Budget-friendly peripherals for your desktop PC

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Thank you for the warm appreciation of my Building a PhP40K desktop PC from the comforts of your home article.

But whether or not you just finished assembling your desktop PC, having to choose your set of accessories can sometimes be a confusing task since there are quite a number of brands and models to choose from.

With affordability in mind, here are my picks for budget-friendly peripherals you can purchase online.

Monitor

Starting with the monitor, I got the Viewplus MB-2401 24″ Frameless IPS 75Hz for my setup. It has an IPS panel, a 75Hz refresh rate, 5ms response rate, and a 1080p resolution. There are lots of different monitors out there. Some are branded, some are not. It just depends on your preference and budget. If you’re into casual gaming or doing something creative on your PC and don’t mind too much about the brand, then you can check this one out.

For those into competitive gaming like playing Valorant, you need a monitor with similar specs like the ViewPlus MS-24CH 23.6 Inches (24″) 144Hz VA Curved Gaming Monitor or check Gamdias Atlas HD236C 24 curved 144hz Gaming Monitor. It’s generally better to go for larger screens.

Keyboard

Consider the Rakk Illuminated Gaming Keyboard V2 GCB if you prefer an illuminated keyboard. You can change up to three colors — Green, Cyan, and Blue. I’m not really into mechanical-type keyboards and it gets the job done. If you want an RGB keyboard, you can check K613L Fighter II RGB LED Keyboard. It has three color breathing mode with Aluminum Alloy.

If you prefer a set with wireless keyboard and a mouse, you can check Logitech MK275 USB Wireless Keyboard with Optical Mouse Combo since it would easily suffice for casual use.

Mouse

I got the HP M280 Professional Gaming Mouse. Though wired, it has six buttons with a 6400 DPI, great for work and casual gaming. If you want a mouse that will sync with your RGB CPU, you can check Logitech G102 Lightsync Gaming Mouse, It is also wired, with six programmable buttons, a light sync RGB lighting, has 200 – 8000 DPI, and only weighs 85 grams.

If you like a wireless mouse, consider Fantech Wireless Gaming Mouse with six buttons and up to 2000 DPI.

Speakers

To take care of your audio, I got the Centrix ( ZSB-100 ) Multi-Media Soundbar Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker with FM and AUX Outlet, it delivers spacious sound, clear dialogue, and rich bass for your movies, music, and games. What I like about it is that our household can connect our gadgets when not using the computer via Bluetooth.

Apart from that, you can add another RGB device in your setup and check the Fantech GS202 Sonar Speaker RGB.

Headset

To take care of your competitive spirit, we suggest to check on Fantech Legion HQ51 RGB Gaming Headset with its RGB lighting effects and volume control. This is my brother’s headset and so far he can vouch for its quality as he uses it for online classes. You may also check on its product ratings.

Webcam

And to take care of your online sessions, I got the Promate Procam-1 Widescreen Full-HD Webcam. It has 1080p/30fps resolution with a 120-degree wide-angle, a noise reduction mic, and includes a tripod. It’s very useful for online meetings.

Planning to do live streams? The Logitech C920 Pro HD Webcam might help as it has 1080p video with stereo audio and it also includes an Auto Focus function. Approved by online streamers.

UPS

To take care of sudden power outages and losing unsaved files, an uninterruptible power source will do the trick. I have the AWP Aide 390W-650VA UPS/AVR with four sockets and can last for up to four to five minutes. Just enough time to save your work and shut down the computer.

To complete your workstation, we’ve also included the following items:

Chairs

Instead of looking for a gaming chair, make sure you choose office chairs because they are designed to make you comfortable for long sitting hours. Check this Office Study Computer Chair out.

Table

And to set your computer on, I got the 120X55cm Big Size Computer Study Table, it has a bookshelf that you can place either on the left or the right. It’s also spacious enough to add another monitor to your setup.

And if you prefer a minimalist look, check out the Nordic Wooden Computer Table Desk.

Useful finds

If you want to organize and expand your USB ports, having a 7 Ports Hub USB 2.0 With ON/OFF Switch or anything similar is a good idea.

You might want to add an Extended Gaming Mouse Pad for smoother and easier mouse scrolling and to add to your workstation’s overall aesthetics.

For other options, you may also check this RGB Mouse Pad.

Final thoughts

With affordability in mind, you could also choose similar components. Of course, you can tweak things up depending on where you want to allocate more budget. The important thing is to first know what purpose will you be using the peripherals before you buy them.

And when you have your peripherals listed down, you can simply go online and have them delivered straight to you.

Also, remember to read customer reviews first when purchasing online. It really helps to know if the store is a good vendor via its previous customers.

What can you say about these peripherals? Would you want us to also make another quick guide for computer maintenance tools this time? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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ASUS ROG Flow Z13: Console-like tablet for gaming

07/30/2023

In today’s fast-paced and dynamic world, where mobility is key,

the importance of portability in devices cannot be overstated. Whether it’s smartphones, tablets, or laptops, the ability to carry our digital lives with us has become an essential aspect of our modern existence.

Portability empowers us to stay connected, productive, and entertained, no matter where we are. And that’s exactly what the ASUS ROG Z13 Flow promises. So how does it perform for gaming on the go? We find out.

Design

The ROG Flow Z13 comes with the same 13-inch display as the Flow X13, but since this is a tablet you get a detachable proprietary keyboard and with it, you easily achieve that laptop experience. The keyboard connects via a set of pins and a couple of magnets that snap the accessory firmly into place.

The keyboard can also be used flat or prop it up to go for angled typing which is easier for your hands and wrists. Typing is easy and actually silent, but it’s got a rather small trackpad.

Although since the tablet is touch-enabled, you can easily click on stuff directly without even using the pad.

But going back to the main device itself, the power button with fingerprint scanner is on the right-hand side together with its volume rocker, a single USB (2.0) Type A port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. On the opposite side you get a USB Type C that supports Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 1.4, and also for charging the tablet. Apart from that, there’s the proprietary port for the XG Mobile unit – ASUS’s external GPU.

 

At the top you’ll see the ROG branding flanked by exhaust vents, while speaker grille are found at the lower corner on both sides.

Now, at the rear, things get more interesting. You have this stand that flips out to make the device stand for laptop use or even as a tablet. The kickstand is versatile in a way that it can offer different orientations using the device.

A rear camera is seen at the upper right corner but images it produces are decent at best. It’s also got this nice pattern and texture that make the device look sleek and a rear camera at the upper right corner but it’s nothing special

There’s even a microSD card reader making things easier for everyone especially for content creators like us. I would prefer it better if it had mini SD reader, tho.

But to further kick things up a notch in the design department, it’s got this see through part that lets you peek into the inside of tablet and is even lit in RGB for that added gamer vibe which is pretty neat.

At just 1.1kg, the Flow Z13 has heft to it, but really not bad for a tablet. Its 12mm thin form factor makes bringing it around easy and without fuss.

Display and multimedia

For its 13.4-inch display, you can choose between a Full HD resolution with 120Hz or a 4K resolution at 60Hz. What we have here is the Full HD model and gaming on its 120Hz refresh rate is a treat.

And with up to 500 nits of brightness, the display ensures vivid and vibrant visuals even in well-lit environments. We noticed that this brightness level not only improves visibility but also enhances overall gaming experience by bringing games to life better.

Another impressive aspect of the display is its Pantone-validated colors. This certification ensures that the colors reproduced on the screen are accurate and true to life. Whether you’re gaming, editing photos, or watching movies, you can trust that the colors you see on the ASUS ROG Flow Z13’s display are as intended by the ones who made them.

Adding to those, Dolby Vision is a dynamic HDR technology that optimizes each frame of content for improved contrast, brightness, and color accuracy. This means that when watching supported movies or TV shows, you’ll experience enhanced details in both bright and dark scenes, resulting in a more immersive viewing experience.

The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 also offers adaptive-sync support, which synchronizes the display’s refresh rate with the frame rate of compatible games, reducing screen tearing and providing a smoother and more fluid gaming experience.

To complete the multimedia experience, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is equipped with dual speakers that support Dolby Atmos audio technology. The inclusion of AI noise cancellation further enhances the audio experience by reducing background noise during voice calls and video conferences, ensuring clear and uninterrupted communication.

Performance

Powering the device is the 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H Processor, a high-performance CPU that ensures smooth gameplay and efficient multitasking. With its high clock speeds and advanced architecture, this processor provides the necessary horsepower to handle demanding games and resource-intensive tasks.

Complementing the processor, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU. This graphics card offers excellent gaming performance, delivering stunning visuals and smooth frame rates for modern games.

But to further enhance gaming performance, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 can be paired with the ASUS ROG XG Mobile external graphics, which houses an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. This powerful combination simply takes gaming performance to a new level, delivering more crunching power for graphics and performance.

By attaching the ASUS ROG XG Mobile to the ROG Flow Z13, you can enjoy higher frame rates, smoother gameplay, and improved visual fidelity. The RTX 3080’s ray-tracing capabilities bring realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows to your games, enhancing immersion and delivering stunning graphics.

In terms of memory, the laptop features two 8GB RAM modules, providing a total of 16GB of fast and efficient memory. This ample memory capacity allows for smooth multitasking, ensuring that you can run multiple applications simultaneously without experiencing any significant performance degradation. True enough, our experience was fast and smooth during our time with it.

For storage, the laptop offers a 512GB SSD. This storage solution provides fast read and write speeds, allowing for quick boot times and snappy application loading.

When combined, the powerful CPU, capable GPU and external GPU, sufficient memory, and fast storage of the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 create a gaming performance powerhouse.

Gamers can enjoy smooth gameplay, high frame rates, and stunning visuals in their favorite games wherever you are.

Battery

With its battery, this gaming laptop offers a balance between performance and endurance, ensuring that you can enjoy your gaming sessions or complete tasks on the go without constantly worrying about battery life.

While the exact battery life may vary depending on usage and system configurations, you can expect the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 to deliver several hours of usage on a single charge.

We were able to average around 4-5 hours of continuous gaming sessions and this is particularly beneficial for players who prefer to play games or work on their projects away from a power outlet, whether it’s during travel or in situations where access to electricity is limited.

Price and final thoughts

This particular configuration for the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is priced at PhP 109,995 and that’s without the external GPU. Add that in and be prepared to shell out another PhP 80K – PhP 90K.

The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 excels in gaming performance with its powerful processor, capable graphics card, ample memory, fast storage, and its portable design.

This laptop offers an immersive and seamless gaming experience, allowing you to fully enjoy the latest titles with impressive visuals and smooth gameplay wherever you are.

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