The 9 biggest computing reveals of IFA 2018

Introduction

IFA 2018 is well underway, and the biggest consumer tech show in Europe didn’t disappoint this year, with plenty of exciting computing products being shown off. From new mobile processors to insane dual-CPU gaming PCs, we saw plenty of exciting stuff at the Berlin event. 

So, naturally, we here at TechRadar did what we do best: we collected all the most exciting computing reveals of IFA 2018 and listed them here. So, whether you’re looking for a new practical laptop or you want to spend thousands of dollars on a futuristic gaming pod, read on to find the next big thing in computing.

• IFA 2018 is Europe's biggest tech show. The TechRadar team is in Berlin to bring you all the breaking news and hands-on first impressions of new phones, watches and other tech as they're announced.  

1. Intel Whiskey Lake and Amber Lake

We finally got the launch of Whiskey Lake and Amber Lake, the next generation of mobile Intel processors. Well, when we say the ‘next generation’, we really mean ‘new 8th-generation processors,’ as these won’t be included in the Coffee Lake Refresh-led Intel 9th generation of CPUs. 

Regardless of whatever generation Whiskey Lake and Amber Lake belong to, Intel has pushed mobile processing power even further with these processors, with boost clocks up to 600MHz faster on the Core i7 chip. Intel claims that these new processors will increase performance over Kaby Lake R chips somewhere in the realm of double digits. Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen, but the next best Ultrabooks are going to be rocking these chips, so we can’t wait to see what they’re capable of. 

2. Acer Predator Triton 900

The Acer Predator Triton 900 might be one of the most bizarre gaming laptops we’ve ever seen, but for some reason, we just can’t look away. The hinge on this thing will allow you to swivel the display in any orientation you imagine, meaning that this isn’t just a 2-in-1 laptop – it’s more like a 5-in-1.

This flipping screen functionality means that you can center the display right above the keyboard, so that the display is marginally closer to you – a true revolution in technology, if we’ve ever seen one. We’re not sure exactly what kind of hardware is included, but we imagine an 8th-generation Core i9 and either mobile Nvidia Turing graphics, or maybe a GTX chip. We’re sure we’ll hear more about this unique laptop at CES 2019. 

Image credit: Tom's Hardware 

3. Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1

Dell has been killing it recently, and it looks like it’s about to offer some high-end features to its budget-minded Inspiron lineup. They’re refreshing these mainstream 2-in-1 laptops with the latest 8th-generation Intel processors, fingerprint scanners and even a webcam that’s in a reasonable location – if only the Dell XPS 13 would follow in its footsteps.

The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 2-in-1 will start at just $479 and will include up to a 2TB HDD paired with a 256GB SSD. The slightly higher-end Dell 13 7000 2-in-1 will launch at a starting price of $879 with faster storage. Both the 5000 and 7000 lineups will launch on October 2.

4. Asus’s new ZenBooks

Asus revealed a spattering of new ZenBooks at IFA 2018: the ZenBook 13, 14 and 15. Not only are these premium laptops extremely thin and light – Asus claims they’re the ‘world’s most compact laptops’ – but they’re packing in some seriously high-end specs. On top of the latest 8th-generation Intel Core processors, up to 16GB of RAM and speedy SSDs, Asus is including its exclusive NumberPad, which sees the touchpad transform into a keypad on demand. 

It’s all pretty cool stuff, but what’s especially interesting is that these new ZenBooks meet military-grade reliability standards. So, not only are these laptops easy to carry with you wherever you go, but you can actually carry them anywhere you travel without having to worry about them breaking. Asus says these new ZenBooks will be available in October, with a worldwide launch following later. Prices have yet to be confirmed, but we expect them to fall in line with other Ultrabooks. 

5. Lenovo Yoga Book C930

The Lenovo Yoga Book is one of the most unique laptops on the market – it’s not quite a notebook and not quite a tablet. The new Lenovo Yoga Book C930 takes this concept and brings it to the modern age with a ton of exciting new features.

Where the Yoga Book of yesteryear felt like this weird combination of Windows and Android tablets, the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 brings things like an E-ink keyboard and a ‘tap to open’ mechanical hinge to the device. This all combines to make one of the most unique laptops we’ve ever used, and it feels like a natural development over the 2016 model. 

It’s also more powerful, packing a 7th-generation Intel Core processor, meaning that it can keep up with light computing work, instead of being limited to some casual web browsing. If this sounds as exciting to you as it does to us, you can get your hands on it in October, starting at $999 (about £750, AU$1,300).

6. Acer Predator X

Now, we’re getting into stuff that just radiates sheer power and opulence. While we don’t know the full specs of the previously-teased Acer Predator X, we do know that this gigantic tower will rock not one, but two Intel Xeon processors on top of whatever other high-end hardware Acer decides to pack into this thing that it teased once more during the show. 

We don’t know who this tower actually appeals to, but Acer did say that it’s targeted at people who are doing content creation and also gaming. However, we feel like there are more cost-effective ways to get that stuff done – Ryzen Threadripper, anyone? Either way, we expect that the Acer Predator X will be not only extremely powerful, but also obscenely expensive – we’ll know more at CES, probably. 

7. Acer Predator Thronos

So, you’ve seen the best PC gaming chairs out there. But, what about a PC gaming chair that effectively is your gaming PC? That’s an untapped market if we’ve ever seen one, but don’t worry, the Acer Predator Thronos is here to save the day. 

Not only is this thing a fully mechanized gaming seat with a cup holder and foot rests, but it also has a mount for up to three 27-inch gaming monitors, with space for a gaming PC under the seat. It’s like a bubble of PC gaming – so immersive that you’ll forget the outside world is a thing. Again, we have no idea what the pricing or release window for this thing is going to be, but with a gaming accessory this ornate, you can expect to pay an exorbitant sum.

8. Acer Swift 5

Acer recently launched the Acer Swift 7, which is the thinnest laptop in the world right now. It achieved this unparalleled thinness by sacrificing apparently trivial things, like CPU power and a touchpad that clicks. With the Acer Swift 5, it looks like the Taiwanese manufacturer is doubling down on this goal of unmatched portability with a thin and light machine that is apparently the lightest 15-inch laptop on the market. 

Acer did mention that the Swift 5 would feature a magnesium-lithium alloy build which allows it to be extremely light, without sacrificing the rigidity of the build. Add that on top of the inclusion of the latest Intel 8th-generation Core i7 and i5 processors – and we could be getting an extremely powerful laptop that’s easy to carry around when it launches for $1,099 (around £900, AU$1,500) in January.

9. Lenovo Yoga C930

With the Lenovo Yoga C930, the manufacturer is taking a completely different approach with its flagship 2-in-1 laptop lineup. Instead of that signature watchband style hinge that we all fell in love with, we’re instead getting a ‘speaker hinge.’ This hinge will have what is essentially a Dolby Atmos soundbar inside, delivering amazing sound. 

We’re not quite sure how well this new speaker hinge setup is going to work out, but it could end up being the best 2-in-1 laptop for anyone that likes to consume media on the go. Lenovo has also included a slot to store the included stylus, so you don’t have to worry about losing it the second you take it out of the package.

The revolutionized Lenovo Yoga C930 is going to launch in October at $1,399 (about £1,000, AU$1,900). A steep price, but then again this is a laptop that has reinvented itself.