Crate and Command Center buttons for ultimate compatibility. Of course, the ROG Raikiri II also works flawlessly with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Bluetooth-connected devices.

Could this be the ultimate wireless Xbox controller?

Could the ASUS ROG Raikiri II end up being the new best Xbox controller money can buy? The potential may be there, but ASUS has some stiff competition — especially from the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro we praised in our 4.5/5-star review.

On paper, the ROG Raikiri II goes blow-for-blow with the Wolverine V3 Pro. The retail price is $10 lower, but you get more advanced TMR thumbsticks (instead of Hall Effect), Bluetooth connectivity, more RGB lighting, a wireless charging stand in the box, and dedicated Armoury Crate/Command Center shortcuts for superior PC integration.

All you're seemingly giving up is the Wolverine V3 Pro's lower weight and two additional claw grip bumper buttons. As long as the ROG Raikiri II can deliver on performance, ergonomics, and reliability, it could absolutely surpass the Wolverine V3 Pro.

The ROG Raikiri II will be especially tempting for Xbox Ally owners. The matching design cues aside, having dedicated Armoury Crate and Command Center buttons is a huge boon for the Xbox Ally when docked, allowing you to more easily change device settings on the fly than is possible with other controllers.

For me, though, whether the ROG Raikiri II will actually succeed in becoming the best wireless Xbox controller depends on two things: wireless stability and battery life. Razer's flagship controller has some known connectivity issues on Xbox and PC, and its rated battery life of around 20 hours is woefully low.

ASUS claims up to 50 hours of battery life with the ROG Raikiri II; that may be with RGB lighting and rumble feedback disabled, but the initial promise is still far better than Razer's. Fortunately, Windows Central is looking to get this controller in for review, so stay tuned for our in-depth analysis on this premium peripheral.

If you'd prefer not to wait, the ASUS ROG Raikiri II wireless controller is now available for $189.99 at BestBuy.com.

I've used a lot of gaming laptops, some packed with the most absurdly powerful hardware you can get, and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) with an RTX 5060 on sale for only $1,299.99 at BestBuy.com is the laptop that I'd personally select.

That's a $500 discount on an awesomely sleek and refined gaming machine.

I fell in love with ASUS' most attractive gaming laptop from the first moment I used it, and the Zephyrus G14 has continued to be my top recommendation for those seeking mobile power and useful features in a refined chassis.

The ROG Zephyrus G14 has never been considered affordable, though, even this entry-level configuration with an AMD Ryzen 9 270 CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (8GB) GPU, 16GB of memory, 1TB of SSD storage, and a wonderful 1800p, 120Hz OLED display.

Black Friday season has arrived, though, and my favorite gaming laptop is enjoying a hefty price cut, knocking it down to just $1,299.99 at BestBuy.com. $500 in savings is nothing to laugh at, and you're getting a high-end laptop with incredible speakers, a great port selection, an awesome RGB-lit keyboard, a top-notch screen, and reliable performance for all the latest and greatest PC and Xbox games.

If this laptop has a weakness, is the same as all gaming laptops — battery life. Unlike many others in the category, though, it's actually quite easy to get all-day battery life from the Zephyrus G14 by toning down performance or disabling some features. Considering this laptop is also a lot sleeker than many other gaming PCs, that's a big boon.

I heavily praised the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) in my 4.5/5-star review, but this isn't the exact configuration I tested. For those that demand even more performance, the thicker, heavier, and absurdly more powerful ROG Zephyrus G14 model is also on sale for $1,999.99 at BestBuy.com, which is $400 off. That discount isn't as enticing, but it's still an attractive price on a true flagship 14-inch gaming laptop.

Whichever one you choose, these deals are officially among my top picks for the best Black Friday sales — and 2025's discount season has barely begun.

More Black Friday 2025 - quick links

• All our TOP recommended Black Friday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Black Friday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Black Friday deals:
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
• Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

Trying to find a Windows Laptop that's great for work purposes and value is a daunting but doable task.

One such laptop is the ASUS Zenbook A14, one of the best AI PCs we've ever experienced. It delivers great performance, making workflow tasks a breeze, and its batteries will last you for a full workday.

On top of that, the ASUS Zenbook A14 is now one of the best-value laptops around as Cyber Monday has reduced its steep MSRP of $999.99 to $679.99 at Amazon for a limited time.

What makes the Zenbook A14 a great laptop?

ASUS' Zenbook A14 is a refined AI laptop with a sleek, minimalist design that's beautiful to look at and practical to carry around, weighing just 980g (2.16lbs). A big part of its appeal is the unique "Ceraluminum" coating, a custom magnesium alloy that keeps it lightweight but scratch-resistant.

The A14 also delivers exceptionally efficient performance for varied workloads in Windows 11, thanks to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus processor and the Windows on ARM platform in general. It'll work with all your favorite apps, and many of them will be running natively on ARM64.

Its 70Whr battery will last over 12 hours (or more, depending on your brightness settings and apps of choice), a 14-inch OLED display capable of producing colorful visuals with a 1200p resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, while its spacious keyboard and touchpad are responsive and easy to use.

Zachary Boddy, one of our top laptop experts at Windows Central, absolutely adored the ASUS Zenbook A14 in their review for its superb construction and hardware. In fact, most of our team feels the same way about the A14, including our Editor-in-Chief, Daniel Rubino.

If this laptop hadn't needed an extra $100 price hike at launch, on top of its anticipated $900 entry-level configuration, Zachary would've given it a perfect 5/5 instead of a 4/5 review score as he states"With a magnesium chassis as light as air and as tough as stone, Snapdragon X series chipsets that barely sip on the physics-defying massive battery, and a great balance of practical function and aesthetic form, the Zenbook A14 is one of the best laptops of the year."

Thankfully, that issue has been temporarily resolved, thanks to Amazon's Cyber Monday 32% discount, which has reduced the ASUS Zenbook A14's MSRP from $999.99 to $679.99.

So, if you want to get this amazing Windows laptop and get started with Copilot while saving $320 in the process, now's the time to do it.

FAQ

More Cyber Monday 2025 — Quick links

• All our TOP recommended Cyber Monday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Cyber Monday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Cyber Monday deals:
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that you shouldn't miss
• Best Buy: 34 hottest discounts on laptops, monitors, gaming, and more
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

The first true OEM gaming Xbox launched this year, named the Xbox Ally.

I exclusively leaked the Xbox Ally a few months ago, codenamed Kennan. It would later be revealed during Xbox's June marketing beats, showcasing a big partnership with Windows OEM ASUS, as part of the firm's ROG gaming line-up.

Powered by AMD's Z2-A and Z2 Extreme, the Xbox Ally range is serving as a test bed of sorts for Microsoft. The Windows flight on the Xbox Ally represents the operating system going into the next-gen Xbox, powered by full-blown Windows.

The experience overall is solid, but a variety of issues remain for the Xbox Ally range from a usability perspective. From a gaming perspective, the Xbox Ally X is currently the most powerful handheld in the world, and provides the best handheld experience for Xbox gaming yet. But, how well is it doing in the real world?

Today during ASUS' investor meeting, the firm revealed that it expects the Ally range to generate between $96 million and $160 million USD this quarter, and eventually settling between $130m and $160 million in future quarters.

Windows PC OEMs generally propagate dozens of hardware SKUs in smaller amounts to target specific sub sections of users and price points. Razer is currently selling three main laptop SKUs as of writing, across a variety of configurations. The ASUS ROG line is no different, with a variety of accessories, PC components, laptop models, and now, PC gaming handhelds to speak of.

ASUS admitted in its investor call that it misjudged demand for the Xbox Ally X top-end model, which starts at $999.

Responding to a question from investment mega bank Morgan Stanley, ASUS described how the Xbox Ally range had exceeded expectations. "As many of you know, we introduced the first generation ROG Ally 2-3 years ago as a market pioneer, over the past couple of years this new category, especially, the Windows ecosystem has proven itself highly successful," ASUS explained.

"We believe that we have achieved our original goals of premium positioning, creating a new growth driver in our gaming segment. That's why we released our third-generation ROG Ally last month. It featured deeper collaboration with Xbox. Since its launch, we see the market response for it has been extremely positive, particularly, there has been an appetite for the premium higher-end models, exceeding our expectations. These high-ended variants are currently in short supply. We are working closely with key component suppliers to ramp up production and fill the demand gap that exists. Our goal with the ROG Ally is for it to remain a core pillar within the ASUS gaming portfolio."

The Xbox Ally is a glimpse into the next-gen Xbox

The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are a glimpse into Microsoft's plans for the next evolution of the Xbox ecosystem. The next Xbox will use full Windows, leveraging the Xbox Ally's Full Screen Experience and Xbox Game Bar as the primary way to interact with the system. Much like the Xbox Ally, Microsoft will also open up the Xbox ecosystem to other OEMs who want to create their own "Xbox" devices, similar to what Steam is doing with Steam OS and the new Steam Machine.

To make the experience truly console-like, Microsoft's Windows and Xbox teams are working more closely than ever before, collaborating towards making the Windows environment more controller-friendly, with boosted multi-tasking and experiences more tailored for living room use.

However, a big question mark hovers over this strategy. Microsoft's attention is heavily divided on Windows, between creating an "agentic AI" experience it hopes will boost its chops with enterprises, while also courting gaming consumers who remain sceptical at best with regards to anything labelled "AI."

The Xbox Ally still has a ton of "PC"-style idiosyncrasies that console gamers don't want. Every time you open a game with any form of online ping, Windows Firewall will complain. Many games have pop-ups of a variety of shapes and sizes, with little to no information on what they actually mean. The full-screen experience also often loses focus, requiring you to tap the screen to regain control of the window — obviously, you won't be able to do that if you're using it with your TV. There are many more issues, but hopefully, these can all be solved relatively easily over time.

There's also the issue of Xbox being more challenging to publish for than other platforms, which excludes the Xbox PC experience native to the Xbox Ally from many AAA and viral indie hits that hit Steam directly. Microsoft is also working to make publishing on Xbox PC more friendly, but will they be able to move fast enough?

Still, it seems that the Xbox Ally has been a hit for ASUS. Could we see other OEMs jump on board in the future? A Razer Xbox? A Lenovo ThinkPad Xbox?! Everything is an Xbox now, apparently. And we should see even more "Xboxes" in the future.

FAQ

The laptop that we've been raving about all year, the ASUS Zenbook A14, just got a big endorsement from a name you likely recognize.

Oprah — yes, the Oprah — has included the ultralight PC in her list of "Oprah's Favorite Things 2025," an annual collection of some of the best products you can buy this year.

This is the first time in more than a decade that the iconic list has included a laptop (the Surface made the cut in 2012), and I'd say it's well deserved.

For the record, we handed the Zenbook A14 a Windows Central Best Award in April, and we haven't stopped thinking about the 14-inch laptop powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon X System-on-Chip (SoC).

Not only is it one of the lightest (yet most durable) laptops we've ever tested, but it also boasts exceptional battery life. And considering it's almost always discounted at one retailer or another, it's easy to see the appeal.

At the time of writing, for example, a model with an FHD+ OLED display, Snapdragon X Plus chip, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD is down to $799.99 at Best Buy. That's $200 off the regular price, and I'd say it's a reasonably safe bet that it will drop even further during Black Friday.

Why the Zenbook A14 made it onto Oprah's Favorite Things list

There's not a lot of explanation as to why exactly Oprah loves the ASUS Zenbook A14 so much, but I think I can fill in the details accordingly.

Here's the blurb from the Oprah Daily website:

"At just over 2 pounds, the ASUS Zenbook A14 is a super‑light laptop powered by the Snapdragon X Plus processor. It can handle anything and everything: with up to 32 hours of battery life, it’s great at home and, now that everyone’s office is everywhere, it's also ideal for hybrid work. It’s sleek, slim, superfast, and won’t weigh anyone down."

The Zenbook A14 indeed weighs in at just 2.16 pounds (980g), yet its dimensions aren't necessarily different than a lot of other, heavier 14-inch PCs. The secret lies in the chassis material called "Ceraluminum," something ASUS cooked up itself.

It's essentially a fancy name for magnesium alloy, but it's 30% lighter and 300% stronger than an average laptop's aluminum design. A ceramic coating further protects the finish from scratches and dings.

Windows Central's laptop expert Zachary Boddy noted in their ASUS Zenbook A14 review:

"I've used far more expensive laptops than the Zenbook A14 that feel lower quality in the hand, due to panel flexing, concerning creaking noises, and a general lack of reassuring solidity. There's none of that with this laptop — it's rock solid through and through, and that's an impressive achievement."

The Zenbook A14's Snapdragon X Plus System-on-Chip (SoC) isn't the most powerful processor out there, but it is more than powerful enough to handle the average user's workload (and probably a bit more).

Windows feels snappy and smooth on the PC, and "casual computing in general is a breeze," according to Boddy. The real benefit comes in the form of efficiency; we were easily able to get 12 hours of real-world screen time from a single charge during our testing, which is well above the Windows PC average.

The 32 hours of life mentioned in the Oprah list is certainly a stretch, but the bottom line is that you shouldn't need to plug your PC in during the day as long as you start with something near a full charge.

Oprah's list doesn't mention the OLED display, which is a shame considering it's one of the laptop's best features. Despite the bargain pricing, it uses a Lumina OLED panel with deep contrast, superb color, and plenty of brightness.

In our review, the Zenbook A14 lost some points due to the pricing setup, which Boddy considered to be too steep. Since launch, however, it's almost always been on sale, alleviating the issue entirely.

As I mentioned, the current $200 discount at the time of writing is great, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it drop further as we approach Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

FAQ

You don't have to spend a lot of money to land a great laptop, and both the HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) and the ASUS Zenbook A14 are proof.

We've tested and reviewed both of these laptops here at Windows Central, giving you a good idea of where the strengths and weaknesses lie, but I thought a direct comparison would go a long way in terms of helping you choose the perfect new PC.

Whether you're shopping for a new laptop to replace your Windows 10 PC or you simply need a lightweight, affordable device to take on the go, you should have a much better idea of which option is better for you after reading this guide.

HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) vs. ASUS Zenbook A14: Specs, price, and availability

These two Windows laptops firmly sit in the $500 to $1,000 price range, and there are frequent discounts that push the price into truly budget territory.

For example, at the time of writing, the HP Omnibook 5 14 with an OLED display, Snapdragon X Plus chip, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD is down to $549 at Best Buy after a $150 discount.

If you're shopping at HP's official site, you'll find far more configuration options, and you might find a similar deal. At the time of writing, I found a model with a Snapdragon X (non-Plus) chip, OLED display, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD on sale for $529. I recommend spending the extra $20 for the more powerful Snapdragon X chip.

The best place I've found to shop for the ASUS Zenbook A14, at least in terms of discounts, is Best Buy. Although models generally start at about $999, frequent promotions have dropped it well below $600.

At the time of writing, a model with a Snapdragon X Plus System-on-Chip (SoC), OLED display, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD costs about $849 at Best Buy.

Because both of these PCs are so frequently discounted, I expect to see some big sales during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The event officially begins on November 28, but retailers will undoubtedly begin dropping prices well before then. My ultimate recommendation? Don't buy either of these laptops at full price.

Before I get into a more detailed breakdown of the big categories, here's a look at the specs available in each laptop.

HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) vs. ASUS Zenbook A14: Design and features

These are both 14-inch laptops built to be easy to carry around, but the ASUS Zenbook A14 really pushes the idea of "thin and light" to another extreme.

The Zenbook A14 weighs in at just 2.16 pounds (that's less than a kilogram for us non-American folks), which is a lot less than the OmniBook 5's 2.84 pounds (1.28kg).

The OmniBook 5 is actually a bit thinner than the Zenbook A14 and has a similar footprint, so how did ASUS shave off so much weight? The answer lies in the unique "ceraluminum" material.

It's a fancy name for magnesium alloy, but it's 30% lighter and 300% stronger than an average laptop's aluminum frame. It's also coated in a scratch-resistant ceramic layer to further protect the device. The OmniBook 5 14 uses a more traditional aluminum build that's quite sleek; it just weighs more.

Port selection favors the Zenbook A14 thanks to the inclusion of dual USB4. This is a significant upgrade over standard USB-C that rivals the transfer and display abilities of Intel's branded Thunderbolt 4 tech.

The Zenbook A14 otherwise includes HDMI 2.1 for video out, USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The OmniBook 5 falls back to standard USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) with 10Gbps bandwidth (compared to 40Gbps from USB4), and it adds an extra USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) port as well as a 3.5mm audio jack.

A laptop's keyboard and touchpad are crucial to its appeal, and thankfully, both laptops have great hardware in these areas. According to Windows Central laptop expert Zachary Boddy in their OmniBook 5 14 review, "the keyboard is spacious, legible, and feels pretty great for typing."

Boddy notes that the Precision touchpad is fairly standard, but it's "consistent and responsive."

Boddy also reviewed the Zenbook A14, remarking that "the layout is spacious and thoughtful, the function row is smartly designed, the purplish, off-white keyboard backlighting is consistent, easy on the eyes, and even highlights secondary functions and symbols."

The only downside to note has to do with the coating ASUS uses on its keys. Boddy noted that "the gray keys do a great job combating fingerprint smudges and marks, but what ASUS describes as 'smooth' feels more like 'slick.'" You might not find it to be an issue.

As for the Zenbook's touchpad, it makes use of all the space possible below the keys and does a great job of pointing.

The OmniBook 5 sticks with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, while the ASUS Zenbook A14 steps up to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity.

Will the average user see much of a difference in performance between the two Wi-Fi standards? Not really, and I wouldn't put a lot of emphasis on this difference when it comes time to make a final decision.

The camera setup is essentially the same, with both laptops sporting a 1080p webcam with an IR sensor for Windows Hello facial recognition.

HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) vs. ASUS Zenbook A14: OLED displays

Just a few years ago, it seemed like OLED display tech was reserved for high-end devices, but the perfect contrast and awesome color have now made their way into budget devices like these.

Both laptops feature a 14-inch OLED screen with a 1920x1200 (FHD+) resolution. Both have a 0.2ms response time, and both have a 60Hz refresh rate. However, the OmniBook 5's screen is touch-enabled while the Zenbook A14's screen is non-touch.

On the ASUS side, it's rated for VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600, with 600 nits peak brightness in HDR content. For standard content, the display pushed up to 395 nits in our testing. The Zenbook A14's screen also hit 100% sRGB, 96% AdobeRGB, and 100% DCI-P3 color reproduction.

For the HP display, our testing showed that it didn't push past 300 nits of brightness in SDR content. As for color reproduction, the OmniBook 5's display hit 100% sRGB and 93% DCI-P3. If you're concerned about glare and working under bright lighting, the Zenbook A14 is likely the better choice.

HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) vs. ASUS Zenbook A14: Performance and battery life

Neither of these laptops is designed to be a powerhouse system for specialized work and gaming, and that's OK as long as you're just looking for an affordable PC for an average user's workload.

Both PCs use Qualcomm's Snapdragon X ARM-based chips, but there is some nuance to the specific hardware in use.

HP offers the Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) or the Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) for the OmniBook 5 14, with the former offering better performance with a higher clock speed.

The Zenbook A14 also makes use of the Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) chip, and depending on your market, you might also see Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) and Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-78-100) options.

We tested the X1-26 version in the Zenbook A14 (the most affordable and the same chip that's available in the OmniBook 5), with Boddy stating:

"The ASUS Zenbook A14 performs totally fine. Windows is snappy and smooth, it's quick to boot up and log you in, apps open swiftly, and casual computing in general is a breeze."

If you want the most power, the Zenbook A14 is where you should turn, although you'll pay more as performance increases.

Turning to battery life, this is really where both laptops shine the brightest. While testing the Zenbook A14, Boddy was able to get about 12 hours of average real-world runtime from a charge.

Better yet, there was only about a 0.7% drop in CPU performance and a 1% drop in GPU performance when running on battery compared to AC power.

Despite having a smaller 59Wh battery capacity compared to the Zenbook A14's 70Wh, the OmniBook 5 comes out ahead for runtimes. According to Boddy:

"Looping an hour of Microsoft Office tasks and then an hour of an HD video through the Procyon benchmark suite drained just 6% and 4% of the battery, respectively. Battery life is genuinely exceptional, and it's not difficult to get two full days of work out of this machine."

Both of these devices are AI laptops with full access to Copilot+ tools in Windows 11 thanks to the Qualcomm Hexagon Neural Processing Unit (NPU) inside.

HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) vs. ASUS Zenbook A14: Which should you buy?

Choosing between these two laptops will ultimately come down to the price (especially at the time you're buying) and your expectations.

If you'd like more power and don't mind less battery life, albeit still at an "all-day" level, the Zenbook A14 and its X Elite chip option should be the better choice. The same goes for those who want a brighter OLED display, or those who can't live without a couple of USB4 connections.

If you'd rather get the best battery life possible, our testing certainly shows that the OmniBook 5 14 is the winner with nearly two days of runtime on a charge.

I mentioned that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are headed our way at the end of November, and I expect to see the discounts available at the time of writing this guide to pale in comparison.

Bottom line, if you're shopping for a new Windows laptops costing somewhere between $500 and $1,000, both of these PCs should be near the top of your list.

ASUS's Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are finally out in the wild, and people are quickly scrambling to find cases to safely contain them while traveling or simply keep them safe in general.

So, the 3rd-party gaming accessory manufacturer, JSAUX, has come to fill that niche by launching their newest products, the Slim and Max Carrying Cases for Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.

JSAUX is celebrating the occasion by hosting special discounts on its products at its official website, along with others on Amazon, for a limited time.

Here's what you need to know about these carrying cases and how to access JSAUX's discounts.

JSAUX carrying cases

The Slim variant of the Xbox Ally/Xbox Ally X carrying case features a shockproof & scratch-resistant hard-shell that can protect your gaming handheld from physical abuse like being knocked off a high table by accident or rattling alongside other items in luggage.

It also features compartments to hold your Xbox Ally/Xbox Ally X and game cards securely while keeping them organized so they can be easily accessed later.

On top of that, the Slim carrying case has a lightweight and compact portable design so it can fit snuggly in your backpack or luggage while you're traveling long distances, or to put it somewhere safe after using it.

The Max variant of Xbox Ally/Xbox Ally X carrying case features many of the same features as the Slim variant. The only major difference is that the Max variant features a custom-molded upper compartment to grant your gaming handheld extra protection while inside it.

The Slim and Max Xbox Ally/Xbox Ally X carrying cases are available for purchase on JSAUX's website for $27.99 (Slim) and $29.99 (Max). There are also extra thumb grips that can be bought separately for your gaming handheld for $8.99.

JSAUX discounts

As for JSAUX's discounts, the first is its exclusive Halloween Promotion event, which features the following discount system on its website:

• Buying two items will get you 10% off at checkout.
• Buying three items will get you 15% off at checkout.
• Buying four or more items will get you 20% off at checkout.

The Halloween Promotion event will last until November 5, 2025.

The second batch of JSAUX's discount are over at Amazon, where it's selling the following gaming accessories for big price slashes.

What's more is that JSAUX is offering special codes to help slash these discounted prices down even further.

Using the promo code 'JSSUSCH6506' on the JSAUX 65W USB-C Charger at Amazon's checkout will reduce its discounted price from $19.99 to $16.99. This code will remain valid from October 22, 2025, 8:00 am PDT to November 16, 2025, 11:59 pm PDT.

Meanwhile, using the promo code 'HB0609XBOX' on the JSAUX 6-in-1 Multifunctional Docking Station at checkout will reduce its discount price tag from $29.99 to $26.99. This code will remain valid from October 21, 2025, 9:00 am PDT to November 16, 2025, 11:59 pm PDT.

Why should you take advantage of these deals?

While the discount for the JSAUX 65W USB-C Charger is a very generous offer (especially for those who want a quick, cheap way to charge their gaming handhelds), we're more excited about the bargain for the JSAUX 6-in-1 Multifunctional Docking Station.

We noted in our Xbox Ally review and Xbox Ally X review that these gaming handhelds had relatively short battery lives of roughly 2 hours running graphically demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 before needing to recharge.

As such, you're going to need a powerful device to charge them back up to full after use or keep them charged while playing them hooked to a TV or gaming monitor.

One of our highest recommendations is the JSAUX 6-in-1 Multifunctional Docking Station. This handy docking station is compatible with virtually every gaming handheld on the market.

It also features a port for HDMI 2.1 cables that can support up to 4K at 120Hz or 1080p at 240Hz, and a USB-C PD 100W port to charge your handhelds while in use.

This is usually an expensive product to buy as its MSRP is generally $39.99. However, thanks to JSAUX and Amazon, you can get this device to continually charge your Xbox Ally/Xbox Ally X while playing it for the massively reduced price of $29.99 at Amazon (and bring it down further to $26.99 using JSAUX's aforementioned promo code).

A true treat worthy of the Halloween season!

FAQ

A couple of years ago, ASUS ROG released the Ally, the first Windows handheld gaming PC from a mainstream OEM (original equipment manufacturer), and despite strong competition from the established Steam Deck, this device managed to make a place for itself among PC gamers.

Now that time has passed, ASUS ROG has found a way to make its next-gen device appealing by partnering with Microsoft to create the Xbox Ally, a Windows handheld that improves upon the Ally classic.

Unlike the more powerful Xbox Ally X, this more affordable white handheld utilizes a relatively modest AMD Z2 Series processor that offers performance more on the level of the Steam Deck. I spent dozens of hours playing games and running benchmarks on it to see how well it really performs.

While it is less expensive than most other current-gen Windows handhelds, it might not suit every gamer's needs. Here's what you need to know about it.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by ASUS ROG/Microsoft. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

PRICE ⭐⭐⭐

This white Xbox Ally sells for $599.99 at Best Buy, which makes it the least expensive Windows handheld gaming PC at the retailer right now. However, it remains a relatively expensive device, considering the modest performance it offers.

Perhaps, if you can grab the Xbox Ally at a discount, it can make this a better purchase. That said, there are some rival devices that periodically go on sale and come down to this price point.

It's worth noting that the Xbox Ally has effectively replaced the starting option for the classic ROG Ally, which had the same MSRP, but is no longer available in most stores.

On another note, the Xbox Ally has similar internals to the 512GB Steam Deck OLED, which costs $549.00 at Steam. However, these two devices offer several feature tradeoffs, including running SteamOS versus running Windows 11.

As such, if you're looking for an entry-level handheld gaming PC, you'll want to consider the pros and cons between getting the Xbox Ally and the Steam Deck.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?

In addition to the handheld, the ROG Xbox Ally box contains a manual, a cardboard stand, and a 65W charger cable. It does not come with a carrying case like the Steam Deck or Legion Go 2 does.

DESIGN & UPGRADABILITY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's hard not to love the Xbox Ally's shiny new design, which puts an emphasis on ergonomics and comfort.

The first thing you likely notice when looking at it is its relatively enormous grips, which were inspired by the official Xbox Controller. They are far more ergonomic than any other handheld out there right now (aside from the Xbox Ally X) to the point that this is the only handheld I've ever used that doesn't make my pinkies go numb.

Perhaps, the subtlest thing about the white Xbox Ally is the pattern that runs down its front, repeating the words "Xbox" and "ROG" over and over. Meanwhile, "ROG" is repeated all over the grips, providing texture so the handheld is less likely to slip.

On top of the handheld, there is a power button, a headphone jack, a microSD card reader, volume buttons, and two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports. These features in addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth make connecting various accessories a relatively easy feat.

WHAT ABOUT UPGRADEABILITY?

In order to open the Xbox Ally, you simply have to remove the five screws on the back of the device, followed by the three screws on the bottom, and then gently pry it apart with a prying tool.

This handheld was designed with upgradeability in mind, so the SSD is immediately accessible for easy swapping. If you do decide that the 512GB SSD isn't big enough for your needs, you can purchase one of SanDisk's new WD_BLACK SSDs made exclusively for the Xbox Ally handhelds.

I was able to take the battery out rather quickly, and there are even instructions on it telling you how to remove the battery cable correctly, so if a third party sells replacement batteries, this should be easy enough to upgrade.

BUTTONS & JOYSTICKS ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Continuing the theme of comfort, the Xbox Ally's buttons, bumpers, triggers, and joysticks are all located within easy reach, meaning I don't have to strain my fingers like I do with some other handhelds.

It's worth noting that the Xbox Ally doesn't have Hall effect joysticks, but this isn't something I'd expect on a device in this price range.

A design flaw with the classic ROG Ally was that the back M1 and M2 buttons were large and easy to press by accident. This is not an issue with the Xbox Ally, whose back buttons are smaller and pushed further toward the middle of the device, so I only touch them when I mean to.

One of the most notable differences between this handheld and the classic one is the addition of a large Xbox button between the left joystick and the display. Tapping this brings up the Xbox Game Bar.

As far as responsiveness goes, the ABXY buttons, Menu button, View button, D-Pad, and joysticks all respond beautifully to my presses, keeping up with my gaming sessions. However, the Armoury Crate button to the left of the screen can sometimes take a while to bring the Command Center side menu up, making it take longer to change system settings (more on the software later).

Players can take the time to set up Windows Hello biometric login by specifically using the power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader. In my experience, this method doesn't always work, which takes away from its overall convenience.

All in all, the Xbox Ally's main gaming controls are very responsive and work as expected. However, you sometimes have to be patient with the Armoury Crate button and fingerprint login.

DISPLAY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As with the original ROG Ally, the Xbox Ally features a 7-inch IPS touchscreen that produced 97% of sRGB in a color gamut test, which is solid for this kind of screen.

It might not make colors pop against true black like an OLED does, but details come through crisply on the 1080p panel. Meanwhile, this display also supports VRR (variable refresh rate), AMD Freesync Premium, and 120Hz refresh rate to improve motion clarity in gaming.

Of course, the Xbox Ally, as a more affordable handheld, is not a powerhouse, so more processor-straining titles can run rather choppy on this device.

PERFORMANCE ⭐⭐⭐1/2

Over the last few days, I spent dozens of hours playing everything from simple pixel-art 2D platformers to open-world RPGs on the Xbox Ally. Performance is where I expected it to be, but it might not fit every gamer's needs.

The first thing you need to know about the Xbox Ally is that it utilizes an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, which has four cores, eight threads, and uses the same RDNA2 architecture that the Steam Deck's custom AMD processor does. Basically, on paper the Xbox Ally has the same performance level as the entry-level Steam Deck OLED, which also has 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD like the Xbox Ally does.

Now, the Steam Deck is obviously a very beloved handheld, but there's no denying that it cannot keep up with the latest AAA games or graphically intensive titles (unless they've specifically been optimized for it), and the same is true of the Xbox Ally. As a lower-tier Windows handheld gaming PC, this is expected.

The Xbox Ally really shines when it comes to playing simple graphics games like Among Us, Stardew Valley, Celeste, and Hollow Knight Silksong. Otherwise, it's an ideal cloud gaming device that also runs Windows.

In fact, NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming pair extremely well with this handheld. As an example, when I ran Cyberpunk 2077 locally on the Xbox Ally using the Steam Deck graphics preset, it was only able to hit an average of 31 FPS (frames per second) while experiencing significant lag, screen tearing, and choppiness. But when I streamed Cyberpunk 2077 via GeForce NOW from a far more powerful server, I was able to get a buttery smooth 86 FPS.

But, if you were planning to use cloud streaming tech on this thing, you might as well use your phone or an iPad or something else lying around your house.

Gaming benchmarks

I ran the following tests while the Xbox Ally was set at Turbo 20W TDP, 4G VRAM, (and plugged in).

• Ashes of the Singularity — 42.8 FPS (Normal preset, 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, V-sync enabled) | 29.9 FPS (Heavy preset, 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, V-sync enabled)
• Cyberpunk 2077 — 31.24 FPS (Low preset, Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction disabled, 1080p resolution, 120Hz, V-sync disabled, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.1 set to "Auto," frame generation disabled) | 27.32 FPS (Steam Deck preset, Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction disabled, 1080p resolution, 120Hz, V-sync disabled, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.1 set to "Auto," frame generation disabled)
• Forza Horizon 5 — 17 FPS (Extreme preset, 1080p resolution, AMD FSR 2.2/Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency disabled) | 43 FPS (Medium preset, 1080p resolution, AMD FSR 2.2/Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency disabled)
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider — 25 FPS (High preset, 1080p resolution, V-sync enabled) | 21 FPS (Highest preset, 1080p resolution, V-sync enabled)

FYI: Something that drastically improves the more premium Xbox Ally X's performance are the game-enhancing HYPR-RX features found in AMD Software. However, while I can tweak various graphics tools under Performance in AMD Software, I don't have the option of enabling HYPR-RX on Xbox Ally.

PC benchmarks

AMD devices tend to offer better performance when they are plugged in, and the same is true for the Xbox Ally. I ran the following tests while the handheld was at its default VRAM allocation of 4G and set to Turbo (25W) TDP.

Where the Xbox Ally X earned some of the highest scores we've seen so far in our Windows handheld PC benchmark testing, the Xbox Ally always got the lowest or second-lowest scores.

Once again, though. If you specifically want a handheld to play simple life sims or 2D platformers on, then this performance will be just fine. Otherwise, you might want to consider a more premium handheld like the Xbox Ally X.

The problem is that many of the 2D types of games that would be ideal on the Xbox Ally simply aren't present in the Microsoft Store, forcing you to defer out to Steam. If you need to do that, why not just buy a cheaper Steam Deck OLED instead?

Indeed, the issue isn't necessarily the hardware itself, but perhaps more the ecosystem attached to it. We'll discuss that more in the software ecosystem.

THERMALS & FAN NOISE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I ran the Xbox Ally through the same 20-minute CPU stress test that I ran the Xbox Ally X through before using a decibel meter to take measurements of the fan sounds.

In general, the Xbox Ally tends to run relatively quietly, only reaching a peak 43.5dB when measured right next to the events and a quieter 36.5dB when measured next to my ear while I'm holding the handheld in my other hand.

As far as the dual-fan cooling system goes, I noted via my thermal camera that the Xbox Ally tends to get slightly hotter than the Xbox Ally X within a 20-minute testing period, but still stays at a good temperature.

The Xbox Ally's hottest area was, of course, the vents, which measured in at a peak 133 degrees F (~56.1 degrees C). Meanwhile, the grips only reached a peak 78 degrees F (~25.5 degrees C) while the back peaked at 81 degrees F (~27.2 degrees C), so they don't get hot to the touch when gaming.

SOFTWARE & USER EXPERIENCE ⭐⭐⭐1/2

Much like the Xbox Ally X, the Xbox Ally enjoys a boosted software experience with improvements to Windows from Microsoft. Those improvements are heading out to all gaming handhelds in the future, but we're getting a good glimpse into what they'll end up looking like in the coming months.

The Xbox button on the Xbox Ally now defaults to a new full screen task view mode, which lets you seamlessly scroll between games and open apps on the system. The new Xbox Game Bar also gives you quick access to the ASUS Armory Crate settings to control TDP, resolution, and other things like that. It's far faster than the previous ASUS ROG implementation, and great to see overall.

The library button lets you easily dive into and out of the Xbox app for launching games, and it's all decently performant and vastly improved over earlier iterations.

However, huge issues still remain against the Xbox Store experience, which become even more crucial on a device like the Xbox Ally.

Microsoft says it is bringing things like a PC handheld performance handheld verification service to the Xbox PC Store, similar to Steam Deck's certification system. However, it was unavailable at the time of testing.

The issue there is, the Xbox PC store doesn't really recommend games (yet) that will actually run well on the Xbox Ally. The first game it recommended to me was Silent Hill F, which, as a photorealistic Unreal Engine 5 game, would barely run unless I knocked all the settings down to PS1-worthy levels.

The ecosystem at large doesn't have a very good discoverability engine behind it. Finding games on the Xbox Store is an absolute pain, as tags aren't visible, and screenshots aren't visible without jumping through hoops.

Steam offers a far more curated experience here, which helps developers get their games discovered, and helps customers discover new games. On a device like the Xbox Ally, which cannot run as many games available in the store, this type of curated experience is absolutely day zero critical. Alas, it is not there today.

The Xbox Ally also won't enjoy some AI software enhancements that its beefier Xbox Ally X sibling does, since it doesn't have the NPU. So no Auto SR, which might've helped game performance.

While the enhancements to the Windows installation wizard are welcomed, and the Xbox full screen experience brings these devices closer to console-like usability, the Xbox Store on PC is still a far, far cry from where it needs to be. This team needs vastly more resources, and it's difficult to gauge whether or not they'll get it before Microsoft gets bored and pulls the plug.

BATTERY LIFE ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As expected, the Xbox Ally's 60Whr battery lasted less than two hours when running more graphically demanding games. However, when I lowered performance settings to accommodate simpler games like Celeste, I was able to get the handheld to run for about seven hours and six minutes.

Since the Xbox Ally does have a Windows performance level, I also ran a battery test where the handheld only did office work, like running programs, writing documents, and attending video calls.

• 1 hr 48 mins — Cyberpunk 2077 (Steam Deck preset) on Turbo mode (20W) with screen at 68% brightness (around 200 nits).
• 7 hrs 6 mins — Celeste on Silent mode (6W) with screen at 25% brightness.
• 13 hrs 29 mins — Running basic office tasks like website browsing and document writing with screen on Windows mode (15W) at 68% brightness (around 200 nits).

While it's impressive seeing the Xbox Ally reach nearly 13.5 hours when being used like a work computer, it's still unfortunate to see that it's battery life when gaming isn't all that long.

Of course, this isn't really an ASUS ROG failing, this is just where battery technology is at this point.

Xbox Ally: Should you get it?

✅ You should buy this if ...

• You want a Windows handheld for cloud gaming
• You'd like a handheld with comfortable, ergonomic grips

❌ You should not buy this if ...

• You're looking for a handheld that can run AAA games locally on the device
• You'd prefer an OLED handheld or one with Hall effect joysticks that don't drift

There are far more flashy handhelds on the market right now, but the Xbox Ally presents a more affordable option for people to choose from.

Ideal for Xbox Cloud Gaming, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, and other cloud services, this handheld can take advantage of the performance offered by distant servers to stream games. It's also a great option for locally run games that aren't all that demanding, or titles that have been optimized to run well on Steam Deck.

In the end, its comfortable grips, convenient button layout, and lower price make it a decent choice for anyone wanting an entry-level Windows 11 handheld. However, you could easily use a phone or tablet if all you want is a cloud gaming device.

• Back to the top ⤴

ASUS ROG Ally and its more premium ROG Ally X managed to not only be some of the first truly "mainstream" Windows gaming handhelds on the market, but also took a notable lead among other early competitors.

Since then, the floodgates have proverbially opened, with several tech companies announcing either their first handheld gaming PCs or their next-gen models this year. ASUS ROG had to find a way to continue to stand out among the growing crowd, and it certainly did.

In a clever move, the OEM partnered with Microsoft to create the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, AMD Ryzen Z2 Series devices that promise improved performance and better Windows optimization for handhelds — a common sore point for many handheld owners. After all, there is no better way to improve Windows for handhelds than to work with the company that develops the operating system ... at least in theory.

Now, the ROG Ally X has been my favorite and most-used Windows handheld gaming PC since it launched, so I was eager to check out the next-gen Xbox Ally X as soon as it was revealed.

I've spent the last several days pouring dozens of hours into playing the Xbox Ally X and running it through various benchmarks to see how it performs.

But is this Windows handheld experience better than before? And is it worth the high cost? While not perfect, the Xbox Ally X is a worthy successor to the ROG Ally X, and a device I have a hard time putting down. Let's discuss why.

BTW: In case you're interested, you can also check out my separate Xbox Ally review, but now onto the Xbox Ally X review.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by ASUS ROG/Microsoft. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

Xbox Ally X video review

As part of our full review, we also produced a dedicated video breakdown — “Xbox Ally / Xbox Ally X: Should you buy it? — Official Review”.

In it, we walk through the handheld’s design, performance, and ecosystem fit, highlighting both the strengths that make it a standout portable Xbox experience and the compromises you’ll want to weigh before buying. The video complements this written review by showing the Ally in action, giving you a clearer sense of how it handles real gameplay scenarios and where it shines compared to other handhelds.

WHAT YOU GET

The black Xbox Ally X sells for $999.99 at Best Buy while sporting an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, 24GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. It serves as the premium offering over the more affordable white Xbox Ally (Z2 Go, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD), which sells for $599.99 at Best Buy.

While certainly pricey, there are more expensive Windows handheld gaming PC on the market right now, such as the Legion Go 2 with its detachable controllers and OLED display, which starts at $1,099.99 at Best Buy. Then there's the Intel-powered MSI Claw 8 AI+ that sells for $1,024.99 at Best Buy.

While it will put a dent in your wallet, the Xbox Ally X is a robust handheld, with hardware, engineering, and performance that make sense for the cost.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?

In addition to the handheld itself, the box contains a 65W charger adapter and a small cardboard stand.

DESIGN & UPGRADABILITY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the moment I pulled the Xbox Ally X out of the box, it felt like I had finally found my one true gaming handheld love. She's a beaut, with grips for days.

These long textured grips are actually inspired by the official Xbox Wireless Controller, and they are incredibly comfortable to hold for long gaming sessions since I don't have to grasp them nearly as hard to keep the handheld upright. This prevents my hands from feeling the usual hand cramping and wrist strain I get from other handhelds.

Outside of comfort, the sleek design of the Xbox Ally X also adds a subtle touch of elegance. If you look closely, you'll see that the words "ROG" and "Xbox" are written repeatedly in a vertical Matrix style down the front of the handheld, catching the light at different angles. It's easy to miss unless you're in certain lighting, but it adds a fine detail to the casing.

There are plenty of ways to connect accessories to the handheld as well, whether I want to use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, the headphone jack, the microSD card reader, or the two USB-C ports, which are all located in easy to reach locations.

Specifically, with the ports, there is a USB4 Type-C (Thunderbolt 4 compatible) and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port at my disposal, allowing me to charge the Xbox Ally X up with one connection while also being able to use a USB accessory in the other one.

I love that both of these ports are on top of the handheld, unlike the Legion Go 2, which has one on top and another on the bottom that isn't always convenient to access.

TIP: If you do end up playing the handheld while plugged in to its charger or a docking station, make sure to use the USB4 port on the outer side, since it offers 40 Gbps data transfer and higher video capability.

WHAT ABOUT UPGRADEABILITY?

The Xbox Ally X is relatively easy to open after you remove the casing screws and use a plastic wedge to gently pry the plastic apart. Inside, I found that the SSD is very easy to reach and swap out. Of course, I had expected this since SanDisk previously revealed exclusive WD_BLACK SSDs for the Xbox Ally handhelds, but it was good to verify.

This means it should be relatively easy to upgrade the SSD on the Xbox Ally X, at least.

BUTTONS & JOYSTICKS ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

While most of the buttons and overall layout of the Xbox Ally X are similar to the previous ROG Ally X (sans Xbox Controller grips), there are some improvements, like larger bumpers and triggers that are positioned higher, so they don't hit the casing when pressed down.

It's worth noting that this handheld does not have a touchpad like some others on the market, nor does it have Hall effect joysticks, which would be ideal since that technology doesn't drift. Still, the buttons, triggers, bumpers, D-Pad, and joysticks feel good and respond quickly to my movements, even in more stressful game scenarios.

I would prefer a different font for the dark red ABXY buttons, but this is just a cosmetic preference. As before, a View button on the left side of the screen and a Menu button on the right side of the screen make it easy to interact with game menus.

Above those two buttons are the Command Center button on the left, which opens a side menu with fast setting adjustments, and then on the right is the Library button, which launches the Xbox app and takes me to the Library tab. But if I long-press the Library button, I can speak to Copilot Gaming (beta). You can configure these buttons as well to launch different things. I'll talk more about that later.

The biggest addition is the large Xbox button on the left side, which can be tapped to open the Xbox Game Bar. This helpful feature provides quick access to previously played games and services, Xbox Social, mic and speaker settings, game capture, and more.

But that's not all the Xbox button does. When long-pressed, it opens a task view to quickly toggle between open windows, a very handy way for me to jump between my programs.

As with previous Ally handhelds, this one's power button doubles as a fingerprint reader. I set this feature up when I first turned the device on, and it usually works, but there were a few times when it couldn't read my finger, and I had to put in a PIN to log in.

Overall, the Xbox Ally X offers excellent controls that are easy to reach, provide quick access to the most used features, and respond quickly. It would be nice if the fingerprint reader were a bit more consistent, though.

DISPLAY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Xbox Ally X has the same 7-inch FHD IPS touchscreen that the previous-gen ROG Ally and ROG Ally X have. This means that this panel isn't as dazzling as an OLED display, but it still offers a respectable color range (97% of sRGB in my testing), contrast, crisp 1080p resolution, and max 500 nits brightness level for handheld play.

Additionally, these screens support VRR (variable refresh rate), up to 120Hz refresh rate, and AMD FreeSync Premium (enabled by default) to ensure game visuals look as smooth as possible on a handheld.

To be clear, I still sometimes saw screen tearing and choppiness while playing more graphically demanding games on the Xbox Ally X at max system performance settings, but it was smoother than what I've seen on some other handhelds.

Naturally, you can tweak your settings up or down based on how optimized the game is for the device's hardware and drivers. Some games I expected to run poorly, like Final Fantasy 16, actually ran incredibly well on maximum settings. Other games I expected to run well, seemed somehow less optimized overall. We'll talk more about general performance in a moment.

While it would have been a nicer visual experience to include an OLED display, utilizing this tried-and-true IPS panel once again helps keep costs down, and it's definitely good enough for handheld play.

PERFORMANCE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ve spent dozens of hours playing different games on the Xbox Ally X and in that time I've learned that this device is capable of running more intensive titles rather smoothly, as long as the system is in Turbo mode (25W unplugged, 30W plugged in), at 8G VRAM or higher, and the game is on proper graphics settings.

Of course, some games run better on handhelds than others. For best results, you'll want to enable HYPR-RX in AMD Software and all of the game-enhancing features that come with it to improve Xbox Ally X performance, especially when playing graphically demanding games.

For example, the Xbox Ally X tended to average 45 FPS (frames per second) when running Cyberpunk 2077 on the Steam Deck preset, which looked rather choppy. But when I enabled HYPR-RX (and its default features), the game looked far smoother and hit an average 83 FPS. HYPR-RX also came with benefits for games like Final Fantasy 16, Death Stranding, Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill F, and other recent "AAA" titles.

It'll crush any 2D games you throw at it, and even the most demanding modern AAA games can be adjusted to offer a decent experience, prioritizing either resolution or frame rates. Older games like World of Warcraft or games with "retro" graphics, such as those from New Blood Interactive, will also run flawlessly here.

All in all, the Xbox Ally X is a portable powerhouse that is a joy to use. It delivers consistently smooth performance, especially with games that offer handheld optimization.

Gaming benchmarks

I ran the following tests while the Xbox Ally X was set at 8G allocated VRAM, Turbo 35W TDP (plugged into USB4 port), and HYPR-RX defaults were enabled in AMD Software.

• Ashes of the Singularity — 78.8~ FPS (Normal preset, 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, V-sync enabled) | 54.0~ FPS (Heavy preset, 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, V-sync enabled)
• Cyberpunk 2077 — 93.25~ FPS (Low preset, Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction disabled, 1080p resolution, 120Hz, V-sync disabled, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.1 set to "Auto," frame generation disabled) | 83.61~ FPS (Steam Deck preset, Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction disabled, 1080p resolution, 120Hz, V-sync disabled, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.1 set to "Auto," frame generation disabled)
• Forza Horizon 5 — 42~ FPS (Extreme preset, 1080p resolution, AMD FSR 2.2/Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency disabled) |  60~ FPS (Medium preset, 1080p resolution, AMD FSR 2.2/Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency disabled)
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider —  43~ FPS (High preset, 1080p resolution, V-sync enabled) | 38~ FPS (Highest preset, 1080p resolution, V-sync enabled)

PC benchmarks

As is typical with AMD devices, the Xbox Ally X's performance tended to be a little better when the device was plugged in. You'll want to plug into the USB4 port nearest the bumper for best performance.

As shown in the chart above, the Xbox Ally X also earned some of the highest scores of any handheld we've run through our PC benchmark testing gauntlet.

SSD read and write speeds continue to be the one area where Lenovo's handhelds continue to do better than ASUS ROG's, although the Xbox Ally X still got a solid score of 4,944 MB/s read and 4,167 MB/s write. So while it could be better, it's not horrible.

It's worth noting that it's relatively easy to swap out the SSD in the Xbox Ally X, so you can improve your handheld SSD performance if you want to.

And it looks like overall Xbox Ally X performance will only get better from here, too.

Microsoft previously revealed that more game-enhancing features will release for the Xbox Ally X next year. This includes helpful tools like Auto SR and advanced shader delivery so “select games launch up to 10x faster, run smoother, and use less battery on first play.”

It’s worth noting that AI features will not be coming to the white Xbox Ally, since it does not have an AI processor.

THERMALS & FAN NOISE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Xbox Ally X tended to operate quietly around a peak 49.8dB even when I was pushing performance on more graphically demanding games. However, there was one time when I awoke the Xbox Ally X from sleep and its fans blasted at a surprisingly loud 60.4dB for a few minutes. It hasn't done it again since then.

The Zero Gravity cooling system, with its dual-fans, also keeps this device at a nice temperature, so you don't have to worry about the system throttling or your hands getting uncomfortably warm to the touch during play sessions.

After running a CPU stress test for 20 minutes, I took measurements with a thermal camera. The hottest area is obviously the vents, which measured a peak 125 degrees F (~51.9 degrees C). However, the grips remained cool, with a peak 75 degrees F (~24.2 degrees F).

SOFTWARE & USER EXPERIENCE ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Sadly, despite very large and encouraging enhancements, the Xbox Ally X and base Xbox Ally continued to be dogged by an operating system simply not designed for this form factor, but things are rapidly improving.

The headline act here is the "Xbox Full Screen Experience," which lets you designate the Xbox app as the default environment this Windows PC opens into. The desktop doesn't load at all in this environment, and the new Xbox button lets you easily navigate between apps and other experiences. At least in theory.

The Xbox Full Screen Experience does free up a lot of RAM from the desktop, but doesn't have a huge material impact on how games run.

It's a much more pleasant experience to switch between games and the Xbox app, or Steam, and so on, but there's no way to pin regular apps like Discord or even the Microsoft Store to the Xbox guide, forcing you into the Windows Desktop experience ironically.

To get back to the optimized full screen experience, you need to do a reboot, too. There is an "apps" section in the Xbox app, but it doesn't offer any way to download new ones without going to the full desktop, and even then, things like Discord don't show up.

Microsoft has noted that this is just a beginner experience, and that more updates and features will come over time. Microsoft has even offered a roadmap, noting that things like Xbox Cloud Save indicators will arrive early next year.

I would say that on day one, though, it's not really a great experience even now. The improvements are huge and encouraging, but it's still a far cry from mature gaming software experiences like the Xbox Series X|S console dashboard, the Steam Deck, or PS5 OS.

Another issue with the Xbox experience is just the Microsoft Store in general, which doesn't even come close to offering the breadth of content that Steam does. Games are poorly curated, and discoverability is very difficult and sluggish.

On Steam, it's easy to tell at a glance what a game actually is whereas on the Xbox Microsoft Store, you have to jump through multiple hoops to find out a game's genre, screenshots, trailers, and so on.

This hurts the Xbox Ally even more than the Xbox Ally X, given that the base unit has to take performance into consideration a lot more than the more powerful X. There is an Xbox Handheld Compatibility Program coming to help with this, but it wasn't available at the time of testing. A huge amount of work still needs to be done here.

However, we are getting closer to not needing the Windows Desktop at all to get a good gaming experience out of these types of devices. The Xbox Game Bar is quite close to the Xbox Guide on the Xbox Series X|S, although more control over how clip recordings upload and the like would be welcomed.

The Xbox Ally X is, actually, also a Microsoft Copilot+ PC. It has an NPU, and while it isn't yet being used for gaming (that's coming in 2026) it does enable some features that would be otherwise unavailable. Things like the privacy-violating Windows Recall can be uninstalled easily, thankfully. And we dabbled with the new Gaming Copilot feature, which can be launched by long-pressing the library button.

As of writing, this feature is undeniably pointless, and seems like the product of Xbox trying to convince CEO Satya Nadella that Xbox has something to contribute to its overall AI mission.

I asked it multiple questions in a variety of games, which resulted it in generally just describing exactly what my eyeballs could see and offering nothing helpful on top. I asked it how to solve puzzles in Silent Hill F and Silent Hill 2, and it came back at me with things like "oh, okay, now press the A button," without any grasp of the context of what was actually going on.

I could see Gaming Copilot being a useful accessibility tool for some, potentially, some day, maybe ... But for most people, you'll most likely never use it in its current form.

ASUS Armory Crate SE service has improved a decent amount as well, and its core settings can be surfaced straight from the Xbox Game Bar instead of within a separate app. This is superb for accessing power settings on the fly, and is far faster as a system-level feature over the ASUS ROG previous implementation, which required a separate app to load in.

The cadence of future updates to the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X will be crucial to improve the experience over the coming months. Auto SR, AI-powered gaming highlight reels, game save sync indicators, and other improvements should honestly have been here since day one.

But this definitely seems like an "early adopter" type of experience. The basic functionality is there, and it's a great foundation to build from. But it's hard to say if Microsoft will stick it out, or whether it will become another abandoned project.

BATTERY LIFE ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Xbox Ally X has the same size 80Wh battery as the previous ROG Ally X, so it isn't surprising that it gets similar battery life.

It only got around two hours when playing more intensive games, but it can last longer when running simpler ones at lower system settings, and screen brightness.

Since Xbox Ally X specifically has a Windows (17W) TDP performance setting, I also tested to see how long the battery could last while doing basic office tasks.

Oddly enough, the Legion Go 2's 74Wh battery was able to last slightly longer in the Cyberpunk 2077 and Celeste battery tests, but didn't last as long in the standard office battery test.

• 1 hr 53 mins — Cyberpunk 2077 (Steam Deck preset) on Performance mode (25W) with screen at 60% brightness (around 200 nits) and RGB lighting off.
• 5 hrs 6 mins— Celeste on Silent mode (13W) with screen at 25% brightness (77 nits).
• 14 hrs 24 mins — Running basic office tasks (like website browsing, running programs, and writing documents) on Windows mode (17W) with screen at 60% brightness (around 200 nits).

So in the end, battery life continues to be a challenge for next-gen gaming handhelds, including the Xbox Ally X. At the very least, it's nice to see that it can last around the same amount of time as the previous model, but honestly, this is where handheld battery technology is right now.

Xbox Ally X: Should you get it?

✅ You should buy this if ...

• You tend to play more intensive AAA games and want a handheld that can keep up
• You want a handheld with comfortable grips
• You're looking for a portable device that can run various games from different services

❌ You should not buy this if ...

• You tend to play less graphically demanding titles and don't need something this powerful
• You'd prefer a handheld with Hall effect joysticks and an OLED panel

Despite rising handheld competition, ASUS ROG has managed to create a powerful and portable gaming device that feels far more comfortable to hold than most others out there.

If you typically play a lot of AAA games, then the Xbox Ally X is definitely the premium handheld for you. Between its Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor and AMD game-enhancing features, it frequently offers high-FPS game sessions, and currently sets the standard for handheld gaming performance. Plus, it isn't as expensive as some of the other premium current-gen Windows handhelds.

Microsoft’s updated Windows experience lays the groundwork for better handheld usability, but it still needs refinement, ideally toward feeling more console-like. Hall effect joysticks and a bigger battery would also help, though battery limits remain a general tech constraint.

In the end, the Xbox Ally X is a Windows handheld gaming PC that's easy to recommend. You'll be able to play a wide range of games on this device from various services while experiencing some of the best handheld performance to date.

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