Best new tech and innovations we saw

We’re in Taipei for Computex 2024, and we covered plenty of interesting, unique, and exciting products this week on our website and YouTube channel.

PC chipmakers AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm made a splash with their Ryzen 300 AI, Lunar Lake, and Snapdragon X series chips, respectively. But processors mean nothing without products, so what were the best products and devices at Computex this year?

3D seems old-fashioned now, but Acer is trying to revive the trend with its SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera. The new camera has dual 8MP sensors for 3D videos and photos, and it works with the company’s existing 3D monitor and laptop. It even supports live streaming on YouTube as well as 3D video calls.

Acer was also keen to point out that AR and VR headsets benefit from 3D photos and videos, so you might want to get this if you’re keen to create immersive content for your Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3.

The Swift line of Acer laptops has long been one of the more popular Windows notebooks, and the recently announced Swift 14 AI was on show at Computex.

This is the first Acer laptop with a Snapdragon X series processor, giving it Copilot Plus status too. Don’t care about Microsoft’s AI features? Then maybe a claimed 26-hour battery life for video playback might sway you. Other features include up to 32GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, and an activity indicator in the trackpad that lights up when Copilot or the device itself is activated.

The ROG Ally was probably the closest PC-based rival to the Steam Deck, but it wasn’t able to knock Valve’s machine off its pedestal. The ROG Ally X brings several key changes to help narrow the gap.

Perhaps the biggest upgrade is the 80Wh battery, which is double the capacity of the previous model. Throw in double the storage, more RAM, a switch to the M.2 2280 SSD format, and several design tweaks, and you’ve got much-improved hardware. Windows is still in serious need of a handheld mode, but the Ally X seems as good as it gets for a Windows-based portable.

There was no shortage of Snapdragon X series devices on display at Computex, but the ProArt PZ13 was one of the few tablets on offer. One of the biggest selling points is the IP52 rating, meaning it’s better protected against dust and rain. So those who want a little more durability from their Snapdragon X device should keep that in mind.

Other notable PZ13 features include a Snapdragon X Plus chip, support for Copilot Plus features, a sleek 13.3-inch 3K OLED screen, a bundled keyboard and kickstand cover, and stylus support. The only real disappointment is the lack of pricing right now ahead of the Q3 launch window.

A gaming chair on our best list? Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! The CoolerMaster Hybrid M Massage Gaming Chair is (unsurprisingly) a gaming chair with integrated massage functionality.

CoolerMaster says the chair can deliver up to an hour of massaging via the supplied, detachable power bank, and the functionality definitely works well enough in our own experience. The chair is already on sale in Taiwan, but will be available globally soon. Expect to pay $899 in the US.

We can understand if you’re tired of hearing about products with “AI” in the name, but the MSI AI Gaming Monitor gets a pass in our book.

MSI’s new monitor apparently uses AI in games to highlight enemies in supported games. There’s even a light strip at the bottom of the monitor that can be set up to deplete accordingly as you lose health or ammo. Unfortunately, it’s only expected to launch in early 2025 with a reported price tag of well over $1,500.

What if you could get all your game tips and walkthrough info in the game itself? That’s pretty much the question asked by NVIDIA with Project G-Assist. This is an AI chatbot that’s able to provide game tips and more based on your text/voice input and screen context.

It’s only a tech demo right now that works with one game (Ark: Survival Ascended), but the results can be really cool. For example, you can ask the assistant to identify the creature in front of you. You can even ask the chatbot for advice on leveling up, finding new weapons, and system optimizations.

ASUS wasn’t the only company with a PC-based handheld at Computex, as several other options were available on the show floor. ZOTAC’s Zone device was the most interesting one in our book, though.

The Zone brings a relatively light design, dual trackpads like the Steam Deck, an OLED screen, and a webcam with Windows Hello support. Other standout options include rotating dials around the analog sticks for controlling various functions, an integrated kickstand, and adjustable triggers. It does have a small battery, though, coming in below the Steam Deck OLED. But there’s a lot to like here, nonetheless.

That about wraps up our Computex 2024 coverage! We hope you enjoyed it!