IT Show 2016 highlights
Happening now till March 13 at the Suntec Singapore, the first major tech show of the year, IT Show 2016 is the place to be at if you're looking for the latest tech products. After spending hours combing the show floors, let us tell you the best deals on offer in this article. Read it before you head down!
IT Show 2016 - It's time to buy, buy, buy!
Happening from March 10 to 13 at Suntec Singapore Levels 3, 4, and 6, IT Show is the place to be at if you want to fulfill your home entertainment, lifestyle electronics, office equipment, and travel technology shopping needs. Doors open from 11am for Level 3, and 12pm for Level 4 and 6 until 9pm each day; and as always, admission is free.
Other than going from booth to booth looking for deals, there are a lot of other activities you can take part in at the tech show, including checking out the latest gadgets at the Tech Showcase area, trying out some new games at the Gamex zone, and hearing from the exhibitors at the Level 4 stage area during Brand Time. You can also take part in the IT Show Babes Selfie Contest to stand a chance to win some very attractive prizes. And oh, if you've old laptops, tablets, smartphones, PCs (non-DIY), monitors, game consoles, and small TVs lying around, you might want to trade them in to help finance your IT Show spending. For more details on the various activities at IT Show 2016, check out this article.
IT Show 2016 shopping resources
For a one-stop gateway for all information, brochures and more, be sure to check the HardwareZone Tech Show Portal. Simply click on the banner below to get there!
Now without further ado, here are the hottest products and deals that caught our attention at the show floors.
Acer
The Acer Predator X34 is a 34-inch G-Sync monitor that boasts a 3,440 x 1,440-pixel IPS panel. A subtle curvature makes for an even more immersive experience, and the display features a top refresh rate of 100Hz. It is selling for $1,499, down from a list price of $1,699. The monitor comes with a free bundle comprising a Razer gaming mouse, USB, DisplayPort, and HDMI cables, and a 3-year on-site warranty.
The Acer Predator XB271HU is a 27-inch monitor that can output crisp, fluid images with almost no motion blur. Its speedy 4ms response time, 144Hz refresh rate, and NVIDIA G-Sync technology combine for a smooth gaming experience, while its 2,560 x 1,440 IPS panel ensures that images are exceedingly sharp. It is going for $1,199, down from a list price of $1,399. It comes with a free bundle comprising a Razer gaming mouse, USB, DisplayPort, and HDMI cables, and a 3-year on-site warranty.
The Acer Predator 15 is equipped with a sixth-generation Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, 16GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M graphics card. On the storage front, it boasts two 256GB SSDs in RAID 0 and a 2TB HDD for additional storage. You can get it at $3,498, down from a list price of $3,698, along with a free upgrade to a 3-year carry-in warranty.
The Acer Aspire V Nitro is a 15.6-inch gaming notebook that comes equipped with a sixth-generation Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics card. It can be yours for $1,798, down from a usual price of $1,998. Acer is throwing in a free upgrade to a 2-year carry-in warranty, in addition to a 3-year McAfee Internet Security subscription, a Razer gaming mouse, and a backpack and carrying case.
The Acer Aspire R13 is the company’s premium convertible notebook. This hybrid device is lightweight, weighing slightly over 1.5kg, but heavy on its features and capabilities. For a start, it is powered by a 6th generation Intel Core i5-6200U or i7-6500U CPU, with 8GB of DDR3 RAM. Its 13.3", touch-enabled, IPS LED display has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. For storage, it can feature up to a pair of 256GB SSDs, in RAID 0 configuration. It even has a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port with support for Thunderbolt 3 technology. Priced from $1,598, this device was actually launched late last year. Purchase it now and get to enjoy a free 1-year Office 365 Personal subscription service! There’s even a free Microsoft Designer Bluetooth mouse that is worth $45!
If you are looking the elusive 5th generation Intel Broadwell desktop CPU, look no further than the Acer Revo PC RL85. This pristine-looking mini PC is powered by an Intel Core i5-5200U CPU. The PC sports 4GB of system memory. It doesn’t have any discrete graphics so you have to depend solely on the on-die Intel HD Graphics 5500 graphics core of the Broadwell CPU. For storage, the mini PC boasts of two 1TB HDDs in RAID 1 configuration, which means you are only limited to 1TB of storage as the other HDD is a mirror. The Acer Revo PC RL85 is priced at $999, and you also get a free 23-inch monitor and anti-virus software.
The Acer Aspire V5-591G notebook features a 6th generation Intel Core i5-6700U CPU, with 8GB of DDR3 system memory. The notebook features a 15.6" full HD display and has a 1TB SSHD and an 8GB SSD. It can handle some casual gaming with its discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M graphics chipset. It operates Windows 10 OS and is priced at $1,498; it comes a 1-year Office 365 Personal subscription.
AC Ryan
Aftershock
The 15.6-inch Aftershock S-15 features a slim and light aluminum body for maximum portability. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M graphics card. Freebies include an upgrade to IC Diamond thermal paste for the CPU and GPU, a 120GB Samsung 850 EVO M.2 SSD, and professional color calibration for the display. It is going for $2,158, down from $2,472 usually. Aftershock is also including a free copy of Trend Micro Anti-Virus, an Aftershock gaming backpack, and Tom Clancy's The Division!
If you're looking for something more over-the-top, there's always the Aftershock Titan. It features a desktop-class Intel Core i7-6700K processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 graphics card, in addition to 16GB of DDR4 RAM. The 17.3-inch display has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, and you get a free upgrade to a 120GB Samsung 850 EVO M.2 SSD and IC Diamond thermal paste. It is going for $4,270, down from $4,840 usually. On top of that, you'll receive a free copy of Trend Micro Anti-Virus, Tom Clancy's The Division, and an Aftershock M5 gaming mouse.
The Aftershock W-15 is another enthusiast-oriented gaming laptop that aims to deliver close to desktop-grade performance. It is powered by an Intel Core i7-6700K desktop CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M graphics card, and 16GB of DDR4 RAM. Aftershock has included free upgrades to a 120GB Samsung 850 EVO M.2 SSD, a 1TB Hitachi HDD, a Killer Wireless-AC 1535 module, and a professional color calibration service. For $3,345 (U.P. $3,684), you'll also get an Aftershock backpack and Tom Clancy's The Division for free.
Alienware
The Alienware 13 is one of the most compact gaming notebooks out there. It features an Intel Core i7-6500U processor, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics card. Its 13.3-inch IPS display also has an anti-glare coating to cut down on reflections when you're out and about. It is selling for $1,999, down from a usual price of $2,199. You'll also get a free Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury gaming mouse and a one-year on-site warranty with accidental damage protection.
AOC
The 24-inch AOC G2460PF boasts a ultra-fast 1ms response time and a 144Hz refresh rate for a smooth gaming experience. To help matters along, it also supports FreeSync, AMD's variable refresh rate technology. Resolution is a little on the modest side though, and it utilizes a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel TN panel. It is selling for just $479, down from $549 usually. It is being bundled with free HDMI and DisplayPort cables, while stocks last.
The 27-inch AOC I2757FH features an ultra-thin bezel on three sides and a sleek brushed metal finish on the bottom border. It utilizes a 1080p IPS display for the best viewing angles, with a 5ms response time for minimal motion blur. It is going for $369, down from $459 usually. You can get it with a free HDMI cable, while stocks last.
Apple
Grab a 64 or 128GB Apple iPad Air 2 (starting at $828) from NuBox and get a free case, screen protector, USB fan, mobile stand and 20,000mAh powerbank (total value: $198).
Read our full review of the Apple iPad Air 2 here.
The iPad Pro is Apple's biggest tablet yet, and comes with a gorgeous 12.9-inch display. It's also the most powerful tablet Apple makes, but still retains a thin, lightweight build, making it the perfect portable movie watching machine, especially with its four powerful speakers. Pick one up from Epicenter (starting at S$1,188) and get a free case, home charger, cleaning kit, bluetooth speaker, 12,000mah power bank, iWorld lightning cable, LED desklight and screen protector.
Read our full review of the Apple iPad Pro here.
Armaggeddon
The Armaggeddon RGB Raptor MKA-11R has six macro-able buttons, and they are available with Blue, Brown, Black, or Red switches. This RGB LED mechanical keyboard comes in two colors – Black or White. It’s going at S$199 (U.P. S$249) at the Armaggeddon Booth found at Hall 603/604, Booth 6115.
Armorvisor
This Armorvisor brand is exclusive to IT Show 2016. From S$39 (U.P. S$49) you can almost certainly get a screen protector that suits your Android OS smartphone – they have pieces that fit the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, Xiaomi Mi Note, Oppo R7s, and more. Find them at the EpiLife booth (Level 4, Booth 8101).
Aston Martin Racing
Want to spice up your iPhone 6s or 6s Plus? Try this Aston Martin phone case on. It’s available from S$19 (U.P. $49) onwards at EpiLife (Level 4, Booth 8101).
ASUS
The 17.3-inch ASUS ROG G752 comes with an Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M graphics card. The 1080p IPS display supports NVIDIA G-Sync as well, so you can get a smooth and tear-free gaming experience. You can get it at $2,898, together with a free upgrade to a 2-year international warranty. ASUS is also throwing in freebies like a one-year anti-virus subscription, an ROG gaming headset, a mouse and backpack bundle, and a one-year data recovery protection plan.
The ASUS ROG GR8 is a supremely compact gaming desktop that has been outfitted with an Intel Core i7-4510U processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti graphics card. Not the latest components, but its $1,299 (U.P. $1,599) price tag is hard to beat. On top of that, you also get a free pair of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice tickets, a ASUS M801 mechanical keyboard, and an ROG Gladius optical mouse. There's even World of Warship in-game items thrown in, if you play the game.
The ASUS ROG GX700 might just be the definition of extravagance. It boasts an overclockable Intel Core i7-6820HK processor, a whopping 32GB of RAM, and a desktop-class NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 graphics card. It even comes with its own liquid-cooling dock for maximum overclocking performance, and there's almost nothing you could wish for that it doesn't have. Of course, it doesn't come cheap and will cost you a hefty $6,198. Freebies include a one-year anti-virus subscription, an ROG gaming mouse, Tom Clancy's The Division, and a one-year data recovery protection plan.
The ASUS ZenFone Max is built for battery life and boasts a huge 5,000mAh battery, which ASUS says can deliver up to 38 days of standby time. In fact, you can even use the phone as a makeshift powerbank and charge other devices with it! Get one at IT Show for S$249.
The ASUS ZenWatch 2 is one of the best value Android Wear smartwatches around. Available in 49 and 45mm case sizes, both versions will cost you just $229. Alternatively, opt for a metal strap for just $299.
Read our full review of the ASUS ZenWatch 2 here.
The ASUS ZenPad C 7.0 is one of the best value Android tablets you can buy. Powered by a quad-core Intel Atom x3-C3230 processor, the tablet has a 7-inch display and comes with 8GB internal storage with a microSD card slot letting you expand up to 64GB. Pick one up at IT show for just S$199 and get a free Aqua Blue ZenPad TriCover (worth $49).
Read our full review of the ASUS ZenPad C 7.0 here.
The ASUS ZenBook UX305UA-FB004T sports an entry-level 6th generation Intel mobile Core i7 CPU, the Core i7-6500U. It’s a dual-core chip with a base clock speed of 2.5GHz, and a Turbo Boost clock speed of 3.0GHz. Its 13.3” LED display features an IPS panel with a maximum resolution of 3200- by 1800 pixels. This ultraslim laptop has 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It weighs in at 1.3kg, and has a SRP of $1,898. Receive a pair of free movie passes to “The Divergent Series: Allegiant”, which is worth $25 when you purchase the device!
The VivoMini PC VM65N is one of the sleekest mini PCs on the market. This particular SKU was part of a trio of new VivoMini PCs that was launched in January this year. Powered by the 6th generation Intel Core i7-6200U processor, this mini PC boasts of an exclusive feature, the Vivo DualBay, where you can choose to install either a pair of 2.5-inch drives or a single 3.5-inch one. The show version of the VivoMini PC VM65N comes with one 2.5-inch, 1TB HDD, and 4GB of DDR4-2300MHz RAM. It also sports a discrete NVIDIA GeForce 930M graphics chipset, and operates on Windows 8.1. For $999, you take this VivoMini PC home but if you top up an additional $389, for a total of $1,388, you can also take home the ASUS MX239H 23-inch full HD LED display.
Launched in January this year, the ASUS Zen AiO Pro Z240ICGT-GJ120X is currently the only A-I-O desktop PC to feature a 23-inch, 4K display, with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. It features a 6th generation Intel Core i7-6700T processor (2.8GHz, 8MB cache), an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics card, and a whooping 32GB of DDR4 RAM. Therefore, ASUS is positioning the PC as a multi-tasking and home entertainment system. With its touch-enabled display, and its built-in Intel RealSense 3D camera, ASUS has added new ways for users to interact with this AIO PC. Priced at $3,198, did we mention that it comes in gold too?
For desktop warriors who are short on space, there’s the mini desktop ASUS K20CD-SG003T, it sports the same CPU and discrete graphics card as the M32CD-SG005T. It operates on Windows 10 Home (64-bit), sports 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and its lone storage option is a 2TB HDD. It retails for $1,298, and comes with a 1-year Office 365 Personal subscription service that is worth $98.
Check out our review of the ASUS RT-AC5300 router here.
Read our review of the ASUS RT-AC3200 router here.
Audio-Technica
Aztech
Belkin
Brother
Canon
Find out more about the EOS 750D here, and you can find out more about the EOS M3 here. You can also check out our Powershot G5X
Casio
Find out more about the FR100 here, and you can read up on the FR10 here.
Cooler Master
Read our news about the Cooler Master Trigger-Z mechanical keyboard here.
Creative
You can read more about Sound Blaster X7 here, and check out the Creative iRoar here.
Crucial
D-Link
Read our review of the D-Link DIR-880L here.
Dell
Epson
Fitbit
Fujifilm
Check out our X-T1 review here, and our hands-on with the XQ1 here.
Fuji Xerox
Garmin
Gigabyte
HGST
HP
Huawei
Read our full review of the Huawei Mate 8 here.
iWalk
Jawbone
Kingston
Klipsch
Lacie
Lenovo
LG
Read our full review of the LG V10 here.
Linksys
Read our review of the Linksys WRT1900ac here.
Read our review of the Linksys EA9200.
Logitech / Logitech G / UE
Read our news about the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum mechanical keyboard here.
Check out our first looks video on the UE Boom here, and you can read more about the Mini Boom here.
M1
Microsoft
Read our feature of the Xbox One here.
MSI
MyRepublic
Netgear
Read our review of the Netgear Nighthawk X8 here.
Read our review of the Netgear Nighthawk X6 here.
Nikon
Olympus
Find out more about the E-PL7 here, and you can read up on the OM-D EM-10 here.
Philips
Plantronics
Click here for more information on this ultra-light pair of headphones.
Prolink
Ranger
Razer
Read our news about the Razer Kraken USB here.
Samsung
Read our full review of the Samsung Gear S2
Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 here.
Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 here.
Check out our review of the Samsung SSD 950 Pro here.
Check out our review of the Samsung SSD 850 Evo here.
SanDisk
Check out our review of the SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD here.
Secretlab
Read our full review of the Secretlab Omega here.
Seagate
Check out our review of the Seagate Backup Plus 4TB here.
Sennheiser
Find out what we thought about the Urbanite XL in our first looks piece here.
Singtel
Sony
Read our full review of the Sony PlayStation 4 here.
You can hit this link to read more on the A7 II, and this link for more on the A6000.
Read our full review of the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium here.
Synology
Targus
Toshiba
TP-Link
ViewQwest
Western Digital
ZTE
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