Asus Re-enters the Tablet Market with OLED-Heavy ‘Asus Pad’ and AI-Centric VivoWatch 6 Plus
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A Strategic Pivot at Computex
Asus has spent the last few years retreating from the cutthroat smartphone arena, leaving a void for those who prized the compact form factor of the Zenfone series or the refined gaming power of the ROG Phone. However, the company’s appearance at Computex 2026 in Taiwan suggests a calculated shift in resources. Rather than fighting for a sliver of the mobile handset market, Asus is doubling down on the ‘companion’ ecosystem, unveiling two new hardware plays: the Asus Pad and the VivoWatch 6 Plus.
The announcement marks a significant milestone for the company, as the Asus Pad represents the brand’s first serious foray into the tablet market in nearly a decade. It arrives at a time when the Android tablet landscape is largely a duopoly between Samsung’s high-end S-series and Google’s iterative Pixel Tablet. Asus isn’t attempting to out-spec the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra on raw power, but it is making a compelling play for the ‘premium-midrange’ consumer.
The Asus Pad: OLED Ambition
The centerpiece of the new tablet is a 12.2-inch 2.8K OLED display. Asus is highlighting a “dual-layer architecture” for the panel, a technical choice designed to boost peak brightness and color accuracy while mitigating the power drain typically associated with large-format OLEDs. By prioritizing panel longevity and efficiency, Asus is positioning the device as a media consumption powerhouse rather than a full laptop replacement.
Physically, the device is surprisingly lean. At 6.5mm thick and weighing 523g, it manages to avoid the bulkiness of typical productivity tablets. To ensure the chassis doesn’t flex under that slim profile, Asus has opted for a magnesium-alloy frame paired with a fiberglass back cover—materials usually reserved for higher-tier industrial design.
Under the hood, the Asus Pad utilizes the MediaTek Dimensity 8300. While not the flagship Snapdragon 8-series chip found in the most expensive tablets, the Dimensity 8300 offers a balanced performance profile that fits the tablet’s intended use case. With 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a substantial 9,000mAh battery supporting 45W fast charging, the hardware is geared toward endurance over extreme multitasking.
To round out the productivity angle, the tablet supports the Asus Pen 2.0 and a dedicated Bluetooth keyboard. Notably, Asus is including a protective case in the box, a small but welcomed consumer-friendly move that contrasts with the accessory-stripped strategies of its competitors.
Healthcare Over Hardware: VivoWatch 6 Plus
While the tablet received detailed technical specs, the VivoWatch 6 Plus announcement was more of a philosophical statement on the future of wearables. Asus seems less interested in bragging about clock speeds and more focused on “AI-Driven Healthcare,” attempting to pivot the smartwatch from a notification hub to a preventative health tool.
The hardware basics are present: a 1.43-inch AMOLED screen shielded by sapphire-crystal glass and a titanium alloy casing, suggesting a build quality designed to compete with the Apple Watch Ultra or the higher-end Galaxy Watch series. It includes standard ECG monitoring, but the real software push is in the advanced biometrics.
The VivoWatch 6 Plus introduces gait analysis and sleep breathing movement tracking, aiming to provide insights into chronic disease risk and long-term health trends. By leveraging AI to synthesize this data, Asus is targeting a demographic more concerned with longevity and medical monitoring than fitness rings and step counters.
The Market Challenge
The timing of these releases puts Asus in direct conflict with the upcoming launch cycles of the Google Pixel Watch 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9. However, the lack of immediate pricing or a concrete global release date suggests a cautious rollout. Given the current volatility in the global consumer electronics market, it is likely that Asus will debut these devices in the Taiwanese and Asian markets first to gauge reception before committing to a wider Western launch.
