15 Million Malaysians Will Receive RM50 Ewallet Credit & RM50 Discount Vouchers

The Malaysian government just announced several new initiatives to kick-start the economy due to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), 15 million eligible Malaysians will get RM50 credited into their ewallet accounts to encourage the use of contactless payments.

On top of that, the chosen ewallet services for this initiative will also match the RM50 credit given by the government. This will be done in the form of vouchers, cashbacks, and discounts, though it’s worth noting that these – and the RM50 credit itself – are said to be applicable to offline and physical purchases only.

Nonetheless, eligible Malaysians will effectively get a total of RM100 in benefits from this initiative.

It’s not revealed yet exactly which ewallet services will be a part of this exercise, though there’s a chance the same ones from the
previous E-Tunai Rakyat intiative
 will be chosen. These include Touch ‘n Go eWallet, Boost, as well as GrabPay.

To be eligible for the RM50 credit and RM50 discount vouchers, you’d have to be above 18 years of age with an annual salary below RM100,000. As much as RM75 million will be allocated for this initiative, and it will begin as early as next month in July until September 2020.


The Last of Us Part II Hands-On: A Promising Swan Song For the PlayStation 4

The Last of Us Part II will finally launch on 19 June 2020. Ahead of its release date, we got our hands on the final build of the game, and we’re allowed to share our first impressions of Naughty Dog’s latest work based on a single chapter. Rest assured, this is a spoiler-free hands-on; we will not reveal any plot details to preserve the story experience for you guys.

Anyway, let’s get to our first impressions of The Last of Us Part II – suffice to say it’s one game you wouldn’t want to miss out on.

For reference, our impression is based on the gameplay sequence shared during the game’s State of Play. Compared to the first instalment, the Last of Us Part II features a much more engaging, complex gameplay with a more robust combat system. There is more than one way to negotiate an encounter, and you even have the option to avoid them altogether.

Of course, that’s not always possible, though you can always make a run for it if you’re low on health or ammo. As Naughty Dog has highlighted several times, running away from combat is a viable option, allowing you to be better prepared and reestablish stealth when you return to the encounter.

When you do decide to engage the enemies, you’ve got a lot of tools at your disposal. A well-placed headshot with a handgun, for one, will immediately kill human enemies. Paired with a silencer, you can eliminate them without alerting the others. However, if the person you’ve killed is in the line of sight of their teammates, they will be alerted.

If you want to save your ammo, melee combat is a lot more fleshed out in The Last of Us Part II. There is a dodge button now, and coupled with Ellie’s agility, you can take down – or outrun – enemies much bigger than her. That being said, melee combat is only really viable with smaller crowds; it’s easy to get overwhelmed by enemies in bigger encounters.

Speaking of which, the world of The Last of Us part II is a lot bigger too. While it’s not expansive enough to be considered an open-world setting, the world “feels” large, and that’s a good thing. There are plenty of areas to explore and scour for resources, and it’s completely up to the players to find these areas or not.

And that brings us to the graphics of the game, and it looks downright gorgeous. Character models are well-detailed, the environments look lush, and facial expressions are absolutely fantastic. Honestly, we’ve never seen a game that translates facial expressions at
this
 level of fidelity before. It really adds to the immersion and experience of the game.

As you can probably tell from the various trailers of the game, The Last of Us Part II sets a much darker tone than the first title. The overarching theme of the game is the cycle of violence, and it follows Ellie’s quest for revenge. There’s only so much we can talk about at this point in time, but rest assured, we will reveal more in due time – spoiler-free, of course.

Based on our first impressions of The Last of Us Part II, it is easily Naughty Dog’s best work to date. It’s a gorgeous-looking game with a new and improved combat system set in a much larger world. It also continues Ellie and Joel’s story from the first game, and given the studio’s excellent storytelling chops, you know you’re in for a good time.

Still not quite sure The Last of Us Part II is worth picking up? Then stay tuned for our full review of the game this coming Friday on 12 June.


Honda Presents 425 Units of Facelifted Civic 1.8 S to PDRM

Honda Malaysia just handed over 425 units of the
facelifted Civic 1.8 S
 to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). The C-segment sedan will be used by the police force as patrol and enforcement vehicles, and even though it’s the base model, the 1.8 S is still a reasonably fast car.

The delivery of the Civic 1.8 S to PDRM was originally planned for March, but the Movement Control Order (MCO) delayed it until now. “We are delighted that we are now able to resume the plan to deliver these new mobile patrol and enforcement vehicles which are expected to assist in the tasks and responsibilities of the police force,” said the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia, Toichi Ishiyama.

As mentioned, the 1.8 S trim is the base model of the current Civic lineup. The facelift was launched back in February, and it’s powered by the familiar 1.8L SOHC i-VTEC engine. It outputs 141hp and 174Nm of torque, with drive sent to the front wheels through Honda’s Earth Dreams continuously variable transmission (CVT). Unfortunately, no paddle shifters here; only the 1.5 TC and 1.5 TC-P models get that.

Besides that, compared to the pre-facelift model, the updated Civic 1.8 S sports a number of noteworthy changes too. While it still has 16-inch alloy wheels shod with 215/55R16 tyres, it comes with a different design now. Previously, the rear seats are also fixed in place, but the facelifted model features 60:40 split-folding rear seats, giving you more boot space when you need it.

Beyond that, all facelifted models of the Civic come with automatic wipers now, along with a physical volume knob for the 7-inch infotainment system. The latter is a small addition, but still a noteworthy change that’s been asked by existing owners for quite some time now. Previously, it had touch-only volume buttons, which are not particularly intuitive to use.

Other features of the new Civic 1.8 S include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights, fabric upholstery, six airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD).

The facelifted Honda Civic is now available for purchase in Malaysia. The base 1.8 S retails at RM113,600, while the range-topping 1.5 TC-P goes for RM139,600. It’s worth noting that in the government’s recently announced Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), locally assembled (CKD) cars like the Civic will get 100% sales tax exemption until the end of 2020.

Sales tax accounts for 10% of a car’s price tag, so we can expect the Civic’s pricing to be adjusted in the coming weeks. More information on the C-segment sedan can be found on
Honda Malaysia’s website
.


Asus ExpertBook B9 Launching in Malaysia 15 June; Weighs Only 870g

Asus usually doesn’t put much emphasis on its business-centric laptops in Malaysia, but that seems to be changing soon: the Taiwanese company is launching the extremely lightweight Asus ExpertBook B9 in Malaysia next week on 15 June.

The arrival of the ExpertBook B9 on our shores is confirmed by Asus Malaysia itself on its Facebook page. Naturally, the teaser focuses on the lightweight nature of the laptop. In fact, tipping the scales at only 870g, it’s touted as “the world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop.”

However, that’s the weight of the model with a 33WHr battery; the variant with a much more generous 66WHr battery weighs 1.05kg. Of course, that still makes the ExpertBook B9 a very lightweight laptop, and we’ve confirmed with Asus Malaysia that both battery capacities will be offered here.

Not only is the ExpertBook B9 a lightweight laptop, it’s quite a slim machine too: its chassis measures only 14.9mm thin. Portability is important for a business-class laptop, and without a doubt its slim and light chassis make it ideal for those who are always on the go.

Another important feature of any business laptop is good battery life, and in this regard, the ExpertBook B9 promises up to
24 hours
 of use on a single charge. That’s the quoted battery life for the model with a 66Whr battery; the smaller 33WHr cell, on the other hand, is said to offer 12 hours of use. Still a very respectable estimate.

Under the hood of the ExpertBook B9 is the latest 10th-generation Intel Core i7-10510U or Core i5-10210U processor. Paired with 8GB or 16GB of RAM, it should be able to offer more than enough processing power for most productivity tasks. As for the GPU, it uses an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620.

Design wise, the ExpertBook B9 is quite a sleek-looking laptop as well. Its 14-inch 1080p IPS display is surrounded by thin bezels – it’s said to offer a whopping 94% screen-to-body ratio – and the magnesium‑lithium alloy chassis gives the laptop a premium, understated look.

Rounding out the specifications of the ExpertBook B9 include three SSD storage options (512GB, 1TB, and 2TB), a webcam with Windows Hello support, two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support, a full-size USB-A connection, an HDMI output, and an RJ45 port via the micro HDMI connection.

The Asus ExpertBook B9 will be launched in Malaysia next week on 15 June. It remains to be seen exactly how much it will cost on our shores, but given its premium positioning, expect it to cost quite a bit of money.


Proton Saga Best-Selling Car of May 2020 in Malaysia

The automotive industry in Malaysia is slowly recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and Proton is seeing a notable improvement in its sales too. In the month of May 2020, the national carmaker managed to sell 5,676 vehicles, which translates to 23.3% market share for the month. On top of that, the Proton Saga was the best-selling car of May 2020 as well.

In fact, this is the first time the Saga managed to grab that title since it was facelifted last year in August. Naturally, it was also the most popular A-segment sedan in the country last month, pulling ahead of the equally popular Perodua Bezza. That’s quite an achievement.

There are also several Proton models that were class-leading in sales last month. The X70, for one, remains to be the best-selling C-segment SUV in Malaysia. It’s worth noting that the X70 was
updated with a new N95 cabin filter last month
, which likely helped bolster the sales of the SUV. Other models from the carmaker that led their respective segments are the B-segment sedan Proton Persona, as well as the C-segment MPV Proton Exora.

Collectively, Proton is still the second most popular car brand in Malaysia with a 21.1% year-to-date (YTD) market share. The company added that this is in line with its target set for the year.

“Proton is thankful our sales have not contracted as much as expected and we also need to say thank you to our vendors who worked tirelessly to ensure we could regain our footing as quickly as possible. It will take a few more months to get an accurate reading of market conditions but we are quietly confident from this point onwards, we will see steady growth for the rest of the year,” said the CEO of Proton, Li Chunrong.

Last Friday, the government laid out its Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), which will further stimulate the automotive industry in Malaysia. Locally assembled (CKD) cars – which are all of Proton’s models right now – will receive 100% sales tax exemption until the end of 2020.

With this in mind, expect the pricing of all Proton models to be revised in the coming weeks. But do keep in mind that sales tax only account for 10% of a car’s price tag, and even then it doesn’t mean that prices will be slashed by the same percentage. Regardless, we will keep a close eye on the pricing of Proton models – as well as other brands – for any changes.


Asus TUF Gaming A15 Review: Best Value for Money Ryzen 4000 Gaming Laptop

The gaming laptop scene has seen some exciting developments in recent times, thanks to new processor and GPU options in the market. The former is particularly exciting with
AMD’s Ryzen 4000 series o
f
 processors
. Not only does it bring excellent performance, laptops powered by the new chips are also offered at competitive price points.

One such gaming laptop is the Asus TUF Gaming A15. I’ve spent a few weeks using it as my daily driver and gaming machine, and while it does have some shortcomings, the level of performance it offers at this price point makes it an incredibly attractive value for money gaming laptop.

If you want the best gaming performance for the least amount of money, you should seriously consider the TUF Gaming A15.

Specifications

Display
15.6-inch 144Hz FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 4800H (8C/16T, 2.9GHz with boost up to 4.2GHz)
GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 VRAM
RAM
16GB DDR4 3200MHz
Storage
1TB PCIe Gen3 SSD
Camera
720p
Battery
48WHr
Dimensions
359.8 x 256 x 22.8 – 24.7 mm
Weight
2.3kg
Audio
Bottom-firing stereo speakers
Ports
1x USB 3.2 Type-C
2x USB 3.2 Type-A
1x USB 2.0 Type-A
1x HDMI 2.0b
1x RJ45
Price
RM5,699

Design

The TUF Gaming A15 looks like your average gaming laptop, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It has an RGB keyboard, see-through WASD keys, and
compared to its predecessor
, it does look sleeker with a cleaner top lid design. The slim bezels surrounding the screen also give it a modern aesthetic, though we do wish the bottom bezel was smaller.

Given the affordable positioning of the TUF Gaming A15, plastic is used quite extensively throughout the laptop. The top lid is made out of metal, but other parts of the machine are all plastic. These include the palm rest area, the sides, and even the bottom chassis.

While the plastic construction doesn’t feel premium, the TUF Gaming A15 does feel solid. It is MIL-STD-810H certified, so you know it’s a durable gaming laptop that can take a few knocks and bumps of everyday use. Asus also says that the laptop has been “tested to survive short falls.”

In terms of connectivity, the TUF Gaming A15 offers a good selection of ports. These include a USB-C connection, three full-size USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.0b output, and even an RJ45 connection. It would have been great if it had an SD card reader as well; that would’ve made it an even more appealing laptop.

Overall, the TUF Gaming A15 is a reasonably sleek-looking gaming laptop. It’s not particularly slim or lightweight – it weighs 2.3kg with a 24.7mm thick chassis – but at this price point, you can’t really complain.

User Experience

To game effectively, you need a good keyboard, and the TUF Gaming A15 fares quite well in this regard. The keys have pronounced tactile feedback, enough key travel to not feel shallow, and overall, it’s a comfortable keyboard that is more than serviceable in long gaming sessions. The RGB lighting looks pretty good as well.

That being said, I have one major qualm with the keyboard: the layout. In order to fit a (compressed) numpad on the right side, the whole keyboard is shifted to the left, which feels awkward when I first started using the laptop. I did manage to get used to it after some time, but I still occasionally hit the num lock key whenever I reach for the backspace button.

As for the trackpad of the TUF Gaming A15, it’s decent. It’s largely accurate, gestures work as intended, and I never felt the need to plug in a mouse to the laptop whenever I’m using it for non-gaming tasks. I do wish I could physically click on the trackpad though – instead of only relying on taps – but this is just my own personal preference.

And then there’s the 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display of the TUF Gaming A15, which is fantastic for gaming. This is thanks to the 144Hz refresh rate of the panel. Not only does it provide excellent motion clarity – fast-paced games will especially benefit from this – the extra frames also make every single animation on the screen look extra smooth.

But the quality of the display itself does leave much to be desired. Compared to other IPS panels, the TUF Gaming A15’s screen doesn’t look quite as vibrant. Colours appear muted, viewing angles are not great, and while the maximum brightness is good enough for indoor use, it’s a tad too dim in brighter environments.

Regardless, it’s still a good display for gaming purposes with the 144Hz refresh rate.

Gaming laptops don’t usually have very good battery life, but that’s not the case with the TUF Gaming A15. After all, it’s powered by the new Ryzen 7 4800H processor. Fabricated on a 7nm process, it’s a power-efficient chip; this is one of the biggest benefits of Ryzen 4000 series processors.

Throughout my time with the TUF Gaming A15, I was consistently getting five hours of use on a single charge; that’s good for a gaming laptop. Of course, I only managed to get this level of battery life when I was using the laptop for word processing, web browsing, and some video playback. The power mode was set to power saver too, with the display dimmed to a comfortable level.

Okay, five hours of use may not sound very impressive, and it certainly doesn’t show the true extend of the Ryzen 7 4800H’s power efficiency. But it’s worth noting that the TUF Gaming A15 for the Malaysian market – the review unit we got – only has a 48WHr battery; it’s not a big battery capacity. In fact, in other markets, this laptop can be configured with a much larger 90WHr cell, which would’ve offered
even better
 battery life.

Nonetheless, let’s move on to the system noise of the TUF Gaming A15. Outside of gaming, it’s a quiet machine…when the power profile is set to Silent. On Performance or Turbo profile, the fans definitely make themselves heard, even when I’m just browsing the web. Needless to say, the fans get even louder when I’m running intensive games.

Thermals of the TUF Gaming A15, on the other hand, are decent. In prolonged gaming sessions, the palm rest area remains cool. Not so much for the internals though: the GPU hit 77°C, while the CPU got up to 94°C. Not great numbers, but the high performance figures do justify these equally high temperatures; more on that in the next section.

Performance

We received the Ryzen 7 4800H variant of the TUF Gaming A15 for review, and to see just how capable the chip is, I put it through its paces in Cinebench R20. In the multi-core test, the processor got 4,106 points, and in the single-core test, it returned 481 points. Evidently, it’s a
fast
 chip, especially when it comes to multi-core performance. Just imagine how much faster the Ryzen 9 4900H could be in the range-topping configuration.

Anyway, compared to its closest Intel competition, the Core i7-10750H, the Ryzen 7 4800H got about the same score in the single-core test, but it absolutely blew Intel’s offering out of the water in the multi-core test. On average, the Core i7-10750H only got about 3,000 points in this test; that pales in comparison to the Ryzen 7’s 4,106 score.

It’s worth noting that the Ryzen 7 4800H is an octa-core processor with 16 threads, which explains its much higher score in the multi-core test. In comparison, the Core i7-10750H is a hexa-core CPU with 12 threads; it’s missing two physical cores than the Ryzen 7. Given that these two chips are offered in laptops in the same price range, this is a fair, relevant comparison.

Okay, what about gaming performance of the TUF Gaming A15? Well, packed with an RTX 2060 GPU, this is a reasonably powerful gaming laptop. Just look at the results below.

Games (Max settings @ 1080p)
Average FPS
Witcher 3 (HairWorks disabled)
68.28
Borderlands 3 (DX11)
50.12
Call of Duty: Warzone
89.88
Apex Legends
99.39

Without a doubt the TUF Gaming A15 can run AAA titles with high frame rates, and it’s worth noting that I ran these games at maxed out settings. If you want higher frame rates to take advantage of the screen’s 144Hz refresh rate, you can always tweak the graphics settings.

Competition

There are
quite a number of configurations of the TUF Gaming A15
 in Malaysia, and in my opinion, the most interesting option is the GTX 1660 Ti variant. I will be comparing this particular SKU of the A15 in this section.

Acer Nitro 5

The
new Acer Nitro 5
 for the Malaysian market doesn’t come with AMD Ryzen 4000 chips, but it is a good alternative to the TUF Gaming A15. The highest-end configuration of the Nitro 5 is quite interesting: it comes with a Core i7-10750H processor paired with 8GB of RAM, a GTX 1660 Ti GPU, a 512GB SSD, and a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS screen with a 144Hz refresh rate for RM4,899.

Closest configuration of the TUF Gaming A15 to this variant of the Nitro 5 is the aforementioned GTX 1660 Ti model. Retailing at RM4,699, it costs RM200 less, but it offers a faster Ryzen 7 4800H CPU, the same GTX 1660 Ti GPU, 8GB RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. Clearly, Asus’ laptop offers better value for money.

Of course, the Nitro 5 does have a couple of advantages over the TUF Gaming A15. For one, the former is not quite as plasticky, and measuring 23.9mm at its thickest point, the Nitro 5 is ever so slightly slimmer than the 24.7mm chassis of the A15.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G15

If you still want a Ryzen 4000 gaming laptop, there’s the
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15
. It’s a more premium offering than the TUF Gaming A15, so it does cost more than a similarly configured A15. Only one variant of the G15 is offered here, which retails at RM5,299.

For that kind of money, the sole configuration of the Zephyrus G15 features a Ryzen 7 4800HS processor – it’s basically a 35W version of the Ryzen 7 4800H chip, so it will be slightly slower – a GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q GPU, a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. While it’s not quite as powerful as the TUF Gaming A15, the G15 is lighter and slimmer: it weighs 2.1kg with a 19.9mm chassis.

But if you want better value for money, and you don’t mind the thicker, plastic chassis, the TUF Gaming A15 is the better option. Even though the RM4,699 configuration only has a 512GB SSD instead of a 1TB drive, it offers a faster Ryzen 7 4800H chip and a beefier GTX 1660 Ti GPU for RM600 less.

Conclusion

The Asus TUF Gaming A15 may not be the most premium or sleekest-looking gaming laptop, but it offers incredibly good performance for the money courtesy of the fast Ryzen 4000 chips. For folks that just want the best value for their money, the A15 is really one of the most – if not
the most
 – ideal option. This is especially true with the RM4,699 GTX 1660 Ti configuration.

That’s not to say the RTX 2060 variant of the TUF Gaming A15 in this review doesn’t offer good value for money. Yes, the RM5,699 price tag is a lot of money, but it comes with 16GB of RAM, a whopping 1TB SSD, and the RTX 2060 offers features like ray tracing and DLSS. To some folks, these extras are worth the RM1,000 difference.

But regardless of which variant you go for, there’s no denying the sheer value for money the TUF Gaming A15 offers. It has its fair share of shortcomings (especially in the display department), but the level of performance afforded by the Ryzen 4000 CPUs more than make up for it.


Perodua Reduces Car Prices by 3% to 6%, Effective Immediately

In line with the government’s Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), which offers 100% sales tax exemption on locally assembled (CKD) cars, Perodua just announced price cuts for its entire lineup of vehicles. These include the popular Myvi, Axia, Bezza, Alza, and Aruz.

Of course, the amount of discount will be different for each model. Perodua itself has not revealed the new prices yet, but the
folks over at Paultan
 managed to get their hands on the revised pricing structure. According to the site, the Axia is discounted between RM723 to RM1,763, depending on the trim level.

With this new price revision, the Axia now starts at only RM23,367.

Next is the Bezza, which sees a RM1,124 to RM1,624 price reduction, lowering the base model’s price tag to RM33,456. The Myvi, on the other hand, gets slightly higher discounts ranging from RM1,498 to RM1,893. Thanks to this, the Myvi now starts at RM41,292.

If you want a bigger car, there’s the Alza. It is between RM1,546 to RM2,165 more affordable now, bringing down the starting price to RM49,944.

Not surprisingly, out of all Perodua models, the Aruz gets the biggest price cut from the SST exemption. The 1.5 X model currently costs only RM68,526 – RM4,374 off the original price – while the range-topping 1.5 Advance is going for RM73,226 now; that’s RM4,674 worth of savings. The full list of price changes
can be seen on Paultan
.

Do note that these new prices for Perodua models will only be applicable from 15 June onwards until 31 December; that’s the time period set out by the government for the SST exemption. But if you do decide to purchase any Perodua model before the new prices are in effect, the carmaker will offer the same amount of savings in cash rebate.

“Perodua will offer cash rebates between 3% and 6% for the purchase of our vehicles beginning today (Wednesday),” said the CEO of Perodua, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad. “We want everyone to take this opportunity to own a Perodua without worrying about being left out. Please visit any Perodua sales outlet and speak to our authorised sales advisors for the total cash rebate amounts and the full price list that will be effective 15 June,” he added.

It’s worth mentioning that Perodua is the first carmaker to reveal its new price structure in line with the government’s PENJANA initiative. We expect other brands to follow suit in the coming weeks.


Realme Watch Lands in Malaysia for RM299; Early Birds Get RM50 Off

Realme just launched a number of products today, including the Chinese company’s first-ever smartwatch, the Realme Watch. Sporting an affordable price tag, long battery life, and a number of other neat features, it’s quite an interesting wearable.

For the Malaysian market, the Realme Watch retails at RM299; a reasonably affordable price tag for a smartwatch. But if you purchase it through Shopee tomorrow on 12 June, you can grab it for only RM249. Of course, this RM50 discount is only available on that day itself on the e-commerce platform.

At a glance, the Realme Watch does seem to take some design cues from the Apple Watch, especially with its square form factor. It also features a 1.4-inch 320 x 320 touch-enabled display, which comes with 10 levels of brightness that peak at 380 nits. Overall, it’s a reasonably handsome smartwatch, though we do wish the bottom bezel was smaller.

Aside from that, the Realme Watch is quite a long-lasting smartwatch as well. According to the company, the Watch’s 160mAh battery offers up to nine days of use; seven days if the heart rate sensor is enabled. In power saving mode, Realme claims that the battery life can even be stretched to 20 days.

Getting notifications from your phone pushed to your wrist is one of the best reasons to invest in a smartwatch, and of course, the Realme Watch can do just that. The wearable supports notifications from apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Gmail, though it remains to be seen just how well it would mirror notifications from a paired phone.

Naturally, the Realme Watch is able to track a number of workouts. Realme says that the smartwatch can track 14 different activities, including badminton, yoga, basketball, strength training, and outdoor run. Throughout any of the workout, the Watch will also show your heart rate and time elapsed.

Other specifications of the Realme Watch include IP68 dust and water resistance, a heart rate sensor, the ability to measure your blood oxygen level, and 12 different watchfaces. That’s not a lot of options, so Realme promises that as many as 100 more watchfaces will be added in the future.

The Realme Watch will be available for purchase tomorrow on 12 June for RM299. As mentioned, you can grab it for only RM249 if you get the smartwatch on Shopee tomorrow
right here
.


The Last of Us Part II Review: Devastating

From the get-go, we know The Last of Us Part II will be much darker, more brutal than the first game. It takes place five years after Ellie and Joel settled down in Jackson, Wyoming, and both of them are living in relative peace and stability – until a “violent event disrupts that peace.”

On the surface, The Last of Us Part II follows Ellie’s quest for revenge, but as I progress further into the game, it’s much more than that. It’s a multi-faceted, emotionally charged story that shows Naughty Dog’s masterful storytelling skills, and I honestly don’t remember being
this
 invested in a game’s narrative.

Which is why this is such a devastating game to play. While the dark tone of the story itself contributes to that, it’s the divisive plot that gets to me, and it
will
divide fans of the franchise. That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed The Last of Us Part II – it is easily Naughty Dog’s best work to date.

Story

It’s tough to deliberate the story of The Last of Us Part II without going into spoiler territory – don’t worry, this is a spoiler-free review – but as mentioned, it’s a divisive story. I didn’t quite like it in the beginning, but as the narrative unfolds, I can understand why Naughty Dog is going with this direction. It feels like a natural progression of the story from the first game, and it’s a strong plot overall.

Do I wish some story elements were different? Definitely. But I do think these (likely) unpopular plot points are important to make the story as impactful as it is. There are some powerful moments in the game that will stay with me long after I’m done with it.

Besides that, character development in The Last of Us Part II is
excellent
. Almost every single character in the game is appropriately fleshed out, and characters that I initially didn’t care about eventually warmed up to me. Really, it’s crazy how my impression of these characters can change from one play session to another, and I’ve even grown to genuinely care about their fate.

This, in turn, makes certain decisions in the game hard to swallow. There are more than a few instances in my playthrough where I wish I could make different choices instead of the options that was offered to me. This is just one way how the game can be so devastating; I
don’t want
 to commit to these decisions.

Nonetheless, the narrative of The Last of Us Part II is a compelling one. If you’re expecting the usual Naughty Dog storytelling magic with this sequel, you will not be disappointed. You may not be a fan of the story’s direction in the beginning – trust me, you won’t be alone – but there’s a good chance your opinion will change as you progress through the story.

Gameplay

The story is usually the main focus of Naughty Dog’s titles, but that doesn’t mean other aspects of this game are not up to par. In fact, compared to the previous entry in the franchise (or even Uncharted 4), The Last of Us Part II is a thrill to play with plenty of gameplay elements to love.

Enemy encounters, for one, feel genuinely frightening, especially when the Infected are involved. I dread having to deal with any of them; they feel far deadlier than the last game. Thankfully, it’s possible to slip past them if I’m smart about it, but just
hearing
them around me adds to the terror. Clickers are the bane of my existence.

What about human enemies? Well, they can be equally as deadly too. The AI is a lot smarter now, so I can no longer just slog through them. They cannot be taken lightly anymore, and the presence of guard dogs make these encounters even more tense. I’ve tried pushing through a crowd of human enemies with sheer firepower before, and…let’s just say it didn’t end well for me.

To make encounters feel more dynamic in The Last of Us Part II, two new mechanics are introduced: proning and dodging. Going prone is incredibly useful when you need to quickly hide in tall grasses (or even under a car) to heal or craft, and dodging makes melee combat a lot more viable than the previous game.

These two mechanics seem simple enough, but they open up so many more possibilities when negotiating encounters. Whenever possible, I would engage enemies in melee combat to conserve ammo, and I can defeat them unscathed if I time my dodges properly. Oh, you can also jump and vault over obstacles much more seamlessly now, which is very useful when you need to make a break for it.

Last but definitely not least is the sheer scale of The Last of Us Part II’s world. Now, it’s not an open-world game, but the environment feels vast enough to explore for hours on end. I’ve spent over 23 hours in my first playthrough of the game, and there are still quite a number of areas I haven’t explored. I even missed a couple of interactions that will only trigger in specific areas.

Aside from that, you can also get better equipment and upgrades as you explore the world. Simply put, the game encourages exploration by offering these rewards, and it’s completely up to the player to do it or not. It may sound troublesome if you just want to progress through the game for the next big cutscene, but rarely do I regret taking the time to check out that one house or room before making my way to the objective.

All in all, The Last of Us Part II offers very robust gameplay that is far more dynamic and immersive than the original game. The vast environment also warrants a second playthrough to see exactly what I missed the first time around.

Graphics

Naughty Dog pushed the PlayStation 3 to its limits with The Last of Us, and it’s doing the same now with The Last of Us Part II on the PlayStation 4. I’ve played the game on a PS4 Pro system, and for the most part, performance is solid at a stable 30fps throughout the game. There are some instances where the frame rate noticeably dips, but it doesn’t happen often enough to warrant concern.

So how does the game look? Stunning. The whole world is rendered beautifully with awe-inspiring landscapes, lush greenery, and detailed textures. What particularly impressed me is just how realistic organic elements like foliage are portrayed in the game, especially in areas reclaimed by nature.

But what
really
 took me by surprise are the characters’ facial expressions. Many emotions can be conveyed through subtle facial cues, and Naughty Dog absolutely nailed it. You can easily tell if a character is uncomfortable, content, or terrified by their facial expressions in this game, and that is not an easy feat to accomplish.

There’s no denying that The Last of Us Part II looks fantastic, but there are some graphical issues here and there. Texture pop-in is one of the most common problems I encountered, and some artifacting were present too, though it doesn’t happen quite as regularly. Do these issues detract from the overall experience of the game? Not really, but it is worth mentioning.

Conclusion

The Last of Us Part II is a worthy sequel to the original The Last of Us. It tells a dark, devastating story that will divide fans, but it is also a very compelling narrative that feels very much like a continuation of the first game. It’s not a sequel for the sake of it, and the story’s direction doesn’t feel forced either.

It is also a stunning-looking game with excellent gameplay elements that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Whether you will like the story or not, there’s no denying the fact that this is Naughty Dog’s most accomplished game yet. Just like its predecessor, The Last of Us Part II defines this generation of console gaming.

The Last of Us Part II launches on the PS4 on 19 June.


Acer Predator Triton 500 With 300Hz Screen & RTX 2070 Super Now in Malaysia; Retails From RM7,999

The slim and light
Acer Predator Triton 500
 has just been updated in Malaysia with some new hardware. Now, the range-topping model comes with a blazing fast 300Hz display, along with an equally fast Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q. Of course, with the beefy new hardware, the Triton 500’s retail prices have gone up as well.

Two variants of the Triton 500 are offered in Malaysia. The base model, which retails at RM7,999, features an RTX 2070 Max-Q GPU, a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, and 8GB of RAM. The highest-end option, on the other hand, has a more powerful RTX 2070 Super Max-Q GPU, a faster 300Hz screen with Nvidia G-Sync support, and 16GB of RAM.

How much does this top-of-the-line model cost? RM8,999.

The previous generation Predator Triton 500
The updated model no longer has the Predator wording below the logo

Regardless of which model you get, both variants of the Triton 500 come with Intel’s latest 10th-generation Core i7-10875H processor; there’s no more Core i5 model for this gaming laptop. This, and the lack of an RTX 2060 option, explains the higher entry price of the updated Triton 500. To put this into context, the base model
went for RM6,799
 when it was first launched here.

Anyway, the refreshed Triton 500 does offer more with the added cost, and all of the beefy hardware are still packed into the same 17.9mm thin chassis. This makes it one of the slimmest gaming laptops in the market now, and tipping the scales at 2.1kg, it’s a reasonably lightweight laptop too, especially for a gaming machine of this calibre.

Though it looks identical to its predecessor, the new Triton 500, as mentioned, is more powerful now. Not only is it powered by a Core i7-10875H processor, the RTX 2070 Super Max-Q GPU – regular RTX 2070 Max-Q for the base model – offers excellent gaming performance as well. The fast 300Hz screen of the highest-end variant would also provide fantastic motion clarity.

Other specifications of the updated Triton 500 include 512GB of SSD storage (for both models), a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3 and DisplayPort support, three USB-A connections, an HDMI 2.0 output, as well as a mini DisplayPort. This gaming laptop also comes with a two-year on-site warranty.

The Acer Predator Triton 500 will be available for purchase in Malaysia from next week onwards on 15 June. Those who place their order on
Acer’s online store
 or Lazada between 15 to 19 June will also receive a number of freebies, including a Predator gaming chair, a Predator Cestus 330 mouse, and even a Predator Galea 350 gaming headset.

Of course, these freebies are only available while stocks last, so if you want to grab them, it’s best to act fast on 15 June itself.


Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Coming to PlayStation 5 Later This Year

A large number of games have been announced for the PlayStation 5, and one of them is a big one. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be launching alongside the next-generation console later this year. Based on the trailer, it seems to be a continuation of 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, which starred Peter Parker.

Miles Morales assumes the mantle of Spider-Man in this upcoming PS5 game, and compared to the first title, there are some nice visual upgrades.
According to PlayStation
, the game will have “highly-detailed character models and enhanced visuals across the game (to) intensify the story of Miles Morales as he faces great, new challenges while learning to be his own Spider-Man.”

That being said, based on reports circulating online, Spider-Man: Miles Morales will not be on the same level of scale as the original title. Instead, it’s meant to “build on and expand Marvel’s Spider-Man (the first game) through an all-new story,” as PlayStation puts it.

According to a report from Bloomberg
, Spider-Man: Miles Morales will instead “be smaller than a traditional console game but will be sold as a stand-alone product,” citing a person familiar with the development of the new game. This statement is corroborated by the developer itself, Insomniac Games.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the next adventure in the Marvel's Spider-Man universe. We will reveal more about this standalone game at a future date.
#MilesMoralesPS5

pic.twitter.com/GOTAvNhUaF
— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames)
June 12, 2020

The Bloomberg report further added that Spider-Man: Miles Morales will follow the formula of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which is a spin-off of 2016’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. While the former plays similarly to the original, it’s a shorter, smaller experience. Of course, this is reflected in the lower price tag of The Lost Legacy, even if it was a stand-alone game.

This may come off as a disappointment to fans who are hoping for a full-fledged Spider-Man game with Miles Morales. But given that the first one was only released back in September 2018, it’ll be unrealistic to expect a full-fledged sequel in such a short period of time.

Nonetheless, we’re optimistic the new game will give Miles Morales justice as the new Spider-Man. Some of the improvements that we can expect from the upcoming title include “near-instantaneously fast-travel across Marvel’s New York City,” thanks to the fast SSD of the PS5.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be launching on the PlayStation 5 later this year. It’s said to be available sometime in “holiday 2020,” which is the same period as the PS5’s tentative launch.


This Is the PlayStation 5; Also Offered in Digital-Only Version

The day has finally come: Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) finally revealed the design of the PlayStation 5. Just like the DualSense controller, the PS5 sports the same white-and-black colour scheme with a rather futuristic-looking design. On top of that, it is offered in two distinct variants as well.

No, it’s not a PS5 Pro model. Rather, it’s a digital-only version of the next-generation console, aptly dubbed PS5 Digital Edition. It looks identical to the standard PS5, but the digital-only model doesn’t have an optical disc drive. This gives the Digital Edition a slimmer, more symmetrical design.

Besides that, in the hardware reveal trailer above, it’s pretty clear PlayStation is highlighting the “V” silhouette of the PS5 when it is placed vertically. This is likely a nod to the Roman numeral for the number five, which is quite a nice touch in our opinion. There are also some nice underglow surrounding the console.

At a glance, it seems like the PS5 cannot be placed horizontally on its side; both sides of the console appear to be curved, after all. However, the
closing sizzle trailer
 of today’s PS5 event does show the console placed on its side; there seems to be an attachment of sorts that makes this possible. It’s possible the same stand is used to place the console vertically and horizontally.

Port selection of the PS5 has been revamped as well. At least, that’s the case for the front of the console. The PS4 offered two USB-A connections at the front of the system, but the PS5 features a USB-A port as well as a USB-C connection. The console seems to have pretty elaborate vents for heat dissipation as well, suggesting a pretty robust cooling system.

While PlayStation finally revealed the actual design of the PS5, pricing and availability of the next-generation console have not been detailed yet. However, we do know that the PS5 will hit store shelves by the end of the year, and several big games, such as Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, will be launched alongside the system.

It’s quite interesting that PlayStation is introducing two different variants of the PS5, though we imagine most gamers will stick with the standard model; physical copies of games are still preferred in many parts of the world. That being said, there’s a good chance the Digital Edition will be more affordable, given that it doesn’t have a disc drive. We’ll just have to wait for the PS5’s retail prices to be revealed to find out.


Acer Nitro 5 With 10th-Gen Intel CPU & 144Hz Screen Lands in Malaysia; Starts at RM3,799

Aside from the
updated Predator Triton 500
, Acer Malaysia also brought in the refreshed Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop to our local market. Now sporting Intel’s latest 10th-generation Core processors and a fast 144Hz screen, it’s a great gaming machine for those who want good value for money.

Two variants of the Nitro 5 are offered here in Malaysia. The base model comes with a Core i5-10300H processor as well as an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU for RM3,799; reasonably good value for money. The range-topping option, on the other hand, is equipped with a faster Core i7-10750H processor and a beefier GTX 1660 Ti graphics card for RM4,899.

Compared to its 2019 iteration, the new Nitro 5 sports several neat upgrades. For one, it now features an RGB keyboard that can be customised through the company’s NitroSense software. Of course, it’s not per-key lighting – it’s four-zone instead – but that’s typically a feature of more expensive gaming laptops.

Besides that, Acer says that the updated Nitro 5 has a new cooling system: it improves upon the 2019 model’s thermal performance by up to 25%, which is quite a notable gain. It remains to be seen just how effective the new cooling solution is, but it does sound promising.

Beyond these changes, both variants of the Nitro 5 share quite a bit of hardware. For one, they come with a 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS screen with with a fast 144Hz refresh rate. It’s an improvement over last year’s model that only had a 120Hz panel. Thanks to the high refresh rate, this display should offer good motion clarity.

Storage wise, regardless of which model you get, the Nitro 5 comes with a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD along with 8GB of DDR4 2933MHz RAM. If that amount of RAM isn’t quite enough for you, it’s possible to upgrade it to 32GB. If you want to do some serious gaming and productivity work, we’d recommend installing at least 16GB of RAM.

Other specifications of the Nitro 5 include a USB Type-C connection, three full-size USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 output with HDCP support, and a two-year local warranty support; the first year is covered under international warranty.

The Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop is now available for purchase in Malaysia, and if you get it from tomorrow onwards (15 June) until 19 June on
Acer’s online store
 or Lazada, you will get freebies worth up to RM827. These include a Predator Galea 350 gaming headset, a Predator-branded backpack, and either a Predator Cestus 310 gaming mouse or a pair of Redmi AirDots wireless earbuds. Naturally, these free gifts are only available while stocks last.


Honda Cuts Prices up to RM9,500; Effective Until 31 December

Honda just revealed the new retail prices for its entire model lineup. This is in line with the government’s Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), which offers 100% sales tax exemption on locally assembled (CKD) cars or 50% for fully imported (CBU) models.

Of course, the highest amount of discount is reserved for the most expensive model in the Japanese carmaker’s lineup, the Odyssey. Imported directly from Japan, the MPV receives RM9,502.47 discount, bringing down the price of the sole 2.4 EXV model to RM249,393.53.

Besides the Odyssey, the
all-new Honda Accord
 receives quite a hefty price cut as well. Depending on which trim you get, the D-segment sedan is now up to RM8,454.63 more affordable; that’s for the range-topping 1.5 TC-P model in Platinum White Pearl. As for the 1.5 TC variant, it receives a RM7,733.36 price reduction for the same colourway.

Also discounted heavily is the Honda CR-V; it is now between RM6,470.34 to RM7,470.63 less. This lowers the price of the 2.0 2WD model to RM144,629.66, while the top-of-the-line 1.5 TC-P 2WD trim now retails at RM168,829.37.

Naturally, the recently introduced
Honda BR-V facelift
 also has its prices revised. The E trim now starts at RM86,726 (after the RM3,174 discount), while the better equipped V model goes from RM93,693 – that’s RM3,507 worth of savings.

Next, we have the
facelifted Honda Civic
. The base 1.8 S model is now going for up to RM4,300.76 less, so the C-segment sedan now starts at only RM109,326.51. This puts it closer to the pre-facelift’s price tag for the same trim level; the previous 1.8 S variant went for RM108,165. Not a bad deal, given the new features introduced in the facelifted model.

If you’re looking for something more affordable, there’s the Honda Jazz, which is discounted between RM2,788.46 to RM3,755.46. This means the base S trim of the B-segment hatchback can now be purchased for RM72,511.54, making it the most affordable model in Honda’s lineup.

Those who want a bigger car can opt for the Honda City. The discount for the B-segment sedan ranges from RM3,204.64 to RM4,010.27, lowering the price of entry for the City to RM75,295.36. Honda’s new price list for all of its models can be found below:

As per the government’s PENJANA initiative, these new prices will be valid from today onwards until 31 December 2020. If you’ve been eyeing any of the Honda models here, now’s the time to get it.


Proton Models Discounted up to RM7,000; Proton X70 Now Starts at RM89,900

Following the government’s decision to give 100% sales tax exemption on locally assembled (CKD) cars, Proton is the latest carmaker to reveal the revised retail prices of its entire model lineup. The discounts range from 1.2% to 5.7%, and the new prices will be valid until 31 December 2020.

Out of all models from the national carmaker, the
Proton X70
 gets the highest amount of discount. The base Standard model of the SUV is now going for RM4,900 less. That brings down the price to
only RM89,900
 – that’s a very good price for a C-segment SUV of this calibre.

Moving up the trim level is the Executive variant of the X70, which is now going for RM101,000; that’s RM5,800 worth of savings compared to before. The discount is even better for the higher-end Premium model: it receives a RM6,700 price cut, reducing its asking price to RM113,100.

And then there’s the range-topping Premium X. This variant gets a whopping RM7,000 discount, lowering the price to RM115,800. Before the sales tax exemption, the X70 was already considered to be one of the best premium SUVs for the money. Needless to say, with this price revision, it now offers even more value.

Aside from the X70, the Exora gets quite a good amount of discount as well. The Executive model, for one, is now RM2,500 more affordable. Oddly enough, the higher-end Premium trim receives a lower RM2,000 price cut. Nonetheless, it’s still a rather substantial discount for the MPV.

Other Proton models, on the other hand, don’t get quite as substantial discounts. Take the Proton Saga, which gets between RM400 to RM500 price cuts. It’s slightly better for the Iriz (RM500 to RM800), while the Persona – depending on the trim level – are discounted from RM500 to RM900.

“Proton would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone looking for a new vehicle that there has never been a better time to own a new Proton. With our industry leading number of 3S/4S outlets, refreshed model range, periodic improvements we have introduced, as well as the new prices, our customers will receive even better value for their money,” said the CEO of Proton, Li Chunrong.

Proton’s new price list for its whole model lineup is shown above. As mentioned, consumers can take advantage of these discounted prices until 31 December 2020.


Asus ExpertBook B9 Now in Malaysia; 870g, 24-Hour Battery Life, From RM6,299

Asus just launched its latest business laptop in Malaysia, the Asus ExpertBook B9. Not only does it weigh only 870g, this premium machine promises up to 24 hours of battery life; that’s quite impressive for a laptop as light as it is.

Five different variants of the ExpertBook B9 are available in Malaysia. The base model, which retails at RM6,299, features a 10th generation Intel Core i5-10210U processor, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and Windows 10. This is also the only variant with a 33WHr battery that offers up to 12 hours of use, making it the sole model that weighs 870g.

The other four variants of the ExpertBook B9, on the other hand, are equipped with a much more generous 66WHr battery. While this capacity increases the weight of the laptop to 995g, it does double the quoted battery life to 24 hours. In our opinion, it’s a worthy trade-off to get twice as long battery life.

Anyway, let’s get back to the pricing of the other four models. A tier up from the aforementioned model has the same configuration, but it swaps the 33WHr battery for the bigger 66WHr cell, along with Windows 10 Pro and TPM support. This model costs RM6,599, so you’re essentially forking out RM300 to get a bigger battery; a worthy upgrade for some consumers.

Next up is the Core i7-10510U model, which also doubles the RAM and SSD storage to 16GB and 1TB respectively. This variant of the ExpertBook B9 costs RM8,299, and you can add RM300 to upgrade the operating system to Windows 10 Pro with TPM support.

And then there’s the range-topping ExpertBook B9. It has the same hardware as the previous two, but it features
two 1TB SSD drives
, giving you a whopping 2TB of storage. Of course, this drives up the price – excuse the pun – to RM9,299, though it also comes with Windows 10 Pro and TPM support.

For easy reference, here’s the price breakdown of the ExpertBook B9 for the Malaysian market.

Intel Core i5-10210U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Windows 10 – RM6,299
Intel Core i5-10210U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Windows 10 Pro – RM6,599
Intel Core i7-10510U, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Windows 10 – RM8,299
Intel Core i7-10510U, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Windows 10 Pro – RM8,599
Intel Core i7-10510U, 16GB RAM, 2TB SSD, Windows 10 Pro – RM9,299

The Asus ExpertBook B9 is now
available for pre-order in Malaysia
, and it will hit store shelves on 30 June. It’s not an affordable laptop, but it is a lightweight, premium notebook with sleek looks. The 14-inch 1080p IPS display with thin bezels – offering a 94% screen-to-body ratio – certainly gives it a modern aesthetic.


Samsung Galaxy S20+ BTS Edition & Galaxy Buds+ Arrive in Malaysia for RM4,399 & RM899

It’s been leaked for quite some time now, and it’s finally official: this is the Samsung Galaxy S20+ BTS Edition. Finished in the K-pop band’s signature purple shade, there are also a number of other neat details. Also released alongside the special edition S20+ is a Galaxy Buds+ in the same colourway, and both of them are available here in Malaysia.

Aside from the purple finish, the Galaxy S20+ BTS Edition also has the band’s logo right beneath the Samsung branding on the rear panel. There is a purple heart iconography on the camera module as well, and naturally, the phone itself is pre-installed with BTS-inspired themes. The Weverse app (a fan community platform for the band) is pre-loaded too.

As for the Galaxy Buds+ BTS Edition, the charging case and touchpad of the wireless earbuds are finished in purple. The band’s logo and purple heart iconography are found on each of the earbuds as well.

Beyond these aesthetic changes, the Galaxy S20+ BTS Edition should be identical to
the standard S20+
. It’s still powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 990 chipset, and based on our review of the
Galaxy S20 Ultra
 – which sports the same SoC – it should be able to offer fast, flagship-tier performance.

And then there’s the bright and vibrant 6.7-inch 3200 x 1440 Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen of the Galaxy S20+. Coupled with the panel’s fast 120Hz refresh rate, every motion on this display will look extra smooth, giving the impression of a faster smartphone. There’s also the Infinity-O hole-punch cutout at the top of the screen for the 10MP f/2.2 selfie camera.

Speaking of which, the Galaxy S20+ has respectable camera performance as well, thanks to its sophisticated quad camera system. It consists of a 12MP f/1.8 main sensor, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle shooter, a 64MP f/2.0 telephoto lens, and a DepthVision time-of-flight camera. This camera configuration allows the S20+ to do up to 30x digital zoom.

Other specifications of the Galaxy S20+ include a generous 4,500mAh battery, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot for further storage expansion, and an in-screen ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ BTS Edition and the Galaxy Buds+ will be available for pre-order in Malaysia between 19 June to 5 July
right here
. The special edition S20+ retails at RM4,399, while the custom Buds+ goes for RM899.

To sweeten the deal, those who pre-order the Galaxy S20+ can purchase the Buds+ with 50% discount. If you place an order for the Buds+ instead, Samsung will throw in a complimentary BTS-themed wireless charger worth RM199.


Acer Predator Triton 500 (2020) Hands-On: Blazing Fast 300Hz Screen & RTX 2070 Super

The new Acer Predator Triton 500 is now
available for pre-order in Malaysia
, and it is better than ever. Not only does it come with a fast 300Hz screen now, the range-topping model features an equally fast Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q as well. These two hardware alone make it a powerful, high-end gaming laptop.

Of course, that also means the Triton 500 sits at an even higher price point now, though it does bring a number of other notable improvements. Plus, it’s a thin, lightweight, premium gaming machine: these qualities don’t come cheap. We’ve got the range-topping RM8,999 configuration of the laptop for review, so here’s our hands-on of the refreshed Triton 500.

On the surface, the updated Triton 500 isn’t all that different
from its predecessor
. It’s still using the same chassis, but there are a couple of aesthetic changes. The top lid, for one, no longer sports the “Predator” branding below the logo. The RGB keyboard now supports per-key lighting customisation as well, which is a nice addition.

But one of the most notable changes with the new Triton 500 is the display. As mentioned, this top-of-the-line model features a 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS display with a blazing fast 300Hz refresh rate
and
 G-Sync support. Previously, the Triton 500 was only available with a 144Hz panel, so you’re effectively getting
twice
 as many frames per second now.

Of course, the difference between 300Hz and 144Hz is not immediately noticeable: I personally can’t tell the difference. But if you’re a competitive gamer that want every single advantage you can get, the Triton 500’s 300Hz panel certainly offers that. Fast-paced games like
Call of Duty: Warzone
 and
Apex Legends
 will benefit the most from the high refresh rate.

But can the RTX 2070 Super Max-Q of the Triton 500 make full use of the screen’s 300Hz refresh rate? Well, not in demanding AAA games, but it’s definitely a beefy GPU. I haven’t had the chance to extensively test out the GPU yet, but rest assured, I’ll do just that in the full review of this gaming laptop.

As for the quality of the display itself, it looks great. Colours are vibrant, viewing angles are good, and it’s a pretty darn bright panel as well. It’s certainly a display befitting of a premium laptop.

Another big update the Triton 500 received is a 10th generation Intel Core i7-10875H processor. Not only does it have eight cores and 16 threads, its peak clock speed is a whopping 5.1GHz. The previous model only had a Core i7-9750H chip that offered six cores, 12 threads, and a 4.5GHz peak clock speed. Needless to say, the new processor of the updated Triton 500 will bring some notable gains.

Of course, qualities we loved from the original Triton 500 are all here in the updated model. It still measures only 17.9mm thin, making it one of the slimmest gaming laptops in the market now. On top of that, it tips the scales at 2.1kg too. Not the lightest machine I’ve seen, but it’s light enough to be carried around in a backpack without much trouble.

Port selection of the Triton 500 remains the same as its predecessor. These include a USB-C connection with Thunderbolt 3 and DisplayPort support, three USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 output, as well as a mini DisplayPort.

The same remains true for the keyboard of the Triton 500: it’s still just as good to type on. It has enough key travel to not feel shallow, the tactile feedback is great, and the standard layout takes little to no time to get familiar with. I can type as quickly as I do on a full-size keyboard the moment I start using the laptop.

That being said, my one qualm with the Triton 500’s keyboard layout has not been addressed: the key to launch the PredatorSense software is still placed right beside the backspace key. It’s very easy to launch the software by accident whenever I reach for the backspace key, which can get quite annoying.

But let’s move on to something more positive, the trackpad. It uses Windows Precision drivers, and it is easily one of the most accurate trackpads I’ve used. It can track my fingers extremely well, gestures work seamlessly, and the smooth surface of the trackpad makes it effortless to use.

There’s no denying the premium appeal of the Acer Predator Triton 500. It has a fast 300Hz screen, a powerful processor, a beefy GPU, and a slim, lightweight design. The only downside? It’s an expensive gaming laptop. This particular variant of the Triton 500 costs RM8,999, which offers 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage.

It’s a steep asking price, but that’s how much you have to pay for a high-end, premium gaming laptop like the Triton 500. I’m really looking forward to putting this laptop through its paces in a full review, and whether or not it can really justify the RM8,999 price tag.


The Proton X70 Is the Best C-Segment SUV to Get With 100% Tax Exemption

Most carmakers have announced new pricings for their models after the government’s announcement to give 100% sales tax exemption on locally assembled (CKD) cars or 50% for fully imported (CBU) models. Among all the vehicles that had their prices slashed, one caught our eyes: the
Proton X70
.

Even before the price revision, the X70 was already considered one of the best C-segment SUVs for the money. Needless to say, it is
that
 much more attractive now with the tax exemption. If you’re in the market for a new car in this segment, we’d argue the X70 is the best option; it’s tough to ignore the value proposition here.

So how much cheaper is the Proton X70 now? Let’s start with the base Standard model. Previously retailing at RM94,800, it received a RM4,900 price cut, so it now costs only RM89,900. The Executive trim, on the other hand, is going for RM101,000; that’s RM5,800 worth of savings.

Moving up the price range is the Premium model, which got a RM6,700 discount, bringing down the price to RM113,100. Last but definitely not least is the range-topping Premium X trim: now retailing at only RM115,800, it’s RM7,000 cheaper than its original asking price.

As per the government’s announcement, these prices will be valid until 31 December 2020. Here’s a breakdown of the old and new prices for easy reference.

Proton X70 CKD variant
Price with SST
Price with SST exemption
Price difference
Standard
RM94,800
RM89,900
-RM4,900
Executive
RM106,800
RM101,000
-RM5,800
Premium
RM119,800
RM113,100
-RM6,700
Premium X
RM122,800
RM115,800
-RM7,000

Without a doubt these are pretty significant discounts, which undercut the asking prices of the X70’s competition by quite a margin. Take one of the most popular C-segment SUVs in the market now, the Honda CR-V.
Even with sales tax exemption
, the CR-V still starts at around the RM145,000 mark; that’s RM30,000 more than the
top-of-the-line
 Premium X trim of the Proton X70.

On top of that, the X70 comes with a lot of neat features for the money too, even for the most basic model. The Standard variant, as mentioned, costs just under RM90,000 now, and it’s packed with quite a number of creature comforts. These include the same 8-inch infotainment system as the higher-end models, automatic headlights, as well as
the new air purifier system
.

More importantly, regardless of which trim level you go for, all variants of the X70 is equipped with the same 1.8L turbocharged direct injection engine. It outputs 181hp and 300Nm of torque, with drive sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission co-developed by both Volvo and Geely. Performance wise, the X70 can do the century sprint in 9.5 seconds.

The list of equipment for the range-topping Premium X model is even more attractive. Sure, RM115,800 is a lot of money, but you’re getting items like premium Nappa leather seats, a powered tailgate (with foot sensor), 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, tyre pressure monitoring system, and ADAS active safety suite.

Don’t fancy the sunroof? Then opt for the regular Premium trim. It has the exact same list of equipment as the Premium X, minus the sunroof.

In terms of sheer value for money, the Proton X70 simply trumps its competition. Not only does it offer more features for less money, it’s a really competent SUV. The X70’s build quality, for one, is far better than any previous Proton model. Really, you have to see it to believe it; the local carmaker has come a long way.

But there is another concern that many folks still associate with Proton: reliability. This is especially the case with the new 7DCT gearbox of the X70. DCTs in the past have a tendency to overheat, but Proton assures customers its 7DCT will be as reliable as conventional transmissions. See, it uses a wet clutch design, so any overheating issues will be mitigated.

On top of that, it’s worth noting that the 7DCT in the X70 adheres to Volvo’s strict durability requirement. It’s said to have a service life of more than 350,000km, which is a lot higher than the industry standard’s 240,000km estimate. Still not convinced it’s a reliable transmission? Well, Proton gives the SUV itself a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty. That should give you some peace of mind, right?

With all of these in mind, we consider the Proton X70 to be the most attractive C-segment SUV to get throughout the tax exemption period in Malaysia, especially if you want the best value for your money. It is now more affordable than ever, it
just got its air purifier system upgraded
, and it’s just a
really competent
SUV.

The Geely Binyue

Looking forward, things will get even more exciting for Proton as it gears up to launch its second SUV later this year. It’s expected to be a B-segment compact SUV based on the Geely Binyue, and it’s widely believed to be launched as the Proton X50. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on the local availability of the highly anticipated model.


Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Lands in Malaysia 29 June; Goes up to RM7,699

Asus just confirmed that the highly anticipated Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop will be arriving here in Malaysia on 29 June. On top of that, we also got details on one of the many variants that will be introduced here; it even comes with the “AniMe Matrix” panel on the top lid.

That’s right, Asus Malaysia will be offering the AniMe Matrix model of the Zephyrus G14 on our shores. In fact, our review unit sports this feature, and it’s really quite fun to experiment with. Granted, it’s not a super practical hardware – it also makes the laptop slightly thicker and heavier – but it is very eye-catching.

Anyway, the Zephyrus G14 we received for review is a Malaysian unit, and it’s one of the highest-end variants with some powerful hardware under the hood. For one, it features AMD’s new Ryzen 9 4900HS processor. Not only is it more power-efficient than its competition (thanks to its 7nm size), it’s also a very fast chip.

Besides that, this configuration of the Zephyrus G14 comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q GPU too. Given that this is the Max-Q design of the RTX 2060, expect it to be slightly slower
than the regular graphics card
. Nonetheless, it is still quite a capable GPU, and we’ll put it through its paces very soon.

In the screen department, this high-end model is equipped with a 14-inch 2560 x 1440 IPS screen with a 60Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, it seems like the Full HD 120Hz display will not be offered in this configuration, which is quite odd for a gaming laptop. It remains to be seen if the high refresh rate panel will be offered with other variants of the Zephyrus G14 for the Malaysian market, though we certainly hope so.

Other specifications of the Zephyrus G14 we got for review include 16GB of DDR4 3200MHz RAM, a generous 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, a 76WHr battery that promises up to 10 hours of battery life – we think this is achievable with the power efficiency of the Ryzen 4000 series processor – and a 19.9mm thick chassis that tips the scales at 1.7kg.

Given the high-end hardware under the hood, it’s no surprise that this variant of the gaming laptop retails at RM7,699. Yes, it’s quite a steep price tag, especially for an RTX 2060 Max-Q machine.

Then again, value for money isn’t the main appeal of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14: it’s the compact, slim, and lightweight 14-inch form factor of the gaming laptop that is the main selling point here. These features do not come cheap, but Asus will reveal more affordable variants of the G14 for the Malaysian market come 29 June.


Upcoming Proton X50 Rumoured to Feature 1.4L Turbo Engine; CBU Units in Testing

The much rumoured Proton X50 (tentative model name) is set to be introduced sometime this year by the national carmaker, and it’s been confirmed to be launched here as a locally assembled (CKD) car. However, there are reports that imported (CBU) units of the Geely Binyue Pro – which the X50 will be based on – has arrived in Malaysia, and it’s sporting a new 1.4L turbocharged engine as well.

We first caught wind of this from a
Facebook post by The Ajerul
 that dates back to 12 June. According to the page, CBU units of the Proton X50 have arrived in Port Klang, and it will supposedly be launched as the first batch of the new model. Of course, the 1.4L turbocharged engine is said to be offered as well.

The Geely Binyue

On top of that, a
recent report by Funtasticko
 – a local automotive site – citing an anonymous source, confirmed that CBU units of the X50 have indeed made it here. However, according to its source, these units are the Binyue Pro, and they are only brought here to serve as test mules. The source added that Proton has no plans to introduce any CBU variants of the X50.

So why did Proton bring in the Binyue Pro here? Well, one theory suggests that the national carmaker is planning to add a 1.4L turbocharged engine option to the B-segment compact SUV. Previously, it was widely believed to be powered by a 1.5L turbocharged engine co-developed by both Geely and Volvo.

But, again, why would Proton consider doing this? Well, for one, even though the 1.5L engine is more powerful – it outputs 174hp and 255Nm of torque – it’s a three-cylinder engine. Compared to more conventional four-cylinder mills, the former is usually not as refined; it will vibrate and rattle more harshly.

And that’s what makes the 1.4L engine more attractive, as it’s a four-cylinder mill. It’s still a decently powerful engine too, generating 141hp and 235Nm of torque. Not quite as capable as the 1.5L engine, but these are still very respectable figures.

That being said, it’s worth noting that the 1.4L engine option is only offered in the base configuration of the Binyue Pro for the Chinese market. Chances are, this could be mirrored for the Malaysian market as well, though this is only an educated guess at this point in time.

Nonetheless, we can only wait for the Proton X50 to be officially unveiled to find out. There’s no concrete release date yet, though booking for the B-segment compact SUV is rumoured to begin as early as next month in July 2020. As for pricing, the X50 is expected to be positioned right behind the
Proton X70
, which now
starts at only RM89,900
.


iOS 14 Will Support PiP, Widgets, App Clips, and a Less Intrusive Siri

Apple WWDC 2020 is happening right now, and the Cupertino company just previewed some new features coming to iOS 14. One of the most significant new additions is picture-in-picture support, along with widget support on the home screen. On top of that, Siri will be a lot less intrusive in the new version of iOS as well.

Let’s start with the new PiP mode. Naturally, it’s a system-wide implementation, and it works a lot like how it is on Android. If you swipe up to the home screen while you’re watching a video, it will continue to play in PiP mode. You can then open other apps while watching the video.

It sounds pretty simple, but what makes PiP mode on iOS 14 particularly interesting is the ability to adjust the size of the video on the fly. You can simply pinch to zoom to change the size of the video, which is something that’s not possible on Android smartphones. If the video’s getting in the way, but you don’t want to close it, you can even hide it to the side of the screen; quite a neat touch.

Okay, so that’s PiP. Apple also previewed the new widget support for iOS 14. As its name suggests, you can now add widgets to the home screen…just like on an Android smartphone. Of course, Apple is adding a couple of nifty tricks to differentiate its widget implementation from Google’s design philosophy.

For one, widgets on iOS 14 come in various sizes, and there’s even a “Smart Stack” widget that will automatically show you relevant apps based on the time of day. It can show you the news in the morning, your calendar as the day progresses, and so on. It’ll be interesting to see just how intelligent and useful Smart Stack would be in real life use.

Speaking of intelligent, Apple is also introducing App Clips with iOS 14. In a way, it’s a smarter take on Android’s instant apps. Basically, App Clips are small, card-based snippet of apps that give users access to certain features of said apps without the need to install the full version. It can be used to access parking apps, or even a store’s reward program.

App Clips use Apple Pay and your Apple login credentials, so there’s no need to fumble with creating new accounts and what not. That being said, given that Apple Pay isn’t available here in Malaysia, we may not be able to take advantage of App Clips.

Last but certainly not least is Siri, which gets a UI update on iOS 14. Previously, summoning Siri would take up the whole screen, but in iOS 14, the digital assistant will only appear as a small overlay on the bottom of the display. To make it even more seamless, certain search results from Siri will only appear as a notification at the top of the screen. This makes Siri a lot less intrusive.

iOS 14 will be rolled out sometime in fall 2020 to the iPhone 6s and later, while the beta version will be available to developers starting today. These new features coming to iOS 14 are not exactly groundbreaking, but they will certainly improve the user experience of iPhones that support the new update.


Apple Will Use Its Own Processors for Future Macs, Enabling Native iOS App Support

This is arguably the biggest announcement at Apple’s WWDC 2020 keynote: the Cupertino company will be transitioning to its own processors for future Macs. Not only does this promise huge performance gains and better power efficiency, switching to Apple’s own chips also allow for native iOS and iPadOS app support on macOS.

While no technical specifications of the upcoming Apple chips for Macs were announced at the event, there were a number of pretty interesting (though vague) details. According to the company, there will be a family of SoCs made for Mac products, and they will bring “industry-leading performance per watt and higher performance GPUs.”

To show just what its own processors are capable of, Apple demonstrated a Mac – powered by one of its new chips, of course – effortlessly running Photoshop and Lightroom with extremely smooth animations. On top of that, the gaming performance of the Mac was previewed too with Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Based on these examples, the new chips do show a lot of promise.

But transitioning to the new architecture will present some compatibility issues, but Apple claims that the next macOS update, macOS Big Sur, will allow developers to update their apps “in a matter of days.” Even apps that have not been updated for Apple’s new chips will be able to run seamlessly with Rosetta 2, though it remains to be seen just how well this can be accomplished.

Of course, updating Apple’s lineup of Macs with its own chips also allows for apps made for iOS and iPadOS to run on the new platform without a hitch. Apple says that no modifications are necessary to make this possible, which does sound very enticing,

Now, even though future Macs will be powered by Apple’s own processors, the company will only release its first Mac with the new chip by the end of the year. Apple added that the transition from Intel processors to its own chips for Macs will take about two years.

On top of that, this doesn’t mean Intel-based Macs will not be abandoned; Apple will continue to support and release new versions of macOS for these machines in the years to come. In fact, new Intel-based Macs are still in development, and they’re expected to be released in the near future.

Without a doubt Apple has the know-how to make fast, powerful processors, and it showed that much with the iPhone and iPad. It’ll be interesting to see just what the Cupertino company can accomplish with its new chips for Macs – we’re absolutely excited to see how this will pan out.


Acer Unveils New Swift 5 With 11th Gen Intel Tiger Lake Chips & ConceptD 3 Ezel

Acer’s Next@Acer Global Press Conference is a big affair for the Taiwanese company, and we got an early look at two products unveiled at the event today. These include the unique ConceptD 3 Ezel convertible, as well as the refreshed Swift 5 productivity laptop, which sports “the latest Intel processors.”

It’s curious that Acer doesn’t outright detail the Swift 5’s processor, given that it does so with its other products. However, the company does mention that the Swift 5 comes with Intel’s new Xe graphics architecture, which is found in the upcoming 11th generation Tiger Lake chips. It makes sense, given that Tiger Lake is the successor to the current Ice Lake CPUs for Intel’s U-series chips; these processors are typically found in productivity laptops.

Anyway, compared to its predecessor, the updated Swift 5 doesn’t look all that different, though it does have some aesthetic changes here and there. The 14-inch 1080p IPS display, for one, is now protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, giving the productivity laptop a more premium look. Of course, it’s still a touch-enabled screen as well.

Just like the previous model, the new Swift 5 retains its lightweight nature, weighing less than 1kg. Coupled with the 14.95mm thin chassis, it’s a portable laptop that’s easy to carry around. In the graphics department, it can be configured with an Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU. All in all, the new Swift 5 is a solid update over its predecessor.

And then we have the ConceptD 3 Ezel, and it’s one interesting convertible laptop. As its name suggests, it features Acer’s signature Ezel Hinge, which allows you to move the screen around in various orientations. This is meant to appeal to creative professionals, so this laptop comes with Acer’s Active Stylus too. It features 4,096 levels of pressure, and there’s even a slot to store the stylus.

Available in two sizes (14-inch and 15.6-inch), the ConceptD 3 Ezel features a 1920 x 1080 Pantone Validated screen. This promises good colour accuracy, and the display is said to cover 100% of the sRGB colour gamut; features that are important to its target audience. It can also be configured with Intel’s 10th generation Core processors, and a choice between Nvidia’s Quadro and GTX graphics cards.

Another interesting feature of the ConceptD 3 Ezel is its lightweight nature. The 15.6-inch model weighs 1.95kg, while the 14-inch variant tips the scales at only 1.68kg.

The Acer Swift 5 and ConceptD 3 Ezel will be coming to Malaysia in the future, though we don’t know exactly when or how much they will cost here. Rest assured, will keep a close eye on the local availability of the two laptops.


The Acer Predator Gaming Chair x Osim Can Massage You While You’re Gaming

Acer has been releasing pretty unique gaming chairs over the past couple of years, and the latest one is the Acer Predator Gaming Chair x Osim. If you’re familiar with Osim, then you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that this is both a gaming chair and a massage chair; it’s really quite a peculiar product.

According to Acer, the Predator Gaming Chair features Osim’s V-Hand Massage Technology. This supposedly “emulates the agile hands of a professional masseuse on the user’s neck and shoulder,” and it allows the chair to perform massage techniques like kneading, pressing, rolling, and tapping. Curious, isn’t it?

As for the chair itself, it can recline 145-degree, and there are buttons on the right-side arm rest to control two sets of rollers. The position of the rollers can also be changed to accommodate the user’s shoulder position for maximum comfort, and the width can be adjusted to suit different body types.

Design wise, the Predator Gaming Chair does look like your conventional gaming chair with teal accents, and it’s made out of carbon fibre patterned PVC leather. On top of that, there are also two Bluetooth speakers built into the chair’s headrest. They are meant to “intensify gaming immersion without the hassle of a headset,” as Acer puts it.

At the moment, pricing and availability of the Acer Predator Gaming Chair x Osim have not been revealed yet, and it remains to be seen if it will ever be brought into Malaysia. Nonetheless, we do hope it will be made available here with a reasonable price tag – who doesn’t want to game in comfort?


Lenovo ThinkPad E14 & E15 With AMD Ryzen 4000 CPU Now in Malaysia; Starts at RM3,449

Lenovo just introduced two new entry-level ThinkPad laptops in Malaysia, the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 and ThinkPad E15. What makes them particularly interesting is the fact that both of them are powered by AMD’s excellent Ryzen 4000 series processors, and they’re pretty thin and light laptops as well.

Let’s start with the ThinkPad E14. As its name suggests, this business laptop features a 14-inch 1920 x 1080 TN or IPS display with a maximum brightness of 250 nits; 220 nits for the TN panel. Not particularly bright, but should be good enough for indoor use. It also has a matte finish to minimise glare.

But the most exciting hardware of the ThinkPad E14 has to be the processor under the hood, which is either a Ryzen 5 4500U or Ryzen 7 4700U chip. Fabricated on a 7nm process, these two processors are much more power-efficient than its competition. In fact, Lenovo claims that the E14’s 45WHr battery can return up to 13 hours of use on a single charge.

As mentioned, the ThinkPad E14 is also a relatively slim, lightweight laptop. Its starting weight is only 1.59kg, and the chassis measures 17.9mm thin. Other specifications of the E14 include integrated AMD Radeon graphics, up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, as well as a 720p webcam with Lenovo’s ThinkShutter physical cover.

Next up is the ThinkPad E15. For the most part, it has the same hardware as the E14, but it has a bigger 15.6-inch 1080p TN or IPS display with the same peak brightness of 250 nits for the IPS panel. The TN option, as expected, is dimmer at 220 nits.

Choice of processor for the ThinkPad E15 is the same as the E14, as are the RAM, SSD, and battery capacities. The fact that the E15 has the same 45WHr battery as the E14 is quite odd, given that it is a bigger laptop. Nonetheless, it’s said to be able to offer up to 12.7 hours of battery life.

Naturally, given its larger dimensions, the ThinkPad E15 is slightly heavier and thicker than the E14, but not by much. It weighs from 1.7kg, and it has a 18.9mm chassis.

Those who are interested to purchase the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 and ThinkPad E15 in Malaysia can contact
SNS Network
 for a quotation, given that these laptops are customisable. According to Lenovo, the ThinkPad E15 retails from RM3,449, while the ThinkPad E14 starts at RM3,499 on our shores.


The Acer Enduro N3 Is a Surprisingly Sleek Rugged Laptop

Rugged, durable laptops are usually bulky and heavy, but that’s not the case with the new Acer Enduro N3. Despite only weighing 1.99kg with a 24.85mm chassis, the N3 still comes with MIL-STD 810G and IP53 certifications; that’s quite impressive. In fact, the Taiwanese company touts this as the thinnest and lightest 14-inch laptop with an IP53 rating.

Of course, the Enduro N3 is still noticeably thicker and heavier than a productivity laptop with the same hardware, but this
is
 a rugged notebook that’s meant to survive harsh environments. It has reinforced corners to withstand drops, Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the display from water, and an “Aquafan” that repels water from all angles.

In terms of hardware, the Enduro N3 is your typical productivity laptop. It can be configured with Intel’s 10th generation Core i7 processor, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, 1TB of HDD storage, and an optional PCIe NVMe SSD that goes up to 1TB. It’s also possible to get a dedicated Nvidia GeForce MX230 GPU with the laptop, though it’s not a particularly powerful graphics card.

Other specifications of the Enduro N3 include a 14-inch display, up to 13 hours of battery life, and the Acer Enduro Management Suite (AEMS). It’s a system that allows IT workers to remotely enable and disable ports, monitor the hardware and software, as well as perform remote deployment of BIOS changes and Windows updates.

The Acer Enduro N3 will be available in North America from August onwards with a $899 starting price; that comes up to about RM3,840. It remains to be seen if the N3 will enter the Malaysian market.


Dell G7 15 Gaming Laptop Lands in Malaysia 14 July for RM6,499

Dell is launching a new gaming laptop in Malaysia next month: the completely redesigned Dell G7 15. Sporting a slimmer design with sleeker looks, it’s quite an interesting gaming laptop with reasonably powerful hardware under the hood.

The full list of configuration for the G7 15 has not been revealed yet for the Malaysian market, but we do know the specifications of one variant. The most affordable model of the gaming laptop retails at RM6,499 here, and if that seems quite steep, you do get some capable hardware for that kind of money.

For one, this variant of the Dell G7 15 features an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. Granted, it’s not the most powerful GPU in the market now, but it
is
 capable enough to run most AAA titles with high frame rates. In fact, its level of performance is very close to that of the higher-end RTX 2060, though you don’t get RTX-specific features like ray tracing with the GTX 1660 Ti.

Processing power, on the other hand, is handled by a 10th generation Intel Core i7-10750H processor. Compared to its direct predecessor, the Core i7-9750H, the new chip is an incremental upgrade with only higher clock speeds. Regardless, it will be able to keep up with the GTX 1660 Ti GPU.

In the display department, the G7 15 features a fast 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 display with a 144Hz refresh rate. Thanks to the high refresh rate, every motion on the screen will look extra smooth; ideal for fast-paced games. The bezels surrounding the display have also been shrunk, giving the gaming laptop a modern-looking design.

Further highlighting the sleek appeal of the G7 15 is its reduced thickness. Compared to its predecessor, the chassis of the G7 is now thinner by 4mm, reducing the side profile to 20.5mm at its thickest point. The all-metal construction of the chassis – and the strip of light that runs through the front of the laptop – also gives the machine premium look and feel.

Other specifications of the G7 15 include 8GB of RAM, 512GB of fast PCIe NVMe SSD storage, a four-zone RGB keyboard, and a 56WHr battery or an optional 86WHr cell.

The Dell G7 15 gaming laptop will be available for purchase in Malaysia from 14 July onwards. As mentioned, it starts at RM6,499, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Malaysian market will receive the 4K OLED screen option; you don’t often see a gaming laptop with an OLED panel in the market.


Acer Swift 5 (2020) Hands-On: The First 11th Gen Intel Tiger Lake Laptop

The Acer Swift 5 has been
updated for 2020
, and while it’s not a major overhaul, the refreshed productivity laptop does have one exciting new hardware: Intel’s unannounced 11th generation Tiger Lake processor. This makes the Swift 5 the first laptop to be announced with the upcoming chip.

Of course, beyond the new processor, the updated Swift 5 improves upon
its predecessor
 in a number of key areas. I managed to spend a brief time with the slim and light laptop, and I really can’t wait for it to be available here in Malaysia. It could very well be the best productivity laptop for those who want a lightweight, slim premium notebook.

So let’s talk about the Tiger Lake processor of the Swift 5 first. Now, it’s worth noting that Acer itself did not outright mention that this laptop features Intel’s 11th generation chip. But, the Taiwanese company did say that the Swift 5 comes with Intel’s new Xe graphics architecture, which is used by Tiger Lake chips.

And the new integrated graphics is one of the most exciting features of the new Tiger Lake processors. According to Intel, the Xe graphics architecture is said to be twice as fast compared to the previous generation solution. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to run any games on the new Swift 5 in the brief hands-on session to see just how fast the new integrated GPU is.

Anyway, there’s also an option to configure this laptop with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU.

Another big change introduced in the refreshed Swift 5 is the Corning Gorilla Glass protecting the display. The previous model only had a matte display surrounded by plastic bezels, so the new glass covering definitely gives the refreshed model a more premium-looking design. It’s also quite impressive how the laptop still retains its lightweight nature despite sporting a glass screen now.

Speaking of which, the new Swift 5 weighs just under 1kg, and this is really quite surreal for a 14-inch laptop. Acer managed to trim down the weight of the Swift 5 by using a combination of high-grade magnesium-lithium and magnesium-aluminium for the chassis. Not only does it look good, the material feels good to the touch as well.

On top of that, the Swift 5 measures only 14.95mm thin, so it is just as portable as its predecessor. You can easily slip it into your backpack and forget about it.

As for the 14-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS touch-enabled screen of the Swift 5, it’s reasonably good. The maximum brightness seems to be bright enough for comfortable indoor use, colours look vibrant, and viewing angles are alright too. However, as the display is now protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass, it’s a glossy panel, so it won’t be able to minimise glare quite as effectively.

Acer did not give any estimate of the Swift 5’s battery life, though it did mention that the laptop can return four hours of use within 30 minutes of charging. Chances are, the 56WHr can (at the very least) match the battery life of the previous model; we got about seven to eight hours of use in our
review of the 2019 Swift 5
.

Port selection of the new Swift 5 remains the same as its predecessor as well, which is to say it’s not super great. There’s only one USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3 support, two USB-A connections, and an HDMI output. Pretty limited options, but they should be good enough for most consumers.

And then there’s the keyboard of the Swift 5. It has just enough travel to not feel shallow, the keys are quite tactile, and the standard layout of the keyboard is easy to get accustomed to. It’s not the best keyboard I’ve ever used, but it’s certainly not bad either. I definitely wouldn’t mind typing extensively on this keyboard.

As for the trackpad of the Swift 5, it’s decent. It’s not fantastic, but it is largely accurate. My fingers can also glide effortlessly on the smooth surface of the trackpad.

The new Acer Swift 5 improves upon its predecessor in almost every single way while retaining its winning features. It is just as lightweight, it looks even sleeker now, and it’s set to ship with Intel’s latest and greatest processors yet, though there are still quite a bit we don’t know about the upcoming Tiger Lake chips.

Regardless, if you want to get your hands on the updated Acer Swift 5, you’ll have to wait until October 2020; that’s when the productivity laptop is set to be made available globally. That’s quite some time away, but it’s not exactly surprising, given that Intel hasn’t even announced the Tiger Lake processors yet.

More importantly, how much will the Swift 5 go for? Well, for the US market, it retails from $999 (about RM4,275). For EMEA regions, it starts at $1,099 instead, which comes up to approximately RM4,700. These are not exactly affordable price tags, but the Swift 5 is a premium machine after all.


Samsung Odyssey G7 240Hz QLED Curved Gaming Monitor Now in Malaysia; Pre-Orders Get Free RM799 Soundbar

Samsung is opening pre-orders for its latest high-end gaming monitor in Malaysia next week. Enter the Samsung Odyssey G7: sporting a fast 240Hz refresh rate, a curved QLED panel, and a fast response time, it’s an attractive gaming monitor. Those who pre-order the Odyssey G7 will also receive freebies worth up to RM799.

Two sizes of the Odyssey G7 gaming monitor are offered in Malaysia. The 27-inch model retails at RM2,399, while the 32-inch variant goes for RM2,899. Beyond the different screen sizes, both variants have the exact same features, you won’t have to worry about missing out on anything by going with either options.

But the pre-order gifts for the two Odyssey G7 monitors are different. Those who purchase the 32-inch model early will get the HW-T450 Soundbar (2020) worth RM799, while pre-orders of the 27-inch variant will receive a complimentary HW-T420 Soundbar (2020) worth RM649. Pretty sweet pre-order gifts.

One of the most attractive features of the Odyssey G7 has to be the fast 240Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for playing fast-paced games like
Apex Legends
 and
Call of Duty: Warzone
. Coupled with the 1ms grey-to-grey response time, this really is a monitor made for gaming. It’s also worth noting that it is a G-Sync Compatible product, and it supports AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro technology too.

Another big feature of the Odyssey G7 is the 2560 x 1440 QLED panel itself. Not only does it support HDR600, it’s also a curved screen. In fact, according to Samsung, the G7 is the first gaming monitor with a 1000R curvature. Basically, the smaller the value, the “deeper” the curvature of the screen.

Design wise, the Odyssey G7 is quite the looker. It has relatively thin bezels surrounding the screen, there are two triangular vents on the bottom of the monitor, and on the back, there is a rather eye-catching circular lighting where the stand meets the monitor. Speaking of which, the stand’s height is adjustable, and the monitor itself can be pivoted and swiveled too.

The Samsung Odyssey G7 will be available for pre-order in Malaysia on
Samsung’s official online store
 from 29 June until 5 July. To recap, the 27-inch model retails at RM2,399, while the bigger 32-inch variant goes for RM2,899. Do note that the pre-order gifts are only available while stocks last, so act fast if you want to secure them.


Unboxing the Last Limited Edition PS4 Pro for The Last of Us Part II

Apologies for the pun attempt with the headline, but this could really be the last limited edition PlayStation 4 Pro system to hit the market. Released in conjunction with the launch of
The Last of Us Part II
, this is one of the most unique PS4 Pro models. After all, the custom design is engraved onto the console itself.

I knew I had to get it the moment the console was announced, and…I did exactly that. This limited edition PS4 Pro is not available here in Malaysia, so I had to import it from Singapore. It’s a little troublesome, but after seeing the console with my own two eyes, it was definitely worth the hassle.

Okay, so let’s get to the unboxing. The front of the box prominently features the limited edition PS4 Pro system with an engraving of Ellie’s tattoo, along with the custom DualShock 4. All in all, a pretty standard design. But what really caught my eye is the back of the box: just look at that artwork.

Inside, There is a plain white box with the PS4 Pro lettering; the outer packaging is really just a covering for this box. There’s nothing much to see here, so let’s get to the main event: the sexy console.

Doesn’t it just look amazing? When I first took it out of the box, I was actually surprised by the build quality of this PS4 Pro. See, I’m currently using the limited edition Monster Hunter: World PS4 Pro, and while it looks great, the plastic creaks quite a bit whenever I hold it up. That’s not the case at all with this particular model.

Of course, I also love the fact that the top lid is matte, which should be able to resist scratches better than other limited edition designs with a glossy finish. Now then, let’s take a closer look at the physical engravings on the console.

Believe me when I say pictures don’t do the design justice. In person, the engraving looks sublime, and just running my finger through the fern and moth engravings feel fantastic. In my opinion, this is the most aesthetically pleasing limited edition PS4 Pro system to be released.

As for the DualShock 4 – finished in Steel Black – Ellie’s fern tattoo in found on the lower right hand side of the controller. The touchpad has the title of the game written on it too, which I personally don’t quite like. It’s a little too much branding, and the lettering messes with the smooth surface of the touchpad.

Also bundled with the limited edition PS4 Pro is a copy of the game, and PlayStation was generous enough to throw in the Steelbook case featuring an artwork of Ellie. The back of the Steelbook case looks equally good too, but in the interest of preserving the story experience of the game, I’m not showing it here.

While it’s not an outright spoiler, I do consider it to be a pretty big hint at what the game has in store. Anyway, a number of digital content is included with this copy of the game. There’s a
custom dynamic theme
, a set of six PSN Avatars, the digital soundtrack of the game, and a digital mini art book from Dark Horse.

Overall, I’m really happy with this limited edition PS4 Pro made for The Last of Us Part II. As for the game itself, it’s a must-play in my opinion, and given that
over four milion copies of the game was sold
 as of 21 June – making it the fastest-selling first party PS4 game – it’s safe to say other PS4 owners think so too.

Still not convinced The Last of Us Part II is for you? Then check out our full review of the game
right here
.