Computex is back! Finally! After being canceled entirely in 2020 and 2021, and partially returning in 2022, 2023 sees the full return of the world’s most important IT trade event. The annual extravaganza of tech felt as bustling and vibrant as ever. We always feel welcome in Taiwan and it really did feel good to return to what is arguably the beating heart of the IT world.
Amidst a year of weak sales and lingering pandemic effects, the PC market needs all the help it can get. As the media, marketers, product managers and purchasers all converge on Taipei, it feels as though the IT market is set to enjoy a better second half of the year, that’s if the feeling of enthusiasm is anything to go by.
Enthusiasm is one thing, but there was also a feeling that many vendors were unsure of what to expect. In terms of consumer releases, there wasn’t any particularly major product unveiling or announcement. We don’t think that was deliberate, but more of a coincidence given where we are on major product release cycles. We’re still a long way from the debut of next generation CPUs, GPUs and the platforms and products that accompany them.
But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t awesome and impressive tech. Gaming is as important as ever. The number of gorgeous and powerful laptops was overwhelming. There are always new and improved monitors to drool over and peripherals to touch. Then there are the gorgeous rigs – worldly and otherworldly – as far as the eye can see.
This year saw the debut of a second exhibition center at Nangang. That meant the show was much more locally concentrated than in years past, when various events and showcases were held in different areas of Taipei. It’s amazing to see the explosive growth in the Nangang area in the four years since we were last there. The area is rapidly turning into a leading financial and IT hub, with many companies moving offices into the area. If tensions with China are scaring investors away, one look at all the new skyscrapers and cranes makes it appear as though it’s business as usual. Big business at that.
It all kicked off on Monday the 29th of May, with a keynote address by none other than Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang. Jensen might not yet inspire Steve Jobs-like cultural icon status, but he’s getting there. If Nvidia’s plans and visions for AI and the future of high-performance computing come to fruition, then in the years ahead, Elon will have some competition as the world’s richest man. AI is still in its nascent stages but it’s shaping up to revolutionise just about everything. Revolutionary is a word that gets thrown around a lot, but the potential of AI is simply mind boggling. If the machines do end up killing us all, then Nvidia’s AI systems could be making those decisions in the years and decades to come…
A BIG THANKS TO ASUS FOR SPONSORING OUR TRIP TO COMPUTEX 2023!
ASUS
At any given Computex, Asus is among the exhibitors with the largest presence. This year it had two side by side booths. One was dedicated to its Republic of Gamers products while the other featured a little of everything else. In fact, we could take up half of this magazine with showcases of Asus products alone, such was the range and variety of gear on display.
I was able to have my first hands on with the ROG Ally handheld gaming PC. Of all the devices I saw at this year’s Computex, it’s perhaps the device I want the most for myself. Well, that and a PG49WCD 49-in QD OLED monitor and a new laptop and…
A PORTABLE CONSOLE
The Ally is quite a capable little gaming
