ASUS ROG Press Event at Computex 2018 (6:30pm Taiwan, 10:30am UTC)

06:17AM EDT - ASUS' Press Event. For Those Who Dare, apparently. We've got some tasty news lined up, and we're coving the press event with a Live Blog.

06:18AM EDT - Going to start in about 10 minutes

06:18AM EDT - It's a busy event

06:20AM EDT - Today has been busy enough without power that I'm onto my second laptop for battery

06:21AM EDT - ASUS ROG events have had a recent habit of reserving the front rows for their sponsored eSports teams, so we're not at the front

06:21AM EDT - Hopefully the mobile data networks will hold with this many people here

06:21AM EDT - I bumped into this guy a bit earlier

06:23AM EDT - ASUS ROG events are usually very dark and very red. It's hard to focus on anything

06:25AM EDT - Engadget arriving late trying to get past everyone for seats at the front, despite the fact they are all taken

06:26AM EDT - ok there's the 10 minute bell

06:27AM EDT - I think this is the first Computex without Jonney Shih at the helm. We're expecting either Jerry Shen (CEO) or Kris Huang (ROG) to be on the stage

06:27AM EDT - Usually there's a flurry of announcements all in a short space of time too

06:28AM EDT - We were pre-briefed on a few, and the embargo on those will lift in an hour

06:28AM EDT - Although we were told there are a few surprises at the press event to watch out for

06:31AM EDT - 3 minute bell

06:32AM EDT - It is warm in here. Lots of bodies

06:36AM EDT - Cue dramatic music

06:36AM EDT - >Unce unce unce

06:37AM EDT - Starting video

06:38AM EDT - A very movie-like intro. 'In a world where legends aren't born...'

06:38AM EDT - 'Would you dare to make a difference?'

06:38AM EDT - >trope trope cliche

06:39AM EDT - >"He who dares wins Rodney"

06:39AM EDT - Host on the stage

06:40AM EDT - J+Jonney Shih to the stage

06:40AM EDT - In a very Jensun like Leather Jacket

06:41AM EDT - ROG was built to make a lineup of powerful gear to help you win

06:42AM EDT - Nearly three decades of superior products

06:42AM EDT - ROG is the essence of gaming

06:42AM EDT - Take pride in being the leader in this community

06:42AM EDT - passion and persistance into gaming reality

06:43AM EDT - fight for those who dare with the latest and greatest of ROG

06:43AM EDT - Time to get the party started

06:43AM EDT - Kris Huang to the stage

06:44AM EDT - ROG started 12 years ago

06:44AM EDT - since day one created the most innovative PC hardware

06:44AM EDT - this has never changed

06:44AM EDT - not doing just for the gaming hype - we believe we can change the status quo

06:44AM EDT - ROG AIO Coolers

06:45AM EDT - Better cooling and better aesthetic

06:45AM EDT - but our coolers solves the issue of reduced VRM temperature by adding a fan into the pump

06:46AM EDT - Ryujin and Ryuo

06:46AM EDT - OLED displays on both coolers

06:47AM EDT - 1.77-inch LiveDash Color OLED for system stats or custom animations

06:47AM EDT - Noctua fans on the cooler

06:47AM EDT - Ryuo is entry segment

06:47AM EDT - Same quality and panel as Ryujin

06:47AM EDT - Aura Sync

06:47AM EDT - Now PSU

06:48AM EDT - ROG Thor 1200W Platinum

06:48AM EDT - Handle thermals better than standard PSUs

06:48AM EDT - OLED display showing power consumption

06:49AM EDT - Aura Sync

06:49AM EDT - Next routers

06:49AM EDT - 802.11ax Wi-Gig

06:50AM EDT - 11 Gbps tri-band low latency

06:50AM EDT - it's line of sight though

06:50AM EDT - Supports multiple devices better

06:51AM EDT - 2.5 Gbit game port to PC

06:51AM EDT - Prioritization to game servers

06:51AM EDT - >I wonder who that 2.5G is made by

06:52AM EDT - VIdeo time. Showing eSports and fan events

06:53AM EDT - Derek Yu to the stage

06:53AM EDT - Last year at computex we create eSports - ROG Strix

06:54AM EDT - bringing the essentials of eSports to gamers

06:54AM EDT - New generation of laptops

06:54AM EDT - SCAR II for FPS, Hero II for MOBA

06:54AM EDT - Scar II was WASD caps, Hero II has QWER caps

06:55AM EDT - Updated to 2018

06:55AM EDT - This year updated the 120 Hz to 144 Hz with 3ms response time

06:56AM EDT - Invited an eSports player to the stage

06:57AM EDT - Giving experiential about moving to 144 Hz

06:58AM EDT - Also Range Boost for Wi-Fi

06:58AM EDT - Laptop gamers still use Wi-Fi a lot

06:58AM EDT - New version uses 4 antennas, not 2

06:59AM EDT - Aura Sync on laptops

07:00AM EDT - With mice and headset too

07:00AM EDT - 'Dim the lights and watch Aura Sync take center stage'

07:01AM EDT - New Gaming Headset, ROG Delta

07:01AM EDT - Quad DAC - ESS 9218

07:02AM EDT - Precision of audio

07:02AM EDT - HQ sound with high SNR up to 127 dBA

07:02AM EDT - >Assuming the laptop can output at 127 dBa

07:03AM EDT - >127 dBA is likely the SNR of the DAC spec sheet. I wonder if ASUS is just hiding behind that number... ?

07:03AM EDT - Type-C connector

07:03AM EDT - Works in all Type-C devices, like modern flagship smartphones

07:03AM EDT - Now discussing Gaming Phone

07:04AM EDT - Mobile Gaming has been top of the charts for smartphone apps

07:04AM EDT - Mobile gamign is $50b industry

07:04AM EDT - Have to address performance, visuals, and ergonomics

07:05AM EDT - Annnouncing ROG Phone

07:05AM EDT - The embargo on our news on this goes up in 30 mins or so

07:05AM EDT - Up to 8 GB DRAM, 512 GB storage

07:06AM EDT - >STORAGE, NOT ROM. When will Asian companies realise what ROM is ?!?!

07:06AM EDT - Qualcomm to the stage. Don McGuire

07:07AM EDT - More than 2b gamers around the world

07:07AM EDT - More revenue in mobile gaming than theatre

07:07AM EDT - Snapdragon 845

07:08AM EDT - Faster binned CPU. 2.96 GHz compared to 2.8 G standard for S845

07:08AM EDT - Lots of games optimized for snapdragon

07:09AM EDT - Gigabit X20 LTE modem

07:09AM EDT - 60 GHz Wi-Fi

07:10AM EDT - Vapor chamber

07:10AM EDT - >Because the SoC draws a lot of power for a phone

07:10AM EDT - Aeroactive cooler bundled with the smartphone

07:10AM EDT - Adds fan to rear of the phone

07:11AM EDT - Better sustained performance

07:11AM EDT - Goign over the top a little bit more

07:11AM EDT - Has a USB Type-C and 3.5mm jack on the cooler for charging and audio

07:12AM EDT - Gaming mode - no interruption, increased perf, frees up DRAM

07:14AM EDT - 90 Hz AMOLED with dedicated HDR image processor. 108% DCI-P3, 10000:1 contrast

07:15AM EDT - 1ms response time

07:15AM EDT - Highest AMOLED refresh rate

07:16AM EDT - Ultrasonic air triggers that act like shoulder buttons

07:16AM EDT - Can map onscreen controls to the air triggers

07:16AM EDT - Similar technology to HTC Squeeze but in controller locations

07:16AM EDT - Advanced vibration

07:16AM EDT - Haptic feedback is directional - shot from left and the left of the phone vibrates etc

07:17AM EDT - Working with Free Fire Battlegrounds

07:17AM EDT - Free Fire person to the stage

07:19AM EDT - Free Fire has 100m users already

07:19AM EDT - 230k Thai players at Garina World, a Free Fire convention

07:20AM EDT - "Playing Free Fire on the ROG Phone will be nothing like you have experienced before"

07:20AM EDT - >wat

07:22AM EDT - Landscape is important for games and eSports

07:22AM EDT - >What about muh Candy Crush

07:22AM EDT - eSports team to the stage now

07:23AM EDT - >These guys fulfilling their sponsorship requirements

07:23AM EDT - "This product is very amazing"

07:25AM EDT - It's exciting to unveil the exciting new phone

07:26AM EDT - >Still a few minutes to the news embargo, even though it's been on stage

07:28AM EDT - Mobile Desktop Dock for gaming at a desk with a monitor

07:28AM EDT - ASUS WiGig Dock

07:30AM EDT - Wi-Gig dock using 802.11ad

07:30AM EDT - Now a live demo

07:31AM EDT - Under 20ms response time

07:32AM EDT - Twin View Dock

07:34AM EDT - Some gamers play two games at the same time

07:34AM EDT - Also allows users to answer messages while playing, or dual screen gaming

07:35AM EDT - ROG is a high pressure brand to break the boundaries every generation

07:35AM EDT - product video for ROG Phone now

07:39AM EDT - Looks like that's a wrap. Our smartphone news can be found at https://www.anandtech.com/show/12853/asus-rog-goes-for-gaming-smartphones-rog-phone-with-speedbinned-snapdragon-845