The top five affordable gadgets showcased at Computex 2025

Computex 2025 has just begun, and we’re in Taipei, keeping an eye on all the newest technology in the computing industry. Naturally, artificial intelligence is pervasive, and the overall trend is to build on the advancements in processing power, power efficiency, and next-generation NPUs over the past year.

AMD and Nvidia both unveiled new GPUs, the Radeon RX 9060 XT and GeForce RTX 5060 series, respectively, and Intel hinted at its upcoming “Panther Lake” processor series and some of the first gadgets to use the new chips.

Additionally, I handled each of the 2025 Acer laptop models firsthand. This is what was noteworthy.

But the focus isn’t limited to laptops and computers. We saw some interesting new gaming handhelds, a split keyboard from Asus, and the first of its kind from the computing behemoth, an affordable smart ring from Acer that competes with the more costly models.

1. . Nvidia’s latest GPU, the GeForce RTX 5060.

One of the announcements made by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during his keynote address was that the company will establish a presence in Taiwan with its new headquarters located in Beitou Shilin Science Park in Taipei. Perhaps more important to customers, however, was the introduction of the GeForce RTX 5060, the company’s most recent competitively priced GPU built on Nvidia’s Blackwell architecture.

Nvidia’s most recent move is to have all of Taiwan on its software.

The first 18-inch model in Asus’ robust, reasonably priced gaming lineup, the TUF A18, comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor and the new RTX 5060. At a competitive starting price of $1,599, it is equipped with a user-upgradable dual PCIe 4.0 SSD and a 2.5K, 240 Hz display, making it one of the more reasonably priced 18-inch gaming laptops available.

Featuring a 3K OLED display, an AMD Ryzen 9 AI 365, and Nvidia’s latest GPU, the Razer Blade 14 is the thinnest and lightest Razer Blade to date, measuring 0.62-inch. Razer’s strategy is to create a stylish office laptop that can double as a gaming laptop after hours, rather than the most powerful gaming laptop available, even with the more expensive hardware.

Nvidia’s keynote coincided with the announcement of the Razer Blade 14, which retailed for $2,699. The device was not on display at Computex.

2. . For gamers, the Asus ROG split keyboard.

The Asus ROG Falcata keyboard, designed for gamers, offers an intriguing idea: why eliminate the entire right side of the board when you only need the W, A, S, and D keys? We’ve seen a few split and ergonomic keyboards in the last year.

The new keyboard has magnetic switches, is fully wireless, and can be positioned to best suit your hands, just like any split board. According to Asus, the magnetic switches have a lifespan of 100 million keystrokes, making them incredibly responsive and satisfying.

I tested a mechanical keyboard, and it functions equally well for work and play.

In my opinion, the connector cable connecting the two pieces is a bit awkward, but I fail to see how it could be designed without a second Bluetooth connection. The Falcata will go on sale in the summer of 2025, though the price is not yet known.

3. Acer releases an affordable smart ring.

With a four-day battery life and seven sizes available in rose gold or black, the titanium smart ring offers the essential health metrics found in rival devices, including blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and, of course, sleep quality, without a ton of extra bells and whistles.

Also: After testing, I discovered the clear winner of the best smart rings.

More expensive smart rings, such as the Ultrahuman Ring Air or the Oura Ring 4, will always have a place in the market, but there is still plenty of space for more affordable models that cost around $200. In my opinion, I’m eager to test out Acer’s FreeSense smart ring when it becomes accessible in the summer of 2025.

4. Level up your gaming handhelds.

One of the greatest gaming handhelds we tested was MSI’s Claw 8 AI+, which was unveiled at CES this year. It had an 8-inch, 120 Hz display and an Intel Core Ultra 7 258B processor, which gave it exceptional battery life. MSI unveiled its next-generation handheld at Computex, the Claw A8, which features an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, a huge 80 Wh battery, and up to 24 GB of memory, which is marginally less than the 32 GB found in the Claw 8 AI+.

Aside from eschewing the neutral beige, the new Claw with the AMD chip also features more conventional gamer-oriented hues, such as a lime green that evokes the Game Boy Color of the early 2000s.

Also, after using MSI’s Windows PC handheld, I’m starting to question whether gaming laptops are really necessary.

Following AMD’s lead, the new Zotac Zone handheld boasts a 7-inch, 120 Hz AMOLED display with a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor and up to 32 GB of memory. Remarkably, it also functions on Linux, using what Zotac refers to as the “One Launcher” to centralize platforms, settings, and games.

Unique features of the handheld include a built-in front-facing camera and microphone for streaming or jumping on communications without a headset, as well as dual trackpads directly beneath the joysticks. There is currently no release date for this eagerly awaited handheld; it is still in development.

5. Intel is teasing its upcoming “Panther Lake” processors.

But Nvidia isn’t the only business with new hardware. Intel’s “Panther Lake,” a next-generation chip designed to enhance the high power efficiency of its Lunar Lake processors, is a response to the performance of its rivals.

With a focus on further enhancing power efficiency and performance, Intel showcased its new processors at Computex, positioning them as the next generation of Lunar Lake chips that will be available in consumer devices in early 2026.

With a new range of consumer productivity devices designed especially for Intel’s new chips, MSI is bringing some of the first laptops with Intel’s “Panther Lake” processors.

Additionally, Best Buy is giving $200 off to the first laptop to win our Editor’s Choice award.

With their 14- and 16-inch OLED screens, a range of color options, and a 24-hour battery life, these laptops are the thinnest MSI has ever produced, marking a new strategy for the manufacturer. Naturally, artificial intelligence is at the forefront. According to MSI, their chips are made for AI workloads, which will benefit from increased power and performance from the new Intel chips.

For now, MSI is only referring to them as “next-gen business and productivity laptops,” but more information should be available soon. They are expected to arrive in the US in early 2026 and have mid- to upper-mid range prices.