Huawei Vision S Lands in Malaysia – 55″ & 65″ 4K 120Hz Smart TVs From RM2,999

Surprise surprise, the Huawei Vision S has just been launched right here in Malaysia. Not only are we the first global market outside of China to receive the smart TV, the Vision S also offers really good value for money: it retails from only RM2,999 locally with some attractive features.

That’s right, this 4K smart TV with a fast 120Hz panel retails from only RM2,999, and that’s for the 55-inch model. The bigger 65-inch variant, on the other hand, costs RM3,999. Needless to say, the Vision S is a competitively priced smart TV, especially at these two sizes with a fast 120Hz refresh rate.

That being said, do keep in mind that the Vision S only has three HDMI 2.0 ports, so most devices – including gaming consoles like the
PlayStation 5
 – won’t be able to make full use of the 4K display at 120Hz. In order to run at 120Hz in 4K resolution, a HDMI 2.1 port is needed – do keep this in mind if you’re keen to get this TV for a particular device.

However, it’s also worth noting that the Vision S runs on Huawei’s own HarmonyOS, which will definitely be able to take advantage of the 4K 120Hz panel. Of course, the feasibility of HarmonyOS – especially in comparison to more popular operating system like Android TV – will depend on what kind of content that will be available on the OS.

To recap, the Huawei Vision S is priced at RM2,999 and RM3,999 for the 55-inch and 65-inch models respectively here in Malaysia. Both variants are now
available for local pre-order
 as well.


Monster Hunter Rise’s First Post-Launch Update Adds New Monsters, Quests & Removes HR Cap

Monster Hunter Rise
 is getting its first major update since launch, and it adds a number of interesting content. The Version 2.0 update – which is available now – adds five new monsters, a number of quests, and to top it off, the Hunter Rank cap is also removed.

Series veterans will appreciate the five new monsters in Monster Hunter Rise. These include three elder dragons (Teostra, Kushala Daora, Chameleos) and the Apex variants of Rathalos and Diablos. With the addition of these five monsters, players can craft new weapons and armors with their material as well.

Aside from that, the Version 1.2 update of Monster Hunter Rise also removes the Hunter Rank cap, which was previously limited to HR7. Once you’ve updated the game, your HR will increase based on your Hub Quest progress. As you increase your HR, you will unlock quests featuring the new monsters.

Once you’ve unlocked your HR cap, you will be able to forge layered armor as well, which changes your hunter’s outfit without affecting the skills and stats of your regular armor. While we’re on the topic of cosmetics, Capcom is introducing a Character Edit Voucher too, allowing you to change your hunter’s appearance.

That being said, do note that this is a paid DLC, though you can get one free Character Edit Voucher from the Nintendo eShop.

Of course, Capcom will continue to release more updates to Monster Hunter Rise; the Version 3.0 update is slated for next month by the end of May. That update will add even more monsters, and even a new ending. If you’d like to learn more about Monster Hunter Rise, check out our
review of the game
.


Honda Malaysia Recalls 77,708 Units for Faulty Fuel Pump – 2018 to 2020 Models Affected

Own a Honda vehicle? Then you may want to read on. Honda Malaysia just issued a recall involving 77,708 units over faulty fuel pumps. If you’ve purchased your Honda model between 2018 to 2020, you may be affected.

This recall exercise is a preventive measure to avoid any possible issues with the affected models’ fuel pump. These include difficulty in starting the engine, loss of engine power, or the vehicle completely stalling. According to Honda Malaysia, no accident or injury has occurred from this issue.

Model
Year
Units Affected
Accord
2018
2019
512
780
BR-V
2018
2020
7,112
6
City
2019
30,388
City Hybrid
2019
390
Civic
2018
2019
6,240
2,776
CR-V
2019
2020
9,843
1,381
HR-V
2018
7,679
HR-V Hybrid
2018
62
Jazz
2019
2020
5,791
4,626
Jazz Hybrid
2019
2020
92
30

Of course, Honda models that are currently on sale now are not affected by this recall. Those who own models that
are
 affected, however, will be contacted by Honda Malaysia. Alternatively, you can check if your Honda model is a part of the recall through the HondaTouch app – downloadable on the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
 – or
right here
.

Naturally, replacement of the fuel pump for affected models is free of charge. All related charges for the replacement will also be borne by Honda Malaysia itself.


Proton X70 Facelift Launching in August 2021? Possibly With 1.5L Turbo Engine

The
Proton X70
 has been in the Malaysian market for quite some time now. Initially launched here back in 2018 in CBU form, the C-segment SUV was later
locally assembled (CKD)
 from 2020 onwards. Well, if a new report is to be believed, the X70 may be facelifted in August this year.

This bit of news comes from local automotive site
Automachi
, which said that the facelifted X70 will makes its local debut sometime in August 2021. On top of that, Automachi also said that the X70’s 1.8L turbocharged engine will be replaced with a 1.5L three-cylinder turbo mill for the facelift model.

Chances are, this would be the same 1.5L TGDi three-cylinder engine that’s found under the hood of the
Proton X50
, which outputs 177PS and 255Nm of torque. Of course, that’s assuming this report turns out to be true. Given that August 2021 is about four months away, it’s a little bit early to tell.

Other than the new engine, the facelifted X70 will supposedly soldier on with the same seven-speed dual-clutch transmission found in the current model. There will be some exterior changes as well, and it will be interesting to see if Proton will take some styling cues from the Geely Boyue Pro. After all, the X70 is based on the Geely Boyue.

The Geely Boyue Pro

If Proton really is working on a facelift for the Proton X70, the national carmaker is keeping itself busy. It’s worth noting that the
Persona and Iriz
 are set to be facelifted sometime this year as well. Nonetheless, we’ll keep a close eye on the local development of these upcoming Proton models.


29 April – 5 May Fuel Price: All Prices Remain

No changes to fuel prices in Malaysia for the next seven days. Unlike last week, the price of RON 97 is not increasing this week, while the prices of RON 95 and diesel remain the same, given that the price ceilings of the two have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 remains at RM2.58 per litre, while the price of RON 95 stands at RM2.05 per litre. As for diesel, it still costs RM2.15 per litre.

These prices will be in effect from 29 April to 5 May next week. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week on the same day for future updates!


2022 Honda Civic Is Here – More Powerful Turbo Engine, New Mature Looks

Honda just revealed the 2022 Honda Civic in all its glory. With an updated, more mature look, and a retuned turbo engine to deliver even more power, the 11th generation Civic is touted to be “the most fun-to-drive and technologically advanced Civic sedan” yet.

Just like
its predecessor
, the 2022 Civic soldiers on with the same 2.0L NA (158hp/187Nm torque) and 1.5L turbocharged engines in the US market. But the latter, as mentioned, is tuned to deliver more power now. With 180hp and 240Nm of torque, the updated engine offers 6hp and 20Nm of torque more than the previous 1.5L turbo engine.

Not surprisingly, both engine options are still paired to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The exterior of the new Civic doesn’t look at that different from the Civic Prototype either. The A-pillars have been pushed back 1.96 inches to elongate the hood for a “premium silhouette,” as Honda puts it. Pushing back the A-pillars – and mounting the side mirrors to the door – improve the visibility of the C-segment sedan as well.

At the back of the 2022 Civic, gone are the “ketam” C-shaped taillights of the current 10th generation Civic FC for a more mature-looking L-shaped LED lighting; the front DRLs has the same L-shaped lighting too. As for the whole silhouette of the new Civic, it’s still very reminiscent of its D-segment sibling, the
Honda Accord
.

Inside the cabin, Honda took a more minimalist design approach with the 11th generation Civic. There’s now a floating infotainment screen – with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – the centre armrest is no longer partly exposed, and the air vents are integrated into the honeycomb mesh that stretches across the dashboard.

Safety wise, the 2022 Civic comes with 10 airbags; the Honda Sensing suite of active safety features has been improved as well. It uses a new single-camera system that provides a wider field of view, and with the help of new software and a more powerful processor, Honda Sensing can now “quickly and accurately identify pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles, along with road lines and road signs.”

According to Honda, these improvements to Honda Sensing also give it more natural brake application and quicker reactions when using Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

And there you have it, the 2022 Honda Civic. It looks quite a bit more mature than the outgoing model, which may appeal to folks that weren’t into the Civic FC’s much more aggressive-styling. If you’re interested in this 11th generation Civic, good news: there’s a chance it will
make its debut here in Malaysia
 sometime this year.


Asus TUF Dash F15 Hands-On: Affordable RTX 3060 Gaming Laptop!

Given that it’s almost impossible to purchase the latest desktop GPUs in the market currently, gaming laptops are even more compelling now for gamers that still want to get a taste of the latest RTX 3000 graphics cards. But opting for a gaming laptop means you won’t get quite as good value for money, but the Asus TUF Dash F15 is a little bit different.

Retailing from only RM4,699, the Dash F15 offers pretty good bang for your buck. For that kind of money, you’re getting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU in a slim and light chassis – it’s really quite an attractive gaming laptop. If you’re looking to get a mobile gaming machine at this price point, you can’t go wrong with the Dash F15.

First, let’s break down the three different variants of the TUF Dash F15 available in Malaysia. The base model, as mentioned, retails at only RM4,699. It features an RTX 3060 GPU, an Intel Core i5-11300H processor paired with 8GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS screen with a fast 144Hz refresh rate.

A tier up is the RM5,499 variant of the Dash F15. It has similar hardware as the aforementioned model, but it swaps out the processor for a faster Core i7-11370H chip paired with more RAM at 16GB. With a more capable processor and extra RAM, this is the configuration to get for the best price-to-performance ratio.

If you want even better gaming performance, there’s the range-topping RM6,999 Dash F15. Not only is this model equipped with a beefier RTX 3070 GPU, it also comes with an even faster 240Hz 15.6-inch 1080p IPS screen, a Core i7-11370H processor paired with 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

the TUF Dash F15 that we got for this hands-on – and subsequent review, of course – is the mid-tier RM5,499 configuration; the one I personally believe offers the best performance for the money. Of course, the RM4,699 base model is good too, but its 8GB of RAM is the absolute bare minimum; 16GB RAM is a more practical capacity.

Anyway, let’s talk about the Dash F15’s performance now. Though I haven’t ran any intensive games on the gaming laptop yet, I’m confident the RTX 3060 and Core i7-11370H processor will be able to run AAA games without much difficulty.

While the Dash F15’s RTX 3060 only has a 85W TGP (the max TGP for this GPU is 115W), it should still be powerful enough to offer a pleasant gaming experience. I’ll definitely test out this laptop’s gaming performance extensively in the full review.

Complementing the fast hardware of the TUF Dash F15 is an equally fast 144Hz 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display. The high refresh rate offers good motion clarity in fast-paced games, and the screen itself looks reasonably good too. While I do wish the panel was brighter, it still has quite punchy colours with decent viewing angles.

But my favourite aspect of the Dash F15 has to be its slim, lightweight nature. Measuring only 19.9mm thin with a 2kg chassis, it’s really quite a portable machine. Granted, it’s not the slimmest or lightest gaming laptop around, but at this price point, you’d be hard-pressed to find an alternative with a similarly thin and lightweight chassis.

Build quality of the Dash F15 is quite good too. Although it is made mostly of plastic – only the top lid is metal – it still feels quite solid. The chassis doesn’t creak with added pressure, it doesn’t feel hollow, and I love how smooth the palm rest area feels.

And then we have the input devices of the TUF Dash F15. The keyboard, for one, is quite good. It offers just enough key travel to not feel shallow, and the keys are quite tactile as well, which make for a pleasant typing experience. The trackpad can accurately track my fingers too, and it can recognise gestures with no issue at all.

All in all, the Asus TUF Dash F15 is a pretty attractive gaming laptop that offers good value for money. It has solid build quality with a thin, lightweight chassis, a fast 144Hz screen, a capable RTX 3060 GPU, and most of all, a reasonably affordable price tag for a gaming laptop of this calibre.

Really, from only RM4,699, the Dash F15 is one of the most affordable RTX 3060 gaming laptops in the market now. On top of that, its thin and lightweight chassis is definitely worth highlighting again here; gaming laptops at this price point are usually much thicker and heavier.

If there’s any downside to the TUF Dash F15, it would be the laptop’s 10nm Core i7-11370H quad-core processor. Now, I’m sure this chip can keep up with the RTX 3060 GPU, but it would’ve been great if Asus had went with, say, the 7nm AMD Ryzen 7 5800H octa-core processors instead for better power-efficiency and processing power.

Nonetheless, I’ll be using the Dash F15 as my daily driver for the next couple of weeks, and I’m quite excited to put it through its paces. It’ll be interesting to see just how fast this gaming laptop is, and whether or not it can return good enough battery life to double as a productivity laptop.


OnePlus 9 & OnePlus 9 Pro With Hasselblad Cameras Arriving in Malaysia Soon

OnePlus’ latest range of flagship smartphones, the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, are set to arrive here in Malaysia very soon. Packing Hasselblad-branded cameras and Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888 chipsets, these are pretty interesting high-end smartphones, especially if they’re priced right.

In our routine search through SIRIM’s database, we noticed that both the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro were registered with SIRIM on 28 and 30 April respectively under All Plus Technology Sdn Bhd. Electronics have to go through the certification body first before they can be officially sold here in Malaysia, so chances are, these two smartphones will be launched here very soon.

The highlight of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro has to be their Hasselblad-branded cameras, which supposedly deliver more natural-looking colours. Both devices have similar camera configurations as well; they have a 48MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide angle shooter, a 2MP monochrome lens, and a 16MP selfie camera.

However, the OnePlus 9 Pro does come with an extra 8MP telephoto lens. On top of that, the Pro model also has a more impressive 6.7-inch 1440p AMOLED curved screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The regular OnePlus 9, on the other hand, features a more pedestrian (but still 120Hz) 6.55-inch 1080p AMOLED panel.

Other specifications of both flagships include the aforementioned Snapdragon 888 processor, a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging, as well as Android 11 out of the box.

The OnePlus 9 Pro
The OnePlus 9

We haven’t received any word on the Malaysian availability of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, but given that they have been registered with SIRIM already, we reckon it’s only a matter of time before both of them are officially launched here.


Cobalt POM Review: POM Linear Switch That Thocks & Pops

Aside from the NovelKeys Cream switch – which I personally quite like for its clacky sound profile – you don’t usually see switches in the custom mechanical scene with POM housings. This is precisely why JWK’s Cobalt POM linear switch is particularly interesting.

Not only does it have a POM housing, the Cobalt POM also features a stem made out of a “proprietary blend of plastics.” I’ve been using this switch on the
KBD67 Lite
 for a while now, and I absolutely love its thocky, “poppy” sound profile and smooth downstroke.

Of course, the Cobalt POM still has its fair share of shortcomings. But overall, it’s easily one of my favourite switches right now, especially if I’m planning to build a keyboard with a deep sound profile.

What It Is

The Cobalt POM is a linear switch manufactured by JWK, and it’s quite similar to the Durock POM switch. Both feature the same POM housing with a five-pin design, a “mystery blend” stem, as well as a slow 63.5g spring. The Cobalt POM, however, is factory lubed, while the Durock POM is available dry or lubed.

As for availability, the Cobalt POM is sold on
Prime Keyboards
 and
iLumkb
; I got this switch from the latter, given that the Singapore-based vendor is closer to where I am (Malaysia). Sold at S$9.50 on iLumkb for 10 switches, that puts this switch at around RM3 per unit, which is fair for a switch of this quality.

The Good Stuff

The moment I started typing on the Cobalt POM, its deep sound profile is immediately obvious. Not only does it have a solid, deep-sounding downstroke, the switch’s long stem pole also produces a “poppy” bottom out. The topping out sound, even if it’s a tad louder, is solid too.

Thanks to its lubed nature, the Cobalt POM offers a smooth downstroke as well; comparable to the
C3 Tangerine V2
, even. While there’s a hint of audible scratch, there’s absolutely no scratchy sensation throughout the downstroke. The consistency of the lube across the 90 switches I got seems to be quite good as well.

Another aspect of the Cobalt POM that’s worth highlighting is its
long
 63.5g gold-plated spring, which offers a slow force curve. Basically, the initial force at the top of the key press will feel heavier than, say, a regular 65g spring. Yes, even though this spring has a lower 63.5g bottom out, it will
feel
heavier because it is a slow spring.

Last but definitely not least is the colourway of the Cobalt POM. The combination of the dark blue stem and grey housing give it a unique-looking design that sets it apart from other switches in the market now. I personally quite like how it looks, though I’m sure there are folks who don’t share my sentiment.

Nonetheless, at least the Cobalt POM doesn’t look boring at all.

The Bad Stuff

Though the Cobalt POM has quite a number of positives, it certainly has room for improvement. The spring, for one, pings quite a bit. Even though the factory lubing is quite consistent, only the stem is lubed; other parts of the switch are bone dry as far as I can tell.

Of course, the solution to this spring ping issue is simple: just lube the spring. While the Cobalt POM feels smooth out of the box, a proper lube job will definitely make the switch
even
 smoother while also removing the spring ping. Trust me, it’s (almost) always worth lubing switches for a more pleasant typing experience.

Notice how the Cobalt POM’s legs (top) are thicker than the Gazzew Bobagum’s legs

Aside from that, the Cobalt POM’s PCB-mount legs are thicker than regular MX-style switches too. This, in turn, makes it quite difficult to mount them onto my KBD67 Lite. Depending on which keyboard you plan to use this switch on, you may need to thin the legs with a pair of pliers.

Is It Worth It?

If you want a linear switch that is quite smooth out of the box with a deep, thocky sound profile – as well as a slow spring – the Cobalt POM is a great choice. But to really bring out its full potential, you really have to lube the switch to eliminate the spring ping and make it even smoother.

While it’s unfortunate that the Cobalt POM’s legs are thicker than usual, it’s not a problem that cannot be solved with a little bit of DIY. If you’re willing to do that, and lube the switch accordingly, you will be very, very happy with this thocky linear switch.


Proton X50 – 3,583 Units Delivered in April 2021, Total Deliveries Now at 15,237

Proton continues to deliver more units of its very popular B-segment SUV, the
Proton X50
, to eager customers. Last month, the national carmaker fulfilled as many as 3,583 bookings of the X50, which is slightly higher than the 3,513 units delivered the previous month in March 2021.

To date, over 15,237 bookings of the X50 have been fulfilled. But given that a whopping

40,000 bookings
 were made for the SUV, Proton still has some ways to go to fulfill all outstanding orders. The
sales tax exemption
 given by the government is set to expire in two months as well, so not everyone will be able to enjoy the current tax-free prices for the X50.

Nonetheless, April 2021 was still a good month for Proton. Aside from the X50, the carmaker also delivered 2,101 units of the Proton X70 in the same month. In total, over 5,684 SUVs were sold by Proton in April 2021, which is just a bit less than 5,850 SUVs sold by the national carmaker in March 2021.

Of course, Proton’s best-selling car is still the Proton Saga with 5,472 units of the A-segment sedan sold last month. The Proton Persona (2,266), Iriz (974), and Exora (616) also posted their best figures for 2021, with the Exora still maintaining its lead in the C-segment MPV market.

“For Proton, we are continuing with efforts to meet the strong demand for our products while maintaining a high level of product quality. At the same time, we are focusing on improving customer service and addressing issues related to spare parts availability, which is vital as our sales volume increases,” said the CEO of Proton Edar, Roslan Abdullah.

“We estimate the situation will see significant improvement as the year progresses but we are working hard to move up that timeline,” he added.


Disney+ Hotstar Arrives in Malaysia 1 June 2021 – RM54.90 for 3 Months

It’s finally official: Disney+ Hotstar will start streaming here in Malaysia come 1 June 2021. Not only does the streaming service offer a wide variety of content owned by Disney – including the Marvel franchise – Malaysian movies and series will also be available on the platform.

So how much does Disney+ Hotstar cost in Malaysia? Well, it’s priced at
RM54.90 for three months
, so you’re effectively paying RM18.30 per month. With an active subscription, you can watch on two screens at the same time across a range of devices. The majority of content on the platform are available to download as well.

Aside from content from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, Disney+ Hotstar also offers “a huge library of award-winning Malaysian cinema releases and homegrown hits.” These include J2: J Retribusi, Zombitopia, Ada Hantu, Ejen Ali, as well as Upin & Ipin. It’s worth noting that Astro Movies Pack customers will get a special entitlement too, though no details were given yet.

To recap, Disney+ Hotstar will be available in Malaysia from 1 June onwards. What do you think? Is it worth
RM54.90 for three months
? Let us know in the comments section below!


Astro Customers Can Access Disney+ Hotstar for Only RM5

If you’re an existing Astro customer, good news: you can get Disney+ Hotstar for only RM5 per month. On top of that, Astro also said that it is currently working to integrate the new streaming service to its Ultra and Ulti connected boxes later this year for added convenience.

Of course, there is a caveat to this. In order to get access to Disney+ Hotstar for RM5 per month, you would have to be subscribed to Astro’s Movies Pack. If you’re already on the Movies Pack, your monthly bill will be automatically charged an additional RM5 for access to the new streaming service.

In order to gain access to Disney+ Hotstar with your Astro Movies Pack subscription, you’ll need to
go here
 from 1 June onwards and login with your Astro ID. You can then activate your Disney+ Hotstar membership with your mobile number, which will be used to log into the streaming service.

Do note that if you’re currently subscribed to Astro’s Movies Pack, your monthly bill will automatically be charged an additional RM5 even if you don’t activate your Disney+ Hotstar membership with Astro. While RM5 per month for the streaming service is good value for money, folks that don’t plan to use it may not be thrilled by this change.

If you’d like to learn more about Astro’s deal with Disney+ Hotstar, you can do so
here
. Alternatively, you can sign up for the streaming service directly, which costs
RM54.90 for three months
; you’re effectively paying RM13.80 per month.


Perodua Ativa – 4,624 Units Delivered in April 2021, Waiting Time up to 4 Months Now

Perodua just released its sales figure for the month of April 2021, and the carmaker’s latest compact SUV, the
Perodua Ativa
, continues to be delivered to even more customers. A total of 4,624 bookings of the Ativa were fulfilled last month, bringing the total number of units delivered to 8,969.

According to Perodua, demand for the Ativa continues to be strong, with an average of 290 daily bookings. In fact, the waiting time for the SUV now stands between two to four months, depending on which variant and colour that are chosen.

Considering the fact that the
sales tax exemption
 given by the government will expire in two months, not everyone will be able to enjoy the current tax-free prices for the Ativa.

Anyway, Perodua managed to deliver a total of 20,399 vehicles to customers last month. In contrast, the carmaker delivered 24,431 units the previous month in March 2021; Perodua said this difference is caused by the global chip shortage.

“The chip shortage is our top priority at present and we are deploying all our resources to deal with it, including working closely with the government and our business partners for viable solutions. Perodua remains committed towards timely deliveries, aided by our economies of scale,” said the CEO of Perodua, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

Given the growing waiting period, there’s no doubt the Perodua Ativa is proving to be a popular compact SUV among Malaysians. Hopefully, those who have booked the Ativa not long after its
initial launch in early March
 will be able to get it before the sales tax exemption expires at the end of June 2021.


Here’s How to Get up to RM300 Subsidy From Your Telco

The government’s Jaringan Prihatin program is now live, and eligible Malaysians can now get up to RM300 rebate from their respective telcos. These include Maxis, Digi, Celcom, U Mobile, Unifi Mobile, and many more.

Do note that the Jaringan Prihatin program is only catered to those who are eligible for the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) initiative from the government. If you’re a BPR recipient, here’s how you can get up to RM300 subsidy from different telcos.

Maxis

Like the other telcos in this list, Maxis’ Jaringan Prihatin program is separated between BPR recipients with or without children. Those who don’t have children are eligible to get RM180 rebate for a brand new device under the Hotlink Postpaid 60 plan or bill subsidy of the same value. Postpaid users will get a RM15 subsidy for 12 months, while prepaid users can claim a RM15 credit every month for 12 months.

For BPR recipients with children, they are eligible for a RM300 rebate instead, but this is only for getting a new device under the Hotlink Postpaid 60 plan; bill subsidy is still only limited to RM180. Nonetheless, anyone who gets the device rebate or bill subsidy will also receive 2GB of free high-speed “Prihatin” internet daily, albeit it’s only valid for one hour.

In order to get the bill subsidy, you can sign up via UMB code or through the Maxis and Hotlink app. If you want to get the RM300 or RM180 rebate instead for a new device, you can register your interest with Maxis
over here
.

Digi

Just like Maxis, Digi offers the same benefits, but there are some notable differences. While the bill subsidy option remains the same at RM180 (RM15 subsidy for 12 months) for BPR recipients with or without children, the device rebate is only for those with children, which is set at RM300.

Aside from that, those who opt to get the bill subsidy or device rebate will receive 2GB of free high-speed data everyday – also limited to an hour – for the next 12 months as well. You can sign up for these benefits with Digi on its
official website
.

Celcom

Unlike Maxis and Digi, Celcom actually offers RM300 in device rebate or bill subsidy (RM25 discount for 12 months) for BPR recipients with children; you don’t get the latter option with the two aforementioned telcos. On top of that, Celcom is also giving out extra RM60 rebate for those who are on the XP Lite plan, alongside the free daily 2GB data.

As for BPR recipients without children, Celcom offers the same RM180 bill subsidy or device rebate. You can sign up for the telco’s Jaringan Prihatin program through the
Celcom Life app
. The full list of device offered by the telco can also be found
here
.

U Mobile

The bill subsidy for U Mobile’s Jaringan Prihatin program is a little bit more restrictive. Not only is it limited to RM180 (RM15 subsidy for 12 months) – regardless of BPR recipient with or without children – it’s also only applicable to prepaid plans above RM30; postpaid plans have an even higher threshold of RM50.

Thankfully, U Mobile’s device rebate is offered to both BPR recipients with and without children at RM300 and RM180 respectively. The full list of devices and plans offered by the telco can be found
here
, and those who opt for either the bill subsidy or device rebate will get 2GB of free data (for one hour) every day.

You can sign up for U Mobile’s Jaringan Prihatin program
on its website
.

Unifi Mobile

Unifi Mobile’s Jaringan Prihatin program is by far the least attractive. Not only does the telco not offer any device rebate, the bill subsidy portion of the program is
only
 applicable to its Unifi Mobile 39 plan. It doesn’t even matter if you’re a BPR recipient with children: only RM180 (RM15 for 12 months) subsidy is given for the plan.

Now, it’s worth noting that Unifi Mobile does offer a “bill subsidy” of sorts for its #BEBASprepaid plan, but this is given in the form of 2GB monthly data, which is said to be worth RM15. Besides that, instead of offering 2GB of daily data like other telcos, Unifi Mobile is giving out 30GB of monthly data for 12 months…for the postpaid Unifi Mobile 39.

What about the #BEBASprepaid plan? Well, for some odd reason, Unifi Mobile is only offering 1GB of data daily for 12 months for that prepaid plan. Needless to say, we would advise against going with Unifi Mobile’s Jaringan Prihatin program, though you can learn more about it
here
 if you’re still curious.

If the telco you’ve signed up with is not covered here, you can head on to its respective website for more information. What do you think? Which telco will you go with? Let us know in the comments section below!


Xiaomi Mi TV Q1 & Mi TV P1 Smart TVs Arriving in Malaysia 20 May

We reported a couple of weeks ago that Xiaomi registered the
 Mi TV Q1 smart TV with SIRIM
 a couple of weeks ago, and now, the Chinese company just confirmed that it will be launching the TV here in Malaysia on 20 May. On top of that, the more affordable Mi TV P1 will be arriving here too.

Let’s start with the more exciting smart TV of the two, the Mi TV Q1. It has an expansive 75-inch 3840 x 2160 QLED panel with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. Aside from the high refresh rate, the QLED panel also meets 100% NTSC and 95% DCI-P3 colour standards.

The almost bezel-less design – though there is a small bottom chin – gives the smart TV a very sleek, modern-looking design as well.

Beyond that, the Mi TV Q1 runs on Android TV 10 out of the box too, which allows you to download a slew of apps and the ability to cast content to the TV from your mobile device. As for connectivity, it includes a HDMI 2.1 eARC/ALLM input, two HDMI 2.0 port, two USB 2.0 connections, Bluetooth 5.0, and WiFi 2.4GHz/5GHz.

As for the more affordable Mi TV P1, the Malaysian market is confirmed to be getting the 55-inch model so far. Given its more budget-friendly positioning, this 4K TV features a more conventional LED panel, though it still meets the HDR10+ standard. Of course, the Mi TV P1 runs on Android TV as well.

The Xiaomi Mi TV Q1 and Mi TV P1 will be launching here in Malaysia on 20 May. It’ll be interesting to see how much these two smart TVs will cost in our local market.


6 – 12 May Fuel Price: RON 97 up 2 Sen

RON 97 will cost slightly more in the coming week. It is set to go up by 2 sen per litre this midnight, while the prices of RON 95 and diesel remain the same, given that the price ceilings of the two have been reached.

This brings the price of RON 97 to RM2.60 per litre (up from RM2.58). The price of RON 95, on the other hand, remains the same at RM2.05 per litre. As for diesel, it still costs RM2.15 per litre.

These prices will be in effect from 6 to 12 May next week. New fuel prices will now be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week on the same day for future updates!


Custom Mechanical Keyboard – Where to Buy Parts in Malaysia?

Getting into the custom mechanical keyboard hobby may seem intimidating at first. Not only are there a lot of different options in the market now, searching for the right vendor to make your purchases can be even tougher, especially if you’re not located in bigger markets like the US.

But even though it’s not quite as easy to get the same selection of products in Malaysia, there are actually a number of great vendors located here and in our neighbouring countries that carry a wide array of options. Yes, unfortunately, we do have to look at international vendors to get all the necessary keyboard parts for us here in Malaysia.

Anyway, if you’re interested to get into the custom mechanical keyboard hobby, here are several vendors that I have personally dealt with; ones that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

Keys.my

This is my go-to vendor if I want to get parts quickly and fuss-free. Keys.my, based here in Malaysia, has its
own online store
 as well as a
Shopee store
 – where it is actually a Preferred retailer – to cater to a wide range of audiences. Whether you want to look for switches, stabilisers, or lube, Keys.my has you covered.

In my experience, Keys.my ships out orders very quickly as well. I’ve purchased multiple items from the vendor, and never did it take more than a couple of days for the package to be in the courier’s hands. All in all, if there’s any keyboard part that I’m looking to get, Keys is the first vendor I look at.

Rebult Keyboards

This is another vendor based here in Malaysia. Even though its selections are not quite as large as Keys.my’s, Rebult Keyboards does sometimes carry products that Keys doesn’t offer. On top of that, it’s worth noting that Rebult is currently running an Interest Check for two switches:
Harimau and Penyu
, which are tactile and linear switches respectively.

If you’d like to check out what Rebult Keyboards has in stock right now, you can head on to its
online store
 and
Shopee store
.

iLumkb

Half of my keyboard-related purchases are probably from iLumkb. Not only does it stock up on a
wide variety
 of products – especially switches – it also runs plenty of Group Buys for various items. These include keycap sets, deskmats, switches, and even keyboard kits such as the
Wilba.tech Salvation
 – it’s ending tomorrow on 7 May, by the way.

But do note that iLumkb is located in Singapore, so it does take slightly longer for packages to arrive in Malaysia. That being said, iLumkb is easily one of the bigger vendors that’s closest to Malaysia, so I’m thrilled whenever iLumkb is the Southeast Asia proxy for big, high-profile group buys such as the aforementioned Salvation keyboard.

You can head on to
iLumkb’s online store
 if you’re keen to check out its wide range of products.

Zion Studios

Based in The Philippines, Zion Studios has a reasonably good selection of keyboard parts. In fact, it even carries certain switches that other vendors in this list do not, such as the
Tecsee Kingfisher
 and an all-black
Gazzew Boba U4T Thocky
.

As mentioned, Zion Studios is based in The Philippines, so do expect longer shipping times. Aside from that, I’ve only dealt with the vendor once for the Jelly Epoch drop – stay tuned for our full review – which is only set to start shipping sometime this month. But based on my interactions with Zion Studios, I do see myself returning for more purchases – maybe even for the Kingfisher switch.

Nonetheless, you can take a look Zion Studios range of keyboard products
right here
.

KBDfans

Last but certainly not least is KBDfans. Even though it’s not the closest vendor to my location – it’s based in China – the sheer number of keyboard parts and accessories offered by the vendor are just too good to pass on. You want to build a keyboard from scratch? KBDfans (literally) has all the parts you need.

Check out
KBDfans’ website
 for its full range of products. The vendor also has a
Shopee store
, though there are not quite as many options there.

These are just some of the vendors that I have personally dealt with.
JustKeys
is another Malaysian vendor worth mentioning, alongside
Pantheon
 and
Monokei
; both of which are located in Singapore. I haven’t purchased anything from these vendors yet, but they do have a good reputation.

And there you have it. The custom mechanical keyboard hobby is a very rewarding one, especially for someone in my line of work who needs to do a lot of typing on a daily basis. If you’re in a similar position, I implore you to look into
investing in a proper custom mechanical keyboard
 – you won’t look back.


Could This Be the Proton X90 7-Seater SUV?

Well well, it appears Proton may be gearing up to launch yet another SUV (possibly dubbed Proton X90) in the future, and it’s a big one – literally. This is the Geely Haoyue – it’s sold as the Okavango in The Philippines – a D-segment seven-seater SUV, and it has been spotted on the road here in Malaysia.

These images of the camouflaged Haoyue came from a reader of local automotive site
Funtasticko
;
Paultan.org
 got a different shot from its reader as well. Now, we know this is Proton testing the Haoyue as the B2640A trade plate is owned by the national carmaker. It’s the very same plate used by a
pre-production Proton X50 test unit
.

So what is the Haoyue? As mentioned, it’s a large D-segment SUV that can be configured with five or seven seats; it measures 4,835mm long, 1,900mm wide, and 1,785 tall. Compared to the
Proton X70
, the Haoyue is 316mm longer, 69mm wider, and 91mm taller.

Powering the Haoyue, on the other hand, is a 1.8L four-cylinder turbocharged engine that outputs 181PS and 300Nm of torque. This engine is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with drive sent either to the front wheels or all four of them for the AWD model.

However, it’s worth noting that in The Philippines, the Okavango is actually available with a 1.5L three-cylinder turbo engine with a mild hybrid system that put out a combined figure of 190hp and 300Nm of torque. This setup is also paired with a 7DCT, though there is no AWD variant.

Of course, given its positioning as a premium SUV, the Haoyue is equipped with Geely’s level 2 autonomous driving system too. It is made up of 24 different sensors to allow for as many as 17 “intelligent drive features.” According to Geely, this lets the SUV automatically follow, stop, as well as turn at speeds of up to 150km/h.

Oh, just like the
Proton X50
, the Haoyue is also capable of parking itself. It features a 360-degree camera as well, and given the large size of the SUV, we imagine this will come in handy for most drivers.

The Geely Haoyue

Even though the Geely Haoyue is already being tested on Malaysian roads, it’s still much too early to tell if it will eventually materialise to be the “Proton X90.” Nonetheless, we will keep a close eye for any further development.


Spy Shot: 2021 Proton Persona & Iriz Active – More Premium Interior, 16-inch Wheels, LED Headlights

Proton’s upcoming
2021 Iriz and Persona facelift
 have been spotted in the wild yet again, and this is our best look yet at the new B-segment models. Not only do we have a shot of the two cars’ interiors, we’ve got quite a number of exterior images too, including the
2021 Proton Iriz Active
 – the crossover version of the Iriz.

These images come from local automotive sites
Wapcar
,
Automachi
, as well as
Funtasticko
. Let’s start with the 2021 Persona first, which doesn’t see a lot of exterior changes at a glance. But upon closer inspection, it now features larger 16-inch alloy wheels, an updated Infinite Weave grille, and also LED headlights.

Of course, the new circular Proton logo is used here as well.

The interior of the 2021 Persona sees a more drastic change. Not only does it come with brown leather seats now – very reminiscent of the
Proton X70
‘s Nappa leather seats – the centre console has been revamped as well. There’s a new floating infotainment screen, and the air-conditioning vents are now located right below it instead of the sides.

Another thing of note is the air-conditioning controls of the new Persona. Based on a
different set of leaked images
 – which is said to be the Iriz’s interior, though both models will likely share a similar interior – the controls are now digital. This will certainly give the B-segment models a more premium appeal.

Moving on, we have the Iriz Active. Yes, the crossover version of the B-segment hatchback is believed to be carrying the Active moniker. Unlike the facelifted Persona, the Iriz Active looks much more different than the current model. It has wheel arch extensions finished in black, roof rails, a redesigned Infinite Weave grille, as well as Proton’s new logo.

Overall, the Iriz Active does look quite a bit sportier than the regular model. The new LED headlights, 16-inch wheels, and silver trim surrounding the lower grille further add to the sportiness of the crossover. Unfortunately, rumours are suggesting that the engine and CVT transmission for the new model are unchanged.

This applies to both the Iriz Active and Persona facelift. The two B-segment models are expected to soldier on with the same four-cylinder engine options. The 1.3L mill outputs 95PS and 120Nm of torque (likely only for the Iriz), while the 1.6L unit produces 109PS and 150Nm of torque.

The 2021 Proton Iriz Active and Persona facelift are certainly shaping up to be quite interesting options for those who are looking to get affordable B-segment cars. Hopefully, Proton will be launching the two models soon – maybe right before the government’s sales tax exemption expires
at the end of June 2021
.


Avoid These (Potential) COVID-19 Hotspots Highlighted by HIDE

The Malaysian government just released its first HIDE list, which stands for Hotspot Identification For Dynamic Engagement System. Basically, HIDE uses big data and AI to predict MySejahtera premises that are at risk of becoming COVID-19 hotspots within a seven-day period.

Published on a daily basis, the HIDE list is meant to “empower the public to make informed decisions on their movement and conduct,” as the Ministry of Health (MOH) puts it. Of course, it’s best to avoid the premises listed in HIDE to minimise risk of COVID-19 infection.

The full HIDE list for 8 May can be found below.

Now, do note that these premises are
not
 COVID-19 hotspots. Rather, they are potential cluster locations that are at risk of materialising if no corrective actions are taken. That being said, MOH does encourage everyone who have visited any of the premises in the list within seven days after they are flagged by HIDE to self-quarantine.

To get the latest HIDE list daily, you can check out
MOSTI’s Twitter account
. Alternatively, you can also subscribe to
MKN’s official Telegram channel
.


2021 Perodua Aruz Updated With Side Steps & New Passion Red Colour – No Price Increase

Perodua just updated its popular seven-seater SUV for 2021. The Perodua Aruz now sports a new Passion Red colour option, integrated side steps, and even automatic door-locking. The best part is, there’s no price increase either, so the SUV still starts from RM68,526 for the base X variant and RM73,226 for the range-topping AV model.

The integrated side steps are standard for both the X and AV variants of the Aruz, though the new Passion Red metallic colour – which effectively replaces the previous flagship Amazon Green shade – is only reserved for the higher-end AV model. Nonetheless, the automatic door-locking mechanism (it kicks in above 20km/h) is standard too.

In the event of a collision, the feature also ensures that the doors will be automatically unlocked.

These are all the changes the 2021 Aruz receive. Beyond that, it still comes with a 1.5L NA four-cylinder engine that outputs 102PS and 133Nm of torque. Paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, the SUV has a rated fuel efficiency of up to 15.6km/l.

Other standard equipment of the Aruz include six airbags with Vehicle Stability Contol (VSC), LED headlamps, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels. The higher-end AV model, on the other hand, gets Perodua’s Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 2.0 suite of driver assistance systems, leather seats, auto headlamps, and even an integrated dash cam.

As mentioned, prices of the Perodua Aruz remain the same at RM68,526 and RM73,226 for the X and AV models respectively. Do note that these prices are with sales tax exemption applied, which is set to expire
by the end of June 2021.

“Of all our models, the Perodua Aruz benefitted the most from the government’s sales tax exemption – its prices dropped by 6%, or over RM4,000. So if you’ve been eyeing an Aruz, book now – the exemption is slated to end in under 60 days,” said the CEO of Perodua, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.


Spy Shot: 2021 Proton Iriz Active’s More Premium Interior Seen

Seems like we’re getting more interior shots of the
2021 Proton Iriz Active
, which is believed to be the crossover version of the B-segment hatchback. While its interior looks very similar to the
2021 Proton Persona facelift
, there are some notable differences here, such as the black and red colour scheme.

These alleged images of the Iriz Active’s interior come from local automotive site
Funtasticko
, and it looks quite sporty. Not only are there red trims on the bottom of the air-conditioning vents, centre console, and steering controls, the seats have red stitching as well.

Aside from that, there also seem to be aluminium pedals, digital air-conditioning controls, and a floating infotainment screen.

Looking at a different leaked image of the Iriz Active from
Automachi
, it’s evident that the analog instrument cluster has red highlights too, along with the side air-conditioning vents and red stitching on the steering wheel. According to Automachi, the Iriz Active may get the
Proton X50
‘s Citric Orange paint job as well.

All in all, the interior of the Iriz Active looks to be more upmarket and premium compared to the current generation Iriz. Although the pictures do not show it, the new B-segment model supposedly comes with bright red seat belts too. Unfortunately, rumours are suggesting that the engine and CVT transmission of the new Iriz are unchanged, though they may be retuned.

Now that more images of the 2021 Proton Iriz Active have made it onto the internet, we expect Proton to officially unveil the new B-segment model very soon. Chances are, it will debut alongside the 2021 Proton Persona facelift as well – we will keep a close eye on any official announcements from Proton.


Apple iMac & iPad Pro With M1 Chips Arriving in Malaysia Soon

Announced globally just a few weeks ago, we have good reason to believe that Apple’s
brand new iMac
 and
iPad Pro
 powered by the Cupertino’s company very own M1 chips are coming to Malaysia very soon. In fact, there’s a chance they will be available locally in the next few weeks.

We spotted the new iMac and iPad Pro in SIRIM’s database; electronics have to go through the certification body first before they can be officially sold in Malaysia. Anyway, the A2540 and A2449 devices are the iMac and new Magic Keyboard respectively, while the model numbers A2461 and A2459 are the 12.9-inch and 11-inch iPad Pro models respectively.

What about the A2540 wireless remote? Well, that’s likely the new Apple TV Remote for the Apple TV 4K, which is also coming here very soon.

What makes the new 24-inch iMac particularly interesting (aside from its vibrant colourways) is the M1 chip powering the AIO. It’s said to be up to 85% faster than its predecessor, and it now comes with a bright 24-inch 4.5k Retina Display with True Tone support. On top of that, it ships with colour-matched mouse and keyboard as well, along with a matching magnetic power connector.

As for the M1 iPad Pro, it offers 50% and 40% faster CPU and GPU performances respectively with the new chip. The 12.9 model also gets a 2732 x 2048 mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display, while the 11-inch variant features a 2388 x 1668 IPS screen. Both iPad Pro models also come with a new 12MP ultra-wide angle front camera with TrueDepth support too.

So when exactly will these Apple products be available here in Malaysia? Well, if the
local availability
 of the
M1-powered Macs
 are any indication, the new iMac, iPad Pro, and Apple TV 4K may go on sale here in the next two to three weeks. To recap, they retail from RM5,599, RM3,499, and RM849 respectively for the Malaysian market.

Rest assured, we will closely follow the Malaysian availability of these new Apple products.


You Can Refuel With Your TNG RFID At Selected Shell Stations Soon

Initially announced
back in February last year
, it appears you will be able to refuel with your Touch ‘n Go (TNG) RFID tag at selected Shell stations very soon. Basically, the RFID tag allows you to make payment at the fueling bay itself with your TNG eWallet balance.

We got word of this TNG RFID Fueling pilot programme in a newsletter we received from TNG; it appears only selected RFID users are chosen for the programme. Anyway, those who participate in the early testing of this feature will also receive up to RM20 in eWallet credit.

We were previously told that the TNG RFID Fueling system relies on “an overhead scanner that reads the radio frequency from the TNG RFID tag” at fueling bays. It can then deduct the amount of fuel that you’ve purchased from your eWallet balance; very seamless.

Of course, given that TNG RFID Fueling has not been officially rolled out to consumers yet, this feature is only available at selected Shell stations listed below:

Shell Bandar Sri Menjalara
Shell Mint Hotel
Shell NKVE Damansara
Shell Taman Connaught
Shell Taman Tun Dr Ismail

If you’re a regular TNG RFID user, you may have been selected for the TNG RFID Fueling pilot programme. Unfortunately, it appears registration for the programme is not open to the public at the moment.


Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake-H Mobile Chips Official – Outperform AMD Ryzen 5000 Processors

Intel just took the wraps off its latest 11th generation Tiger Lake-H mobile chips, and they seem quite promising. While the chipmaker already unveiled a number of Tiger Lake-H processors, these new chips offer more cores and (naturally) faster performances – they can even outpace AMD’s Ryzen 5000 processors.

Out of all the new Tiger Lake-H chips introduced today, the Core i9-11980HK octa-core, 16-thread processor with a 65W TDP is the highest-end offering; it’s also the only unlocked model in the lineup. In Intel’s testing, this chip consistently outperforms AMD’s equally high-end
Ryzen 5900HX
 octa-core, 16-thread chip (45W default TDP) in a number of games.

These include Far Cry New Dawn, Hitman 3, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, and even Total War: Three Kingdoms.

Aside from that, Intel also compared the performance of the more modest Core i5-11400H hexa-core, 12-thread processor (35W TDP) to AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900HS octa-core, 16-thread chip (35W TDP). Out of the seven games tested, the Core i5-11400H slightly outperforms the Ryzen 9 5900HS processor in four titles, which is certainly quite impressive.

It’s worth noting that the two processors were tested with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 mobile GPU in a slim and light gaming laptop. However, the Core i5-11400H’s paired GPU has a lower 65W TGP compared to the Ryzen 9 5900HS’ GPU with a TGP of 80W. Despite this, Intel’s offering can still deliver slightly better gaming performance.

Of course, given that these tests were done by Intel itself, we do have to do our own testing to verify the validity of these results.

Nonetheless, there’s no denying that Intel’s latest Tiger Lake-H mobile processors look very promising. We expect laptop makers to update their respective range of gaming laptops with Intel’s new chips very soon.


Asus Updates Several Gaming Laptops With RTX 3050, RTX 3050 Ti GPUs & Intel Tiger Lake-H Chips

Asus just updated its range of gaming laptops with the latest Nvidia RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti GPUs alongside Intel’s equally new
 Tiger Lake-H processors
. On top of that, the Malaysian availability of these gaming laptops have been revealed too.

Asus TUF Gaming F15 and F17

The most affordable Asus gaming laptops with Nvidia and Intel’s latest hardware are the Asus TUF Gaming F15 and F17. Both are powered by a Core i5-11400H processor with 8GB of RAM, an RTX 3050 GPU (65W TGP), Full HD IPS displays with a 144Hz refresh rate, as well as a 512GB SSD for RM4,199 and RM4,299 respectively.

There’s also a higher-end variant of the TUF Gaming F15 with a faster Core i7-11800H processor paired with 16GB of RAM and a beefier RTX 3060 GPU (95W TGP) for RM5,599. This particular model is set to arrive in Malaysia by the end of May 2021, while the RTX 3050 configuration of the F15 will land here in the middle of June 2021.

As for the RTX 3050 variant of the TUF Gaming F17, it will be available locally by the end of June 2021.

Asus TUF Dash F15

This gaming laptop, on the other hand, is updated with the new RTX 3050 Ti (65W TGP), though it’s still shipping with the same Core i7-11370H processor as the existing
RTX 3060 and RTX 3070 models
. Aside from that, it also features a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for RM4,799.

If you’re keen to get this RTX 3050 Ti configuration of the TUF Dash F15, you’ll be happy to know that it will be available in Malaysia sometime this month.

Asus ROG Strix G15 and G17

And then we have the Asus ROG Strix G15 and G17 value-oriented gaming laptops. All of them are packed with an RTX 3050 GPU with a 95W TGP, Full HD IPS panels with a 144Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage.

What differentiates them is the choice of processor: the Ryzen 5 5600H Strix G15 costs RM4,199, while the Ryzen 7 5800H Strix G15 and Strix G17 go for RM4,499 and RM4,599 respectively.

Other than that, there’s a more unique variant of the ROG Strix G15 in an “Electro Punk” colourway too. Also powered by a Ryzen 7 5800H processor, this model costs slightly more at RM4,799, though it does come with colour-matched ROG Strix Impact II gaming mouse and mouse pad.

Both the ROG Strix G15 and G17 will be offered in Malaysia sometime this month.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

Last but certainly not least is the highest-end gaming laptop of the bunch – and my
personal favourite
 – the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. All configurations of the G14 come with a Ryzen 7 5800HS processor paired with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, with the most affordable model sporting a GTX 1650 GPU (65W) and a 144Hz 14-inch 1080p IPS screen for RM4,799.

Moving up the price range is the RTX 3050 (75W TGP) variant of the Zephyrus G14, which is priced at RM5,699. Compared to the aforementioned model, you’re not only getting a beefier GPU, but also the unique AniMe Matrix LED lighting on the top lid.

If you want even better graphics performance, consider the RTX 3050 Ti (75W TGP) configuration of the Zephyrus G14. On top of the faster GPU, this model has a sharper 14-inch 2560 x 1440 IPS screen as well, though its refresh rate is slightly lower at 120Hz.

All variants of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 outlined here will be available in Malaysia sometime in May 2021 this month.


PRISM+ X340 Pro 165Hz Review: Fast UWQHD Curved Ultrawide Monitor With Excellent Value for Money

We’ve previously reviewed the
PRISM+ X300
, which was a really good gaming monitor for the money. If you want a higher-end, bigger offering instead, consider this one right here: the PRISM+ X340 Pro 165Hz ultrawide gaming monitor.

Not only does it have a larger (and still curved) ultrawide panel, the X340 Pro 165Hz also features a sharper UWQHD resolution and even better screen quality. The best part is, it’s still quite affordable too, retailing at only RM1,799. If you want an ultrawide gaming monitor with great value for money, consider the X340 Pro 165Hz.

What It Is

The PRISM+ X340 Pro 165Hz – as its name suggests – is a 34-inch gaming monitor with a 3440 x 1440 VA panel running at 165Hz. It also has a very pronounced 1500R curvature; the lower the number, the more aggressive the curvature. This, in turn, makes for a more immersive gaming experience.

Given that this is a gaming-centric monitor, the X340 Pro 165Hz also comes with adaptive sync to eliminate screen tearing, which works with both AMD and Nvidia GPUs. In terms of connectivity, it has two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs and a pair of HDMI 2.0 ports – a good selection of connectivity options.

At the moment, the X340 Pro 165Hz retails at only RM1,799, though this may change in the future. Keeping in mind its feature set – and the fact that it is currently bundled with the Elevate X1 stand worth RM299 – it really does offer excellent value for money. I’ll explain why in the following section.

The Good Stuff

Let’s start with the screen quality of the X340 Pro 165Hz, which is quite impressive. Not only does it offer punchy colours, it has good contrast too with very deep blacks; the latter is an inherent feature of VA screens. In fact, I would even say the vibrant colours of this VA panel is comparable to an IPS display.

Aside from that, the X340 Pro 165Hz also offers relatively good colour calibration out of the box, though the white balance is a little bit warm. But once I’ve applied
the ICC profile
, it looks
fantastic
. Not only does the white balance improve quite a bit, colours look more accurate too.

Another aspect of the X340 Pro 165Hz that’s worth highlighting (again) is its 1500R curvature. Because of the aggressive curvature, it offers a very immersive gaming experience, which is further accentuated by the ultrawide nature of the panel. I had an absolute ball playing
Genshin Impact
 on this monitor.

Of course, the adaptive sync of the X340 Pro 165Hz works well too. Throughout my time gaming on this monitor, I didn’t notice any screen tearing at all. Coupled with the fast 165Hz refresh rate, I get excellent motion clarity as well.

It’s worth noting that the ultrawide nature of the X340 Pro 165Hz also makes it great for productivity tasks. With so much screen real estate, I can seamlessly work with multiple windows displayed at the same time. It’s no exaggeration to say that the 34-inch ultrawide panel feels almost like working with two monitors.

Last but certainly not least is the adjustability of the X340 Pro 165Hz. This review unit is installed with the Elevate X1 stand, which allows for tilt and height adjustments. Needless to say, getting a comfortable viewing angle with this stand is very easy.

The Bad Stuff

While the X340 Pro 165Hz is a joy to use, it does have a couple of shortcomings, though I wouldn’t consider them to be a dealbreaker by any means. Anyway, because this monitor has a VA panel, it does have some ghosting when displaying darker elements.

Is the ghosting noticeable? Yes. Is it enough to be a distraction in fast-paced games or everyday use? Not really. To be honest, the only time I’m really aware of this issue is when I’m scrolling through darker elements on a white background. When I’m gaming, it’s a non-issue (in my opinion).

And then there’s the viewing angles of the X340 Pro 165Hz. Colours shift when the monitor is viewed at an extreme angle, but this is really an inherent characteristic of VA panels. While its viewing angles is not quite as wide as another monitor with an IPS screen, it’s good enough for use in most scenarios.

Is It Worth It?

All in all, the PRISM+ X340 Pro 165Hz is still very worth it for those who are looking to get a fast, curved ultrawide gaming monitor with excellent value for money. It’s especially attractive right now, given that it currently retails at RM1,799 with the Elevate X1 stand bundled for free. Keep in mind that the price of this monitor may change in the future.

Even though the X340 Pro 165Hz has some ghosting issue – and its viewing angles could be better – its many positives easily outweigh these shortcomings. If you’re keen to get this gaming monitor, you can do so over at
PRISM+’s official website
. Alternatively, you can
get it on Lazada
 as well.


13 – 19 May Fuel Price: All Prices Remain

Great news folks: no changes to fuel prices this coming week. Price of RON 97 is not going up again this time around, while the prices of RON 95 and diesel remain the same, given that the price ceilings of the two have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 is kept at RM2.60 per litre. The price of RON 95, on the other hand, remains the same at RM2.05 per litre. As for diesel, it still costs RM2.15 per litre.

These prices will be in effect from 13 to 19 May next week. New fuel prices will now be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week on the same day for future updates!


Government Studying Possibility of Extending Sales Tax Exemption on Cars

The government’s sales tax exemption on locally assembled (CKD) and fully imported (CBU) cars was previously
extended to 30 June 2021
, and it may be extended yet again. According to Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, the government is currently studying this possibility.

According to Zafrul – as per
The Star’s report
 – the ministry was studying the data to decide whether or not to continue the sales tax exemption on CKD and CBU cars.
Sin Chew Daily
 also wrote the same thing, though the publication elaborated that a decision is expected to be made in the next week or two.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) initially introduced this sales tax exemption on cars – under the government’s Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) – to drive more growth to the local automotive sector amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidently, it’s working very will, with car brands posting
very encouraging

sales figures
.

That being said, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the supply chain of many carmakers, including Proton. Take the hugely popular
Proton X50
: because of the various Movement Control Orders (MCO) and shutdowns caused by COVID-19 clusters, the production of the X50 is
delayed quite a bit
.

By extending the sales tax exemption on CKD and CBU cars, carmakers will have more time to catch up to consumer demand, so more customers will be able to enjoy the tax saving. Rest assured, will keep a close eye on any pertaining announcement from MoF.


Genshin Impact Eula Banner Arrives 18 May With Beidou, Xingqiu & Xinyan

Mihoyo just revealed Eula’s banner for Genshin Impact, a new 5-star Cryo character wielding a claymore. Set to arrive in the game this Tuesday on 18 May, she will be accompanied by Beidou, Xingqiu, as well as Xinyan.

Just like Genshin Impact’s
previous character

event banners
, the “drop rate” of Eula, Beidou, Xingqiu, and Xinyan will be increased. In the case of Eula, the first 5-star character you get will have a 50% chance to be her. If you didn’t get her in this instance, the
next
 5-star character you roll is guaranteed to be Eula.

Since Genshin Impact’s pity system ensures that you will get at least one 5-star character or weapon every 90 wishes – depending on which banner you’re rolling – you will have to do 180 rolls for a guaranteed chance to get Eula. The same rule applies to 4-star characters (guaranteed every 10 roll instead), but given that there are three of them featured in the event banner, it’s a little bit more random.

Basically, when you’re guaranteed a 4-star character from the banner, you will get either Beidou, Xingqiu, or Xinyan. If you’re aiming to get either one of these three characters, you will have to roll a good number of times, depending on your luck.

Eula’s “Born of Ocean Swell” banner will go live in Genshin Impact on 18 May at 6PM for us here in Malaysia; the banner will be available until 8 June.
Zhongli’s banner
 will be replaced by Eula’s then, so roll for him before that if you’re keen to get the 5-star Geo character.


OnePlus 9 & OnePlus 9 Pro Land in Malaysia – From RM3,699

We spotted both the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro over at SIRIM
earlier this month
, and the two flagship smartphones are now officially available in Malaysia. Packing Hasselblad-branded cameras and Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888 chipsets, these are pretty interesting high-end phones.

Only a single variant of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro are available in Malaysia; both of them are offered with 256GB of internal storage and 12GB of RAM for RM3,699 and RM4,299 respectively. Interestingly, the Pro variant is bundled with a number of accessories as well.

These include the OnePlus Buds wireless earbuds, a 65W fast charger, a 50W wireless charger, as well as a casing.

The highlight of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro has to be their Hasselblad-branded cameras, which promises to deliver natural-looking colours. Both devices have similar camera configurations as well – they have a 48MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide angle shooter, a 2MP monochrome lens, and a 16MP selfie camera.

However, the OnePlus 9 Pro does come with an extra 8MP telephoto lens. On top of that, the Pro model also has a more impressive 6.7-inch 1440p AMOLED curved screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The regular OnePlus 9, on the other hand, features a more pedestrian (but still 120Hz) 6.55-inch 1080p AMOLED panel.

Other specifications of both flagships include the aforementioned Snapdragon 888 processor, a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging, as well as Android 11 out of the box.

The OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro will be available for purchase in Malaysia tomorrow on 18 May. The standard model will be sold on
Shopee
 for RM3,699, while the Pro variant is available on
Lazada
 with a RM4,299 price tag.


Second AstraZeneca Vaccine Opt-In Open on 23 May for Those Above 60 – Only in Selangor, KL, Penang, Sarawak, Johor

Update:
 In a press conference, Khairy elaborated that the AstraZeneca vaccine opt-in for those above 60 will be available from 23 to 26 May. Application for those below age 60 will be opened after 26 May.

The original article follows.

If you missed the previous opt-in for the AstraZeneca vaccine in Malaysia, great news: registration for the second batch will be open this coming Sunday on 23 May. However, this round of opt-in is only for those above 60 years old, though it is now available in more states.

This was announced by Khairy Jamaluddin, the coordinating minister for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme. The second opt-in for the AstraZeneca vaccine will be done
online
 (on 23 May) or via community clinic outreach, and it will be available in Selangor, KL, Penang, Sarawak, and Johor.

The next AstraZeneca opt in will open on 23 May and will only be available to above 60s in Selangor, KL, Penang, Sarawak & Johor where cases are highest. Bookings via website & community clinic outreach. AZ will also be sent to elderly care homes.
— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj)
May 17, 2021

According to Khairy, these states are getting the AstraZeneca vaccine first as they record the highest COVID-19 cases. Of course, folks above 60 are prioritised as they are more vulnerable to the virus; the vaccine will also be sent out to elderly care homes.

If you’re in the waiting list from the previous AstraZeneca opt-in session – even though you’re not above 60 – don’t worry. Khairy mentioned that “those on the present round one waitlist will get appointments,” so rest assured, you will be getting the vaccine as well.

Again, this second round of AstraZeneza vaccine opt-in is happening this Sunday on 23 May. If you’re above 60 and you reside in Selangor, KL, Penang, Sarawak, or Johor, you can opt-in for the vaccine online
here
 on that day.


Keychron Q1 75% QMK Keyboard – Design & More Specs Revealed

Keychron just updated the product page for its
upcoming QMK keyboard
, which is now dubbed Keychron Q1. Aside from revealing the name of the new product, the company also posted an image of the keyboard itself, confirming the 75% layout.

Unfortunately, only one image of the Keychron Q1 has been released so far, though it does show us the rather minimalist layout of the 75% keyboard and its metallic yellow case. It’s certainly an eye-catching, unique colour that you don’t often see keyboard manufacturers use.

Aside from that, Keychron also revealed additional specifications of the Q1 keyboard. Not only does it have south-facing LEDs – complete with RGB lighting – for maximum compatibility with different keycaps, it also has a poron foam, which could possibly be placed in between the plate and PCB for a cleaner sound profile.

To recap, the Keychron Q1 is a gasket-mounted 75% keyboard with a number of features that you only typically find on enthusiast-level custom keyboards. It comes with QMK and VIA support – software solutions that allow users to easily customise the mapping of a keyboard – screw-in stabilisers, a hotswap PCB, as well as an aluminium case.

At the moment, we still don’t know exactly when the Keychron Q1 QMK Keyboard will be officially introduced. Nonetheless, you can register your interest for the upcoming keyboard
over here
.

Read more:

Keychron Q1 Retails From $139 – Pre-Orders Open in July 2021


Students & Youths Can Claim RM150 eBelia Credit on 1 June Through ShopeePay, TNG, BigPay & Boost

If you’re a full-time student or between the age of 18 to 20, you can claim RM150 worth of credit from four ewallet services in Malaysia starting 1 June 2021. This is a part of the government’s eBelia initiative, a financial aid for youths and students.

In order to claim the RM150 credit, you have to be between the age of 18 to 20 (born from 2001 to 2003). You are also eligible if you’re a full-time student undertaking a “diploma or SKM4 (and above) in a public or private institution of higher learning in Malaysia recognised by the ministries.”

Siaran media berkenaan eBelia: RM300 juta kredit e-tunai untuk 2 juta belia dan pelajar sepenuh masa dibuka 1 Jun 2021.
pic.twitter.com/kwYXEcYb0M
— Ministry of Finance🇲🇾 (@MOFmalaysia)
May 17, 2021

If you meet either one of the two aforementioned criteria, you can claim the RM150 credit from one of these four ewallet services:
ShopeePay
,
Touch ‘n Go eWallet
,
BigPay
, or
Boost
. The method of claiming the eBelia credit will depend on each of the ewallet services.

To sweeten the deal, these ewallet services will also offer additional incentives in the form of cashback, voucher, or points on top of the RM150 credit. Of course, the benefits will be different from one ewallet to another. In retrospect, this is very similar to the
government’s previous initiative
 to promote cashless payments.

To recap, youths and students can claim for the RM150 credit from 1 June until 22 July; do note that all of the credit has to be spent by 31 July 2021. More information on the eBelia initiative can be found
over here
.


TTRacing Maxx Gaming Chair – The Brand’s Most Premium Offering Yet for RM1,099

TTRacing recently unveiled its most premium gaming chair yet, the TTRacing Maxx. Sporting a sleek-looking, more minimalist design than its other offerings, the Maxx looks to be a great option for those who are looking to get a comfortable chair without breaking the bank too much.

One of the main highlights of the Maxx has to be its use of faux leather and velour. According to TTRacing, this allows the gaming chair to dissipate heat faster for a more comfortable seating experience. The chair’s dense cold cure foam also provides good support, even over long sitting hours.

To make the sitting experience even more comfortable, the Maxx comes with velour covered memory foam neck and lumbar pillows too for enhanced support. The cushioned 4D armrest of the chair is worth a mention as well: it can be adjusted up, down, front, back, left, right, and even angled to find the most comfortable position for every user.

Other features of the Maxx include support for 155-degree full recline, a steel frame structure with lifetime warranty, a multi-tilt mechanism, an aluminium alloy wheelbase, and large 65mm castors with a locking mechanism to fix the chair in place.

The TTRacing Maxx is now available for purchase in Malaysia on
TTRacing’s online store for RM1,099
 in Midnight Stealth and Royal Black. While this gaming chair is not exactly affordable, it really does offer good value for money with its feature set. We will be reviewing the Maxx in the near future, so stay tuned for our full review!


Asus Launches RM999 ROG Claymore II Wireless Gaming Keyboard in Malaysia

Asus’ range of gaming keyboards may not be particularly well-known, but the Taiwanese company just launched a brand new keyboard for the Malaysian market. Enter the Asus ROG Claymore II gaming keyboard; not only is it wireless, it also sports a detachable numpad…for RM999.

That’s right, the ROG Claymore II gaming keyboard retails at a whopping RM999 for the Malaysian market, though it does come with a number of rather intriguing features. Aside from the fact that it’s a wireless keyboard (via a USB receiver) with a built-in battery and detachable numpad, it also features Asus’ very own optical switch.

The switch is dubbed ROG RX, and it’s offered in 55g RX Red (linear) and 60g – though the tactile bump peaks at 65g – RX Blue (clicky) switches. According to Asus, one of the advantages of these two optical switches is fast actuation with “near-zero debounce delay,” especially compared to a traditional switch.

Aside from that, the ROG RX switch also features a rather unique hollow square stem design. With four “corner latches” and a scissor-style stabiliser, the switch is said to have very little keystroke wobble. Although the unique stem design of the switch makes it incompatible with MX-style keycaps, it’s really quite an intriguing optical switch.

Other features of the ROG Claymore II include a 4,000mAh battery that promises up to 144 hours of use – or 43 hours with the backlighting on – per-key RGB lighting (of course), and a magnetic wrist rest.

The Asus ROG Claymore II wireless gaming keyboard will be available for pre-order in Malaysia from 22 to 29 May; early birds will also get an ROG Scabbard II mousepad (worth RM199) for free. Retailing at RM999, the Claymore II is unmistakably a costly keyboard, though it does have a number of unique features.


Video: Genshin Impact – Wishing for Eula!

Eula, a new 5-star Cryo character, is now available in
Genshin Impact
. Given that there hasn’t been a new 5-star character in the game in over two months – the last one was
Hu Tao
, which was released back in 2 March – Eula is particularly interesting.

On top of that, Eula has a rather unique playstyle as well. Wielding a claymore, she is a DPS character that focuses on physical damage. Based on our early damage test against Dvalin, Eula can definitely dish out some big damage – you can see for yourself in the video below.

Eula’s “Born of Ocean Swell” banner
 will be available until 8 June, so if you want to get the new 5-star Cryo character, start wishing for her before she’s gone!


Google Previews Android 12 – New “Material You” Design Language, Better Power Efficiency

At Google I/O 2021, the company previewed the next version of Android. Simply dubbed Android 12, it uses a new “Material You” design language for a more playful-looking user interface. On top of that, it promises lower power consumption too.

The aesthetics of Android 12 really is the main focus of the new update, which are guided by the aforementioned Material You principles. Take the phone’s wallpaper: in Android 12, Google will use “colour extraction” to determine a particular wallpaper’s most dominant colours.

These colours are then applied to the entire user interface of the operating system, including the lock screen, notification shade, and even widgets. Google also made a neat change to the lock screen: once you’ve dismissed all notifications on the lock screen, the clock will be enlarged – a nice visual cue to let you know you have no notifications.

A number of animations and elements of the user interface have been overhauled in Android 12 as well. The notification shade looks quite a bit more modern now with bigger buttons, and you can expect smoother, more eye-catching animations as well in the new version of Android.

According to Google, Android 12 will be more power-efficient too. Thanks to some under-the-hood improvements, CPU time for core system services are reduced by up to 22%, and the use of big cores (the more powerful, battery-draining core of a processor) are minimised up to 15%.

It will be easier to find out which apps are accessing your data in Android 12 as well. The new Privacy Dashboard gives you a singe view of your permissions settings, including what data is being accessed, how often, and by which apps. You can easily revoke app permissions from this page as well.

Another feature that I personally quite like is a new indicator at the top right of the status bar, which appears when apps are accessing the microphone or camera. You can easily disable access to these hardware in the Quick Settings page too.

These are just some of the changes that are coming to Android 12, which will (obviously) be available on the company’s range of Pixel phones first. It’s worth noting that most of these changes may not be implemented by other smartphone makers, especially if they have their own personalised version of Android already.

Nonetheless, Android 12 is definitely a major visual overhaul, and it’ll be interesting to see if other phone makers will follow suit in Google’s new design language.


20 – 26 May Fuel Price: RON 97 up 1 Sen

The price of RON 97 will go up this coming week by 1 sen per litre. The prices of RON 95 and diesel, on the other hand, remain the same, given that the price ceilings of the two have been reached.

With the price increase, RON 97 will go for RM2.61 per litre (up from RM2.60). As for RON 95, it remains the same at RM2.05 per litre, while diesel still costs RM2.15 per litre.

These prices will be in effect from 20 to 26 May next week. New fuel prices will now be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week on the same day for future updates!


Grab the Everglide Aqua King V3 Switches (in Malaysia) While You Can

If you want one of the smoothest linear switches in the market now, be quick: Keys.my – a vendor based here in Malaysia – recently restocked on the Everglide Aqua King V3 switch. Manufactured by JWK, this switch has a unique transparent housing and stem.

Aside from its unique aesthetic, the Aqua King V3 is, as mentioned, a very smooth linear switch too. It is lubed from the factory, so it is ready to go out of the box. On top of that, this switch has a tight tolerance as well, reducing stem wobble to a bare minimum.

Unfortunately, the tight tolerance of the Aqua King V3 does have a downside – some of the switches’ housings are too tight, so the stem has a tendency to bind. However, Keys mentioned that it will sort through the defective switches, and only send out the good ones to customers.

Aside from that, only the 67g variant of the Aqua King V3 is available at the moment; the 62g version is not restocked this time around. Of course, if you don’t like the 67g spring weight, you can always spring swap; Keys.my happen to sell springs from both TX Keyboards and SPRiT.

If you’re keen to pick up the Everglide Aqua King V3 switches, you can do so over at Keys.my’s
official website
 or
Shopee store
. Depending on how many units you purchase, the price ranges from RM3 (less than 60 units) to RM2.40 (more than 100 units) per switch.


2021 Proton X70 SE Coming Soon – New 19-inch Wheels, Black Nappa Leather, Ocean Blue Colour

Now this is quite interesting: Proton is gearing up to launch yet another special edition of its first SUV. Dubbed Proton X70 SE – that stands for special edition – the new variant has a number of neat changes, including a blue paint job.

The folks over at
Paultan.org
 managed to get a brochure of the new X70 SE from an anonymous source. The brochure shows that the special edition SUV will feature the same Ocean Blue colour found on the
Proton X50
 and Iriz.

The other colour option is the existing Ruby Red paint job, and regardless of which colour you choose, the X70 SE will come with a blacked-out roof and side mirrors.

Aside from that, the 19-inch alloy wheels of the X70 SE are quite interesting as well. It’s the very same design found on the Geely Boyue Pro, the facelifted model of the Boyue – the X70 is based on this SUV.

However, that doesn’t mean the X70 SE will be based on the Boyue Pro. That will only be the case for the
facelifted version of the X70
, which is rumoured to be released sometime in August 2021.

Anyway, the X70 SE will feature black nappa leather seats as well instead of brown. There are also optional door visors and dash cam for the upcoming SUV.

No word yet from Proton on exactly when the Proton X70 SE will be officially released. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on any official news regarding the new C-segment SUV.


Xiaomi Mi TV Q1 & Mi TV P1 Smart TVs Now in Malaysia From RM899 to RM7,999

Here it is: Xiaomi finally introduced its range of smart TVs here in Malaysia. These include the Xiaomi Mi TV Q1 and the (much more affordable) Mi TV P1 – both of them are 4K TVs.

Let’s start with the higher-end TV of the two, the Mi TV Q1. Available only in 75-inch, this 4K QLED TV with a fast 120Hz refresh rate retails at RM7,999 for the Malaysian market. Given its feature set, this is actually quite a competitive price tag.

Xiaomi Mi TV Q1

To sweeten the deal, early birds who purchase the Mi TV Q1 will receive a number of freebies too. These include a Mi Air Purifier Pro H, Mi Vacuum Cleaner Mini, Mi 360° Home Security Camera 2K, Mi Body Composition Scale 2, and Mi WiFi Range Extender Pro – all of these products are said to be worth RM1,765.

As for the more affordable Mi TV P1 smart TV, it is offered in three different sizes for our market: 55-inch (RM2,499), 43-inch (RM1,799), and 32-inch (RM999). The 55-inch and 43-inch models feature a 4K LED panel, while the 32-inch version comes with a 1366 x 768 HD LED screen instead.

Regardless of which size you go for, the Mi TV P1 runs on Android TV, much like the higher-end Mi TV Q1. On top of that, those who purchase either one of these two smart TVs will also get a complimentary one-month subscription to two streaming platforms: WeTV and iQIYI.

Xiaomi Mi TV P1

The Xiaomi Mi TV Q1 and Mi TV P1 will be available for pre-order in Malaysia from 6 June onwards. It’s also worth noting that early birds can get the 43-inch and 32-inch Mi TV P1 for only RM1,499 (RM300 discount) and RM899 (RM100 discount) respectively.


Affordable Redmi Note 10 5G & Redmi Note 10S Land in Malaysia

Xiaomi just introduced two new affordable smartphones for the Malaysian market: the Redmi Note 10 5G and Redmi Note 10S. Retailing from only RM799, these are ideal mid-rangers for those on a tight budget.

Out of the two phones, the Redmi Note 10 5G is the more affordable option. Offered in a single 128GB variant with 8GB of RAM, it costs only RM799. For that kind of money, you’re getting 5G connectivity thanks to the phone’s MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset, along with a 90Hz 6.5-inch Full HD screen.

Other specifications of the Redmi Note 10 5G include a triple camera system (48MP primary + 2MP macro + 2MP depth), an 8MP selfie camera, as well as a large 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging.

Redmi Note 10 5G

As for the Redmi Note 10S, it costs slightly more at RM899 (128GB + 8GB), though you do get a more feature-packed phone. It’s packing a more vibrant 6.43-inch 1080p AMOLED screen (even though it’s locked at 60Hz), and it is also powered by a MediaTek Helio G95 processor.

Rounding out the specifications of the Redmi Note 10S are a quad camera setup (64MP primary + 8MP ultra-wide angle + 2MP macro + 2MP depth), a 13MP front camera, and a generous 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.

Redmi Note 10S

The Redmi Note 10S will go on sale in Malaysia on 21 May tomorrow, while the Redmi Note 10 5G will be available slightly later on 28 May. Both phones will be sold on Shopee, Lazada, as well as other physical retailers nationwide.


Government May Announce “Attractive” EV Incentives in July 2021

Malaysia is behind the curve in terms of Electric vehicle (EV) adoption, but this may change in the near future. According to the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii), an “accelerated EV policy” under the National Automotive Policy (NAP) 2020 may be announced sometime in July 2021.

The new policy will benefit both EV manufacturers and buyers in Malaysia, as reported by
Bernama
. For the former, the CEO of MARii, Datuk Madani Sahari, said that “handsome” tax exemption will be given, such as huge tax reduction in excise duty, import duty, and sales tax for EVs.

As for EV buyers in Malaysia, a number of benefits are being proposed. These include lower road tax, “green parking” scheme, discounts on the installation of home chargers, and even toll rebates. Basically, these are meant to lower the ownership cost of an EV locally.

Without a doubt these incentives are attractive, but it’s worth noting that the accelerated EV policy is still in discussion. Madani said that he hopes the policy will be brought to the cabinet by June next month. If that’s done, the finalised incentives can be announced sometime in July the following month.

What do you think? Are these incentives good enough for you to consider purchasing an EV in Malaysia? Let us know in the comments section below!


Deal: Get RM130 Discount on the TTRacing Maxx Gaming Chair on Shopee

Officially launched not long ago, the
TTRacing Maxx
 gaming chair is now available on Shopee. To celebrate the launch of the gaming chair on the ecommerce platform, TTRacing is offering a
sizeable RM130 discount
 on the Maxx for today only.

This deal is offered by TTRacing’s very own
official store on Shopee
. Retailing at RM1,099, you can grab a RM100 voucher from TTRacing to bring down the price
to only RM999
. On top of that, Shopee is offering a 10% cashback voucher in the form of coins too (capped at RM30), so you’re effectively getting RM130 worth of savings.

As TTRacing’s most premium gaming chair yet, the Maxx features a number of interesting features. It uses faux leather and velour to dissipate heat faster, dense cold cure foam to provide good support over long sitting hours, and even velour covered memory foam neck and lumbar pillows for better comfort and support.

Other features of the Maxx include support for 155-degree full recline, a steel frame structure with lifetime warranty, a multi-tilt mechanism, an aluminium alloy wheelbase, and large 65mm castors with a locking mechanism to fix the chair in place.

Given the feature set of the TTRacing Maxx, RM130 worth of discount makes this gaming chair that much more compelling. Again, do note that this discount is only valid today – head on to
TTRacing’s official Shopee store
 to grab the chair if you’re keen.


Omnidesk Now in Malaysia – Offers Height-Adjustable Desk From RM2,400

Previously only available in Singapore and Australia, Omnidesk just announced its entry into the Malaysian market. The brand’s main product is the Omnidesk Pro 2020 – a height-adjustable desk with a lot of customisation options.

Originally retailing from RM3,099, Omnidesk Malaysia is currently offering the Omnidesk Pro 2020 from only RM2,400 for the 48-inch table top model. On top of that, there is also a 10% storewide discount code (HELLOMY) until 13 June to celebrate its arrival on our shores, reducing the price of the desk to only RM2,160.

The main selling point of the Omnidesk Pro 2020 is its height adjustability. An electric motor controls the height of the desk, and you can save up to four different heights (profiles). This allows you to easily change the height of the table at the touch of a button.

To keep your table clutter-free, there is also a cable management bar underneath the Omnidesk Pro 2020; this is currently given as a complimentary add-on worth RM149. You also get free delivery and a five-year extended warranty worth RM299 – so you get a seven-year warranty – right now for the desk.

There are also a number of accessories to complement the Omnidesk Pro 2020. These include the ARC Stealth Single (RM289) or ARC Stealth Dual (RM449) monitor arm, a CPU roller stand (RM149), or even castors (RM159) if you want to move the desk around.

The CPU roller stand

To see the full list of accessories and customisation options for the Omnidesk Pro 2020, head on to Omnidesk Malaysia’s online store
right here
. Again, the table retails at RM2,400, but there is a 10% storewide discount right now until 13 June, lowering the price of the height-adjustable desk to RM2,160.


Tighter MCO 3.0 – More to WFH, More Roadblocks, No Total Lockdown

The government just announced tighter SOPs for the third Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia. Among them are requiring more workforce to work from home, limiting business hours to 8PM, and the capacity of public transportation will be reduced by 50% as well; no total lockdown was announced.

For the government sector, 80% of staff will be working from home, which involves 750,000 individuals. For the private sector, 40% of workforce is required to work from home; this translates to roughly 6.1 million individuals.

Antara SOP yang diperketatkan untuk mengurangkan pergerakan (bermula 25 Mei).
✅Operasi perniagaan bermula 8 pagi hingga 8 malam.
✅Pengangkutan awam 50% kapasiti dan kekerapan dikurangkan.
✅80% pekerja sektor awam bekerja dari rumah.
— KKMalaysia🇲🇾 (@KKMPutrajaya)
May 22, 2021

Aside from that, business hours will also be limited from 8AM to 8PM. The capacity of public transportation, on the other hand, will be reduced by 50% too, much like how it was during the first MCO.

In essence, these tightened SOPs are in addition to existing ones. To ensure public compliance, more frequent checks will be done by the authorities, including the implementation of more roadblocks.

These new SOPs will be implemented from 25 May onwards this Tuesday. MCO 3.0 is in effect until 7 June, though it remains to be seen if there will be any extension.


Hyundai Kona N Line Teased for Malaysian Market – Arriving Here Soon

Back at the Malaysian launch of the
facelifted Hyundai Kona
, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) teased that the sportier N Line variant of the B-segment SUV will also makes its way here. Well, HSDM just posted a
new teaser of the Kona N Line
, mentioning that it is “coming soon.”

Compared to the regular Kona, the N Line variant sports a more aggressive aesthetic. It has a different grille design, sportier LED headlamps, a revised rear bumper with two exhaust pipes, as well as 18-inch alloy wheels with a new, busier-looking design.

Inside the cabin, the Kona N Line gets some neat changes here and there to complete the sporty look of the B-segment SUV. You get N Line-branded bucket seats with red stitching, a gear knob with the N Line branding, and of course, a leather wrapped steering wheel with – you guessed it – the N Line logo.

Unfortunately, HSDM has not revealed the exact specification the Kona N Line yet, though there’s a good chance it will be powered by the more powerful Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi four-cylinder engine that outputs a whopping 198PS and 265Nm of torque. If the N Line does get this mill, it will be paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

In terms of local pricing, expect the Hyundai Kona N Line to command a premium over the standard facelifted model, which currently retails from RM119,888 to RM136,888. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on the Malaysian availability of the sportier B-segment SUV.


Unboxing & Assembling the TTRacing Maxx Gaming Chair

The TTRacing Maxx is the most premium gaming chair yet from the company, and it’s really quite an intriguing product, given its RM1,099 price tag. If you’re wondering how the chair looks like in person and what the assembly process is like, this unboxing and assembly of the Maxx should pique your interest.

I received the Maxx gaming chair in a pretty standard-looking box, and it is quite heavy. Every part of the chair is wrapped quite well, while more sensitive parts – such as the armrests and tilt mechanism – are protected by bubble wrappings.

For the most part, the assembly instructions are quite clear and easy to follow, though it was a little tricky to install the tilt mechanism in the proper orientation; more on that later. Anyway, to begin the assembly, I start off with the wheelbase.

This is quite straightforward: the five castors of the chair only need to be pushed into the wheelbase’s slots. Not too much force is required, and once I’ve done this, the hydraulic piston and cover can be inserted into the centre of the wheelbase.

Next, we move on to the seat base of the Maxx; well, the underside of it. As you can see, all of the bolts are pre-attached to the proper locations to make the installation process more seamless. I certainly appreciate this, and the bolts don’t take too much effort to unscrew either.

After I’ve removed the four screws on the sides of the seat base, I can start installing the armrests. Make sure you know which are the left and right armrests – which are labeled accordingly in the bubble wrapping – to make sure that you’re installing them at the correct side.

Tightening the bolts with the provided allen key is quite easy

Once both of the armrest are installed, it’s time to install the backrest of the Maxx. For myself, this is the toughest part of assembling the gaming chair; it’s a little tricky to get the bolts screwed back into the sides of the backrest. I also wanted to ensure that the backrest isn’t installed in a crooked manner.

Okay, with the backrest installed to the brackets, the exposed bolts need to be covered up with the provided, well, cover. This gives the gaming chair a much neater appearance, and it’s not too difficult to install either.

At this point, the Maxx is taking shape already, but this is also where the assembly guide isn’t particularly helpful. The tilt mechanism has to be installed on the underside of the seat base now, but the orientation isn’t explicitly mentioned in the instructions.

Curiously, the tilt mechanism has a “front” indicator too, but after looking at the assembly guide closer, this indicator is actually the other way around. Basically, the slot on the tilt mechanism for the wheelbase to go into should be facing
towards
 the backrest, as you can see in the images below.

This indicator isn’t very helpful, as it should be the other way around

With the tilt mechanism installed, all I need to do now is to put the chair on top of the wheelbase as the image above shows. Given the weight of the gaming chair, it can be quite tricky to align the two parts together, but it’s definitely possible to be done alone.

Of course, this process would be be a lot easier if you have someone else to help you to align the wheelbase to the slot on the tilt mechanism. Once that’s done, voila: the gaming chair is complete.

Overall, the TTRacing Maxx is relatively easy to assemble, even if some parts of the assembly process took some time to get right. As for the quality of the chair itself, I’m very happy with it: build quality is good, it looks great, and most importantly, it provides a firm, supportive sitting experience.

At the moment, I definitely enjoy sitting on the Maxx for long periods of time. But is worth forking out RM1,099 for it? Well, I will be putting this gaming chair through its paces in the next few days, so find out in the full review of the TTRacing Maxx!


Second AstraZeneca Vaccine Opt-In Opens Tomorrow for Under 60 (Updated)

Update:
 Khairy Jamaluddin, the coordinating minister for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, just announced that the AstraZeneca vaccine opt-in for folks under 60 will only be open
tomorrow (26 May) at 12PM
. The article has been updated to reflect this.

Good news: registration for the second AstraZeneca vaccine opt-in for those under 60 will open tomorrow on 26 May at 12PM. If you’re eligible, you should definitely sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine.

This bit of information was reported by
Oriental Daily
. According to the report, those above the age of 18 will be able to register for the AstraZeneca vaccine from 6PM onwards tomorrow (25 May).
 This is false: registration for those under 60 will only be open at 12PM tomorrow (26 May).

It will be available to residents above the age of 18 in five states: Selangor, KL, Penang, Sarawak, and Johor.

Those who meet the criteria can register for the AstraZeneca vaccine
right here
. If you’re currently in the waiting list from the previous AstraZeneca opt-in session, you don’t have to sign up for this one – you will get an appointment through the MySejahtera app in due time.