CEBU/DAVAO, Philippines — ASUS is taking its enterprise artificial intelligence push beyond Metro Manila, bringing its flagship AI-powered business laptop to Cebu and Davao as the technology company bets that the next wave of workplace modernization will increasingly come from companies in the Visayas and Mindanao.
ASUS Business Philippines brought the ExpertBook Ultra to NUSTAR Resort Cebu on September 7 and 8 before taking the regional campaign to Davao City on September 11, following the laptop’s Philippine debut at Okada Manila on July 1.
The Cebu events drew more than 600 participants, while more than 500 attended in Davao, according to InsiderPH. Attendees included business leaders, IT decision-makers, corporate clients, channel partners and media, with the programs featuring product demonstrations, sales training and previews of ASUS Business’ technology roadmap.
The numbers do not necessarily translate directly into device sales, but they illustrate why ASUS is devoting more attention to regional business centers instead of concentrating its commercial strategy solely on Metro Manila.
For ASUS, that shift could matter as companies outside the capital increasingly adopt cloud services, cybersecurity tools and artificial intelligence-enabled workplace technology.
Cebu and Davao Become the Next Test for ASUS’ Enterprise Ambitions
ASUS says growing businesses in the Visayas and Mindanao are creating demand for more powerful and reliable workplace devices.
Its strategy is therefore not simply about selling another premium laptop. The company is trying to build stronger relationships with corporate buyers, IT departments, resellers and other technology partners in major regional markets.
SunStar’s coverage of the Davao launch reinforces that broader strategy. ASUS Co-CEO Samson Hu described the Philippines as one of the company’s important markets and said ASUS intends to expand its AI capabilities across PCs, servers and Internet of Things products.
ASUS has an aggressive target behind that expansion.
The company wants its Expert Series to become the No. 1 commercial PC brand in the Philippines by the end of 2028. ASUS said its Philippine commercial PC business grew 85% in 2025, reflecting the rapid expansion of its enterprise segment.
Earlier coverage by PhilSTAR Tech reported that ASUS’ commercial operations already represented about 27% of its total Philippine business when the ExpertBook Ultra was launched nationally in July.
That makes Cebu and Davao important proving grounds: ASUS now has to demonstrate that the commercial momentum it has built nationally can be sustained outside the capital.
ASUS Keeps ₱129,995 Starting Price
At the center of the regional campaign is the ExpertBook Ultra, ASUS’ flagship Copilot+ business notebook.
Despite taking the device into additional regional markets, ASUS has kept its introductory starting price at ₱129,995. PhilSTAR Tech, Newsbytes and several Philippine technology publications reported the same entry price when ASUS launched the laptop nationally in July.
The machine starts at just 0.99 kilogram and measures 10.9 millimeters thin, making portability one of its biggest selling points for executives and mobile professionals.
Configurations can run up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 Series 3 processor, while a dedicated neural processing unit can deliver 50 TOPS of AI processing performance. ASUS says total platform AI performance can reach as much as 180 TOPS when CPU, GPU and NPU capabilities are combined.
The notebook can also be configured with up to 64GB of LPDDR5x memory, while ASUS advertises battery life of up to 26 hours, depending on configuration and usage conditions.
Its 14-inch display can be configured with a 3K Tandem OLED panel reaching up to 1,400 nits of HDR brightness.
AI Is Moving From Cloud Buzzword to Laptop Feature
The significance of ASUS’ regional push goes beyond one laptop model.
PC manufacturers are increasingly building neural processing units directly into notebooks so that some AI workloads can run locally instead of relying entirely on remote cloud servers.
That can potentially improve responsiveness, reduce dependence on internet connectivity and allow certain sensitive workloads to remain on the device.
ASUS’ ExpertBook Ultra incorporates its MyExpert software suite, which includes tools for document analysis, meeting summaries, translations, file searching and other productivity tasks. The company is also emphasizing enterprise security through its ExpertGuardian platform.
The company has been expanding its broader AI portfolio as well. In May, ASUS Philippines introduced additional ExpertBook models powered by AMD Ryzen AI processors, targeting executives, hybrid employees, small businesses and other professional users.
Globally, ASUS is also pushing further into AI infrastructure. At ASUS AI Tech 2026 in September, the company announced expanded partnerships with Intel, AMD and other technology suppliers around servers, edge computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
In other words, ASUS is trying to participate in both ends of the AI boom—from the servers running large-scale workloads to the laptops employees use every day.
But the Global PC Market Has a Complication
The timing is not completely straightforward.
Despite growing interest in AI-capable computers, the broader global PC market is facing significant pressure from rising memory and storage costs.
IDC currently forecasts worldwide PC shipments to decline 11.3% in 2026, while average selling prices are projected to rise about 18.3% as memory shortages squeeze manufacturers.
Gartner has likewise warned that rising memory costs could slow AI PC adoption through 2027 as businesses keep devices longer and delay some upgrades.
That creates an unusual market dynamic for ASUS.
AI capabilities are becoming more important at exactly the same time that higher hardware prices are making businesses more cautious about replacing computers.
For a machine starting at ₱129,995, ASUS therefore has to convince companies that AI processing, stronger security, durability and lifecycle management provide enough business value to justify a premium purchase.
Why Cebu and Davao Matter
Cebu and Davao are particularly logical markets for that test.
Both cities host substantial corporate, outsourcing, professional-services and technology communities and have become important centers for economic activity outside Metro Manila.
The regional technology ecosystem is also broadening. Philippine Economic Zone Authority data showed that investments approved during the first half of 2026 included IT-BPM and technology-driven projects across several regions, including Central Visayas and the Davao Region.
ASUS is effectively betting that businesses in those growth centers will increasingly want the same enterprise-grade AI hardware being marketed to companies headquartered in the capital.
The strategy is therefore as much about decentralizing ASUS’ commercial reach as it is about introducing the ExpertBook Ultra.
The Bigger Battle Is Just Beginning
ASUS has already demonstrated that its Philippine commercial operation is growing rapidly.
The harder part comes next.
An 85% increase in commercial business creates momentum, but reaching ASUS’ stated goal of becoming the Philippines’ top commercial PC brand by 2028 will require the company to convert regional interest into sustained corporate purchases, stronger reseller relationships and repeat enterprise customers.
Cebu and Davao are early indicators of how that strategy could play out.
And if ASUS is right, the next major battleground for AI-powered workplace computing in the Philippines may not be confined to Metro Manila at all.
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