Kenny's top computing deals from Comex 2023

Here are the deals I saw at Comex 2023. Don't go down without reading this first!
#comex2023 #notebooks #networking

By Kenny Yeo - 2 Sep 2023

Note: This feature was first published on 31 August 2023.

Comex 2023 is here and it's happening right now at Suntec Convention Centre levels 3 and 4. With so much happening, it can be hard to suss out great deals. But fear not, because I went down to have a look-see and here are the deals that I think you should check out if you are looking for a new notebook or networking gear for the home.

Don't forget to catch all of our Comex 2023 coverage at our Tech Show Portal where you'll also have access to full brochure listings, product reviews, features, and more.

Acer Aspire 3

The Acer Aspire 3 was one of the most affordable notebooks I saw at the show. It features a 14-inch FHD display and is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 R5-7520U processor with 8GB of memory and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. It's going for just S$648 (U.P. S$1098).

You can find it at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

Aorus 15

If you are looking for a 15-inch gaming notebook, go check out the Aorus 15. It features a 15.6-inch QHD display with a high refresh rate of 165Hz, an Intel Core i7-13700H processor, 16GB of memory, 1TB SSD, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8GB graphics for S$2,498 (U.P. S$2,698). If you need more performance, there's a version that comes with the more powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 8GB graphics for S$2,699 (U.P. S$2,998).

You can find the Aorus 15 at the Dynacore booth (8119) on Level 4.

Apple MacBook Air M2

The Apple MacBook Air is the best notebook for most people. It's thin, light, and powerful. For regular everyday tasks like browsing the web, watching shows, answering emails, light gaming, and light content-editing, few notebooks are better than it. You can get the latest version with the M2 chip with prices starting at S$1,535 (U.P. S$1,599).

Read our review of the Apple MacBook Air M2 here.

You can find the Apple MacBook Air at the Challenger booth at Level 3.

ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED

If you are looking for a notebook with an OLED display, be sure to check out the ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED. It's available with an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U processor or an Intel Core i7-1360P processor. Regardless of which processor you pick, it'll come with a 14-inch 2.8K OLED display, 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD. Both variants also weigh the same at 1.39kg. The AMD model is S$1,688 (U.P. S$1,849) while the Intel model is S$1,948. Every purchase will come with a free notebook sleeve and antivirus software.

Read our review of the ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED here.

You can find the ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

ASUS RT-AX89X

One of the best high-end networking routers at the show is the ASUS RT-AX89X. This is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 AX6000 router, which means it can serve up speeds of up to 1,148Mbps on its 2.4GHz network and 4,804Mbps on its 5GHz network. It also has a ton of LAN ports. Apart from the usual Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, it also has two 10Gbps ports – one Base-T and another SFP+ – and a staggering eight Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports. It's going for S$599 (U.P. S$799).

Read our review of the ASUS RT-AX89X router here.

You can find the ASUS RT-AX89X router at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

HP Pavilion 15

Readers shopping for an affordable 15-inch notebook should check out the HP Pavilion 15. There are two models available – one with an AMD chip and another with Intel. The AMD version is powered by the Ryzen 7 7730U chip and comes with 16GB of memory and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. The Intel version is powered by the Core i7-1355U chip and also comes with 16GB of memory, but it has a larger 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD and discrete graphics in the form of NVIDIA's GeForce MX550. The AMD version is S$1,099 (U.P. S$1,299) while the Intel version is S$1,469 (U.P. S$1,649).

You can find the HP Pavilion 15 at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

Kloxia Exceria Plus G2

Looking for a mid-range SSD to power your gaming system? Check out the Kloxia Exceria Plus G2. It comes in the standard M.2 2280 form factor and the 2TB version offers sequential read and write speeds of 3,400MB/s and 3,200MB/s respectively. It's going for S$178 while the smaller 1TB version is going for S$89. Every purchase will come with a free external M.2 SSD enclosure for easy cloning.

You can find the Kloxia Exceria Plus G2 at Booth 8522 on Level 4.

Lenovo Duet 5

Can't quite stomach the price of a Surface Pro 9? Check out the Lenovo Duet 5. This is a 2-in-1 ultraportable notebook with a 12.4-inch 2.5K display, Core i7-1355U processor, 16GB memory, and 512GB SSD. The tablet alone weighs just 839g and with the keyboard, it's still only a mere 1.2kg. It's going for S$1,799 (U.P. S$1,999) and comes with a free Lenovo Folio keyboard and Lenovo Digital Pen 3.

You can find the Lenovo Duet 5 at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Microsoft's Surface Pro 9 is arguably the best 2-in-1 ultraportable notebook you can buy. It's thin, light, and has a fantastic display, and the writing experience is great. You can get the Core i5 version with 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage for S$1,649 (U.P. S$1,939). All purchases of the Surface Pro 9 will come with a free Type Cover.

Read our review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 here.

You can find the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

MSI Prestige 14

The MSI Prestige 14 is a 14-inch ultraportable notebook with an FHD IPS display, Intel Core i5-13500H processor, 16GB of memory, and 512GB SSD. It also has two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and it supports Wi-Fi 6E. It's going for S$1,699 and comes with a free MSI notebook sleeve.

You can find the MSI Prestige 14 at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

Netgear Orbi RBK853

Those looking for a high-end mesh networking system should take a look at the Netgear Orbi RBK853. This is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 system that delivers speeds of up to 1,200Mbps on its 2.4GHz and 2,400Mbps on each of its two 5GHz networks, with one of the 5GHz networks dedicated to backhaul communications for fast mesh performance. A pack of three is going for S$1,699 (U.P. S$1,799) and will come with free on-site installation.

You can find the Netgear Orbi RBK853 at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

Razer Blade 14

The Razer Blade 14 has a 14-inch QHD display with a high refresh rate of 165Hz and is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX chip with 16GB of memory and 1TB SSD. It also features powerful graphics in the form of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3080Ti with 16GB of memory. It's going for S$2,513.

Read our review of the Razer Blade 14 here.

You can find the Razer Blade 14 at the Dynacore booth (8119) on Level 4.

Samsung SSD 990 Pro

Samsung's excellent 990 Pro SSD is now available with a heatsink. Maximum sequential read and write speeds are 7,450MB/s and 6,900MB/s respectively. It can also attain maximum random read and write IOPs of up to 1,000k. The heatsink version is better at sustaining peak performance. The 1TB version is S$149 while the 2TB version is $259. Every purchase of an SSD over 1TB will come with a free 64GB Samsung USB Type-C flash drive.

Read our review of the Samsung 990 Pro SSD here.

You can find the Samsung 990 Pro SSD at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

Seagate One Touch SSD

The Seagate One Touch SSD is a compact portable SSD that's small enough to slip into pockets. It connects over USB-C and can deliver transfer speeds of up to 1,030MB/s. It works with Windows PCs, Macs, and Chrome OS systems. The 1TB version is going for S$109 while the 2TB version is S$189. All purchases will come with a free 3-year data recovery service.

You can find the Seagate One Touch SSD at the 12Buy.sg booth (8523) on Level 4.

TP-Link Deco X20-4G

The TP-Link Deco X20-4G is one of the most affordable mesh networking systems at the show. This is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router that can deliver speeds of up to 574Mbps on its 2.4GHz network and 1,200Mbps on its 5GHz network. This model also supports 4G, so you can insert a nano SIM card and connect to the internet over 4G. A single pack is going for S$159 (U.P. S$269).

You can find the TP-Link Deco X20-4G at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

WD My Passport SSD

Are you looking for speedy portable external storage solutions? Check out WD's My Passport SSD. It supports the USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard and can deliver read and write speeds of up to 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s respectively. They are available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB versions and are priced at S$88 (U.P S$189), S$119 (U.P S$329), and S$199 (U.P S$599) respectively. All purchases will come with a free pouch.

You can find the WD My Passport SSD at the Challenger booth on Level 3.

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