 |
|
|
|||||
Maingear is one of the original boutique PC makers that popularized water-cooled rigs more than 20 years ago. However, after focusing more on air-cooled systems over the past few years, at CES 2025 the company is returning to its roots with two stunningly-crafted machines in the Apex Force and Apex Rush. Based on Phanteks NV9 case, the Apex Force is the unquestionable flagship in Maingears new 2025 lineup. It weighs upwards of 50 pounds and has pre-bent hardline tubes that have been angled 10 degrees to match the distinctive sloped design of its enclosure. It boasts not one but two separate cooling loops for its CPU and GPU with massive dual 420mm radiators, three 140mm fans plus another 65mm intake on the bottom to push all that hot air out. But what I appreciate the most are some of the signature touches Maingear included to make maintaining the system easier, even for someone who may have zero experience with liquid-cooled setups. The Apex Forces reservoir is entirely clear, which not only looks great but makes it easy to do a visual check on water levels. More importantly, Maingear installed two quick-disconnect fittings for the systems pump and drain ports, so in the event you need to change out water or perform a repair, you can empty the desktop without risking splashing liquid on sensitive components. And of course, almost all of the PCs components and even the color of its tubes, fittings and RGB lighting can be customized to your desire. The limit is pretty much the size of your budget. Meanwhile, for those who want something a bit more compact (though thats relative in this case), the Apex Rush represents a small step down to a rig based on a mid-tower case from Lian-Li (the O11 EVO RGB). Unlike the Apex Force, the Rush uses a single cooling loop thats augmented by seven 120mm fans (with optional RGB) meant to create a positive pressure environment to ensure optimal airflow while also keeping dust out. In fact, Maingear is so confident about its fan arrangement, it didnt bother to equip the Apex Rush with dust filters, claiming those would actually decrease thermal performance and cleanliness. And in a first for Maingear, this system can be configured with neoprene soft tubing with braided sleeves for anyone looking for an alternative to custom hard lines. But for me, what elevates the Apex Rush line even over the Force is that alongside the standard models, Maingear will also release three themed variants. Theres a Miami Vice-inspired model, one with cyberpunk stylings and my favorite, a lucky cat-inspired option. Each one features automotive-grade paintjobs littered with hand-drawn art and they are absolutely gorgeous. There are tons of subtle details such as pictures with various textures within the same illustration, multiple gamer-themed easter eggs, plenty of RGB lighting and matched tubing to fit each versions particular aesthetic. The custom Apex Rush rigs are truly works of art, though, as youd expect from heavily configurable systems, they wont come cheap. That said, Maingear has yet to reveal official pricing for both the Apex Force and Apex Rush lines. However, the company says that due to high expected demand, anyone interested in one of these PCs should try to snag a spot in line with a fully refundable $100 deposit when reservations officially go live today on Maingears website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-maingear-apex-force-and-apex-rush-might-be-the-most-beautiful-water-cooled-desktops-at-ces-2025-160050312.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Lenovo has made history with its new Yoga Slim 9i laptop, which has an under-display camera similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold phone. In other words, the 32-megapixel camera is situated beneath the screen where you cant see it, but it can capture video and images just fine. The Yoga Book 9i is also getting updated with a larger screen, an NPU and higher peak brightness. Having an under-display camera lets device manufacturers use thinner bezels. In the Yoga Slim 9is case, Lenovo was able to achieve what it calls a worlds first: a 98 percent screen-to-body-ratio on a laptop, which the company claims is a world-first. Plus, the 4K120 OLED touch display measures 14 inches. Its PureSight certification includes 100 percent sRGB and Adobe RGB support. Additionally, the Yoga Slim 9i has a peak brightness of 750 nits, and supports VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600. The Yoga Slim 9i is capable of handling AI tasks, thanks to an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and with a 48 trillion operations per second (TOPS) NPU. The 75WHr battery provides up to 17 hours of battery life. Graphics are handled by an uniform memory access Intel Arc GPU. The Yoga Slim 9i can come with 1TB of storage and 32GB of RAM, making it a portable workhorse of a laptop. As for ports, there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports besides the charging-only USB-C port. The latest Yoga Book 9i has also received several upgrades. The screen size has been increased from 13.3 inches to a full 14 inches, and the 400 nits brightness has been upped to 750 nits. The new model has a 94 percent screen-to-body-ratio, up a little over two percent from the prior generation. Plus, it now has AI capabilities thanks to new hardware. Finally, we can take a brief look at the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition, a convertible laptop. The 14-inch 2.8K120 screen supports multi-touch and has a peak brightness of 1100 nits. It also has Smart Modes that let users customize the settings quickly. At 2.91 pounds, its easy to carry around for work.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/lenovos-yoga-slim-9i-is-the-first-laptop-to-get-an-under-display-camera-160045339.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
The CES 2025 spotlight is firmly on electric vehicles on Tuesday, with the likes of Afeela (Sonys and Hondas joint venture) and others holding keynotes. Honda has its own dedicated keynote coming up and you can watch it right here. The automaker is continuing to showcase its 0 Series EVs after debuting two concept models at CES 2024. Next up is a look at two prototypes ahead of Honda starting to ship these vehicles in 2026. What to expect at Honda's CES 2025 press conference Last year, we got a look at two Honda 0 Series concept vehicles a sedan that the company called the Saloon and a minivan-style Space-Hub. Honda's mantra for 0 Series development is "thin, light and wise," and its CES 2025 keynote will focus on the latter. Honda says it will unveil the 0 Series operating system and automated driving tech, while spilling the beans about the SoC that will power the EVs. In addition, it will reveal details about an energy service that it will roll out alongside the 0 Series vehicles. The big draw of the keynote, however, will be the two prototype 0 Series EVs that Honda will show off. The company plans to start shipping those in 2026. A teaser image (above) indicates that it Honda has a sedan and a minivan or SUV ready to discuss. Watch the Honda CES 2025 livestream You can watch Honda's CES 2025 press conference live below. The stream will start Tuesday, January 7 at 1:30PM ET. Follow real-time CES updates on our liveblog For a recap of the Honda event as well as other news coming out of Las Vegas this week, check out our main CES 2025 liveblog.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/honda-ces-2025-keynote-watch-honda-reveal-its-0-series-ev-prototypes-live-here-160037969.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||