2023 Honda Accord Not Coming to Malaysia Due to Low Demand in D-Segment Market

At the launch of the new
Honda City facelift
, Honda Malaysia revealed some of its plans for the year, including its decision not to bring in the 2023 Honda Accord to our local market. With that in mind, it appears the current Accord – which was launched here
back in 2020
 – will continue to be sold here for the foreseeable future.

According to the MD and CEO of Honda Malaysia, Hironobu Yoshimura, the Japanese company is not bringing in the new Accord due to low demand in the D-segment market. Instead, it appears Honda is capitalising on the rising demand for SUVs instead, especially with the
introduction of the WR-V last month
.

The 2023 Honda Accord

The current Accord sold in Malaysia

On the bright side, at least the current Accord is discounted quite heavily right now. For this month, both the range-topping TC-P and more affordable TC models of the sedan
receive a RM9,000 rebate
. This brings down the starting price of the Accord to RM169,400.

Do note that this discount on the Accord is only applicable to vehicles that are registered between 1 to 31 August 2023, meaning you have to take delivery of the car within this month. More details on the promotion can be found on
Honda Malaysia’s official website
.


423,000 Honda City Sold in Malaysia Since 2002

The first generation Honda City made its debut here in Malaysia back in 2002. Since then, over 423,000 units of the B-segment sedan have been sold on our shores. This comes as no surprise, of course, given that the City has consistently been
Honda Malaysia’s best-selling model
.

This figure was revealed by the MD and CEO of Honda Malaysia, Hironobu Yoshimura, at the
local launch of the City facelift
. “The popularity of the City is undeniable. Since it was introduced in 2002, there are now more than 423,000 City on Malaysian roads,” he said.

According to Honda Malaysia, it is targeting to sell 2,400 units of the new City monthly. Five variants are still offered: S (RM84,900), E (RM89,900), V (RM94,900), RS (RM99,900, new to the range, replacing the V Sensing trim), and the range-topping e:HEV RS (RM111,900) hybrid model.

The 2023 Honda City facelift is now available for booking at all 101 authorised Honda dealerships nationwide. Alternatively, pre-booking can be done online
here
, or through the HondaTouch app – it can be downloaded from the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
.


ShopBack Pay Now in Malaysia – Earn (And Use) Cashback Online & Offline

Last year, ShopBack introduced its buy now, pay later (BNPL) service dubbed
ShopBack PayLater
 after acquiring Hoolah, a BNPL platform. Fast forward to today, the company is launching ShopBack Pay, which allows ShopBack users to pay for their purchases in full while still earning cashback.

Just like ShopBack PayLater, ShopBack Pay can be used for both online and offline purchases at retail outlets. Not only can you earn cashbacks by paying with the ShopBack app, you can even use the cashback you have earned to offset future payments.

“At ShopBack, our commitment is to consistently enhance the shopping experience for both our merchants and shoppers. By introducing a range of innovative and rewarding shopping features, we anticipate ShopBack Pay and PayLater services to become a key offering in our product pipeline, contributing significantly to our mission of a rewarding shopping journey,” said the general manager of ShopBack Malaysia, Eddy Han.

So far, over 2,000 merchants online and offline offer ShopBack as a payment option. To celebrate the launch of ShopBack Pay, shoppers can get an instant RM15 bonus cashback when they spend RM300 in-store at the Christy Ng store in Sunway Pyramid and the Jovian store in Shah Alam.

Aside from that, ShopBack users also stand a chance to win 100% cashback at selected merchants such as Jakel, Puma, Aster Spring, Alhumaira, Kapten Batik, Ariani, and more until 31 August 2023. You can download the ShopBack app from the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
.


ShopBack Has Over 5 Million Members in Malaysia – RM200 Million Cashback Earned

At the launch of
ShopBack Pay
, the company gave some interesting updates on its operations. Not only are there more than five million ShopBack users in Malaysia now,
over RM200 million
 cashback have been earned by local users too.

“Cashback has always been the unique proposition of ShopBack – to date, Malaysian users have earned more than RM200 million worth of cashback with ShopBack,” said the general manager of ShopBack Malaysia, Eddy Han. Aside from that, he also added that ShopBack sees over 500,000 transactions every day in 2023.

Looking forward, ShopBack will continue to drive value for both its users and merchants. Its annual ShopFest event this year, for one, is said to be the best one yet. It’s set to take place between September to December 2023, so keep your eyes peeled then.

Whether you do a lot of shopping online or offline – yes, ShopBack is available as a payment option at selected retail outlets too – it’s worth checking out ShopBack to earn some extra cashback. You can download the app from the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
.


Final Fantasy XVI Review: My First of Many More Final Fantasy Games

Okay, technically, Final Fantasy XVI (FFXVI) isn’t the first Final Fantasy game I played. In my younger days, I remember playing a bit of Final Fantasy X, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, and more recently,
Final Fantasy VII Remake
. Unfortunately, I completed…none of these games.

In that sense, FFXVI is the first Final Fantasy game I finished. Well, the main storyline anyway. For someone who has never completed a game in this franchise before, I definitely enjoyed playing through the 16th main instalment of the game.

Even if it was
overheating my PS5
 – more on this further down the review.

What It Is

FFXVI is touted as the first true action RPG in the series, combining a real-time combat system – which is done quite well – with RPG elements. The main protagonist is Clive Rosfield, who carries the title “First Shield of Rosaria,” and he is sworn to protect his younger brother, Joshua.

Joshua is the Dominant of Phoenix, one of several Eikons that Clive will encounter throughout the game as he travels around Valisthea, the world of FFXVI. Eikons are basically physical embodiments of specific elemental powers in FFXVI, so needless to say, these entities (and their respective Dominants) are powerful figures.

Without going into spoiler territory – the storyline of the FFXVI is one of its most endearing qualities, after all – I’ll just take this official excerpt from the game’s synopsis:
Clive will be caught up in a great tragedy and swear revenge on the Dark Eikon known as Ifrit, a mysterious entity that brings calamity in its wake
.

While that’s a very simplified plot of the game, it’s actually an apt description of the starting point.

Clive

Joshua

Phoenix

Ifrit

Here in Malaysia, FFXVI is
priced at RM299
 for the Standard Edition of the game, and it is available exclusively on the PS5 until the end of 2023. While that’s quite a steep price tag, this
is
 a AAA game with plenty of content.

The Good Stuff

The storyline of Final Fantasy XVI is easily my favourite part of the game. Not only does it have an engrossing plot with a great amount of depth, each and every character are fleshed out incredibly well. I’m impressed with the character development of not just Clive, but many other characters we encounter throughout the main scenario.

Further enhancing the narrative of FFXVI is the great voice acting. I finished the story completely in English audio, and I’m very happy I did. Almost every single dialogue is delivered with the right amount of emotion and gusto, and this applies to even minor characters.

Once I was done with the main storyline of FFXVI – which took me about 30 hours of purely advancing the plot – there are still many,
many
 side quests to be completed, which add further depth to the world of Valisthea. Basically, FFXVI offers a ton of content that are sure to satiate even the most demanding gamers who are hungry for content.

Graphically, there’s no denying that FFXVI is a beautiful game. The environment looks lush and vibrant, character models are very detailed, and their facial expressions are rendered accurately. You can just
feel
 the emotions that the characters are portraying from their expressions.

The gameplay of FFXVI is also very fun and sophisticated. While the combat system does feel a bit barebones in the beginning, it does get more complex once I’ve progressed through the game further. I’m not well-versed enough with the combat system to pull off amazing combos, but looking at footage caught by other players, there are certainly many combo variations in this game.

I’m also quite happy with the overall difficulty of FFXVI. For me personally, it strikes a good balance where it feels neither too easy or too hard. Performing perfect dodges are also satisfying, though trying to parry enemy attacks feel a bit…off.

Anyway, let’s move on to not so great aspects of the game, including the aforementioned overheating issue.

The Bad Stuff

Throughout my playthrough of Final Fantasy XVI, I received numerous overheating warnings on my PS5, and in some instances, my console even shut down abruptly. This still occurs even after I took apart my PS5 to clean…a thin layer of dust within the console. Granted, I do have a launch unit of the PS5, though many other players
have reported similar issues
.

And then there’s the overall performance of FFXVI. I initially played the game on Frame Rate mode for, well, higher frame rates, but the game can’t quite run the game consistently at 60fps. I ultimately run the game on the Graphics mode instead for higher-fidelity visuals, even though the frame rate is limited to 30fps.

My last qualm with FFXVI are the repetitive quests, which are present even during the main storyline. The fetch quests are particularly annoying, which detracts from the overall narrative and tone of the story, in my opinion.

Is It Worth It?

After all is said and done, I still highly,
highly
recommend Final Fantasy XVI. While the overheating warnings were quite concerning, the don’t pop-up as often anymore the further I progressed through the game. I am also (relatively) sure that the lifespan of my PS5 won’t be affected by this.

Completing FFXVI intrigued my interest with other Final Fantasy games. From the franchise’s excellent character development to incredible world building, I may just make time to finally complete Final Fantasy VII Remake. At least, before Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is released in early 2024 next year.

Final Fantasy XVI is out now exclusively on PS5.


Unreleased Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 Coming to Malaysia Soon

The original
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
 first made its debut in 2021, so it’s high time for the premium laptop to be refreshed. Well, we have good reason to believe that the (unreleased) Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 will be coming to Malaysia very soon.

In our usual search through SIRIM’s database, we saw that the Surface Laptop Studio 2 was registered with the certification body by both Ingram Micro Malaysia and VSTECS Astar on 10 and 9 August respectively. Now that the laptop has appeared in SIRIM’s database, there’s a good chance it will be launched very soon.

One of the most unique features of the Surface Laptop Studio is its “Dynamic Woven Hinge,” which we expect to be carried over to the Laptop Studio 2. This hinge allows the laptop to transition between three modes: laptop, stage, and studio. Laptop is self-explanatory, while stage props up the display right behind the trackpad; much like Acer’s
ConceptD 3 Ezel
. As for studio, it’s basically transforming the laptop into a tablet.

Rumours suggest that the Surface Laptop Studio 2 will be quite powerful too. It’s believed to be powered by Intel’s latest 13th gen processors, with the most powerful configuration featuring an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. Some design improvements are expected as well.

At the time of writing, it remains to be seen exactly when the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 will be introduced. Given that it has been registered with SIRIM already, it’s safe to assume we’re close to the official unveiling of Microsoft’s next high-end, premium laptop.


Deal: Get Asus ROG Ally With RM100 Discount Tonight

The
Asus ROG Ally
 went up for sale in Malaysia a couple of months ago, and if you’re still looking to buy one, good news. At the stroke of midnight, you can get the handheld gaming PC
with a RM100 discount
 – not a huge amount, but still noteworthy.

This deal is offered by Asus brand store Just IT, a Shopee Mall retailer. The ROG Ally will be
discounted to RM3,199
 on 15 August this midnight in conjunction with the Shopee Mall Day sale. At the time of writing, only four units are left.

It’s worth noting that the 1TB SSD option for the Ally is not an official SKU from Asus Malaysia. Chances are, it’s an upgrade done by the retailer itself.

Anyway, compared to its main competition, the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally’s value proposition is good at this price point. Not only is it a more powerful handheld machine, it also has a number of advantages, including a higher resolution 7-inch 1920 x 1080 display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Steam Deck, on the other hand, has lower resolution 60Hz panel, though it has a taller 16:10 aspect ratio.

Aside from that, the ROG Ally can also be connected to the (proprietary) ROG XG Mobile external GPU enclosure for higher fidelity gaming. Other specifications of the Ally include 16GB of LPDDR5 dual-channel RAM, a 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD, a microSD card slot for further storage expansion, as well as a lightweight chassis that tips the scales at 608g.

If you want to enjoy a
RM100 discount on the Asus ROG Ally
, purchase it from Just IT this midnight on Shopee. Do note that you may be able to use additional discount vouchers from Shopee and the retailer itself to get further discount on the handheld PC.

Want to learn more about the ROG Ally? Then check out our full review
here
.


Video: Vortex M0110 Sound Test & Unboxing – $149 Pre-Built Keyboard

Vortex is one of the most recognisable names in the pre-built keyboard market. Its Pok3r keyboard was a very popular option back then, and the company’s latest release is the Vortex M0110. Sporting a vintage aesthetic with a gasket mount design, it’s quite a refined pre-built keyboard.

Typically, support for VIA and QMK is limited to custom keyboards, but the M0110 can actually be configured with these two software. Granted, that’s only for the wired version – the wireless model we received does not have VIA or QMK support, though it does feature Bluetooth and a 2.4GHz dongle.

The Vortex M0110 can now be purchased
from Vortex itself
 with a $149 starting price, which comes up to about RM685. It is also available in either a conventional 60% layout (the one you see here) or a HHKB configuration.


New Illegear Apex 27 Now in Malaysia – 165Hz WQHD 27″ Monitor for RM1,199

Aside from its range of gaming laptops, Illegear sells quite a number of different gaming monitors too, including the refreshed Illegear Apex 27. Now sporting a different stand design with some changes here and there, the new gaming monitor still retains the previous model’s price tag.

For the Malaysian market, the Apex 27 is still priced at RM1,199, so the monitor’s value proposition is quite good. For that kind of money, you’re getting a fast 165Hz WQHD (2560 x 1440) gaming monitor with a 27-inch panel that meets 100% of the sRGB colour space. It also has a peak brightness of 400 nits.

Of course, the Apex 27’s new stand is still screwless with a range of adjustment options. Aside from its height adjustment, it can also be tilted, rotated, and swiveled. It also has two DisplayPort 1.4 connections now – the previous model only offered DisplayPort 1.2 – along with two HDMI 2.0 ports.

The Illegear Apex 27 is now available for purchase in Malaysia through the company’s
online store
 for RM1,199. If you plan to buy the gaming monitor with cash, you can actually get it for RM1,140 instead – that’s RM59 worth of savings.


Smart Malaysia Signs MoC With Public Bank to Streamline Purchasing Process

Smart Malaysia, through Pro-Net – the exclusive authorised importer and distributor of Smart vehicles in Malaysia and Thailand – recently signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with Public Bank. Essentially, the collaboration is for Smart customers to have a more streamlined purchasing process.

The collaboration between the two entities will allow for Public Bank to “interface and facilitate digitalisation via online submission of hire purchase,” as the press release reads. This is done through the upcoming Smart customer app, as well as authorised Smart dealers.

“Pro-Net is making remarkable progress in developing a Smart Malaysia customers’ app, set to offer an exceptional range of eco-services, including convenient online loan applications and seamless charging information capabilities,” said the CEO of Pro-Net, Zhang Qiang.

“By collaborating with Public Bank, our aim is to streamline the purchasing process and provide a hassle-free and reshaping customer digital experience,” Roslan Abdullah added, who is a board member of Pro-Net and also deputy CEO of Proton.


Genshin Impact Teases Neuvillette & Wriothesley – Likely Playable in Version 4.1

Genshin Impact
 4.0 is arriving
this coming Wednesday on 16 August
, so as per usual, we got some character teasers from Hoyoverse itself. This time around, the developer is teasing two new Fontaine characters: Neuvillette and Wriothesley.

Chances are, both of them will be playable in the next Version 4.1 update for Genshin Impact. After all, every character teased by Hoyoverse are usually playable in the next version update of the game, so there’s no reason the same wouldn’t apply to Neuvillette and Wriothesley.

From left: Neuvillette and Wriothesley

Unfortunately, the rarity of the two characters were not revealed, though Hoyoverse confirmed that Neuvillette is a Cryo character, while Wriothesley is a Hydro unit. Interestingly, Neuvillette’s description seems to imply that he doesn’t have a Vision; the name of his Constellation was not revealed either.

Nonetheless, we should learn more about Neuvillette and Wriothesley in the new Fontaine storyline once the Version 4.0 update of Genshin Impact drops this Wednesday on 16 August.
Lyney’s and Yelan’s banners (alongside Lynette)
 will also be available once the update is live.


Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 Official – 5.26mm Thin, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Leading Version, From 8,999 Yuan

Xiaomi’s latest foldable phone has just been unveiled in China, and it looks to be the Chinese company’s most refined one yet. Not only is the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3
even thinner
 than
its predecessor
 at 5.26mm slim (unfolded, of course), it also comes with a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 “Leading Version” chipset while retaining the same starting price.

Three different variants of the MIX Fold 3 are offered in China. The 12GB + 256GB base model retails at 8,999 Chinese yuan (about RM5,720), while the 16GB + 512GB configuration goes for 9,999 yuan (approximately RM6,360). As for the range-topping 16GB + 1TB variant, it is priced at 10,999 yuan (around RM6,995).

For that kind of money, the MIX Fold 3 features some impressive hardware. The aforementioned Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Leading Version, for one, is said to offer faster performance over the regular chip. Its folding mechanism is also said to be very durable; it is rated for a whopping 500,000 folds.

Other specifications of the MIX Fold 3 include a Leica-branded quad camera system (50MP primary + 12MP ultra-wide + 10MP telephoto + 10MP periscope telephoto), a 20MP selfie camera, an 8.025-inch 2160 x 1916 Eco² OLED Plus primary display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, a 6.56-inch 1080p AMOLED cover screen (also 120Hz), and a 4,800mAh battery with 67W wired fast charging – 50W wireless.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3 will be coming to Malaysia, just like its predecessors. Nonetheless, it is certainly an impressive foldable phone that could give its mainstream rivals a run for their money.


Xiaomi’s CyberDog 2 Looks More Like a Dog Now With AI Self-Learning

Beyond its
most refined foldable phone
 yet, Xiaomi also unveiled the new CyberDog 2. Compared to the first CyberDog, the new “bio-inspired” quadruped robot looks…well, more like a dog now. It is also quite a bit more advanced, complete with AI self-learning.

Weighing 8.9kg with a size that’s approximately that of a Doberman – which is still a relatively big dog, mind you – the CyberDog 2 is certainly more compact than its predecessor. It can get smarter over time as well, thanks to its AI self-learning capability that involves parallel-training with 30,000 generated robot dog models.

Naturally, the CyberDog 2 can perform some impressive tricks too. Not only can it perform continuous back flips, it can even recover from a fall on its own. To accomplish these feats, it has a slew of sensors and Xiaomi’s self-developed CyberGear micro-actuator that provides a good amount of torque and responsiveness.

So how much does the CyberDog 2 costs? A cool 12,999 Chinese yuan, which comes up to about RM8,130. It’s worth noting that the robot is not catered to regular consumers. Rather, it’s meant to be a development platform for developers to explore. After all, CyberDog 2 is built on an open-source ecosystem.


Maxis Finally Activates 5G – Free 30 Days Trial, New Plans From RM79/Month

Maxis users can finally enjoy 5G connectivity from today onwards! Just like other telcos, Maxis is tapping into Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB)’s 5G network to provide 5G service to its customers. In conjunction with its introduction of 5G, Maxis also unveiled a slew of new plans.

Of course, to get 5G connectivity, existing Maxis users have to upgrade to a new 5G plan. The most affordable one is the Maxis Postpaid 79 plan for RM79/month, which provides 80GB of 4G/5G data and 40GB 5G bonus data for a total of 120GB. Of course, this plan comes with unlimited calls and SMS as well.

Alternatively, you can add 5G connectivity to your current plan for an extra RM10/month with the 5G Access Pass. As an introductory offer, Maxis users can get the first month free until 15 September 2023. Naturally, this offer is available to Hotlink users as well.

You can get the 5G Access Pass or upgrade your current Maxis plan through the Maxis app, which can be downloaded from the
Apple App Store
,
Google Play Store
, and
Huawei AppGallery
. More details on Maxis’ new 5G plans can be found on its
official website
.


Sony WF-1000XM5 Launched in Malaysia – Roadshow at Mid Valley Until 20 August

The Sony WF-1000XM5 has just been launched in Malaysia. To celebrate the local arrival of the wireless earbuds, Sony Malaysia is currently running a roadshow showcasing its various audio products at the popular Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur until 20 August this Sunday.

For the Malaysian market, the WF-1000XM5 retails at RM1,399; exactly RM300 more than the
WF-1000XM4
 when it was first launched on our shores. Offered in two distinct colours (Black and Platinum Silver), early birds can get a number of freebies by purchasing the XM5, including a free HYPE T-shirt.

The highlight feature of the new WF-1000XM5 is certainly the improved noise cancelling. Using a total of six microphones and two separate processors, the XM5 can capture ambient sound more accurately while also delivering “unprecedented noise cancelling quality” – certainly a lofty promise.

Other specifications of the WF-1000XM5 include a new 8.4mm dynamic driver dubbed Dynamic Driver X – it’s said to provide deeper bass, richer vocals, and clear highs – up to 12 hours of battery life (down to eight hours with noise cancellation enabled), noise isolation foam tips, and IPX4 water resistance.

If you’re keen to purchase the new Sony WF-1000XM5 and score some freebies while you’re at it, you can do so at Sony Malaysia’s roadshow in Mid Valley Megamall at the East Atrium (right in front of Uniqlo) on the ground floor. To recap, Sony’s latest premium wireless earbuds retail at RM1,399 locally.


Neta V Sub-RM80k Pricing Not Accurate; Final Pricing in September 2023 – Intro Synergy

The
Neta V
 first made its debut at the Malaysia Autoshow 2023 back in May this year, and it was touted as the most affordable EV in Malaysia with a RM99,800 price tag. Well, recently, an image showing a RM79,800 pricing for the Neta V at a shopping mall went viral, though Intro Synergy confirmed that the pricing is actually not accurate.

Intro Synergy is the sole distributor of Neta cars in Malaysia, and the company released a statement on the viral sub-RM80,000 pricing of the Neta V. “We would like to deny the displayed price and would like to clarify that the price of Neta V will only be officially announced during the launch ceremony scheduled for next month (September),” the statement reads.

The pricing that went viral

Regardless of how much it costs, the Neta V offers a range of up to 380km (following the NEDC standard) out of its 38.54kWh battery. It supports up to 100W DC fast charging too, which can juice up the battery from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes. With a slower 6.6kW AC home charger, it can be charged from empty to full in 8 hours.

Performance wise, the Neta V’s front-mounted electric motor outputs a modest 95PS and 160Nm of torque, allowing it to go from 0-50kmph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 120kmph. Safety wise, it features two airbags – yes, only two – ABS, EBD, ESC, and passive cruise control.

To recap, the final pricing of the Neta V in Malaysia will only be announced sometime next month in September 2023. As per Intro Synergy’s statement, the EV will be offered with “attractive package offers to all customers.”


Affordable Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Launching in Malaysia Soon

It seems like Xiaomi is bringing in a new wearable to the Malaysian market. No, it’s not the new Smart Band 8 Pro that was launched in China earlier this week, but the more affordable Xiaomi Smart Band 8, which made its debut back in April this year.

The smart band was registered with SIRIM just today under Xiaomi Malaysia with the model number M2239B1. Every electronic sold in Malaysia (officially) has to go through SIRIM first, so it’s likely the Smart Band 8 will be launched on our shores very soon.

Compared to its predecessor, the biggest upgrade the Smart Band 8 brings is a new design that allows for  a wider range of strap options; it can even be attached to a pendant or a shoe. Beyond that, it’s also said to deliver slightly better battery life of up to 16 days (14 days for the
Smart Band 7
), while still retaining the 1.62-inch 490 x 192 AMOLED display and the ability to track up to 150 different sports.

At the time of writing, there’s no indication from Xiaomi Malaysia on the local availability of the Smart Band 8. But given that the wearable has been registered with SIRIM already, we reckon it will be launched here very soon. In China, the Smart Band 8 starts at only 239 Chinese yuan, which is about RM150.


Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PC) Review: Still Great After 2 Years

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
 was first launched on the PS5 in 2021. Fast forward two years, the game is now available on PC as well, so fans of the franchise without a PS5 can finally experience the continuation of the much-loved series.

For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed playing the game on PC. Even after so long, Ratchet & Clank is still just as entertaining to play through with great-looking graphics. And this is despite the fact that I’m running the game on older hardware.

But is it worth forking out RM249 for the game? Well, I’ll get to that in this review of Rift Apart.

What It Is

For PC, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is available on
Steam
 and the
Epic Games Store
 for RM249, which is RM50 less than the PS5 version (RM299). However, it’s worth noting that the game is also available through PlayStation Plus – the Extra tier, to be specific.

Before I get to the meat of the review, I should outline my PC setup first:

AMD Ryzen 2700X

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 WINDFORCE OC 8GB GDDR6

16GB RAM

Samsung 860 EVO SSD

Windows 10

Yes, not a particularly modern PC setup, though it’s certainly not a low-end machine by any means. Throughout my playthrough of Rift Apart, I ran the game at 1440p under the High graphics settings with DLSS upscaling switched on. Overall, I can get pretty solid frame rate – I’ll elaborate more in the next section.

The Good Stuff

Since I’ve already reviewed Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart when it first came out on the PS5 in 2021, I’ll focus more on the performance aspect of this PC version. It’s usually a gamble when it comes to PC ports of console releases, but I’m happy to report that Rift Apart, even with my modest PC, can still run the game exceptionally well.

However, there is one rift jumping sequence at the start of the game that gave me a bit of a scare. That particular scene dropped my frame rate to about 20fps for a few seconds, though I don’t experience the same lag anymore in subsequent rift jumps after that portion of the game – thankfully.

In fact, rift jumping during combat is smooth without a hint of lag. Of course, the official recommendation is to run the game on an SSD, and I’m happy that my Samsung 860 EVO can keep up without losing a beat. While it is technically possible to still play the game with a slower HDD, but it
won’t be a very pleasant gaming experience
.

With my RTX 2080, Rift Apart runs quite smooth, and I didn’t face any severe frame drops even during heated battles with hoards of enemies. On average, I can get about 60fps, though the frame rate does drop to about 40fps in more intense gameplay. I switched on ray tracing for fun at times, but my frame rate drops to about 30fps…and below during combat. Needless to say, I switched back to the High graphics settings shortly after.

Performance aside, I also can’t get over
how good
 Rift Apart looks. From the unique biomes of the different planets I visit to the very detailed character models – not to mention the sheer vastness of each environment – this is a stunning game. It’s amazing to think that Rift Apart was initially released two years ago.

The Bad Stuff

As much as I enjoyed playing through Rift Apart, I did encounter some issues in my playthrough. One of which is the (slightly) confusing control references. I used a mouse and keyboard to play the game, and there are a few instances where it still mentions half-pressing the trigger buttons, which is a reference to the DualSense controller.

Understandably, I can still connect a DualSense controller to my PC to play Rift Apart, but I find it more comfortable to aim with a mouse and keyboard. On the bright side, the half-press, full-press mechanism does translate quite well to the mouse input: right click is half-press, left click is full-press, and holding left click is long press.

I also encountered some bugs with the weapons vendor, Ms. Zurkon. There were a couple of instances where she closed up her shop and hid when I got closer, which usually only happens when I’m in the middle of combat. Of course, I wasn’t actually in a fight when this happened to me.

The other one concerns the weapon preview page, which shows how a particular weapon looks and performs. There was one time where the pop-up would come up, but…nothing was actually shown. It’s really just a minor bug, of course, which quickly resolved itself when I visited Ms. Zurkon again.

Is It Worth It?

For RM249, I’d still say Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is worth the money. While the main storyline of the game isn’t particularly long at about 15 to 20 hours of gameplay – depending on whether or not you do the optional quests – it does have good replay value, thanks to the inclusion of Challenge Mode.

Plus, the PC version of Rift Apart does include a number of new features, including ultra-wide monitor support and a slew of performance-enhancing upscaling, so the game can still run quite well on older hardware, such as my PC.

Li Jin Soh contributed to this review.


17 – 23 August Fuel Price: No Changes, RON 97 Price Stays at RM3.37 Per Litre

Another week, another fuel price update. Not surprisingly, there’s no price movement for RON 97 this week either, and the prices of RON 95 and diesel are unchanged as well, given that their ceiling prices have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 continues to be set at RM3.37 per litre for the next seven days. RON 95, on the other hand, remains at RM2.05 per litre. As for diesel, it still costs RM2.15 per litre.

These prices will be in effect from 17 to 23 August next week. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week for fuel price update.


PS5 Discounted to RM2,279 in Malaysia for Merdeka Until 31 August 2023

In conjunction with our upcoming 66th Merdeka celebration, PlayStation is giving the PS5 a discount. Aside from the console itself, other games and one peripheral are also discounted, including the Pulse 3D wireless headset and
God of War Ragnarok
.

Two PS5 consoles will be discounted from 18 August (tomorrow) to 31 August at
participating retailers
. The standard PS5 – with the Blu-ray disc drive – will go for RM2,279, while the
Final Fantasy XVI
 PS5 bundle, which includes a digital copy of the game with the standard PS5, costs RM2,549.

Unfortunately, the PS5 Digital Edition is not part of the promotion.

As mentioned, a number of games are also discounted. These include
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
 (RM169 for both the PS5 and PS4 versions); God of War Ragnarok (RM209, PS5);
Horizon Forbidden West
 (RM209, PS5); and God of War PlayStation Hits (RM39, PS4). As for the Pulse 3D headset, it will retail at RM419 for the White, Midnight Black, and Grey Camouflage models.

To recap, these promotional prices for the PS5, Pulse 3D wireless headset, and games will be valid from 18 to 31 August 2023. More details on PlayStation’s Merdeka Sale can be found
here
.


Honkai: Star Rail Teases Jingliu, Topaz & Numby, Guinaifen – Likely Playable in Version 1.4

Over the past few days,
Honkai: Star Rail
 has teased three new characters: Jingliu, Topaz & Numby, as well as Guinaifen. As per previous teasers for Star Rail – as well as Hoyoverse’s other big title,
Genshin Impact
 – it is likely these three characters will be playable in Version 1.4 of the game.

Both Jingliu and Topaz & Numby are 5-star characters, while Guinaifen is a 4-star unit. Jingliu is an Ice character that walks the Path of the Destruction, while Topaz & Numby wield the Fire element under the Path of the Hunt. As for Guinaifen, she is a fire Nihility unit.

Looking at their Paths, Jingliu and Topaz & Numby are likely DPS characters, while Guinaifen could be a debuffer as a Nihility unit. Of course, these are just our own educated guesses based on details that have been revealed by Hoyoverse already.

Nonetheless, we may learn more about these new characters on the Honkai: Star Rail livestream for the Version 1.3 update tomorrow on 18 August.
Imbibitor Lunae
 and
Fu Xuan
 will make an appearance on the stream, so both of them (alongside
Lynx
) should be playable in Star Rail 1.3.


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Best Flipping Foldable Phone in Malaysia

It’s been quite some time since the first foldable smartphone was released, and to date, Samsung is still leading the mainstream foldable market. This is especially so in Malaysia, where we don’t get as many foldable phones as, say, the US market.

But despite the lack of competition in Malaysia, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a certainly a fantastic flip-style foldable phone. The bigger Flex Window cover screen adds much-needed practicality to the phone, there’s finally no more gap when the device is folded, and of course, it is faster than ever.

While the Z Flip 5 still needs to improve in certain areas, it’s a foldable phone I’d be more than happy to recommend.

What It Is

Display
Main: 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (2640 x 1080), 120Hz
Cover: 3.4-inch Super AMOLED (748 x 720), 60Hz
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 3.36GHz octa-core
GPU
Adreno 740
RAM
8GB
Storage
256/512GB, non-expandable
Camera (rear)
12MP f/1.8, Dual Pixel AF, OIS
12MP f/2.2 (ultra-wide)
Camera (front)
10MP f/2.2
Battery
3,700mAh with 25W charging
Dimensions
Unfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm
Folded: 85.1 x 71.9 x 15.1 mm
Weight
187g
OS
One UI 5.1.1 based on Android 13
Connectivity
5G
LTE
NFC
Bluetooth 5.3
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
USB Type-C
Price
RM4,499 (256GB), RM4,999 (512GB)

Compared to last year’s
Z Flip 4
, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 brings three big upgrades to the table. There’s the aforementioned bigger cover screen, improved hinge for a gapless design, and faster performance, courtesy of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. It also sees only a RM100 price increase over its predecessor, which is justifiable (in my opinion) with all of the upgrades the phone brings.

Unfortunately, other hardware of the Z Flip 5 remain the same as its predecessor. It still has a largely unchanged dual camera system, no major changes to the primary screen – yes, the crease is still quite obvious – and the same 3,700mAh battery capacity. While there is
some
 improvement in battery life, it could be better; more on this further down the review.

The Good Stuff

The most noteworthy upgrade – and my personal favourite feature – of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the much improved cover screen. Thanks to the larger 3.4-inch Super AMOLED display, checking through my notifications is much easier now. On top of that, I can even type out a reply with a
full-size
 keyboard.

There are a couple of caveats, however. For one, only the Samsung keyboard is supported on the cover screen, and it can be a tad tricky to type on this…compact keyboard if you’ve got bigger hands. But for the most part, I certainly appreciate this feature to quickly reply to messages without needing to flip open the phone.

Speaking of flipping open the phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a solid hinge. Compared to my review unit of the Flip 4, the Flip 5’s hinge isn’t quite as stiff; this is a good thing, in my books. Not only is it easier to open up the phone now, the tension of the hinge is also consistent throughout the folding and unfolding motion. So yes, it’s still stiff enough to be propped up at an angle.

Of course, it’s also worth noting that the Z Flip 5 has a new hinge design now that leaves no gap when the phone is folded. Not only does this look aesthetically better, it should be able to minimise dust that gets in between the two halves of the screen when the phone is kept in my pocket; an issue that I faced with the Z Flip 4.

Despite sporting a new hinge, the display crease of the Z Flip 5 is still very much there. It’s especially visible when the display is switched off – or viewing it at an angle – and you can definitely feel the crease if you run your finger over it. But for what it’s worth, the crease doesn’t really bother me (too much) in everyday use.

As for the display quality of the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s two screens, they are both great-looking panels, especially the primary one. It would’ve been nice if the 60Hz cover screen matches the main display’s 120Hz refresh rate, but at least it’s bright enough for comfortable use even under bright sunlight.

In the performance department, the Z Flip 5 is without a doubt a fast, zippy phone. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset allows for seamless multitasking, and it can run demanding games like
Honkai: Star Rail
 quite handily with minimum stuttering in more intense gameplay sequences.

Now, let’s move on to not so great aspects of the Z Flip 5.

The Bad Stuff

Given that the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s camera hardware doesn’t see much change, its camera performance remains…relatively the same. Don’t get me wrong, the dual camera system (12MP main + 12MP ultra-wide) can still take great-looking shots in various lighting conditions, but the image quality of the ultra-wide sensor does have room for improvement in more challenging lighting situations.

12MP ultra-wide

12MP primary

12MP ultra-wide

12MP primary

12MP ultra-wide

12MP primary

12MP ultra-wide

12MP primary

12MP primary

12MP ultra-wide

12MP primary

The lack of a dedicated telephoto camera on the Z Flip 5 is quite a big omission too. Granted, I do find the ultra-wide shooter more useful than a zoom lens, but I think it’s justified to expect a more sophisticated camera setup from a premium, high-end phone that sits at this price point.

And then there’s the battery life of the Z Flip 5, which is ever so slightly better than last year’s model. On average, I can get between four to five hours of screen on time out of the 3,700mAh battery with a couple of gaming sessions thrown in throughout the day. Not the worst battery life, but could definitely be better.

Is It Worth It?

Retailing from RM4,499, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is undoubtedly positioned as a premium foldable smartphone, and…I do think the price tag is justified for a device of this calibre. It has a much bigger, much more practical cover screen now, a more refined gapless design, and it is just as fast as any other flagship phone in the market now.

Yes, the Z Flip 5 doesn’t have the best camera performance or battery life. But it can still take good-looking shots – albeit without the versatility of a telephoto camera – and it can still provide all-day battery life…provided I don’t do
too much
 gaming in my free time. In short, it still performs reasonably well in these two regards.

If you want one of the most refined clamshell foldable phones in the market now, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an excellent option to consider. Yes, even when compared to the
Oppo Find N2 Flip
, especially when it comes to the usefulness of the cover screen and software experience.

Though the Find N2 Flip does have better battery life.


CelcomDigi’s Karnival Jom 5G Offers Free 5G Phones Until 20 August in 6 Locations

CelcomDigi is holding a roadshow dubbed Karnival Jom 5G at various locations throughout Malaysia – six locations, to be specific – to make it easier for Malaysians to start enjoying 5G connectivity. At the carnival, visitors can even get 5G phones for free, though there are some caveats.

The CelcomDigi Karnival Jom 5G is happening now at six different locations until 20 August. These include Celcom bluecube Sunway Pyramid, Subang Jaya; Digi Store Bayan Baru, Penang; Celcom bluecube Taman Molek, Johor Bahru; Celcom bluecube, Kuantan; Digi Store Api-Api, Kota Kinabalu; and Celcom bluecube Tun Jugah, Kuching.

The Karnival Jom 5G at Celcom bluecube Sunway Pyramid

If you want the free 5G phone – there are four different 5G-capable phones to choose from – you just have to sign up for the Celcom Mega 98 or Digi Postpaid 90 plan. Aside from that, visitors can also enjoy up to 75% discount on various accessories at the carnival.

Various activities are also held at the Karnival Jom 5G; at least, that’s the case for the carnival at Celcom bluecube Sunway Pyramid. There are various AR and VR experiences for visitors to try out, from an AR car simulator to a roller coaster ride in virtual reality.

To recap, CelcomDigi’s Karnvial Jom 5G is happening now until 20 August this Sunday. More details on the carnival can be found on both
Celcom’s
 and
Digi’s
 websites.


CelcomDigi Sees Almost 400k New Subscribers in 1H 2023 – 20.48 Million Total Users Now

CelcomDigi shared some interesting updates on its business growth in 2023 so far. According to the telco, it received over 391,000 new subscribers in the first half of 2023 while working on its network integration plan for improved network quality.

Of those figure, 185,000 subscribers got on board CelcomDigi in Q2 2023 alone. Collectively, it has over 20.48 million users now. The telco attributes this growth to its new product launches, and it is worth noting that this figure excludes Yoodo subscribers.

The telco also shared some updates on its full-speed network integration, which began in Q2 2023. 60% of its network integration and modernisation plans have been completed so far, with over 2,000 sites in 24 clusters consolidated. Once CelcomDigi’s network integration plan has been completed, it aims to deliver “the widest 4G network,” as the telco puts it.

“We are pleased to continue to deliver both topline and bottomline growth while pushing ahead with integration of our networks, IT, and organisation at the same time,” said CelcomDigi’s CEO, Datuk Idham Nawawi. “Network integration and modernisation initiatives are progressing in full speed as we continue to provide elevated network experience to our customers on the nation’s fastest, widest, and most modern 4G network,” he added.


Gigabyte Opens First Flagship Store in Plaza Low Yat – Offers up to RM1,000 Discount

Gigabyte just opened its first flagship store in the famed Plaza Low Yat in Kuala Lumpur. To celebrate the opening of the new store, the company is offering discounts up to RM1,000 on its range of laptops for a limited time.

A total of three different laptops – with six total variants – are discounted until 24 August next week. The Gigabyte G5 gets the highest amount of discount: both the RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti configurations of the laptop receive a whopping RM1,000 discount, bringing down their prices to RM3,299 and RM3,699 respectively.

The other laptop that’s on offer is the larger Gigabyte G7, though only the RTX 3050 version is discounted by RM900, so you can get it for only RM3,599. Last but not least is the higher-end Aorus 15 with a blazing fast 360Hz display and RTX 4060 for RM5,899 – that’s RM500 worth of discount.

If you’re keen to get any of these laptops at the discounted pricing, head on to the new Gigabyte flagship store in Plaza Low Yat; it is located on the ground floor at Lot G035. Again, these discounts are only valid until 24 August 2023.


CelcomDigi in Talks to Divest Yoodo – Foreign Parties Included

At its
business update briefing today
, CelcomDigi also revealed its plans for Yoodo. The telco confirmed that it is in fact divesting Yoodo, which was operating under Celcom before the CelcomDigi merger.

This confirmation came from CelcomDigi CEO himself, Datuk Idham Nawawi, in a Q&A session with members of the media. According to him, the telco is already in talks with various parties – including foreign ones – who are keen to take up Yoodo. Given the telco’s focus on esports, it is looking for partners who can further elevate Yoodo in this particular scene.

It’s no secret that Yoodo will have to be divested by Celcom once the CelcomDigi merger is complete. After all, this is a requirement by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which stated that Yoodo has to be divested within 18 months after the merger’s completion.

For now, it should be business for usual for Yoodo (and its users) until we hear more from CelcomDigi. It will certainly be interesting to see which company will take up Yoodo.


Shell Asia App Launched in Malaysia – Now Available at Over 650 Stations

Although the app has been available locally for a few weeks now, today is the official launch of the Shell Asia app in Malaysia. Basically, the app allows users to purchase fuel through the app at selected Shell stations.

At the moment, the Shell Asia app can be used at over 650 Shell stations throughout Malaysia. According to Shell, its app is the first fuel payment service in the country that is protected with a 3D Secure verification for an extra layer of security against fraud and scam threats.

A station locator is also built into the Shell Asia app. Not only can you find your nearest Shell station with the feature, you can even look for ones with specific facilities, such as ATM, surau, or even a car wash.

Naturally, the Shell Asia app has BonusLink integrated, allowing users to easily collect points. Users can also redeem Shell exclusive rewards through the app (and track their BonusLink points) for added convenience.

“Given our synonymity in innovating mobility solutions, the Shell app serves as a pivotal component to elevate experiences for all our customers at Shell,” said the GM of Mobility Malaysia, Seow Lee Ming.

The Shell Asia app is now available for download on the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
. To recap, the app can be used at over 650 Shell stations nationwide, and it is expected to be available more widely by the end of 2023.


Honkai: Star Rail 1.3 Arrives 30 August With 3 New Playable Characters

Honkai: Star Rail
‘s Version 1.3 update is set to arrive next week on 30 August. As expected, three new characters –
Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae
,
Fu Xuan
, and Lynx – will be playable once the update drops, and the Simulated Universe is getting a major update as well.

As previously revealed, Imbibitor Lunae and Fu Xuan are 5-star characters, while Lynx is a 4-star unit. Imbibitor Lunae’s banner will be offered first after the Version 1.2 update is live, accompanied by Yukong, Asta, and March 7th. Fu Xuan’s event warp, on the other hand, will be offered in the second phase alongside Lynx, Hook, and Pela.

Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae

Fu Xuan

Lynx

As for the Simulated Universe, it’s getting a new update in Star Rail 1.3 dubbed The Swarm Disaster. Named after the “swarm catastrophe from ages ago that Tayzzyronth, the Aeon of Propagation caused,” as the game puts it, players can unlock the new Path of Propagation after completing the challenge.

Aside from that, a new area will also be introduced in Version 1.3 of Star Rail. The Aurum Alley was previously the Exalting Sanctum’s commercial hub, and players can help revitalise it to get rewards such as Stellar Jades, Self-Modeling Resin, and even Sushang.

Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.3 will go live next week on 30 August. To recap, Imbibitor Lunae’s event warp will be available first once the update drops, followed by Fu Xuan’s banner alongside Lynx at a later date.


Acer Predator Triton 17 X Lands in Malaysia – 19.9mm Thin Laptop With RTX 4090 for RM18,999

Acer recently launched a new gaming laptop in Malaysia, and it is very, very powerful. Powered by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, the Acer Predator Triton 17 X is certainly a capable gaming machine. On top of that, it is also quite thin, measuring only 19.9mm thin.

For the Malaysian market, only one variant of the Triton 17 X is offered in Malaysia. Priced at RM18,999, you get the aforementioned RTX 4090 GPU, an Intel Core i9-13900HX processor paired with 64GB of 5600MHz DDR5 RAM, and a whopping 4TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD in Raid 0 configuration.

In the display department, the Triton 17 X gets an impressive 17-inch 2560 x 1600 mini-LED display with a blazing fast 250Hz refresh rate. Of course, the thin 19.99mm chassis of the laptop is worth mentioning again. But tipping the scales at 3kg, this is not exactly a portable machine.

The Acer Predator Triton 17 X can now be purchased in Malaysia for RM18,999. Those who purchase the laptop by 31 August can participate in the ongoing Acer Day promotion, which offers RM250 TNG eWallet credit, Overwatch 2 game code, and even a chance to win in the
monthly giveaway prize pool worth RM100,000
.


Realme 11 Coming to Malaysia 30 August – Realme 11x to Follow Suit?

Last week, we spotted the
Realme 11 and Realme 11x
 in SIRIM’s database. Today, we got confirmation from Realme itself that the Realme 11 will be launched in Malaysia next week on 30 August. Curiously, there’s no mention of the Realme 11x for the local launch.

This is despite the fact that the Realme 11x is already registered with SIRIM alongside the Realme 11. Of course, it’s entirely possible Realme is keeping the former as a surprise for the local launch event, and it’s worth noting that the two phones will be launched in India
this Wednesday on 23 August
.

SIRIM listing of the Realme 11 and Realme 11x

Chances are, Malaysia will mirror the specifications of the Realme 11 and Realme 11x for the Indian market, though only certain specifications have been detailed so far. The Realme 11 is said to feature a 108MP primary camera with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 67W fast charging, while no specific details regarding the Realme 11x have been revealed.

Nonetheless, we’ll find out more about the Realme 11 and Realme 11x once they are launched in India on 23 August later this week. As for the Malaysian launch of the Realme 11, it’s set to take place next week on 30 August.


This 24″ Dell Monitor Can Transform Into a Touch Display – Now in Malaysia for RM1,959

There’s a new Dell monitor in town, and it’s quite a unique one. Dubbed Dell 24 Touch USB-C Hub Monitor (P2424HT) – yes, it’s quite a mouthful – the monitor has a touch-enabled screen and a flexible stand that allows it to be compressed into a tablet-like form factor.

For the Malaysian market, the Dell 24 Touch retails at RM1,959. For that kind of money, it offers a 24-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS touch-enabled display with a 60Hz refresh rate that covers 99% of the sRGB colour gamut, 10-point multitouch support, as well as a flexible stand that allows it to be slanted, tilted, and swiveled. Of course, the height can be adjusted too.

As its name suggests, the Dell 24 Touch has a USB-C hub with a USB 3.2 Type-C upstream port that offers power delivery of up to 90W. It has a number of other connectivity options too, including HDMI, DisplayPort 1.2, RJ45, and as many as three USB-A ports.

The Dell 24 Touch USB-C Hub Monitor is now available in Malaysia for RM1,959. You can purchase it from your favourite local retailer or through Dell itself on its
Malaysian online store
.


Honda WR-V: 2,200 Units Delivered, Honda Malaysia’s 2nd Best-Selling Model in July 2023

Just a month after its official launch here, Honda Malaysia has delivered over 2,200 units of the
Honda WR-V
. This figure is close to the
2,500 bookings the small SUV received at launch
, which were originally expected to be fulfilled within two to three months’ time.

Among the 2,200 units of the WR-V delivered to date, the range-topping RS model is the most popular option, accounting for 60% of total sales. In fact, the SUV is actually Honda Malaysia’s second best-selling model in July last month. Its sales performance is likely just behind the City, which was
just facelifted a couple of weeks ag
o
.

“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our customers for their trust in the Honda brand and support for the all-new WR-V, which is a brand new model in the non-national small SUV segment,” said the MD and CEO of Honda Malaysia, Hironobu Yoshimura. “Since its launch, the model has been well accepted in the market and achieved remarkable sales performance,” he added.

To recap, the WR-V starts at RM89,900 for the base S model. A tier up is the E trim for RM95,900, followed by the V variant at RM99,900. As for the range-topping RS model, it goes for RM107,900. These prices are on-the-road without insurance, and five colour options are available: Ignite Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Meteoroid Grey Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, and the new Stellar Diamond Pearl.

The Honda WR-V is now available for booking at all 101 authorised Honda dealerships nationwide. Alternatively, pre-booking can be done online
here
, or through the HondaTouch app – it can be downloaded from the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
.

More details on the WR-V can be found
here
.


Asus ExpertBook B5 Series – World’s Lightest 16″ Business Laptops Now in Malaysia From RM7,699

Asus just launched two new laptops under the Asus ExpertBook B5 series. Made up of the ExpertBook B5 OLED laptop and the ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED convertible, both of them are touted as the world’s lightest 16-inch business laptops.

Three different models under the ExpertBook B5 series are available. The B5 Flip OLED is offered in the sole RM7,699 configuration, which features an Intel Core i7-1270P processor paired with 16GB RAM, a 512GB M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD, as well as a 16-inch 3840 x 2400 OLED touch-enabled display with a 60Hz refresh rate. It also tips the scales at 1.65kg.

As for the ExpertBook B5 OLED, it comes in two variants. The RM8,099 model comes with a Core i7-1360P processor, the same RAM and SSD configuration – along with display, minus the touch support – as the B5 Flip OLED, and a chassis that weighs only 1.4kg. As for the range-topping RM8,499 configuration, it has a larger 84Wh battery, which also (slightly) increases its weight to 1.5kg.

The Asus ExpertBook B5 laptops are now available for purchase in Malaysia. To recap, the B5 Flip OLED retails at RM7,699, while the B5 OLED starts from RM8,099.


Honor Magic 5 Pro Coral Purple Available in Malaysia 25 August – RM10 Million Prizes up for Grabs

Honor is set to launch a new colour option for the Honor Magic 5 Pro in Malaysia later this week on 25 August. The Coral Purple colourway is touted as a limited edition model for Merdeka, and in conjunction with our National Day celebration (as well as Malaysia Day), Honor Malaysia will be running a promotion that offers prizes worth up to RM10 million.

Set to take place between 25 August to 17 September, the RM10 million prize pool is given in the form of free gifts with the purchase of selected products along with a weekly lucky draw. The prizes that are up for grabs include four units of the
Magic 5 phone
 – this is the grand prize – as well as 12 Nescafe Nespresso machines, among other prizes
listed here
.

As for the Magic 5 Pro in Coral Purple, it should be similar to the standard model that’s priced at RM3,999 now. It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset paired with 12GB RAM, 512GB of internal storage, a triple camera system (50MP primary + 50MP ultra-wide + 50MP periscope telephoto), a 12MP selfie camera, a 6.81-inch 2848 x 1312 LTPO OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an IP68 rating, and a generous 5,100mAh battery with support for 66W wired charging – 50W wireless.

The Honor Magic 5 Pro in Coral Purple will be available for purchase in Malaysia on 25 August, while Honor Malaysia’s Merdeka and Malaysia Day promotion will start on the same day until 17 September. If you want to learn more about the Magic 5 Pro, read our
full review of the phone
.


Tesla Supercharger Pavilion KL Now Available – RM1.25 Per kWh, Up to RM4 Idle Fee

It appears the first Tesla Supercharger in Malaysia located at Pavilion KL is now operational. This was first spotted by a member in the
MyEVOC Facebook group
, and at RM1.25 per kWh, the rate is actually quite competitive for a fast charger.

Of course, this being a Tesla Supercharger, idle fees are applicable. If your car is fully charged and you still leave it connected to the charger, you will be charged RM2 per minute. If the station is fully occupied – there are eight stalls available in Pavilion KL – the rate goes up to a whopping
RM4 per minute
.

To avoid being charged idle fees, you will need to disconnect the charger within five minutes of charging completion.

At the moment, the Tesla Supercharger in Pavilion KL is only open to Tesla vehicles, though selected Superchargers in the future should be usable by non-Tesla EVs. After all, it was previously revealed that Tesla will install at least 50 DC fast chargers in Malaysia (with a minimum charging rate of 180kW), and 30% of them have to be made available to non-Tesla vehicles.

If you do happen to be driving a Tesla in Malaysia now, head on to Pavilion KL to give Malaysia’s first Tesla Supercharger a shot. It is located at the mall’s basement parking (level B1) near the C21 pillar. It’s worth noting that Tesla have listed
nine other Supercharger locations throughout Peninsular Malaysia
.


Spy Shot: Proton S50 Spotted Again – Now With Bodykit?

Proton’s much anticipated sedan, the
Proton S50
, has been seen on Malaysian roads yet again. This particular test mule of the S50 bears the same trade plate as the unit seen in our
previous spy shot
, though it looks like the car is now sporting a bodykit of sorts.

These images of the S50 were taken by one Joseph Kong and shared by
Paultan.org
. Though most of the car’s exterior is still covered in camouflage, it does look to be equipped with a bodykit now. This is especially evident on the front lip, side skirts, and what looks to be a bootlid spoiler.

Previou spy shots of the S50 with the same trade plate

Anyway, the S50 is is rumoured to be launched in Malaysia as early as November 2023. On top of that, four different variants are said to be offered, and all of them will be powered by the familiar 1.5L TGDi engine that outputs 177PS and 255Nm of torque – the same one found under the hood of the
X50
 and
X70
.

Of course, until confirmed by Proton itself, take these rumoured details on the Proton S50 with a grain of salt – except for the
unavailability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
. We should learn more about the S50 as we approach closer to the rumoured November 2023 launch of the sedan.


Marvel Snap Officially Launches on PC – Native Widescreen Support, Free Rewards

Marvel Snap is (finally)
officially launched on PC
! While the card game has been available on Steam since its initial launch back in October 2022, it was really just an emulation of the mobile version. Well, that’s no longer the case – native widescreen support is finally here for the proper PC version.

To celebrate the arrival of Marvel Snap on PC, Second Dinner has prepared a slew of rewards. The first reward is a mech variant of Devil Dinosaur; it will be rewarded to players who login to the PC version of the game by 21 September.

Aside from that, there will also be a daily login event between 23 to 29 August. The rewards include a total of 500 gold, 500 credits, three gold Conquest tickets, and even a premium mystery variant. It’s worth noting that these rewards can be claimed by both mobile and PC players.

More details on various rewards in conjunction with the launch of
Marvel Snap’s PC version
 can be found
here
. Of course, progress on both the mobile and PC version of Snap are synced, provided you’re logging into the game with the same Google account or Apple ID.


Honkai: Star Rail Starts PS5 Test Recruitment Ahead of Q4 2023 Launch – Pre-Registration Rewards

At Gamescom 2023, Hoyoverse made a few announcements, including an update on the PlayStation 5 version of
Honkai: Star Rail
. Unfortunately, no specific launch date was given beyond the Q4 2023 estimate given previously, though the company will be doing a
technical test recruitment
 for the console starting today on 23 August.

More specifically, the recruitment will begin at 10AM Malaysian time until 28 August. Those who signed up to be a part of the technical test will be rewarded with several in-game items depending on the number of registrations received. The rewards even include the 4-star The Seriousness of Breakfast light cone.

With this announcement, it is almost confirmed that there will be no PS4 version of Star Rail, unfortunately enough. Of course, this is only an educated guess on our part based on the details revealed by Hoyoverse thus far.

To recap, registration for Honkai: Star Rail’s PS5 technical test will end on 28 August at 10AM Malaysian time. As for the test itself, it will commence on 4 September at 10AM, and it’s worth noting that the test will be done in a live server environment, so you can continue your progress from other platforms. You can sign up for the PS5 technical test
right here
.


Genshin Impact Concert Tour Coming to Malaysia 7 October; New Zenless Zone Zero Trailer

Aside from
Honkai: Star Rail
, Hoyoverse also shared some updates for
Genshin Impact
 and its upcoming title, Zenless Zone Zero at Gamescom 2023. For Genshin Impact, an international
offline concert series
 – a first for Hoyoverse – based on the game’s various soundtracks will be held worldwide between 2023 to 2024, and Malaysia is one of the destinations!

Dubbed Genshin Concert Tour: Melodies of an Endless Journey, the concert will take place at several destinations across the globe. These include here in Malaysia – happening on 7 October at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas – Singapore, Osaka, Seoul, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, London, and many more.

According to Hoyoverse, ticketing for the Malaysian concert will be opened tomorrow on 24 August at 12PM
right here
.

As for Zenless Zone Zero, a new trailer was unveiled at Gamescom 2023 showcasing more of the title’s gameplay mechanics and world exploration. The game does fit Hoyoverse’s description of an “urban fantasy ARPG,” though unfortunately enough, no release date was given.

Hoyoverse definitely has some interesting content lined up for its range of titles. Beyond the Genshin Impact concert and the new Zenless Zone Zero trailer, it’s worth noting that the developer has also opened
technical test recruitment for the PS5 version of Star Rail
.


Realme 11 & Realme 11x Launched in India – Coming to Malaysia 30 August

The Realme 11 and Realme 11x just made their respective debuts in India. While both phones look quite similar to each other, they do have some distinct differences, especially in terms of camera configuration and pricing.

Of the two phones, the Realme 11x is the more affordable device, starting at only 14,999 Indian rupee (about RM845) for the 6GB + 128GB model. As for the Realme 11, it retails from 18,999 rupee (approximately RM1,070) for the 8GB + 128GB configuration.

Realme 11

Hardware wise, the Realme 11 features a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset, a 6.72-inch 2400 x 1080 IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a dual camera system (108MP main + 2MP portrait), a 16MP selfie camera, and a 5,000mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging.

As for the Realme 11x, it has the same chipset, display, and battery capacity as the standard Realme, though it does have a simpler camera configuration (64MP main + 2MP portrait), an 8MP selfie camera instead of the Realme 11’s 16MP front-facing shooter, and 33W fast charging.

Realme 11x

For the Malaysian market, the Realme 11 will be introduced here
next week on 30 August
, though there’s no word (yet) on the local availability of the more affordable Realme 11x. However, given that both phones
have been registered with SIRIM already
, we reckon the Realme 11x will eventually arrive here.


Genshin Impact Concert in Malaysia Ticket Prices Revealed – From RM308 to RM650

Ticket prices for the
Genshin Impact
 concert tour happening on 7 October in Malaysia have been revealed! Starting from RM308, tickets can be purchased from tomorrow onwards on 24 August at 12PM through the
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) website
.

Of course, RM308 is for the most affordable seating. Though MPO has not revealed the exact seating plan, the prices range from RM308, RM388, RM478, and RM578. If you want the suite seating instead, it will set you back RM600 or RM650 per seat, depending on which suite is selected.

The Genshin Concert Tour: Melodies of an Endless Journey is Hoyoverse’s very first international offline concert series, which is set to be held worldwide between 2023 to 2024. These include here in Malaysia (at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas), Singapore, Osaka, Seoul, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, London, and many more.

To recap, ticketing for the Genshin Impact concert in Malaysia on 7 October will be opened tomorrow on 24 August at 12PM
on MPO’s website
. More details on the concert can be found
here
.


Proton Responds to X90 Catching Fire – Not Caused by Hybrid Battery

Recently, a viral video of a
Proton X90
 catching fire – the boot area, to be specific – started making its rounds on the internet. Some speculated that the fire was caused by the premium SUV’s mild hybrid 48V battery, but Proton said that this is simply not the case.

In a statement released by the national carmaker, it said that the X90 in question is currently under the company’s possession for further investigation. “We would also like to clarify there was no explosion caused by the Proton X90’s mild hybrid (48V) battery,” the statement reads.

“We understand the concerns of the public and kindly request cooperation to refrain from engaging in speculative discussions and would like to emphasise investigations are still ongoing,” the carmaker added. Proton also assures customers that its vehicles are developed to meet the highest standards and have underwent stringent quality and safety inspections before being handed over to customers.

So there you have it, officially from Proton itself. Hopefully, we’ll hear more from the national carmaker on the actual cause of the X90 catching fire. We reckon it will give current X90 owners peace of mind.


Project Q Now PlayStation Portal – $199 DualSense With a Screen for Remote Play

PlayStation just revealed more details on its handheld device originally dubbed Project Q. The finalised name is PlayStation Portal, and it is…essentially a DualSense with a screen in between the two halves of the controller for remote play.

Naturally, the Portal has all of the features of the DualSense, including adaptive triggers and a refined haptic feedback. As for the display, it is an 8-inch LCD display that can stream games from your PS5 at 1080p in 60fps. Of course, streaming is done over WiFi, and PlayStation recommends speeds of at least 5Mbps. For a “better play experience,” as the company puts it, a 15Mbps connection is recommended.

Aside from the Portal, PlayStation also officially introduced the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds – which we believe
has been registered wi
t
h SIRIM already
 for the Malaysian market – and Pulse Elite wireless headset, which is a new peripheral. Both support low latency, lossless audio through the use of the new PlayStation Link wireless audio technology.

Interestingly, the Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore also use planar magnetic drivers for an “audiophile-level listening experience.” While such a driver isn’t uncommon for headphones, the fact that it’s offered on a pair of wireless earbuds is certainly enticing. PlayStation knows this too, saying that it is one of the first companies to offer wireless earbuds with planar drivers.

Now, pricing. Both the PlayStation Portal and Pulse Explore retail at $199.99 (about RM930), while the Pulse Elite headphones go for $149.99 (approximately RM700). The PlayStation Portal is expected to be available sometime this year, while the Pulse Explore and Pulse Elite do not have a specific release window yet.


24 – 30 August Fuel Price: No Changes, RON 97 Price Stays at RM3.37 Per Litre

Another week, another fuel price update. Not surprisingly, there’s no price movement for RON 97 this week either, and the prices of RON 95 and diesel are unchanged as well, given that their ceiling prices have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 continues to be set at RM3.37 per litre for the next seven days. RON 95, on the other hand, remains at RM2.05 per litre. As for diesel, it still costs RM2.15 per litre.

These prices will be in effect from 24 to 30 August next week. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week for fuel price update.


This Is the Honor Magic 5 Pro in Coral Purple – Available in Malaysia 25 August for RM3,999

The
Honor Magic 5 Pro
 got a new colourway in conjunction with our upcoming Merdeka celebration. Touted as a limited edition model, the Coral Purple variant of the flagship phone has a rather nice leather-like back panel.

Just like other colour options of the Magic 5 Pro (Meadow Green and Black), the Coral Purple version also retails at RM3,999; a price cut of RM300 from the launch pricing. Set to be
available for purchase locally tomorrow on 25 August
, freebies worth RM807 will be bundled with the phone, including a Honor Choice Bluetooth speaker, 1+1 year extended warranty, and a 180-day screen crack protection.

Hardware wise, the Magic 5 Pro in Coral Purple still features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset paired with 12GB RAM, 512GB of internal storage, a triple camera system (50MP primary + 50MP ultra-wide + 50MP periscope telephoto), a 12MP selfie camera, a 6.81-inch 2848 x 1312 LTPO OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an IP68 rating, and a generous 5,100mAh battery with support for 66W wired charging – 50W wireless.

To recap, the Honor Magic 5 Pro in Coral Purple will be available for purchase in Malaysia tomorrow on 25 August for RM3,999. Do note that this is a limited edition model, so if you like the colourway, you may want to get it as soon as you can.


Honor Has Almost 10% Market Share in Malaysia Now – Top 3 in Premium Segment

At the Malaysian launch of the
Honor Magic 5 Pro
 in Coral Purple, Honor Malaysia shared some updates on its business growth. According to the company, Honor has almost 10% market share in the Malaysian smartphone market now.

This was shared by the deputy country director of Honor Malaysia, Matthew Ng. He added that in the premium smartphone market – defined by the company as devices above RM4,000 – Honor is sitting at the number three spot. These figures are accurate as of Q2 2023.

Currently, Honor offers a wide range of smartphones at various price points. There’s the
Honor 90
, Honor 90 Lite,
Honor Magic Vs
 foldable phone, and of course, the Magic 5 Pro. It’s worth noting that the flagship phone recently received a RM300 price cut, bringing down the price to RM3,999. This pricing is applicable to the new Coral Purple model too.

Speaking of which, the
Honor Magic 5 Pro
 in Coral Purple will be available for purchase in Malaysia tomorrow on 25 August for RM3,999. Do note that this is a limited edition model launched in conjunction with our Merdeka celebration, so expect units to be…well, limited.


Sime Darby Acquiring UMW – Adds Perodua & Toyota to Its Portfolio

This is big news for the Malaysian automotive industry: Sime Darby Berhad has just entered into a conditional share purchase agreement with Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) to acquire its 61.2% stake in UMW Holdings Berhad (UMW). With this move, Sime Darby will add Perodua and Toyota to its portfolio – two popular car brands in our local market.

Sime Darby is purchasing PNB’s 61.2% stake in UMW for RM5.00 per share, which comes up to RM3.57 billion. The company will be making a general offer for the remaining 38.8% stake with the aim of delisting UMW from Bursa Malaysia.

“This is a strategic move to further scale up and strengthen our presence in the Malaysian automotive sector, adding two highly performing brands into our Malaysian portfolio – Toyota and Perodua,” said the Group Chief Executive Officer of Sime Darby Berhad, Dato’ Jeffri Salim Davidson. “The deal will cement Sime Darby’s position as Malaysia’s leading automotive player,” he added.

According to Sime Darby, its acquisition of PNB’s stake in UMW is expected to be completed within three months from the date of SPA. This is subject to regulatory and shareholders’ approvals and customary closing conditions, as the company puts it.


Beats Studio Buds+ Now Available in Cosmic Pink & Cosmic Silver – Still RM699

The
Beats Studio Buds+
 was launched a few months ago, and one of the main appeals of the wireless earbuds – in our opinion, anyway – is its transparent design. Well, if you don’t quite fancy that, you may be interested in the Studio Buds+’ two new colours: Cosmic Pink and Cosmic Silver.

The new metallic colours for the Studio Buds+ are a collaboration between Beats and nail polish brand Olive & June. Both colours have also been listed on
Apple’s Malaysian online store for RM699
, though they are not available for purchase just yet. They’re actually set to be available in the US from 7 September, so it’s possible we will be getting it around the same time as well.

Aesthetics aside, the Studio Buds+ promises “up to 1.6x more active noise cancelling” when compared to its predecessor. It also offers up to 36 hours of use when paired with the charging case, along with a custom two-layer transducer that’s said to deliver cleaner bass and low distortion.

Currently, the Beats Studio Buds+
can be purchased in Malaysia for RM699
 in three colourways: Transparent, Ivory, and Black/Gold. The new Cosmic Pink and Cosmic Silver options are not available yet, though they have been listed already on Apple’s online store.


Genshin Impact Concert in Malaysia – Tickets Sold Out in 1 Hour

Ticketing for the
Genshin Impact
 concert tour opened at 12PM earlier today through the
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) website
, and it was…tough to secure a ticket. Based on what we’ve experienced, it is likely that all tickets were sold out within an hour.

Of course, we tried to secure some tickets to the Genshin Impact concert for ourselves at 12PM sharp, and the experience was not exactly pleasant. Not only did MPO’s website crash on us a few times, there were about
2,000 buyers
 ahead of us in the virtual queue at one point.

Given that the seating capacity of the Petronas Philharmonic Hall is only about 920 seats, we were not optimistic.

Anyway, by the end of it, we only managed to secure one ticket for the RM388 seating at about 1PM. For context, the prices range from RM308 to RM578 for regular seats, while the more premium suite options are either RM600 or RM650 per seat.

From what we gathered, many Genshin fans were trying to get tickets to the Singapore concert too, which actually has two dates (2 and 3 October) compared to Malaysia’s single concert (7 October). Not surprisingly, even the Singaporean Genshin concert is sold out already.

Evidently, many folks are eager to attend the Genshin Impact concert tour. After all, it is Hoyoverse’s very first international offline concert series, which is set to be held worldwide between 2023 to 2024. These include here in Malaysia, Singapore, Osaka, Seoul, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, London, and many more.


PlayStation Acquiring Audeze – Brand Will Still Operate Independently

Just days after PlayStation unveiled its new
Pulse Elite wireless headphones and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds
, the company announced that it is acquiring Audeze. The high-end audio brand is known for its range of planar headphones and earphones, which ties in nicely with PlayStation’s new audio line.

After all, the company specifically mentioned the use of custom-designed planar magnetic drivers for an “audiophile-level listening experience” with the $150 (about RM695) Pulse Elite and $200 Pulse Explore (around RM930). In the case of the latter, PlayStation says that it is one of the first companies to offer wireless earbuds with planar drivers.

Beyond that, the Pulse Explore and Pulse Elite both support low latency, lossless audio through the use of the new PlayStation Link wireless audio technology. They also feature AI-enhanced noise rejection to reduce background sounds, and in the case of the Elite, it even has a retractable boom mic.

It’s worth noting that with this acquisition, Audeze will still continue to operate independently while being a part of the PlayStation ecosystem. “The acquisition will strengthen SIE’s efforts to continue innovating when it comes to the audio experience of PlayStation games,” as the company puts it.


Cherry MX2A Switch – Revamped Mold, Barrel Spring, 205g0 Factory Lube

After many, many years, Cherry is overhauling its lineup of switches. Dubbed Cherry MX2A, the new switches feature a slew of updates, including an updated mold, barrel spring design, and factory lubing that is “similar” to the popular Krytox 205g0 lube for improved performance and sound profile.

Let’s start with the updated mold of MX2A switches. Compared to the original mold, the new one features a redesigned, polished rail for improved smoothness. The stem is updated with a “crown” design too, which promises less wobble for a more stable typing experience.

As for the MX2A’s barrel spring, it is said to offer more consistent spring force across different switches, “delivering a keystroke that feels uniform every single time,” as the company puts it. The ring of the bottom housing – where the spring sits – is also lubed with an oil-based grease that is said to mirror the properties of Krytox 205g0.

The new Cherry MX2A switches will replace the company’s current portfolio, which includes the MX Black, MX Red, MX Brown, MX Blue, MX Speed Silver, MX Silent Red, and MX Silent Black. Do note that some of these switches do not feature all of the improvements brought by the MX2A update, such as the MX Blue clicky switch – this particular model will not come with factory lube.


Vortex M0110 Review: Old School Goodness

While
custom keyboards
 have gotten immensely popular in the past few years, pre-built keyboards are still worth a consideration. This is especially so from brands that have been around for quite some time, such as Vortex. This is the Vortex M0110, a vintage inspired gasket-mount keyboard.

After using the M0110 as my daily driver for a few weeks now, I’m very happy with it. Not only is it a step up from other pre-built keyboards in various aspects, it can even go toe to toe with similarly priced custom keyboards, in my opinion.

If you’re looking for a 60% keyboard with a vintage styling, the M0110 is definitely worth checking out.

What It Is

The Vortex M0110, as its name suggests, takes inspiration from the Apple M0110 keyboard that came with the original Macintosh. While it looks like a vintage keyboard, its internals are far from that. Not only does it support VIA and QMK for easy key mapping – but only for the wired version – it even has the aforementioned gasket mounting system, a hotswap PCB, and even a wireless model with support for Bluetooth and a 2.4GHz dongle.

The review unit you see here is the wireless model with a conventional 60% layout (there’s a HHKB version too), so while it doesn’t support VIA or QMK, the key mapping can still be changed with Vortex’s own software. More on this further down the review.

Other specifications of the M0110 include an FR4 plate, PBT dye-subbed keycaps, a range of Cherry and Gateron switches to pick from, and even screw-in stabilisers that perform
great
 out of the box.

As for pricing, the M0110
retails from $149 on Vortex’s official store
 for both the wired and wireless models, which comes up to about RM695. While it’s not the most affordable pre-built keyboard, it’s certainly not the most expensive either.

The Good Stuff

When I first started typing on the Vortex M0110, its sound profile really took me by surprise. It’s not a “thocky” keyboard, per se, but it certainly has a nice, relatively deep sound signature. You can hear this for yourself in the sound test below:

Aside from that, the typing feel of the M0110 is quite pleasant too. Although it provides a stiff typing experience – despite being a gasket mounted keyboard – I like how every key stroke feels…well, solid and substantial. Do note that this review unit features Gateron G Pro Yellow linear switches.

Further enhancing the typing experience of the M0110 are the keyboard’s screw-in stabilisers, which really, really surprised me. Out of the box, there’s very little to no rattling on any of the mod keys, including the spacebar. There’s not even a lot of factory lube applied to the stabiliser’s wire; very impressive.

I quite like the PBT dye-subbed keycaps of the M0110 too. The legends looks sharp and consistent – though some letters look a bit rough upon closer inspection – and the texture of the keycap feels nice and smooth. Compared to other pre-built keyboards, these PBT keycaps are certainly a step (or two) above.

Last but not least is the overall build quality of the M0110. Despite sporting an all-plastic construction, it feels nice and solid with minimal creaking when I apply pressure to the chassis. Tipping the scales at about 840g, it has a good amount of heft too.

The Bad Stuff

While I’m generally quite fond of the M0110, it does have some shortcomings here and there. For this wireless model, it needs two AA batteries for wireless connectivity; there’s no built-in battery. While this isn’t exactly a huge issue, having to use AA batteries for the keyboard feels…dated.

And then there’s the Vortex’s software to edit the key mapping of the M0110. Not only is it unintuitive to navigate around, the Chinese translation isn’t even completed. Granted, this is an issue that is only applicable to the wireless model, given that the wired version supports VIA and QMK.

Is It Worth It?

For $149
, I can definitely see myself paying that amount of money for the Vortex M0110. While it does have its fair share of drawbacks, the overall polish of this pre-built keyboard in various aspects far outweigh its negatives.

After all, it has a pleasant sound profile, refined typing experience, high quality PBT keycaps, and screw-in stabilisers that perform great with minimal ticking straight out of the box. The fact that it has a hotswap PCB also allows for easy switch swapping, so users can experiment with various switches easily and seamlessly – ideal for folks who are new to the keyboard hobby.


Asus Zenfone Series Reportedly Being Cut – Only ROG Phone Remains

It’s been a while since any of the Asus Zenfone phones were offered in Malaysia, and it appears the Taiwanese company is (reportedly) planning to close the Zenfone division. If this turns out to be true, only the
ROG Phone
 lineup will remain in Asus’ smartphone portfolio.

This report came from
TechNews Taiwan
. According to the publication, Asus is currently laying off a number of employees (including the mobile division) across its offices in Taiwan and Suzhou, China. TechNews, citing an anonymous source, said that the Zenfone 10 will be the last phone in the series.

The Asus Zenfone 10

As for current Asus employees under the Zenfone team, they will either be relegated to the ROG Phone development team or to other relevant departments. Evidently, Asus is prioritising the ROG Phone for its smartphone business, which makes sense, given that the gaming phone is much more widely available.

But given that these details did not come directly from Asus itself, there is a chance development of the Zenfone series will not be cut. We’ll just have to wait for confirmation from the Taiwanese company on the fate of its Zenfone lineup.


PlayStation Pulse Elite Coming to Malaysia Soon?

Last week, PlayStation officially introduced the
Pulse Elite wireless headphones and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds
. We believe the latter is set to be available in Malaysia soon – we suspect it has
already been registered with SIRIM
 – and looking back, there’s a good chance the Pulse Elite has also appeared in SIRIM’s database.

While not explicitly mentioned, we believe the Pulse Explore earbuds are in SIRIM’s database with the model number YY2977. A USB adapter dubbed YY2980 was also registered a week earlier, which is possibly used by the wireless earbuds for the PlayStation Link wireless audio technology.

Keeping this in mind, Sony actually registered a wireless gaming headset and USB dongle with the model numbers YY2979 and YY2976 respectively much, much earlier on 23 June.

The Pulse Elite

What are the odds that these are the Pulse Elite wireless gaming headphones with its USB adapter? Well, in our opinion, very likely. After all, it shares the same model number format as the Pulse Explore – at least, we
believe
 the YY2977 is the unreleased earbuds.

Nonetheless, the Pulse Elite does have a number of noteworthy features. Not only does it support low latency, lossless audio through the use of the new PlayStation Link technology, it also has AI-enhanced noise rejection to reduce background sounds. It even comes with a retractable boom mic.

Oh, it also uses custom-designed planar magnetic drivers. Possibly with some inputs from high-end audio brand Audeze, which is
being acquired by PlayStation
.

The Pulse Explore

While we’re confident the Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore have been registered with SIRIM already – allowing them to be officially sold in Malaysia – only time will tell if Sony Malaysia will indeed offer both products locally. Hopefully, we will find out in the near future.


Sony Xperia 5 V Launching 1 September – No More Telephoto Camera?

Sony is scheduling the launch of a new Xperia phone this Friday on 1 September. Chances are, the Japanese company will be introducing the Xperia 5 V. The (likely) flagship phone has been leaked several times now, and there’s a chance the device will omit
its predecessor
‘s telephoto camera.

Looking at an alleged leak of the
Xperia 5 V’s promotional video
, the phone in question appears to be sporting only two camera sensors. Typically, a dual camera system is made up of a primary shooter with an ultra-wide angle lens, so it’s possible the Xperia 5 V won’t feature a zoom camera.

Aside from that, a
Geekbench listing
 of a Sony phone with the model number XQ-DE54 (likely the Xperia 5 V) also surfaced online. This phone, if it really is the Xperia 5 V, features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and runs on Android 13. This sounds about right, given that last year’s
Xperia 5 IV
 features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip with 8GB RAM.

We’ll find out just what the Sony Xperia 5 V will bring to the table this coming Friday on 1 September, coinciding with the start of IFA 2023. Expect the Malaysian pricing of the phone to be revealed not long after the official introduction of the phone.


Proton Asian Games, Nation Drive – Proton Presenting Treasures of Malaysia to Asian Games Museum

As one of the official vehicle brands for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Proton is holding the Asian Games, Nation Drive media drive throughout Malaysia. We were invited to the third round of the drive to the southern peninsular states of Malaysia – more specifically, Malacca and Pahang.

The media drive gave us the opportunity to test out all three models in the Proton X series, which includes the
X50
, X70, and of course, the
all-new X90
. We will be a doing a quick review of the three SUVs in a video very soon, so stay tuned for that.

At the end of each media drive, Proton will be donating several “treasures of Malaysia,” as the carmaker puts it, to the Asian Games Museum in Hangzhou. For our particular leg of the drive, the Kebaya Nyonya and Tenun Pahang were presented by Dato’ Mirnawan bin Datuk Hj Nawawi, former Malaysian hockey player who scored 250 career goals.

The fourth and last round of Proton’s Asian Games, Nation Drive event will be held in Perak, representing the northern peninsular state of Malaysia. Previously, the carmaker already did a media drive in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah; Kuching, Sarawak; and of course, our trip to Malacca and Pahang.


Spy Shot: New “Teal Bayou Green” Colour for Proton S50 Shown

We’ve got yet another spy shot of the
Proton S50
, which is believed to be the national carmaker’s upcoming replacement for the Preve sedan. This time around, we got a very, very upclose look at the colour options available for the S50, including the brand new “Teal Bayou Green.”

The image below was posted by
The Ajerul
 on Facebook. The topmost image is the aforementioned Teal Bayou Green colour, and there’s a chance the car pictured is the S50 itself. After all, it looks to match the rear door design of the car’s donor model, the Geely Emgrand.

As for the other two colours offered for the S50 pictured below, they are Marine Blue and Passion Red, which made their debuts on the
X90
 and
X50
 respectively.

From top: Teal Bayou Green, Marine Blue, Passion Red

The Geely Emgrand

Previous spy shots of the S50

Anyway, the S50 is is rumoured to be launched in Malaysia as early as November 2023. On top of that, four different variants are said to be offered, and all of them will be powered by the familiar 1.5L TGDi engine that outputs 177PS and 255Nm of torque – the same one found under the hood of the
X50
 and
X70
.

Of course, until confirmed by Proton itself, take these rumoured details of the Proton S50 with a grain of salt, though the
unavailability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
 is confirmed already. We should learn more about the S50 as we approach closer to the rumoured November 2023 launch of the sedan.


New Honkai: Star Rail Animated Short Shows Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae & His Past

Occasionally, Hoyoverse releases animated shorts for certain characters in
Honkai: Star Rail
. The
previous one was for Jing Yuan
, and this time around, Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae gets his own animated short.

Not only does the
very well-animated
 video explore Imbibitor Lunae’s past, we also get a look at other prominent characters in Star Rail. These include Jingliu – who has
already been teased by Hoyoverse
 – Yingxing, and Baiheng. All of them, together with Jing Yuan and Dan Feng (Dan Heng’s previous incarnation), form the legendary High-Cloud Quintet.

Evidently, Hoyoverse is building up excitement for Imbibitor Lunae, which will be playable from tomorrow onwards on 30 August once the Version 1.3 update of Star Rail is live. On top of that, his Companion Mission will also be available then, which should shed more light on the character.

Aside from Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae, Fu Xuan and Lynx will also be coming to Honkai: Star Rail in the Version 1.3 update. Imbibitor Lunae’s banner will be offered first, while Fu Xuan’s and Lynx’s event warps will be available in the second phase at a later date.


Asus Zenfone Series Will Not Be Discontinued After All

Asus just released an official response to
recent reports
 that the Taiwanese company is planning to cut its Zenfone lineup of smartphones, and it’s quite the statement. According to the company, it is simply “
not
true” – yes, in bold – that the Asus Zenfone product line will be shut down.

“We will continue our two main phone business product lines, the
ROG Phone
 and the Zenfone. Asus has a strong commitment to our smartphone business and customers,” the company said in the press release. “Please stay tuned for our 2024 product lineups,” it added.

So there you have it: the Asus Zenfone series will not be discontinued. That’s a good thing, given that there aren’t many compact flagship phones in the market now. The latest Zenfone 10, for one, features a 5.9-inch 2400 x 1080 AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate alongside a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset paired with up to 16GB of RAM.

Unfortunately, the Asus Zenfone series is still not offered as widely as the Taiwanese company’s range of ROG Phones. After all, here in Malaysia, we’ve got almost every iteration of the ROG Phone, while the last Zenfone device that was launched here was the
Zenfone 8 series
 back in 2021.


Oppo Find N3 Flip Official – Similar Design, Hasselblad Triple Camera, Coming to Global Market

Oppo just launched a new foldable flip phone in China, the Oppo Find N3 Flip. While it looks similar to last year’s
Find N2 Flip
, it does bring a few upgrades, including a more sophisticated triple camera configuration – still with the Hasselblad branding – and faster performance.

Let’s start with the new Hasselblad-branded camera system of the Find N3 Flip. In addition to a 50MP main sensor and a 48MP ultra-wide shooter, there’s finally a telephoto lens now. To be specific, it is a 32MP telephoto camera that’s capable of 2x optical zoom or 20x digital zoom.

Powering the Find N3 Flip, on the other hand, is a MediaTek Dimensity 9200 chipset, which should be faster than its predecessor’s Dimensity 9000+ SoC. Beyond that, other hardware of the new flip phone is strikingly similar to the Find N2 Flip. Well, except for the addition of an alert slider on the left side of the phone.

Other specifications of the Find N3 Flip include a 6.8-inch 2520 x 1080 AMOLED primary display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 3.26-inch 720 x 382 AMOLED cover screen – still limited at 60Hz – a 32MP selfie camera, 12GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, and a 4,300mAh battery with support for 44W fast charging.

The Oppo Find N3 Flip is now available for pre-order in China from 6,999 Chinese yuan, which comes up to about RM4,460. The foldable flip phone is set to be introduced globally in the near future, and given that its predecessor is sold here, we reckon the N3 Flip will make its way to Malaysia as well.


The Huawei Mate 60 Pro Has 3 Cutouts on Its Display With a Mystery Chip

Surprise surprise, the Huawei Mate 60 Pro just went for sale in China without any big teasers beforehand. One of the most unique elements of the phone has to be the inclusion of not one, not two, but
three
 cutouts on the display for a range of sensors.

One of the cutouts on the Mate 60 Pro is, of course, for a 13MP selfie camera. As for the other two cutouts, they house sensors for the 3D face recognition feature. While it does look rather odd to have three holes at the top of the screen, it does give the phone a…unique aesthetic.

Beyond that, the Mate 60 Pro also supports satellite calling, which is one of its most highlighted features. It also has an XMAGE triple camera system made up of a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 48MP telephoto lens that can do 3.5x optical zoom or up to 100x digital zoom.

Rounding out the specifications of the Mate 60 Pro are a 6.82-inch 2720 x 1260 OLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 12GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, an IP68 rating, and a 5,000mAh battery with support for 88W fast charging. Oddly enough, the chipset powering the phone has not been revealed yet.

At the moment, the Huawei Mate 60 Pro is only available in China from 6,999 Chinese yuan, which comes up to about RM4,460. No word yet on whether or not the phone will be offered outside of Huawei’s home market.


MTG Wilds of Eldraine Arrives for Tabletop 8 September 2023 – Anime Cards!

Magic: The Gathering’s latest set, Wilds of Eldraine, is set to arrive for tabletop next week on 8 September. To celebrate the arrival of the new fairy tale-like expansion, Wizards of the Coast will be holding an
Open House
 for the set, which is essentially a Launch Party.

The Magic Open House will be held at selected Wizards Play Network (WPN) Stores in Malaysia between 8 to 10 September next week. New players can get familiarised with the card game using Wilds of Eldraine’s new Starter Kit, and all attendees will receive a Drown in the Loch promotional card. Players who bring along a friend to the Open House can get an additional Cultivate card (each) too.

As for Wilds of Eldraine itself, it introduces a number of mechanics. Roles, for example, can be used to enchant creatures to give them +1/+1 and specific keywords like trample and scry. On top of that, 20 rare and mythic Enchanting Tales cards from the set will receive an anime-themed card treatment too, which looks quite sweet.

Magic: The Gathering’s Wilds of Eldraine set will be released for tabletop on 8 September 2023. Ahead of the set’s launch, you can pre-order it from your
favourite game store
. Wilds of Eldraine is offered in Draft Boosters, Set Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks, Prerelease Packs, Bundles, and a Starter Kit.