Asus ROG XG Station multimedia docking station unveiled

Asus has released a new external graphics card multimedia docking station, the ROG XG Station. The XG Station is also bundled with the EN8600GT/HTDP/256M graphics card, and equipped with an Express Card interface – seamlessly integrating notebook computing with powerful PC graphical power. It also incorporates 4 USB 2.0 ports and Dolby Technology – doubling as a USB hub that delivers true AV enjoyment. The firm already released a similar product more than a year ago but that unit never made it to the market.

Engage Mobility with Powerful Graphics Processing
With the explosion of popularity of high-performance, powerful laptops in recent years, there is an ever-increasing desire for computing users to utilize the same laptop computer at home, in the office, and also on the road. However, in order to conserve space, weight, and functionality, many of these sophisticated laptops have made sacrifices in terms of graphics, audio or processing power. By providing the power of a dedicated 3D graphics engine, users simply have to connect the XG Station to any LCD monitor, connect to the notebook via an Express Card connector, and then they are ready to game in with enhanced graphics. This setup easily provides users with a complete mobile notebook computing solution while retaining the advantages of high powered 3D gaming and multimedia experiences.

Sensational A/V Enjoyment
The XG Station also features enhanced audio and video functions with incorporated Dolby Technology – which encompasses Dolby Headphone, Dolby Virtual speaker, Dolby Digital Live, and Dolby Pro LogicIIx. This allows dynamic true-to-life quality audio to be achieved during PC gameplay, music or video playback. The Dolby Headphone enables 5.1 surround sound through any pair of headphones, while the Dolby Virtual speaker lets users experience 5.1-channel surround sound from just two speakers. Dolby Digital Live enables users to enjoy audio from the PC or game consoles through their home theater setups, and Dolby Pro LogicIIx transforms any stereo or 5.1 channel source into 6.1 or 7.1 channel surround sounds. Furthermore, with the XG Station, real-time overclocking can be easily controlled with the ergonomic knob design for simple GPU clock speed adjustments – providing the best audio and video experiences.

Large Information Display and Easy Controls
With the adoption of a large LED screen, the XG Station is designed with ease of use in mind. This easy-to-read screen provides clear displays of critical system status statistics that include:

• System master volume
• GPU clock speed
• Current GPU temperature
• Dolby® Headphone feature status
• Current actual Frames Per Second (FPS)
• GPU fan speed indicator
The XG Station also utilizes a dedicated control panel to let users control the settings through a GUI based interface; and can also easily switch modes between the notebook screen and the external LCD monitor.

Fast and Upgradeable Graphics Power
The XG Station is the world´s first docking station to provide a standard PCI Express slot for additional graphics computing power for notebook computers to deliver VISTA Premium graphical performances. It also conveniently accommodates future graphic upgrade possibilities for technologies such as HDCP. Lab experiments made on a notebook based on Intel 945GM and 965GM graphics connected to the XG station with an ASUS EN8600GT graphics card showed an astounding 12 and 6.7 times faster graphics acceleration respectively.

Specifications:

Model	XG STATION
Graphics Engine	GeForce 8600GT
Video Memory	256MB DDR3
Engine Clock	540MHz
Memory Clock	1.4GHz (700MHz DDR3)
Memory Interface	128-bit
Max. Resolution	Up to 3840 x 2400
Bus Standard	PCI Express X1
VGA Output	YES, via DVI to VGA Adapter
TV Output	YES,
DVI Output	DVI-I
Dual DVI Output	YES
Audio out	Headphone out *1 Microphone out *1
Adaptor/Cable Bundled	DVI to VGA adapter HDTV-out cable Power cable Express Card cable
Software Bundled	ASUS Utilities & Driver