Computex 2024's doors are finally open, and we're seeing a bunch of cutting-edge laptops and other AI-powered devices being unveiled as our computing experts here at Tom's Guide explore the grand Nagpand Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan. The show runs until June 7, so we still expect a bunch of cool new products to be announced between now and the end of the week.
On Computex Day 1, we saw laptops made from recycled plastic, cameras that can livestream in 3D and AMD's new range of powerful Ryzen AI 3000 chips. As for Day 2, we've been treated to exciting handheld PCs, potentially the most advanced Wi-Fi 7 router we've ever seen and a massive Avatar-themed rig shaped like a robot that's roughly the size of your average NFL quarterback. Because why not?
Here are some of the biggest, coolest announcements from Computex 2024 Day 2.
Intel Lunar Lake chips
Intel Lunar Lake has just been unveiled at this year's Computex, and it's coming for Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips. The company's new flagship SoC finally has the TOPs to meet the standards Microsoft has set for Copilot+ PCs. Compared to the somewhat feeble 11.5 TOPS Intel's Meteor Lake range mustered up, Lunar offering 48 TOPs represents quite the upgrade and could pave the way to allow AI laptops to finally meet their full potential.
Intel states over 80 different models are currently in the works spanning 20 different OEMs, and they should all launch before the end of the year. In the chip space, this feels like Intel's most significant new processor range in years.
MSI Claw 8 AI Plus
The original MSI Claw has been out a few short months but it already leaves something to be desired, mainly owing to awkward software that makes launching games tricker than it should be. Well now there's a new Claw on the block and it's rocking some serious upgrades.
The biggest draw of the newly announced MSI Claw 8 AI Plus? The shift in the CPU tech it uses. The Meteor Lake chip of the OG model is out, and Intel's new Lunar Lake processor is in, which should substantially boost in-game performance. The new handheld PC also has a bigger 8-inch screen compared to the standard Claw's 7-inch display, though the Full HD resolution and 120Hz refresh rate remain the same.
The other big draw with the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus? That would be the shift from a 53Wh battery to a 80Wh version, which should ensure you'll be able to squeeze a lot more juice out of the AI Plus than its predecessor. MSI's updated handheld could give the ASUS ROG Ally X a real run for its money.
Asus' Wi-Fi 7 Routers
Wi-Fi 7 continues to gain traction, and it looks like both Acer and Asus are leading the charge. In fact, the latter is actually promising a new lineup of routers that offer "wire-like performance". To enjoy a Wi-Fi connection that's as quick as what you can get over an RJ45 Ethernet cable would be a seriously big deal for folks on lightning-quick fiber optic connections who want to squeeze the very fastest download and upload speeds out of their router.
The Asus RT-BE96U is already a terrific Wi-FI 7 router we absolutely loved when we reviewed it just a couple of months back, and now the company is back with a flagship ROG Rapture GT0BE19000 Wi-Fi 7 router that we described in our Computex 2024 liveblog as resembling a "cybernetic tarantula" earlier today.
Aftershock Bubble Tea PC
In case you're not fully clued up on your beverages, bubble tea is a Taiwanese drink primarily made out of milk and fruit juices. To celebrate the culture of the country that hosts Computex, PNY has just come up with a liquid-cooled custom gaming PC that makes us incredibly thirsty every time we take another peek at it.
Currently the Aftershock Bubble Tea PC only appears to be available for sale in Singapore, but perhaps this super-colorful rig could enjoy an eventual release in Taiwan and beyond.
Zotac Zone
Zotac, a company primarily known for making ultra powerful GPUs, is finally entering the handheld PC space with the Zotac Zone.
The most exciting feature right off the bat? Its 7-inch AMOLED screen that supports a max refresh rate of 120Hz. While it's a bit of a downer the latest rival to Steam Deck OLED doesn't support VRR, it definitely looks like it's packing a lot more power under the hood than Valve's smash hit gaming device.
The Zotac Zone is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8840U APR (Hawk Point), which consists of a Zen4 CPU rocking 12 RDNA3 compute units (thanks, VideoCardz). According to rumors, the Zone could launch as early as this September, where it could retail for around the $800 mark, making it substantially pricier than even the Lenovo Legion Go.
Cooler Master Throne X
If you're a musician who always enjoys gaming, we may have stumbled on the product of your dreams earlier today at Computex. The Cooler Master Throne X is a gaming chair/stool that translates the sonic vibrations of the audio output of a video game, then transforms said vibrations into haptic feedback.
The Thone X's ports are located at the rear of the chair, which hopefully means you won't trip yourself up every time Nature calls while you're playing the best Steam games. It also boasts a foldable stand to make it easier to transport.
ASRock's Avatar Robot PC
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was one of the best technical adverts released for the best gaming PCs last year. And now AsRock has built a bunch of robot-shaped, fully functioning rigs, including one shaped like those villainous mechs from James Cameron's megaton sci-fi franchise. Because why the heck not?
I'm sure you'll be able to pick up one of these gloriously impractical PCs at some point... probably on the exact day Hell freezes over. But hey, they gave us a tickle on the Computex showfloor today.
