PC gaming is taking on a rather interesting turn in terms of design, with the rise of handheld gaming devices. Valve’s Steam Deck fired the opening salvo, and soon the likes of ASUS, Lenovo, and now MSI have followed suit. While the big brands took their sweet time joining the bandwagon, other manufacturers have already been playing this game for quite some time and have even iterated over a few unusual designs. One of those happens to be arriving soon, with what could only be called the love child of the Nintendo Switch and the Microsoft Surface tablet, offering a single device for both work and play that stretches the definition of what “handheld” really means.
Designer: ONE-NETBOOK
To be even considered gaming-worthy, these handheld computers need to pack enough power to satisfy the greed of AAA titles. Of course, that power can also be used for other activities, but the design of a relatively small handset device isn’t exactly conducive to anything but gaming. You can, of course, connect the handheld PC to a dock and other peripherals, but you can only do that at home or in the office.
In order to satisfy the needs of both entertainment and productivity, the OneXPlayer X1 shatters a few conventions, especially when it comes to screen size. If you think the Lenovo Legion GO’s 8.8-inch screen is already massive, then you’re jaw will probably drop at this 10.95-inch 2.5K screen. That’s pretty much “netbook” size, which means it’s a little bit more comfortable to view documents and spreadsheets, especially when you have to type them out. Of course, that does also mean you have a larger view of your games, but it comes at the price of portability, though ONE-NETBOOK advertises the device will only be 789 grams thanks to the use of 6000 series aviation aluminum.
The OneXPlayer X1’s inspiration can clearly be seen from the detachable controls. Flanking the sides of the large tablet are removable controllers clearly inspired by the Switch Joy-cons. When it’s time to start typing, however, the keyboard cover, ala the Surface Pro, comes into play. While the laptop use case is a proven design, it remains to be seen whether the promise of lightweight handheld gaming will actually be delivered.
It’s interesting to see how the OneXPlayer X1 combines multiple designs gathered from computing history, from the canceled Razer Edge Pro to the unexpected Microsoft Surface Pro to the successful Nintendo Switch. Of course, simply combining successful designs doesn’t guarantee the same successful outcome, especially when that combination itself is still unproven and almost questionable. With an Intel Core Ultra processor and Intel’s ARC GPU, there might be some doubt as to its actual gaming chops. And with a price tag that starts at around $950 for the baseline specs, that’s too expensive a risk to take as well.
Back up your systems, store all your photos, run AI models, host websites, or even have your own free streaming service, the $500 ZimaCube gives you your personal (and secure) cloud server without those pesky monthly subscription fees.
Looking almost like a beefy CPU that sits on your desk, ZimaCube is a NAS (network-attached storage) device that brings cloud computing to your tabletop. Rather than relying on Google, Amazon, Microsoft, or Apple to store all your data remotely (where your data can be accessed by companies, advertisers, governments, or worse… hackers), ZimaCube is your own personal cloud server that stores all your data in the secure confines of your home or office, but still allows you to access it anywhere on the go. Powered by a 10-core 12th-gen Intel processor, the ZimaCube offers up to 64 GB of RAM and has 6 whopping HDD bays for storing up to 120 TB of data. This basically gives you a powerful cloud server that can take backups of all your devices, host websites, run your own personal streaming service using locally downloaded files (goodbye Netflix), or better still, run your own personal AI model or GPT by hooking up an external GPU. In a world plagued by governments snooping on private citizens, and by companies looking to make a quick buck by either charging you monthly fees to store your data or by selling them to advertisers, ZimaCube lets you take back ownership of your private information, whether it’s photos on your smartphone or all the work files on your laptop/desktop.
Designer: IceWhale Technology
Click Here to Buy Now: $499$699 ($200 off). Hurry, only 717/1000 left! Raised over $1 million.
At its core, the ZimaCube offers a massive storage capacity of up to 164 terabytes, with a unique 6+1 bay design accommodating a mix of six hard disk drives (HDDs) and four solid-state drives (SSDs). This blend ensures ample storage space for large files and speedy access to frequently used data, striking a balance between vast storage and fast performance. This makes it ideal for storing everything from important documents to extensive collections of digital assets like photos and videos, all securely in one place and accessible from anywhere.
ZimaCube provides a centralized hub of up to 164 TB for storing and cataloging all your project files, media assets, and documents. Its unique 6+1 bay design provides extra flexibility by offering HDD, SSHD, and SSD storage options.
Aside from storing backups of your selfies and videos (after all, the ZimaCube is capable of so much more), you additionally have the option of storing work files and data dumps, and directly editing them over the cloud instead of needing to download them to your device. Powering the ZimaCube is a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, ensuring efficient data management, particularly for tasks requiring substantial computing power like video editing. This is complemented by cutting-edge connectivity options, including Thunderbolt 4 and 2.5GbE networking ports, facilitating rapid data transfer and smooth workflow management. For professionals relying on demanding applications, the ZimaCube’s extensive storage capacity, robust processor, and advanced connectivity make it perfect for content creators and multimedia experts who require a reliable storage solution that can keep pace with their workload.
Files stored on the ZimaCube can be accessed through a multitude of ways, enabling storage, retrieval, sharing, and even collaboration. The ZimaOS provides a clean, intuitive way to manage your data, but it goes above and beyond by also being a one-stop management dashboard for your data stored on DropBox, Google Drive, etc. All your files find a home within the ZimaOS dashboard, so you don’t have to hunt across multiple accounts and devices to find files. The ‘ZSync’ feature synchronizes file versions across all devices (so any edits made to a file update everywhere), and automatic backups take the hassle out of remembering to manually backup all your data. Want to share data with team members, clients, and stakeholders? The ZimaCube’s PeerDrop feature allows you to share files with anyone through an encrypted gateway, bypassing the public cloud entirely. It also supports various tools like Nextcloud and Seafile, allowing you to share and collaborate on files with ease. You can create shared folders, set permissions, and even generate public links. This is a boon for remotely located teams and groups who need to work together on projects, regardless of their geographical locations.
Harness the desktop-class performance of NVIDIA® Quadro® and AMD Radeon™ Pro eGPUs for professional graphics output. With Thunderbolt 4, you can daisy chain up to six external RAID arrays together and get a jaw-dropping 1PB to your ZimaCube.
Going beyond just traditional data storage, you can even run your own private AI models directly on the ZimaCube. PCIe Gen 4 ports and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity allow you to hook up powerful external GPUs to host and run your own AI models like Stable Diffusion without splurging big bucks on a GPU farm or buying GPU credits online. Moreover, the folks behind the ZimaCube also boast the ability to privately run a GPT on your own data, allowing you to effectively ‘chat’ with your own documents to retrieve information, find files, and get an overview on lengthy run-downs without as much as opening them. The AI runs entirely locally and privately, with no data ever leaving your device.
All those technical capabilities sit in the ZimaCube’s black-box-esque design that’s crafted with a predominantly metal construction, providing robustness and efficient heat dissipation. It features a magnetic attachment system for the front-mounted panel and a durable design with multiple ventilation panels, crucial for maintaining optimal temperature. On the inside, modules plug in with LEGO-like configurability. The ZimaCube lets you customize your own server, adding modules such as a WiFi module, additional interfaces, high-speed drives, and even RAID arrays. It’s not just the hardware that’s customizable – with software options like ZimaOS, TrueNAS, and unRAID, and a community-driven range of apps and plugins, you’ve got digital flexibility too.
The ZimaCube presents two distinct variants tailored to different user needs: the Standard and Pro models. The Standard version is powered by the Intel Alder Lake-N100 processor, a competent choice for general storage and computing needs. It’s like a reliable sedan, efficient for daily tasks. On the other hand, the Pro model shifts gears with the robust 12th Gen i5-1235U core processor, akin to a sports car in the processor world, offering enhanced performance and handling more demanding tasks with ease. Both models champion significant storage capacity and connectivity options, but the Pro model stands out with its higher RAM support and processing power, making it suitable for power users who need that extra bit of computational muscle. The ZimaCube Standard starts at an early-bird price of $499 (VAT-free), while the Pro is similarly discounted with a $900 price tag (the HDDs need to be purchased separately). It ships globally with a 19V 220W power adapter, universal plugs to fit a variety of international power sockets, and a 1-year warranty.
Click Here to Buy Now: $499$699 ($200 off). Hurry, only 717/1000 left! Raised over $1 million.
Microsoft hasn’t had a lot of good fortune when it comes to its own hardware, at least outside of the Xbox consoles. Its first attempt at an iPod killer turned the Zune into a laughing stock, and its efforts to create its own mobile platform as well as adopt Android both ended up as market failures. Surprisingly, it struck gold with the Surface, particularly the Surface Pro line of 2-in-1 detachable tablet PCs that challenged the iPad and offered an even more versatile working experience on the go. That gave birth to a family of products ranging from computers to accessories and some hope that Microsoft has finally succeeded after all those years. Last week even saw the announcement of a new Surface Laptop Studio 2, but reception has been a little bit lukewarm and even doubtful of the future of these portable computers.
Designer: Microsoft
It’s not that the new Surface Laptop Studio 2 is terrible, just that it comes two years after the very first model. The Surface Laptop Studio definitely turned heads with its unique design in how it combined laptop and tablet forms in a way no other manufacturer has done before. It’s still a single piece of hardware, unlike the detachable Surface Pro, but part of its display detaches from the back and can be tilted at different angles, transforming the computer into a tablet or entertainment center. It practically combines the Surface Laptop and the larger Surface Studio to create a portable creativity powerhouse like no other.
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 upgrades that design from the inside, with newer options when it comes to specs. There are also some changes from the outside, like the addition of a full-sized USB-A port and a microSD card slot, but the overall form remains the same. It’s more of an incremental step forward, which might sound a bit disappointing considering how much time has passed between the two generations.
What has some Microsoft fans more concerned, however, is what the company wasn’t saying or showing during that event. The Surface Pro 10 was nowhere to be seen, which was strange considering it is the poster child for the brand. Even the smallest Surface got an upgrade, though the Surface Go 4’s middling specs and business-oriented rhetoric might make it less interesting for consumers. The Surface Laptop Go also arrives with a third-gen model, though this is also the less powerful version of Microsoft’s self-branded laptop.
Instead, Microsoft’s event seemed to focus more on its AI-powered Office features, which isn’t surprising considering how it’s a very hot topic and how Microsoft has invested heavily in this technology. But along with the departure of Panos Panay, considered to be the face of Microsoft Surface, there have been murmurs and doomsayings about the future of this product line. After all, the design of the Surface devices hasn’t change that much over the years, and, save for the Surface Laptop Studio, hasn’t seen much innovation either. It remains to be seen if Microsoft has lost its touch and, just like its previous hardware products, put the Surface to pasture soon.
