Sony Xperia 10 II Quick Review: A Unique Mid-Ranger Marred by Sub-Par Camera

Mid-range smartphones usually have a standard list of hardware with not too much variance from one another. While some devices offer better value for the money, most of them are not particularly unique. So when the Sony Xperia 10 II was introduced, it got my attention quite a bit.

Not only is it sporting a tall and narrow 21:9 display, this phone also carries a IP65/68 rating; not many mid-rangers come with these two features. However, the Xperia 10 II features a rather outdated chipset. This, paired with a sub-par camera system
and
 a steep asking price, it’s tough to recommend this smartphone.

What It Is

Display
6.0-inch FHD+ OLED (2520 x 1080)
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 2.0GHz octa-core
GPU
Adreno 610
RAM
4GB
Storage
128GB, expandable
Camera (rear)
12MP f/2.0
8MP f/2.2 (ultra-wide angle)
8MP f/2.4 (telephoto)
Camera (front)
8MP f/2.0
Battery
3,600mAh
Dimensions
157 x 69 x 8.2 mm
Weight
151g
OS
Android 10
Connectivity
LTE
Bluetooth 5.0
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)
USB Type-C
Price
RM1,799

On paper, the Xperia 10 II doesn’t look very impressive, especially when it comes to value for money. For RM1,799, it’s only powered by a pretty dated Snapdragon 665 chipset. Given that you can get a smartphone with a flagship-tier Snapdragon 865 chip
for even less
, it doesn’t look great for the Xperia 10 II.

That is not to say this is a bad smartphone, of course. Even though its list of specifications don’t look great, it has quite a number of winning qualities; let me explain in the next section.

The Good Stuff

One of the best qualities of the Xperia 10 II has to be its unique form factor. Featuring a 6.0-inch 1080p OLED screen with a tall 21:9 aspect ratio, this phone is narrow enough for comfortable one-handed use. This is something that cannot be said of many, many other smartphones in the market.

Granted, the tall aspect ratio makes it harder to reach for the top of the screen, but it’s a sacrifice I’m more than willing to make for easier one-handed use.

As for the Xperia 10 II’s OLED screen itself, it’s really quite good. After all, it’s an OLED panel, so it naturally has deep blacks and vibrant colours. If you do a lot of content consumption on your phone, you will not be disappointed by the display quality of the Xperia 10 II.

In fact, you can watch videos for hours on end with the Xperia 10 II. Even though its 3,600mAh battery isn’t awfully big, it can actually return very,
very
 good battery life. On average, I got between six to seven hours of screen on time consistently with this phone. That’s
ridiculously
 good for a phone of this size.

Unfortunately, the charging rate isn’t quite as impressive. Within 30 minutes of charging, the phone only got up to 26% from empty.

Another noteworthy feature of the Xperia 10 II has to be its water-resistant chassis. Thanks to its IP65/68 rating, I don’t have to be extra cautious to avoid water damage. Given that such a feature is a rarity in the mid-range segment, it definitely gives this phone a unique edge.

Last but definitely not least is the processing power of the Xperia 10 II. Yes, I’ve mentioned how the Snapdragon 665 isn’t particularly impressive for a phone at this price point, but it can still deliver good enough performance for day-to-day use. I was really quite surprised at how zippy the phone feels.

However, at the end of the day, the Snapdragon 665 still doesn’t quite match the phone’s high asking price, which brings us to the next section.

The Bad Stuff

Let’s start with the processing power of the Xperia 10 II. While its Snapdragon 665 chipset can provide a sufficient level of performance, the phone should’ve come with a beefier, newer processor at this price point. After all, you can easily get a faster smartphone that costs less than the Xperia 10 II – that’s not a great spot to be in.

Aside from that, if a good camera system is what you look for in a mid-range smartphone, you’d want to look elsewhere. On paper, the Xperia 10 II’s triple camera system is actually quite promising. It’s made up of a 12MP f/2.0 primary shooter, an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens, and an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto sensor. Basically, a versatile camera array with three different focal lengths.

However, the image quality of these three sensors leaves a lot to be desired, especially in low light conditions. Not only does the camera feel very sluggish, its detail preservation, dynamic range, and shutter speeds are not great either. Judge for yourself with these sample shots taken with the three sensors.

12MP primary
8MP ultra-wide angle
8MP telephoto
12MP primary
8MP ultra-wide angle
8MP telephoto

Thankfully, under ideal lighting, you can capture decent-looking shots with the Xperia 10 II. The image quality still isn’t fantastic, but you do get the versatility of the three focal lengths. Not many mid-range smartphones offer such a camera array.

On top of that, it’s worth mentioning that the Xperia 10 II’s 12MP primary sensor can capture noticeably better shots than the ultra-wide angle and telephoto sensors. Yes, it does suffer from the same aforementioned issues, but with some effort and patience, it can return some great-looking shots.

Last but certainly not least is the steep asking price of the Xperia 10 II. For RM1,799, you’d have to really like the feature set of the phone to look past its middling camera performance and chipset. At this price point, there are plenty of other smartphones that are either faster, more affordable, or both.

Is It Worth It?

I wouldn’t recommend the Sony Xperia 10 II to folks who want the best value for their money; this phone simply does not offer that. However, if you’re looking for a phone that you can actually use with one hand comfortably, coupled with long battery life and a water-resistant chassis, no other mid-range device offers this package.

For what it’s worth, I thoroughly enjoyed using the Xperia 10 II as my daily driver. If it had better camera performance, it would’ve easily been one of my favourite mid-range smartphones this year.


Sony Malaysia Running Survey for PlayStation 5; Launch Imminent?

Now this is a bit of a surprise: Sony Malaysia is currently running a survey for the
PlayStation 5
. Looking at the survey itself, it seems the Japanese company is gauging consumer interest for its next-generation console – along with a range of accessories for the system – in the Malaysian market.

The PlayStation 5 survey was shared by Sony Malaysia on its Facebook page. As expected, there aren’t any noteworthy details in the post; the company is merely asking consumers to “be ready for PlayStation 5.” Whether or not this means the console will be coming to Malaysia soon still remains to be seen, of course.

As for the survey itself, it contains pretty standard questions. It asks whether you would be more keen to get the standard PlayStation 5 or the digital-only version, upcoming PS5 games you’d be interested to play, as well as interest check on accessories made for the next-generation console. No indication on the local pricing or availability of the PS5, unfortunately.

However, it’s worth noting that the
DualSense controller
 for the PlayStation 5 has
already been registered
 with our local certification body, SIRIM, as early as last month. While this doesn’t necessarily mean Malaysia will be one of the first markets to get the upcoming console, it’s surely a promising sign.

If you’re interested to complete the PlayStation 5 survey, you can do so
here
. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about the availability and pricing of the next-generation console closer to its release by the end of the year.


KBDfans’ KBD67 Lite Is Another Excellent Custom Keyboard for Beginners

It seems like the custom mechanical keyboard scene is getting some much-needed attention in the budget segment lately. There is
NovelKeys’ NK65 Milkshake Edition
, which is an ideal pre-built custom keyboard for beginners. But if that board isn’t quite what you’re looking for, consider this (equally affordable) new offering from KBDfans: the
KBD67 Lite
.

Just like the NK65 Milkshake Edition, the KBD67 Lite is a budget-friendly custom keyboard. According to KBDfans, the board will retail from only $99; that comes up to about RM410. Given the feature set of the KBD67 Lite, this is a
very good
 price tag, though it doesn’t come with switches or keycaps. You’ll have to purchase these separately to complete the keyboard.

This is what you get with the KBD67 Lite kit

Regardless, what makes KBDfans’ new budget keyboard particularly interesting is the fact that it is gasket-mounted; a mounting system typically employed by much more expensive custom keyboards. Needless to say, it’s practically unheard of for a keyboard at this price point to use a gasket system.

So what exactly does it mean for the KBD67 Lite to be a gasket-mounted keyboard? Basically, the plate and PCB of this keyboard will be isolated from the case by silicone gaskets, which will offer a softer, quieter typing experience. Well, in theory, at least. Suffice to say it’s a very desirable mounting system for these benefits.

However, it’s worth nothing that every keyboard sounds different, and it remains to be seen exactly how well KBDfans will implement the gasket system on the KBD67 Lite. Just because the keyboard is gasket-mounted doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to deliver good acoustics and typing feel.

Besides that, the KBD67 Lite also has a plastic case – just like the NK65 Milkshake Edition – to bring down the price of the keyboard. While plastic doesn’t look or feel quite as premium as aluminium, it does have its own advantages. For one, it wouldn’t suffer from any pinging sounds, which is a common issue with aluminium cases.

As mentioned, you’ll need to get switches and keycaps to complete the KBD67 Lite; the keyboard itself only comes with the plastic case, an aluminium plate, as well as the PCB, which is available in hotswap or solder-only option. Chances are, the former will cost slightly more, but we’d recommend going with that option if you’re a beginner – a hotswap PCB allows you to install switches without soldering.

According to KBDfans, it is aiming to release the KBD67 Lite on Black Friday, which is taking place on 27 November. It’s quite a long wait, but given the feature set of the affordable custom keyboard – especially the gasket mounting system – it might be worth the wait.

Read more:

KBDfans’ KBD67 Lite Pre-Orders Open 27 November for $109

KBDfans Releases KBD67 Lite Sound Test


Proton X50 Finally Teased in Merdeka Video

The wait for Proton’s highly anticipated B-segment compact SUV – widely believed to be called the Proton X50 – may be coming to an end very soon. The national carmaker just posted a video to celebrate Malaysia’s 63rd Merdeka Day, and surprise surprise, the X50 is teased quite a bit in the video.

Of course, we only get quick shots and glances at the upcoming SUV with a blue paint job. As expected, the X50 looks very similar to the model it is based on, the Geely Binyue. The video shows these similarities, including the LED headlights, alloy wheels, and of course, even the quad exhaust tips.

According to rumours, three different trims of the Proton X50 will be introduced. All of them are said to be powered by a 1.5L turbocharged engine co-developed by both Geely and Volvo, which outputs 174hp and 255Nm of torque. Needless to say, this is quite a powerful engine, especially for a B-segment SUV.

As for the transmission, the X50 is believed to be equipped with the same seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox as its bigger brother, the
Proton X70
. This transmission, like the engine, is also co-developed by Geely and Volvo. According to official performance figure of the Geely Binyue in other markets – which has the same engine and gearbox combination – it can do the century sprint in only 7.9 seconds.

The X50 in blue can be seen in the background
The new Proton logo on the X50

Now that Proton has finally teased the Proton X50, there’s a good chance the compact SUV will be officially introduced very soon. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on this.


Lenovo Announces Tab P11 Pro With OLED Display & Snapdragon 730G For $499

Lenovo recently introduced a new premium tablet, the Tab P11 Pro. Set to compete against other high-end tablets from the likes of Samsung and Apple, the 11.5-inch Android tablet – Lenovo consider this to be its flagship offering – has a decent set of hardware like. These include an OLED display, as well as a generous battery capacity.

Without a doubt the headline feature of the Tab P11 Pro is its 11.5-inch 2560 x 1600 OLED display; not a feature you often find on an Android tablet at this price point. On top of that, the display supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision as well, along with a good peak brightness of 500 nits.

Furthermore, the Tab P11 Pro is powered by a Snapdragon 730G SoC paired with up to 6GB of RAM. Granted, the 730G is not a very powerful processor, but you should still get a good level of performance out of it. Fabricated on an 8nm process, it’s a power-efficient chip too. Paired with a large 8,600mAh battery, you can expect this tablet to return good battery life.

In the camera department, the Tab P11 Pro has a pretty standard camera system made up of a 13MP primary shooter and a 5MP ultra-wide angle lens. Other specifications of this tablet include 128GB of storage, an 8MP front-facing camera, four JBL-branded speakers, and an in-screen fingerprint sensor.

According to Lenovo, the Tab P11 Pro will arrive sometime in November this year. The tablet retails from $499 in the US, which comes up to about RM2,070. At the moment, it remains to be seen if the Tab P11 Pro will be launched in Malaysia.


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Retails at $2,000; Malaysian Launch Likely

Samsung just revealed more details on the
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
; more specifically, its retail price and availability in the US. Set to go for $2,000 – that comes up to about RM8,300 – the foldable phone is set to be available in the States from 18 September onwards.

For context, this price tag is actually identical to the asking price of the original
Galaxy Fold
 in the US, which suggests that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 could be priced similarly to its predecessor here in Malaysia. Although the local availability of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has not been confirmed yet, we’re confident the foldable phone will be landing on our shores very soon.

After all, the product page for the Z Fold 2 is
already live on Samsung Malaysia’s website
.

Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes with a number of notable improvements. The so-called “cover screen” on the front of the foldable phone, for one, has been upsized to a much more sizeable (and practical) 6.2-inch 2260 x 816 Super AMOLED display.

In fact, the much bigger exterior display of the Z Fold 2 covers almost the entire front of the phone with tiny bezels and a hole-punch cutout for the 10MP selfie camera. While this gives the device a much sleeker, modern aesthetic, it’s also a very tall, narrow panel with a 25:9 aspect ratio. Until we have the phone in for review, we can’t say just how usable this screen is yet.

Anyway, the primary foldable screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is now bigger too. It is a 7.6-inch 2208 x 1768 Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a faster 120Hz refresh rate, which should make for an even more pleasant user experience. The weird cutout at the top right corner of the screen for the selfie cameras is gone as well. Samsung is using a less obtrusive hole-punch cutout for the single 10MP front-facing camera now.

It’s also worth noting that the Z Fold 2’s foldable screen is protected by Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass (UTG), just like the Galaxy Z Flip. However, the glass itself is still covered with a plastic protective layer. You won’t actually be able to feel the glass material.

Other specifications of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ chipset, 5G connectivity, a triple camera system (12MP f/1.8 primary + 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle + 12MP f/2.4 telephoto), 12GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, a 4,500mAh battery, as well as a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

To recap, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 will start shipping on 18 September in the US for $2,000. Malaysian pricing and availability have not been announced yet, but we reckon it will be available here in the near future.


Lenovo Legion Slim 7i Touted As World’s Lightest 15″ RTX Gaming Laptop

Lenovo introduced a number of new laptops recently, and one of the most interesting machines unveiled is the Lenovo Legion Slim 7i. It’s touted by the Chinese company to be the “world’s lightest 15-inch RTX gaming laptop,” and tipping the scales at 1.86kg, it’s certainly a lightweight gaming machine.

True to its name, the Legion Slim 7i is quite a thin gaming laptop as well. Its chassis measures only 17.9mm, making it one of the slimmest gaming laptops in the market. In fact, it’s on par with the equally slim
Acer Predator Triton 500
, which also has a 17.9mm thin body.

Despite its lightweight and slim nature, the Legion Slim 7i is still packed with a rather generous 71WHr battery. According to Lenovo, this allows the Slim 7i to last up to 7.75 hours on a single charge. For a gaming laptop, this is quite a respectable battery life, though it remains to be seen if it can actually last this long.

Besides that, powering the Legion Slim 7i is none other than Intel’s latest 10th generation chips. In fact, the highest-end model can be configured with a fast Core i9-10980HK processor. It can also be paired with 32GB of RAM and a whopping 2TB SSD, which are generous capacities that will be enough for most folks.

In the graphics department, the Legion Slim 7i is configurable with an Nvidia RTX 2060 Max-Q GPU; this is the most powerful GPU available for this gaming laptop. Granted, the RTX 2060 Max-Q isn’t the fastest GPU in the market, but it does come with sought-after RTX-specific features like ray tracing and Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS).

Further enhancing the gaming experience of the Legion Slim 7i is the 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 screen with a fast 144Hz refresh rate. This makes it perfect for fast-paced games like Apex Legends and Valorant, as the high refresh rate gives better motion clarity than conventional 60Hz panels.

If you want a more pixel-dense display, there’s also an option for a sharper 4K IPS screen, though the refresh rate is only limited to 60Hz.

The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i will be available for purchase from October 2020 onwards; Malaysian availability of the gaming laptop has not been revealed yet. As for pricing, the Slim 7i is set to retail from $1,329 (about RM5,505) in the US.


Realme X7 & X7 Pro Official: 120Hz Screen, 65W Charging, 5G Support

Realme just unveiled two new smartphones in China, the Realme X7 and X7 Pro. Not only are they pretty affordable devices, both of them also come with a number of interesting features, including 5G connectivity and support for 65W fast charging.

Out of the two, the Realme X7 Pro is naturally the more exciting smartphone. It’s powered by MediaTek’s best chip to date, the Dimensity 1000+ chipset, which gives the device 5G connectivity. In fact, it’s the very same processor found under the hood of the X7 Pro’s main competitor, the
Redmi K30 Ultra
.

Another hardware where the X7 Pro equally matches the K30 Ultra is in the display department. Just like the latter, Realme’s new phone comes with a 6.55-inch 2400 x 1080 AMOLED screen with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. On top of that, it also has a 240Hz touch sampling rate; this reduces any form of input lag to a minimum.

As mentioned, the X7 Pro supports 65W fast charging. According to Realme, this allows the 4,500mAh battery of the X7 Pro to be fully charged in only 35 minutes. The Chinese company mentioned that users can even use the phone while charging without the device heating up too much.

Other specifications of the X7 Pro include a quad camera system (64MP f/1.8 primary + 8MP f/2.25 ultra-wide angle + 2MP macro + 2MP portrait), a 32MP front-facing camera, either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, two storage options (128GB and 256GB), as well as Realme UI based on Android 10 out of the box.

As for the more affordable Realme X7, it sports a more pedestrian list of hardware. These include a more conventional 6.4-inch 1080p AMOLED screen with a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, a slightly different quad camera array (64MP f/1.8 main + 8MP f/2.3 ultra-wide angle + 2MP f/2.4 monochrome + 2MP f/2.4 macro), and a 32MP f/2.5 selfie camera.

Fortunately, the X7 still supports 5G networks, thanks to its Dimensity 800U chip. Besides that, the 65W fast charging is retained as well, though the phone’s battery capacity is slightly smaller at 4,300mAh.

The Realme X7 and X7 Pro are now available for pre-order in China. The X7 retails from 1,799 Chinese yuan (about RM1,090), while the X7 Pro starts at 2,199 yuan (approximately RM1,335). Naturally, it remains to be seen if the Realme X7 series will be offered in Malaysia.


Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i & Yoga Slim 7i Pre-Orders Open in Malaysia; Starts at RM4,599

If you’re in the market for a new Windows laptop or tablet, this may pique your interest. Two Lenovo products are now available for pre-order in Malaysia: there’s the Yoga Slim 7i productivity laptop, as well as the Yoga Duet 7i tablet. Retailing from RM4,599, these two Windows machines are not exactly affordable, but they do offer some neat features.

Let’s start with the Yoga Duet 7i, the more…affordable product of the two. At least, that’s the case for the base model, which carries a RM4,599 price tag. For that kind of money, the Duet 7i comes with an Intel Core i5-10210U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage.

If you need more processing power, you can opt for the higher-end model; it swaps out the Core i5 processor for a faster Core i7-10510U chip. This variant of the Duet 7i is also equipped with twice the amount of RAM and SSD capacities at 16GB and 1TB respectively. How much does these upgrades cost? A cool RM5,699.

Aside from these differences, both models of the Duet 7i feature the same hardware, including a 13-inch 2160 x 1350 IPS screen, integrated Intel UHD Graphics, as well as a wireless Bluetooth keyboard that can be attached to the tablet. There’s also an adjustable kickstand to prop up the Duet 7i, much like
Microsoft’s Surface tablets
.

As for the Yoga Slim 7i, only one variant is offered for the Malaysian market, which costs RM4,999. It’s packed with a 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS display with small bezels, a Core i7-1065G7 processor paired with 8GB of RAM, as well as a 512GB SSD. Decent list of hardware for a productivity-focused laptop.

Even though the Slim 7i is not a gaming laptop, you can still do some gaming on the side, thanks to the Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU under the hood. If you’re planning to play games like Valorant or Overwatch with this laptop, the MX350 can certainly deliver high enough frame rate for a good gaming experience.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i and Yoga Duet 7i are now available for pre-order in Malaysia, though Lenovo will only officially launch these two products on our shores next week on 10 September. Visit Lenovo’s online store if you’d like to place a pre-order for the
Slim 7i
 or
Duet 7i
.


Samsung Galaxy M51 With 7,000mAh Battery Coming to Malaysia Soon

The Samsung Galaxy M51 was recently launched in Europe, and it appears the mid-range smartphone will also be arriving here in Malaysia very soon. Packing a huge 7,000mAh battery and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset, it’s ideal for those who want a long-lasting smartphone.

We first caught wind of the Galaxy M51’s local availability as we were going through SIRIM’s database; it was registered under Samsung Malaysia with the model number SM-M515F on 2 September. Of course, a SIRIM certification doesn’t guarantee the Malaysian availability of the M51, but it is a promising indication.

As mentioned, the Galaxy M51 carries a large 7,000mAh battery, which would undoubtedly offer
very good
 battery life. Not a lot of smartphones feature such a large battery capacity, so it’s definitely a big selling point for the M51. On top of that, this phone supports 25W fast charging as well.

Aside from that, the Galaxy M51 is also powered by a Snapdragon 730G octa-core processor paired with 6GB of RAM. Not only is this a good amount of RAM for a mid-range smartphone, the 730G should be able to offer a reasonably good level of performance too; you wouldn’t have to worry about any deficit in processing power.

Other specifications of the Galaxy M51 include a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, 128GB of storage, a 32MP f/2.0 front-facing camera, as well as a quad camera array (64MP f/1.8 primary + 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 5 MP f/2.4 macro + 5MP f/2.4 portrait).

Of course, it remains to be seen exactly when – or if, for the matter – the Samsung Galaxy M51 will be arriving in Malaysia, though we imagine it won’t be too long from now. As for pricing, it retails at €360 in Europe, which comes up to about RM1,770. Do note that this price tag includes VAT, so we can expect the M51 to be more affordable outside of Europe.


Proton Records 11,378 Sales in August 2020; Proton X70 Leads SUV Segment With 2,791 Units Sold

Proton continues its strong sales numbers in the month of August 2020. With 11,378 units sold last month, it was the national carmaker’s second best month, right behind July’s sales figure of
13,216 units
. In fact, Proton is currently 46 units ahead of its 2019 sales in the same period of time.

This is a quite an impressive feat by Proton, given that the automotive industry is adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidently, the
2020 sales tax exemption
 for passenger vehicles introduced by the government is boosting sales quite a bit. According to Proton, its August 2020 sales performance is 24.7% better over the same month in 2019.

Three Proton models also continue to lead their respective segments. The Proton X70, for one, continues to be the best-selling SUV in Malaysia with 2,791 units sold in August 2020. The Persona and Exora, on the other hand, sold 2,411 and 630 units respectively.

“Proton is pleasantly surprised by how quickly we have been able to recover the lost sales during the MCO period, as it only took us three months to get back on track,” said the CEO of Proton Edar, Roslan Abdullah. “We hope to continue this trend until the end of the year so as to give the automotive industry ecosystem a strong boost,” he added.

Official teaser of the Proton X50

Given Proton’s sales performance in the past couple of months, it’s likely the national carmaker can maintain this momentum in the coming months; especially with the imminent arrival of its highly anticipated B-segment SUV, the
Proton X50
.


Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day Starts Tomorrow; 9 Samsung Galaxy Note 20 up for Grabs

Shopee’s annual 9.9 Super Shopping Day is happening tomorrow, and the e-commerce platform is offering quite a number of interesting deals. For one, as many as nine units of the new
Samsung Galaxy Note 20
 are up for grabs tomorrow.

The Galaxy Note 20 is offered as a prize on the platform’s
Shopee Farm game
, which requires players to “plant and grow” items that are given out from the Lucky Tree. Basically, it’s a lucky draw of sorts. Aside from this, players also stand a chance to win prizes in other Shopee Games “worth up to RM99,000,” as the company puts it.

Of course, there will be a number of promotions running throughout the day on 9.9 itself as well. At the stroke of midnight, the minimum spend to be eligible for free shipping will be lowered to just RM9 until 2AM. A number of special deals will take place too, including RM30 off promotions at 1AM, 25% discounts at 7AM, and RM20 off deals at 9AM, among other offers.

On top of that, you can also get the brand new Poco X3 NFC on Shopee from tomorrow onwards until 10 September at promotional prices. The base model with 64GB of storage will go for
only RM799
 (instead of RM899), while the 128GB option will be
discounted to RM949
 from RM1,099.

Really, it’s a fantastic deal for anyone that wants a mid-range smartphone with excellent value for money.

The Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day will commence tonight at 12AM. If you’d like to learn more about the campaign,
head on to Shopee
.


Black Shark 3S Landing in Malaysia 8 September; Starts at RM3,199

We just got word on the Malaysian availability of the
Black Shark 3S
. Set to arrive here next week on 8 September, the gaming smartphone will retail from RM3,199 on our shores. That’s slightly more than what its predecessor was
going for at launch
 (RM2,799), thought you do get a number of neat upgrades with the new device.

Two variants of the Black Shark 3S will be offered in Malaysia. The base model with 128GB of storage and 12GB of RAM – that’s 4GB more RAM than the original Black Shark 3 – costs RM3,199, while the 256GB variant with the same amount of RAM retails at RM3,499. Essentially, you’re paying extra RM300 to get twice the amount of storage.

Anyway, compared to the previous model, the Black Shark 3S is actually not all that different. Aside from its more generous RAM and storage capacities, the refreshed model also features a faster 120Hz panel. In comparison, its predecessor only had a 90Hz screen. It’s a small upgrade, yes, but it definitely makes the phone more appealing to mobile gamers.

Aside from that, the panel of the Black Shark 3S itself is still a 6.67-inch 2400 x 1080 AMOLED display, so you can expect to get vibrant colours and deep blacks; these are qualities we’ve come to expect from OLED screens. On top of that, the 270Hz touch sampling rate of the display is retained as well to minimise any form of input lag.

Another noteworthy upgrade the Black Shark 3S got is the updated JoyUI 12 software: it adds screen mirroring capability to the gaming smartphone. This is done via the device’s USB-C port, and while the feature is only offered on the 3S at the moment, we imagine the Black Shark 3 (as well as the
Pro model
) will also receive the JoyUI 12 update in the future.

In the performance department, the Black Shark 3S retains its predecessor’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset. Of course, it would’ve been great if it was updated with the newer Snapdragon 865+ SoC – which has 10% faster CPU and GPU – but there’s no denying that the regular Snapdragon 865 processor can still deliver a respectable level of performance.

Other specifications of the Black Shark 3S include a generous 4,720mAh battery with 65W fast charging, a triple camera system (64MP f/1.8 primary + 13MP f/2.3 ultra-wide angle + 5MP f/2.2 depth), a 20MP f/2.2 selfie camera, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Black Shark 3S will be available for purchase exclusively on Shopee from 8 September onwards at 12AM in two colours: Crystal Blue and Skyfall Black. The first 50 customers to purchase the gaming phone will also get RM850 worth of gifts, including a carrying case, the Black Shark FunCooler, a one-year screen crack protection, a RM100 Shopee voucher, as well as a “mystery merchandise.”

If you’re not the first 50, the next 50 buyers will also get RM850 worth of goodies. These items are similar to the aforementioned freebies, but the carrying case is swapped out for a Black Shark Gamepad 2.0 (left side) and a Gamepad 3.0 Holder.


Proton X50 Will Likely Cost Below RM90,000 in Malaysia

The Proton X50 was
finally teased by Proton
 in its Merdeka celebration video. While it remains to be seen exactly when the national carmaker will officially launch the new model – let alone how much it will cost – we have reason to believe that the upcoming B-segment SUV will cost below RM90,000 in Malaysia.

That’s right, we are confident the range-topping variant of the Proton X50 will be priced below the RM90,000 mark once it is introduced here. See, Affin Bank is
currently running a campaign
 for its new Affin Duo credit card, and the grand prize is a “new exclusive Proton.”

Obviously, this piqued our interest, and that’s when we took a closer look at the campaign image below. More specifically, the silhouette of the Proton model in question in the background.

The Proton X50 teaser shared by Proton. Does the LED DRL look familiar?

Without a doubt the Proton model shown in the campaign page looks very much like the Proton X50, especially the outline of the car and the shape of the LED DRL in the headlights. Of course, we then went through the
terms and conditions of the Affin Duo campaign
 to look for more information, and that’s when we came across something very,
very interesting
.

“Each eligible cardmember is in a running to win one (1) brand new exclusive Proton car worth up to RM90,000,” as Affin Bank wrote in the terms and conditions. Of course, the bank further clarified that this excludes insurance and road tax, and that the final price is “subject to Proton’s announcement upon the launch of the new exclusive Proton variant in Malaysia’s market.”

The terms and conditions of the Affin Duo campaign
Image source:
Lowyat.NET’s forum

Granted, Affin Bank does not outright mention that the Proton model is the X50, but then we came across this thread of the Affin Duo credit card
on Lowyat.NET’s forum
 (thanks for the tip, Pang!). A forum member by the name of voonmingloo shared an image of the “marketing strategy” for the Affin Duo credit card, which specifically mentions the X50 as the grand prize.

With all of these in mind, we are confident that Affin Bank is indeed offering the Proton X50 as the grand prize for the Affin Duo campaign, and that the upcoming SUV will be priced below RM90,000. Of course, this price is subject to change by Proton itself, as pointed out by Affin Bank.

Regardless, this is definitely an exciting development for the Proton X50, and we cannot wait for the B-segment SUV to be officially launched by the national carmaker. Stay tuned to Nextrift for the latest updates on the X50.


Proton X50 Soft Launch Supposedly Happening This Month

Ever since Proton
officially teased the Proton X50
 in its Merdeka Day video, we’re getting more and more information on the national carmaker’s upcoming B-segment SUV. Not only do we have a
good indication of the X50’s price
, we now have a possible launch window for the SUV.

This latest news
comes from Funtasticko
. Citing a source familiar with the matter, the site wrote that a soft launch for the Proton X50 will be happening as early as this month. More specifically, sometime in the middle of the month. On top of that, the soft launch is said to take place in Proton’s Tanjung Malim plant as well, which is where the X50 is set to be manufactured.

Official teaser of the Proton X50

Besides that, Funtasticko’s source further elaborated that Proton will also be launching special edition versions of four different models: the X70, Persona, Iriz, and even the Exora. Just like the
Proton Saga Anniversary Edition
, all of them will supposedly sport a similar black paint job with yellow (or gold) accents.

Evidently, Proton is keeping itself busy with these models, especially so for the X50. After all, the B-segment SUV has been in development for quite some time now, and it may be ready to hit the road very, very soon. If the soft launch does take place this month as Funtasticko’s source claims, AmInvest’s October timeline for the X50’s arrival is very likely to happen.

Regardless, we’ll just have to wait until the middle of the month to learn more about the Proton X50. No official pricing has been revealed yet, but we’re confident the B-segment SUV will be priced
below the RM90,000 price point
.


2020 Nissan Almera Turbo Booking Opens Tomorrow in Malaysia; Priced From RM80,000

The B-segment sedan market in Malaysia is getting more interesting by the day. Joining the
new Honda City
 in this hotly contested segment is the 2020 Nissan Almera Turbo, which will be open for booking from tomorrow onwards on 5 September.

According to Paul Tan
, the all-new Almera Turbo will be offered in three variants. Local pricing of the sedan has not been released yet, though the carmaker did give a ballpark figure. Both the base VL and mid-spec VLP trims of the Almera Turbo will go for RM8x,xxx, while the range-topping VLT will sit at the RM9x,xxx price point.

Yes, the 2020 Almera Turbo does cost markedly more than its predecessor, but the new model is also a much,
much
 more accomplished sedan. For one, all three variants of the Almera Turbo will be powered by a new 1.0L turbocharged three-cylinder engine that outputs 100PS and 152Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels with an X-Tronic CVT with D-Step Logic and Sport Mode.

Thanks to the efficiency of the 1.0L engine, the fuel consumption of the Almera Turbo is one of its biggest advantages. According to Nissan, this sedan has a fuel efficiency of 18.4km/l; that’s a very impressive figure. Of course, it’ll be interesting to see if the new Almera is really this fuel-efficient in real world conditions.

Besides that, another feature worth highlighting is the fact that all variants of the Almera Turbo come with Intelligent Forward Collision Warning (IFCW) with Intelligent Forward Emergency Braking (IFEB). Basically, it’s an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, which will apply the brakes to avoid front collisions.

Naturally, the highest-end Almera Turbo VLT is equipped with even more safety features. These include Intelligent Around View Monitor (IAVM) with Moving Object Detection (IMOD) – it’s a 360-degree view camera – Blind Spot Warning System (BSW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and six airbags. It’s worth noting that the mid-spec VLP trim also gets six airbags, though the base VL model only comes with two airbags.

The 2020 Nissan Almera Turbo is expected to be sold in Malaysia sometime in October next month. If you’d like to check out the new B-segment sedan for yourself, you can actually do so from tomorrow onwards at selected Nissan showrooms. To learn more about the Almera Turbo, head on to
Nissan’s official website
.


Asus ROG Phone 3 Unleashed in Malaysia; Starts at RM2,999

The
Asus ROG Phone 3
 has just been launched in Malaysia. As promised, three variants of the gaming smartphone are offered here, and it starts at RM2,999. Quite a bit more than the starting price of its predecessor (RM2,499), but still relatively well-priced for a device of this calibre.

Of course, the RM2,999 price tag is for the base ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition, which features a regular Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The other two variants of the gaming smartphone, on the other hand, come with a newer Snapdragon 865+ SoC, 512GB of storage, as well as either 12GB (RM3,799) or 16GB (RM4,499) of RAM.

Besides the different processor, RAM, and storage capacity, all variants of ROG Phone 3 have the same hardware, including a 6.59-inch 2340 x 1080 AMOLED display with a very high 144Hz refresh rate. While this is not the first smartphone to pack such a fast screen – the
Nubia RedMagic 5G
 did it first – it’s still quite a unique feature. To top it off, the display sports a fast 270Hz touch sampling rate too.

The design of the ROG Phone 3 got an overhaul as well, giving it a more refined, “smartphone-like” aesthetic. Compared to the previous model, the new phone feels better in the hands, thanks to the redesigned rear panel. Unlike the textured back of the
ROG Phone II
, the ROG Phone 3’s back panel is just a single piece of glass now.

Another noteworthy improvement is the camera system of the ROG Phone 3. Its triple camera array is made up of a 64MP f/1.8 primary sensor, a 13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide angle lens, and a 5MP f/2.0 macro shooter. Still no telephoto sensor, unfortunately, but this
is
 a gaming smartphone; camera isn’t exactly the main focus here.

Other specifications of the ROG Phone 3 include two ultrasonic shoulder buttons on the right side of the phone – perfect for playing shooters like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile – a 24MP f/2.0 selfie camera, a huge 6,000mAh battery with 30W fast charging, as well as an in-screen fingerprint sensor.

All three variants of the Asus ROG Phone 3 are now available for purchase in Malaysia. To recap, the base Strix Edition with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM retails at RM2,999, while the standard ROG Phone 3 with 512GB of storage and 12GB RAM goes for RM3,799. If you want to upgrade the RAM to a whopping 16GB, it will cost you a cool RM4,499.


Acer Predator Gaming Chair x Osim Arrives in Malaysia October 2020 for RM2,399

One of the most interesting products announced by Acer back at its Next@Acer Global Press Conference event is this one right here, the
Acer Predator Gaming Chair x Osim
. The biggest selling point of this gaming chair is its ability to give you a massage while you game in comfort, and it is now open for pre-orders in Malaysia,

The Predator Gaming Chair is currently listed by Osim on its
Malaysian online store
. Said to originally retail at RM4,899, you can place your pre-order for RM2,399 now. Yes, it’s not exactly an affordable product, but that’s the going rate of premium gaming chairs in the market now anyway.

As mentioned, the Predator Gaming Chair doubles as a massage chair, thanks to the integration of Osim’s V-Hand Massage Technology. This supposedly “emulates the agile hands of a professional masseuse on the user’s neck and shoulder,” and it allows the chair to perform massage techniques like kneading, pressing, rolling, and tapping.

As for the chair itself, it can recline 145-degree, and there are buttons on the right-side arm rest to control two sets of rollers. The position of the rollers can be changed to accommodate to different users’ shoulder position for maximum comfort, and the width can be adjusted to suit different body types as well. Did we mention that there are also two Bluetooth speakers built into the chair’s headrest?

The Acer Predator Gaming Chair x Osim is now available for pre-order in Malaysia on
Osim’s website for RM2,399
. As for shipping time, the chair is expected to be delivered by the end of October next month.


NovelKeys NK65 Milkshake Edition Proxies Confirmed; Wider Global Availability

NovelKeys’
NK65 Milkshake Edition
 is easily one of the most promising custom keyboards for beginners to pick up, and if you’ve been eyeing to get it, great news: NovelKeys just confirmed the proxies for the upcoming keyboard. Whether you’re in Asia, Europe, or the US, it’s a lot easier to get the NK65 now.

Proxies for the NK65 Milkshake were revealed by NovelKeys on its Instagram page. According to the post, proxies for the keyboard include
zFrontier
 (Asia),
Oblotzky Industries
 (Europe),
DailyClack
 (Australia), and of course,
NovelKeys
 itself for the US market.

 View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NovelKeys (@novel.keys)

Having proxies for the NK65 Milkshake is important to ensure a much smoother shopping experience for everyone worldwide. If you’re here in Malaysia, for example, ordering from a proxy that’s closest to us – that would be zFrontier – will give you the best shipping time and cost.

On top of that, it’s worth noting that orders over $100 from zFrontier will be eligible for free shipping. Given that the NK65 Milkshake retails at $190 (about RM790), you won’t have to pay for shipping at all to get the keyboard shipped to Malaysia. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

The NK65 Milkshake Edition will be open for pre-orders from 18 September until 2 October 2020, but keep it mind that it will only start shipping to customers in March 2021. Five months of wait isn’t exactly short, but given the feature set of the NK65, it could
very well be worth it
.


Poco X3 NFC Official: Snapdragon 732G, 120Hz Screen, RM799 Price Tag

After much teasing, the Poco X3 NFC is finally official, and it’s one impressive mid-range smartphone with a very,
very
 competitive price tag. Not only is it the first device to be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 732G chipset, it also features a fast 120Hz screen and large 5,160mAh battery
for only RM799
.

That’s right, only RM799 for this Snapdragon 732G smartphone. Needless to say, the Poco X3 offers
incredibly
 good value for money at this price point. Granted, this is an early bird offer for the 64GB model with 6GB of RAM; it will go
for only RM799
 instead of RM899 from 9 to 10 September on Shopee.

If you need more storage and RAM, you can opt for the 128GB variant with the same 6GB RAM; you can get this
for merely RM949
 instead of RM1,099 during the early bird period.

So what is the Snapdragon 732G under the hood of the Poco X3? Well, as its name suggests, it is a slight upgrade over the Snapdragon 730G chipset. The Kryo 470 prime core of the chip is now clocked at up to 2.3GHz instead of 2.2GHz, which should net a modest gain in processing power. In the graphics department, the difference is a lot more tangible: the Snapdragon 732G’s Adreno 618 GPU offers up to 15% better performance.

Aside from that, the Poco X3 also comes with a 6.67-inch 2400 x 1080 LCD screen with a high 120Hz refresh rate; it’s quite surreal how a phone at this price point has such a fast display. On top of that, the panel also has a 240Hz touch sampling rate to reduce input lag to a minimum. Perfect for mobile gamers who want all the advantage they can get.

Another noteworthy hardware of the Poco X3 has to be its very generous 5,160mAh battery. According to Poco, this allows the X3 to last over two days “under moderate usage,” which does sound very plausible. On top of that, the phone also supports 33W fast charging, allowing the 5,160mAh battery to be charged to 62% from empty in only 30 minutes.

Other specifications of the Poco X3 include a quad camera system (64MP f/1.89 primary + 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle + 2MP f/2.4 macro + 2MP f/2.4 depth), a 20MP f/2.2 selfie camera, a microSD card slot – it supports cards up to 256GB – a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and MIUI 12 based on Android 10 out of the box.

To recap, the Poco X3 NFC will be available for purchase from 9 September onwards on Shopee. Early birds can get the 64GB model
for only RM799
 instead of RM899, while the 128GB option will be
discounted to RM949
 from RM1,099.


Another PlayStation 5 Accessory Is Coming to Malaysia

Back in July, we
spotted the DualSense controller
 for the PlayStation 5 on SIRIM, which suggests that the Malaysia could be one of the first markets to get the next-generation console. Not convinced? Well, yet another accessory for the PS5 has just appeared in SIRIM’s database.

Just last week on 2 September, Sony Malaysia registered a device with the model number CFI-ZMR1. We did some digging, and we’re confident this is in fact the
media remote for the PS5
. This model number is tied to the media remote
here
 and
here
, among other sources.

So what does this mean? Well, it’s definitely a promising sign that Sony Malaysia is working hard to get the PS5 console and its range of accessories on our shores. Although the system itself hasn’t made an appearance in SIRIM’s database yet, we reckon it’s only a matter of time before it’s registered with the certification body.

However, just because the DualSense and media remote for the PS5 have been registered with SIRIM, it doesn’t guarantee that Malaysia will be one of the first countries to get the next-generation console. Of course, we’re still hoping for the best, especially now that Sony Malaysia is
already running a survey for the PS5
.

The PlayStation 5 is expected to be launched by the end of this year. Hopefully, we’ll hear more on the pricing and availability of the console very soon.


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Malaysian Pre-Orders Begin 11 September; Costs RM7,999

Malaysian availability of the
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
 is finally revealed. Set to arrive here on 25 September, the foldable smartphone will be open for pre-order this Friday on 11 September. To sweeten the deal, every pre-order will be bundled with some freebies too.

Given the premium positioning of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, it’s naturally a very costly smartphone, retailing at a cool RM7,999 on our shores. It’s worth noting that the Z Fold 2 actually costs slightly less over the
original Galaxy Fold
, which retailed at RM8,388 when it was first launched here.

As mentioned, there are also a number of freebies that are bundled with every pre-order of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. These include a pair of Galaxy Buds Live wireless earbuds worth RM699, as well as a Montblanc card holder worth RM655. Pretty good accessories to go with the premium foldable smartphone.

Aside from that, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 also comes with a sizeable 7.6-inch 2208 x 1768 Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. Thanks to the high refresh rate, every single animation on this panel will look extra smooth. It’s definitely a good upgrade over the original Fold’s more conventional 60Hz screen.

Also worth a mention is the 6.2-inch 2260 x 816 Super AMOLED “cover screen” on the exterior of the Z Fold 2. It covers almost the entire front of the foldable phone, giving it a sleeker, more modern aesthetic compared to its predecessor. On top of that, you also get more screen space to work with now, though the tall, narrow aspect ratio of the display can be cumbersome to use.

In the camera department, the Z Fold 2 features a triple camera system (12MP f/1.8 primary + 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle + 12MP f/2.4 telephoto) as well as two 10MP selfie camera. One is housed in a hole-punch cutout on the cover screen, while the other is placed in the same cutout on the bigger primary display.

Other specifications of the Z Fold 2 include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ chipset paired with 12GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, 5G connectivity, a 4,500mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging – 11W for wireless charging – and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

To recap, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be available for pre-order in Malaysia from 11 September onwards for RM7,999. Stay tuned for our hands-on with Samsung’s latest foldable smartphone!


Poco M2 Unveiled With 5,000mAh Battery & Affordable Price Tag

The Poco M2 was recently released in India, and it is basically a more budget-friendly version of the
Poco M2 Pro
. Sporting a large 5,000mAh battery and a MediaTek Helio G80 chipset, it’s quite an attractive mid-range smartphone with an affordable price tag.

Thanks to the Poco M2’s generous 5,000mAh battery, you can expect to get very respectable battery life. In fact, if you’re not a heavy smartphone user, we reckon you can get two days of use quite effortlessly. This device also supports 18W fast charging, which is really a necessity with a battery this large.

As mentioned, powering the Poco M2 is a Helio G80 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM. It’s an octa-core processor clocked at 2GHz, so you can expect to get a reasonably good level of performance. As for internal storage, you can opt for the 64GB or 128GB variant. There is also a microSD card slot if you need even more storage space.

Other specifications of the Poco M2 include a 6.53-inch 2340 x 1080 IPS LCD notched display, a quad camera system 13MP f/2.2 primary + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle + 5MP f/2.4 macro + 2MP f/2.4 depth), an 8MP f/2.0 front-facing camera, as well as three colour options: Brick Red, Slate Blue, and Pitch Black.

The Poco M2 is set to hit the store shelves on 15 September in India; it retails from 10,999 Indian rupee, which comes up to about RM620. At the moment, it remains to be seen if the Poco M2 will be launched in other markets outside India.


Apple Sets “Time Flies” 15 September Event; New Apple Watch Likely

Apple has finally revealed the date for its next major launch event. Set to take place next week on 15 September, the “Time Flies” event will likely see the introduction of a new Apple Watch, among other things. If you’re hoping the Cupertino company will also unveil new iPhones at the event, don’t hold your breath.

While September is typically when the latest iPhones debut, it’s unlikely to happen this year. After all, in the company’s
latest earnings call
, it’s been confirmed that the new iPhones will not be shipping this month. The new phones should only arrive sometime in October next month.

Anyway, looking back at the teaser for the Time Flies event, it’s evident Apple is foreshadowing the introduction of a new Apple Watch. Naturally, not much details have been revealed yet, but rumours are suggesting that the upcoming Series 6 will add on the ability to monitor blood oxygen, better sleep tracking, and of course, a faster processor.

On top of that, Apple could also be launching a new Apple Watch to replace the Series 3, which is still being sold by the company as a more affordable alternative to the Series 5. Beyond its wearable business, Apple could show off a new iPad as well at next week’s event.

Apple’s Time Flies event will happen next week on 15 September. For us here in Malaysia, the event will go live on 16 September at 1AM
right here
.


This Is Possibly the Proton X50’s Key Fob

Proton’s highly anticipated B-segment SUV – widely believed to be called the Proton X50 – is arriving very, very soon. As we lead up to the launch of the new model, more leaks are slowly making their way to the internet. This time around, it’s the alleged key fob of the X50.

This bit of leak
comes from Paultan
, which was tipped by a reader with an image of a key fob that likely belongs to the X50. After all, it looks very similar to that of the Geely Binyue’s key fob – which the X50 is based on – as evident in
this listing
. (It’s humourously described as the X50’s key fob as well.)

Given that the X50 will possibly share the same key fob as the Binyue, there’s a good chance Proton’s upcoming SUV will also come with remote engine start. As its name suggests, this feature allows the car to be started with just the key fob, which can prove to be useful in certain situations.

Aside from the key fob, there are also chatters that the X50 will not in fact be called…the X50. Apparently, the new model will carry the Proton SX11 name instead, which was actually the codename for the Geely Binyue. However, keep in mind that this is merely a rumour at this point in time. At least, until the national carmaker itself officially reveals the name.

We expect Proton to share more details on the X50 – or the SX11 – very soon. This will likely happen as early as next week, as per our
earlier report
. As for how much the B-segment SUV will cost, we’re confident it will go
below the RM90,000 mark
.


Vivo V20 SE Launching in Malaysia 24 September

Vivo is launching its next smartphone, the Vivo V20 SE, right here in Malaysia later this week. According to the smartphone maker, the new device will sport a slim and lightweight design, along with an emphasis on its selfie capability.

Since the device hasn’t been launched yet, details are still light on the V20 SE, though we do have leaked specifications of the phone. These include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 paired with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a microSD card slot.

Besides that, released images of the V20 SE also show a notched display, which is said to be a 6.44-inch 2400 x 1080 AMOLED screen. There doesn’t seem to be any visible fingerprint sensor either, so there’s a good chance it will feature an in-screen fingerprint sensor.

Camera wise, the V20 SE seems to come with a triple camera array, which is believed to consist of a 48MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens, as well as a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, Vivo confirmed that the phone is equipped with a 32MP selfie camera; perfect for selfie lovers.

Other specifications of the V20 SE include a generous 4,100mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and two colour options: Gravity Black and Oxygen Blue.

The Vivo V20 SE will be launched here in Malaysia this Thursday on 24 September. We’ll find out exactly how much this mid-range smartphone would cost then.


Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 With AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Chip Arrives in Malaysia for RM3,499

Last week, we wrote about the Malaysian availability of the
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i and Duet 7i
. Today, Lenovo officially launched these two products on our shores, along with the AMD version of the Yoga Slim 7. If you want a thin and light productivity laptop with a Ryzen 4000 processor, consider this new laptop.

For the Malaysian market, only one variant of the AMD-powered Yoga Slim 7 is offered here. It comes with a 14-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS screen, a Ryzen 5 4500U processor paired with 8GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and AMD Radeon Graphics. How much does these hardware cost? RM3,499 – not a bad price at all for a thin and light productivity laptop.

Speaking of which, one of the best features of the Yoga Slim 7 – as its name suggests – has to be its portable nature. Measuring only 14.9mm thin with a 1.4kg chassis, it’s made for folks who are always on the go. You can easily slip this into your backpack and forget about it.

Aside from that, the Yoga Slim 7 is said to offer very long battery life as well; Lenovo claims that it can last up to 19 hours on a single charge. It’s certainly a very lofty estimate, and it’ll be interesting to see if Lenovo’s claim holds up in real life usage.

According to Lenovo, the Yoga Slim 7 is now available for purchase on Lenovo’s online store for RM3,499, though it is out of stock at the time of writing. You can check the availability of the productivity laptop
right here
.


Deal: Poco F2 Pro With Snapdragon 865 Now Only RM1,499

Now this is one interesting deal. The
Poco F2 Pro
, one of the most affordable flagship smartphones with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, is even more affordable today. Originally retailing from RM2,199, you can now get the F2 Pro
for only RM1,499
.

That’s right, only RM1,499 for this Snapdragon 865 smartphone. Needless to say, this is an
incredibly
 good deal; you’re saving a whopping RM700 with this offer. This is also a listing by Xiaomi Global’s official store on Shopee, so rest assured, this is a legitimate deal.

On top of that, it’s worth noting that the Poco F2 Pro listed here also comes with local warranty support, so you won’t have to worry if anything were to go wrong. However, only the Phantom White colour option is currently available; the Electric Purple and Cyber Grey models are out of stock.

If you want to grab the Poco F2 Pro for only RM1,499, head on to Xiaomi Global’s official Shopee store
right here
.


2020 Proton X70 Exported to Brunei, First Market to Receive Malaysian-Made Model

Proton launched the latest
2020 Proton X70
 in Brunei last weekend on 6 September, making it the first export market to receive the Malaysian-made model, which is assembled at the national carmaker’s Tanjung Malim plant. It’s worth noting that Brunei was also the first export market to get the X70 in CBU form last year.

Just like its predecessor, three variants of the 2020 Proton X70 are offered in Brunei: Standard, Executive, and Premium X. Of course, the specs of these trims are identical to the ones offered here in Malaysia, including the 1.8L turbocharged direct injection engine that outputs 181hp and 300Nm of torque.

Compared to the CBU X70, the 2020 model swaps out the six-speed torque converter automatic gearbox for a more responsive seven-speed (wet) dual-clutch transmission co-developed by Geely and Volvo. Thanks to the new 7DCT, the updated X70 can sprint from zero to 100kmph in only 9.5 seconds; a whole second faster than the previous model.

Proton also gave some updates on the sales figure of the 2020 Proton X70 right here in Malaysia. According to the national carmaker, as many as 12,732 units of the C-segment SUV has been delivered up to the end of August 2020. Proton added that this makes up 25.9% of the total Malaysian SUV market.

Evidently, the 2020 Proton X70 is selling very well in the Malaysian market. Chances are, Proton’s sales figure will be further amplified by the launch of its
upcoming B-segment SUV
.


Kia Seltos Now Open for Booking in Malaysia; 1.6L Engine Only

After months of wait, the Kia Seltos is finally available for booking in Malaysia at certain Kia showrooms.
As we’ve reported back in April
, two variants of the B-segment SUV will be offered here; both will be powered by the same 1.6L Gamma naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine.

That’s right, it’s confirmed now that the Seltos for the Malaysian market will only come with one engine option – we are not getting the turbocharged mill. Anyway, the 1.6L Gamma MPI engine outputs 123PS and 151Nm of torque, with drive sent to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.

As mentioned, two variants of the Seltos are available here. There’s the base EX trim, and the more well-equipped GT-Line model. What differentiates these two models are a number of creature comforts and design elements. Exclusive to the GT-Line variant are ventilated front seats, full LED headlights, a head-up display, a wireless charging pad, and automatic air-conditioning.

Standard equipment offered on both the EX and GT-Line trims are quite neat as well. These include leather seats – though the design is different between the two models – Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, passive cruise control, as well as 17-inch wheels.

While the Kia Seltos is now open for booking in Malaysia, local pricing of the B-segment SUV has not been revealed yet. But given that it is now available for viewing at selected showrooms, we can expect to hear more about the Seltos in the coming weeks.


Proton Will Release 2 More Locally Developed Models After the Proton X50

Proton just confirmed that it will release two locally developed models in the future. According to an exclusive interview between
Astro Awani
 and Li Chunrong – the CEO of Proton – the national carmaker will begin local development of the new models after the launch of its highly anticipated B-segment SUV, the
Proton X50
.

In the interview, Li mentioned that the two new Proton models will be released in the next three to five years. They will be developed completely locally, unlike the
Proton X70
 and upcoming X50; these two models were based on the Geely Boyue and Geely Binyue respectively.

On top of that, the local development of the two models will be done simultaneously as well, though it wasn’t mentioned if these models will be a sedan, hatchback, or an SUV. As it is, Proton only has one SUV in its model lineup (X70), with one hatchback (Iriz), an MPV (Exora), and a few sedans, including the Saga, Persona, and Perdana.

It’s worth noting that Li is confident the SUV market will continue to grow in Malaysia, especially after the release of the Proton X50 in the near future. This is despite the fact that sedans are very popular here, though the amount of excitement surrounding the X50 certainly suggests it will be a very popular model.

For the time being, Proton is gearing up to launch its second SUV very, very soon. We will keep a close eye on any news regarding the X50, including its
local pricing
 and
availability
.


These Are Official Images of the Proton X50

Proton just dropped a huge teaser on its Facebook page: the national carmaker is finally showing off its upcoming B-segment SUV in all its glory. Although the company still isn’t revealing the name of the new model yet – it’s widely believed to be called the Proton X50 – this does show we are approaching very closely to the release date.

As expected, the Proton X50 looks strikingly similar to the model it is based on, the Geely Binyue. Of course, there are some Proton touches here and there, including its signature Infinite Weave grille design and new logo on the front of the SUV.

These teaser images also confirm two more colour options for the X50, aside from the blue model we’ve seen in Proton’s
previous teaser
. We reckon these two colourways will be reserved for the highest-end configuration of the SUV, given that this dual tone paint job with blacked-out roof is only offered on the most well-equipped Binyue.

We also get a look at the black and red interior of the X50, and there’s a small surprise here: it appears Proton added rear air-conditioning vents to the SUV. This was not offered on the Binyue, so it’s great to see that the carmaker is adding genuinely useful features that consumers will appreciate.

Proton is still keeping things under wraps for now, though Proton’s CEO, Li Chunrong, said to expect big news on 15 September next Tuesday; a day before Malaysia Day. Hopefully, we’ll get more details on the availability and pricing of the X50 then – we expect it to cost
below the RM90,000 mark
.


PS5 Event Set for 17 September; Price & Availability Reveal?

PlayStation is holding another event for the PS5 next week on 17 September. It’s said to be a showcase for the next-generation console, and while it’s not specifically mentioned, the retail price and availability of the PS5 could very well be revealed on that day.

According to PlayStation, the digital showcase next week for the PS5 is to give us “one more look at some of the great games coming to PS5 at launch.” it’s said to last for about 40 minutes, and it will “feature updates on the latest titles from Worldwide Studios and our world-class development partners,” the company added.

This announcement comes right after a slew of leaks surfaced on the internet surrounding Microsoft’s own next-generation consoles. The retail price and availability Xbox Series X and Series S were later confirmed by Microsoft itself, so there’s a good chance PlayStation will follow suit with the two PS5 systems.

Unlike Microsoft’s strategy, both the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition feature the same level of performance. The only difference between the two consoles is the lack of an optical disc drive in the Digital Edition, which brings down the cost (and retail price) of the system. It’ll be interesting to see just how much more affordable it would be over the standard PS5.

The PlayStation 5 showcase will be taking place next week on 17 September at 4AM Malaysian time. Hopefully, we’ll finally get details on the pricing and availability of the next-generation console then.


Samsung Sets Another Unpacked Event for 23 September, Likely for Galaxy S20 Fan Edition

Samsung just scheduled yet another Unpacked event. Set to take place next week on 23 September, it’s said to be a “Galaxy Unpacked for Every Fan.” Chance are, this is referencing the rumoured Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, which is believed to be a more affordable alternative to the
main Galaxy

S20 phones
.

Given its more budget-friendly positioning, it’s no surprise that early leaks are suggesting the Galaxy S20 FE wouldn’t be quite as impressive as its higher-end siblings. Leaked renders of the phone, for example, show a more pedestrian-looking device with a
flat screen and slightly bigger bezels
.

Leaked render of the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition

But surprisingly enough, the Galaxy S20 FE will supposedly retain quite a bit of the regular S20’s hardware. For one, it’s tipped to come with a fast 120Hz screen, not to mention the same chipset as the rest of the S20 smartphones. It’ll be interesting to see how the upcoming phone will differ in other aspects.

Looking back at the teaser for the Galaxy Unpacked event, it’s likely that the Korean company is also teasing the colour option of the Galaxy S20 FE in the image. More specifically, the dark blue and mint green colourways of the phone, which had already been leaked. Besides these two colours, the S20 FE is said to be available in red and pink as well.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is expected to be unveiled next week on 23 September at 10PM Malaysian time. You can catch the Unpacked live stream – and register your interest for the phone –
right here
.


Realme 7 & Realme 7 Pro Launching in Malaysia 24 September

Realme has confirmed to release two new mid-range smartphones in Malaysia next week: the Realme 7 and the Realme 7 Pro. These two devices have a number of interesting features, including reasonably fast processors and equally fast charging rates.

Naturally, the Realme 7 Pro is the more exciting phone of the two. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset clocked at 2.3GHz, which should be able to deliver a good level of performance. Paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage, you wouldn’t have any issue multitasking with this device either.

Besides that, the Realme 7 Pro comes with a 6.4-inch 2400 x 1080 Super AMOLED screen with a hole-punch cutout on the top left of the display for the 32MP f/2.5 front-facing camera. While the AMOLED panel is an improvement over its predecessor’s LCD screen, it only has a 60Hz refresh rate. In contrast, the
Realme 6 Pro
 actually had a faster 90Hz screen.

Battery life of the Realme 7 Pro should be above average as well, thanks to its generous 4,500mAh battery. According to Realme, the phone’s fast 65W charging rate also allows the battery to be fully charged from empty in only 34 minutes. That’s quite impressive.

In the camera department, the Realme 7 Pro features a quad camera array made up of a 64MP f/1.8 primary shooter, an 8MP f/2.3 ultra-wide angle lens, a 2MP f/2.4 macro shooter, a 2MP depth sensor.

And then there’s the more affordable Realme 7. This phone, as expected, comes with a slightly scaled-down set of hardware. For one, instead of an AMOLED screen, it sports a 6.5-inch 2400 x 1800 IPS LCD display. However, it’s worth noting that it’s actually a 90Hz panel; an odd contrast over the 60Hz screen of the Pro model.

Beyond the display, the Realme 7 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G95 chipset paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also has a similar camera system as the Pro model – even though the module looks different – as well as a 5,000mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging.

The Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro will be landing in Malaysia next week on 24 September. Local pricing of the two phones have not been revealed yet, but expect them to be quite affordable – Realme devices are typically priced competitively.


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Hands-On: More Polished, Slightly More Affordable

The
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
 is the Korean company’s latest and most refined foldable smartphone to date. Not only does it look far sleeker now, it also feels a lot more robust and polished; all while managing to be more affordable than its predecessor.

However, retailing at RM7,999 in Malaysia, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is still a very costly smartphone. While it is easily one of the best foldable phones you can get now, you’d have to be willing to part with a huge sum of money for the experience. But then again, using such a unique smartphone is really quite the experience.

First, let’s talk about the folding mechanism of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Compared to the
original Fold
, this new hinge feels far more robust. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that the previous model had a bad hinge; the Z Fold 2’s folding mechanism simply feels a lot more reassuring.

Speaking of which, the new display of the Z Fold 2 is worth a mention too. The first Fold featured a polymer screen – it’s essentially plastic – but that changes with this latest iteration. Instead of a completely plastic display, the Z Fold 2’s screen uses Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass (UTG). I can’t say for sure if the UTG makes the display more durable, but the panel itself does feel more rigid.

That being said, you won’t
actually
 physically touch the glass screen; there is still a plastic protective layer on top of it. Basically, the display will pick up dings and scratches like any other plastic screen protector, unfortunately enough.

Nonetheless, let’s move on to the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s screen quality, which is
excellent
. It’s a bigger 7.6-inch 2208 x 1768 Dynamic AMOLED 2X display now with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. So not only does this screen look fantastic with vibrant colours, wide viewing angles, and deep blacks, every single motion on this display looks absolutely fluid as well, thanks to the high refresh rate.

It’s also worth noting that the Z Fold 2 no longer has the weird cutout on the primary screen for the front-facing camera. Now, there’s only a single hole-punch cutout for the 10MP f/2.2 selfie shooter, which looks a lot cleaner and more pleasing to the eyes.

Another hardware that looks better now is the cover screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 2; it is no longer a tiny display. Upsized to a much more usable 6.2-inch 2260 x 816 Super AMOLED panel that covers almost the entire front of the phone, there’s much more screen real estate to work with. There is also a 10MP f/2.2 selfie camera in the hole-punch cutout of the display.

Even though the Z Fold 2’s cover screen is a lot bigger now, it can still be quite cumbersome to use with its tall and narrow 25:9 aspect ratio. This makes it difficult to reach for the top of the display, and it’s too narrow to comfortably type a message with two hands. If it’s any consolation, at least the screen looks great.

In the performance department, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is powered by a flagship-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ chipset paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Needless to say, the phone feels very fast and zippy with this processor under the hood. As an added bonus, this SoC comes with 5G support as well, which will come in handy once 5G networks are widely available here.

Last but certainly not least is the camera performance of the Z Fold 2. It features a triple camera system made up of a 12MP f/1.8 primary sensor, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens, and a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto shooter. Not quite as sophisticated as the
S20 Ultra
 or
Note 20 Ultra
‘s 108MP camera configuration, but still good enough to capture good-looking shots.

I briefly tested the foldable phone’s camera performance, and it does feel quite capable. The camera feels responsive, detail preservation is good, and the autofocus speed is (as usual) very quick and accurate. We’ve come to expect excellent camera performance out of Samsung’s flagship smartphones, and the Z Fold 2 certainly doesn’t disappoint.

But it’s worth noting that I only shot with this phone under great lighting conditions; it remains to be seen just how well the Z Fold 2 would perform in darker environments. However, as I’ve mentioned, Samsung usually delivers very good camera performance, so I reckon this foldable phone will be able to take flattering low light shots just fine.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is an impressive smartphone that will definitely turn heads when you unfold it. It’s also a lot more refined than its predecessor with a more robust hinge, a glass screen – even if it’s covered by a plastic protective layer – and a far sleeker design. But all of these cost a whopping RM7,999; that’s
a lot of money
 for a smartphone.

There’s no denying the unique factor of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, but you’ll be paying a premium just for the foldable nature of the phone. If that’s really what you want, then perhaps it’s worth the price of entry – that’s the RM7,999 question you have to ask yourself.


Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Quick Review: A Decent Alternative

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series is quite different compared to last year’s iteration. Previously, the
regular Note 10
 is markedly smaller than the
Note 10+
, which makes the former more appealing to folks that want a compact flagship. However, this size difference is no longer offered with the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra; both devices are almost the same size.

So then, who is the Galaxy Note 20 for? After spending a few weeks with this device, I do see how it can be appealing to folks that want a more affordable alternative to the far costlier Note 20 Ultra. However, with its more budget-friendly price tag, it does sacrifice on a number of features.

What It Is

Display
6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Plus (2400 x 1080)
Chipset
Samsung Exynos 990 2.73GHz octa-core
GPU
Mali-G77 MP11
RAM
8GB
Storage
256GB, expandable
Camera (rear)
12MP f/1.8, Dual Pixel AF, OIS
64MP f/2.0 (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, Hybrid Optic Zoom (3x), Digital Zoom (30x)
12MP f/2.2 (ultra-wide angle)
Camera (front)
10MP f/2.2, Dual Pixel AF
Battery
4,300mAh
Dimensions
161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm
Weight
192g
OS
One UI based on Android 10
Connectivity
5G (optional)
LTE
NFC
Bluetooth 5.0
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4/5GHz)
USB Type-C
Price
RM3,899 (LTE), RM4,299 (5G)

Without a doubt the hardware disparity between the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra is quite big. Not only does the former lack the Ultra’s faster, sharper 1440p screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, it doesn’t get the more sophisticated 108MP camera system either. Granted, you are saving
up to RM1,300 here
; that’s an equally big price gap.

Even though it doesn’t compare very favourably to the Note 20 Ultra, the standard Note 20 is still a capable flagship smartphone. It’s powered by the same Exynos 990 chip, its screen is very pleasant to look at, and its triple camera array can take some really good-looking shots. More on that further down this review.

The Good Stuff

Given that the S Pen is the Note’s signature hardware, let’s start with that.
Compared to its predecessor
, the S Pen on the Galaxy Note 20 got a couple of neat upgrades. It has better latency now – translating to a more fluid writing experience – and the stylus’ Air Actions feature is more fleshed out as well.

Previously, Air Actions can only be used to perform a limited number of things, but it’s now possible to use it to navigate around the phone to an extent. There are gestures to access the recent apps page, go to the home screen, and even going back to the previous page. Basically, it’s more functional now, which can be useful to certain folks.

Aside from that, there’s the fantastic screen of the Galaxy Note 20. Even though it’s not quite as impressive as the Note 20 Ultra’s faster, sharper display, the standard Note 20’s 6.7-inch 1080p Super AMOLED Plus panel is still plenty impressive with vibrant colours and deep, true blacks.

Would it be better if it had a 120Hz refresh rate just like the Ultra? Of course. But that doesn’t take away the fact that this is still a high quality screen.

In the performance department, the Exynos 990 chip under the hood of the Galaxy Note 20 can keep up with any task I throw at it; as expected of a flagship-tier processor. Yes, the Note 20 in other markets do get the faster Snapdragon 855+ SoC, but it’s not like the Exynos 990 is sorely outclassed by the former. It’s still a very fast, very capable chipset.

And then there’s the excellent camera performance of the Note 20. Its triple camera configuration, while not super sophisticated – it’s made up of a 12MP primary sensor, a 64MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultra-wide angle shooter – is very fun to shoot with. Just take a look at the sample shots below.

Regardless of lighting situation, the camera can consistently return amazing-looking shots. Sure, the final images are saturated quite a bit – especially the blue sky of the first picture – but it does make for a more appealing shot without looking too artificial. On top of that, the camera interface itself is very responsive, and it can lock in focus very quickly and accurately.

That being said, not everything about the Note 20’s camera is great, which brings us to the next section.

The Bad Stuff

Now, I’m a fan of the Galaxy Note 20’s camera performance, but the difference in quality between the three sensors does mar the user experience. Judge for yourself with these shots taken with the three sensors.

12MP ultra-wide angle
12MP primary
64MP telephoto (5x)
64MP telephoto (10x)
64MP telephoto (20x)
64MP telephoto (30x)

Evidently, the 12MP primary sensor takes the best shots, while the 12MP ultra-wide angle and 64MP telephoto shooters don’t quite stack up with worse detail preservation and more visible noise. But to Samsung’s credit, the zooming capability of the Note 20 is quite decent, which can prove to be useful in certain scenarios.

Besides that, the battery life of the Galaxy Note 20 could be better too. On average, I was getting between four to five hours of screen on time with the phone throughout the review period. This figure is not bad by any means, but I expected more out of the phone’s pretty sizeable 4,300mAh battery.

Thankfully, the charging rate of the Note 20 is reasonably good. The phone got up to 57% from completely empty within 30 minutes of charging – quite respectable.

Last but definitely not least is the build quality of the Note 20; more specifically, the build material. Oddly enough, Samsung decided to use a polycarbonate (essentially plastic) back with this
flagship
 smartphone. You’d expect the phone to come with a more premium material at this price point.

To be fair, I do like the matte finish of the rear panel, but you can really tell that it’s made out of plastic. I cannot stress this enough: the plastic back is really at odds with the premium asking price of the Note 20. RM3,899 – or RM4,299 for the 5G model – is a lot of money, even for a flagship smartphone.

Is It Worth It?

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 has its shortcomings, but in my opinion, its strong points outweigh them. If you don’t need the 120Hz screen and 108MP camera system of the Note 20 Ultra, this regular Note 20 will serve as a fine alternative. Plus, you’re saving a good chunk of money with this phone, and you’ll still get the new and improved S Pen – arguably the most important hardware of any Note device.

Are there other flagship smartphones that offer better value for your money than the Galaxy Note 20? Definitely. But no other device in the market now offers the same utility of the S Pen, which is the defining feature of the Note series. If the new S Pen is what you want, the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra are your only options.


Proton X50 Booking Finally Opens Tomorrow – RM500 Booking Fee, 4 Variants

The wait is finally over. Proton just revealed that booking for its highly anticipated B-segment SUV, the
Proton X50
, will begin tomorrow on 16 September. Pricing details have not been announced yet – though there’s a good chance
it’ll cost below the RM90,000 mark
 – but the national carmaker did reveal several key specifications of the new model.

Four different variants of the X50 will be offered: Standard, Executive, Premium, and Flagship. The former three will be powered by a 1.5L turbocharged three-cylinder MPI engine that puts out 150PS and 226Nm of torque, while the Flagship trim gets a more powerful 1.5L TGDi mill, which churns out 177PS and 255Nm of torque.

Regardless of which engine you get, drive is sent to the front wheels with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Just like the aforementioned engine options, this gearbox is also co-developed by Geely and Volvo.

Now then, let’s break down the four variants of the X50. Despite being the most affordable model, the Standard trim still comes with a good list of equipment. These include 17-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlamps, rear air-conditioning vents, an 8-inch infotainment head unit, a reverse camera, fabric seats, and four airbags.

If you’re not to keen with the seat material and airbag amount of the Standard model, you can opt for the higher-end Executive variant. Not only does this configuration of the X50 come with leatherette seats and six airbags, it adds on auto headlamps, front fog lamps, and a leather wrapped steering wheel as well.

And then there’s the Premium variant of the X50, which gets even more goodies. These include larger 18-inch alloy wheels, a bigger 10-inch infotainment head unit, a tyre pressure monitoring system, driver power seat, and even a 360-degree camera. A very useful feature for an SUV.

Last but certainly not least is the most well-equipped Flagship model, which gets all the bells and whistles. Not only is it the only variant to come with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (which include parking assist and adaptive cruise control), it also gets dual tone exterior with blacked-out roof and a panoramic sunroof.

The Proton X50 will be available for booking tomorrow on 16 September; those who are keen to book the B-segment SUV would have to fork out a RM500 booking fee. According to Proton, “customer preview sessions will be held at four separate locations beginning 19 September, though these will be closed-door events.”


Apple Watch Series 6 Adds the Ability to Measure Blood Oxygen Levels From RM1,749

Apple is unveiling quite a number of new products today, and one of them is the Apple Watch Series 6. While the design of the smartwatch remains largely the same, it does pack some new sensors, enabling it to measure blood oxygen levels and more accurately track your sleep.

While the ability to measure blood oxygen levels isn’t exactly new in the smartwatch market – the Series 6 can get a reading in about 15 seconds – Apple does leverage on this feature by partnering with health networks for studies. Take the current COVID-19 pandemic: the Cupertino company can test if blood oxygen levels can be used to detect infected individuals.

Besides that, the Series 6 comes with Apple’s latest (you guessed it) S6 processor. This chip promises up to 20% better performance, and it’s based on Apple’s very own A13 chip. It’s a good performance upgrade over its predecessor, which was powered by the S5 processor – essentially a rebranded S4 chip.

Another big feature introduced with the Series 6 is more colour option. You can now get the new smartwatch in a range of colours, including blue, gold, graphite, and even Product (RED). That’s right, the company’s signature bright red hue is now available on the Apple Watch with the Series 6.

The Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch Series 6
ranges from RM1,749 to a steep RM3,499
 for the gold stainless steel case with leather loop. If you want something more affordable, you can opt for the equally new Apple Watch SE
from only RM1,199
. The SE doesn’t have the fancy new sensors of the Series 6, but it does sport many of the Series 5’s features.

At the moment, it remains to be seen exactly when these two smartwatches will be landing in malaysia. Rest assured, we’ll keep a close eye on their local availability.


The New iPad Air Is Sleeker & Faster With 5nm Apple A14 Chip; Starts at RM2,599

Announced alongside the new
Apple Watch Series 6
 is the revamped iPad Air. Now sporting a far sleeker design, a USB-C port, and a faster, more impressive Apple A14 Bionic chip, the new Air is better than its predecessor in every way.

Let’s start with the visual upgrade the iPad Air received. Gone are the huge bezels on the top and bottom of the screen in favour of slimmer bezels, giving the tablet a much more modern-looking design. But given that there’s no more space for the Touch ID home button, the fingerprint sensor has been moved to the power button instead.

This, in turn, makes the new iPad Air the first Apple product to have Touch ID integrated into the power button.

Another neat upgrade the updated iPad Air got is the brand new A14 Bionic chip. Not only does this six-core processor promises up to 40% better performance, it’s also built on an impressive 5nm process. This makes it a very power-efficient chip, which will further improve the battery life of this tablet.

Other noteworthy specifications of the iPad Air include a larger 10.9-inch 2360 x 1640 Liquid Retina display – it’s now a fully laminated panel with True Tone support – a USB-C connection, a 12MP rear camera, a 7MP front-facing shooter, and compatibility with the Cupertino company’s latest Apple Pencil.

The 8th generation iPad

Malaysian availability of the new iPad Air has not been revealed yet, but we do have the local pricing of the tablet already. The WiFi only model with 64GB of storage
retails at RM2,599
, while the 256GB configuration costs RM3,249. If you want cellular support, you’d have to add on RM550.

If this iPad Air doesn’t quite fit your budget, consider the more budget-friendly 8th generation iPad, which has been updated with Apple’s A12 chip. For the Malaysian market, the new iPad retails
from only RM1,449
.


PlayStation 5 Coming to Malaysia 19 November; Starts Below RM2,000

PlayStation finally revealed the price and availability of the PS5. Set to debut worldwide on 19 November – which should also include Malaysia – the next generation console carries a pretty competitive starting price of only $399; that comes up to about RM1,650.

Of course, that’s the price of the PS5 Digital Edition, which doesn’t come with a disc drive. The standard PS5, on the other hand, retails at $499 (approximately RM2,060). These price tags put the PS5 squarely against Microsoft’s own next generation consoles, which also go for $499 and $299 (around RM1,235) for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S respectively in the US.

As mentioned, the global debut of the PS5 on 19 November should also include the Malaysian market, even if this hasn’t been explicitly mentioned yet. After all, the
DualSense controller
 and the
media remote
 for the PS5 have already passed through SIRIM. It’s only a matter of time before the console itself appears in the certification body’s database.

As for how much the PS5 would cost here, we reckon the Digital Edition won’t go past the RM2,000 mark, given that a direct conversion of its $399 price tag in the US comes up to only about RM1,650. The standard PS5, on the other hand, should be priced slightly above the RM2,000 price point. As expected, the PS5 will cost quite a bit more over the PS4, which retailed for
as low as RM799 to RM1,259
.

Regardless, we’ll keep a close eye on the local availability of the PlayStation 5 as we approach closer to 19 November. Even though it’s not quite as affordable as its predecessor, it does come
with some impressive features
.


Honor’s First Gaming Laptop Features 10th Gen Intel CPU, RTX 2060 & 144Hz Screen

Honor recently launched its first-ever gaming laptop in China, the Honor Hunter V700. Not only does it sport a rather unique design, it’s also packing some capable hardware, including Intel’s 10th generation processors, an optional upgrade to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, as well as a 144Hz screen.

Three different variants of the Hunter V700 are offered in China. The base model comes with a GTX 1660 Ti GPU, a Core i5-10300H processor paired with 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. This particular configuration costs  7,499 Chinese yuan, which comes up to about RM4,560.

A tier up is the RTX 2060 variant of the Hunter V700. Not only does it come with a better GPU, it’s paired with a faster Core i7-10750H processor too. Other specifications of this model is identical to the aforementioned configuration, and it’s priced at 8,499 yuan (approximately RM5,175).

Last but certainly not least is the range-topping Hunter V700, which swaps out the 512GB SSD of the previous model for a much more generous 1TB drive. For this storage upgrade, you’d have to fork out 9,999 yuan (around RM6,075).

Regardless of which variant you go for, all configurations of the Hunter V700 feature the same 16.1-inch IPS 1920 x 1080 screen with a fast 144Hz refresh rate. If you’re into fast paced games, you can expect to get superior motion clarity with this display to give you a competitive edge.

Design wise, the Hunter V700 has a relatively minimalist look with an aluminium body and a backlit logo on the top lid. It also has quite an interesting cooling system: when the laptop is opened up, the bottom cover is slightly exposed for better thermal performance. According to Honor, this improves air flow by up to 40%.

At the moment, the Honor Hunter V700 is only available for pre-order in China, where it will hit store shelves in the country on 24 September. Given that Honor
offers its range of laptops here in Malaysia
, there’s a chance the company will introduce the Hunter V700 locally.


Sony Details Free PS5 Game Upgrade for PS4 Titles; Digital & Physical Copies Eligible

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)
dropped a lot of new information
 on the PS5 earlier today, and one of the most exciting details revealed is the free PS5 game upgrade for PS4 titles. If you own either the digital or physical copy of a PS4 game that is backward-compatible with the next generation console, you will be able to upgrade to the PS5 version for free.

That being said, there is a caveat: if you’ve got a physical copy of a PS4 game, you can only get the free upgrade on the regular PS5. Here is SIE’s statement regarding this:

The PS4 digital versions of launch games include a free upgrade on both PS5 consoles, while the PS4 disc versions of these games include a free upgrade on the PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-Ray disc drive.

Basically, if you’ve got the digital copy of a PS4 game in your account, you will be able to play the game on both version of the PS5 – the standard model and the more affordable Digital Edition. However, if you only own the physical version, you’ll need to get the regular PS5 with a disc drive to enjoy the free upgrade.

This suggests that you’ll need to insert the PS4 disc into the PS5 in order to play the game, which makes sense to prove that you own the game. Obviously, this cannot be done with the disc-less Digital Edition, so if the majority of your PS4 games are in physical format, it’s best to go for the standard PS5.

Despite not sporting a disc drive, the PS5 Digital Edition should prove to be a viable option for gamers who prefer the convenience of digital copies. On top of that, it’s definitely a good alternative for those who are on a tighter budget. After all, it costs $100 less than the standard model, and you’re still getting the same level of performance.

To recap, the standard PlayStation 5 retails at $499 (about RM2,065), while the Digital Edition costs $399 (approximately RM1,650) in the US. Both PS5 systems will be available globally from 19 November onwards, which should also include the Malaysian market.

Pre-orders for the PS5 have already started in certain markets, so there’s a very good chance Malaysian pre-order of the next generation console will begin very soon. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on this.


The Sony Xperia 5 II Is a Compact Flagship With a 120Hz OLED Screen; Likely Coming to Malaysia

Sony just introduced its latest flagship smartphone, the Sony Xperia 5 II. Compared to the Japanese company’s previous high-end device, the
Xperia 1 II
, this new flagship is arguably more attractive. Not only does it come with a faster 120Hz OLED screen, it’s also a lot more compact.

The Xperia 5 II sports a 6.1-inch 2520 x 1080 OLED screen with a tall 21:9 aspect ratio, so it’s actually very similar in size to the equally compact
Xperia 10 II
 with a slightly smaller 6.0-inch panel. Granted, this doesn’t sound quite as impressive as the Xperia 1 II’s bigger and sharper 6.5-inch 4K OLED panel, but the Xperia 5 II’s much faster 120Hz display more than make up for this, in our opinion.

Plus, in a flagship landscape dominated by much bigger smartphones, it’s refreshing to see Sony release a high-end device like the Xperia 5 II in a compact form factor.

Aside from that, under the hood of the Xperia 5 II is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip. Of course, it would’ve been great if it was powered by the newer and faster Snapdragon 865+ SoC, but the former is still a very capable processor that will be able to deliver flagship-tier performance. Plus, you also get 5G connectivity.

Other specifications of the Xperia 5 II include a triple camera system (12MP f/1.7 primary + 12MP f/2.4 telephoto + 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle), an 8MP f/2.0 front-facing camera, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of expandable storage, a 4,000mAh battery, IP65/68 water resistance, and surprise surprise, a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Sony Xperia 5 II will hit store shelves on 4 December in the US with a $949 price tag (about RM3,925). Malaysian availability of the flagship phone has not been confirmed yet, but given that it’s
already listed on Sony Malaysia’s website
, we reckon it will eventually be offered here.


Proton Debunks Fake Pricing of Proton X50

The Proton X50 is finally
open for booking
, but the pricing for the highly anticipated B-segment SUV has not been revealed yet. Naturally, everyone is eager to know exactly how much the new model will cost, so much so that an old viral post alleging to be the price list of the X50 started circulating again.

Proton, however, is quick to debunk the fake pricing of the X50. The national carmaker confirmed this on its Facebook page, further mentioning that “price list for the upcoming Proton X50 has not been released or disclosed at this point in time.”

Although Proton has not detailed the pricing of the X50 yet, there is a very good chance it will not be priced below the RM90,000 price point
as per our previous report
. At least, that’s what Affin Bank wrote in the terms and conditions for its Affin Duo campaign, which offers a “new exclusive Proton” – very likely the X50 – as the grand prize.

Of course, Affin Bank also mentioned that the RM90,000 price ceiling excludes insurance and road tax, and that the final price is still “subject to Proton’s announcement upon the launch of the new exclusive Proton variant in Malaysia’s market.”

Terms and conditions of the Affin Duo campaign

Nonetheless, if the Proton X50’s highest-end Flagship configuration is priced below the RM90,000 price point, it would offer incredibly good value for money. Click
here
 if you’d like to learn more about the X50.


Sony Xperia 5 II Coming to Malaysia December 2020

The Sony Xperia 5 II was just unveiled yesterday, and we now have confirmation that the compact flagship smartphone will be coming to Malaysia sometime in December this year. While that’s quite a long wait, that’s actually when the device is set to ship globally.

Unfortunately, local pricing of the Xperia 5 II has not been revealed yet, much like Sony’s other flagship smartphone, the
Xperia 1 II
. The latter is set to arrive here in November, so Sony Malaysia is essentially launching two flagship smartphones back to back.

Even though both of them are flagship smartphones, the Xperia 5 II is really meant to appeal to a different crowd. Unlike the Xperia 1 II, the former is a more compact flagship smartphone with a 6.1-inch 2520 x 1080 OLED screen with a tall 21:9 aspect ratio. On top of that, it also sports a fast 120Hz refresh rate; the Xperia 1 II only features a conventional 60Hz panel.

Other specifications of the Xperia 5 II include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, a triple camera system (12MP f/1.7 primary + 12MP f/2.4 telephoto + 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle), an 8MP f/2.0 front-facing camera, a 4,000mAh battery, IP65/68 water resistance, and even a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Sony Xperia 5 II will be landing in Malaysia sometime in December 2020. It remains to be seen exactly how much it will cost here, but for the sake of comparison, it retails at $949 (about RM3,915) in the US market.