Geekgasm Alert! ASUS Open Platform’s initial 2017 offer is a DIY-ers Wet Dream!

Good-gravy, what a delight!

Earlier this year, ASUS, one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies, showcased their initial offering of components and peripherals for 2017 at the Marco Polo, Ortigas. Let me tell you, folks, it is a DIY-ers wet dream to sit in a room with all these awesome components!

The Open Platform division (Peripherals, Motherboards, Video Cards, Monitors – basically everything you need to build your dream rig from scratch) presented 14 motherboards, 2 gorgeous monitors, 2 gaming mice, and 1 monster of a gaming headset – that’s a total of almost 20 items showcased!

Hence, good-gravy! O_O

Let’s start with the bulk of the presentation: The Motherboards.

ASUS was first known because of their expertise in creating and crafting motherboards for various complete system setups before. If there’s one thing that the guys from ASUS know fully, it’s crafting their Mobos.

ASUS ensured that there’s a motherboard for even the most discerning of gamers and urban professionals.

Based on the latest Intel Z270 chipset and the new 7th Generation Intel Core processors, the ASUS Kaby Lake motherboards are packed with innovation and technology that ensures performance that will leave the competition in the dust. When we say that this is a DIY paradise, don’t just listen to us, we’ll let the features and innovations speak for itself! The new ROG Maximus IX family provides the best gaming audio with the use SupremeFX audio and gone are the days where you have to point a fan on your rig as both air and water-cooling features have been overhauled with new technology to provide extreme cooling power even under the hottest conditions. Over clocking has also been, shall we say, overclocked, as you can amp up your motherboard to give you even MORE speed and power. Upon using these brand new motherboards, as if you’ll even need more juice!

With the help of ASUS, DIY PC customization has never been easier. With parts covering all aspects of building a rig from the ground up, ASUS has empowered everyone to enjoy the benefits and accessibility of PC customization. Their latest ASUS Prime offerings feature 5-Way Optimization with Fan Xpert 4, SafeSlot core, and ultra-fast transfer speeds using up to two dual M.2 slots and USB3.1 connectivity. With their top engineers and enthusiasts working round the clock to deliver a product that resembles that quality that ASUS is known for, each motherboard is backed by a five-year warranty and features the world-renowned TUF military components, TUF Thermal Armor, Dust Shields, TUF Ice Temp processor, Thermal Radar 2+ and TUF Detective 2.

ASUS MONITORS: TO SEE THROUGH THE DRAGON’S EYE

2 Monitors that was showcased during the event was a widescreen curved model – the ASUS MX34VQ, and a gaming monitor with a whopping 240Hz refresh rate—the ASUS ROG PG258Q. The first (or one of the first) in the market if I’m not mistaken.

These monitors do not just look pretty, their display quality is off the hook as well! You can only really do so much with a monitor but ASUS is never one to shy away from a challenge and seeing these monitors in the flesh is just a testament to the quality design and engineering that ASUS has. The ASUS MX34VQ is a 34-inch curved monitor with a frameless 1800R curvature and a 3440 x 1440 ultra-wide QHD panel, allowing the users to be fully immersed in their gaming or media viewing experiences. Got a Qi enabled device? Then you can also wirelessly charge your device because the base pad of the monitor is also a Qi wireless charging pad! Then In addition, the MX34VQ features 8-watt stereo speakers incorporating Harman Kardon and ASUS SonicMaster audio technologies, ensuring quality audio that will make even audiophiles drool with envy.

But enough about the 34VQ Curved monitor for now, let’s talk a bit about the ASUS ROG PG258Q. Apart from the Full HD panel and built in Nvidia G-Sync technology, this baby has a seriously insane refresh rate of 240hz!!! What does that mean? Well in simple terms, the higher the refresh rate of the monitor, the less visual lag there is. This is indeed aimed towards professional gamers, where every millisecond counts during those highly intense moments. In addition, the PG258Q features ASUS GamePlus hotkey for in-game enhancements like a crosshair overlay, an onscreen timer, a frames per second (FPS) counter and a display-alignment function.

We also got a peek at a few of the other peripherals that ASUS has to offer – The ROG Centurion, Gladius II, and Strix Impact. The Centurion is their latest foray in the gaming headset segment, offering true 7.1-channel surround-sound through 10 individual neodymium-magnet drivers. It includes a noise-canceling digital microphone for clear communication, and a Hi-Fi-grade ESS headphone amplifier for crisp and detailed sound, allowing the users to hear every footstep, every shot, and every move you make while gaming. You can even choose to customize the headset, as there are two sets of interchangeable ear cups included, giving you maximum comfort.

The 2 new mice from ASUS will each cater to certain individuals and their playstyles. The Gladius II will give the FPS gamers an edge while the Strix Impact is geared towards MOBA gamers. Both mice are equipped with Aura Sync and durable 50-million click Omron^® switches, ensuring quality beyond any gaming mouse out there in the market. One good thing to note is that if you are looking for a budget gaming mouse that won’t break the bank, then the Strix Impact can be yours for only 1,750php! Talk about extreme gaming performance for cheap!

Aura Sync and #PoweredByAsus: Dream partnership for the DIY market

Closing out the customization segment is the Aura Sync technology, which allows users with different ASUS parts to sync all their components and light them up at the same time for that added oomph in their setup. As ridiculous as it may sound, this adds a depth of personality and uniqueness to each setup, giving the users the freedom to express their creativity through their rig and the accompanying peripherals. If you haven’t jumped into the “millions of colors” bandwagon, now is the perfect time to plop down that cash for those cool glowing components.

With their banner campaign called #PoweredByASUS, ASUS aims to synergize all of its DIY PC products under one banner. As the #1 motherboard, #1 graphics card, and #1 gaming monitor brand worldwide, it was about time to introduce a new DIY PC solution catered to all kinds of users and usage scenarios. This 2017, ASUS is proud to introduce its new lineup of exclusive partners for the Philippines: In Win for casing, Seagate for storage devices, Bitspower for water-cooling products, and G.Skill for memory modules – all of which to have or support the encompassing Aura Sync RGB Lighting Technology. The FireCuda line from Seagate is particularly interesting, as this is an HDD line specifically aimed towards gamers. Say goodbye to slow load times!

ASUS is primed for a milestone year, with new products coming in on all fronts, you can expect the market to soon be #PoweredByASUS. DIY has never been more accessible, with ASUS providing a one stop solution for all of the needs of a budding or experienced customizer, pimping your rig has never been so easy AND has never looked so good. If you’re as hyped as we are, then we suggest that you check out your nearest ASUS retailers for these awesome PC components that are sure to take your gaming and viewing experience to a whole new level. The Kaby Lake motherboards and the Monitors are now available nationwide, while the ROG peripherals will be available come March 2017. Check out the SRP prices for each component below: