This year’s Computex has highlighted just how big an impact Apple can have on the wider computing industry
Apple’s design philosophy has become the de facto standard for the broader computing industry, according to observations from this year’s Computex. Despite the event’s emphasis on gaming products and AI technology, numerous laptops unveiled by major manufacturers—including Nvidia’s new RTX Spark machines and designs from Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo—all share striking similarities to MacBook aesthetics, featuring slim profiles and sleek designs rather than the traditionally bulkier gaming laptop form factor.
Notable examples include the MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+ and the latest Microsoft Surface, both of which mirror Apple’s design language despite being Windows-based systems. This trend highlights the significant influence Apple maintains over the computing industry beyond its own product lines, shaping expectations for what modern laptops should look like regardless of platform or intended use case. The phenomenon represents a shift in laptop design priorities, with manufacturers seemingly prioritizing aesthetics and portability over the gaming-focused bulk that previously dominated the category.