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If you've kept your eye on Computex in previous years, this year might have felt as peculiar to you as it did to me. There was, of course, as much in the way of AI as we were expecting, but in addition to that, some of the nominally gaming-oriented products seemed a little... non-gamer-y.
There are likely many reasons for this, but one thing that dawned on me partway through the computing expo was just how big a role Apple has probably played in this.
The laptops we've seen containing Nvidia's new RTX Spark chip are good examples. In design, they all look to be very slim, very sleek; very MacBook. That's also true for the MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+, the new Microsoft Surface, of course (that one's not a surprise), and the initial RTX Spark machines from Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. No doubt further RTX Spark laptops will follow suit, too.
There are obvious parallels to be drawn with the RTX Spark chip itself, given it's Arm-based, but that's a more complicated story for another time.
Amongst other 'we're not Apple, honest!' designs, probably the most blatantly Apple design I've seen from Computex (and I actually like the look of this, to be clear) is a new keyboard from Keychron. No, not the carbon fiber one, the low-profile one with magnetic switches that looks very much like an Apple Magic keyboard.
Another is the Framework 13 Pro. This isn't a new-for-Computex thing specifically, but it was on show at Computex—much to our Dave's delight, as he got to try it out and was impressed with it. It's been explicitly referred to as the "MacBook Pro for Linux users".
It won't have been inspired by the Neo, but MacBooks in general? You bet. Dave explains: "Everything about that Apple-baiting tagline makes even more sense now I've got to touch the device and talk about exactly what Patel means by it."
We can't forget the Apple MacBook Neo, though, even though it's very recent. Apple's latest MacBook will probably influence things massively moving forward, and it seems to have already started to do so.
The MacBook Neo entered the market right when prices for much other tech were skyrocketing, and it set itself apart by offering decent performance for day-to-day tasks with a typically smart Apple design, all for a low price tag. Well, low for Apple, that is, and to be honest, pretty low in general, too.
Market conditions and its value proposition had it quickly selling more than Apple had really prepared for. It's had people running to overclock it in the most outrageous of ways, and even though it's only running an iPhone chip, it's mighty capable at day-to-day tasks in native apps. In fact, we've just heard reports that Apple is doubling production of the Neo to help deal with people's insatiable demand. It's a bit of a gem in a quagmire of a market if you're on a budget.
Now, obviously, I don't mean to imply that the Neo's gaming performance will inspire loads of PC gaming manufacturers. Not least because, as Ian discovered in his review, it's not really viable for gaming. But when it comes to design and hopefully pricing, I'd be surprised if we didn't see some influence.
One product which seems to have genuinely learnt the right lesson from the MacBook Neo is the new Dell XPS 13, which even matches the Neo on price if you're a student (and isn't loads more expensive if you're not). It's paired this price tag with a similarly MacBook-like sleek design. And this one might actually have some (light) gaming chops, especially if you get one of the Panther Lake versions that's said to be on the way, though this will presumably up the price.
The Neo's pricing really should be emphasised, because we can't forget that the reason people are emptying it off the shelves isn't just for that sleek Apple design: it's because it's so cheap. And as our Andy points out, that pricing factor is one thing that sadly seems to have been forgotten by many companies during this year's Computex.
Suave high-end hardware is nice and all, but seeing too much of it leaves a bitter taste, given the consumer market is as bad as it is right now.
There's been plenty else at Computex, of course, but it's hard not to see Apple's influence in different areas. Let's just hope the Neo's popularity encourages more companies than Dell to take inspiration from the Neo's price as much as its design.
1. Best gaming laptop: Razer Blade 16
2. Best gaming PC: HP Omen 35L
3. Best handheld gaming PC: Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS ed.
4. Best mini PC: Minisforum AtomMan G7 PT
5. Best VR headset: Meta Quest 3
