Tech Next: Super light laptop for road warriors to work on the go

The all-new ASUS ZenBook 14 (UM 431) device is propelled by an AMD chip that improves the performance of this device. The new generation AMD Ryzen TM5 processor with 8GB DDR4 TAM running at 2400 MHz is the talking point of this laptop. It also packs the AMD RadeonTM RX Vega 8 graphics processor. The hardware spec-sheet includes an ultrafast 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD and a dual-band Wi-Fi 5. 

It’s not short on style, with an elegant design language and premium build quality. We like how the brushed metal finish plays out on the Utopia Blue colour variant — a silver hue with a hint of blue. ASUS’ recent laptops have featured a signature design element — the ErgoLift hinge that brings improvements to the audio performance and cooling of the laptop. It also enables you to bring the keyboard to the most comfortable typing position. Key travel is great; it’s a pleasure to type on the ergonomically designed keyboard. The other distinctive design element is the elegant speaker grill that borders the keyboard on either side. 

If your laptop also doubles up as your primary binge-watching or gaming device, the quad-speaker sound system (includes two bass speakers and two high-frequency speakers created by ASUS’ Golden Ear team along with Harmon Kardon). The entertainment creds get a further boost with the slim-bezel NanoEdge display with an impressive 86% screen-to-body ratio. The vibrant colours add to its immersive appeal. The laptop is loaded with multiple ports including 2 USB Type-A ports, a USB Type-C port and also a SD Card reader. Battery life is quite solid (ASUS claims 12 hours) despite its lightweight build (just 1.39 kg) and we dig useful additions like a fingerprint sensor. But, what stands out is the stellar audio quality and its robust performance. (Rs 59,990) 

Huawei Watch GT-2: Huawei’s new smartwatch is powered by the Kirin A1 chipset, created especially for wearables. It’s a good looking watch, available in three variants including our favourite — a stylish leather option that won’t look out of place in a boardroom. Smartwatches are equally fashion statements and performance accessories for sporting lifestyles. The watch is compatible with 15 sports, including eight outdoor sports. The GT-2 features sleep monitoring and heart rate monitoring with a unique feature that alerts you if your heart rate stays above 100bpm (beats per minute) or below 50bpm for more than 10 minutes. 

The Kirin A1 chip has a big impact on battery life — Huawei claims two weeks of battery life on a single charge. One of the standout design elements is the bold 1.39-inch AMOLED display (on the 46mm variant; the 42mm variant features a 1.2-inch AMOLED display. The other highlight is 2GB of storage, that’s enough room for about 500 songs. (Rs 15,990 onwards)