Category: Technology

The Alienware Area-51 desktop PC, a line of high-end gaming rigs dating back to 1998, has returned after several years out of the game. The company announced the new model at CES 2025, describing the resurrected Area-51 as “retaking the throne” as Alienware’s latest flagship gaming PC. But royalty doesn’t come cheap, as its launch configuration will cost around $4,500. (Cue spit take.)

The new Area-51 PC has a full-sized 80L tower with headroom for over 600W of dedicated graphics power and 280W for processing. It supports the latest NVIDIA graphics cards and an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU.

The rig uses a positive-pressure system with only intake fans; exhaust comes exclusively from passive airflow. That setup includes dual 140mm fans that blow air upward to the GPU, dual 180mm fans aimed laterally from the front toward the GPU, CPU and RAM and dual or triple 120mm fans pulling air in from the top for liquid cooling configurations. The greater internal pressure passively forces heated air out of the back.

Alienware says the new airflow system (in a build using the GeForce RTX 4090 and an Intel Core i9K processor) moves 25 percent more air, runs 13 percent cooler and is 45 percent quieter than the two previous Alienware Aurora desktops. The company says that leads to 50 percent more processing power.

You can open its chassis by unlocking a knob on the back of the tower. Alienware says there’s plenty of room to fit your hands and move upgrade parts in and out. Inside are QR codes linking to instructional videos, which likely do little more than save you a few seconds of searching YouTube. The collection includes guides on swapping out the RAM, GPU, SSD, and power supply, as well as maintenance issues like cleaning its fans and three removable / cleanable filters.

The Area-51 rig supports up to 64GB DDR5 XMP (2x 32GB) RAM at 6400 MT/s, 8TB of storage, and liquid cooling in 240mm and 360mm configurations (with a DIY upgrade path to 420mm). Configurations use a 1500W Platinum Rated ATX12VO or an 850W Gold Rated ATX12VO power supply.

The launch configuration, including a “next-gen NVIDIA GPU,” will cost around $4,500 when it arrives later in Q1 2025. Other builds will follow later, including a (unspecified) cheaper entry-level option.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/alienware-resurrects-its-area-51-desktop-pc-040024043.html?src=rss 

HP only has one all-new laptop in its Omen gaming line to show off at CES 2025, but it looks like a doozy because the company claims it’s the most powerful 16-inch notebook it has ever made.

The Omen Max 16 looks like HP took a standard Omen 16 (which is retaining the same design but getting refreshed with new components for 2025) and then crammed in as many high-end components as it could. This includes support for CPUs from both Intel and AMD with up to a Core Ultra 9 275HX or Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 along with a range of NVIDIA RTX 5000-series GPUs.

But the blazing specs don’t stop there, because the Max 16 can also be equipped with up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM (at 5,600 MT/s), PCIe Gen 5 SSDs and either OLED or IPS displays with 240Hz refresh rates. So there shouldn’t be many questions about this thing delivering a ton of speed. Connectivity also looks solid with two Thunderbolt 4 ports (with support for USB power delivery), two USB-A jacks, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio and HDMI 2.1.

But the features I like the most are some of the smaller touches HP added, like a new vapor chamber — the first ever on any Omen gaming laptop. Thanks to a new liquid Cryo compound, the Max 16 should have much improved thermal management, while the addition of reversible fans are designed to keep the inside of the laptop clean. HP’s thought process is that by occasionally spinning its fans backwards, the machine can blow out any dust stuck inside. This might not sound like a big deal, but let me ask, when was the last time you opened up your laptop and gave it a good cleaning? If you’re like most people, probably never.

Meanwhile, in case the Max 16’s RGB-lit keyboard doesn’t draw enough attention, there’s a new lightbar on the front of the system that pumps a ton of color. Alternatively, in a bit of company synergy, the laptop also has a built-in wireless receiver that allows it to connect to up to three different HyperX peripherals without the need for extra dongles or adapters. It’s not a game changer, but definitely nice if you already own a pair of late-model Cloud headphones.

Finally, in an attempt to get the most out of the Max 16’s beefy hardware, HP is adding Omen AI to its Gaming Hub app. Admittedly, shoehorning AI into everything is a bit of an overdone trend, but the idea seems solid as the company says it will use machine-learning to adjust settings in order to deliver optimal performance with the touch of a single toggle.

Unfortunately, due to embargo restrictions from one of HP’s hardware partners, I wasn’t allowed to game on the Omen Max 16 myself. However, the company is claiming increased framerates by 25 percent or more depending on the title. Sadly, this means I’ll have to reserve judgement on the system until I can get one in for more in-depth testing. But, at least on paper and from some of its clever new features, it feels like HP has an intriguing new flagship for anyone looking for big performance from a relatively portable gaming notebook.

HP has yet to announce official pricing for the Omen Max 16, though it is slated to go on sale sometime later this spring.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-hp-omen-max-16-is-its-most-powerful-gaming-laptop-yet-040025199.html?src=rss 

There’s so much AI-powered nonsense at CES that it’s kind of refreshing to see a very straightforward, classic gadget like the Swippitt. It’s a breadbox-sized hub that contains five battery packs that can fit into a a custom-made iPhone case. When the battery is in the case, it works like similar product, keeping your phone juiced up. The trick is that when the battery is empty, you pop your phone into the top of the box and it automatically removes the battery from the case and drops in a fresh one.

Keeping our phones charged up is definitely a problem, but it’s fair to ask whether Swippitt is an over-engineered (or possibly too expensive) solution. For $450 you get the Swippitt hub and five batteries, but you’ll also need to purchase a separate $120 case for your iPhone. The team is making cases for the iPhone 14, 15 and 16 series and is also working on ones for Samsung as well. If you’re intending this to be a family solution for multiple phones, things could get pricy fast.

That said, there’s something charming about having a little box that can just drop a fully-charged battery into your phone case in seconds. I wish you could see the inside and actually see the batteries change — maybe we’ll get a transparent model in the future. Naturally, there’s also an app that’ll let you check the status of all five batteries, whether they’re in the charger or out being used. Parents can even get alerts for when their kids’ phone drops below 15 percent.

Probably the biggest challenge for Swippitt is keeping up with phones as they get slight tweaks and revisions every year that change their dimensions — and, more importantly, their batteries. Phone batteries will surely keep getting larger and require more power to recharge, so Swippitt will have to stay on top of both case design and battery pack design. It feels like a lot to ask for a small start-up, but they’ve already contended with such changes — Apple’s addition of a dedicated camera button to the iPhone 16 series meant they had to quickly redesign the case.

As for availability, Swippitt says it’ll start shipping initial orders in April, but it expects it’ll take a few months from there to get fully up to speed. And while the $450 price tag is steep, Swippitt is offering 30 percent off initial orders in January, plus you can grab a $100 off early CES discount through January 17, which considerably changes the financial equation. If you’re hard on your phone’s batteries and want to keep it juiced up without ever really giving it a thought, that convenience might be worth the cost.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/the-swippit-hub-keeps-your-iphone-loaded-up-with-fresh-batteries-041320116.html?src=rss 

The original ROG Flow Z13 was always a bit of an odd machine. It felt like the strange lovechild between a Surface Pro and a traditional gaming laptop. But at CES 2025, ASUS is giving the tablet a much needed refresh that includes a massive performance boost thanks to the company’s updated XG Mobile graphics dock.

One of the biggest departures from the previous model is that this time instead of relying on a CPU/GPU solution from Intel and NVIDIA, ASUS is going with an all-AMD configuration. The ROG Flow Z13 features up to a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU with unified memory that tops out at a whopping 128GB (though ASUS’ spec sheet suggests it actually maxes out with 32GB of RAM). Also, by using a chip with an increased emphasis on power efficiency and combining that with a larger 70Whr battery (up from 56Whr), ASUS says the Z13 should deliver improved longevity of up to 10 hours on a charge. Meanwhile, the system remains rather svelte, weighing just 2.6 pounds and measuring just half an inch thick. This means it should be an excellent choice for portable gaming and productivity.

The Z13’s screen is also pretty impressive, because even though it’s not an OLED, its Nebula Display is powered by a vivid IPS panel with a 180Hz refresh rate, up to 500 nits of brightness and 100 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 spectrum. I also appreciate that even on a system this sleek, ASUS still found room for a full-size HDMI 2.1 jack in addition to two USB 4 ports, one USB-A, 3.5mm audio and even a microSD card reader.

Some other subtle updates include a redesigned keyboard with larger keycaps, a more durable PU leather cover and a much bigger touchpad. Inside, there’s also a new steel vapor chamber that ASUS says outperforms traditional copper variants, while the addition of a customizable Action Key on the side of the system makes it easy to adjust display settings or summon whatever app you want.

Of course, one of the coolest things about the Flow Z13’s adaptability is that when you want even better performance, you can connect it to ASUS’ ROG XG Mobile Dock, which has also gotten a major refresh for 2025. That’s because while it retains a similar design, it now supports up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 for a massive boost in graphics power. The other big change is that instead of relying on ASUS’ proprietary XG Mobile port to connect the two devices together, this time the dock uses Thunderbolt 5. The dock also has a wealth of connectivity options including both HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1 jacks, so you can use it as a hub when stationed at a desk. Finally, it’s also backwards compatible with the original Z13, so owners of the previous model have another way to extend the life of their machine.

Unfortunately, ASUS has yet to provide info regarding the ROG Flow Z13’s release date. However, we’re expecting the device to start at around $2,000 for a version with a Ryzen AI Max 390 chip or $2,200 when configured with a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU. Pricing for the XG Mobile dock is still to be determined, though with it sporting an RTX 5090, it will almost certainly cost a pretty penny.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-asus-rog-flow-z13-is-starting-to-make-more-sense-as-a-gaming-tablet-043027074.html?src=rss 

Anker announced a new wall charger at CES 2025 and this 140W model includes a nifty display for keeping track of various metrics. These data points include power usage per port, temperature and whether or not fast charging has been activated. The company has been popping displays on its larger chargers for a while now, but this is the first screen we’ve seen on something this small.

The screen even displays something Anker is calling an odometer, which measures lifetime usage in hours. The diminutive charger boasts a surprising number of ports, which is always useful. All told, there are three USB-C ports and a single USB-A port. The design also makes it less prone to falling and loosening when plugged in.

The Anker 3C1A supports multiple fast-charging options, including PD3.1 and UFCS, making it compatible with a wide range of devices. Could this be the mythical “one charger to rule them all?” That depends on pricing, and the company is remaining mum for now. We also don’t know when this thing will be available for purchase, though we’ll likely find out soon enough. 

The company also announced a new power bank with retractable cables. That’s a really neat idea, but a bit risky since cables can easily fail. Anker thought of this, as the device includes additional standard ports. This power bank also boasts a display, similar to the charger, and offers support for fast charging.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/ankers-new-140w-wall-charger-features-a-handy-display-030027019.html?src=rss 

Anker has a major presence at CES 2025, as the company has revealed a whole bunch of wild and wacky products. One such item is a newly-announced solar electric cooler, which is basically like a portable refrigerator/freezer combo.

The Anker Solix EverFrost cooler is available in three sizes, from 23L to 58L, and uses air-cooled refrigeration technology for “faster and precise cooling.” To that end, Anker promises that these units cool more than 20 percent faster than rival products and allow for accurate temperature regulation from -4 degrees to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

That’s right. The temperature range is vast enough to refrigerate and freeze items. The largest model even has two independent compartments to do both at once. That’s pretty handy. There could be one side for beverages and another side for those all-important ice cubes.

There are plenty of high-tech bells and whistles here. As stated before, this is a solar electric cooler. That means the detachable batteries can charge via an integrated 100W solar panel or by plugging into a standard power outlet. The batteries can also double as power banks for charging up smartphones and the like.

As for usage limits, Anker says these coolers can run for 52 hours with a single battery and up to 104 hours with two batteries. As you can see above, there’s room enough for a pair of batteries. There’s also a proprietary app that lets people keep track of battery life and internal temperature.

The EverFrost coolers include large six-inch wheels that can “overcome obstacles on rough terrain” and an IPX3 waterproof rating. However, portable solar-powered refrigeration doesn’t come cheap. Pricing starts at $700 for the smallest model and goes up to $1,000. The coolers will be available for purchase on February 21.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/ankers-everfrost-coolers-can-chill-or-freeze-food-using-only-solar-power-030028037.html?src=rss 

CES is known for putting the spotlight on wacky innovations and Eufy came prepared for this year’s event. The company just revealed its E20 robot vacuum, which can actually transform from a traditional robovac to a manually-controlled stick vac. This is the first time we’ve seen something like this. Some robovacs include additional stick vacuums, but do not transform into them.

The design seems simple. On the outside, it looks similar to competing robot vacuums from companies like Roomba. However, users can simply remove the vacuum module, which includes a motor and a filtration system, and pop it onto a stick attachment. It also comes with a handheld vacuum attachment, which works in a similar way. The company says transformations can be made “at any time without damage to the machine or sacrificing performance.” My bedroom rug, which is more cat hair than fiber at this point, would very much like to test that. 

It also includes some modern robovac accoutrements, like a base station that automatically empties debris. The company says the bin is large enough to handle 75 days of cleaning before requiring a manual trip to the garbage can. The vacuum ships with the company’s proprietary obstacle avoidance tech, which can identify and avoid items as small as 15mm. Did we mention it also transforms at will? Technological tomfoolery at its finest.

The battery life here seems on point, with Eufy claiming it’ll clean for three hours before needing to charge. To that end, it can fully charge in around two and a half hours. The E20 will be available on February 10 and will cost $550. That’s actually fairly budget-friendly when compared to some of the newer robovacs heading to market, and those don’t transform at all.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/eufys-new-robot-vacuum-can-transform-into-a-stick-vac-030042390.html?src=rss