2022 Is already shaping up to be the year of the gamer, CES as a whole has shown the innovation and excitement that will shape 2022 as well as the years to come. I was fortunate to be invited to the curtain raiser as well as the even and there is just so much to share!
ROG Highlights:
2022 will feature an overhauled Zephyrus Duo 16, remodeled Zephyrus G14, Strix series, and brand-new Flow Z13 gaming tablet. While I personally have never been a fan of the Flow Model, my mind set is slowly starting to be changed that this really could be something special.
What is new:
2022 will bring not just in ROG but many vendors, brand new technologies from Intel, AMD and Nvidia. Firstly we will see the introduction of 12th Gen Alder Lake into laptop units which boast in some cases almost a 50% increase on performance over the previous 11th Gen models. I have stated my excitement on the 12th Gen on Desktops, but slight concerns over the massive TDP’s. Its going to be interesting to see what Intel has done in order to secure the performance increase they have acquired while managing thermal output.
While there is still very little known about Ryzen 6000 Series processors, it is another thing we will see coming into laptop units. While the dynamic has been flipped a little bit in the last few years, AMD is continuing with the trend of introducing their new architecture into mobile first. What we do know is that the IGPU standards will be on a whole new level, Single core performance will see up to 11% increase on 5000 series also increasing multi-threaded performance by up to 28%. All of this is enveloped in the Zen 3+ 6nm architecture and I cant wait to get some benchmarks in.
While not new to the market, but definitely new to mobile, we will see the introduction of Nvidia GeForce 3080Ti and 3070Ti into mobile units. I am particularly excited to see what the 3080Ti will be able do compared to its massive desktop brother. Although the market was generally unsettled with the 3080Ti on a desktop, I believe it has the potential to bring a new era into gaming laptops in that it will be the most powerful GPU ever introduced into mobile gaming.
Experience in gaming has never been so important, but in this, balancing visual enjoyment and sharp colours with safety has been taken to a new level. We will see more variants in aspect ratios, higher refresh rates in higher resolution monitors, increased HDR standards all while lowering blue light emissions in smaller form factors. I feel a panel war brewing in 2022.
The new family members:
We will see the introduction of new ROG Strix SCAR and Strix G models coming in 2022
Below is taken from the ROG press release regarding the Strix SCAR and Strix G:
The brand-new ROG Strix SCAR is designed with esports enthusiasts in mind, powered by top-tier components, Windows 11 Pro, a high-refresh display, and ROG Intelligent Cooling™ with Liquid Metal Conductonaut Extreme. Sporting up to a 12th Gen Intel Core™ i9-12900H processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU at 150 W with Dynamic Boost, the Strix SCAR is designed for high-refresh gaming. A MUX Switch ensures top-tier GPU performance, PCIe® 4.0 x4 storage boosts lightning-fast load times, and DDR5 4800 MHz RAM provides plenty of memory for multitasking.
The Strix SCAR is available in 15-inch and 17-inch models, with the 15-inch offering three IPS-level display choices: QHD 240 Hz, Full HD 300 Hz, and QHD 165 Hz. The 17-inch SCAR offers QHD 240 Hz or Full HD 360 Hz. The Strix SCAR models all support Dolby Vision® HDR for full-spectrum visuals, together with Adaptive-Sync in the display, delivering stunning picture quality without tearing or stuttering. A 3 ms response time assures clear movement so gamers can make pixel-perfect decisions in frenetic firefights.
A larger trackpad ensures fine-grained control over precision movements when not using a traditional mouse. Sporty dot matrix styling, Aura Sync-compatible per-key RGB lighting on the keyboard and lightbar, and customizable armor caps ensure gamers can flex their own personal style.
The new ROG Strix G15 and G17 are powered by up to an AMD Ryzen™ 9 6900HX processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU at 150 W with Dynamic Boost for similarly high-end horsepower. The G15 offers Full HD 300 Hz and QHD 165 Hz display options, while the G17 offers Full HD 360 Hz and QHD 240 Hz for competitive gaming. All of the Strix G models support Dolby Vision. All displays come with 3 ms response times and Adaptive-Sync. The Strix G also comes in Eclipse Gray as well as two neon color choices, Volt Green and Electro Punk, which will stand out from the crowd.
All Strix models are equipped with a quad-speaker design and Dolby Atmos® spatial sound, which brings soundstages to life with immersive, crystal-clear, and lifelike realism in the heat of battle. Two-way AI Noise Cancelation filters out background noise for both ingoing and outgoing communications, so everyone’s voice comes through loud and clear.
In addition, Strix models come with a 90 Wh battery, plus 100W USB Type-C® charging for on-the-go usage. WiFi 6E and 2.5G LAN provide cutting-edge networking for minimal lag on both wired and compatible wireless networks.
Next will be the inclusion of the ROG Zephyrus G14 refresh, G15 and M16
The below is taken from the ROG Press Release regarding the G14, G15 and M16
The critically-acclaimed ROG Zephyrus G14 is a powerful gaming machine in a stylish, ultraportable form factor with a host of new improvements for 2022. The new G14 comes with Windows 11 onboard, an AMD Ryzen 9 Series processor and AMD Radeon RX 6000S Series mobile GPUs. The laptop also features a MUX Switch to deliver outstanding performance and the best possible framerates. ROG Intelligent Cooling with liquid metal and a custom vapor chamber ensures excellent sustained performance from these high-end components, while DDR5 RAM and a 1 TB PCIe SSD enable responsive multitasking across the system.
Designed to offer premium power in an ultraportable package, the sleek G14 is available in Eclipse Gray or Moonlight White, featuring a Prismatic Logo nameplate with a holographic, reflective hue that’s sure to turn heads. The lid is also covered with 14,969 precision CNC milled holes with 1,449 mini LEDs on models with the now-iconic AniMe Matrix™ display — that’s more LEDs than last year’s model, making for new animation possibilities that customize the look of the machine.
The G14 is also one of the first ROG laptops to feature ROG’s brand-new Nebula display, which offers 120 Hz at QHD with 500 nits of peak brightness, 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and a 3 ms response time — with Dolby Vision, Adaptive-Sync, and Pantone® validation for a stunning, color-accurate experience that minimizes stuttering and tearing. The display has been expanded to a 16:10 aspect ratio, which increases screen real estate without sacrificing portability, since its small bezels offer a 91% screen-to-body ratio.
Dolby Atmos, a 3D mic array with two-way AI Noise Cancelation, and blazing-fast WiFi 6E round out this portable powerhouse. The ROG Zephyrus G15 and M16 have also been refreshed with the latest hardware from AMD and NVIDIA, DDR5 RAM, and WiFi 6E.
- The monster is back in an all new ROG Zephyrus Duo 16
The below is taken from the ROG Press Release Regarding the Zephyrus Duo 16
The 2022 ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 reaches new heights of innovation in dual-display laptops. ROG’s ScreenPad Plus™ adds a secondary screen for extra productivity real estate, streaming gameplay, or even controlling supported games like Dying Light 2. The ScreenPad Plus rises up and slides back to meet the primary display as the laptop opens, thanks to a new 4-directional hinge. Compared to the previous generation, this closes the gap between the two displays, providing a nearly bezel-less experience for true immersion.
This Windows 11 machine is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU at 165 W with Dynamic Boost for high-end horsepower, bolstered by an upgraded Liquid Metal Conductonaut Extreme that decreases CPU temperatures by 15° C compared to traditional thermal pastes. The AAS Plus 2.0 air intake created by the raised secondary screen creates 30% more airflow above the fans, allowing these top-tier components to stay cool for better sustained performance in games and creative apps. A MUX Switch ensures gamers get every frame possible in competitive scenarios.
The Zephyrus Duo offers two groundbreaking panel choices for the main display, and supports Dolby Vision in both options. The first, new for 2022, is ROG Nebula HDR, which has all the specs of ROG’s standard Nebula Display but with 512 mini LED dimming zones, able to reach 1100 nits of peak brightness for stunning levels of contrast and color. This QHD, 16:10 panel boasts a refresh rate of 165 Hz and is VESA DisplayHDR™ 1000 certified with a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. For the ultimate HDR gaming and movie-watching experience, Nebula HDR is the display to beat.
The second, co-developed with BOE, is a brand-new ROG-exclusive display called a Dual Spec panel, which is able to switch between 4K 120 Hz and Full HD 240 Hz, allowing gamers to choose whether to prioritize resolution or framerate on a game-by-game or app-by-app basis. Pixel Acceleration Technology ensures lightning-fast upscaling in the Full HD mode for crystal clear images at competitive framerates.
This incredible device also comes with ROG’s NumberPad technology on the trackpad, a keyboard with 1.7 mm of travel and per-key RGB, six speakers with Dual Force-Cancelling Woofers, Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res audio, and two-way AI Noise Cancelation to round out ROG’s flagship for 2022. Despite this much tech and two displays, the 2022 Zephyrus Duo 16 has a smaller footprint than the previous generation, fitting a 16-inch display into a chassis traditionally sized for 15-inch laptops.
The Flow Z13 now takes the stage in a much anticipated launch
The below is taken from the ROG Press Release regarding the Z13, X13 and XG Mobile
The ROG Flow Z13 shrinks the compact Flow series even further with the world’s most powerful gaming tablet. With Windows 11, up to a 14-core Intel Core i9-12900H, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti laptop GPU, and 5200 MHz LPDDR5 memory, this tablet packs plenty of gaming horsepower in an ultrathin and light chassis. These specs are further bolstered by 1 TB of PCIe SSD storage, a MUX Switch, custom vapor chamber cooling, and fast charging via USB Type-C.
The Flow Z13 features two display options: a 4K 60 Hz display with 85% DCI-P3 coverage, or a Full HD 120 Hz screen with 100% sRGB coverage. Both displays are 16:10 with Corning® Gorilla® glass protection on the touch screen, Adaptive Sync, 500 nits of peak brightness, and Pantone validation for accurate colors. Both of the Flow Z13 models also feature Dolby Vision for incredible picture quality.
The Z13 can be played multiple ways, from traditional mouse (using the included screen cover keyboard) to touch input or gamepads. Since the tablet form factor includes all the powerful components behind the screen, rather than under the keyboard, the ROG Intelligent Cooling solution gets plenty of fresh air for high sustained performance.
The Flow Z13 sports a retro-futurist design inspired by the 20th-century Space Race, but encompassing ROG’s vision for the future of gaming: ultimate portability. A CNC-milled window on the rear of the chassis allows a look straight into the machine’s mainboard, and the chassis is covered in spacecraft-inspired machining. The built-in kickstand can be opened up to 170° for optimal usage in nearly any scenario.
ROG has also updated the Flow X13 with the latest AMD Ryzen 9 6000 Series CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU for 2022.
For extra gaming horsepower and I/O expansion, the Flow Z13 and X13 are both compatible with the XG Mobile family of external GPUs. They can connect to the 2021 XG Mobile with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, or this year’s new addition to the XG Mobile family, which includes an AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT GPU. With additional USB ports, DisplayPort and HDMI, and Ethernet, the XG Mobile is ready for anything.
Conclusion
We have alot to look forward to in the year 2022 and I believe gaming is about to be taken to new heights. I hope you enjoyed reading this article! I will put some of the configurations you can expect to see below:
