Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 With Unannounced GTX 1650 Ti GPU Listings Leak; Priced Upwards of RM5,000

The compact Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop is slated to be available globally sometime this month, and it could be happening very soon: listings of the G14 have
started appearing online
. If these listings are accurate, the 14-inch gaming laptop could go for upwards of RM5,000.

Listings of the ROG Zephyrus G14 came from
Amazon China
 and
Newegg Canada
. For the Chinese market, the G14 with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS processor is
listed at 10,094.20 Chinese yuan
 (about RM6,145) for the Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti model; it’s worth noting that this GPU has not even been announced yet. The higher-end GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q variant, on the other hand,
retails for 11,776.64 yuan
 (approximately RM7,170) on Amazon China.

😎 CAD
Release Date: 03/16/2020
pic.twitter.com/GUHpJIMuMx
— 188号 (@momomo_us)
March 10, 2020

As for the listing on Newegg Canada, the Zephyrus G14 is noticeably more affordable. The GTX 1660 Ti variant of the gaming laptop with a Ryzen 7 4800HS processor, for one, is listed at CA$1,699 – that’s around RM5,235. The beefier RTX 2060 model with a faster Ryzen 9 4900HS processor and the AniMe Matrix LED dot-matrix display, on the other hand, costs CA$2,499 (about RM7,705).

At these price points, the Zephyrus G14 is without a doubt positioned as a premium gaming laptop. After all, it is a compact, lightweight machine with a reasonably slim chassis. This combination of features – especially for a gaming laptop – do not come cheap, and these price tags certainly reflect that.

Of course, there is a chance these early listings are subject to change, so it may not reflect the official price tags of the Zephyrus G14. That being said, don’t expect it to be much more affordable that what these listings are suggesting.

It’s also worth noting that the ROG Zephyrus G14 has already been registered with SIRIM, so it’s possible Asus Malaysia is preparing to launch the compact gaming laptop on our shores soon. With its very promising choice of 7nm Ryzen 4000 series processors, fast 120Hz 14-inch 1080p display, and generous amount of SSD and RAM storage, it’s an attractive laptop, especially if you want a portable gaming machine.

Nonetheless, now that multiple listings of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 have appeared online, we reckon the compact gaming laptop will also be arriving here in Malaysia very, very soon. It’ll be interesting to see just how well the new Ryzen 4000 processor – and the unannounced GTX 1650 Ti GPU – would perform with the G14.


Exclusive: New Dell XPS 13 (2020) Variant Now in Malaysia for RM5,999

When the new
Dell XPS 13
 was
introduced in Malaysia
, it retails from RM6,899, which is quite a steep starting price. If you wanted a more affordable variant of the premium productivity laptop, good news: it appears Dell just introduced a new option of the XPS 13.

We first spotted this new variant of the XPS 13 on
Dell’s online store
. Previously, the laptop can only be purchased with an Intel Core i7 processor, but that’s no longer the case. Now, there’s a Core i5-1035G1 variant of the premium notebook, which retails at just under RM6,000.

For RM5,999 (well, RM5,998.99, to be specific), this variant of the XPS 13 offers the aforementioned Core i5-1035G1 processor paired with 8GB of RAM, a 13.4-inch 1920 x 1200 InfinityEdge non-touch display with an anti-glare coating, 512GB of fast M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD storage, Intel UHD Graphics, and Windows 10 Home out of the box.

If that’s not quite enough processing power or storage for your needs, you can still opt for the highest-end configuration of the XPS 13. This range-topping RM7,799 model comes with a much sharper 13.4-inch 3840 x 2400 touch-enabled display, a Core i7-1065G7 processor paired with 16GB of RAM, and a whopping 1TB SSD.

Compared to its predecessor, the new XPS 13 brings a number of new features. The display, for one, is now a slightly bigger 13.4-inch screen with a taller 16:10 aspect ratio. The bottom bezel of the display is also very minimal, giving the laptop a much sleeker-looking design with very little bezels on all four sides of the screen.

Besides that, the latest iteration of the XPS 13 retains the webcam at the top of the screen; it even comes with Windows Hello support now. That’s quite an impressive feat for such a tiny camera module. If you don’t want to enable the facial recognition feature, you can use the fingerprint sensor  built into the power button instead for biometric security.

Other specifications of the XPS 13 include a new keyboard that stretches edge-to-edge (allowing the keys to be 9% larger), two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support, a microSD card reader, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB-C to USB-A adapter bundled with the laptop.

The new Dell XPS 13, including the new RM5,999 option, can now be purchased on
Dell’s online store
. All variants of the premium laptop  also come with a complimentary laptop sleeve.


Redmi Note 9 Series Official With Fresh New Design; Coming to Malaysia Soon

Redmi just unveiled its latest mid-range series in India, the Redmi Note 9. Two devices are in the lineup: the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, and the “standard” Redmi Note 9 Pro. Unlike their predecessors, the Redmi Note 9 smartphones sport a new design language.

Next to the
Redmi Note 8 series
, it’s not immediately obvious the new Redmi Note 9 smartphones are the successors. Unlike their predecessors’ notched displays, the Note 9 series features a hole-punch cutout at the top of the screen, right in the centre. In fact, this is aesthetically similar to the
Samsung
Galaxy S20
‘s design.

On the back, gone are the vertically stacked camera module in favour of a square one. It houses a 64MP f/1.89 primary shooter (48MP f/1.79 for the standard Redmi Note 9 Pro), an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle camera, a 5MP macro lens, and a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor.

Unfortunately, there’s no telephoto shooter here, which isn’t really a surprise. After all, their predecessors didn’t have one either. As for the selfie camera, the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max has a 32MP front-facing sensor, while the Redmi Note 9 Pro comes with a 16MP shooter instead.

Besides the front-facing camera, there are a couple more differences between the Pro Max and Pro models. The Pro Max supports 33W fast charging, while the Pro can only do 18W. Besides that, the highest RAM option of the Pro Max goes up to 8GB; the Pro model maxes out at 6GB.

Beyond these differences, the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Redmi Note 9 Pro share the same hardware. These include a 6.67-inch 2400 x 1080 IPS display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset, as well as a generous 5,020mAh battery. Rounding out the specifications of both phones include a 3.5mm headphone jack, an IR blaster, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The Redmi Note 9 Pro will be available in India from 17 March onwards, while the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max will arrive slightly later in the same market on 25 March. The Note 9 Pro retails from 12,999 Indian rupee (about RM745), while the Note 9 Pro Max starts at 14,999 rupee (approximately RM860).

There’s no word yet whether or not the new Redmi Note 9 series will be available outside of India, but we did spot the newly launched smartphone in SIRIM’s database. It’s registered under Xiaomi Malaysia with the model number M2003J6A1G, so it’s entirely possible the Redmi Note 9 smartphones will be launched here in the near future.


Honor MagicBook Laptop Launching in Malaysia This Month

As promised, Honor is expanding its lineup of products in Malaysia, starting with the Honor MagicBook. This is the Chinese company’s productivity-focused laptop, and it is slated to be launched on our shores sometime this month.

However, do note that this is not the
latest iteration of the MagicBook
 that we tested back in November 2019. Rather, this model is one generation behind, so you don’t get the sexy new bezel-less display of the current model. Regardless, the MagicBook could still be an attractive productivity laptop if it’s priced right for our market.

Curiously, only the AMD variant of the MagicBook will be introduced here. It features an AMD Ryzen 5-3500U processor paired with 8GB of RAM, along with a Radeon Vega 8 GPU. It’s not an awfully powerful GPU, but it should be able to deliver reasonably good frame rates in less demanding games like Dota 2.

Besides that, the MagicBook has a 14-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS display that can get reasonably bright with vibrant colours. That being said, the viewing angles aren’t as wide as expected; the panel noticeably dims when looking at the screen from an angle. Nonetheless, the display also has a matte finish, which should help minimise glare.

When it comes to storage, the MagicBook offers a generous 512GB SSD; only this sole variant will be sold in Malaysia.

Connectivity options of the MagicBook, on the other hand, are decent. It has a single USB-C port – it’s used for charging and data transfer – two USB-A ports, an HDMI output, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Not the most complete selection of ports, but certainly not the worst either.

Any productivity laptop worth its salt has to have a good set of keyboard and trackpad. In the case of the MagicBook, it’s…okay. While the trackpad is quite accurate with a smooth surface, the keyboard isn’t particularly great. The thing is, it has limited key travel, giving it a shallow feel.

On top of that, the MagicBook’s keyboard doesn’t have very pronounced tactile feedback either, so you don’t know exactly when you’ve actuated the keys. But there is one saving grace: the keyboard provides a “pillowy” typing experience, so it’s not all bad news.

We don’t know know yet exactly when the Honor MagicBook will be launching in Malaysia, and the local pricing of the productivity laptop has not been announced yet either. Rest assured, we were told the MagicBook will arrive here sometime this month.


Huawei P40 Pro Pays a Visit to SIRIM; Malaysian Launch Confirmed?

The Huawei P40 series will be introduced later this month on 26 March, but surprisingly enough, one of the devices in the lineup has already appeared in our local certification body’s database. This could very well be a confirmation of the P40 series’ availability here in Malaysia.

Just today, both Huawei and Zitron registered a device with the model number ELS-NX9 with SIRIM. A quick Google search shows that this is likely the Huawei P40 Pro, and looking at the SIRIM certification, it comes with 5G connectivity as well.

However, at this point in time, only the P40 Pro has appeared in SIRIM’s database. The standard P40 – which is believed to carry the model number ANA-NX9 – has not been registered with the certification body yet. That being said, we imagine it would only be a matter of time before it makes an appearance there, since the P40 Pro is already registered.

So what can we expect from the new P40 series? Well, looking at leaked renders of the phone, the P40 and P40 Pro are expected to feature an oblong-shaped hole-punch cutout for two selfie cameras at the top left of the screen. Besides that, the devices will likely sport rectangular camera modules as well.

Like previous P series smartphones, camera will be a big focus for the P40 series. If rumours are to be believed, the P40 Pro will come with as many as
five
 cameras on the back of the phone. It’s said to be made up of a 52MP primary shooter, a 40MP ultra-wide angle sensor, a telephoto lens with 3x zoom, another telephoto shooter with a periscope structure to achieve 10x optical zoom, and a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor.

As for the standard P40, it’s expected to feature a simpler camera configuration. No concrete details have leaked yet, but it should (at the very least) come with a standard primary shooter, an ultra-wide angle camera, and a telephoto lens. Basically, the standard three focal lengths all flagship smartphones are expected to ship with.

We're excited to bring you the next chapter of
#VisionaryPhotography
 at our upcoming online launch – stay tuned and we’ll see you on March 26th!
#HUAWEIP40

pic.twitter.com/vSsR3K7mCP
— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile)
March 10, 2020

The Huawei P40 series will be made official later this month on 26 March. Given Huawei’s heavy focus on the Malaysian market – and the fact that the P40 Pro is already in SIRIM’s database – it’s entirely possible the Chinese company’s upcoming flagship smartphones will be available here not long after the official launch.


Huawei Mate Xs Retails at RM11,111 in Malaysia; Available 20 March

Ahead of its official availability this Friday on 20 March, Huawei revealed the price tag of the
Huawei Mate Xs
 foldable smartphone for the Malaysian market. Retailing at RM11,111, this is without a doubt a very costly device. In fact, it is the most expensive foldable phone in the market now.

But you do get a number of freebies with every purchase of the Mate Xs. Not only will you get a complimentary Huawei FreeBuds 3, you’ll also get an Envelope Leather Case for the foldable phone. Collectively, both of these items are worth RM978.

On top of that, if you purchase the Mate Xs from specific retailers, you’ll get extra freebies too. Those who get the foldable phone from Harvey Norman or Senheng will get a Huawei GT2 smartwatch thrown in for free. If you’re a CIMB credit card holder, you can get the Mate Xs online
here
 to grab the free smartwatch as well, along with 10X CIMB bonus points for eligible cards. But do note that this offer is only limited to the first 20 units.

As for the Mate Xs itself, it’s an interesting foldable smartphone. Instead of the
Samsung Galaxy Fold
‘s screen that folds inward, the Xs’ flexible panel wraps around the outside of the phone. This, in turn, allows it to be closed flat when folded.

On top of that, when folded, the Mate Xs has a very usable 6.6-inch 2480 x 1148 OLED display. Opened up, the phone offers a larger 8-inch 2480 x 2200 panel, which looks great with true, deep blacks, punchy colours, and wide viewing angles.

Besides that, powering the Mate Xs is none other than Huawei’s latest Kirin 990 5G chipset. Not only does this SoC give the phone 5G connectivity, it’s also a fast, flagship-tier processor. We tested PUBG Mobile on the Mate Xs, and the game ran incredibly well, so expect a very enjoyable gaming experience with this foldable phone.

Other specifications of the Mate Xs include a Leica-branded quad camera system (40MP f/1.8 primary + 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto + time-of-flight (ToF) sensor), 8GB of RAM, 512GB of internal storage, and a 4,500mAh battery with support for Huawei’s proprietary 55W SuperCharge fast charging technology.

The Huawei Mate Xs will be available for purchase in Malaysia from 20 March onwards for RM11,111. If you’d like to learn more about the foldable phone, check out our
hands-on of the Mate Xs
.


Honor MagicWatch 2 Quick Review: Incredibly Long-Lasting Smartwatch

One of the biggest pain points of wearables is limited battery life, which is especially true for full-fledged smartwatches. Well, that doesn’t really apply to this particular smartwatch: the Honor MagicWatch 2. Not only is it a handsome, sleek-looking smartwatch that looks almost like a traditional wristwatch, it also has incredibly good battery life.

After using the MagicWatch 2 as my daily driver for the past few weeks, I’m really quite impressed with how long it can last on a single charge. It does have its fair share of shortcomings, but if you want a long-lasting smartwatch, the MagicWatch 2 is one to consider.

What It Is

This variant of the MagicWatch 2 is the RM749 Flax Brown (46mm) model; the Charcoal Black variant – also 46mm in size – is slightly cheaper at RM699. Personally, I prefer the aesthetics of the Flax Brown option with its genuine leather strap and stainless steel case.

As mentioned, the MagicWatch 2 has very good battery life, thanks to its 455mAh battery. According to Honor, this battery capacity can return up to 14 days of use on a single charge, which is really, really impressive. I didn’t quite hit Honor’s quoted battery life, but I’ll elaborate more on this further down the review.

Besides that, the MagicWatch 2 also has a 1.4-inch 454 x 454 circular AMOLED display, a Kirin A1 chipset, 4GB of internal storage, 5 ATM water resistance rating, a heart rate sensor, and a speaker with a built-in microphone. This allows you to carry a phone conversation with just the watch.

The Good Stuff

Okay, so how good is the battery life of the MagicWatch 2? Well, I managed to squeeze about nine days of use out of the smartwatch. That’s not quite as long as Honor’s claim of 14-day use, but I
did
 switch on the always on display. On top of that, I set the watch to measure my heart rate continuously.

If I had disabled these features, I’m pretty optimistic the MagicWatch 2 can last as long as 14 days. Or at the very least, close to that quoted figure. In any case, even though I didn’t get 14 days of use with this smartwatch, I’m still very happy with the battery life I got.

Beyond that, the MagicWatch 2’s AMOLED display is worth a mention too. Thanks to the bright, vibrant nature of AMOLED screens, this watch looks great with practically any watchface I select. The deep, true blacks further accentuate this, especially with the always on display.

I also really, really dig the design of the MagicWatch 2,
especially
 this Flax Brown colourway. From a distance, it’s easy to mistake this smartwatch for a traditional wristwatch, though some may not be a fan of the watch’s sheer size. Regardless, I think the brown leather strap looks great, and it’s also quite comfortable on my wrist.

On that note, it also helps that this is a relatively light smartwatch, tipping the scales at only 41g. Personally, I like my watches to carry a bit more heft, but if you plan to use this smartwatch to track your workouts, you’ll appreciate its lightweight nature.

Oh, right. The MagicWatch 2’s workout tracking is quite good too. Although it doesn’t automatically track my workouts, it’s easy to begin and end a workout, and it presents all the data in a very clear manner. These include the duration of my exercise, calories burnt, and my heart rate throughout the workout.

Once you’re done with your workouts, you can always refer back to them at a later time on the MagicWatch 2 itself. Every single tracked workouts are saved to the watch itself, so you don’t even need to look it up with the app on your phone.

The Bad Stuff

Unfortunately, the MagicWatch 2 is better as a fitness tracker than a smartwatch. For example, its notification system is not quite as robust as its competition. I cannot interact with any of the notifications, they are cluttered, and I can’t even get additional details. In the end, I just resorted to taking out my phone to check the notifications whenever the watch vibrates.

Another gripe I have with the MagicWatch 2 is the sluggish nature of its operating system, LiteOS. Waking the watch from sleep isn’t immediate, and the user interface doesn’t feel particularly responsive at times. Granted, this had to be done to maximise the power efficiency of the smartwatch, but it does affect the user experience a tad.

Last but certainly not least is the issue I faced when trying to pair the MagicWatch 2 to my phone with Huawei Health. I wasn’t using a Huawei or Honor device when I was trying to pair the watch with the app, and for some reason, it kept crashing during the setup process.

In the end, I had to download a separate, more updated APK of the Huawei Health app from a third-party site to finally pair the MagicWatch 2 to my phone. Oddly enough, the app in the Google Play Store was not updated to the latest version at the time.

Of course, the Huawei Health app has been updated since then, but this should have never been an issue in the first place.

Is It Worth It?

Retailing from only RM699, the Honor MagicWatch 2 is a pretty affordable smartwatch, and it’s certainly worth the money if you fancy its feature set. It has incredibly good battery life, a bright, vibrant AMOLED display, and it’s arguably one of the sleekest-looking smartwatches in the market now.

The MagicWatch 2 does have some shortcomings here and there, but for the most part, it’s a good wearable. Plus, not many full-fledged smartwatch can match the MagicWatch 2’s fantastic battery life.


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Costs RM5,888 in Malaysia; Pre-Orders Start Today

Update 18 March, 6PM:
 Samsung Malaysia just confirmed that
pre-orders of the Galaxy Z Flip
 has been extended to 22 March. All three colours of the foldable phone are still available at the time of writing, including Mirror Purple, Mirror Black, and Mirror Gold.

The original article follows.

As expected, the
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
 is set to be available in Malaysia soon, and it will be up for pre-order later today at 10AM. How much does this foldable phone cost on our shores? A cool RM5,888 – not quite as costly as the
Samsung Galaxy Fold
, but still a very steep price tag.

We managed to get the Malaysian pricing of the Galaxy Z Flip
thanks to a post
 on the popular Lowyat Forum. User Khainiz94 seems to have received an EDM from Samsung regarding the foldable phone’s pre-order campaign, and the RM5,888 price tag was revealed in the pre-order page.

On top of that, those who pre-order the Galaxy Z Flip later today (17 March) from 10AM to 10PM will also receive a one-time screen replacement for the inner, foldable display within the 12-month warranty period. If you’re worried about the durability of the flexible panel, this screen replacement service should give you some peace of mind.

For RM5,888, you do get quite a bit of smartphone with the Galaxy Z Flip. After all, it’s still considered a flagship device, given the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset under the hood of this foldable phone. It may not be the latest Snapdragon 865 or Samsung’s own Exynos 990 chipset, but the Snapdragon 855+ is still a very capable SoC.

Besides that, the Galaxy Z Flip also sports a clamshell design instead of the Galaxy Fold’s tablet-like form factor, which is a lot more practical. Not only does it feel much more like a conventional smartphone, it’s a lot more pocketable once it’s folded. If you’re wondering, yes, there’s still a bit of display gap when the phone is closed. It’s just like how it was with the Galaxy Fold, though it’s a lot less noticeable with the Z Flip.

Once you open up the Galaxy Z Flip, you’ll be greeted by the 6.7-inch 2636 x 1080 Dynamic AMOLED “Infinity Flex” Display. Sporting a 21.9:9 aspect ratio, this is quite a tall display, so it may feel a little awkward to use. As for the quality of the panel itself, it’s great: expect vibrant colours, excellent viewing angles, and very deep blacks.

Rounding out the specifications of the Galaxy Z Flip include a dual camera setup (12MP f/1.8 primary + 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle), 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, a 3,300mAh battery, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will be available for pre-order in Malaysia later today from 10AM to 10PM for RM5,888; you can place your order
here
. Want to learn more about Samsung’s second foldable smartphone? Then check out our
hands-on of the Galaxy Z Flip
.

Thanks for the tip, Pang!


Hearthstone Is Exciting Again: Year of the Phoenix Adds New Demon Hunter Class & Slew of Changes

Blizzard just released a slew of announcements for Hearthstone, and they are quite exciting. Not only is a new class coming to the card game for the first time
ever
 since its release, there are also a large number of changes across the board for the Year of the Phoenix. These include a new ranking system, balance changes, and an overhaul of the Priest class.

There are a lot to talk about here, so we’ll break it down to the biggest new changes coming to Hearthstone in the next few weeks.

New Demon Hunter Class Starring Illidan Stormrage

Illidan Stormrage is finally a playable Hero, and he belongs to a whole new class: Demon Hunter. The 10th class in Hearthstone has access to an exclusive new keyword, Outcast, which triggers a powerful effect when the card with the keyword is played from the most left or right position in your hand.

Another unique aspect of Demon Hunter is its hero power, Demon Claws. It costs only one mana, and it gives the hero +1 attack power. It may seem like an underwhelming hero power, but its low cost could allow for a more consistent mana curve.

Naturally, the Demon Hunter class will be available to everyone for free once they complete the prologue of the class. It’s divided into four single-player missions, which retell the story of Illidan in the Hearthstone universe. The prologue is releasing on 2 April, and the Demon Hunter class itself will be unlocked on 7 April.

More Rewarding Ranking System

The current ranking system in Hearthstone is divided into 25 different ranks (excluding the other 25 for new players), and as you climb the ladder, you’ll need more stars to progress to the next one. Well, from April 2020 onwards, this will change into a league system divided into five leagues: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Above these leagues are the Legend ranks, which remain the same.

In each of the league, there are 10 different ranks, and you need to get three stars before you get to the next one. Once you’ve reached rank 10 or rank 5 in each respective league, you won’t drop down to the previous rank; these are the rank floors. Blizzard also says that matchmaking will be based on matchmaking rating (MMR) now, so you’ll be matched more precisely with players of similar skill levels.

Given the sheer amount of stars you need to gain in order to reach the Legend rank, it may seem very grindy, but Blizzard is also introducing the Star Bonus multiplier system. Based on your performance in the previous season, you’ll get a specific multiplier, which can be as high as 10x. Needless to say, this would make the ladder climb a lot faster.

What about the end of season reward? Well, that’s getting an overhaul too. Each time you hit a new rank floor from Bronze 5 onwards, you’ll get additional rewards, which include Rare cards, Epic cards, and even packs from the latest expansion. There are also additional rewards that are given to those that reach these rank floors for the first time.

No More Duplicates From Card Packs

Here’s another sweet change: you will no longer get duplicate cards of
any rarity
 every time you open a new card pack, unless you’ve already got two copies of all cards of that particular rarity in the set. This used to apply only to Legendary cards, so it’s great to see that it now extends to Epic, Rare, and Common cards too.

Priest Is Getting a Rework

Tired of Priest’s same strategies over the years? Then you’ll be happy to know that Blizzard is reworking the class. Not only are a number of Classic and Basic cards from the class are moving to the Hall of Fame (banning them from Standard play), a good number of Priest cards will see some balance updates too.

Of course, six new cards will be added back to the class’ Classic and Basic sets to make up for this, and they certainly look more in line with Priest’s class identity of a control-oriented archetype. This balance change will go into effect on 26 March.

More Cards Moving to Hall of Fame

Besides the six Priest cards, five neutral cards are also rotating to the Hall of Fame as part of the balance update. These cards are seen as “pushing classes in directions different than the rest of their tools,” which is why they are moving out of Standard play.

Most of these changes will take place on 26 March, with the exception of the Demon Hunter class. The new class will be released alongside the Year of the Phoenix’s first expansion, Ashes of Outland, on 7 April. These are definitely exciting new changes coming to Hearthstone, and it’ll be interesting to see how they would impact the card game, especially with the addition of Demon Hunter as the 10th class.


Apple Reveals New MacBook Air & iPad Pro; Retails From RM3,499 in Malaysia

Here’s a bit of a surprise announcement: Apple just announced two new products. There’s the updated MacBook Air with a new keyboard and faster performance, as well as the new iPad Pro with a rather unique keyboard cover. On top of that, the Malaysian pricing of both products have been revealed too.

Let’s start with the MacBook Air. Just like the
16-inch MacBook Pro
, the new Air sports the Magic Keyboard, which promises better durability and typing experience than the previous butterfly keyboard. That being said, with only 1mm of key travel, it’s still a pretty shallow keyboard. Of course, the inverted-T arrow keys are here too.

Aside from the new keyboard, the updated MacBook Air also has “up to two times faster performance,” thanks to the new 10th Gen Intel Core processors under the hood. For the Malaysian market, the base model ships with a Core i3 dual-core chip, while the higher-end variant features a faster Core i5 quad-core processor. As always, you can configure the Air with an even faster Core i7 chip if you so desire.

Storage options of the new MacBook Air has been updated too: the base model now comes with a much more practical 256GB SSD instead of its predecessor’s limited 128GB storage. If you want a higher capacity SSD, you can go for the Core i5 model, which has twice the amount of storage at 512GB.

Other specifications of the new MacBook Air include a 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 Retina IPS display with True Tone, 8GB of RAM (configurable up to 16GB), Intel Iris Plus Graphics, a Touch ID sensor, as well as two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support.

And then there’s the new iPad Pro. Aesthetically, it still shares the same chassis as the previous iteration, but it does come with a new square camera module now. It houses a 12MP f/1.8 primary shooter, a 10MP f/2.4 ultra-wide angle lens, and a LIDAR sensor for better depth perception and augmented reality use.

What’s even more exciting is the new keyboard cover, which is also compatible with older iPad Pro models. It attaches magnetically to the tablet, and it can raise the screen to a more comfortable viewing position. The keyboard itself carries the Magic Keyboard moniker too, and right below it is a dedicated trackpad.

That’s right, the iPad Pro now comes with trackpad support. Evidently, Apple is really pushing its tablet as a laptop replacement, though this keyboard cover won’t be available until May 2020.

Rounding out the specifications of the iPad Pro include a new A12Z Bionic chip – which Apple says is “more powerful than most Windows PC laptops” – an 11-inch 2388 x 1668 or 12.9-inch 2732 x 2048 Liquid Retina display with ProMotion and True Tone, up to 1TB of internal storage, and optional LTE support.

The new
MacBook Air
 and
iPad Pro
 are now listed on Apple’s Malaysian online store, but only their retail prices have been revealed; it remains to be seen exactly when these two products will start shipping. The iPad Pro retails from RM3,499 and RM4,399 for the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models respectively, while the MacBook Air starts at RM4,399 – RM5,599 if you want the Core i5 model with 512GB of storage.


PlayStation 5 Hardware Finally Revealed: AMD Zen 2 3.5GHz CPU, 825GB SSD, Expandable NVMe SSD Slot

Sony finally revealed more details on the hardware of the upcoming PlayStation 5 system. Many of the console’s specifications detailed today are quite technical, but we do have a picture of what to expect from Sony’s next-generation console, including its performance level, SSD capacity, and even support for expandable storage.

As expected, the PS5 will indeed be powered by a custom AMD Zen 2 CPU with eight physical cores and 16 threads, and we now know how fast these cores are clocked at: 3.5GHz. In comparison, the PlayStation 4’s eight AMD Jaguar cores were only running at 1.6GHz.

In the GPU side of things, the PS5 features a custom GPU based on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, which promises 10.28 teraflops and 36 compute units clocked at 2.23GHz. Do note that the clock speed of the GPU and CPU are variable, so they may run slower under certain conditions. It’s also worth mentioning that this GPU supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing as well.

What about the SSD? Well, that’s where it gets pretty darn interesting. Unlike conventional SSD capacities you find in the market now, the PS5 uses a custom 825GB M.2 SSD for the best price to performance ratio, among other things. On top of that, it is also a blazing fast PCIe 4.0 NVMe drive, which is a relatively new standard in the market now.

It’s important to put emphasis on the PCIe 4.0 standard used by the PS5’s SSD, given that the console will have an extra NVMe SSD slot for further expansion if you’ve filled up the 825GB drive. Basically, not all M.2 drive will work best with the PS5; it’s best to wait for some form of validation from Sony on compatible SSDs with the next-gen console before you actually buy one.

Speaking of storage, the PS5 will still support external drives via USB, but these slower storage solutions will be mainly used to play backward-compatible PS4 games. It still remains to be seen if the PS5 can run physical copies of PS4 games, but with this revelation, at least digital copies of PS4 titles are confirmed to work with the upcoming console.

Last but certainly not least is the PS5’s “Tempest Engine.” In short, it’s a 3D audio engine that aims to deliver immersive audio, and you won’t have to invest in high-end audio hardware to enjoy this; just a pair of headphones will do. It’s a very interesting tech, but we’ll have to wait and see exactly how developers will take advantage of the Tempest Engine.

Unfortunately, today’s announcement did not reveal any launch title or the design of the PS5 system – Sony is still keeping those under tight wraps. Nonetheless, today’s announcement do shed some light on Sony’s next-generation console, which will be launching by the end of 2020.

Not sure if the PS5 is worth waiting for? Then check out
this article
, where we discuss whether or not you should just get the PS4 now instead of waiting for the PS5 to hit the market.


2021 Hyundai Elantra Official: Wireless Android Auto, Aggressive New Design, Hybrid Option

If you think the current Hyundai Elantra for the Malaysian market looks unconventional, the all-new 2021 Elantra pushes the envelope even further. Sporting an even more aggressive design language than its predecessor, a high-tech interior, and a hybrid option, the seventh-generation Elantra is quite interesting.

Unlike the previous model, the new Elantra has a more coupe-like design, not to mention the fact that it is longer, lower, and wider too. To be specific, the C-segment sedan is now 56mm longer (4,676mm), wider by 25mm (1,826mm), and lower by 20mm (1,415mm). The wheelbase has also been stretched by 20mm, measuring 2,720mm long.

Aesthetically, the 2021 Elantra has a “Sensuous Sportiness” design identity, as Hyundai puts it. The sedan has a wide, cascading grille on the front, an “H-Tail Lamp” that stretches across the width of the car in a single line – I personally really like how futuristic the taillights look – and 15- to 17-inch wheel designs that match the car’s “Parametric Dynamics” theme.

Inside the cabin of the new Elantra, you’ve got a much more modern-looking interior than the outgoing model. Not only does it support wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (this is said to be a segment-first), there’s also a sizeable 10.25-inch infotainment system. The instrument cluster is digital now too, measuring 10.25-inch in size.

Under the hood of the Elantra is a 2.0L MPI Atkinson Cycle engine that produces 147hp and 179Nm of torque, which is paired to the Korean company’s Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). In essence, IVT is Hyundai’s take on CVT: it’s said to provide “superior efficiency and simulates gear shifts” like conventional automatic transmissions.

Want a more economical engine? Then consider the Elantra Hybrid, which has a smaller 1.6L GDI Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine. Together with a permanent-magnet electric motor that delivers 43hp (32kW), you’ve got a combined system output of 139hp and 264Nm of torque. This engine is mated to Hyundai’s six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra will enter production later this year in September, and it’s set to go on sale sometime in the fourth quarter of 2020. On top of that, the sedan will be getting the N Line treatment as well, though no tentative release date was given for the sportier, performance-centric model.

Regardless, here’s hoping the new Hyundai Elantra will be coming to the Malaysian market not long after it enters production in other countries. Perhaps sometime in 2021?


The Nokia 8.3 5G Is HMD Global’s First 5G Smartphone

HMD Global just introduced a number of smartphones earlier this morning. Headlining the new lineup of devices is the Nokia 8.3 5G, the company’s first-ever 5G smartphone. The selling point of this device is a simple one: it’s compatible with a wide range of 5G networks around the world.

In fact, HMD bills the Nokia 8.3 as the world’s first “truly global 5G smartphone” for this one reason. The device’s support of a wider range of 5G bands compared to its competition does merit this, and the wide compatibility may attract consumers who want a painless 5G data roaming experience – when 5G networks see a wider rollout anyway – across the globe.

Speaking of which, the 5G connectivity of the Nokia 8.3 comes from a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset with Qualcomm’s 5G RF Front End module solution. While the Snapdragon 765G isn’t quite as powerful or as attractive as, say, the Snapdragon 865 SoC found in many other 5G smartphones, it’s still a reasonably capable chipset outside of the Snapdragon 8 series.

Naturally, HMD is putting quite a bit of emphasis on the camera capability of the Nokia 8.3, promising great detail preservation and low-light performance. It features a PureView-branded quad camera system on the back with Zeiss Optics, which is made up of a 64MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide angle lens, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. Unfortunately, there’s no telephoto shooter here, oddly enough.

Beyond its camera configuration, the Nokia 8.3 sports a 6.81-inch 1080p PureDisplay with a 20:9 aspect ratio, making it quite a tall smartphone. There is also a hole-punch cutout at the top left of the screen for the 24MP selfie camera, along with a rather sizeable chin with the Nokia logo at the bottom of the display.

Other specifications of the Nokia 8.3 include 6GB or 8GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, a microSD card slot for further storage expansion, a relatively generous 4,500mAh battery, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and Android 10 out of the box. This is also an Android One device, so expect a clean, near-stock software experience.

The Nokia 8.3 5G will be available globally sometime in summer this year. Two variants are offered: the 64GB model with 6GB of RAM goes for €599 (about RM2,825), while the 128GB option with 8GB of RAM retails at €649 (approximately RM3,060). Do note that these price tags include VAT for the European market, so expect the Nokia 8.3 to cost less in other regions.


Realme 6 With 90Hz Screen & Helio G90T Lands in Malaysia for RM999; RM799 for Early Birds

Realme just launched its latest mid-range smartphone in Malaysia, the Realme 6. Sporting a fast 90Hz screen and a
MediaTek Helio G90T
 chipset, this mid-ranger is aimed at mobile gamers that want a good gaming experience on a budget-friendly phone. Retailing at RM999, the Realme 6 is certainly an affordable device.

If you’re quick, you can even get a pretty good discount for this smartphone. In conjunction with Lazada’s 8th Birthday Sale, the Realme 6 can be purchased
for only RM799
 on 27 March. However, do note that this is a limited time deal: it will only be sold at this price from 12AM to 2AM on that day.

As mentioned, the Realme 6 features a fast 90Hz screen; not many smartphones at this price point has a panel with this kind of refresh rate. The display itself, on the other hand, is a 6.5-inch 2400 x 1080 IPS display. It also has a 120Hz sampling rate, so it should be more responsive to your inputs – an important factor for mobile gamers.

Powering the Realme 6 is a Helio G90T chipset, which is a reasonably capable processor, especially at this price point. After all, MediaTek says that the G90T is up to 26% faster than the Snapdragon 730. Given just how affordable the Realme 6 is, you’re getting a good level of performance for your money here.

Besides that, the Realme 6 also comes with a quad camera system. It’s made up of a 64MP f/1.8 primary shooter, an 8MP f/2.3 ultra-wide angle camera, a 2MP f/2.4 macro lens, and a 2MP f/2.4 monochrome sensor. The front-facing shooter, on the other hand, is a single 16MP f/2.0 camera positioned at the top left of the phone in the hole-punch cutout.

Good battery life is essential for any phone that wants to appeal to mobile gamers, and in this regard, the Realme 6 is packed with a generous 4,300mAh battery. When you do run low on battery, the phone’s 30W Flash Charge technology can supposedly charge the phone to full in just an hour. Quite an impressive charging rate for a mid-range smartphone.

The Realme 6 is now available for purchase in Malaysia for RM999, and that’s for the sole 128GB model with 4GB of RAM. If you’re up for it, you can get it for only RM799 on 27 March
from Lazada
 if you’re quick. The Realme 6 is also offered in two colours: Comet Blue and Comet White.


Redmi Note 9S Arrives in Malaysia for RM799; Rebranded Redmi Note 9 Pro

The
Redmi Note 9 series
 was launched in India just a couple of weeks ago, and it was also registered with SIRIM at the same time, so we expected the new mid-range smartphone to arrive in Malaysia very soon. Well, here we are: the Redmi Note 9S has just landed on our shores.

Given its different moniker from the other Redmi Note 9 smartphones, the Note 9S is technically the third entry in the series. But a closer look at its list of hardware reveal that it’s basically a rebranded Redmi Note 9 Pro. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though it is a tad confusing.

Anyway, the Redmi Note 9S, like the rest of the devices in the lineup, features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset, which should be able to offer a reasonably good level of performance. Besides that, it also has a 6.67-inch 2400 x 1080 IPS screen with a hole-punch cutout at the top of the screen for the 16MP selfie camera.

Design wise, the Redmi Note 9S is (unsurprisingly) identical to the Redmi Note 9 phones launched two weeks earlier. Compared to its predecessors, the Note 9S is a much sleeker-looking smartphone. As mentioned, it now has a hole-punch display instead of a notched one, and the vertically stacked camera module of the previous model is replaced with a square one.

Speaking of which, the Redmi Note 9S comes with a quad camera system. It consists of a 48MP f/1.79 primary shooter, an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle camera, a 5MP f/2.4 macro lens, and a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor. Unfortunately, the Note 9S, just like its predecessor, doesn’t offer a telephoto shooter.

Redmi Note smartphones are usually packed with sizeable batteries, and this trend continues with the Redmi Note 9S. Thanks to its generous 5,020mAh battery – with support for 18W fast charging – you should be able to get very respectable battery life with this smartphone; maybe even up to two days of usage.

Rounding out the specifications of the Redmi Note 9S include 4GB or 6GB of RAM, two storage capacities (64GB or 128GB), a microSD card slot, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and MIUI 11 based on Android 10 out of the box.

Two variants of the Redmi Note 9S are offered in Malaysia: the base 64GB model with 4GB of RAM is
priced at RM799
, while the 128GB option with 6GB of RAM
retails at RM899
. All three colourways of the phone are available here, which include Aurora Blue, Glacier White, and Interstellar Black. The 64GB model can be purchased from 27 March onwards, while the 128GB variant will be sold on 1 April.


Mega Man X DiVE Hands-On: Nostalgia Marred by Microtransactions

Mega Man – or Rockman, as it’s called in the Japanese market – is a big franchise with a long history, and it’s filled with nostalgia. To capitalise on this, Capcom Taiwan just released a new mobile game based on the Mega Man X series, aptly dubbed Mega Man X DiVE. This is the first Mega Man X game released after
16 long years
 – that’s quite a big deal.

While it does remain relatively faithful to the series, there are some elements of DiVE that could’ve been better. On top of that, this is inherently a gacha game, so expect a number of mictotransactions, which do spoil the nostalgic appeal of the game to an extent.

Anyway, after spending some time with the mobile game, here are my thoughts on Mega Man X DiVE. Even though the gacha aspect of the game isn’t great, I do thoroughly enjoy it.

X’s pose here is definitely a nod to Mega Man X6

Great-Looking Graphics

The moment I jumped into the game, this was the first thing that came to mind. I fondly remember the very first stage of Mega Man X, and it’s been reworked with a modern twist for DiVE. Even when compared to other mobile platformers in the market now, this game’s graphics still look great.

What about the overall performance of the game? I tested DiVE on the
Samsung Galaxy S10+
 and
S20 Ultra
, and it ran beautifully on both devices. I was getting 60fps consistently throughout my playthrough of the game, and I didn’t notice any drop in frame rate either.

Granted, these two are flagship smartphones, but if you do have issues running the game, you can tweak the graphics settings accordingly.

Plenty of Different Modes

Aside from the standard story mode – which is divided into several chapters – DiVE also offers quite a number of other game modes. These include co-op, PvP, and even boss challenges. If you’re having trouble with certain stages in story mode, you can always jump into the other modes to wind down.

Now, a bit of a disclaimer: I haven’t gotten far enough to unlock anything else besides story mode, so I can’t say for sure just how polished the other modes are. Nonetheless, they are there, and if the gameplay is any indication, I reckon the other modes will be quite fun.

Forgiving, But Not Necessarily Easy Gameplay

Speaking of gameplay, DiVE is a lot more forgiving when you make mistakes, especially in comparison to other Mega Man X titles in the past. For example, you don’t get collision damage when you run into enemies – though certain enemies will still damage you – and when you
are
 hit by a projectile or enemy attack, you don’t get knocked back either.

That being said, you’re no longer invulnerable for a couple of seconds after getting damaged, so if you’re standing in the path of a barrage of projectiles, your health will trickle down much faster than you would expect. I was certainly surprised when I was constantly damaged by every single projectile that came my way.

Oh, falling into pits or spikes will not instantly kill you in DiVE. Instead, it will only take a good chunk of your health, so it’s not all that bad. However, there’s a good reason why the gameplay is a lot more forgiving than previous Mega Man X games, because..

It Has Clunky Controls

As expected, the touch controls in DiVE can get incredibly frustrating. Not only does the on-screen buttons can obstruct enemies at times, they are not quite as responsive as I would’ve liked too. There are times where X was just standing in place while I was furiously tapping on the attack button after activating some special attacks.

But I do have to commend the mechanics that are in place to make the controls easier and feel more intuitive. Take X’s charged shot: tapping on it charges up the weapon, and you can just tap it again to shoot. To make things
even
 easier, the game automatically aims at enemies too, so you won’t have to position yourself.

Besides that, I quite like the movement controls as well. I can slide my finger from the dash button to the jump button to perform a dash jump, and vice versa. I can even perform a dash, jump, and attack in that particular order. All I have to do is just swipe my finger over the respective buttons.

While it can be a little fidgety to get these button combinations to work, it’s not exactly impossible to pull off consistently. Again, there
are
 times where the buttons don’t seem to work as intended, but it could just be a mistake on my part. Nonetheless, if you do want the best gaming experience, it’s best to connect a gamepad to your phone.

Reliant on Microtransactions

As mentioned, DiVE is inherently a gacha game, so you do have to deal with a number of microtransactions to get the best weapons and characters. That’s right, not only do you have to get lucky enough to score a good character, you’ll have to do the same for weapons as well. It also doesn’t help that the drop rates are incredibly low too.

Understandably, microtransactions are unavoidable for most mobile games; it’s their main source of revenue, as is the case with many other gacha titles. When implemented right, microtransactions are not always bad, but you do have to spend a specific sum of money into DiVE to get the best setup. This is very much shaping up to be a pay to win game.

Regardless, I really do enjoy playing Mega Man X DiVE, and I’ll be spending even more time with this mobile game for the foreseeable future. Whether it’s the nostalgic music, characters, or just the fact that I’m playing a brand new Mega Man X game after all these years, I really can’t get enough of the game.

Sure, I’m still not a big fan of the controls and microtransactions – I’ll refrain from putting in any money into the game as much as I can – but this
is
 a brand new Mega Man X game after Mega Man X8 was released back in 2004. For that reason alone, any Mega Man fan should check this game out.

Mega Man X DiVE is currently available on the
Google Play Store
 and
Apple App Store
 in most Asian markets, including Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and of course, Taiwan. Alternatively, you can grab the APK file of the game over at
Capcom Taiwan’s website
.


Redmi K30 Pro Packs Snapdragon 865 & All-Screen Design for Less Than RM2,000

Redmi just launched its latest flagship smartphone in China, the Redmi K30 Pro. Compared to the standard
Redmi K30
 – which was rebranded to the
Poco X2
 for certain markets – the K30 Pro is a much more capable device. Not only is it a proper flagship smartphone, it also sports a different design language with a notchless display.

That’s right, Redmi is bringing back the pop-up camera mechanism of the
K20 series
 with the K30 Pro. The camera module houses a 20MP selfie shooter, and since there’s no need to make space for the front-facing camera on the display, the K30 Pro has a sleek, all-screen design completely free of any cutout.

Since we’re talking about the display, let’s break it down. The K30 Pro features a 6.67-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a 180Hz touch response rate, so it’ll recognise your inputs faster. That’s not to be mistaken for the refresh rate of the panel itself, which is only set to 60Hz. You’re not getting the regular K30’s faster 120Hz screen with the Pro model, oddly enough.

Powering the K30 Pro, on the other hand, is Qualcomm’s latest and greatest chipset, the Snapdragon 865. It’s a high-end SoC found in much more expensive flagship smartphones, so it’s really quite impressive how Redmi still managed to price the K30 Pro at such a low price point.

On the back, the K30 Pro features a circular camera module with a quad camera configuration arranged in a…square, for some reason. Beyond the odd-looking design, it’s a reasonably comprehensive camera setup made up of a 64MP primary shooter with optical image stabilisation, a 13MP ultra-wide angle sensor, a 2MP depth camera, and a 5MP telephoto macro lens.

If you want even better zoom capabilities, there’s the K30 Pro “Zoom Edition,” which replaces the 5MP macro sensor with a longer 8MP telephoto lens that can do 3x optical zoom. Naturally, it can go all the way up to 30x digital zoom while also offering OIS, EIS, and four-axis image stabilisation. Beyond this one camera hardware, the Zoom Edition is no different than the standard K30 Pro.

Other specifications of the K30 Pro include 5G connectivity, 8K video recording, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of internal storage, a 4,700mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging, an in-screen optical fingerprint sensor, and MIUI 11 based on Android 10 out of the box.

The Redmi K30 Pro is currently only available in China, but there is a good chance it will be introduced in other markets in the future. Given that its predecessor was launched in Malaysia as the
Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro
, perhaps the K30 Pro will be released here as the Mi 10T Pro.

Anyway, for the Chinese market, the K30 Pro retails from only 2,999 Chinese yuan for the base 128GB model with 6GB of RAM; that comes up to about RM1,880. As for the K30 Pro Zoom Edition, it starts at 3,799 yuan (around RM2,380) for the 128GB option with 8GB of RAM.


YouTube Video Quality to Drop for the Next Month

Given the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, many folks – including us here in Malaysia – are either staying put at home or working remotely to stop the spread of the virus. To cope with the increase in internet traffic, many streaming sites have lowered their video quality to lessen broadband strain; YouTube is the latest platform to do so.

This bit of news
comes from Bloomberg
, and YouTube is the first video site to lower its streaming quality around the world instead of only one region. This decision comes just one week after the company implemented this limitation in Europe, one of the most affected regions by the COVID-19 pandemic.

That being said, YouTube isn’t reducing its streaming quality for good; the platform is merely changing the default video quality to standard definition (480p). If you want YouTube videos to play at a higher resolution, you can still do so, though you’ll have to it manually now.

“We continue to work closely with governments and network operators around the globe to do our part to minimise stress on the system during this unprecedented situation,” YouTube said in a statement to Bloomberg.

Compared to other internet services, video streaming demands more internet bandwidth because of the sheer size of files that are being transmitted. YouTube’s decision to reduce its default video quality will definitely ease up internet traffic, given just how big of a platform it is.

Besides YouTube, Netflix has also reduced its streaming quality, but this is only limited to Europe at the moment. If the COVID-19 outbreak worsens in other parts of the world, there’s a good chance the company will limit its video quality in other markets as well; maybe even Malaysia will be affected.

Other companies that have implemented similar limitations (in Europe) to ease internet traffic include Apple, Amazon, and even PlayStation. Granted, PlayStation isn’t primarily a video streaming service, but it is currently slowing down the download speeds of games in Europe. The Japanese company assured gamers that the multiplayer experience will be unaffected by this.

A quick check on YouTube shows that it still default to 1080p video quality for us, though we expect this to change in the coming days. This limit in streaming quality on YouTube will be in effect for one whole month.


Acer Introduces New Nitro 5 Model in Malaysia; GTX 1660 Ti With 120Hz Screen for RM4,499

If you’re looking for a brand new gaming laptop that offers good value for money, then you may be interested in the Acer Nitro 5. The Taiwanese company just brought in two new variants of the laptop, complete with a beefy Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU and a generous amount of storage.

Given that these new models of the Nitro 5 for the Malaysian market start at only RM4,499, you’re getting very good gaming performance for the money. After all, the GTX 1660 Ti is no slouch: in our testing, it is only
marginally slower
 than the higher-end
RTX 2060 GPU
.

Granted, you don’t get RTX-specific features with the GTX 1660 Ti, but this may not matter to certain consumers – especially if they want higher frame rate instead of ray tracing.

Besides the GPU, the updated Nitro 5 also comes with a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. While that’s not the fastest screen we’ve seen on a gaming laptop, it’s quite an upgrade from conventional 60Hz panels. If you do want a faster display though, you can opt for the bigger 17.3-inch model with a 144Hz 1080p panel.

Under the hood of both Nitro 5 models is an Intel Core i7-9750H processor paired with 8GB of RAM. The Core i7 chip is more than adequate to not bottleneck the GTX 1660 Ti, and it’s powerful enough for other tasks too. However, you may want to upgrade the RAM to 16GB if you plan to do more than just gaming; 8GB is really the bare minimum.

Fortunately, storage capacity won’t be an issue with the Nitro 5 with its generous 512GB PCIe SSD. This gaming laptop also has reasonably good connectivity options, including a USB 3.1 Type-C connection, three USB-A ports (two USB 3.1, one USB 2.0), as well as an HDMI 2.0 output with HDCP support.

The two new Acer Nitro 5 models are now available for purchase in Malaysia. The 15.6-inch variant retails
at only RM4,499
, while the larger 17.3-inch option
goes for RM5,299
. Beyond the different screen size, both laptops sport identical hardware, so you’ll have to fork out quite a bit more money for the bigger screen.

With that in mind, the smaller 15.6-inch Nitro 5 offers the best value for money. On top of that, in conjunction with Lazada’s 8th Birthday Sale tomorrow on 27 March, this particular variant will be
discounted to RM4,184
 – that’s exactly RM315 worth of savings. Quite a good deal for a gaming laptop of this calibre.

Read more:

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


Huawei P40 Series Unleashed: Ultra Vision Leica Camera, 100x Zoom, 90Hz OLED Screen

The Huawei P40 series is finally here, and there are three different devices in the lineup. These include the standard P40, the higher-end P40 Pro, and the top-of-the-range P40 Pro+. Camera performance has always been the P series’ main focus, and this remains true for these three new smartphones.

Let’s start with the highest-end device of the lot, shall we?

Huawei P40 Pro+

As its name suggests, the P40 Pro+ is the main highlight of the series. What differentiates it from the other two smartphones is the Leica-branded penta camera system. It’s made up of a 50MP RYYB f/1.9 primary shooter, a 40MP f/1.8 ultra-wide angle sensor, an 8MP f/4.4 SuperZoom periscope telephoto lens that can do 10x optical zoom, a shorter 8MP f/2.4 periscope telephoto shooter (3x optical), and finally, a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor.

It’s a very elaborate camera system, and just like the
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
, the P40 Pro+ can do up to 100x digital zoom. According to Huawei, the Pro+ can return sharper shots with superior detail preservation at that level of zoom. It’s a lofty claim, and it’ll be interesting to see if this is really the case once we have the device in for review.

Besides that, the P40 Pro+ also sports a rather unique quad-curve “Overflow” Display. Basically, the glass protecting the display wraps around all four edges of the phone, which makes it more ergonomically-friendly than devices with a flat design. That being said, the display itself doesn’t curve accordingly at the top and bottom; only the sides do, so you’ve got a bit of a chin at the bottom of the screen.

As for the display itself, the P40 Pro+ has a 6.58-inch 2640 x 1200 OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. That’s right, it doesn’t go up to 120Hz like its main rivals, but that’s still a reasonably high refresh rate. Plus, 90Hz is not quite as power-hungry too. At the top left of the screen is also an oblong-shaped hole-punch cutout that houses the 32MP f/2.2 selfie camera with a depth sensor.

Rounding out the specifications of the P40 Pro+ include Huawei’s own Kirin 990 5G chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, 512GB of internal storage – expandable with the company’s proprietary NM cards – a 4,200mAh battery with 40W fast charging (both wired
and
 wireless), an in-screen fingerprint sensor, as well as an IP68 rating.

Huawei P40 Pro

A tier down is the P40 Pro, which is actually very similar to the P40 Pro+. It has the same chassis, design, and even battery capacity as the Pro+. The only difference, of course, lies in the camera department and memory option. It doesn’t have the 10x optical zoom periscope telephoto lens, and it has half the internal storage at 256GB.

Oh, the P40 Pro only supports 27W wireless charging too, but it can still do 40W charging in wired mode. It is also ever so slightly thinner (8.95mm vs. 9mm) and lighter (209g vs. 226g) than the Pro+, given that it lacks the extra telephoto lens found in the range-topping model.

Huawei P40

Last but definitely not least is the regular P40. Compared to its other two higher-end siblings, it differs quite a bit. Not only does it have a smaller 6.1-inch 2340 x 1080 OLED display, it doesn’t have the fancy quad-curve screen design or 90Hz panel of the other two phones in the series.

Aside from that, it also has a simpler camera system: it comes with a triple camera setup made up of a 50MP f/1.9 main shooter, a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle sensor, and a regular 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens. The selfie camera, on the other hand, is a 32MP f/2.0 unit paired with an IR sensor.

Other specifications of the P40 include a Kirin 990 5G chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 3,800mAh battery with support for 22.5W fast charging (no wireless charging support here), an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and an IP53 rating.

Without a doubt the Huawei P40 series is impressive, but like other recently launched Huawei smartphones, they don’t ship with Google Mobile Services. This means it doesn’t come with essential Google services out of the box, including the all-important Play Store, Maps, Gmail, and so on.

Of course, there is a replacement in the form of the Huawei Mobile Services, which includes the Chinese company’s own app store dubbed AppGallery. Huawei is aggressively pushing its own ecosystem, but it will take some time before it can match Google’s immense offering.

Anyway, the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro will be available from 7 April for €799 (about RM3,820) and €999 (approximately RM4,775) respectively. The highest-end P40 Pro+, on the other hand, will only be released sometime in June for €1,399 (around RM6,685). No official word yet on the Malaysian availability of the P40 series.


Deal: Grab the Sony WF-1000XM3 With Almost RM400 Discount

It’s only been about half a year since the
Sony WF-1000XM3
 wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation were launched in Malaysia, but its retail price has been steadily dropping over the months. In fact, you can grab it
for only RM559.90 now
 – that’s almost RM400 worth of savings.

To be specific, that’s exactly RM389.10 less than the WF-1000XM3’s original RM949 launch price; this deal is offered by Preferred Shopee retailer C Plus Digital. Although the earbuds are listed at RM569.90, you can collect the store voucher to get additional RM10 discount to
bring it down to RM559.90
.

According to the listing, it comes with official warranty support from Sony Malaysia itself as well.

At that price point, you really cannot go wrong with the Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds. Not only does it have good battery life and audio quality, the active noise cancellation feature is easily one of the best in the market now. To learn more about the WF-1000XM3, check out our review
right here
.


Deal: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 Price Drops to RM699

There are quite a number of smartwatches in the market now, but if you’re using an Android smartphone, there is one standout wearable: the
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
. Originally retailing upwards of RM1,399, you can now grab this smartwatch
from only RM699
.

Of course, that’s for the most affordable 40mm Aluminium model of the Galaxy Watch Active 2, which went for RM999 at launch. With this offer, you’re getting
RM300 worth of savings
. This deal is offered by Samsung Authorised Partner on Lazada for today only, and it’s also a LazMall retailers.

Rest assured, this is a legitimate deal with official warranty support from Samsung Malaysia.

Don’t quite dig the looks of the Aluminium model? Well, then consider the 40mm Stainless Steel variant of the Galaxy Watch Active 2, which feels and looks a lot more premium, thanks to the stainless steel case. At launch, it was priced at RM1,299, but you can grab it
for only RM999 now
.

Compared to other smartwatches in the market – especially for Android users – the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is easily one of the best options in the market now. Now that it’s been discounted this much, it is
that
 much more attractive. Read
our review of the Galaxy Watch Active 2
 to learn more about Samsung’s latest smartwatch.


Huawei MatePad Pro Coming to Malaysia Soon

Huawei just confirmed that its latest Android-based tablet, the
MatePad Pro
, will be made available in Malaysia. Although the Chinese company did not give any concrete release date, we did receive word that a local launch will be taking place very soon.

In the tablet space, it’s evident that the market is dominated by Apple’s range of iPads, and the MatePad Pro sports a number of features to take them on; more specifically, the iPad Pro. On top of the MatePad’s Huawei M-Pencil stylus – which can detect 4,096 levels of pressure – it also comes with a keyboard case to compete with Apple’s offering.

Sure, the MatePad Pro’s keyboard case doesn’t have a dedicated trackpad or look quite as sleek as the
new iPad Pro’s keyboard cover
, but I can comfortably type on the MatePad’s keyboard despite its compact layout. The key travel could have been better, but hey, there’s only so much you can expect from a keyboard case.

There is, of course, one feature that is exclusive to the MatePad Pro: it supports two-way wireless charging. Basically, you can use the tablet to wirelessly charge other devices. The stylus and keyboard case of the MatePad are also charged wirelessly when they are connected to the tablet, which is a pretty cool implementation.

Aside from that, the MatePad Pro also has a 10.8-inch 2560 x 1600 display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. With small bezels surrounding the screen, Huawei claims that this tablet has an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 90%. At the top right of the display, on the other hand, is a hole-punch cutout for the 8MP f/2.0 selfie camera.

Under the hood of the MatePad Pro is none other than Huawei’s latest chipset, the Kirin 990. It’s a high-end flagship processor, so you can expect to get a good level of performance. After all, it’s the same chipset powering the rest of the company’s current crop of flagship smartphones, including the recently announced
Huawei P40 series
.

Other specifications of the MatePad Pro include a 13MP f/1.8 rear camera, up to 8GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, a 7,250mAh battery, as well as EMUI 10 based on Android 10 out of the box.

The Huawei MatePad Pro should be arriving in Malaysia in the very near future. If we were to take a guess, there’s a very good chance the Android tablet will be launched here sometime in April next month. Rest assured, we’ll keep a close eye on the local availability of the MatePad Pro.


Deal: Samsung Galaxy S20+ Now Going for Only RM3,249

Now this is a big deal to close off Lazada’s 8th Birthday Sale: the
Samsung Galaxy S20+
, which went for RM3,999 at launch, can now be yours
for only RM3,249
 – that’s a whopping RM750 discount. Needless to say, it’s an absolutely great deal for Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone.

This deal is offered by Senheng on Lazada, so without a doubt this is a legitimate offer. The retailer is listing the Galaxy S20+ for RM3,799, and in order to bring the price
down to only RM3,249
, you’ll have to collect the RM550 discount voucher from Senheng. At the time of writing, the Cosmic Grey and Cloud Blue colourways are still available; the Cosmic Black model is already sold out.

To sweeten the deal, Senheng will also throw in a complimentary wireless charger and 10,000mAh powerbank, though this is only available while stocks last.

For only RM3,249
, it’s an absolute steal for a premium smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S20+. Do note that this deal is only valid today, so be quick if you want to grab it at this low price. To learn more about the Galaxy S20+, check out our hands-on
right here
.


Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G Is Here: Snapdragon 765G, 48MP Camera, €349 Price Tag

At the global launch of the
Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro
, the Chinese company also unveiled a new addition to the series: enter the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G. As its name suggests, it’s not quite as high-end as its other two siblings, but that’s the whole point. It is meant to be an affordable 5G smartphone for the masses.

Now, even though the Mi 10 Lite is not as powerful as the standard Mi 10 or Mi 10 Pro, it’s still quite a capable device. Under the hood of this smartphone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC, which is no slouch. After all, outside of the Snapdragon 8 series, the 765G is the chipmaker’s next best offering.

Xiaomi also mention that the Mi 10 Lite’s Snapdragon 765G chip comes with LiquidCool. The company didn’t go into much detail, but we reckon it’s a form of liquid cooling.

Besides that, the Mi 10 Lite also comes with a 6.57-inch AMOLED TrueColour display with a notch at the top. It would’ve been great if this affordable phone also sports the hole-punch cutouts of the other Mi 10 devices, but at least it’s a relatively small notch; it shouldn’t be too bothersome in day-to-day usage.

In the camera department, the Mi 10 Lite sports a quad camera system headlined by a 48MP primary shooter. Unfortunately, Xiaomi did not elaborate what the other three sensors are yet. Rest assured, we’ll update this article once we have the information, though the company did mention this phone has a 16MP selfie camera.

When it comes to battery life, the Mi 10 Lite should be quite a long-lasting smartphone, thanks to its 4,160mAh battery. It’s not an awfully big capacity, but it should be more than enough to return (at the very least) a full day of use. On top of that, it also supports 20W fast charging.

Rounding out the specifications of the Mi 10 Lite include either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, a USB Type-C connection, a 7.98mm thin chassis, and tipping the scales at 192g, it’s not too heavy either. In fact, Xiaomi says that part of the reason why this phone carries the “Lite” moniker is because it “literally is light.”

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G will be available sometime in early May 2020. In Europe, it will retail from €349, which comes up to about RM1,665. Do note that this price tag includes VAT for the European market, so expect the Mi 10 Lite to cost less in other parts of the world. Still no word yet on the Malaysian availability of this affordable 5G smartphone.


Deal: Get the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 & Note 10+ With Over RM800 Discount

If you missed Lazada and Shopee’s big sale on Friday, you’ll be happy to know that there are still some deals to be found, like this one right here. You can now get the
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
 and the regular Note 10
with over RM800 discount
 – that’s quite substantial.

Both of these deals are offered by Wow Phone on Lazada. For the Galaxy Note 10+, the retailer is listing the 256GB variant
at only RM3,359
. Compared to its RM4,199 launch price, you’re saving exactly RM840. On top of that, Wow phone is also offering the Note 10+ in three colourways: Aura Glow, Aura White, as well as Aura Black.

As for the smaller – and more affordable – Galaxy Note 10, it can be yours
for only RM2,849 now
, saving you RM850. However, do note that this is for the Aura Pink option; the Aura Black variant is (oddly enough) still listed at RM3,699, which is the phone’s original asking price.

Nonetheless, these are great deals for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series. If you’d like to learn more about the Note 10+, check out our
comprehensive review of the phone
. Alternatively, you can also read up on
our comparison between the two flagships
.


Asus Malaysia Introduces Perfect Warranty Program; Covers Accidental Damage

Asus Malaysia just announced a new warranty program for its range of laptops. Dubbed “Perfect Warranty,” this is a one-year additional protection service that covers a number of scenarios, including damages from spills, electrical surges, and even accidental breakages from drops and so on.

The best part is, the Perfect Warranty service is provided to eligible laptops – both from the company’s consumer and gaming lineup – at no additional cost. However, do note that this is only applicable to Asus laptops that were launched in Malaysia from 2019 onwards.

In other words, if you’re planning to purchase a brand new Asus laptop sometime this year, it won’t be eligible for the Perfect Warranty service if it was launched locally in, say, 2018.

On top of that, keep in mind that the Perfect Warranty service is not a total coverage. If something does happen to your laptop, Asus will only cover “80% of the total repair cost.” The remaining 20% will have to be paid by the consumer, along with labour fee. It would’ve been great if it was a complete protection, but only having to pay 20% of the repair (with the labour fee) is not bad at all.

So what other caveats should you be aware of? Obviously, the Perfect Warranty service is only applicable to Asus-branded consumer or gaming laptops that are purchased in Malaysia itself. On top of that, components that are repaired or replaced as part of this service will be covered under warranty for one month or the remainder of the manufacturer warranty period. “Whichever is applicable,” as Asus puts it.

Besides that, there are also a number of situations that are not covered under the Perfect Warranty service. These include cosmetic damages (dent, scratches), lost or stolen products, intentional damage, or damages from “incorrect or inadequate customer installation.” Of course, you can only claim this service once during the one-year warranty period from the date of purchase.

All in all, Asus’ new Perfect Warranty service is a nice add-on for anyone that’s thinking of purchasing a laptop from the Taiwanese company. Some of the laptops that are covered under this program include the
ZenBook 13
,
TUF Gaming FX505
,
ROG Zephyrus M
, and even the exorbitant
ZenBook Pro Duo
. The full terms and conditions of the Perfect Warranty service can be found
here
.


OnePlus 8 Leaks Show Funky New “Interstellar Glow” Colour; 120Hz QHD+ Display on Board?

The
OnePlus 7
 series was launched
back in May 2019
, and there’s a good chance the OnePlus 8 devices will be unveiled even earlier this year. After all, a number of leaks surrounding the upcoming phones have started appearing, and the latest one reveals the standard model’s new “Interstellar Glow” colourway.

This new leak comes from Ishan Agarwal and WinFuture. Three colours of the OnePlus 8 are shown: the aforementioned Interstellar Glow shade, Glacial Green, and the more traditional Onyx Black. Out of the three colourways, the first one is definitely the most eye-catching and unique, though some may not be a fan of the bright colours.

#OnePlus8
 Official Renders have leaked! I know what the marketing name for these colours will be:
-Interstellar Glow
-Glacial Green
-Onyx Black
Looks amazing in my opinion! What do you think?
Source:
@rquandt
 /
https://t.co/sd7Pw4nGHg

pic.twitter.com/FWMlSuZzii
— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24)
March 29, 2020

While there’s a chance these leaks are not representative of the final version of the OnePlus 8, they do look very convincing. Plus, Agarwal has a pretty good track record – he got
early details
 of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series right in the past. There’s a good chance these leaks are the real deal.

Anyway, looking at the renders, it seems like the OnePlus 8 will sport very similar design language as sister brand Oppo’s
Find X2 Pro
. Both phones have dual curved displays, along with hole-punch cutouts at the same position. There’s also the fact that the OnePlus 8 Pro is rumoured to feature a 6.78-inch QHD+ OLED display with a high 120Hz refresh rate – that closely resembles the X2 Pro’s panel.

Exclusive: They're coming! Here is the full specification list of the
#OnePlus8
 & 8 Pro. Seems like
#OnePlus8Pro
 is gonna be a beast with 6.78" 120hz QHD+ Display and 48+48+8+5MP Camera Setup. Will have 30W Wireless Charging & IP68 Rating too. I'm so excited!
#OnePlus8Series

pic.twitter.com/j1AAo19q4J
— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24)
March 25, 2020

Besides that, the OnePlus 8 series (like last year) is expected to consist of two variants: the standard OnePlus 8 and the higher-end OnePlus 8 Pro. The Pro is said to come with the mentioned 120Hz screen, while the regular model will feature a slightly slower – but still quite respectable – 90Hz panel.

Other rumoured specifications of the OnePlus 8 Pro include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM, two storage options (128GB or 256GB), a quad camera system (48MP + 48MP + 8MP + 5MP), a 16MP front-facing shooter, a 4,510mAh battery, and finally, an IP68 rating.

As for the (presumably) more affordable OnePlus 8, it’s said to come with the same chipset, RAM, and storage options as the Pro model. But it does feature a simpler triple camera configuration (48MP + 16MP + 2MP), a slightly smaller 4,300mAh battery, and unfortunately enough, no IP rating.

If these are the final design and specifications of the OnePlus 8 series, it’s shaping up to be a decent follow-up to the OnePlus 7 lineup. It’s not officially confirmed yet, but the OnePlus 8 smartphones are expected to be unveiled next month on 15 April 2020.


Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Receives Overwhelmingly Positive Reviews

Initially announced at CES 2020, it appears the review embargo for the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has finally been lifted globally. Generally, reviews sing praises for the gaming laptop’s new AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS processor based on the
Zen 2 architecture
, which brings incredibly good CPU performance with excellent power efficiency.

In fact, even when compared to Intel’s best mobile processor in the market now, the Core i9-9980HK, the Ryzen 9 4900HS still compares very favourably. Just take a look at the results Linus Tech Tips got, which compared the Zephyrus G14 to much costlier, heavier, and bigger laptops with the Core i9 chip.

This is a very impressive feat, given the sheer portability of the ROG Zephyrus G14. Evidently, this octa-core, 16-thread CPU is the chipmaker’s most impressive mobile solution yet. To top it off, there’s still one vital area where the Ryzen 9 4900HS exceeds expectations: power efficiency.

All Ryzen 4000 series processors are fabricated on a 7nm process, which gives them superior performance per watt than their competition. In
most reviews
 of the Zephyrus G14, the gaming laptop can return
well over eight hours
 of continuous use on a single charge.

Of course, this was achieved not during gaming, but in productivity-related tasks. Many other factors are at play to achieve this level of battery life, but the 4900HS’ power efficiency definitely plays a big role here.

As for the Zephyrus G14 itself, it’s a really solid gaming laptop. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q GPU offers
commendable gaming performance
 even in AAA titles, the 14-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS display has good colour accuracy, and its input devices (keyboard and trackpad) are great too.

That being said, it does have some shortcomings. For one, it doesn’t have a built-in webcam, which can be a nuisance to some folks. Besides that, the bottom screen bezel is fairly thick too, and many are reporting of
loud fan noises
, even in silent mode.

Granted, this 14-inch gaming laptop has some beefy hardware under the hood, and the cooling solution only has so much space to work with.

At the moment, we still haven’t heard from Asus Malaysia on the local availability of the ROG Zephyrus G14, even though we
already spotted it in SIRIM’s database
. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on this, along with any tentative pricing of the compact gaming laptop on our shores.

If priced right, Asus could have a real winner here with the Zephyrus G14. For the sake of comparison, this laptop retails from $1,050 (about RM4,520) for the Ryzen 7 4800HS model with a GTX 1650 GPU in the US market, though this model will only hit store shelves sometime in Q2 2020.


OnePlus 8 Series Launching on 14 April

As expected, the
OnePlus 8 series
 will be made official next month, and it’s happening slightly earlier than expected on 14 April. Given the current COVID-19 situation, the launch event will be done via an online live stream; at least two devices are expected to be announced by the company.

Just like last year, we expect the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro to be unveiled at the launch event. However, if a recent rumour is to be believed, there’s a chance the company could revive the OnePlus X mid-range smartphone. According to Max Weinbach. it’ll be dubbed OnePlus Z this time around.

The source referred to it as "OnePlus Z" and said the hardware matched the previous OnePlus 8 Lite render.
https://t.co/zB5PN9nQjW
— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach)
March 28, 2020

Regardless, let’s bring back our attention to the OnePlus 8 series. Naturally, the Pro model is set to be the highlight of the two models in the lineup. It’s said to sport a fast 120Hz 6.78-inch QHD+ OLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM, and for the first time ever on a OnePlus device, an IP68 rating.

Another highly requested feature supposedly coming to the OnePlus 8 Pro is wireless charging, which is said to be as fast as 30W. On top of that, it’s claimed to support reverse wireless charging as well. Complemented with the phone’s rumoured 4,510mAh battery, you should get reasonably good battery life too.

Other leaked specifications of the OnePlus 8 Pro include a quad camera system (48MP + 48MP + 8MP + 5MP), a 16MP selfie shooter, and up to 256GB of internal storage.

And then there’s the standard OnePlus 8, which is pictured above. This particular colour is said to be the Interstellar Glow option that’s exclusive to the regular model – the Pro won’t be getting this colourway. If this colour is too bright for your liking, there are supposedly two other options: Glacial Green and Onyx Black.

Other rumoured specifications of the OnePlus 8 include the same Snapdragon 865 chipset as the Pro variant, up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, a 90Hz 6.55-inch 1080p OLED screen, a triple camera configuration (48MP + 16MP + 2MP), as well as a slightly smaller 4,300mAh battery.

The
#OnePlus8Series
 is coming. April 14.
— OnePlus (@oneplus)
March 30, 2020

Although these renders and specifications are not official, there’s a good chance they’re reflective of the actual OnePlus 8 series. We’ll find out for ourselves once OnePlus introduces these two smartphones on 14 April at 11PM for us here in Malaysia.


Huawei P40 Series Launching in Malaysia Tomorrow on 2 April

Just one week after its global debut, the
Huawei P40 series
 is set to arrive in Malaysia tomorrow. On top of that, the Chinese company is also launching a number of other products locally at the same time, including the
MatePad Pro
 and Huawei Watch GT 2e.

Of course, this launch event is happening via an online live stream, and those that watch it stand a chance to win some Huawei products. That being said, the exact mechanic has not been revealed yet, and it remains to be seen what products are being offered.

Regardless, the P40 series is quite exciting. It’s made up of three devices: the standard P40, P40 Pro, and P40 Pro+. Out of the three phones, the latter is the highest-end offering with the most sophisticated camera system.

A Leica-branded penta camera system is found on the back of the P40 Pro+. It consists of a 50MP RYYB f/1.9 primary shooter, a 40MP f/1.8 ultra-wide angle sensor, an 8MP f/4.4 SuperZoom periscope telephoto lens (10x optical), a shorter 8MP f/2.4 periscope telephoto shooter (3x optical), and a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor.

Aside from that, the P40 Pro+ also has a unique quad-curve OverFlow Display that wraps around all four edges of the device. The display itself is a 6.58-inch 2640 x 1200 OLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate; not quite as fast as its competition, but still reasonably good.

Rounding out the specifications of the P40 Pro+ include a Kirin 990 5G chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, 512GB of internal storage, a 32MP f/2.2 selfie camera with a depth sensor, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, a 4,200mAh battery, and an IP68 rating.

As for the P40 Pro, it’s not that much different from the Pro+. Both devices share the same design, chipset, battery capacity, and camera configuration. Well, for the most part anyway: the regular Pro doesn’t come with the extra 10x optical zoom periscope telephoto lens. It also has half the internal storage at 256GB.

And then there’s the standard P40. the most affordable device in the series. It comes with a smaller 6.1-inch 2340 x 1080 OLED display without the quad-curve screen design or 90Hz refresh rate, a simpler triple camera setup (50MP f/1.9 primary + 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto), and a 32MP f/2.0 selfie camera paired with an IR sensor.

Other specifications of the P40 include a Kirin 990 5G chipset, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 3,800mAh battery, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and an IP53 rating.

The Huawei P40 series, along with the MatePad Pro and Watch GT 2e, will be launched in Malaysia tomorrow on 2 April via an online live stream at 6PM. You can catch the launch event over at the phone maker’s
Facebook page
.


Huawei Tops DxOMark Ranking Again With P40 Pro

It’s been quite some time since Huawei has a new entry in DxOMark’s mobile camera ranking, but the Chinese phone maker is back with the
Huawei P40 Pro
. Once again, it is back at the top of the ranking: the Pro got an
impressive total score of 128
.

According to DxOMark, the P40 Pro’s Leica-branded quad camera system offers wide dynamic range, fast and accurate autofocus, excellent texture to noise balance, and good detail across the zoom range. On top of that, the site also mention that the Pro is the “best device for recording video.”

DxOMark further elaborate that “if you want the best camera in a smartphone, there is currently no better alternative.” Evidently, the P40 Pro impresses quite a bit.

However, the phone’s quad camera configuration also has a number of shortcomings. As DxOMark points out, the P40 Pro has a tendency to slightly underexposure in bright light conditions, and it has some issues getting the white balance right both in stills and video recordings. But overall, it still has excellent camera performance.

If you’re wondering why the P40 Pro is tested here instead of the more capable P40 Pro+ model, it’s likely Huawei is still getting the phone ready for release. After all, the Pro+ is only set to be available sometime in June 2020 globally. With the addition of another telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom, we imagine it’ll get an even higher score.

Beyond the extra telephoto lens, the P40 Pro has the same camera configuration as the Pro+ model. These include a 50MP RYYB f/1.9 main shooter, a 40MP f/1.8 ultra-wide angle sensor, an 8MP f/2.4 periscope telephoto shooter with 3x optical zoom, and a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor. The selfie camera, on the other hand, is a 32MP f/2.2 unit with a depth sensor.

Other specifications of the P40 Pro include a 6.58-inch 2640 x 1200 OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, Huawei’s very own Kirin 990 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, as well as an IP68 rating.

It’s also worth noting that the Pro has a 4,200mAh battery with support for 40W fast charging, but this is only in wired mode. Wirelessly, it can do 27W, which is still a reasonably fast rate.

The Huawei P40 series will be
launching in Malaysia
 tomorrow on 2 April. You can tune in to the live stream of the launch event on
Huawei’s Facebook page
 at 6PM tomorrow.


MSI GS66 Stealth With New 10th Gen Core i9 & RTX 2080 Super Now in Malaysia for RM16,999

After its initial announcement at CES 2020, MSI is finally ready to take the wraps off the powerful
MSI GS66 Stealth
 gaming laptop. Not only does it have a blazing fast 300Hz screen, it also comes with Intel’s brand new 10th generation Core i9-10980HK processor and Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q mobile GPU.

This makes the GS66 Stealth one of the first gaming laptops to feature the new components from Intel and Nvidia. In fact, according to Intel, the Core i9-10980HK’s peak clock speed – for a single core – of 5.3GHz offers up to 50% boost in performance. However, note that this figure is compared to the Core i7-9750H processor.

Aside from that, there’s also the new RTX 2080 Super Max-Q with 8GB of GDDR6 memory under the hood of the GS66. No performance figures were given by MSI, but it’s safe to assume it’ll bring notable performance gain over its non-Super counterpart. Aside from the RTX 2080 Super, the GS66 can be configured with an RTX 2070 Super Max-Q (8GB GDDR6) as well.

Of course, there’s also the GS66’s impressive 15.6-inch 1080p screen with a very high 300Hz refresh rate. Competitive and casual gamers alike will definitely appreciate this very quick panel, but if you’d rather spend less to get a slightly slower display, there’s a more affordable variant of this gaming laptop with a 240Hz screen.

Another interesting hardware of the GS66 is the sheer size of its battery. Rated at a whopping 99.9WHr, this battery capacity should be able to return reasonably good battery life. Even with such a big cell, it’s still quite a slim and light machine: it measures 19.8mm thin and weighs 2.1kg.

For the Malaysian market, three variants of the MSI GS66 Stealth are offered. The range-topping model comes with a Core i9-10980HK processor paired with 32GB of RAM, an RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, a 300Hz screen, and a whopping 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD. How much does this variant cost? A cool RM16,999.

A tier down is the GS66 with the same display and processor, but the GPU is swapped for an RTX 2070 Super Max-Q. The SSD and RAM capacities are reduced by half as well, to 1TB and 16GB respectively. This particular variant is priced at RM13,999.

Last but definitely not least is the most affordable model of the GS66, which comes with a Core i9-10750HK processor paired with 16GB of RAM, an RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6) GPU, a 240Hz screen, and 1TB of SSD storage. For this configuration, you’ll just have to fork out RM8,399.

MSI Malaysia did not mention exactly when these three variants of the GS66 will go on sale locally, but given that their retail prices have been revealed, expect them to be available very soon.


Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 Hands-On: Two Screens on a Gaming Laptop?

This is the new Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 gaming laptop, and if it looks familiar, you wouldn’t be wrong. See, it has a striking resemblance to the
Asus ZenBook Pro Duo
, which means it is a gaming laptop…with two screens. One at the top, and another at the bottom, right above the keyboard.

This may seem like an especially odd concept – especially for a gaming machine – but Asus does present some interesting use case scenarios that take advantage of the secondary display. I spent a brief time with the Zephyrus Duo, and while I’m not entirely sold on the concept, I do see how it can be appealing to some users.

So let’s talk about the secondary display first. Unlike the one on the ZenBook Pro Duo, the Zephyrus Duo’s bottom display (dubbed ScreenPad Plus) props up at an angle when the lid is opened. It’s a much better implementation, as it gives better visibility of the bottom screen.

According to Asus, the ScreenPad Plus can display a number of things that will benefit a wide range of users. The company further elaborated that it is already working with a number of developers to create specific content for the secondary display, which include Adobe and Techland for Dying Light 2.

Asus itself has also made apps with Overwolf to work with selected games like Fortnite, League of Legends, and even Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Evidently, Asus poured quite a bit of effort to make the Zephyrus Duo’s secondary display more feature-rich. But exactly how useful it’ll be, especially to gamers, still remains to be seen. Personally, I don’t quite see the utility of it, but I’m sure some folks will appreciate the additional screen.

Hardware wise, the ScreenPad Plus is a 14.1-inch 3840 x 1100 touch-enabled screen. It’s a good quality display that can get reasonably bright with punchy colours and wide viewing angles. The matte finish of the screen also allows me to effortlessly glide my fingers on the surface while also reducing glare.

As for the Zephyrus Duo’s main 15.6-inch IPS panel, it is available in two options: a 4K 60Hz screen, or a 1080p display with a much faster 300Hz refresh rate. Regardless of which option you go for, both panels are Pantone Validated – promising good colour accuracy – with G-Sync support.

The Zephyrus Duo I spent a brief time with was equipped with the 4K display, and it’s certainly a very pleasant screen to look at. It’s not quite as impressive as the gorgeous 4K OLED screen of the ZenBook Pro Duo with true blacks and vibrant colours, but it’s certainly befitting of a premium gaming machine.

Under the hood of the Zephyrus Duo are the latest components from Intel and Nvidia. The highest-end configuration comes with the recently announced Core i9-10980HK processor paired with 16GB of on-board RAM, a GeForce RTX 2080 Super GPU – there’s also a more affordable RTX 2070 Super model – and 1TB of fast M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD.

I wasn’t able to run any games on the Zephyrus Duo, but rest assured, you
will
 get one of the best gaming performances on a gaming laptop with it. After all, the RTX 2080 Super – which impacts gaming performance more so than the processor – is currently Nvidia’s most powerful mobile GPU.

Even with all of these beefy hardware, the Zephyrus Duo is surprisingly quite a slim gaming laptop too. Its chassis measures only 20mm thick, which is quite impressive for a notebook as powerful as this. That being said, tipping the scales at 2.4kg, it is not a lightweight machine.

Of course, even if the Zephyrus Duo can deliver amazing gaming performance, it wouldn’t be a very enjoyable experience if the keyboard isn’t up to par. Thankfully, this laptop has a very comfortable keyboard. It is tactile, it has just enough key travel to not feel shallow, and I like the “pillowy” typing experience.

As for the trackpad – which also doubles as the numpad – it’s good enough for most tasks. While it can accurately track my finger movements, I do wish it was a little bit wider for a more comfortable experience. Regardless, I appreciate the trackpad’s smooth surface, making it a breeze to use.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 offers a unique experience with its two-screen design – something that you don’t often find on a gaming laptop. While I personally don’t quite see the appeal of it, I do think it will suit the needs of certain consumers. This is a feature no other laptop offers, except for the company’s own ZenBook Pro Duo, of course.

Malaysian availability of the Zephyrus Duo has not been revealed yet by Asus Malaysia, but the gaming laptop is expected to hit global markets sometime in June 2020. Given the premium appeal of this machine, expect it to cost quite a bit of money. In the US market, for example, the Zephyrus Duo retails from $2,999 – that comes up to about RM13,065.


Huawei P40 Series Lands in Malaysia; Retails From RM2,799 to RM4,999

Huawei Malaysia just introduced the brand new Huawei P40 series on our shores, just one week after the global debut of the smartphones. Three devices make up the lineup: the standard P40, the higher-end P40 Pro, and the range-topping P40 Pro+.

Naturally, out of the three devices, the P40 Pro+ is the most exciting one. It comes with the most sophisticated Leica-branded penta camera system, which is made up of a 50MP RYYB f/ 1.9 main sensor, a 40MP f/1.8 ultra-wide angle shooter, an 8MP f/4.4 SuperZoom periscope telephoto lens (10x optical), a shorter 8MP f/2.4 periscope telephoto shooter (3x optical), and a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor.

Collectively, these five cameras allow the P40 Pro+ to do up to 100x digital zoom, and it can supposedly take higher quality images at this level of zoom compared to its main competition.

Besides that, the P40 Pro+ also has a quad-curve OverFlow Display. It wraps around all four edges of the phone, making it more ergonomic and more comfortable to hold. As for the display itself, it’s a 6.58-inch 2640 x 1200 OLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate.

Rounding out the specifications of the P40 Pro+ include a Kirin 990 5G chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, 512GB of internal storage, a 32MP f/2.2 selfie camera complemented by a depth sensor, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, a 4,200mAh battery, and an IP68 rating.

And then there’s the P40 Pro, which is largely similar to the Pro+ model except for a number of hardware differences. For one, it doesn’t have the latter’s extra 10x optical zoom periscope telephoto lens, so its zooming performance won’t be quite as impressive. Besides that, it has 256GB of internal storage as well; half of the Pro+’s capacity.

Finally, we have the most affordable device in the series, the standard P40. Just like its other two higher-end siblings, the P40 is powered by a Kirin 990 5G chipset, 8GB of RAM, and an in-screen fingerprint sensor. But beyond these hardware, it’s quite a different smartphone.

In the camera department, the P40 sports a simpler triple camera setup made up of a 50MP f/1.9 primary sensor, a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle shooter, and an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto) lens. The selfie camera, on the other hand, is a 32MP f/2.0 unit paired with an IR sensor.

On top of that, the P40 also has a smaller 6.1-inch 2340 x 1080 OLED display without the quad-curve screen design or 90Hz refresh rate of the other two smartphones in the series. Other specifications of this variant include 128GB of internal storage, a 3,800mAh battery, and an IP53 rating.

The Huawei P40 and P40 Pro will be
available for pre-order in Malaysia
 from tomorrow onwards until 10 April; deliveries will be made on 11 April. The P40 retails at RM2,799, while the P40 Pro goes for RM3,899. As for the P40 Pro+, it will be made available at a later date for RM4,999.