The Computex Wrap-up

Traditionally, the Tom's Hardware Computex coverage has focused on components:

• Motherboard Mania
• Mega Memory and Graphics Galore
• Coolers and Power Supplies
• Storage, 4+ GHz Quad Cores and Systems
• Mobility, Boxed Super Computing and HD Video

We have compiled slide shows on the most interesting hardware as well:

• Asus Brings True DIY Into Notebooks (11 photos)
• MSI Shows External PCI Express Graphics (7 photos)
• MXM Graphics Go PCI Express (4 photos)
• AMD RD790 Motherboard Gallery (4 photos)
• Intel X38 Motherboard Gallery (7 photos)

You will find all the slide shows and articles on our Computex index page.

We arrived in Taipei two days before the show began, so we could acclimatize to the hot and humid weather, discover new ways of traveling in Taiwan, spend some time in the city, and check out the show floors before the doors opened. It seems like this has become the favored approach to getting the best grip on Computex for many tech publications, as we've met more of our journalist colleagues on day 0 than on any other day.

The big computer shows, such as CeBIT, COMDEX (which has now vanished) and Computex used to be the playgrounds for manufacturers to announce or release new products with a bang. However, exhibiting products at one of these venues is a costly business, and it doesn't necessarily live up to the requirements of hardware manufacturers: product cycles have become incredibly short; sometimes only a few months. Also, information on new products can usually be found way ahead of actual product launches. This has become important to spread the word, so prospective customers are informed. So, does visiting tradeshows still make any sense?

We believe so. Meeting with people in person is something no technology can replace. Talking to your business contacts and friends will reveal the true story on an event, and the state of the IT industry as a whole. A Computex visit also helps to clarify how products and technology relate to one another, and the implications you find are valuable for making decisions. Buyers, who still represent the majority of Computex visitors, will find the possibility to compare, ask and consider invaluable. Trade shows might be losing some of their former importance, but they are still a strong indicator of where an industry is going.