Asus recently launched its Vivobook Go 15 OLED laptop, an Australia-exclusive model offering an OLED display for less than $1,000.
It follows the company’s reveal of its 2023 laptop range earlier in the year, with a major focus on “OLED for everyone”. This particular laptop favours portability, geared towards general work use and enjoying entertainment on its sharp display. At 1.63kg, it’s by no means as slender as the 1kg flagship Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED, but it’s a decent weight for a 15-inch laptop.
Portability in this instance doesn’t mean compromising on available ports. On the Asus Vivobook Go 15 OLED is a USB-C port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI output and an audio combo jack. On the inside, the laptop includes up to an AMD Ryzen 5 7520U CPU, a Radeon GPU, 16GB of LDDR5 RAM, and a 512GB PCIe SSD. Naturally, the higher the spec, the more the price increases, but you have some decent options.
As for the eponymous OLED screen, the Vivobook Go 15 brandishes a 15.6-inch display in Full HD (1920 x 1080). In this price range, the 60Hz refresh rate is a reasonable compromise given this isn’t the sort of machine you’d use to play blockbuster games on max settings. Asus rates the laptop’s battery at up to 10 hours of continuous video playback, which isn’t huge, although less than an hour of charging gets you back up to 60%.
Affordable OLED laptops signal a shift in display technology. Previously reserved for ‘premium’ devices like TVs, bringing OLED to the mainstream is a conscious effort, according to Bradley Howe, Head of Consumer for Asus Australia.
“This year, we wanted to redouble our efforts to make OLED accessible to everyone, and that involved including the technology in all our devices,” Howe said. “We are striving to bring OLED’s five key benefits to our customers: high contrast, high colour accuracy, certified blue light protection, high power efficiency, and fast response time.”
Why OLED in laptops is a big deal
OLED, short for organic light-emitting diode, is a display technology widely regarded for its vibrancy and contrast. Because it only illuminates the pixels required in an image, there’s little-to-no bleeding between colours and different lighting. A bright object against a dark background won’t cast a halo-like effect, meaning you see the image as intended – which is great for movies or any visual work.
Asus has its own spin on the display technology called “Lumina OLED”, equipped with several features aimed at expanding upon the existing benefits. For example, Lumina displays encompass 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut, capably reproducing more than a billion colours. Colour accuracy is vital for creatives like visual artists and designers to ensure accurate representation of their work. Need to work in sRGB? No problem: Asus Lumina OLED lets you switch between different gamuts as needed.
“Asus Lumina OLED has been innovated and iterated in pursuit of providing all users with the very best technology at an accessible price point,” Howe said. “What made this possible was the breadth of talent within our technical teams, coupled with the growing maturity of the technology.”
Early instances of OLED screens resulted in concerns over ‘burn-in’, where continual use combined with static imagery left residual marks behind. These days, it happens rarely and only in extreme cases, thanks to various techniques employed by manufacturers.
Asus Lumina OLED laptops enable two main features by default: Pixel Refresh and Pixel Shift. If you leave your laptop idle for an extended period, Pixel Refresh evenly lights and dims each pixel. Meanwhile, Pixel Shift moves displayed static content almost imperceptibly to activate different pixels. In addition to other adaptive technologies, they help prolong the display’s life.
Asus Vivobook Go 15 OLED release date and price
Rolling out across Harvey Norman and Officeworks stores soon, the Vivobook Go 15 OLED starts at $999 depending on the configuration. There’s a listing online with all the details, and here’s what you’ll pay for the various models in-store:
E1504FA-L1503W model: $999 at Harvey Norman
E1504GA-L1180W model: $999 at Officeworks
E1504FA-L1272W model: $1,299 at Harvey Norman
“OLED is a core feature of our family of devices, and we will continue to provide a suite of models that serve the burgeoning community of creators, from casual creators to professional users,” Howe added. “Users can expect ASUS to continue to challenge what is possible, refine our features and continue to push the boundaries of innovation.”
If you’ve ever used an OLED screen, you’ll know it looks spectacular across all uses. Many of us spend most of our day staring at a laptop screen, so it’s great to see more affordable OLED options on the market.
Apple brought the spooky vibes to its ‘Scary Fast’ presentation, where it revealed the next-generation M3 chips. One major beneficiary of the faster and more powerful silicon is the 24-inch iMac, which now comes equipped with the base M3 system on a chip (SoC).
A popular all-in-one desktop computer and display, the iMac jumps straight from M1 to the newly-announced M3 platform, bypassing the M2 generation entirely. According to Apple, the new computer is up to two times faster than the older M1 iMacs, and significantly faster than the 27-inch and 21.5-inch Intel-based models.
Taking the form of a 24-inch display with a 4.5K resolution, the M3 iMac is just 11.5mm thick. Within this slender form factor is a 1080p FaceTime camera and what Apple refers to as “studio-quality” microphones. Its six-speaker array also supports Spatial Audio for listening to music and Dolby Atmos for compatible movies.
Connectivity also gets a boost with the M3 chip, starting with Wi-Fi 6E, a faster wireless protocol, and Bluetooth 5.3 now included. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports come with the base 8-core GPU M3 iMac, while the 10-core GPU configurations add two USB 3 type-C ports and a gigabit Ethernet port. You can also order the computer with as much as 24GB of unified memory. Apple’s Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard peripherals come bundled with every computer.
Aimed at a broad audience, Apple mentioned the likes of small businesses, creatives, families, and students as ideal M3 iMac users. Gamers also received a noticeable mention, too. With the iPhone 15 Pro phones touting console-like gaming, and Game Mode on MacOS Sonoma, Apple is pushing further into the world of video games.
iMac M3 release date and price
Available to order now, the new 24-inch iMac launches next week on Tuesday, 7 November 2023. It comes in seven bright colours, including green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. Pricing starts at $2,199 for the 8-core GPU configuration, while the 10-core GPU model starts at $2,499.
Although we know by this point that you pay a premium for Apple products, the new iMac appears to be a strong all-rounder in the personal computing stakes. There’s a lot to like about the M-series SoCs, and the M3 makes a strong case for being your next upgrade.
As part of the company’s Halloween-themed ‘Scary Fast‘ digital event focusing on Mac devices, Apple revealed three new M3 chipsets aimed at powering creative workflows.
The new generation system on a chip (SoC) includes the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max, built using 3-nanometer technology. Each one offers improved performance over the M2 chips, including enhancements to the CPU, GPU, neural engine, and unified memory.
It’s remarkable to see Apple announcing three chips at once. Only earlier this year, Apple launched the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, making it less than 12 months between upgrades. it Apple described the M3 chips as housing a next-generation GPU for graphical rendering and gaming capabilities.
Source: Apple.
Alongside the M3 chips, Apple also announced new MacBook Pro laptops and a refreshed 24-inch iMac.
For many, technology is as much about the aesthetic as it is about functionality. Just like in the fashion world, what’s old is frequently new when it comes to tech trends. Capitalising on this is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro, a limited edition phone with a throwback twist.
Inspired by the SGH-E700 from 2003, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 takes various design cues from the 20-year-old device. Modern flip phones are a nod to a bygone era of mobile phones before touch screens became ubiquitous, so it’s little surprise to see brands tapping into nostalgia. Samsung has a long history with phone technology, with this commemoration particularly close to the company’s heart. The SGH-E700 was Samsung’s first mobile phone to include a built-in antenna, which is astonishing to think about given how far we’ve since come.
A blast from the past: the Samsung SGH-E700.
Functionally similar to one of our favourite foldables so far, the Retro edition comes in an indigo blue and silver finish akin to the SGH-E700. Even the user experience includes a modern twist on the visuals of the early 2000s, in addition to a cute pixel art animation on the Flex Window exclusive to the phone.
Aimed at collectors and enthusiasts, only limited quantities of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro will be available. Included with the phone are three Flipsuit cards that change up the cover display. Each one features different Samsung logos from the company’s history, paying homage to previous eras. There’s also a Flipsuit case and a collector card engraved with a unique serial number, functioning as a certificate of authenticity of sorts.
Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro release date and price
Available locally on 1 November 2023, the old-school-inspired Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro costs $1,949. Don’t expect to see it on shelves, though, as it’s exclusive to Samsung’s website.
Australia is just one of six countries to get the special edition phone, alongside Korea, Germany, Spain, France, and the UK. If you’re keen to get your hands on the commemorative device, you’ll want to act fast, as stock surely won’t last long.
With a budget spec sheet, yet a premium price tag, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is the odd one out in the Surface lineup.
Microsoft’s Surface range made its name for itself with convertible devices like the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop Studio – powerful and flexible high-end productivity devices with high price tags and admittedly niche use cases. They’re not for everyone, but if they suit your needs then they’re usually worth the premium price tag.
Less known is the standard Microsoft Surface Laptop range, particularly the entry-level Surface Laptop Go. Here, Microsoft faces cut-throat competition from a wide range of well-established hardware makers. It can’t charge a premium for slapping the Microsoft logo on an everyday laptop like the $1,429 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, not when other PC makers offer more for less.
Price tag aside, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has some strong points but a few key flaws as a portable productivity tool.
The small footprint makes it easy to slip into your travel bag, even though it’s a little heavier than it looks at 1.13 kg. It’s not the thinnest laptop around, although on the bottom it features two long rubber strips rather than four tiny feet. This ensures it stays put when you’re working on a slippery surface.
It’s a solid build with a sturdy hinge, so there are no worries about picking it up by the screen.
Open the laptop and you’re presented with a 12.4-inch, 3:2 touchscreen display. Realistically, this is the smallest screen size you’d want in order to remain productive on the move, whether you’re a professional or a student.
It’s also one of the first places where the Surface Laptop Go 3’s value proposition starts to break down, considering that you can find larger 13-inch laptops that weigh less than 1 kg.
It’s only a 1536 x 1024 pixel display – once again you’re entitled to expect more. To make matters worse, it’s glossy rather than matte, which makes the screen difficult to see outside. This could be a problem if you’re looking to get things done on the go. Glossy screens make more sense when they’re larger, sharper and brighter, intended for entertainment.
Thankfully, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is blessed with a decent keyboard, which can make or break a laptop for wordsmiths. The keys are well-sized and well-spaced with decent travel, even if they’re a little soft and plasticy to the touch.
The keyboard and trackpad make minimal compromises in an effort to be compact. You’ve got a dedicated row of function keys, full-sized left and right Shift keys, full-sized left and right arrow keys but only half-sized up and down arrow keys.
Meanwhile, the keyboard’s lack of backlighting is a major disappointment, considering the price tag and the usefulness of backlit keys when you might find yourself working anywhere, anytime.
Incorporating a fingerprint reader into the power button is welcome, especially when Microsoft has skimped on the webcam – forgoing a 3D depth camera, which means you can’t use Windows Hello facial recognition to unlock your computer.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3’s decent keyboard is one of its few strengths.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 specifications
Display size
12.4-inch, 3:2 aspect ratio
Display resolution
1536 x 1024 pixel, 10-point multi-touch
CPU
12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U
GPU
Integrated Intel Iris Xe
RAM
8GB or 16GB LPDDR5 RAM
Onboard storage
256 GB SSD
Front camera
720p, no 3D depth camera
Ports
USB-C 3.2 (data, DisplayPort and charging)
USB-A 3.1
3.5 mm headphone jack
Surface Connect port (charging)
As you’d expect with a laptop of this size, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 isn’t blessed with an abundance of connectivity – although it still comes out ahead of Apple’s infamous 12-inch MacBook with a single USB-C port.
The Surface Laptop Go 3 features one USB-A 3.1 port and one USB-C 3.2 port which also supports charging and DisplayPort for connecting to external monitors. Both ports are on the left-hand side of the unit, alongside a 3.5mm headphone jack.
There’s no optical drive, as you’d expect these days, but it also lacks an SD card slot. On the right-hand side, you’ve only got Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect port for docks, adapters and power (including the included AC charger). Unless you’re deeply invested in the Surface ecosystem, you’d likely prefer to swap the Surface Connect port for a more useful second USB-C port.
Under the bonnet, you’ll find a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U power plant, which is acceptable for day-to-day tasks but an old model and far from a performance king. It’s accompanied by 8 or 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD for onboard storage.
Microsoft promises 15 hours of battery life, although that seems a little ambitious, even considering the low-res screen and mediocre performance. Geekbench 6 scores of 1118 single-core and 3635 multi-core are nothing to get excited about. It’s okay for day-to-day tasks, but you wouldn’t want to ask too much of it.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3’s Surface Connect port won’t suit everyone.
Who is the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for?
Honestly, it’s hard to recommend the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 as a good fit for anyone. If your needs are simple and you budget humble, you can get a better laptop for less – even if you’re a student who doesn’t need the latest and greatest. If you’ve got $1,500 to spend and you need something decent, it’s not hard to find something better than this, especially if you’re after a big sharper screen and/or more grunt.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3's high price tag and lowly spec sheet doesn't stack up well against the competition.
You may have seen the news recently that the way NBN Co charges for wholesale internet is changing. Without getting too bogged down by details, it means faster internet plans will cost less for internet service providers (ISPs), while some slower plans will cost more. Aussie Broadband is one of the first ISPs to confirm revised prices for customers, with changes to its NBN internet plans coming into effect soon.
As of 21 November 2023, prices of Aussie Broadband plans change for both residential and business customers. It’s good news for users who download and stream lots of data every month because high-speed plans will actually be cheaper. Unfortunately, slower NBN plans will cost more, with Aussie Broadband blaming the Connectivity Virtual Circuit charge.
For some, the price changes mean potential savings of up to $240 annually. Meanwhile, some people will pay an extra $72 over 12 months. It adds even further pressure to the many Australians paying more for phone plans.
Here are the new prices coming into effect soon. Note that these reference the unlimited data plans. Depending on your needs, you may be able to save some money by customising your plan to include a data cap.
Aussie Broadband plans
Each of the NBN plans up to and including the 50/20 speeds will cost an extra $6 per month. The 50Mbps download and 20Mbps upload plan is one of the most common, which will soon cost $85 each month, up from $75.
Source: Aussie Broadband.
Aussie Broadband’s 75/20 plan remains at $89, while everything above gets a discount. Both the 100/20 and 100/40 plans shave $4 a month, now costing $95 and $105 respectively. Bigger price drops come to the 250/25 and 1000/50 Aussie Broadband plans. $10 cheaper than before, the 250/25 monthly tier drops to $119. With the biggest discount, the 1000/50 plan’s new price lands at $129, a $20 saving on the previous monthly price.
As Valve’s Steam Deck remains conspicuously absent from Australia, there’s a big opportunity for a handheld gaming PC to grab the local market by the scruff of the neck. One of the first of such devices to officially launch here, the Asus ROG Ally makes a decent fist of the Steam Deck-sized gap.
Not without its quirks, the Ally is an impressively high-powered piece of portable hardware. For those who persevere through the software oddities of Windows 11 and the device’s short battery life, it’s a great way to play an extensive library of PC games untethered to a desk or TV. After a long day of working at a computer, the last thing I want to do is play games sitting at a desk. I love playing games wherever and whenever I want, which is why the Ally appeals to me.
At $1,299, the ROG Ally sits somewhere between a Nintendo Switch console and a dedicated gaming laptop. Sure, you can import a Steam Deck but run the risk of no local support if anything goes wrong. With the Lenovo Legion Go on the horizon, and Ayaneo launching a new model seemingly every other month, we’re approaching an exciting time for portable gaming hardware.
Although I’m not the biggest fan of white-coloured gaming hardware thanks to my sweaty hands causing controllers to discolour over time, I concede that the Ally is visually striking. In addition to style, it also sits nicely in your hands, despite eclipsing the size of a Nintendo Switch. For comparison, an ROG Ally weighs 608 grams versus the roughly 400 grams of a Switch. A Steam Deck, on the other hand, tips the scales at a slightly higher 669 grams.
Even with a decent weight distribution, there were times I struggled to hold the Ally aloft for extended play sessions. When sitting in a comfy chair or anywhere with a surface to anchor my grip, it was fine. However, on flights or lying in bed with limited space to lean the device on, discomfort kicked in as my admittedly scrawny hands and wrists quickly fatigued.
Its controls felt comfortable and responsive, and the programmable rear bumpers give you more customisation options. Xbox owners will feel at home here, with a similar button layout and asymmetrical sticks. One drawback compared to the Steam Deck and Legion Go is that the Ally doesn’t include a trackpad, which can help play strategy games on a smaller device.
Broad software support is one of the biggest selling points of the ROG Ally. Running Windows 11, it supports a range of PC game launchers like Steam, Xbox, Epic Games, and more. As with a conventional PC, it’s super easy to link your various accounts to download and access your purchases and subscriptions. Platform-agnostic gaming is a big focus in sectors of the industry now, which the Ally demonstrates capably.
On top of the Windows 11 operating system is a bespoke software wrapper referred to as Armoury Crate SE. It’s a version of Asus’ game optimisation software made specifically for the ROG Ally. It works well enough at navigating your library and enabling quick setting adjustments but does require some patience to navigate at times. A more accurate assessment would be that Armoury Crate SE improves the portable Windows 11 experience. From a user experience perspective, the Ally is at its best when you bypass Windows as much as possible.
It feeds into the ongoing debate between console and PC gaming. One of the biggest benefits of playing on a dedicated game console is using a dedicated operating system made from the ground up for the hardware. Supporting a frictionless experience, the expectation is that you boot up a game and it works.
In sharing more commonality with a PC than a dedicated gaming platform, the ROG Ally functions as a jack-of-all-trades. You benefit from the modularity and customisation afforded by PC hardware, along with the headaches that come with it.
Most importantly, it’s adept at playing a wide range of games. From big blockbuster experiences to smaller indie titles, the ROG Ally overwhelmingly succeeds at handling nearly everything you throw at it.
Asus ROG Ally specifications
Processor
AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
Memory
16GB LPDDR5
Display
7-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 120Hz touch-enabled IPS display
Storage
512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Battery
40WHrs
Type-C 65W AC adapter
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth 5.2
3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
ROG XG Mobile Interface and USB Type-C combo port
UHS-II microSD card reader
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of benchmarks, and the device’s game-playing capabilities, the ROG Ally’s user experience warrants examination. As alluded to before, the Armoury Crate SE software works efficiently but only protects you so much from the awkward influence of Windows 11. On a PC or laptop with a keyboard and mouse, using Windows 11 is fairly straightforward. With the touch-enabled display and gamepad controls of the Ally, it’s unwieldy. Not in any devastatingly deal-breaking way, though. It manifests in lots of small annoyances, like trying to access Task Manager when something doesn’t respond as expected, and the friction of swapping between gamepad, text, and touch inputs.
Software is one advantage the Steam Deck has over its competitors so far. Its SteamOS platform focuses purely on browsing and playing games. Meanwhile, the ROG Ally works best when Windows 11 gets out of the way and lets you focus on gaming. In a couple of ways, the Armoury Crate SE overlay achieves this for the most part. It functions as a series of menus, providing access to different game launchers and installed games without needing to navigate the Windows desktop. Another main use of Armoury Crate SE is a customisable quick-access menu mapped to one of the face buttons. At any time, you can access this menu to adjust many different settings like brightness, resolution, and power options. It also lets you quickly toggle performance monitoring overlays to check frame rates and other metrics in real time. This software doesn’t completely eradicate contact with Windows 11 but optimises an OS not built for gaming the best it can.
An OLED Nintendo Switch compared to the ROG Ally.
Arguably the various ROG Ally performance modes are the most important to tweak. These determine how much power the device uses, which in turn impacts performance and battery life. Out of the box, there are three preset power modes: Silent (10W), Performance(15W), and Turbo (25W). When plugged into a wall outlet, the ROG Ally also supports a 30W Turbo mode if you need an extra bit of grunt. You’re lucky to get more than an hour out of the battery on Turbo when playing graphically demanding games. Not every game needs lots of raw power to run smoothly, which is where the lower wattage settings come in handy, getting you closer to 2-3 hours on a full battery.
Considering the target market of enthusiast gamers, I don’t think the relatively short battery life is a significant factor. It’s rare to not have access to a wall outlet when needed, and USB-C power banks already line the bags of many tech-savvy travellers. Just about every device balances a combination of power, portability and battery life. The ROG Ally is no exception.
Gaming
My gaming habits are eclectic, to say the least. Between playing the biggest releases like Mario and Spider-Man, I also enjoy playing smaller experiences that drive creativity through gameplay and storytelling. To reflect this, I played a range of games with varying hardware requirements to put the Ally through its paces.
Tapping into my Xbox Game Pass subscription, both Forza Horizon 5 and the recent Hitman trilogy ran well on the portable device. Although I’d normally play Hitman on a TV due to the many visual cues you need to process at any given moment, it demonstrated the hardware’s capacity for big games. Even slightly older games like The Witcher 3 still demand reasonable power levels, which the Ally met without trouble. Firing up the Epic Games launcher, I also easily ran Fortnite at better graphic settings and frame rates than the Nintendo Switch.
Even with such power in a portable form factor, it was the far more understated Dave the Diver that captured my attention the most. A 2D underwater exploration game mixed with a sushi restaurant management sim, it was perfectly suited for the handheld format. Although it’s now on Nintendo Switch too, Dave the Diver launched on Steam well before any other platform. PC games generally cost less than those on console, so a combination of value and availability is a benefit that offsets the higher up-front investment of PC hardware over time.
In a cheeky bid to trip up the Ally, I also attempted to play Returnal, a PC port of a visually spectacular PlayStation 5 game that’s notoriously demanding to run. Try as I might, no combination of settings or power modes succeeded in running Returnal for more than a few seconds before crashing each time. So, the ROG Ally can’t run everything, but it does a mighty fine job at nearly everything else.
Benchmarks
In an attempt to quantify the ROG Ally’s performance, I ran several synthetic benchmark tests in addition to a couple of in-game benchmarks. I struggled initially to get some of the tests running properly, likely because they’re aimed at conventional PC and laptop hardware (and Windows 11 on the Ally being tricky to navigate), but I eventually obtained some interesting results.
3DMark
Device
Time Spy score
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen 8)
13,796
Asus TUF A16
9196
Asus ROG Ally (30W)
3198
Asus ROG Ally (25W)
2972
Asus ROG Ally (15W)
2565
Lenovo Yoga 9i
1655
Asus ROG Ally (10W)
1379
Geekbench
Device
CPU (single-core)
CPU (multi-core)
GPU (Open CL)
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen 8)
2870
17089
158787
Asus TUF A16
1986
9632
69434
Asus ROG Ally (30W)
2543
12181
31924
Based on tests using 3DMark and Geekbench, the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip housed in the ROG Ally packs a punch. Its CPU performance compares favourably to other laptops and the graphics outperform more expensive devices without a dedicated GPU, like the Lenovo Yoga 9i. As expected, laptops with discrete graphics cards, like the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and Asus TUF A16, comfortably record higher benchmark numbers.
It also shows the tangible difference between the Ally’s power modes. I found that CPU performance remained consistent but the GPU figures varied noticeably at different wattage levels.
Forza Horizon 5 benchmark
Asus ROG Ally power setting
Graphics preset
Average frame rate (fps)
30W
Extreme
31
15W
Extreme
21
30W
Low
82
15W
Low
48
Hitman Dartmoor benchmark (Ultra settings)
Asus ROG Ally power setting
Average frame rate (fps)
30W (FSR 2 Performance enabled)
51.36
30W
40.2
15W
33.79
Although a relatively small sample size due to time constraints, these figures show the ROG Ally punching out reasonable frame rates across different settings and power levels. Visual fidelity isn’t as noticeable on a smaller display, so you could easily hit playable frame rates by turning down some of the in-game graphical settings.
As shown with the Hitman benchmarks, you can also benefit from AMD’s upscaling technology. Games optimised for AMD hardware contain a setting called FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). It renders the visuals at a lower resolution before upscaling it to the target output, boosting performance at the same power level. Not every game supports FSR, so Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) is another option that operates at a system level to achieve a similar outcome.
Who is the Asus ROG Ally for?
In the absence of an official Steam Deck release in Australia, I love that the ROG Ally lets me access my extensive PC library away from the desk. I don’t love Windows 11 on a portable gaming device, but the Armoury Crate SE software mitigated most of my frustrations.
Over the past six years, my Nintendo Switch has been my go-to device for on-the-go gaming, but a handheld gaming PC like the Ally could well replace it, pending what eventuates as the Switch’s successor. Granted, the Ally is roughly triple the original Switch’s price but its versatility in playing more powerful games across a range of different launchers is a strong benefit.
Where I see the greatest demand for the ROG Ally is among gaming enthusiasts who don’t want to spend thousands of dollars to play PC games. Most of the PC games I want to play don’t need bleeding-edge hardware. I could get a reasonable productivity laptop and an Ally for less money than many of the gaming laptops available. That said, if you need a laptop also capable of gaming, consider the TUF A16, which regularly sells for less than $2,000.
Made for people willing to navigate and optimise PC settings, the ROG Ally rewards your patience with impressive performance in a convenient form factor.
Asus ROG Ally
A powerful handheld gaming PC, the ROG Ally capably fills the Steam Deck-shaped hole in Australia. If it had a dedicated OS instead of Windows 11, it'd be even better.
Launched today, the BLUETTI EP760 storage solution is a 7600W home backup power system offering a flexible capacity of up to 19.8kWh for better energy management at home. This cutting-edge product is designed to help keep your entire home bright, even during sudden power outages, and most importantly, without paying high energy bills.
Slash your electricity bills
The BLUETTI EP760 is built to significantly reduce electricity bills, making it a beneficial investment for homeowners. This home energy storage system is compatible with various photovoltaic panels and supports efficient solar energy storage at a maximum rate of 9000W. The stored solar power can be used at night or as a reliable backup during unexpected power outages.
As the EP760 system is certified for grid connection, any excess solar power can be sold back to the grid for additional income.
Even without solar panels, the EP760 offers an intelligent peak load shifting feature that enables homeowners to charge the system when grid electricity is cheap and discharge it during peak hours, reducing overall energy costs.
Tailor-made capacity for your needs
Featuring a 7600W pure sine wave output, the BLUETTI EP760 storage solution could power all household appliances from refrigerators to power tools, and even electric vehicles. The modular design of the EP760 also makes it easy to transport and install.
The EP760 allows homeowners to customise their energy storage capacity to meet their specific needs. By pairing the EP760 with two to four B500 battery packs, users can create an energy storage system ranging from 9920Wh to a staggering maximum of 19,840Wh. This impressive capacity could store more, free solar-generated power to run homes at night or during extended power cuts.
Uninterrupted protection against blackouts
With hotter, drier weather already evident as a result of the current El Niño weather pattern, Australia is expecting more bushfires and associated power failures. As an uninterrupted power source, the EP760 can prepare for any potential power outage. With a responsive UPS feature, it switches over in 10ms to provide power to critical loads. The EP760 keeps the house cool, the food in the fridge fresh and everything running smoothly.
Wide applicability anywhere
Pending CEC certification, the EP760 is designed to be installed safely and adapt to different environments. Featuring an IP65 rating for water and dust resistance and operating at less than 50 decibels, this energy storage system can be easily installed in homes, cabins, sheds, and other spaces. Its compact design allows for vertical stacking on the floor, saving valuable space. Furthermore, the EP760’s internal self-heating function ensures smooth operation even in cold temperatures as low as 20°C, making it suitable for use in frigid regions.
Safe and resilient for years to come
BLUETTI puts the safety and peace of mind of its customers first. Its EP760 is equipped with highly reliable lithium iron phosphate batteries, known for their durability and an impressive lifespan of 3500 cycles, equivalent to a solid decade of use. To further instill confidence, BLUETTI offers a generous 10-year warranty, local service, and maintenance teams, ensuring customers enjoy hassle-free operation and support.
Availability and price
A basic EP760 system (EP760 with two B500s) will cost $9599, including GST and excluding shipping for the first ten days following 25 October. Customers can also experience and purchase it with massive savings at BLUETTI’s booth # JJ139 at the All Energy exhibition in Melbourne on 25-26 October. Don’t miss this opportunity to get the future of home energy storage and revolutionise your energy consumption.
