Tech in Style Back-to-School Special 2012

L OO H SC al TO ci CK e BA sp

Tech in

7 The Magnificent BRINGING INNOVATIONS TO LIFE

issue 19 www.techinstyle.tv

6

Meet the Nexus 7 – the most advanced Android tablet to date

8

Zen Sophistication

12

The Transformation Continues

ZENBOOK UX32

Transformer Pad Infinity

FOREWORD

EDITOR'S NOTE

H

ow times have changed. We’ve come a long way from upgrading the family PC and printer set-up to prepare for the new school year. But of course, kids these days have better options. It’s not a question of what you’re using at home, but rather a question of whether you’re packing a netbook, tablet, or laptop to school.

The latest of these is the Nexus 7, which Google and ASUS whipped out to blindside us with what is undoubtedly the most advanced Android tablet on the market thanks to its Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS. More importantly though, it’s priced competitively enough to not put a dent in your lunch money.

And if the Nexus’ 7” of touchscreen tech isn’t enough, there’s always the ASUS Transformer Pad range. In this issue, we’ll be taking a little history lesson as we look back at what led to the development of the 10.1” Transformer Pad Infinity.

But of course, we’ll also be taking a look at other products which one might need through the course of the academic year. We’re taking a look at the ZENBOOK UX32 ultrabook, a pair of VG Series 3D displays, the 20” ET2013 All-in-One PC, the ultratough SABERTOOTH Z77 TUF motherboard, and we help a student choose a router for a dorm room.

EDITORIAL Editor-in-chief Tim Smalley Editor Joseph Yadao Contributor Julian Prokaza PRODUCTION Production Manager Helen Ling Art Director Quawn Hsu Senior Designer Chiou Chong Lee

Copyright: ASUS Technology Private Limited, 2012.

All editorial content in this magazine has been sponsored by ASUS. While every care was taken preparing this magazine, ASUS Technology Private Limited cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information nor any consequences arising from it.

Please recycle this magazine when you have finished reading.

Joseph Yadao Editor

About ASUS ASUS, the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world’s best-selling and most award winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktops, Eee Box and allin-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, tablet devices, servers, multimedia and wireless solutions, networking devices, and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,886 awards in 2011, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™. ASUS has a global staff of more than 11,000 and a world-class R&D team of 3,100 engineers.

2

www.techinstyle.tv

|

issue 19

CONTENTS issue 19

10

04 Welcome to the Tech in Style Back to School special

First-class gizmos for the first day of school

06 The new Nexus 7

Tegra 3 and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean make this the most advanced Android tablet to date

08 The tablet transformed

We look at the humble roots of the Transformer Pad Infinity

10 Lighten your load with the PadFone

A smartphone, a tablet, and a laptop - need we say more?

12 Attend the school of Zen

Computing with style and sophistication

14 Get TUF

Motherboards don’t come any tougher than the TUF SABERTOOTH Z77-M

16

16 Enter the next dimension

Immersive 3D imagery ensures the VG Series stands out from the crowd

18 Size does matter

Practical performance with the ET2013I AiO PC

19 Reader Q&A

Establishing a network in your dorm room

19

14

AUGUST 2012

|

www.techinstyle.tv

3

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Tech in Style back to school special

issue 19

fi

|

23 LCD VG

otherbo ard

persistent perfection

AA A+

OOK UX NB

T one U F

m

www.techinstyle.tv

g

4

Pa

dF

Tablets have been a major technological trend over the last couple of years, but the best models tend to be priced out of most students’ pockets. Not so with the new Nexus 7. Built by ASUS and sold

by Google, this stylish 7” tablet not only packs formidable specifications and the very latest version of Android for the very best in productivity and entertainment apps, but it’s also extremely affordable.

tr a n s forme r prime

The new Nexus 7

sformer p n a r t US 7 rad AIO PCs ad in X NE inspir es innovation nity ing

ZE

S

ummer is almost over and a new academic year is just around the corner, and that can only mean one thing — it’s time for the Tech in Style Back to School special. Sadly, we can’t give you any insight into the subjects that might be giving you trouble, or help you with your homework, but we can at least suggest some technological solutions that will make your studies go much smoother.

how to excel in school ?

The tablet transformation

The ASUS name is associated with a number of innovations in tablet technology, so we’ve taken a look back over the short history of its groundbreaking model — the Transformer Pad. The Transformer range has already undergone a number of iterations that have seen specifications shoot up, but the latest Transformer Pad Infinity still shares features that were first seen on the original model that launched in 2011. Its development goes back much further than that, of course, as you’ll discover.

Do more, carry less

Tablets aren’t the ideal mobile computer for every student — they’re ideal for web browsing, handwritten notes and sketches for example, but less well-suited to typing essays. Carrying a tablet around for casual use and a laptop for more serious productivity tasks is hardly a solution though, but the ASUS PadFone could well be. The PadFone is a smartphone, tablet and laptop combined, but not in the way you might think — but we’ll leave you to discover how ASUS has managed it.

Space-saving solutions

If a more traditional take on the laptop is required, ASUS also has something to suit, although style is still high on the agenda.

The ZENBOOK UX32 is its latest Ultrabook, packing astonishing levels of performance into the sveltest of frames, which is an important consideration when a laptop is being carried around all day. Alternatively, the ET2013I is a less portable computer that still manages to be extraordinarily compact — it’s an all-in-one desktop that’s perfect for places where space is at a premium, but a big screen is still a prerequisite.

Motherboards, monitors and more

You can also read about the latest ASUS TUF motherboard that offers unbeatable reliability through a clever dust-free design and two new 3D monitors that bring the magic of cinema to the desktop. Rounding off this issue is our advice on two ways to bring wireless internet access to college accommodation, but the routers we recommend also work just as well when schoolwork isn’t a key consideration.

AUGUST 2012

|

www.techinstyle.tv

5

INSPIRED

Nexus7 Nexus 7

The new

Meet the most advanced and most affordable Android tablet to date — the Nexus 7

M

eet the Nexus 7 — the first fully-fledged Android tablet jointly developed by Google and ASUS. The Nexus 7 is the world’s first 7” tablet that features the NVIDIA® Tegra 3 quad-core processor and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the latest version of the world’s most popular mobile platform. With smarter notifications that enable quick, on the fly responses, beautiful new widgets that put important information front and centre and home screen customisation that’s as easy as drag-and-drop, Android 4.1 is faster and more intuitive than ever.

The Nexus 7 is a premium tablet at an affordable price that makes a wide range of entertainment and productivity apps available to all, via the Google

6

www.techinstyle.tv

|

issue 19

Play store. Thin, light and with up to 9.5 hours battery life, the Nexus 7 offers the perfect balance of portability and performance too.

Its 7” screen combines a high 1280 × 800 resolution with IPS technology to deliver a crisp, bright image with an ultra-wide 178° viewing angle that’s perfect for browsing the web, email, games, movies and more. Its Tegra 3 quad-core processor runs even the most demanding apps with silky smoothness, while a 12-core GPU gives outstanding gaming performance with extremely realistic effects.

The Nexus 7 is the perfect tablet for anyone who wants high-performance in a highly portable package — but without the price tag to match.

Tech Specs • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean • 7” (1280 × 800) IPS display with 10-point multi-touch and ASUS TruVivid technology • NVIDIA® Tegra 3® quad- core processor (1.3Ghz) • 8 or 16GB user storage • 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi direct • 1.2MP front camera • Up to 9.5 hours battery life • 198.5 × 120 × 10.45mm • 340g

The NVIDIA® Tegra 3 quad-core processor uses 4-Plus-1 technology with a fifth, frugal, ‘companion’ core that handles less demanding tasks to prolong battery life.

ASUS TruVivid technology improves color clarity and brightness. This One Glass Solution (OGS) full lamination touch panel technology adds to the Nexus 7’s slim design. The fully laminated panel also provides higher optical transparency (>94%) which translates to brighter, more brilliant colours. Corning® Fit scratch-resistant glass protects the Nexus 7 screen from the knocks of mobile life Securely store credit card information and make contact-less purchases at brick and mortar stores with the built-in NFC chip and Google Wallet.

Android 4.1 gives full access to Google Play, which offers the world’s largest ebook store, millions of songs, thousands of movies and more than 600,000 apps.

AUGUST 2012

|

www.techinstyle.tv

7

DESIRED

T

echnology has undergone quite a transformation over the last few years and the idea of ‘personal’ computing has gradually given way to a shared access model in a new era of ubiquitous cloud computing.

Cloud computing frees us from having to use a computer kept at home or at work, and we’re now fast approaching a point where just about any screen can act as a portal to a more personalised computing experience.

This kind of experience is perfectly in tune with the ASUS approach to technology, where devices should adapt to the user and not the other way around. That’s why ASUS has long since internalised its design thinking to drive innovation and transform the desires of its users into a myriad products that empower productivity, creativity and enjoyment. The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is one such product.

The tablet transformed ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity

Discover how the Transformer Pad Series came to be — and where it’s going

8

www.techinstyle.tv

|

issue 19

The Transformer takes shape

ASUS intuitively grasped the inherent appeal of mobile devices that traded extreme specifications for increased portability and affordability with the launch of the Eee PC in 2007. The Eee PC created the netbook market almost overnight, but while the range of devices that appeared in its wake have proven to be hugely popular, they weren’t for everyone.

Portable they may be, but the traditional clamshell netbook design is best suited for use on a desk or lap while sitting down and are often awkward to use if one is standing up. The touch-screen smartphone solved this problem, but small screen sizes came with compromises of their own. What was needed was a new form factor — the tablet.

The tablet computer has long been a pipe dream for computer manufacturers and users alike, and ASUS certainly wasn’t alone in its R&D efforts to create a slim and lightweight device that could capitalise on everything the cloud could offer. However, the ASUS design philosophy always starts with people — the needs and wants of its users. This focused approach helps create solutions that are aesthetically pleasing, well-crafted and intuitive to use.

Setting the tablet apart

Customer feedback played a major role in the creation of the original Transformer Pad, but innovation is part of the ASUS DNA and a mere tablet was never going to make it to market. A pared-down touch-screen device may be ideal for content consumption, but content creation benefits from something more. The solution lay with the Transformer Dock.

The ability for consumers to learn, work and play free from limitations is highly valued and the Transformer Dock was the perfect realisation of this idea, although its creation was far from easy. A detachable keyboard that acts as an aggregator of several disparate mobile accessories — trackpad, secondary power source, memory card slot and even case — was a pioneering concept and a great deal of thought went into the smallest detail.

The shape of the dock was based on the ‘bag in hand’ idea that made it comfortable to hold, for example, while the position of the connection lock is such that it can be released with one hand while undocking the tablet with the other. Such notions seem simple in hindsight, but it took countless refinements and tests before the final design was reached.

To Infinity and..?

The Eee Pad Transformer was the first Android tablet from ASUS — the Transformer Pad Infinity is the latest. The Transformer Pad Infinity takes the idea of a multimedia tablet to new heights and it’s the world’s first Full HD Android tablet computer. The 10.1” screen with 1920 × 1200 resolution delivers brilliant, crystal-clear images and the NVIDIA® Tegra 3 quad-core processor ensures incredible performance for everything from HD movies to the most demanding games.

A tough, all-aluminium, case with unique ‘spun’ finish makes the Transformer Pad Infinity impossibly stylish, but despite packing in a host of the latest mobile technology, it weighs a mere 598g. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a best-in-class 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash with a front-facing 2-megapixels camera for video chat, a full array of sensors, a brilliant screen protected by Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2 and up to 16 hours battery life with the dock, the Infinity Pad Transformer has it all.

AUGUST 2012

|

www.techinstyle.tv

9

DESIRED

Lighten your load with the PadFone ASUS PadFone

As an Android smartphone, tablet, laptop computer and much more, the ASUS PadFone means there’s much less to carry in a school bag

W

ith some reports finding that students are carrying up to 25% of their body weight in school bags and suffering back pain as a result, adding a bulky computer to a load of books is something that no parent wants. Thankfully, there is one mobile device that can dramatically reduce this burden by not only making it easy to carry a mobile computer, but by doing away with other things found in most students’ bags too.

The ASUS PadFone isn’t a smartphone, it isn’t a tablet computer and nor is it a laptop — it’s all three. Unlike similar all-in-one portables though, the PadFone can be any one of these devices at any time, according to the needs of the user.

The PadFone smartphone can be carried in a pocket, slotted into the Station tablet when browsing the web or sketching on the screen, and connected to the Station Dock keyboard for traditional typing. The modular design of the PadFone and its accessories not only mean there’s less to carry, but components can also be left at home or in a locker when they’re not needed.

Key to the PadFone’s versatility is the fact that this 4.3” Android 4 smartphone powers all of the tablet’s features when slotted into the Station tablet dock. Apps are instantly reformatted to fit the larger screen and there’s no need to sync data or pay for a separate mobile data plan.

In addition, the Station Dock keyboard, with its own builtin battery, helps charge the PadFone.

10

www.techinstyle.tv www.techinstyle.tv || issue issue 19 19

The innovative Stylus Headset not only works as a standard stylus with the Station’s multi-touch screen, but doubles up as a handheld Bluetooth phone with built-in speaker and mic — what better way to answer a call than with something that’s already being held? It ensures that little bit of privacy when making phone calls on a tablet.

The Stylus Headset also works perfectly with the PadFone’s SuperNote app, which is itself ideally suited to students. Text can be typed or written on-screen, and even sketches can be easily embedded within documents — just like writing in a notebook, in fact. Better still, SuperNote also works with the PadFone’s 8-megapixel camera to capture the contents of a slide or whiteboard, which is easier than trying to write down its contents in a hurry.

So there you have it — the PadFone is a smartphone, tablet, laptop, notebook with a near-infinite number of pages and, thanks to the vast number of titles available at the Google Play store, an ebook library too. Mobile computing has never been so convenient, or as easy to carry.

Tech Specs PadFone • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich • 4.3” (960 × 540) multi-touch screen • Dual-core (1.5 GHz) processor • 16/32GB storage + microSDHC slot • 8MP rear camera with autofocus and LED flash • 1520 mAh battery • 128 × 65.4 × 9.2mm • 129g Station • 10.1” (1280 x 800) multi-touch screen • 1.3MP front camera • 6600mAh battery • 273 × 176.9 × 13.5mm • 724g (undocked) Station Dock • 2 × USB 2.0 ports • 1 × Card Reader (MMC/SD/SDHC) • 271 × 185 × 28 mm • 640g • 6600mAh battery Stylus Headset • Bluetooth 3.0 • 10m operating range • 7 hour talk-time, 10-day standby time • Less than 1.5 hour recharge time

AUGUST AUGUST 2012 2012

||

www.techinstyle.tv www.techinstyle.tv

11

RE-WIRED

ZENBOOK UX32

Attend the school of Zen

Make a style statement at school with the iF Product Design Award-winning ZENBOOK UX32

T

he new ASUS ZENBOOK UX32 Ultrabook packs a serious amount of performance into a seriously stylish package. Measuring a mere 5.5mm at its thinnest point, the UX32 comes with a choice of the latest Intel® Core™ processors with optional NVIDIA® GT620M graphics and either a 500GB hard drive, 256GB SSD or 256GB RAID O technology.

Weighing just 1.45kg, the UX32 is supremely portable, yet sports a full-size keyboard that’s backlit for when ambient lighting is low and a brilliant 13.3” Full HD screen with a nonreflective matte finish. USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0 support the latest high-performance peripherals too, while ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II gives a lightning-fast resume time and up to two weeks standby time.

Slip the ASUS ZENBOOK UX32 into your school bag and you’ll not only be the envy of your school friends, but you’ll have the perfect ultraportable companion for your studies, too.

12

www.techinstyle.tv

|

issue 19

Tech Specs • Intel® Core™ processors • NVIDIA® GT620M graphics • 13.3” Full HD screen with a non-reflective matte finish • 500GB hard drive, 256GB SSD or 256GB RAID O technology • 325 × 233 × 5.5 ~ 18mm • 1.45kg

ASUS SonicMaster audio technology, co-developed with B&O ICEpower, delivers outstanding sound quality from a slimline design.

Get up to seven hours battery life and up to two weeks’ standby time with instant on, thanks to ASUS Super Hybrid Engine II.

The sturdy all-aluminium case tapers from 18mm to a mere 5.5mm and has a unique ‘spun’ finish for added allure.

Dual-band Wi-Fi gives outstanding wireless network performance, with blisteringly quick data transfer speeds for streaming HD video.

AUGUST 2012

|

www.techinstyle.tv

13

RE-WIRED

Get TUF SABERTOOTH Z77 Motherboard

Don’t let your high-performance PC be defeated by dust and heat — get TUF with the SABERTOOTH Z77 motherboard

D

ust can pose a serious threat to the stability of any PC, since it builds up over time and prevents components from being properly cooled. Not so with the new ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77. Part of the TUF (The Ultimate Force) Series of motherboards, the SABERTOOTH Z77 is designed from the ground-up to be dust resistant and features a whole host of technologies that enhance stability even under the most arduous conditions.

14

www.techinstyle.tv

|

issue 19

Tech Specs • Socket LGA 1155 for Intel® Core™, Pentium™ and Celeron™ processors • Intel® Z77 Express Chipset • AMD® CrossFireX/NVIDIA® SLI (dependent on graphic card model) • 2 × PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 × PCIe 2.0 x16 • 4 × SATA 6Gbit/s, 4 × SATA 3Gbit/s, 2 × eSATA 6Gbit/s • 10 × USB 2.0, 6 × USB 3.0 • 7.1 HD audio • ATX form factor

THERMAL ARMOR TUF Thermal Armor shrouds sensitive electronic components to protect them from heat and uses a special shunt design that directs air over embedded heat sinks for effective cooling to ensure system stability.

NEW REAR CONVECTION HOLES Integral fan-assisted cooling draws air through an intake at the rear of the motherboard and convection holes strategically placed across its surface ensure improved airflow across the components that are normally trapped in pockets of hot air.

DUST DEFENDER Dust may be an unavoidable hazard in even the cleanest environments, but the SABERTOOTH Z77 keeps it at bay with unique Dust Defender covers that protect expansion slots and ports when not in use, and pop off easily as required.

THERMAL RADAR Components don’t stop generating heat the instant a PC is shut down, so why should the fans stop spinning? Thermal Radar technology solves this problem by keeping fans running after shutdown to ensure components don’t overheat, prolonging their lifespan in the process.

TUF COMPONENTS ASUS can’t manufacture every electronic component on the SABERTOOTH Z77 motherboard, but it can ensure that they’re certified as military-grade for superior quality and unbeatable performance.

INTENSE TESTING Every SABERTOOTH Z77 motherboard is subjected to a rigorous testing programme that requires perfect performance in temperatures and humidity levels that are far more extreme than they’ll experience in normal use.

AUGUST 2012

|

www.techinstyle.tv

15

INSPIRED

VG23AH and VG27AH monitors

Enter the next dimension The VG23AH and VG27AH are two new high-performance desktop monitors that offer much more than meets the eye

G

etting the desktop entertainment experience just got much easier thanks to the new VG23AH and VG27AH displays from ASUS. These brilliant 23” and 27” LED-backlit desktop monitors use IPS technology to deliver a stunningly bright and evenly lit Full HD image with an incredible 178° viewing angle. That means there’s no visual distortion, even when the screen is viewed well away from the usual dead-centre sweet spot. ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence also automatically optimises the image to suit the viewing material, making the perfect picture only a button-press away.

Delivering the best 2D image is only one part of the equation though, and the VG23AH and VG27AH offer superlative 3D performance, too. Dual HDMI inputs support 3D Blu-ray players and graphics cards (in addition to the usual DVI-D and D-SUB VGA ports), while passive FPR (Film Patterned Retarder) technology eliminates flicker and gives an immersive 3D image that’s viewed with lightweight glasses that don’t need a power source.

Both the VG23AH and VG27AH can up-convert 2D material into convincing 3D at the touch of a button too, while the ergonomically designed stand with full tilt, swivel and height adjustment ensures the perfect view with the minimum of effort.

Tech Specs VG23AH/VG27AH • 23”/ 27” Full HD (1920 × 1080) IPS LED-backlit display • Passive FPR 3D technology with instant 2D to 3D one-click conversion • 80,000,000:1 high contrast ratio • Exclusive ASUS QuickFit Virtual Scale and Splendid Video Intelligence Technology • Dual HDMI 1.4, D-Sub, DVI, 3.5mm audio in/out • 5ms (GTG) response time • 3W x 2 built-in stereo speakers • 3D glasses and 3D clip-on glasses

16

www.techinstyle.tv

|

issue 19

QuickFit function shows on-screen grid for actualsize viewing of standard image sizes.

23” and 2 7” Full HD IP S display w ith 178° horiz ontal/ vertical v iewing angle.

±100mm height and ±150° swivel adjustment.

Hot-key up conversion of 2D content to 3D with depth adjustment through all input ports.

AUGUST 2012

|

www.techinstyle.tv

17

RE-WIRED

Size does matter ET2013I all-in-one PC

If you’re short on space, but still want a desktop PC, the ASUS ET2013I could be just what you’re looking for

N

ot everyone has the space for a traditional twobox desktop PC set-up, but not everyone likes to use a laptop for long periods either. So what’s a computer user to do? The solution lies in an all-in-one PC that combines drop-dead gorgeous style with highperformance features, all in a package with a minimal desktop footprint. Enter the ASUS ET2013I. With a 20” multi-touch 16:9 display and a spacesaving design that’s a mere 20.77mm thick, the ET2013I is the ultimate minimalist PC — it doesn’t even need a mouse and keyboard for many common tasks. A choice of Intel® Core™ Ivy Bridge processors with integrated or discrete AMD ATI® graphics ensures smooth performance for productivity software, games and video playback, while a full array of ports allow the ET2013I to use a wide range of peripherals.

Pick it up to move from place to place, put it on a shelf or even hang it on the wall — the ASUS ET2013I is the perfect compact desktop PC for people that don’t have room for a desktop PC.

18

www.techinstyle.tv

|

issue 19

Tech Specs • 20” (1600 × 900) LED-backlit multi-touch display • Intel® Core™ i3 or i5 processor • AMD HD7470M (1G) or Intel® HD Graphics 2000 • 2GB up to 4GB DDR3 RAM • 500GB up to 1TB SATA hard drive • DVD or BD writer • I/O Port for UMA model: 3-in-1 Card Reader, 2 × USB3.0, 3 × USB2.0, HDMI-out, Microphone, Headphone, RJ45 LAN, Kensington lock, DC-in, VGA out, RS-232 (COM) • I/O Port for Discrete model: 3-in-1 Card Reader, 2 × USB3.0, 3 × USB2.0, HDMI-out, HDMI-In, Microphone, Headphone, RJ45 LAN, Kensington lock, DC-in, VGA out, TV Jack (Optional), mini B-CAS Card Slot (Optional) • 802.11b/g/n • Optional DVB-T tuner • 496(W) × 371(H) × 22-56(D) mm • 5.6kg

+++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++

Q&A

Free me from wires

Q

I want to connect my dorm room’s Ethernet network port to a wireless router so that I can make free VoIP calls using my smartphone and get online with my laptop when I’m studying in the common room. What can you suggest?

Małgorzata Grydzuk, Poland

Tech in Style suggests two options for setting up Wi-Fi in the confines of student accommodation

A

We’re going to suggest two wireless routers, depending on your requirements. If your network needs are straightforward, then the ASUS RT-N12 wireless N300 router should suffice. A graphical user interface makes this 802.11n router particularly easy to set up, making it ideal for anyone who’s more interested in using Wi-Fi than figuring out how it works. Built-in guest network support with easy bandwidth control means it can share a connection with others without the need to reveal sensitive security details too, so it’s safe bet for crowded student accommodation.

If cutting-edge technology is more your thing and you want the fastest Wi-Fi currently available, then consider the ASUS RT-AC66U. Support for the very latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi means it offers wireless data transfer speeds up to 1.3Gbps at 5GHz, which is three times faster than 802.11n.

Dual-band support means it’s much less prone to interference from nearby 2.4GHz networks too, although those older devices can still connect alongside ones that support 5GHz Wi-Fi. On top of that, the RT-AC66U features USB connectivity to give you file, printer, and 3G sharing capabilities.

ASUS RT-N12 ASUS RT-AC66U

AUGUST 2012

|

www.techinstyle.tv

19