Computex 2026 is moving full steam ahead, like an AI train running down a track made of gold-plated DDR5 DIMMs. We’ve moved into the first full day of the trade show, and the announcements are really starting to fill in. You can catch our Day Zero coverage here and keep track of our dedicated Computex 2026 hub.
Arm PC chips are back in focus
Windows on Arm is not new; the first-generation Surface RT launched way back in 2012 with an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor. Since then, we’ve seen various other takes on Arm processors running on Windows, from the Surface Pro X with its Microsoft SQ1 SoC to a slew of laptops running Qualcomm’s PC-centric Snapdragon processors.
Now, we’re seeing an even more interest in the segment with Nvidia RTX Spark “Superchip” and the new Snapdragon C from Qualcomm. From all accounts, the RTX Spark targets the high end of the PC market with its 20-core Arm CPU, Blackwell RTX GPU, and 128GB of unified memory.
The Snapdragon C takes a different approach, instead aiming at the budget laptop segment. Laptops using Snapdragon C are expected to be priced as low as $300. However, that price point will be highly dependent on memory pricing, which remains a real pain point not only for OEMs, but also consumers looking to get the most bang for their computing buck. In fact, things have gotten so bad that even Intel has said that "something has to give” with memory prices.
- Nvidia's RTX Spark could capitalize where Qualcomm's Arm-based efforts have not
- Jensen Huang says Nvidia wants to 'reinvent the single most important tool of humanity' with RTX Spark
- Qualcomm aims the Snapdragon C laptop chip at the budget laptop segment, as manufacturers feel the DRAM squeeze
- Intel says 'something has to give' with memory prices
We get hands-on time with Asus’ latest hardware at Computex
Asus always has a large presence at Computex, and this year was no exception. The company had an extensive cast of new characters in the laptop field, with new Vivobooks, Zenbooks, Expertbooks, and Strix Scar gaming laptops. Of the new models introduced, the Zenbook 14 with an Intel processor and 14-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED display caught my attention.
Asus also had a rather cool-looking ROG 20th anniversary Harpe II Extreme Edition wireless mouse and the ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 mechanical keyboard. The devices are finished primarily in black, but feature 24-karat gold accents. The keyboard also includes transparent switches and keycaps. And we can’t get past its 3.5-pound heft, thanks to its all-metal chassis.
- Asus shows off updated Zenbook and Strix Scar laptops, along with a TUF-based Gaming desktop
- Hands-on with Asus’ ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 gaming mouse
- Hands-on with Asus’ ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 mechanical keyboard
PCIe 6.0 SSDs are on the horizon
A year ago at Computex 2025, we saw prototype PCIe 6.0 SSDs capable of 30+ GB/s speeds. This year, we’re slowly inching towards production-capable hardware, with Phison showing off its latest PCIe 6.0 SSD controller: the X3. The X3 is a 16-channel design that is capable of 28 GB/s sequential read/write speeds and 6.8 million random read/write IOPS.
According to Phison, the controller will begin sampling to customers by the end of 2026, with volume production starting in mid-2027.
Everything else
We can’t get into detail on everything we’ve seen so far at Computex in this wrap-up — we’ll let the individual news stories speak for themselves. Here’s everything else we’ve covered for Computex 2026 Day One:
- Noctua announces new thermal pad for AMD chips in partnership with Carbice
- Gigabyte debuts fourth-gen Tandem WOLED and multi-mode Mini LED gaming monitors
- Gigabyte showcases new Infinity products for its 40th anniversary
- Cooler Master shows off new HAF 500 chassis, aluminum fans, and new air coolers
- AMD ‘had to re-engineer’ the Ryzen 7 5800X3D for a re-release
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