Asus (TPE:2357) and Gigabyte (TPE:2376) have been duking it out for the last two years in the motherboard segment, with the latter vendor taking the lead in Q1 2015.

Gigabyte is said to have sold 4.7 to 4.8 million motherboards in Q1 2015, with Asus netting 4.5 million sales. Both vendors accounted for over 80% of all motherboard sales in China. MSI and ASRock (TPE:3515) are set to have far fewer sales in this category, with 2.3 to 3.2 million sales projected for the first half for both organizations.

In what may be a sign of things to come in 2015, DigiTimes (which has a reliable track record for this, unlike its rumors) revealed that overall motherboard shipments would be far lesser than last year, with both Asus and Gigabyte not expected to cross 20 million unit sales in 2015. The PC segment witnessed a decline in markets like China, where mobiles and tablets continue to be on the rise. The Euro’s depreciation led to lukewarm sales in Europe.

To counter slowing sales, ASRock is said to target the server segment, as evidenced by the vendor’s launch of a Skylake board earlier this year. Meanwhile, MSI will be shifting its efforts toward the gaming notebook segment after barely breaking even in 2014.

One reason for slow sales this year could be attributed to the fact that there isn’t a Broadwell CPU for the desktop yet, and with Intel set to launch Skylake later this year, it is likely customers are just waiting for the next-generation CPU to arrive before upgrading their hardware. Broadwell is estimated to launch in June, and Skylake is rumored to make its debut in October, with the CPU featuring the LGA1151 socket. The architecture will accommodate both DDR3 and DDR4 memory modules, and is said to usher in a host of changes with relation to energy utilization.

We should be seeing Z170/H170-based boards by vendors in time for the launch of Skylake, which will possibly lead to an increase in sales in the final quarter of 2015.

The post Gigabyte Overtakes Asus To Become Largest Motherboard Vendor In Q1 2015 appeared first on VR World.

The Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 5 have sold considerably well in India, and Asus (TPE:2357) is now looking to continue that momentum this year with the launch of its latest handset, the Zenfone 2. Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, the Zenfone 2 grabbed headlines in the tech community as being the first device to feature an astounding 4GB RAM.

Launched in Taiwan in the month of March for what amounts to $295, the 4GB variant (ZE551ML) features great hardware for the price, including a 5.5-inch full-HD display, Intel’s quad-core 2.3GHz Atom Z3580 CPU, 64GB internal memory, microSD slot, dual SIM and LTE connectivity and a 13MP camera at the back along with a 5MP front camera and 3,000mAh battery. Software-wise, the Zenfone 2 features the latest version of Android 5.0 with Asus’ Zen UI rounding off the customizations.

While devices such as the Zenfone 2 are highly anticipated in Western countries, in India, the handset will encounter fierce competition from the likes of Lenovo (HKG:0992), Xiaomi and Huawei, all of whom offer stellar hardware at an affordable price. The differentiator for Asus, at least in India, will be the 4GB ZE551ML variant, which will make it the first device to offer that much memory.

In terms of hardware, the Zenfone 2 is up there with the likes of Xiaomi’s Mi Note, which the Chinese vendor has dubbed the “best smartphone available today.” Xiaomi has become a force to reckon with in India, but Asus has also enjoyed a healthy dose of attention from consumers with its budget offerings. Furthermore, the brushed metal design of the Zenfone 2 looks far more polished than the glass back on offer with the Mi Note. Pricing may also turn out to be a factor that determines the fate of either device in the country, with Xiaomi already showing that it can offer its products for as low as what they are available in China.

There isn’t an exact launch date mentioned for the Zenfone 2 in India, but it should be making its debut sometime before the end of the month. Along with the 4GB model, there will be several affordable options that offer 2GB RAM and a lower resolution screen.

The post Asus Zenfone 2 To Launch In India By The End Of April appeared first on VR World.

Hello, how are you?

Yes, it is me, the guy who decided to get out of all the CPU or GPU tests and reviews almost a decade ago. And do I feel regret? Can’t I wait to jump right back into it like Michael Schumacher, God bless him, when he returned to F1 with rather mixed results? Trust me, and please believe me I don’t mean to offend anyone, but the days of motherboard reviews and sleepless nights spent trying and testing the latest and greatest PC components are gone for good.

Funny as it is, time has not stood still in the last eight years, since I finally turned my back on Tom’s Hardware, oh yes, with money in my pocket, yet that wasn’t and couldn’t have been the reason why I was oh-so tired of it all. True enough, there are still those who care about a new chipset, new motherboards, new graphics cards, even overclocking, but the numbers have dwindled and why? Because the PC is dying, along with it the notebook, go figure!

We are running out of excuses for building or buying a new PC system, a new motherboard, a juicier power supply and even a new graphics card. What is so power hungry that would justify the pain, the expense and the time spent on such a project? The latest computer game? Yes, for years that was the one last stand for the power users, but let’s be honest, how many really good games have been released in recent years? Do we really want to sink tons of money into the hottest new components, just to be bored to tears by yet another first person shooter with yet even greater graphics, but a thin or even idiotic story, or a totally dissatisfying end?

So what are we looking at today? Oh yes, there would be this company named Apple. It came out with the greatest gift to man, the first ever true smart phone. Boy did that revolutionise the world, hasn’t it? Today, years later, we are at the nth reiteration of the iPhone, we acknowledge the iPad, we look at all the Android devices, but do we still feel the excitement we experienced when 3dfx, long gone but not forgotten, released Voodoo2? Do you remember that time? Oh how pathetic it looks today, but weren’t we blown away back then? Are we shaking in excitement the same way over the iWatch, or Nvidia’s latest addition to the world or 3D-graphics? Not really, right?

Much has happened in my life in the last eight years. Today, I am the husband to a beautiful wife and the father of an amazing 6-month old boy. Family life has got me in its grip, and I would not want to have it any other way.  You know what upsets my little son the most? It’s mommy or daddy reaching for and staring into their smartphone, instead of giving him the attention he wants as well as deserves. Oh yes, I am a smartphone addict like the next man, but little Ciarán’s disdain for this device made me realise that this cannot possibly the future of mankind.

It makes us antisocial assholes – thank you so much Apple – and if we should believe that our future might go along the lines of the Terminator movies, then becoming antisocial would have to be the first step of humanity losing what it takes to differentiate itself from and be better than ‘the machines’. I am not gonna be a daddy who hands his child an iPad once he turns one and a half years old. I made that oath, and believe me, I am still as technology savvy and hungry as you remember me, but not at any price!

People asked me to talk about how the PC and other technology business evolved to what we are looking at today, but I better be careful, feeling a little bit of an outsider who hasn’t been invited to the hush-hush back rooms, the trade shows or intimate dinners with vendors for a long time. What I can see is Samsung going to produce everything, and the kitchen sink soon, focusing along with other Asian producers on creating yet the best copy of something invented by somebody else. I see Intel apparently busy digging its own grave, Microsoft also somewhat out of wits, the Taiwanese producers, Asus et al., concentrating on squeezing the last little bit of margin, so they can continue selling their stuff just that little bit cheaper once again, and Apple predominantly concentrating on making money, rather than creating something the world is really waiting for.

My dear friend Anthony, fellow dedicated daddy as well as technology editor, suggested I should write about VR and I would love to. When it comes to gaming, it seems to be the next big thing. However, I haven’t played with it yet, so who am I to comment? I’ll get my hands on one of those funky devices as soon as possible though, and I can’t wait sharing Anthony’s genuine excitement about this technology, … or not.

I have the request to give my view of what things will be like in 2030, and what to tell your child now in preparation for our glorious future. I used to be asked that kind of question a lot in bygone times, and my answer was always the same – I ain’t no oracle! I was just about to go there and embarrass myself, but the word count of my article made me reconsider, so why not wrap things up by speaking about the current state of computer journalism? Has it evolved, improved, withered? Well the landscape has changed, hasn’t it?

It feels very much as if all the good guys are gone, while the bad ones still remain. It has become more and more popular rewording press releases rather than doing research, hard work and arriving at one’s own point of view. I wish I could say why. If you allow me taking a wild guess, I would say it has plenty to do with balls versus greed. If it is money that you are after in this business, you cannot possibly say you’re searching for ‘the truth’ or ‘justice’ or – modestly – ‘the best interest of your reader’, can you? What it takes is drive, ambition, a certain level of fearlessness and inspiration. You have that and the money will come by itself. Just watch it arrive, nod if you have to and continue with your mission.

I have joined a team of people with ambition, balls and the determination to provide quality. I would not be writing this, would I not firmly believe in it. I never wanted to return to publishing, because it is a rather ugly business. However, things are going to change, and I have my own little idea how the publishing of old will be turned into something brand new and very exciting.

I have enjoyed writing this, certainly not exactly ground breaking or overly meaningful little piece and I can’t wait getting back into the scene and mixing things up my way. Give me a chance to assimilate all that I might have missed before I can give any kind of fundamental guidance. I’ll be there.

Tom’s back, for better or worse.

The post Thomas Pabst: Is the Computing Business Getting Boring? appeared first on VR World.

Asus (TPE: 2357) has admitted that some of its WiFi routers and tablets were not FCC-compliant, and has settled the case for a $240,000 fine.

“ASUSTeK admits that its marketing of these intentional radiators violated the Commission’s rules. To resolve the investigations, ASUSTeK will pay a civil fine of $240,000 and implement a compliance plan that will extend for more than three years to ensure future compliance with the Commission’s equipment marketing rules,” a statement released by the FCC read.

The products involved were the RT-N65U 802.11n router, the RT-AC66U 802.11ac router, and the Eee Pad Slider SL101.

The case was initiated in August 2013, when rival Netgear (NASDAQ: NTGR) filed a complaint with the FCC alleging that Asus had non-compliant products on the market.

Asus’ RT-N65U 802.11n router, the RT-AC66U 802.11ac router were both praised by consumers for their functionality, performance and effective range.

The products will not be pulled from shelves in the US. Asus will have to prove to the FCC that is has implemented a compliance plan so that all future products comply with standards.

In addition to filing a complaint with the FCC, Netgear also sued Asus over claims of unfair business practices and deceptive marketing. This lawsuit has also been settled although the exact terms of the deal were not released.

The post Asus Settles With FCC For $240,000 appeared first on VR World.

When it comes to marketing proneness, Taiwanese (and other Far Eastern) vendors often were afraid of their own shadow, not to interfere with lucrative OEM deals that western vendors utilized to the full extent: you may build your own stuff, but we contract you to build our stuff and you shall not interfere with that.

For good portion of it, the said mantra is true to this date, with Far Eastern industry giants still afraid to speak out, even though they now do almost everything for Western vendors such as Apple (NASDAQ: APPL) – without Foxconn (TPE: 2354) (iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro), Pegatron (TPE: 4938) (iPhone), Asustek’s (TPE: 2357)  China facility, Flextronics (NASDAQ: FLEX) and Quanta (TPE: 2382) (MacBook an MacBook Air) – you would not be able to buy your favorite product from Cupertino (Designed in California, Made in China / Taiwan).

Not anymore – Asustek recently found balls of steel (that corporate move to Singapore seems to have helped) and decided to ditch the fear of the West and go for the jugular.

In two infographics, Asus attacked Apple’s products, pushing its design and manufacturing capabilities.

First ad attacks the MacBook and pitches its Zenbook:

ASUS North America tries to prove ZenBook is a thinner (and better) product than Apple MacBook. And 50% cheaper.

Second picture goes for the Golden jugular, pardon, Apple:

Golden Apple (Watch) is not the solution. We (our ZenWatch) is.

Who knows, perhaps Asian tigers will start challenging its former and current customers on more fields than just the price. After all, the key to selling a product is something that Far East still has trouble understanding – it’s not about the physical product, it’s about the experience.

Still, a ballsy move Asus. Ballsy indeed.

The post Asus’ Balls of Steel vs. Apple’s Golden MacBook and Watch appeared first on VR World.

Back at the IFA show last September, Asus (TPE: 2357) gave the world a first look the Zenbook UX305 its super thin and light notebook that’s gunning for the Macbook Air.

As of Monday this notebook is available for order, for a rather affordable price of $699. The UX305 is powered by the Intel Core M processor. The entry level model features a 13.30-inch 1920×1080 display, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, 720p HD webcam, micro HDMI output, three USB 3.0 ports, and Windows 8.1. Asus says that a model with a QHD display that has a resolution of 3200 by 1800 pixels is coming later, with exact pricing and availability to be announced at a later date.

The entire computer comes in at 2.6 pounds and 0.48 inches of thickness.

“Continuing the long-established ZenBook tradition of combining performance with luxury, the gorgeous UX305 ultraportable, which weighs only 2.6lbs, is available in a sophisticated new Obsidian Stone color with ZenBook’s signature spun-metal finish with its Zen-inspired concentric circle pattern,” Asus said in a press release. “A refined new shape that incorporates the DNA of the classic ZenBook gives the UX305 a subtle new wedge design with elegantly-tapered and smooth diamond-cut edges that emphasize the sleek ultra-thin chassis.

While the lack of a quad-core chip on the base model might make it seem underpowered, the UX305 is very competitive on a pricing level. The Macbook Air, which it is up against comes in at $200 more while other thin and light notebooks from manufacturers like Lenovo (HKG:0992) start in the $1000 range.

The post Asus Zenbook UX305 Now Available For Order at $699 appeared first on VR World.

A latest research by TrendForce said that the worldwide tablet market has entered its maturity as the total global shipments for 2014 declined 2.2%, to compare with the same figure for 2013.

TrendForce’s study said that the total worldwide tablet shipments in 2014 reached 192 million units.

Regarding the phenomenon, TrendForce said that tablets do not have a strong productive role in everyday life for consumers, and are susceptible to substitution. The tablet market, however, did not have a noticeable replacement demand and additional growth was limited.

“In addition to the first-ever drop in total shipment volume, the rankings of the global top five brands also changed in 2014,” said Caroline Chen (陳虹燕), assistant research manager for TrendForce’s WitsView.

She said that the combined market shares of the top five brand names’ tablets fell from 70% in 2013 and 66.1% in 2014.

“This shows that the appeal of big-name brands is fading, and consumers are not as loyal to a particular brand as before with different options now in their horizons,” she said.

Quoting the research report for the global tablet market share rankings, TrendForce said that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) remained the leader in the tablet market now that its tablet shipments reached 63.4 million units in 2014, but it was still a 14.6% plunge to compare with the same statistics a year earlier. The latest generation of iPads, TrendForce said, do not offer extensive upgrades compared with the earlier generations, showing signs that the iPad’s hardware advancement has reached a ceiling.

As the second tablet seller in the global market, Samsung (KRX: 005930) also experienced a decline in its tablet shipments that the total amount of its 2014 shipments was 41 million units, a 2.5% decline, TrendForce’s report said.

Samsung struggled hard to keep up with its rivals in 2014, although it has a relatively wider range of product categories, from seven to 12 inches tablets.

Meanwhile, Lenovo (HKG: 0992) managed to push Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) out of the number three spot in the worldwide tablet brand rankings with its expansion of product lines and complete positioning in the price spectrum.

Lenovo increased its global market share to 5.6%.

Asus (TPE: 2357) occupied the fourth place on the rankings. Asus made it to the top five due to its promotion of the US$99 tablets and its well-established Transformer product line.

The post Tablet Market Enters Its Maturity: Research appeared first on VR World.

The latest statistics from the total amount of sold smartphones from Taiwan’s major mobile phone carriers showed that iPhone 6 64GB was the best-selling smartphone for December last year.

An anonymous smartphone dealer said that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) grasped first place in both smartphone sales value and sales volume for last December. Local Taiwanese consumers’ enthusiasm toward the two new iPhone models with larger displays — the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus — remained strong after the two models became available in Taiwan since last September.

The statistics showed that the iPhone 6 64GB was the top seller among all its competitors for last December, followed by iPhone 6 Plus 64GB, Samsung’s (KRX: 005930) Galaxy Note 4, the iPhone 6 16GB and HTC’s (TPE: 2498) M8.

Meanwhile, HTC’s Desire 816 came in sixth, followed by Asus’ (TPE:2357) Zenfone 5 16GB, Sony’s (TYO: 6758) Xperia Z3, the iPhone 6 Plus 16GB and the HTC Desire 820 dual sim.

The statistics show that Apple took 25.9% of the total smartphone sales volume in the local market last month, the highest percentage, ahead of HTC, Asus, Samsung and Sony.

In terms of sales volume, Apple also ranked the top brand name with a 53.2% share, followed by Samsung, HTC, Sony and Asus.

The smartphone dealer said that although HTC trailed Apple in sales volume and lagged behind Apple and Samsung in sales value last December, several models of the Taiwanese smartphone maker, such as the HTC M8 and the Desire 816 have been on the top 10 model list for nine months, indicating that these models remain popular in the local market.

He said that the market is watching closely the launch of the next HTC flagship model, coded Hima, and a mid-range model, the Desire 626, scheduled for release in early March, which could boost HTC’s shipments in next few months.

The post The iPhone 6 Is the Best-Seller in Taiwan for December: Statistics appeared first on VR World.

IDC’ latest report said that Acer (TPE: 2353) and Asus (TPE: 2357), two of Taiwan’s major computer makers, continued to lose ground to bigger rivals in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions during the fourth quarter last year, despite strong consumer demand over the holiday season.

“PC manufacturers prepared very attractive consumer offers this Christmas, with low price points supported by Windows 8.1 with the Bing edition, which enticed end users to renew their devices,” said Maciek Gornicki, a senior research analyst for IDC. “With the conditions of the promotion about to change, inventories have been built up this quarter, contributing further to higher levels of stock in the supply chain, which might translate into a deceleration in consumer shipments in the first half of 2015.”

IDC said that PC shipments in these regions increased by 2% year-on-year to 25.5 million units in the last three months last year. Acer was ranked as the fourth brand name PC maker among them with a 9.7% market share and recorded an annual shipment decline of 2.5% year-on-year, in part due to a high comparison base over the same period of 2013.

Asus, meanwhile, continued to grow aggressively in the desktop market from a low comparison base, but the company’s success in the tablet market seems to have come at the expense of portable PC shipments, which contracted slightly, IDC said.

IDC’s report showed that Asus’ PC shipments in the markets of the Europe, Middle East, and Africa declined 3.3% year-on-year, giving it an 8.6% market share and ranking it in the fifth place.

In the meantime, IDC said that the top three PC vendors all gained market share. HP (NYSE: HPQ) remained the biggest player, with a 23.3% share of the market, followed by Lenovo (SWX: LEN) with 19.6% and Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) with 9.8%.

The post Acer and Asus Losing Competition to Rivals in the Europe, Middle East and Africa: IDC appeared first on VR World.

Roughly a year after the first model in the Zenfone series made its debut, Asus (TPE:2357) has announced the second-generation version. Dubbed Zenfone 2, the device retains some of the design ethos of its predecessor, but comes with a host of changes, including 4 GB RAM — a first in the mobile segment.

The most noticeable design change is the inclusion of volume buttons at the back, a move that is reminiscent of what LG (KRX:066570) has done with the LG G2, and then the LG G3. Volume buttons at the back allowed Asus to trim the sides of the device, with the back slightly curving away from the edges. The end result is a device that feels comfortable to hold and use on a daily basis. The power button has been moved up top, which may be a concern for some given the size of the handset. The finish at the back looks like it is brushed metal, but is in fact textured plastic.

Coming to the hardware, the Zenfone 2 comes with a 5.5-inch full-HD display, 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3 GHz, internal storage variants of 16/32/64 GB, 13 Mp camera and 5 MP camera at the front with 85 degree wide angle lens. In terms of imaging, users will be able to access low light mode, backlight (HDR) mode, enhanced beautification mode, manual mode, and zero shutter lag. There’s also dual-SIM connectivity, LTE Category 4 modem, Wi-Fi ac, microSD card slot, Bluetooth 4.0 and 3,000 mAh battery. When it comes to software, the Zenfone 2 runs Android 5.0 with Asus’ ZenUI.

Asus has announced that the Zenfone 2 will be available from March for $199, and that the device will be available in a multitude of color variations including Ceramic White, Glacier Gray, Glamour Red, Osmium Black, and Sheer Gold. Chinese vendors like Xiaomi, Meizu, Huawei and others already offer several value for money handsets in this segment, but Asus will be looking to differentiate itself with a unique design, strong internal hardware and software-based features.

Along with the Zenfone 2, Asus also unveiled the Zenfone Zoom, which the Taiwanese manufacturer claims is the “world’s thinnest 3X optical smartphone offering up to 12X zoom-in effect.” Like the Galaxy K Zoom, the Zenfone Zoom features a sensor that provides 3X optical zoom. The hardware on offer is similar to that of the Zenfone 2, but the storage has been increased to 128 GB, and there’s OIS. The price for the imaging features is quite high, as the Zenfone Zoom is set to retail for $399.

The post CES 2015: Asus Unveils Zenfone 2 With 4 GB RAM, Zenfone Zoom appeared first on VR World.

With the annual Consumer Electronics Show right around the corner and the industry’s marketing efforts going into overdrive, what is it that we will likely see next week?

It’s a safe bet that if will be a week of opposites.

From hardware going to both larger and smaller designs, Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) G-Sync versus AMD (NYSE: AMD) FreeSync, small displays with massive resolution, and gaming notebooks of both massive and diminutive sizes.

Small form factor hardware as is one of the fastest growing areas in the hardware segment, and no doubt there will be a lot of it on display at CES.  With hardware becoming so powerful and small we are seeing a lot of really powerful builds that can be done.  With even MATX X99 boards we are seeing that there is a move toward making things small and potent.  On the other side there is a lot of huge pieces of hardware showing up on the market, namely 4K and ultra wide monitors.  They are becoming even more prolific and the ultra wide monitors are drawing a lot of interest from gamers and power users who were once planning on going for a 4K monitor or two.  There will be a lot of talk this CES about AMD’s FreeSync for enthusiast gaming monitors as it is the newcomer challenging Nvidia’s established G-Sync.  FreeSync will draw the attention of monitor manufacturers since it is less costly to implement and license than the G-Sync solution.  The LG 34UM67 will be a curved ultra wide monitor that will feature AMD’s FreeSync, and should definitely steal a lot of the spotlight next week.

The mobile computing segment is also something to watch next week as we will see a lot of small notebooks with very high resolution displays.  It is easy to say that there will be a number of notebook models that will feature 3K and 4K screens, even at the 15.6-inch sizes.  There will also be a movement with ultraportable gaming notebooks of small size that can be docked with a desktop graphics card for superior gaming ability while at a desk.  With the shrinking of parts that make up computers we will be seeing a drastic reduction in size and weight of these ulta portable notebooks.  Not only will they be smaller but they will be potent and even come equipped with quad-core Intel i7 processors and decent graphics.  On the other hand you will also see that there is a move to the opposite extreme as there will be new 18″ gaming notebooks that will be the true embodiment of the “desktop replacement” name.  Some of these huge notebooks will even sport gaming grade mechanical keyboards featuring Cherry MX Brown switches.

Be sure to check back throughout next week as CES 2015 kicks off in Las Vegas.

The post PC Enthusiats: What Can We Expect to See at CES 2015? appeared first on VR World.

The Institute for Information Industry said on Dec. 29 that 70% of those Taiwanese people who are older than 12 possess their own mobile devices.

The institute’s latest research said that approximately 14 million Taiwanese people are mobile device users and the total number will continue to increase until 2016.

The research said that the total amount of those Taiwanese people who are older than 12 and possess mobile devices increased 1.01 million people during the past six months. Among them, approximately 5.27 million people are smartphone and tablet computer users.

The research also discovered that the total amount of smartphone users for the first six months and the last six months increased 7%, while at least 65.4% of Taiwanese people are now using smartphones.

The research said that Samsung (KRX: 005930) remains Taiwanese people’s favorite brand name, when it comes to smartphones, but the total amount of the Korean brand name fans is dropping 2.2%, while the same figure for Sony (TYO: 6758), Xiaomi and Asus (TPE: 2357) continued to grow 1% to 2% in 2014.

The post Most Taiwanese People Possess Mobile Devices: Research appeared first on VR World.

Asus’s Rampage Extreme line has long been considered by many as some of the top overclocking boards that have been on the market, and the Rampage V Extreme is in the same boat.

When the board first came out there was a lot of talk about the inclusion of a non-standard OC-Socket, an aftermarket LGA 2011-v3 socket that has additional contact pins.  These pins help feed additional voltage to the CPU and result in what we have found to be very impressive and stable overclocking from the board.

But is this just a gimmick or is it really something that will make a difference?  The answer we find is that this is no joke and that the board by far surpasses every other X99 motherboard that is currently available when it comes to cache/uncore overclocking.  This leads to massive performance gains that other boards will not be able to achieve and quite frankly they are left in the Rampage V Extreme’s dust.  Once again Asus continues the legend of the Rampage Extreme line with this shining example of engineering and hardware dominance.

Asus Rampage V Extreme Specifications:

• CPU Socket Type: LGA 2011-v3
• Supported CPU Technologies: Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
• Chipset: Intel X99Onboard Video: None
• Onboard Video: None
• Audio Chipset: ROG SupremeFX 2014
• Audio Channels: 8 Channels
• LAN Chipset: Intel I218-V
• Max LAN Speed: 10/100/1000MbpsWireless LAN: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 3T3R supports frequency band 2.4/5 GHz
• Wireless LAN: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 3T3R supports frequency band 2.4/5 GHz
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth v4.0

Memory:

• Number of Memory Slots: 8×288pin
• Memory Standard: DDR4 3300(O.C.) / 3000(O.C.) / 2800(O.C.) / 2666(O.C.) / 2400(O.C.) / 2133
• Maximum Memory Supported: 64GB
• Channel Supported: Quad Channel

Expansion Slots:

• PCI Express 3.0 x16: 4 (40-lane CPU @ x16, x16/x16, x16/x8/x8 or x16/x8/x8/x8; 28-lane CPU @ x16, x16/x8, x8/x8/x8)
• PCI Express 2.0 x16: 1 (Max. at x4 mode)
• PCI Express x1: 1
• Quad-GPU NVIDIA 4-Way SLI and AMD 4-way/Quad-GPU CrossFireX Technology (support up to 3-Way with 28-lane CPU)

 Storage Devices:

• SATA 6Gb/s: 8 x SATA 6Gb/s
• SATA Express: Intel X99 – 1 x SATA Express port, red, compatible with 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports , ASMedia SATA Express controller – 1 x SATA Express port, red, compatible with 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports
• M.2: 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M Key, support type 2260/2280/22110 storage devices
• SATA RAID: 0/1/5/10

Rear Panel Ports:

• PS/2: 1
• RJ45: 1 x RJ45
• USB 3.0: 10 x USB 3.0
• USB 1.1/2.0: 2 x USB 2.0
• S/PDIF Out: 1 x Optical
• Audio Ports: 5 Ports

Internal I/O Connectors:

• Onboard USB
• 4 x USB 3.0
• 4 x USB 2.0

The post Asus Rampage V Extreme: An Overclocking Monster appeared first on VR World.

Asus (TPE:2357) is well-known for its Xonar range of DACs, and while most solutions that the vendor offers are aimed at enthusiast users, it is now looking to target a more mainstream audience with the Xonar U3 Plus.

The Xonar U3 Plus is a USB powered DAC that comes with a suite of audio enhancements as well as a 150-ohm headphone amplifier and studio-grade vocal effects. Aimed at delivering an enhanced audio experience for PC and notebook users, the sound card — which is slightly larger in size than a standard USB drive — offers the ability to easily adjust audio quality and settings.

Thanks to a dedicated digital signal processor that provides low latency while recording, users can record using a microphone in real-time. Other vocal-based enhancements include a 10-band equalizer, precision low- and high-frequency filters, and a reverb adjustment filter.

This isn’t the first portable DAC from Asus, as the Taiwanese vendor launched the Xonar U3 with Dolby Home Theater technology in 2011. This time around, there are new features being added to the mix. Asus also mentions that utilities like Stereo Mix allow users to mix vocals with a backing track with ease, while DJ Mix automatically reduces the volume of background audio as soon as a vocal track is detected.

If you’re looking to buy the Xonar U3 Plus to listen to high-fidelity audio, the DAC offers five preset modes: Rock, Rock Pro, Ballad, Ballad Pro, and Special. The price tag has not been announced yet by Asus, but if you’re looking for an easy-to-use solution that delivers great audio on the go, the Xonar U3 Plus should be high on your list.

The post Asus Goes Small With The Xonar U3 Plus DAC appeared first on VR World.

Asus (TPE: 2357) introduced its ZenWatch, a brand new smartwatch, in Taiwan on Dec. 24 and decided its MSRP as US$199.

Prior to the debut in Taiwan, ZenWatch has been available for sale in North America and Japan for more than a month.

Asus said that the smartwatch is based on the Android Wear 5.01 operation system, weighs 75g and measures 51X39.9mm on the face, with the thickness ranging from 7.9mm to 9.4mm and the stainless steel finish. It also has a 1.63-inch display, which is AMOLED, with 320X320 pixel resolution, 278ppi. Also, the smartwatch is IP55 rated so the owner will not have to worry about splashing it.

Asus listed the battery for ZenWatch as 1.4Wh in its official specs. Analysis on the watch suggested users to charge the watch every night before use. Asus said that the ZenWatch needs to be attached to the limpet-like charging base that connects to the back for recharging the battery. That plate will accept a micro-USB charger.

The post Asus Introduces ZenWatch to Taiwan appeared first on VR World.

Here is the daily roundup from Japanese consumer tech and tech business websites for Dec.15, 2014.

Samsung launches 850 EVO 3D V-NAND SSD in Japan

Japanese chain store firm ITG Marketing Inc. announces that it will be releasing Samsung’s (KRX: 005930) 850 EVO 3D V-NAND SSD in Japan, with it is official launch sometime during the latter half of December.

The 850 EVO is the technical successor to the 840 EVO SSD. Like all other current Samsung SSDs, it also introduces the much advertised 3D V-NAND technology that was previously unveiled with the release of the 850 PRO. Unlike the 850 PRO however, which uses 3D V-NAND 2bit MLC, the 850 EVO will use 3D V-NAND 3bit MLC, making it technically more data dense.

Availability will come in 120GB ($120.00), 250GB ($160.00), 500GB ($300.00), and 1TB ($565.00) capacities.

Asus to release new 2-in-1 notebook

Asus (TPE: 2357) will be launching its Transbook T200TA in Japan, with the official release data slated on Friday, 19th of December.

The Asus Transbook T200TA is an 11.6-inch business class 2-in-1 convertible PC, which is mainly advertised to last for more than 12 hours off a single charge. The keyboard features not only an extra battery, but also a 500GB HDD, and both add-ons extend the functionality of this hybrid notebook. It will be powered by an Atom Z3775 (1.46Ghz) processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage (eMMC), and a multi-touch 1366×768 IPS LCD screen. OS is Windows 8.1 (32 bit)

Prices will be announced on the day of its release.

Lawson upgrades to Windows 8.1

Major Japanese convenience store franchise chain Lawson (TYO: 2651) will soon upgrade more than 6,500 store terminals and units in different store branches into Windows 8.1.

In addition to upgrading operating systems, the convenience store branches will also replace some of its older PCs and computer terminals. At least 1,500 units used by store supervisors will now be upgraded to convertible 2-in-1 PCs, specifically into the Lenovo Thinkpad Helix. Also, as a next step to the upgrades, the company also plans to optimize the systems to use Microsoft Office 365’s Power BI feature.

In accordance to the changes in hardware and software, the entire work system will also be properly shifted.

The post Samsung 850, Asus T200TA, Lawson 8.1: The Headlines in Tokyo for Dec. 15 appeared first on VR World.

Asus earns profits in November

Asus (TPE: 2357) announced on Dec. 8 that the company earned a total of US$1.6 billion in November, due to its roaring smartphone business.

Asus said that the revenue for November was a 5.1% growth, to compare with what it was for October. The total revenue for the first 11 months this year was US$14.5 billion, which was a 2.73% growth, to compare with the total revenue for the same period a year ago.

Asus said that its main income for November came from its sales of smartphones. A total of 1.3 million smartphones were sold within the month, while more than 1 million of them were sold in Asian countries. For December, Asus said that the total revenue will drop but it will all come back again in March.

During the fourth quarter, Asus said that sales of its laptops, smartphones, and tablets have been growing except the CPUs.

Demand for iPhones encourages the nation’s exports: MOF

Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) said on Dec. 8 that the nation’s exports increased 3.7% year-on-year to US$26.68 billion last month due to strong demand for new iPhones.

“Electronics exports continued to grow by double digits last month, led by robust sales of domestic firms, especially in the semiconductor industry, said Yeh Maan-tzwu (葉滿足), director for Department of Statistics.

Yeh said that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the major supplier for iPhone 6’s chips, has indicated plans to increase capital investment expenditure for 2015 and suggested the need to expand its capacity to meet orders.

MOF’s report said that electronics exports rose 10.2% to US$8.79 billion in November, making up 32.9% of overall exports. Shipments of optical products increased 11% to US$1.74 billion during the same period, while basic metal products gained 9.5% to US$2.36 billion.

MOF’s report also said that exports came to US$288.2 billion and rose 3.3% from the same period of first 11 months last year, and outpaced the statistics agency’s forecast last month of 3.1% growth for the year. The report said that exports to the United States grew 11.4% to US$3.02 billion last month but the exports to the Europe advanced at a more modest 3.7% at US$2.22 billion.

Exports to China, the nation’s largest trade partner, contracted 0.3% to US$10.82 billion, due to the Chinese economic slowdown, the report said.

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou urges to sign agreements with the EU

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said on Dec. 9 that the nation is hoping to sign more free trade agreements with the EU.

“It will help both GDP grow,” Ma said.

The president made his remarks during his conversations with a group of delegates from French National Assembly, led by Yves Jego. Ma told Jego that he is hoping for more cooperation and interactions with France, as well as other EU members.

“An additional 11 European countries have signed agreements with us so we are expecting when France is in the picture as well,” Ma said.

Hong Kong is the world’s second most expensive place for house prices: survey

The latest “Global Living Survey: Global Cities Compared” ranked Hong Kong as the second most expensive city in a global survey of average prime residential new-build prices, at US$3,290 per square foot.

London took the lead for all the cities in the world with an average of US$3,380 per square foot, while New York checked in the third place with average prices of US$3,040 per square foot.

The survey, organized by international property consultant CBRE, looked at residential prices in 10 key global cities favored by high-net-worth individuals, also including Paris, Sydney and Singapore, among others.

“Depending on market trends, Hong Kong and London regularly oscillated between first and second place in the residential rankings,” CBRE said.

Chinese banks call for lower reserve ratio

Banks in China are urging the nation’s central bank to allow them to lend out more of their deposits, the China Economic Review reported on Dec. 9.

“The radio should be reduced to an ‘appropriate’ level to help banks and support the economy,” said Lian Ping (連平), chief economist for the Bank of Communications (SHA: 601328).

Lian said that the profitability of China’s big banks has come under increasing pressure as a rare drop in bank deposits is forcing lenders to curtail lending or look for more expensive sources of financing. Also, bank executives said that a planned deposit-insurance system and further cuts in interest rates also have the potential to reduce banks’ profit margins.

The post Cross-strait News Daily Round-up for Dec. 9 appeared first on VR World.

Here is the daily roundup from Japanese consumer tech and tech business websites for December 8, 2014.

Sony unveils new educational tablet

Sony (TYO:6758) plans to launch a new tablet model aimed for educational purposes. The tablet will be designed to use the company’s Tenobo learning system, and will operate using a Linux OS.

The Tenobo system was introduced last 2012, as an educational solution proposed by Sony for mobile devices. The new tablet will feature an enhanced version of this system, allowing students to use the tablet’s dual screens much like an ordinary notebook. Sony plans to distribute the tablets at Tatsumi Junior High School in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture for preliminary testing this year. The school has been known to use and implement innovative new educational systems, which makes it the perfect testbed for the new Tenobo-optimized tablets.

Sony expects the tablets to be available at around August next year.

Asus Chromebook gets a second release in Japan

Asus Japan (TPE: 2357)  announces the official re-release of the Asus Chromebook in Japan. The new models are to be catered for personal use, and will be released sometime this December.

The 13.3-inch Asus Chromebook C300MA will be available in black and white variations. The black version will be released this 13th of December, and the white version later on the 15th. Primary specs include an Intel Celeron N2830 (2.16 Ghz) processor, Intel HD Graphics, 16GB embedded-MMC, and 4GB RAM (max).

No word about official prices just yet, but it is estimated that it will be available with an equivalent price of about $300.00.

NEC develops facial recognition system for live events

NEC (TYO:6751), in cooperation with entertainment management firm Tapirs,  just unveiled last week its development of a new facial recognition system for customers at live events.

The new system, named as NeoFace, introduces the concept of camera-integrated ticketing systems for concerts and other live events. The system is basically designed to help identify customers who have already paid for the event. Instead of using a marked ticket for identification, the system would only require a matched facial scan, which would instantly identify any user within an event.

Tapirs plans to implement the system for testing this upcoming Momoiro Clover Z live concert towards the end of December.

The post Tenobo Tablet, Chromebook Rerelease, NEC Face Scanner: The Headlines in Tokyo for Dec. 8 appeared first on VR World.

Asus (TPE:2357) today announced the company’s new flagship graphics card with a single GPU: the GTX 980 Republic of Gamers (ROG) Matrix Platinum.  The custom designed card comes with a massive boost clock of 1342 MHz, and is cooled by a custom air cooler fed by 10mm heat pipes.

This is its third custom designed GTX 980, as the Poseidon and Strix OC versions have been out for a while now.  The card comes factory overclocked with a massive boost clock of 1342 MHz, although the base clock was not disclosed the memory has been left at the standard clock speed of 7 GHz.  The custom PCB has a 14 phase VRM to provide the card with stable power, and it requires two 8-pin PCI-E to power the card.  A unique feature meant for the most extreme users are the resistive traces in the PCB to keep the card warm enough to prevent frost when the card is used under LN2 (liquid nitrogen) cooling.

The cooling is taken care of by a custom air cooler with a high density fin-stack heatsink fed by 10mm thick heat pipes.  The two Asus designed fans that cool the heatsink are CoolTech hybrid fans that are designed to force air not only down but to the sides, essentially pushing air in an 180 degree arc.  The heatsink has been nicely finished in black, making the overall aesthetic much nicer.  Users will also appreciate that the card comes with a back-plate and a brace for the card which should help to prevent sagging.  Back-plates have been a noticeable addition to cards that consumers are getting more concerned about.  It not only can make the graphics cards much nicer when inside a windowed case but at times they can help with a bit of cooling if there are components on the back of the card.

The post Asus Introduces The GTX 980 ROG Matrix Platinum appeared first on VR World.

AMD (NYSE:AMD) and Samsung (KRX:005930) announced a partnership today at the AMD Future of Compute event in held in Singapore.

The partnership will have Samsung making FreeSync enabled displays, and they will begin to appear in March of next year.  The first will be 23.6 inch and 28 inch versions of the UD590 which will both be UHD (4K) displays.  Later will come some more UHD displays in the UE850 line with 23.6 inch, 28 inch , and 31.5 inch models.  AMD’s FreeSync is its alternative to Nvidia’s G-SYNC tech that has been in the market for over a year now. AMD went the royalty free route with its FreeSync technology that is based on the Adaptive-Sync open standard for DisplayPort.  VESA is implementing this technology in the new DisplayPort 1.2a and DisplayPort 1.3 specification.  With the lower costs of FreeSync tech this will no doubt encourage more manufacturers to use it in upcoming models.

It may be fairly late in the game for FreeSync since G-Sync has done well with gaming enthusiasts looking to get a good gaming monitor.  Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has made headway getting companies on the G-SYNC train, such as ASUS (TPE: 2357), BenQ (TPE:8215), Philips, and Acer (TPE:2353).  The 27″ QHD (2560×1440) 144Hz ASUS ROG Swift PG278Q is by far one of the best G-SYNC monitors that is currently available but sells for $799 and isn’t even 4K.  There are also UHD versions available such as the Acer XB280HK that retails for just under $800. But even with a decent amount of monitors on the market, Nvidia’s G-Sync monitors command a serious premium over equally specced monitors without G-Sync. As such, this could potentially put Nvidia at a disadvantage since many monitor manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to differentiate without spending too much money on the bill of materials (BOM).

There is little doubt that FreeSync will do well and that the partnership between AMD and Samsung will do well with the products.  With about four months until the models come out users will have plenty of time to set some money aside each month now that we have a date.  This will be the go-to monitor of choice for the AMD fans and there sure are plenty of them waiting for the next-gen AMD product to pair with a FreeSync monitor. There has also been talk of companies like BENQ and even ASUS potentially releasing FreeSync compatible monitors. The reality of the situation is that adaptive sync is the superior technology and will very likely get adopted by Intel and that will help AMD overcome Nvidia’s overall size and dominance in the graphics market. Once AMD can partner with Intel (crazy to think) to push FreeSync/Adaptive Sync in both companies’ products then G-Sync will effectively be dead. But you can’t blame Nvidia for wanting to improve gaming, even at a fairly high cost.

The partnership will see Samsung releasing new FreeSync monitors in March 2015.

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