Asus has detailed a new 27-inch monitor as part of its ROG line of gamer-centric hardware, which was unveiled at an event in Berlin, Germany earlier this year. The Strix XG27VQ display combines top-tier performance at high resolutions with an arresting physical design, with all the cosmetic bells and whistles that we’ve come to expect from this particular range of products.
The 1800R curved monitor boasts a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, support for FreeSync, and a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, according to a report from Hexus. However, the thing that really makes this particular display stand out is its appearance, which leans in to the bright lights and dramatic color schemes that typify gaming hardware.
While the front of the monitor wisely puts the focus on what’s on screen, with only a slim bezel to distract from whatever’s being displayed, its reverse has a few more design flourishes. For one, the plastic backing has some textured areas that bear a vaguely Mayan influence.
There’s also one of Asus’ proprietary Aura RGB lighting zones circling the connection between the screen and the stand. The underside of the monitor also features an LED lighting system, but instead of emitting light outward it projects an image down onto the surface it’s resting on.
This is an interesting effect, and users have the capability to customize how the projection looks by switching out the three silhouette stencils that are provided. Two are based on ROG brand imagery, but there’s also a blank one for anyone who wants something truly personal — which is pretty handy if you’re looking to rep your eSports team at an event.
The monitor also supports some of Asus’ exclusive homegrown technologies, like GamePlus, GameVisual, and its eye fatigue mitigation software.
The Strix XG27VQ is expected to start a whole new range of monitors aimed at gamers from Asus, which will be known as the XG line. This particular model was previously seen at Computex 2017 alongside a 32-inch, 21:9 curved monitor known as the XG32VQ – but details on when that display will be made available haven’t yet been released.
However, Asus has confirmed that the XG27VQ will launch on September 4, and that it’s set to retail at a price of 410 euros (~$525).
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.