Creator Tools
ASUS Launches the Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED (UX8402)
ASUS has announced the all-new Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED (UX8402), a powerful and compact dual-screen creator laptop that features a next-generation ScreenPad Plus secondary touchscreen, combined with the brand-new Active Aerodynamic System Ultra (AAS Ultra) auto-tilting design that improves both cooling and ergonomics. The seriously powerful Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is an Intel Evo-certified powerhouse that lets creators turn up their creative powers to the max.
The flagship up to 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H CPU and creator-grade NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU is cooled for extreme performance — up to an 85-watt combined TDP — by ASUS IceCool Plus technology. This is aided by the innovative AAS Ultra mechanism, which vents the chassis efficiently and also tilts the next-generation ScreenPad Plus secondary touchscreen to a comfortable angle for a seamless and immersive visual experience.
For studio-class visuals, the world-leading 2.8K OLED HDR 16:10 main Dolby Vision touchscreen has a smooth 120 Hz refresh rate, PANTONE Validated colour accuracy, and a cinema-grade 100% DCI-P3 gamut, as well as TÜV Rheinland-certified eye care. Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED puts its rivals in the shade, making it the ultimate compact OLED laptop for the discerning creator.
The next-generation ScreenPad Plus in Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is a 12.7-inch, full-width secondary touchscreen with support for the latest high-precision styluses, such as ASUS Pen 2.0. The tilt mechanism has been completely redesigned to create AAS Ultra, with a precision-engineered mechanism that raises up the rear of ScreenPad Plus by up to 20 mm, tilting it by 12° when the laptop is opened. This positions ScreenPad Plus at the ideal viewing angle for easy cross-screen operation with the main touchscreen. It also enhances cooling by allowing 38% more airflow than the previous generation.
ASUS ScreenPad Plus with AAS Ultra is powered by the new ScreenXpert 3 software, which now makes cross-screen multitasking and creative workflows even more efficient. The built-in apps such as App Switcher and App Navigator boost productivity, and now also support external displays. The new Control Panel app gives users precise and intuitive control over their creative apps. It lets them easily change brush size, change saturation, adjust layer opacity, and much more. There are four types of control — Dial, Button, Slider, and Scroll — to integrate seamlessly with any kind of creative workflow. Control Panel is fully customizable and works with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro, and After Effects — and there are more compatible apps on the way.
Built for creative excellence, Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED delivers superlative visuals by combining the next-generation ScreenPad Plus with the world-leading 14.5-inch 2.8K 120 Hz OLED NanoEdge touchscreen. With an expansive 16:10 aspect ratio for a larger visual workspace, the main touchscreen is Dolby Vision certified and PANTONE Validated to ensure accurate color rendering. It’s also VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified for the deepest blacks to render ultra-realistic detail in even the darkest scenes. Its cinema-grade DCI-P3 color gamut delivers ultra-vivid colors, and the ultra-high 120 Hz refresh rate and 0.2 ms response time make even the fastest action scenes look super-smooth. To keep the user’s eyes comfortable and safe during the longest viewing sessions, it’s also TÜV Rheinland certified for low blue-light emissions.
The flagship up to 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H processor in Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED delivers extreme performance for every creative task. This powerful CPU is a perfect match for the studio-grade NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics, an essential component for graphics-intensive graphics tasks such as 3D rendering and video editing. With its advanced features and capabilities, it can blitz through the toughest visual tasks. Additionally, the best compatibility, performance, and stability are assured by the included NVIDIA Studio drivers.
All these powerful components need to be cooled effectively in order to reach their full potential. This starts with the ASUS IceCool Plus cooling system, which uses two quiet IceBlades fans with up to 97 3D-curved blades. These cool the two 8 mm heat pipes from the CPU and GPU, and 38% more hot air is vented to the exterior via the increased 20 mm lift of the new AAS Ultra mechanism. The result is that the CPU and GPU can run at up to an 85 W combined TDP, without throttling! Finally, up to 16 GB of fast RAM and an ultrafast 1 TB PCIe® 4.0 x4 SSD ensure there are no memory or storage bottlenecks to slow the user’s creativity down.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED (UX8402) will be available from 25th August 2022 in UAE at Virgin Megastore, Jumbo, Sharaf DG, Emax, Ecity, Computronic, and Amazon. Price starts at AED 7,999.
Creator Tools
CORSAIR Launches New K65 PLUS WIRELESS Keyboard and M75 WIRELESS Gaming Mouse Colorways for Mac
CORSAIR has announced that the K65 PLUS WIRELESS keyboard and the M75 WIRELESS mouse will be available in exclusive Glacier Blue and Frost colours for the Mac. Whether playing games on a desktop or a laptop, users will enjoy unrivalled design, quality, and performance. Both products are available now at Apple Store Online. The Frost variant is also available at U.S. Apple Store locations, with Glacier Blue coming soon.
“We are thrilled to bring Corsair high-performance input devices in exclusive and fun new colours to Mac users,” said Thi La, President and COO of CORSAIR. “Purpose-built for gaming and productivity on Mac, everyone from students, creators, businesses and more are going to love them. The K65 PLUS WIRELESS Keyboard and the M75 WIRELESS Mouse truly are the perfect blend of Apple aesthetics and performance.”
The K65 PLUS WIRELESS provides an incredible typing and acoustic experience. The CORSAIR K65 PLUS WIRELESS is a 75% gaming keyboard with pre-lubricated CORSAIR MLX Red v2 linear switches that make each keystroke silky smooth and responsive. Integrated sound dampening tempers annoying clacks and pings, so you can enjoy subtle, pleasant acoustics as you play and type. Optional iCUE software brings custom lighting and key assignments to macOS.
Easily connect to MacOS and iPadOS via ultra-fast 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth, and power through your playing sessions for longer than ever – up to 266 hours on a single charge. Originally launched in February 2024, the award-winning K65 PLUS WIRELESS has been updated specifically to meet the needs of Mac gamers.
The M75 WIRELESS gaming mouse sports an expertly designed ambidextrous shape, enabling right- and left-handed players to take on the best competition with confidence and style. Weighing just 89g, the M75 WIRELESS is light and fast for the quickest mouse movements, and connects via near-zero lag SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS or Bluetooth. The mouse’s 26K DPI CORSAIR MARKSMAN optical sensor tracks movements with extreme precision and shots register instantly on optical switches, guaranteed for 100 million clicks. Light up the leaderboard with uniquely styled two-zone RGB, customizable in CORSAIR iCUE software.
Creator Tools
OWC Intros 240GB Capacity Atlas Pro CFexpress 4.0 Type A Memory Cards
Other World Computing (OWC) has announced the general availability launch of the latest addition to its OWC Atlas Pro family of memory cards – the 240GB OWC Atlas Pro CFexpress 4.0 Type A Card. Based on popular demand, this new capacity option combines the rocket-fast speeds users expect from OWC with a more accessible price point, making it the ideal choice for Sony users who require professional-grade performance without the need for maximum capacity.
OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type A Atlas Pro cards are perfect for pro filmmakers and extreme action photographers who want to dramatically speed up their offloads while retaining full compatibility with existing devices. Users experience double the speeds of CFexpress 2.0 cards with 1850MB/s read speeds through OWC Atlas USB4 CFexpress 4.0 card reader while providing 1700MB/s write speed for current and future cameras that can take advantage of such performances. OWC’s Atlas CFexpress 4.0 Type A cards are VPG200 certified, ensuring they work seamlessly with all existing Sony camera modes.
Like the 480GB to 960GB cards, the new 240GB capacity cards are:
- Lightning Fast – Up to 1700MB/s write and 1850MB/s read speeds for the most advanced use cases of professional content creators, including fast burst RAW image sequences and high bitrate video recording up to 8K
- Dependable – Delivers 400MB/s minimum sustained write speed
- Compatible – Designed for use in Sony Alpha and FX cameras, including a9 III, a1, a7SIII, a7IV, a7rV, FX3, FX6, FR7, and FX30, as well as CFexpress Type A memory card readers and reader slot-equipped devices
- Supportive – VPG200 certified to work with all Sony camera modes and enable the highest allowable settings in Sony Alpha, FX, and FR7 cameras
- Compliant – Fully compliant with CFexpress Type A 4.0 specification and meets Type A 2.0 specifications
- Versatile – Includes Type A to Type B adapter to obtain maximum speed when paired with an OWC Atlas USB4 CFexpress 4.0 Card Reader
- Tough – Impact, bend, shock, ESD, UV ray, and X-ray resistant
“At OWC, we’re committed to making cutting-edge technology accessible to everyone,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO of Other World Computing (OWC). “Our new 240GB Atlas CFexpress Type A card offers Sony users who don’t need the highest capacity, a cost-effective option without compromising quality or performance. We want everyone to benefit from the latest and greatest technologies and be able to future-proof their media solutions with confidence.”
O’Connor added, “While Atlas CFexpress Type A cards also come in the immensely popular 480GB and 960GB capacities, the 240GB capacity cards are available for $199.99, underscoring OWC’s goal to deliver options for virtually every use case and budget.” The 480GB and 960GB cards are priced at $319.99 and $519.99 respectively. The 240GB capacity Atlas CFexpress Type A cards are now generally available for $199.99.
Creator Tools
Sennheiser Intros Profile Wireless Two-Channel 2.4 GHz Wireless Microphone System
In content creation, being prepared and adaptable is crucial, as is having a reliable wireless audio system that ensures easy and quick sound capture without compromising on quality. For creators and videographers, Sennheiser has launched Profile Wireless, a two-channel, 2.4 GHz wireless microphone system. This system connects to mobile phones, cameras, or computers, and can serve as a clip-on mic, handheld mic, or table-top microphone, depending on your needs.
“We cannot imagine content creation today without compact 2.4 GHz mic systems, and I am proud that Sennheiser is adding an all-in-one microphone system to its portfolio that truly makes a difference for creators and videographers,” says Hendrik Millauer, Product Manager, Broadcast and Film, at Sennheiser. “We’ve outfitted Profile Wireless with many exciting features that will help users to capture audio more reliably, longer, and more flexibly than was possible before.”
Unzip the case to reveal a rugged, multifunctional charging bar, the heart of the Profile Wireless system. This versatile device not only stores and charges the key components but also doubles as a handheld or desktop microphone. The charging bar securely holds a two-channel mini-receiver with an OLED touch display, two pre-paired clip-on microphones, a 3.5 mm jack coiled cable for camera use, a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, magnetic clips, adaptors, and windshields, ensuring you’re always prepared for any recording scenario.
“It was important to us that Profile Wireless can master a diverse set of recording requirements while being as compact and portable as possible,” says Callie Blake, Category Marketing Manager, Creators. “The range of use cases for Profile Wireless is impressive.” The included adaptors allow the receiver to connect to your preferred filming device, while a dedicated headphone output enables you to monitor the audio. The compact mini-mics can be easily clipped onto clothing or secured with the provided magnetic mounts, offering flexibility in various recording situations.
“While the clip-on mics ensure signature Sennheiser audio quality and are quite unobtrusive, there may still be instances where a creator or videographer would like to work with separate lavalier mics, so there’s a lockable 3.5 mm TRS jack for connecting external mics,” adds Blake. When using a mobile phone for video recording, the Profile Wireless receiver can be connected via the included Lightning or mini-USB adapter. A built-in gyro-sensor ensures the receiver’s display automatically rotates 180 degrees, maintaining optimal visibility.
When using a mobile phone for video capture, the Profile Wireless receiver connects via the included Lightning or mini-USB adaptor. The receiver display, equipped with a gyro-sensor, automatically rotates by 180° for clear readability. In scenarios where a handheld microphone is ideal, such as reporter-style pieces or interviews requiring more control, simply insert a clip-on mic into the charging bar, attach the provided large foam windshield, and you’ve got a ready-to-go reporter’s microphone.
All Profile Wireless components are equipped with mounting threads for standard creator accessories like table stands. This allows the system to be conveniently used as a desktop mic. To ensure reliable audio capture, Profile Wireless incorporates several innovative features. Each clip-on microphone boasts 16 GB of internal memory for backup recording. The Backup Recording Mode automatically activates internal recording if the wireless signal weakens. Additionally, the Safety Channel Mode outputs and records backup audio at a lower volume to prevent clipping.
“The clip-on microphone has 24-bit recording capability, and records simultaneously at two different audio levels”, notes Blake. “This not only reduces the risk of clipped audio but also maximises the usable dynamic range of the capsule.” The Profile Wireless system offers an impressive range of up to 245 meters line-of-sight and up to 150 meters when obstacles are present, ensuring reliable wireless transmission in various environments.
“Right from the start of product development, we involved seasoned videographers and content creators to see what they wished for from a compact wireless audio system, and how existing products could be improved upon,” shares Millauer. “So we’ve come up with a few exciting usability features that make Profile Wireless a gem among 2.4 GHz systems. Profile Wireless is the first and at present only compact 2.4 GHz wireless system that has a handheld option integrated, and this option gives you a real 15+ hours of runtime, while with other sets, you cannot use the mics when the system is being recharged. Usability features like the auto-rotating receiver display, the fact that no app is required, and the diverse mounting options – only Sennheiser has thread mounts on the components – make for smooth workflows in content creation. And while there may be lighter clip-on mics on the market, they do not have an internal recording or a connector for an external lav mic.”
Profile Wireless is available for pre-order starting October 30th, with shipments expected to begin in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025. The system retails for AED 1,199, inclusive of VAT.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated on 2/11/2024 at 11:29 am, with more details addressing clarity.
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