The best things at Computex 2015

If you followed our day by day updates on Computex 2015, you'll know we caught up with loads of companies who all had on display their latest and upcoming products. Now that the dust has settled and the jetlag mostly dissipated, I wanted to give a more personal view on what I thought were the things that truly stood out – let me know if you agree or disagree! Be sure to check out the full coverage of Computex here for a better idea and more images of the products discussed: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
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A number of you responded positively to Cooler Master's new products that are banded together under its new slogan Make It Yours, which reflects a modular, upgradeable approach to a number of its product lines. I have to say I agree with the praise – it's a brave move for Cooler Master to make it such a company-wide approach, but one that I hope pays off and gives the company a stronger identity going forward.

The modular MasterCase series is particularly notable, and the ability to pick, use and upgrade only the parts you need is likely to appeal to a number of users – it will be interesting to see the combinations people come up with. The fact that you can upgrade from the entry level MasterCase 5 to the high-end MasterCase Maker 5 over time is pretty cool too. Let's hope the pricing for the core cases and the modular components isn't too steep.


I really didn't think I'd ever get very excited about a router, but the Synology RT1900ac proved me wrong. Sure, the specifications and features are strong, but it's the software that truly impresses. Most of us at one time or another have had to delve through router menus, and I'd wager that very few of us have ever found the experience easy or pleasant, especially when you want to start applying more complex tweaks to your network. Synology looks set to change that, however, with software that takes many cues from its excellent NAS operating system, DSM, which is in my opinion the best of its kind. Bringing the layout, usability, and flexibility of this OS to the world of routers is a brilliant idea and shows Synology really playing to its strengths.


Thermaltake had some cool cases and mods on display, but what I was most taken by were the new Riing fans, which have a circular ring fitted all around the inner edge of the casing. This is lit by a pair of LEDs, and the result is a very evenly lit circular pattern of light, which looks great installed in a case – much better than the four points of light typical of current LED fans.


Another simple but effective thing that I loved came from Ducky, which had on show its RGB backlit Shine 5 keyboard. While I'm sure this will be a great keyboard, it was the skyline spacebars that really drew my attention. It's a genius way of taking advantage of all that space – here's hoping there's a London one available soon!


If I had to give an award to the best booth, it would probably go to In-Win. That H-Tower concept case that it had on show was a real sight to behold and the talk of Taipei the whole time I was there. At the touch of a button, its panels open up in true Transformer style to reveal the innards. Practical? Not really. Eye-wateringly expensive? Undoubtedly. But bloody cool it certainly is. That's not all, as the rest of the cases were also impressive, with plenty of aluminium and tempered glass on display for all to admire. The best example is perhaps the 909, the full tower version of the 904 that comes with heaps of water-cooling support. I can't wait to get my hands on one.


Asus had some quality gear on show as always, but there was one thing that caught my eye in particular – the ROG 34in curved G-Sync panel. With its 3,440 x 1,440 resolution giving it an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio, this curved IPS panel simply looks stunning and is very immersive in games. Of course, with G-Sync as well, it's sure to deliver a phenomenal gaming experience.


I have my reservations about Corsair's Bulldog PC, especially aesthetically, but I can't deny that there's room in the market for living room 4K gaming, as while 4K TVs continue to sell more and more, the current crop of consoles are nowhere near powerful enough to run games at this resolution. The company is also playing to its strengths as a case manufacturer and by liquid cooling components to keep things running quietly. Just how quietly remains to be seen, but water is certainly a logical choice. I'm looking forward to seeing what Bulldog can do, and how it compares in size, noise and price compared to what you might be able to build if you went the fully custom route.


That's it from me – what do you think of my choices? Have I missed anything amazing? Let me know!