Computex 2026 Awards: the best tech we saw on the show floor and behind closed doors
Computex 2026 was packed with the latest and greatest technology
Computex 2026 was possibly one of the most important shows in recent years. After all, it’s not every day Nvidia introduces its first-ever CPU while Intel throws down with its first gaming handheld processor. And while all this was happening Asus ROG celebrated its 20th anniversary and MSI celebrated its 40th anniversary. But, beyond the explosion of new gaming handhelds and super AI-powered laptops, there were plenty of gadgets and innovations that thousands gathered to see at the biggest semiconductor conference in Taipei, Taiwan – and the world at large.
Whether it was behind closed doors or available for all to see at the Nangang Exhibition Center, there was a litany of exciting products and innovations on display. It made choosing our Computex 2026 awards a tricky task, but we narrowed down our favorites to the 15 selections below.
Nvidia RTX Spark
Best in Show
Nvidia has truly rocked the computing and AI world by announcing its own RTX Spark ARM processors. The new chip features a 20-core CPU, promising 1 petaflop of AI performance, and 6,144 CUDA Cores for graphics performance equal to an Nvidia RTX 5070. On paper, Nvidia’s first CPU should be powerful enough to top the best laptop processors from Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and even Apple. Beyond sheer computing power, Nvidia is attempting to make on-device AI the norm for all of its laptop users. No more having to reach Claude or OpenAI through a website, AI models will run directly through Nvidia’s CPU.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
Best Laptop
The MacBook Pro may have truly met its match and then some with the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra. Powered by Nvidia’s incredibly promising RTX Spark processor, we’ve already seen that this laptop is fully gaming capable for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Pragmata, and Fortnite. It’s ready to tackle creative workflows like Adobe Premiere and rendering a 3D explorable city in Unreal Engine 5. Microsoft’s hardware has never been more beautiful. The Surface Laptop Ultra features a fully CNC’ed aluminum chassis that looks like one perfectly milled block of metal. There’s also exciting new hardware onboard, including a 2,000-nit bright 15-inch mini LED panel and a haptic touchpad that doesn’t just simulate mouse clicks but will vibrate while hovering over elements in the Windows 11 UI.
Read our Surface Laptop Ultra hands-on review.
Intel Arc G3 Extreme
Best Component
Intel’s first-ever gaming handheld processor, the Arc G3 Extreme, has proven itself to be a powerhouse throughout the Computex show floor. It’s powering new device, including the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and Acer Predator Atlas 8, this chip has been able to play Forza Horizon 6, F1 2025, and Hogwarts Legacy all at full resolution and 60fps, even with high-quality settings enabled. That’s a huge flex over the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, which can barely hold 45fps with high-settings at full resolution in Forza Horizon 6.
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+
Best Gaming Handheld
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the world’s most powerful gaming handheld. Powered by Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme, it delivers smooth 60fps performance at high settings in Forza Horizon 6 and Hogwarts Legacy. MSI has also given its latest handheld an ergonomic design, Hall-Effect thumbsticks, rounder buttons, a crisper D-Pad, and immersive HD haptics. This gaming handheld feels as good to play as it can run all the games.
Read our MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ hands-on review.
Dell XPS 13 laptop
Best Value
The new XPS 13 from Dell is a completely different take on the beloved laptop with a thin and light design, entry-level specs, and a price aimed squarely at the MacBook Neo. Starting at $699 (or $599 for students), the XPS 13 promises to deliver good performance for everyday tasks, with a design that looks three times the price. It’s one of the most compelling devices we saw at the show, and the hype around the brand’s return heightened things even further.
Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20
Best Gaming Mouse
The Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 is a stunner, featuring a unique mix of gold-plated and transparent shell. It offers competitive-grade precision with a 65K DPI sensor and an up to 8,000Hz polling rate. It’ll stand the test of time, too, with a durable set of 100m click-rated ROG optical microswitches and Gorilla Glass feet.
Read our full Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 review.
Asus ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20
Best Gaming Keyboard
The Asus ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is an exceptional 75% mechanical keyboard for enthusiasts. It features a heavy metal build mated with premium carbon fiber and gold accents. Its adjustable typing resistance party trick practically gives you two keyboards in one, for both relaxed, long-form typing and crisp, responsive PC gaming. Competitive gamers will also enjoy the keyboard’s fast 8,000Hz polling rate, incredible 1,600-hour battery life, and convenient web-based tuning software.
Read our full Asus ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 review.
Corsair HS35 v3
Best Gaming Headset
The Corsair HS35 v3 wireless gaming headset has the cleverest dongle, which easily plugs into either a USB-A or USB-C port. When you’re playing on a handheld, you can simply plug the T-Shaped USB-C dongle, and then when you move to a full-sized PC, you can simply stick the mini-transmitter into a USB key-sized converter. We also have to commend Corsair for making its lightweight gaming headset even lighter with a new floating design while also improving its 50mm drivers to support Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio.
Gigabyte Aorus Elite FM275K16P
Best Gaming Monitor
The world of 5K resolutions is no longer confined to Apple Studio displays, as Gigabyte and other competitors are bringing 5K resolution to gaming monitors. The Gigabyte Aorus Elite FM275K16P has multi-mode support that lets you switch between different resolutions and refresh rates, including 5K at 165Hz, 4K at 220Hz, and QHD at 330Hz. Clever AI features are also included that let you take an area of the screen, like a minimap, and reposition it, as well as have your crosshair instantly change color if it clashes with a particular surface.
Alienware AW3426DW
Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitor
The Alienware AW3426DW builds upon the company’s previous ultrawide monitor, but now uses the latest QD-OLED panel that has a Penta Tandem OLED and RGB stripe sub-pixel layout, reducing text fringing. It’s also brighter, has a 280Hz refresh rate, up from 240Hz, and a less reflective coating.
Corsair Warthog PC Case
Best PC Case
The Corsair Warthog is the most outrageous and yet utilitarian PC case we’ve seen at Computex 2026. Its Sci-Fi-inspired design will speak to both Halo and Doom fans, and yet its oversized, angled feet double as easy-to-grab carry handles. We also love the large front buttons, and switches are all guarded from accidental presses by little metal bollards that mesh well with the industrial-military theme of this case. The last super useful addition Corsair has made is a rear light that toggles to help you see all your back I/O ports, saving us from having to awkwardly use our smartphone’s flashlight whenever we want to plug and unplug USBs and video cables.
BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2
Best PC Accessory
It may not be a new product, but learning about how BenQ created its ScreenBar Halo 2 at Computex 2026 has earned it a place on our list. Most of us either work in a dimly lit room or with bright lights on, or sometimes even in the dark. BenQ has poured an insane amount of passion and research into creating the perfect lighting that not only prevents any glare from bouncing off the screen but can also boost concentration, reduce eyestrain, and make working a far more pleasurable experience. The BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 not only lights your desk, but it provides a soothing backlight behind your monitor for increased illumination.
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20
Best Gaming Device
Asus has perfected the Xbox ROG Ally X20 by giving it a dazzling OLED display with a 1,400-nit HDR brightness and 600-nit brightness – and it’s just slightly bigger too. It also has a fancy, new transparent shell, and Asus has improved every input with new Gulikit TMR thumbsticks, a transforming D-Pad, rounder buttons, deeper triggers, improved bumpers, and a new action key for quick screenshots and gameplay recording. This handheld also comes bundled with a pair of smart glasses, which likely raises the price, but they let you play games on a 171-inch virtual display.
Read our Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 hands-on review.
MSI MEG Vision X2 AI+
Best Gaming Desktop
AI may be everywhere, and it’s now become ingrained in practically every PC on the market. However, MSI took the concept of having an AI in a PC by letting you see and interact with its dragon mascot, Lucky, via a hologram-like display in the front panel. You can ask him questions, and he’ll respond in a chipper voice, making the usual monotonous AI chatbot responses a little more fun and personal.
Gigabyte Aorus Infinity Series GPU
Best GPU
Gigabyte unveiled its gorgeous Aorus GeForce RTX 50 Infinity Series graphics cards at Computex 2026, which feature a striking, retro-futuristic design. It’ll make quite the centerpiece in any gaming rig, and also lets you conceal the usual cables from sight thanks to its rear connector. And of course, there’s also RGB lighting to play with.