Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak Is a “Massive Expansion” Coming in Summer 2022

Monster Hunter Rise
 will receive a brand new, “massive expansion” next year. Dubbed Sunbreak, the paid DLC will introduce a new story, quest rank, locales, and of course, new monsters, including the mysterious flagship monster in the trailer below.

Sunbreak looks to be a similar add-on to Rise as Iceborne was for Monster Hunter World, though details on the new expansion is scarce at the moment. That being said, we do know that it will be coming to Nintendo Switch (naturally) next year, and surprisingly enough, even for PC.

In fact, Sunbreak for Monster Hunter Rise will release simultaneously on the Switch and PC. Previously, Capcom said that Rise will be coming to PC sometime in early 2022 – it remains to be seen if the PC version will be launched at the same time as Sunbreak.

With a new storyline, locales, gameplay elements, and monsters in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, Capcom is definitely keeping the game exciting months after its initial launch in March this year. More details on Sunbreak will be revealed in the future.


Glorious Lynx “Premium” Linear Switch Now in Malaysia From RM109 – Lubed for RM50 Extra

The
Glorious Lynx
, the company’s first-ever linear switch – and second switch release after the
Glorious Panda
 – is now available in Malaysia. Said to be a premium offering, the Lynx certainly comes with a matching price tag. Surprisingly enough, even the lubed version is available here.

Both
Dotatech
 and
ETECH PC
 currently have the Glorious Lynx in stock. The unlubed version costs RM109 for a box of 36 switches, while the lubed Lynx costs RM50 extra, bringing up the price to RM159. If you want to purchase individual switches instead, you can do so from
Keys
.

This puts the Lynx in the same price point as other high-end linear switches, so it’ll be interesting to see how it would compare to, say, the
SP-Star
 or
Cobalt POM
. On paper, the Lynx looks to be a reasonably good linear switch with a 60g “proprietary” spring and a five-pin design.

The Lynx is also said to offer a “truly transcended, ultra-smooth typing experience” – we’d definitely put this to the test to see if it can really deliver on this promise. Beyond that, the Lynx has a polycarbonate top housing, a nylon bottom housing, as well as a POM stem – standard specs of a linear switch, really.

If you’re interested to pick up the Glorious Lynx switch, you can do so from
Dotatech
 and
ETECH PC
. Alternatively, if you’re not quite sure it’s the switch for you, get
individual switches instead from Keys
.


Keychron Q1 Malaysian Pre-Order Pushed Back to October 2021

Keybot, the official Keychron partner here in Malaysia, was
initially set to open local pre-orders
 for the
Keychron Q1
 sometime this month. Well, this is no longer the case: the Q1 will now only be available for pre-order here next month in October 2021.

This new pre-order date is shown on Keybot’s product listing for the Q1
over here
. Although it’s unfortunate that the pre-order has been pushed back, it may be worth waiting still if you’re not keen to purchase the Q1 directly from
Keychron’s online store
 to save on shipping costs.

Anyway, what makes the Q1 particularly interesting is its feature set. Not only does the Q1 use a gasket mounting system – this mounting style is typically only offered on custom keyboards – it also has a full CNC aluminium case, along with a hotswap PCB that supports VIA out of the box for easy key mapping.

Keychron also worked with Gateron quite a bit for the Q1. Not only can it be purchased with three new factory lubed Gateron Phantom switches – Phantom Brown (tactile), Phantom Red (linear), or Phantom Blue (clicky) – it features screw-in stabilisers made by Gateron too.

Usually, the stock stabilisers of pre-built keyboards are not of particularly good quality, but that’s surprisingly not the case with the Q1. These Gateron-made stabilisers are lubed quite well at the factory to minimise rattling, and they feel nice and secure too.

If you’d like to learn more about the Keychron Q1, check out our video review above or our
written review
. Rest assured, we’ll keep a close eye on the Malaysian pre-order and pricing of the Q1 from Keybot – we’ve gotten in touch with the company too for future updates.


HMD Global Launching 6 Nokia Devices in Malaysia in Q4 2021

HMD Global is set to launch as many as
six
 Nokia devices here in Malaysia in the fourth quarter of 2021. These include the Nokia X20, Nokia G10, Nokia C20, Nokia C01 Plus, as well as two feature phones: Nokia 110 4G and Nokia 105 4G.

Out of the six devices, the Nokia X20 is the highest-end offering, though all of them are budget-friendly phones. It features a 6.67-inch 1080p IPS screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a generous 4,470mAh battery.

In the camera department, the X20 has a quad camera system. It is made up of a 64MP primary sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide angle shooter, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth camera. The selfie shooter, on the other hand, is a 32MP unit. It’s worth noting that the X20 also gets three years of software updates and warranty – that’s quite impressive.

No word yet from HMD Global on the exact release date of these budget-friendly Nokia devices in Malaysia. Rest assured, we’ll keep a close eye on the local availability (and pricing) of these products in the coming months.


Xiaomi 11T Pro Hands-On: Only RM2,099 for a Snapdragon 888 Phone!

The Xiaomi 11T Pro is now
available for pre-order in Malaysia
, and just like most Xiaomi smartphones, its sheer value for money is the best selling point of this phone. After all, the 11T Pro is a Snapdragon 888 phone for only RM2,099 – this is one of the most affordable smartphones in the market now with such a chipset.

Aside from that, other aspects of the 11T Pro are really quite good too, including
blazing fast
 charging speed. If a phone with flagship-class performance for half the price catches your fancy, keep on reading this hands-on of the 11T Pro.

First, let’s talk about the different variants of the 11T Pro. Two configurations of the phone are available here in Malaysia: the 256GB model with 8GB of RAM costs RM2,099, while the other 256GB variant with more RAM at 12GB goes for RM2,299 – very competitive price tags for a Snapdragon 888 phone.

Beyond the different RAM capacity, both configurations of the 11T Pro have the exact same hardware. These include a 6.67-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate, a rather sophisticated camera system (108MP primary sensor + 8MP ultra-wide angle + 5MP telemacro lens), and a 16MP selfie camera.

Aside from that, the 11T Pro also features a generous 5,000mAh battery with support for 120W Xiaomi HyperCharge; this can supposedly fully charge the phone in only
17 minutes
. While the 11T is not the first phone to come with this level of charging speed, it’s certainly impressive that a phone at this price point sports such a feature.

Naturally, I wanted to see if the 11T Pro can really be fully charged in only 17 minutes. With the provided 120W charger in the box, the phone got up to…about 85% in 17 minutes. Granted, this is still
very impressive
 charging speed, though it’s not quite as fast as Xiaomi claims it to be.

Of course, I’ll repeat this charging speed test a few more times in the full review, so stay tuned for that.

Fast charging speed aside, the 11T Pro itself is also an equally fast smartphone. The Snapdragon 888 chipset can handle practically everything I throw at it. It feels very fast and zippy, and I can even run Genshin Impact at 60fps. That being said, it can’t quite sustain this frame rate consistently in the game, as with most Android flagships.

Anyway, further enhancing the gaming experience of the 11T Pro is its fast 6.67-inch 2400 x 1080 AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes the phone feel even more responsive. The screen quality itself is also reasonably good with vibrant colours and very deep blacks – typical traits of an AMOLED panel.

Now, let’s get to the design and build quality of the 11T Pro, which is where you’ll see the cost-cutting measures to bring down the price of this phone. The back panel, for one, looks quite nice with a “brushed metal” finish, but in actuality, it is made out of plastic, so it does feel a little cheap.

Granted, this isn’t exactly a surprise: some aspects of the phone had to be sacrificed to bring down its cost. Though it doesn’t feel particularly premium, at least it looks quite sleek with a hole-punch cutout on the screen and minimal bezels. In short, it has the aesthetics of a proper modern smartphone.

Last but definitely not least is the camera performance of the 11T Pro. Though its triple camera system lacks a zoom lens, the camera performance does seem quite promising. The 108MP primary sensor, in particular, can capture some really good-looking shots. Judge for yourself with the sample images below.

I haven’t had the time to extensively test out the 8MP ultra-wide angle lens and 5MP telemacro shooter of the 11T Pro yet, but they do seem reasonably capable. Personally, I’m quite excited to put the telemacro camera through its paces to see just how close I can get to a subject without losing focus.

For only RM2,099, the Xiaomi 11T Pro does offer a lot of value for money. Sure, its build quality isn’t particularly great, but some sacrifices had to be made to bring down the price of the phone. Plus, you’re getting fast, flagship-class performance at this price point – that’s all that matters to some folks.

You’re also getting extremely fast 120W charging speed – with the 120W charger already bundled with the phone – along with a pleasant-looking AMOLED display clocked at 120Hz. As far as first impressions go, the 11T Pro shows a lot of promises; I’ll see if this changes as I continue using it as my daily driver.

The Xiaomi 11T Pro is currently available for pre-order in Malaysia until 29 September. It is priced at RM2,099 and RM2,299 for the 256GB + 8GB and 256GB + 12GB models respectively. Those who pre-order the latter configuration will also receive a complimentary Mi Watch Lite and Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic.


AstraZeneca Dosing Interval Shortened Even Further to 6 Weeks From 1 October

If you’re still waiting for your second dosage of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, you won’t have to wait much longer now: the dosing interval has been shortened even further to six weeks instead of nine weeks. This new dosing interval will take effect from 1 October onwards.

This was announced by Khairy Jamaluddin, the Minister of Health. He said that the dosing interval for AstraZeneca is shortened to six weeks to make it more convenient for those who have received their first dosage of the vaccine.

Menteri Kesihatan,
@Khairykj
 memaklumkan jarak masa antara suntikan pertama dan kedua vaksin AstraZeneca akan dipendekkan dari 9 minggu kepada 6 minggu bermula dari 1 Oktober.
#AWANInews

pic.twitter.com/mB1YNg9pwk
— 🇲🇾Astro AWANI🇲🇾 (@501Awani)
September 24, 2021

However, even though the dosing interval for AstraZeneca has been shortened to six weeks, you are still required to wait 14 days after your second dosage to be considered fully vaccinated. This is the same waiting period for other two-dose vaccines such as Pfizer and Sinovac.

Previously, the dosing interval of AstraZeneca was shortened from 12 weeks to nine weeks
back in July this year
. Now that it has been shortened further to six weeks, the vaccination rate of Malaysia should speed up accordingly.


Video: The Best-Sounding Keyboard You Can’t Buy – Jelly Epoch Review

The Jelly Epoch by Owlab was one of the most sought-after keyboards earlier this year; all 900 units of the 75% custom keyboard were sold out almost instantly globally. While it’s definitely a popular keyboard, is it an absolute “must-buy?” Well, not quite.

What made the Jelly Epoch particularly compelling is its thocky, “marbley” sound profile; a sound signature that the custom keyboard community gravitates towards. But just because a keyboard has a desirable sound profile
doesn’t automatically make it a good keyboard.

We talk about exactly why the sound signature of a keyboard isn’t everything in the video above. It’s also a quick review of the Jelly Epoch, so naturally, there’s a sound test of it at the end of the video!


What Is a “Custom” Keyboard?

The custom keyboard hobby has seen quite a bit of change over the past couple of years. After all, bigger brands like
Keychron
 and
Glorious
 are getting into the scene, which blurs the line between a “custom” keyboard and a “regular,” pre-built keyboard.

So that brings up the question: what exactly is a “custom keyboard?” At what point does a pre-built keyboard is also considered to be a custom build? Well, we’re going to break it down in this article.

“True” Custom Keyboards

A true, “traditional” custom keyboard is usually sold as a kit. That is, only the case, PCB, and plate are bundled together, so you still need to purchase switches, keycaps, and stabilisers – though some kits do include this particular component – to complete the build.

More often than not, custom keyboards are sold in group buys too, which is essentially a pre-order. Shipping times vary from one manufacturer to another, but it’s not uncommon to take several months (or up to a year, even) for a custom keyboard to be delivered to customers.

Some good examples of a true-blue custom keyboard include the
Mode SixtyFive
,
Ginkgo65
,
Wilba.tech Salvation
, and of course, the
Jelly Epoch
. These keyboards usually require assembly as well, and depending on the particular keyboard, soldering may be necessary as well if there’s no option for a hotswap PCB.

As custom keyboards usually need to be assembled, it is also far easier to tune and modify different aspects of the keyboards to a user’s liking. This is a big part of the custom keyboard hobby: whether you want to get the best sound profile or typing feel, a custom keyboard makes it easier to accomplish these goals.

And…that’s pretty much a summary of custom keyboards. Now, let’s move on to more affordable (and accessible) off-the-shelf keyboards.

Pre-Built Keyboards

This is the most common type of keyboard in the market. As its name suggests, a pre-built keyboard is ready to go out of the box; no assembly required. The only bit of customisation with a pre-built keyboard is the type of switch that you can get, which is usually limited to linear (red), tactile (brown), or clicky (blue) switches.

And that really is the defining characteristic of a pre-built keyboard: it is not designed to be taken apart or customised to a user’s liking. Something as simple as tuning the stabilisers to eliminate rattling can be a real challenge with a pre-built keyboard, though it does depend on how the particular keyboard is designed.

Even though the customisability of a pre-built keyboard is not on the same level as a proper custom keyboard, they are far easier to purchase due to their prevalence in the market. Plus, some folks may not have the patience to wait for months on end to get a custom keyboard.

Anyway, almost every single keyboard you see on store shelves are pre-built keyboards. These include keyboards from Razer, Logitech,
Asus
, and even
Armaggeddon
.

Pre-Built…Custom Keyboards?

Recently, more and more pre-built keyboards are implementing features that are typically found on custom keyboards. The
Keychron Q1
 is a prime example of this: even though it’s a pre-built keyboard, its feature set is akin to that of a custom keyboard.

Not only does it uses a gasket-mounting system – a mounting style that you only find on custom keyboards – it also uses screw-in stabilisers and a hotswap PCB with support for VIA for easy key mapping. These features are very, very rarely found on pre-built keyboards.

Of course, it’s not difficult to tune and modify the sound profile or typing feel of the Q1 either, given its similarity to a custom keyboard. Essentially, if a keyboard is designed to be customisable – pre-built or not – it can technically be considered to be a “custom keyboard.”

That being said, if you want the best typing experience and sound profile, there’s still no beating a proper custom keyboard. Yes, the Q1 does offer some benefits of a custom keyboard, but it doesn’t exactly have the same level of polish or refinement as, say, a high-end custom keyboard like the
Jelly Epoch
.

But I digress; that’s a topic
for a different subject
. The point is, although some pre-built keyboards can be considered to be a custom keyboard now, a “true” custom keyboard is still superior in many aspects, though you
are
 paying more for such a keyboard with much,
much longer waiting times
 to boot.

However, given time, it’s entirely possible “pre-built custom keyboards” can match (or even exceed) the standards set by true-blue custom keyboards. But in order for this to be a reality, we’ll need more players to get into the custom keyboard scene – imagine if Razer is willing to experiment in this space.


Xiaomi Civi Unveiled With Sleek, Slim Design, 120Hz Display & Affordable Price

Xiaomi just unveiled a brand new device under a new series in China. Dubbed Xiaomi Civi, this (naturally) affordable smartphone features a sleek design with a slim chassis.

In fact, the front design of the Civi is very similar to the
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
, complete with a dual curved screen and a hole-punch cutout for the 32MP selfie camera. Tipping the scales at 166g with a 6.98mm thin chassis, the Civi is quite a slim and light phone too.

Aside from that, the Civi also has a 6.55-inch 1080p OLED display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. This high refresh rate screen is paired with a reasonably quick Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, so it should be able to provide a good gaming experience.

Other specifications of the Civi include a triple camera system (64MP primary + 8MP ultra-wide angle + 2MP macro), 8GB or 12GB of RAM, two storage options (128GB or 256GB), and a 4,500mAh battery with support for 55W fast charging.

For its home market in China, the Xiaomi Civi retails from 2,599 Chinese yuan, which comes up to about RM1,685. It remains to be seen if the Civi will be sold in other markets as well.


Microsoft Surface Pro 8 & Surface Pro X (WiFi-Only) Coming to Malaysia Soon

Microsoft’s latest Windows tablets, the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro X – the new WiFi-only model – are set to arrive here in Malaysia very soon. Once these two tablets are available locally, they will be joining the
Surface Go 3
.

We were going through SIRIM’s database when we saw both the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro X registered under Ingram Micro Malaysia last week on 23 September. Though it wasn’t specified in the listing, we reckon the Pro X registered with SIRIM is the new WiFi-only model.

Compared to its predecessor, the Surface Pro 8 sees a much more significant design revision. Not only does it sport a larger 13-inch PixelSense Flow Display now with smaller bezels, it also has a higher 120Hz refresh rate for a more responsive user experience.

The Surface Pro 8 can also be paired with the new Surface Pro Signature Keyboard that houses the equally new Surface Slim Pen 2 stylus too. More importantly, this Windows tablet
finally
gets two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support as well.

Other specifications of the Surface Pro 8 include Intel’s latest 11th generation Core i5 or Core i7 processor, up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage – the base model features 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage – along with up to 16 hours of battery life.

As for the Pro X, not much has changed, aside from the fact that it is now slightly more affordable. After all, this new variant is a WiFi-only model. Beyond that, its other specifications are unchanged from the
previous model
.

No word yet from Microsoft Malaysia on the local availability and pricing of the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro X. Given that they have been registered with SIRIM already, we reckon it won’t be long now until they are officially sold here.


Microsoft Surface Go 3 Now Available for Pre-Order in Malaysia From RM1,888

Looking for an affordable Windows tablet? Good news: Microsoft’s latest Surface Go 3 is now available for pre-order here in Malaysia. Though it has the same design as
its predecessor
, it is now faster than ever, thanks to a selection of newer processors.

Three variants of the Surface Go 3 are offered in Malaysia. The most affordable model with an Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage costs RM1,888. Early birds who pre-order this variant will also receive a wireless speaker and portable vacuum cleaner for free.

The mid-tier Surface Go 3, on the other hand, upgrades the RAM and storage to 8GB and 128GB respectively while retaining the same processor for RM2,588. As for the highest-end model, it has a faster Core i3-10100Y processor with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for RM2,988. Pre-orders of these two variants will be bundled with a USB-C hub and a Logitech M331 wireless mouse.

As mentioned, the Surface Go 3 is practically identical to the Surface Go 2 with the exception of newer, faster processors. That means it still has a 10.5-inch 1920 x 1280 PixelSense display with a 3:2 aspect ratio; perfect for productivity tasks. The tablet also runs on Windows 11 with support for Windows Hello facial recognition.

The Microsoft Surface Go 3 is now available for pre-order in Malaysia on
Shopee
 and
Lazada
. According to the product listings on these two e-commerce sites, the Windows tablet is expected to start shipping from 5 October onwards.


Watch Your Genshin Impact Journey Recap & Get Primogems

Mihoyo just released a rather interesting web event for
Genshin Impact
‘s first anniversary. It’s a recap of your journey in the game, and you can get some Primogems through the web event too.

In order to get the Primogems, you’ll need to watch through your “Anniversary Theater.” Once you’ve done that, a gift box will be unlocked, which will reward you with 40 Primogems. If you share your unique link to other players (for the first time), you’ll get an additional 20 Primogems. Players who click on your link will get a random reward too.

While these Primogems aren’t exactly a lot, it’s a nice bonus to watch a recap of your journey in Genshin Impact. It has some interesting trivia too, including how much Mora you’ve spent in the game, the character you’ve used the most in domains, as well as how many days you’ve been active in the game.

If you’re curious about your progress in Genshin Impact so far – or you just want the 60 Primogems you can get right off the bat – you can check your Anniversary Theater
right here
.


Just Got Your New Car? Check the Tyre Pressure

So you just took delivery of your brand new car (congratulations!), but before you start taking it out for a drive around town, check the tyre pressure first. Chances are, the tyres are overinflated.

In fact, I faced this exact issue when I first took delivery of my
Honda Civic FC
. The recommended tyre pressure for the Civic is 32psi, but all four of the tyres were inflated to
over 40psi
 when I checked. If you care about your tyres – and a pleasant driving experience – you definitely don’t want to be driving with overinflated tyres.

What Happens If I Drive With Overinflated Tyres?

The most immediate thing you’ll feel (literally) is a harsher, more “crashy” ride. As overinflated tyres are stiffer, it won’t be able to absorb road bumps particularly well. Take those yellow stripes as you approach a speed bump: if you can distinctly feel each and every one of the stripes, there’s a good chance your tyres are overinflated.

Aside from a harsher ride, overinflated tyres will wear out unevenly too. Compared to tyres with optimal pressure – which will wear out evenly – overinflated tyres will wear out in the centre first. This, in turn, reduces the lifespan of your tyres, requiring you to replace them quicker than it should be.

What About Underinflated Tyres?

Of course, driving with underinflated tyres isn’t good either. While overinflated tyres wear out in the centre first, the edges of underinflated tyres will wear out faster. Again, this will cost you more money in the long run as you’ll need to replace the tyres in a shorter span of time.

Aside from that, your fuel economy will also be worse if you’re driving with underinflated tyres. This is due to more rolling resistance, so if you notice that you’re running out of fuel earlier than expected, you may want to check if your tyres are underinflated.

Do note that visually inspecting your tyres for underinflation is not always accurate; just because the tyres look fine don’t mean that they have adequate pressure. The best way to check tyre pressure is either with a tyre pressure gauge, air pumps at gas stations, or through your car’s tyre pressure monitoring system (if it’s equipped with one).

Alternatively, you can even get a
portable air pump
. In the event of a flat tyre, you’ll be glad to have one in your car at all times too.

How Do I Know the Right Tyre Pressure for My Car?

You should be able to find the recommended tyre pressure for your car in the owner’s manual. But if you want an even easier method, just look for a sticker inside the driver’s door. Do note that certain cars have different recommended pressures for the front and rear tyres.

Speaking of different pressures, tyre pressure will also change depending on how hot (or cold) the tyres are. As you drive around, the tyre pressure will increase as the tyres warm up. This is important to keep in mind, given that the recommended tyre pressure outlined by car makers is the “cold inflation pressure.”

Basically, if you want the most accurate reading, check your tyre pressure first thing in the morning! If you don’t want to make the trip to a gas station to use the air pump, use a tyre pressure gauge instead.

How Often Should I Check My Tyre Pressure?

Tyres lose a little bit of pressure every day, so it’s best to check once every two weeks to make sure that they still have adequate pressure. You can always do this when you need to refuel your car at a gas station – just drive over to the air pump when you’re done refueling for a quick check.

Will I Really Notice the Difference in Tyre Pressure?

Well, this really depends on each individual driver. Some drivers can immediately tell if the tyre pressure is off, but some won’t even notice that they’re driving with a flat tyre.

Personally, I do notice the difference once I set the tyres of my Civic FC to the optimal pressure. As the tyres can soak up road bumps much better than when they were overinflated and “stiff,” the ride is a lot more comfortable.

Regardless, whether you notice it or not, it’s always best to drive with optimal tyre pressure. Not only does it make for a more pleasant driving experience, you’ll save money too as the tyres won’t wear out quicker than they should be.

So if you’ve just taken delivery of your brand new car, head to the nearest gas station to see if the car’s tyre pressure is optimal. Even if you’ve just swapped out to a new set of tyres – or you had a flat tyre fixed – it doesn’t hurt to check the tyre pressure again for yourself either; it’s better to be safe than sorry.


Genshin Impact 2.2 Livestream Set for 3 October – Thoma Makes an Appearance

Mihoyo just confirmed the date for Genshin Impact’s Version 2.2 special program. The livestream is set to take place this Sunday on 3 October, and Thoma – which is likely a playable character in the new update – will be making an appearance too.

As the teaser image below shows, Version 2.2 is dubbed “Into the Perilous Labyrinth of Fog.” Thoma is also pictured in the teaser alongside Lumine and Aether, the female and male versions of the Traveler respectively.

Since Thoma is featured in the teaser image, there’s a very good chance the Pyro character (as revealed in the Inazuma storyline of Genshin Impact) will be a playable character in Version 2.2. After all, Mihoyo
previously teased the character too
.

According to Mihoyo, the Version 2.2 special program for Genshin Impact will also feature “juicy details about new game content and developments in Version 2.2.” As usual, redemption codes (and other goodies) will be given during the livestream as well.

You can catch the livestream of Genshin Impact Version 2.2
on Twitch
 this Sunday on 3 October at 8PM for us here in Malaysia. Genshin Impact’s online concert “Melodies of an Endless Journey” will also take place after the livestream. You can learn more about the concert
right here
.


Asus ROG Gladius III Wireless Review: Great for Productivity, Okay for Gaming

The Asus ROG Gladius III Wireless looks like any other gaming mouse at a glance, but it has one unique feature that sets it apart: it is essentially a hotswappable gaming mouse. While this is not the first Asus mouse to have such a feature, it’s offered in a package that’s quite compelling.

Of course, the Gladius III Wireless still has a number of shortcomings, but if you want a comfortable productivity mouse with decent gaming performance, it’s definitely worth considering. Yes, this is a better mouse for productivity than gaming – read on to find out why.

What It Is

There are two different variants of the ROG Gladius III. The one we’re reviewing is the
wireless version (RM439)
, but if you don’t care for wireless support, you can get the much more affordable wired model
for only RM299
. Beyond this, other specifications of these two variants are exactly the same.

Anyway, the Gladius III Wireless can connect to a PC via a 2.4GHz dongle or Bluetooth with a quoted battery life of 55 hours and 85 hours respectively (with the backlight switched off). Not the longest battery life we’ve seen from a wireless mouse, but more on this further down the review.

Weight is important for a gaming mouse, and in this respect, the Gladius III is reasonably lightweight. The wireless model tips the scales at 89g, while the wired model is slightly lighter (since it doesn’t have a battery) at 79g. While it is not the lightest gaming mouse in the market, it’s certainly lightweight enough for a comfortable gaming experience.

Design wise, the Gladius III has an ergonomic shape made for right-handed gamers, so unfortunately enough, it’s not suitable for lefties. There are also two buttons on the left side of the mouse, along with an all-plastic chassis; there are no rubberised sides here.

Finally, there’s the unique “Push-Fit Switch Socket II” of the Gladius III, which allows easy replacement of the left and right mouse buttons. According to Asus, this is the first mouse to feature such a socket, which supports both 3-pin and 5-pin micro switches.

This effectively makes the Gladius III a hotswappable mouse, as you can easily swap out the micro switches on the left and right buttons. Asus also provides two Omron optical switches with this mouse, which we’ll get back to in the next section.

The Good Stuff

Since the ROG Gladius III’s hotswappable nature is one of its most unique features, let’s talk about it first. Initially, I was afraid it would be difficult to swap out the micro switches, but to my surprise, it is really, really easy. In fact, anyone with a screwdriver can easily do it.

In order to disassemble the Gladius III, all I needed to do was undo two screws hidden underneath a rubber cap. Once I’ve done that, I can remove the top chassis from the back of the mouse. It’s a little awkward to pop out the top casing at first, but after a few tries, I can comfortably do it without too much trouble.

Once that’s done, I can use the provided tweezer to easily pull out the original ROG micro switches. Installing the Omron switches to the socket is a similarly fuss-free affair. I can then install the top chassis back onto the base, and voila, I’ve swapped out the micro switches on the left and right mouse buttons.

I love how seamless it is to change the micro switches on the Gladius III. Thanks to its hotswap nature, I can just get
aftermarket micro switches
 if I want to further customise the clicking characteristic of the Gladius III too – how many gaming mice can do this?

Its hotswap capability aside, the Gladius III’s ergonomic design also makes it a comfortable mouse to use for long periods of time. The tall shape of the mouse provides ample support for my hand, and since it’s quite lightweight, it’s easy to navigate with too.

Last but definitely not least is the latency of the Gladius III, which is great. Whether I’m using the 2.4GHz dongle or Bluetooth, I didn’t notice any major input lag while gaming with this mouse. Granted, more competitive gamers may notice a difference, but I reckon most folks will still be able to game effectively with the Gladius III in wireless mode.

The Bad Stuff

Remember when I said the ROG Gladius III is better as a productivity mouse rather than gaming? Well, this can be attributed to the ergonomic shape of the mouse. It’s comfortable, yes, but this is also the reason why it’s not super ideal for gaming.

This is down to the tall nature of the Gladius III; more specifically, the button height. As my fingers are further away from the surface of the tablet, I don’t get the same level of “stability” and precision over a mouse with a lower button height, such as the Logitech G Pro Wireless.

Of course, your mileage may vary, especially if you have larger hands. But personally, I do feel like my aim is more accurate with a smaller, lower profile mouse.

The Logitech G Pro Wireless and Asus ROG Gladius III

Aside from that, I’m not a big fan of the Omron optical switches bundled with the Gladius III either. While I like their firmer clicks, they produce a very metallic, tinny sound. As for the ROG micro switches, they don’t feel quite as firm, but they do have a quieter (and pleasant) clicking sound.

My last qualm with the Gladius III is its battery life. While I did manage to hit the 55 hours quoted battery life, it’s still not quite as long-lasting as its competition. Logitech’s lighter G Pro Wireless, for one, can last up to 60 hours on a single charge. The Razer Viper Ultimate, on the other hand, can provide up to 70 hours of battery life.

Is It Worth It?

Even though its battery life isn’t particularly great – and the tall button height can be detrimental for competitive gaming – the Asus ROG Gladius III is still a fantastic gaming mouse that I will happily use as my daily driver when I’m doing productivity work.

On top of that, the hotswap capability of the Gladius III is easily one of its best selling points. I don’t need to desolder the micro switches to swap them out, and disassembling the mouse itself is a fuss-free affair. Coupled with its
reasonable RM439 asking price
 – or
only RM299
 if you want the wired version – the Gladius III is definitely an interesting mouse.


30 September – 6 October Fuel Price: RON 97 up 1 Sen, Others Remain

The price of RON 97 is set to go up yet again this coming week folks. From tomorrow onwards, RON 97 will go up by 1 sen per litre, while the prices of RON 95 and diesel are maintained, given that their price ceilings have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 for the next seven days is set at RM2.76 per litre (up from RM2.75). The price of RON 95, on the other hand, stays at RM2.05 per litre. As for diesel, it still costs RM2.15 per litre.

These prices will be in effect from 30 September to 6 October. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week on the same day for future updates!


Xiaomi Civi Will Not Be Sold Outside of China – Possible Rebranding?

Xiaomi recently launched a device under a brand new series in China dubbed
Xiaomi Civi
. What makes this phone particularly interesting is its premium design at an affordable price point, but unfortunately enough, it’s now confirmed that it will not be sold outside of China.

This confirmation came directly from Xiaomi itself in a statement to
Android Authority
. “Xiaomi Civi remains a Mainland China-only device,” the phone maker said to Android Authority in an email.

However, it’s entirely possible that Xiaomi will rebrand the phone for the global market. After all, the company has done this many times before with its previous smartphones.

One of the highlights of the Civi is its 6.55-inch 1080p OLED dual curved display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. This high refresh rate screen is paired with a reasonably quick Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, so it should be able to provide a good gaming experience.

Other specifications of the Civi include a triple camera system (64MP primary + 8MP ultra-wide angle + 2MP macro), a 32MP selfie camera, 8GB or 12GB of RAM, two storage options (128GB or 256GB), and a 4,500mAh battery with support for 55W fast charging.

In China, the Xiaomi Civi retails from only 2,599 Chinese yuan, which comes up to about RM1,680. While the “Civi” branding may not be sold outside of China, here’s hoping the device itself will be made available in other markets.


Microsoft’s Powerful Surface Laptop Studio Is Coming to Malaysia Soon

Aside from the Surface Pro 8,
Surface Go 3
, and
Surface Pro X
, it appears Microsoft will also launch its powerful Surface Laptop Studio here in Malaysia. As the company’s flagship laptop – replacing the
Surface Book
 lineup – it has some capable hardware and an interesting design.

While we were browsing through Microsoft Malaysia’s website, we notice that the
product page for the Surface Laptop Studio is live
. It’s also said to be coming soon, though it’s worth noting that at the time of writing, the laptop is only visible under the
Surface for Business category
.

Anyway, the unique selling point of the Surface Laptop Studio is its “Dynamic Woven Hinge,” which allows the laptop to transition between three modes: laptop, stage, and studio. Laptop is self-explanatory, while stage props up the 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow display (2400 x 1600 at 120Hz) right behind the trackpad; much like
Acer’s ConceptD 3 Ezel
.

As for studio, it’s…basically transforming the Surface Laptop Studio into a tablet. But tipping the scales between 1.7kg to 1.8kg for the Core i5 and Core i7 models respectively, this is not exactly a lightweight machine.

The three modes of the Surface Laptop Studio

Speaking of processors, the Surface Laptop Studio can be configured with an Intel Core i5-11300H or Core i7-11370H processor. The Core i5 model features an Iris Xe Graphics integrated GPU, while the Core i7 option can be configured with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti or an RTX A2000 GPU.

Other specifications of the Surface Laptop Studio include 16GB or 32GB of RAM, SSD storage capacities between 256GB to a whopping 2TB, two USB-C ports with support for Thunderbolt 4, as well as up to 19 hours of battery life. Naturally, it will ship with Windows 11 too, though users have the option to use Windows 10 instead.

No word yet on exactly when the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio will be available here in Malaysia. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on the local availability (and pricing) of the flagship laptop.


Acer Predator Triton 500 SE With 19.9mm Chassis & RTX 3080 Launched in Malaysia From RM8,999

The powerful
Acer Predator Triton 500 SE
 has just been launched in Malaysia. Configurable with a fast Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU and Intel’s latest 11th generation Core i9 processor in a slim chassis, it’s an attractive and capable gaming laptop.

Two variants of the Predator Triton 500 SE are offered in Malaysia. The base Core i7-11800H model with an RTX 3070 GPU and 16GB of RAM costs RM8,999, while the more powerful Core i9-11900H configuration with a beefier RTX 3080 GPU and 32GB of RAM is priced at RM12,999.

Beyond the different CPU, GPU, and RAM capacity, both variants of the Triton 500 SE share the same hardware. These include a 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen4 SSD, as well as a 16-inch 2560 x 1600 IPS screen with a 165Hz refresh rate and 16:10 aspect ratio. Unfortunately, the mini-LED display option isn’t offered in Malaysia.

Nonetheless ,given the powerful hardware under the hood of the Triton 500 SE, it’s really quite impressive that its chassis measures only 19.9mm thin. Tipping the scales at 2.4kg, it’s not an awfully heavy gaming laptop either.

The Acer Predator Triton 500 SE will be available for pre-order in Malaysia from 30 October onwards. To recap, this slim, powerful gaming laptop retails at RM8,999 and RM12,999 for the Core i7/RTX 3070 and Core i9/RTX 3080 configurations respectively.


Acer Predator Helios 500 With Mini-LED Display Tops Out at RM19,999 in Malaysia

Aside from the
Triton 500 SE
, Acer Malaysia also launched the powerful
Acer Predator Helios 500
 today. Packed with a mini-LED display and an overclockable processor, this is easily the Taiwanese company’s most impressive gaming laptop yet.

Two configurations of the Helios 500 are available in Malaysia. The base model with an Intel Core i7-11800H processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU (8GB GDDR6) goes for RM13,999, while the range-topping RM19,999 variant features an overclockable Core i9-11980HK processor and an RTX 3080 GPU with 16GB GDDR6 memory.

The Core i9 configuration of the Helios 500 is also the only model to feature a bright and vibrant 17.3-inch 4K mini-LED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, not to mention a whopping 64GB RAM and 2TB of fast PCIe NVMe Gen4 SSD storage. Without a doubt this is a serious gaming machine.

As for the slightly more affordable Helios 500 with a Core i7 processor, it features a more modest 32GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen4 SSD. Though it doesn’t get a fancy mini-LED display, it has a blazing fast 17.3-inch 1080p panel with a 360Hz refresh rate.

The Acer Predator Helios 500 will be available for pre-order in Malaysia next month on 30 October. If you place your pre-order between 30 October to 6 November, you’ll also get RM2,414 worth of freebies, including a Predator Gaming Chair worth RM1,299.


Acer Predator Helios 300 With 360Hz Display Now in Malaysia From RM6,299

If the
Predator Triton 500 SE
 and
Helios 500
 are out of your budget, consider the Acer Predator Helios 300 instead. Though it’s not quite as powerful as its aforementioned siblings, the Helios 300 is still a very capable gaming laptop – it can even be configured with a blazing fast 360Hz display.

As many as five different variants of the Helios 300 are offered in Malaysia with two screen sizes. Let’s start with the 15.6-inch configurations first: the base model (RM6,299) comes with a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS panel with a 360Hz refresh rate, an Intel Core i7-11800H processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.

The 15.6-inch Helios 300
The 17.3-inch Helios 300

A tier up is the RM7,699 model, which upgrades the GPU to an RTX 3070, along with a sharper 1440p IPS panel (albeit with a lower 160Hz refresh rate), 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. The range-topping 15.6-inch Helios 300, on the other hand, adds on a faster Core i9-11900H processor and 32GB of RAM for RM9,999.

And then we have the 17.3-inch Helios 300. The most affordable model (RM7,999) is packed with a Core i7-11800H processor, an RTX 3060 GPU, a 360Hz FHD IPS display, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. If you want better gaming performance, there’s the RTX 3070 model for RM8,999, which also features a sharper QHD IPS screen with a 165Hz refresh rate.

The Acer Helios 300 is now available for pre-order in Malaysia until 6 October 2021; those who pre-order any variant of this gaming laptop will also receive over RM1,000 worth of freebies. If you purchase the range-topping Core i9 model instead, you’ll also get a Predator Gaming Chair worth RM1,299.


PlayStation Plus October 2021 Free Games Include Hell Let Loose & Mortal Kombat X

PlayStation Plus’ free games for October 2021 has just been unveiled. Four titles can be claimed by members this coming Tuesday on 5 October: Hell Let Loose, Mortal Kombat X, PGA Tour 2K21, and for us here in Asia, Castlevania Requiem.

Hell Let Loose has been rumoured for the longest time to be a part of October’s free games, and this is now confirmed. However, do note that this title is only offered for the PS5. Those who are on the PS4 will not be able to play the game, though the other three games can be claimed on both platforms.

Occasionally, certain regions will get an extra title in PlayStation Plus’ free games, and it appears those of us here in Asia will get Castlevania Requiem. Do note that once you’ve claimed these games, they will be yours to keep (and play) as long as your PlayStation Plus subscription remains active.

Hell Let Loose, Castlevania Requiem, Mortal Kombat X, and PGA Tour 2K21 will be available for download from 5 October to 1 November 2021. If you haven’t claimed
PlayStation Plus’ September 2021
 games yet, you have until 4 October to do so.


Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review: The Best Got Better

Samsung’s range of smartwatches have always been considered to be the best options for Android users. With the latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series, this still remains very true. Simply put, the best smartwatch for Android got even better, thanks to more robust tracking capabilities and the integration of Google’s Wear OS 3.

Even though it still has its fair share of shortcomings, the Galaxy Watch 4 is a very easy smartwatch to recommend. On top of that, it doesn’t cost a premium either with a RM899 starting price.

What It Is

There are two distinct variants of the Galaxy Watch 4. The standard model – which we received for this review – is offered in 40mm and 44mm sizes for RM899 and RM999 respectively. The bigger Classic version, on the other hand, costs RM1,299 and RM1,399 for the 42mm and 46mm models respectively.

Since this is a review of the standard Galaxy Watch 4, let’s focus on that. We got the 40mm model, and it’s packed with a 1.2-inch 396 x 396 circular Super AMOLED display, an Exynos W920 processor, a 247mAh battery, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and it runs on Google’s Wear OS 3 platform with Samsung’s own customisations.

Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch 4 is quite a bit more capable when it comes to health tracking. It can still do the usual heart rate tracking and blood oxygen measurement, but what’s particularly interesting is its ability to measure a user’s body composition – more on this in the next section.

The Good Stuff

One of the features I was eager to try out on the Galaxy Watch 4 is its body composition analysis. By using the Samsung BioActive Sensor on the back of the watch, the sensor can give me interesting data such as my skeletal muscle, fat mass, body fat, BMI, and even my body water percentage.

These data are useful as a guideline for health tracking, and I find it really convenient (and impressive) that I can get these stats from the Galaxy Watch 4 itself. However, even though Samsung said that these measurements are up to 98% accurate, I wouldn’t use it as a diagnostic tool. Still, it can be useful if you know how to make sense of these data in the right context.

Another feature of the Galaxy Watch 4 that I find particularly useful is its sleep tracker. Yes, every smartwatch worth its salt is able to do this, but what sets the Watch 4 apart is its ability to measure blood oxygen throughout the night (a very important health indicator)
and
 snoring pattern.

In fact, the Watch 4 – with the help of the paired phone’s microphone – can even record your snores! I’ve put this feature to the test, and it really does work. I now know that I occasionally snore when I sleep (and exactly how long), much to my chagrin. It’s quite surreal listening back to audio clips of the recorded snores.

Anyway, aside from that, the Galaxy Watch 4’s workout tracking works great too. It shows how much calories I’ve burnt, my heart rate throughout the workout, and if I’m walking or running, it can even record the distance I’ve covered. All in all, it’s a robust workout tracker that can detect over
95 different activities
.

I also dig the design of the Watch 4. It has a nice, minimalist aesthetic, and with the always on display enabled, it almost looks like a traditional wristwatch. Of course, this is also thanks to the the bright and vibrant Super AMOLED display. Outdoor visibility is not an issue at all with this screen.

Most smartwatches – especially more affordable ones – don’t feel particularly responsive, but this is not an issue at all with the Galaxy Watch 4. While the interface does get a little sluggish when it first powers up, the watch feels fast and zippy once it’s up and running.

The Watch 4’s strap is worth a mention too. It’s nice and soft, which makes it really comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The white strap doesn’t seem to get stained easily either, though I do wonder if it will start yellowing after prolonged use.

Last but not least is the software experience of the Galaxy Watch 4. The user interface remains as intuitive as ever, it’s easy to navigate through the menus, and Google’s Wear OS 3 integration is nice. When I’m navigating with Google Maps, for example, I get turn-by-turn navigation on the watch.

The Bad Stuff

As much as I absolutely enjoy using the Galaxy Watch 4, it does have some shortcomings, such as its battery life. Granted, it’s not horrible by any means – especially for such a feature-packed smartwatch – but if you’re expecting to only charge the watch every other day, well…you won’t get that here.

On average, I can get about one and a half day of battery life on a single charge with the always on display enabled. This is long enough for the Watch 4 to track my sleep and still have enough battery life to last throughout the day.

I can extend the battery life slightly by disabling the always on display, and if I don’t track my sleep at night, I can (just barely) get two days of use out of it. Whether or not this is a worth tradeoff – it isn’t, if you ask me – will depend on how you plan to use the watch.

And then there’s the touch-sensitive bezel of the Galaxy Watch 4, which is fiddly. It works reasonably well when it does, but most of the time, it has trouble recognising my input. If Samsung’s bezel navigation is something that you’re really fond of, consider picking up the Watch 4 Classic instead – that one has a more precise physical rotating bezel.

Is It Worth It?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is easily one of the best (if not
the best
) smartwatches for Android in the market now. It is jam-packed with features, it has robust tracking capabilities, and most of all, it doesn’t demand a premium with its RM899 starting price.

Unless you need a smartwatch with longer battery life – though you will be sacrificing quite a number of features for such a wearable – the Galaxy Watch 4 is absolutely worth it. This is especially the case if you want a smartwatch running on Wear OS 3; the Watch 4 is the only wearable on this platform right now.


Monster Hunter Rise Arrives on PC 13 January 2022 for RM248

Capcom finally announced the release date for
Monster Hunter Rise
 on PC. Set to be available on Steam next year on 13 January 2022, the Malaysian pricing of the game has also been revealed.

For the Malaysian market, the Standard Edition of Monster Hunter Rise on Steam is priced at RM248. If you want the Deluxe Edition instead, which includes a number of cosmetic items and gestures, that will set you back RM291.40.

Compared to Monster Hunter Rise on the Nintendo Switch, the PC version naturally gets some nice upgrades. These include support for 4K resolution – it can even run in 21:9 for gamers with an ultrawide monitor – high-res textures, and support for voice chat.

On top of that, previously released DLCs for Rise on the Switch (until November 2021) will be available on PC at launch too. It’s worth noting that the
Sunbreak add-on
 – which is said to be a “massive expansion” – will also be released on PC and Switch simultaneously sometime in Summer 2022.

If you want to give Monster Hunter Rise on PC a try first before pre-ordering it, good news: the trial version will be released in the next two weeks on 14 October 2021. The game is now
available for pre-order on Steam from RM248
.


Samsung Galaxy M22 Lands in Malaysia for RM899 – Early Birds Get RM120 Discount

Samsung just launched another affordable smartphone in Malaysia. Sporting a 90Hz display with a very generous 5,000mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy M22 is quite an interesting budget-friendly device – early birds can even get it with a RM120 discount.

Only one variant of the Galaxy M22 is available in Malaysia. Featuring 128GB of expandable storage and 6GB of RAM, the M22 retails at RM899. In conjunction with Shopee’s 10.10 sale, those who purchase this phone between 3 to 10 October can get it
for only RM779
 instead, saving you RM120.

For that kind of money, the Galaxy M22 is a reasonably good phone. As mentioned, it is packed with a 6.4-inch HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Along with a 5,000mAh battery that support 25W fast charging, you can expect to get above average battery life with this phone too.

Other specifications of the Galaxy M22 include a MediaTek Helio G80 chipset, a quad camera system (48MP primary + 8MP ultra-wide angle + 2MP depth + 2MP macro), a 13MP selfie camera, and a microSD card slot that can accommodate cards up to 1TB.

The Samsung Galaxy M22 will be available for purchase in Malaysia on Shopee first come 3 October this Sunday. To recap, you can grab the phone
for only RM779
 instead of its recommended retail price of RM899 from Shopee until 10 October.


Honda Malaysia Now Offering up to RM9,000 Discount for October 2021

Last month, Honda Malaysia
offered up to RM6,000 discounts
 for its range of models. But for this month, the deal is even better: the carmaker is now offering up to a whopping RM9,000 discount throughout October 2021.

Naturally,
the Honda Accord
 gets the biggest discount. Previously, the range-topping TC-P trim of the D-segment sedan receives a RM5,000 discount, but it is now increased to RM7,000. As for the more affordable TC model, it gets an even more generous
RM9,000 rebate
.

If you’re looking to get a seven-seater instead, good news. The
Honda BR-V
 is discounted quite a bit too; both the E and V trims get a RM5,000 discount. The
2021 Honda HR-V Hybrid
 also receives a RM5,000 rebate, while the E, V, and RS variants of the B-segment SUV get a RM3,500 discount instead.

Next is the
all-new Honda City
: the E, V, and RS trims are discounted by RM3,000, while the S base model get a RM2,000 rebate. Other notable discounts given by Honda Malaysia include RM2,000 savings for the TC and TC-P variants of the
Civic
 – the base 1.8L S model gets a bigger RM3,000 rebate – as well as a RM4,000 discount for the Jazz.

Do note that these discounts are only applicable for vehicles registered between 1 to 31 October 2021.

If you’re interested to get any of these Honda models with the aforementioned rebates, you can place your booking online
here
. Alternatively, bookings can be done through the HondaTouch app as well – you can download it from the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
.


Honda Malaysia Giving Out RM250 Service Voucher to Vaccinated Customers

To support the government’s vaccination effort, Honda Malaysia is running its Vaccinated Customer Program from October to December 2021. If you have received your COVID-19 vaccination, you can get a RM250 service voucher from the carmaker when you purchase a new Honda model.

Interestingly, you don’t have to be fully vaccinated to get the RM250 service voucher (valid for one year) from Honda Malaysia. As long as you’re registered for the national vaccination program, you will be eligible for the voucher.

Of course, you do have to show your vaccination status to get the RM250 service voucher, and you can do through the MySejahtera app. You’re also required to register your car by 31 December 2021 in order to enjoy this promotion.

“This program is an initiative by Honda Malaysia to support the Malaysian government’s vaccination program and to encourage people to get vaccinated in an effort to achieve herd immunity,” said the MD and CEO of Honda Malaysia, Madoka Chujo.

It’s worth noting that Honda Malaysia is also offering
up to RM9,000 discount
 for its range of models throughout October 2021. If you’re looking to get a new car, now’s a really good time to shop around.


We Need More Hotswap Mouse

Chances are, you’ve used a fair number of mice in your lifetime. Now, how many of them were replaced because the buttons were double-clicking? Needless to say, this is a very common issue, and unless you’re willing to disassemble these mice and desolder the faulty micro switches, it’s much easier to just get a new mouse.

Well, this won’t be an issue with a hotswap mouse, such as the
Asus ROG Gladius III
. But that’s the thing: only Asus has a slew of gaming mice with hotswappable micro switches right now. We need more mice – gaming-centric or not – with hotswap sockets, which would really change the ownership experience of mice in general.

Not convinced? Then read on!

Hotswap Support Improves User Experience

Imagine this: you really like this particular mouse. It has a good shape, its set of features are exactly what you want, but the only problem is…you don’t like the buttons of the mouse. Maybe it’s too loud, maybe you don’t like how it feels, but the bottom line is, the way the mouse clicks is just not for you.

Well, if the mouse had hotswap support, this can be easily addressed. Just pop the mouse open, swap out the micro switches to ones that you actually like – there are
quite a number of different options
 – and voila, the mouse is now perfectly suited to your taste.

If hotswap mice were more widely available in the market, you can easily install any kind of micro switch to customise the sound and feel of a particular mouse to your liking. This brings us to the next point..

It’s a Layer of Customisation

Just like how there are different types of keyboard switches, the same applies to micro switches for mice too. Well, to a certain extent. While micro switches for mice are not as widely available as keyboard switches, there are still enough different options in the market now to suit a wide variety of users. Just give the video below a watch.

Not only do these micro switches have different sound profiles, they have their own unique characteristics too. Some are heavy, some are light, others are very snappy, while certain micro switches are noticeably louder. The point is, these micro switches are distinct enough to appeal to different people.

Chances are, not many are aware that they can swap out the micro switches of a mouse to customise the way the buttons feel and sound. If there are more hotswap mice readily available, I reckon more folks will know that they won’t have to settle for a mouse that doesn’t click (excuse the pun) with them.

Extends the Lifespan of a Mouse

Given that one of the first hardware to break on a mouse is the button (the micro switches, basically), a hotswap mouse can easily outlast a regular mouse with soldered micro switches. If the left or right button starts to double-click, just change to a different micro switch, and it’s essentially good as new.

On top of that, a hotswap mouse is designed to be disassembled without much trouble, so this makes them easy to repair. This is exemplified by the ROG Gladius III: all I need to do is undo two screws under the mouse, and I can then pop the top casing open to pull out the faulty micro switches from the hotswap socket.

Why Not Just Desolder the Micro Switches?

Well, not everyone has the technical know-how or time to do this. Plus, some mice are
difficult
to disassemble. Take the Logitech G Pro Wireless, which is considered to be one of the best gaming mice in the market. To take it apart, I’ll need to use a hairdryer to pry off the feet to access the screws. I imagine this isn’t something most folks will be comfortable doing.

As I’ve mentioned before, this isn’t a problem with a hotswap mouse; it
should
 be designed for easy disassembly to access the hotswap sockets.

The micro switch of a mouse is just one hardware that can be changed to a user’s liking. There are many more aspects of a mouse with customisation potential, such as the feet, cord, and to a certain extent, even the shape if you have access to a 3D printer.

But unlike the custom keyboard scene, a “custom mouse” is not as mainstream – not yet, anyway. Hopefully, we’ll see the emergence of truly customisable mice in the future, starting with (at the very least) hotswap support. If we can get superior typing experience from a custom keyboard, why not a custom mouse too?


Premise Not Following SOP? You Can Report It Through MySejahtera Soon

As COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease throughout Malaysia, it’s even more important now to adhere to SOPs to keep the virus at bay. If you notice any premise that’s not following SOP, you will be able to report it through MySejahtera soon.

This was revealed by Khairy Jamaluddin, the Minister of Health, through a Twitter post. He even demonstrated how the new feature would work through a screen recording, which looks to be quite simple.

I have asked MySj to update slightly but the feature is there.
https://t.co/pWJ51VPvUR

pic.twitter.com/IEypqXAHOq
— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj)
October 2, 2021

Just click on the report icon, pick an option – such as no social distancing or visitors are not properly screened – tag the location, attach an image, and send the report. Looking at the options, it looks to be possible to also report individuals who are not following quarantine rules.

It remains to be seen exactly when this new report feature will be available in MySejahtera, but given that COVID-19 restrictions are gradually easing nationwide, we reckon it will be pushed out to the app very soon. Once it’s live, you can update the MySejahtera app on the
Apple App Store
,
Google Play Store
, or
Huawei AppGallery
.


Asus ROG Phone 5s & 5s Pro Arriving in Malaysia 8 October

Asus’ latest gaming smartphones, the
Asus ROG Phone 5s and 5s Pro
, are set to arrive here in Malaysia
this Friday on 8 October
. Powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888+ chipset, these two phones offer a number of upgrades
compared to their predecessors
.

The Snapdragon 888+ chipset under the hood of the ROG Phone 5s series really is the biggest upgrade here. Compared to the Snapdragon 888 SoC that powered the previous models, the Snapdragon 888+ brings faster CPU and AI Engine performances, though there’s no GPU upgrade.

The ROG Phone 5s
The ROG Phone 5s Pro

Aside from that, while the new ROG Phone 5s devices feature the same 6.78-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate as their predecessors, the touch response rate has been increased to 360Hz from 300Hz. Basically, this will minimise input lag even further, something mobile gamers will definitely appreciate.

Beyond these changes, other specifications of the ROG Phone 5s series are mostly the same, right down to the design. Both phones still have a triple camera system (64MP primary + 13MP ultra-wide angle + 5MP macro), a 24MP selfie camera, ultrasonic shoulder buttons on the right side, as well as a generous 6,000mAh battery.

It’s also worth noting that the ROG Phone 5s Pro, just like its direct predecessor, features an “ROG Vision” back panel, which is basically a small PMOLED screen that shows charging information or an incoming call. It also has two extra capacitive buttons on the rear panel, which work in tandem with the ultrasonic shoulder buttons.

The Asus ROG Phone 5s and 5s Pro will be launched in Malaysia this Friday on 8 October. We’ll find out then exactly how much these two gaming-centric phones will cost in our local market.


Last Chance for PS+ Members to Get Overcooked! All You Can Eat & Hitman 2 For Free

PlayStation Plus members, take note: if you haven’t claimed last month’s free games yet, today is your last chance to do so. These include
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
,
Hitman 2
, and
Predator: Hunting Grounds
.

Like with every free game offered through PlayStation Plus, these games are yours to keep – once you’ve claimed them – as long as your subscription remains active. Out of the three games offered for September 2021, Overcooked is arguably the most interesting title this month.

Not only does Overcooked! All You Can Eat include both the original Overcooked and Overcooked 2, every DLC released for the two games are available too. More importantly, it is also a remaster of the two games, running at 60fps in 4K resolution, along with faster loading times.

Unfortunately, PlayStation is only offering this game on the PS5 – the PS4 version is not included in PlayStation Plus’ September 2021 games. Anyway, today is your last day to claim
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
,
Hitman 2
, and
Predator: Hunting Grounds
. Come tomorrow, they will be replaced by the
October 2021 games
, which include Hell Let Loose.


Genshin Impact 2.2 Brings Thoma, Hu Tao, Tartaglia & New Inazuma Island on 13 October

Mihoyo just revealed more information on Version 2.2 of
Genshin Impact
. Set to arrive next week on 13 October, the new update will add
Thoma
, a new 4-star Pyro polearm character. On top of that, Version 2.2 will also see the return of Hu Tao and Tartaglia’s banners, along with the addition of Tsurumi Island, the last major island of Inazuma.

Let’s start with the event wishes for the characters coming in Genshin Impact 2.2. Tartaglia will be the first one to go live come 13 October; this is actually his third rerun in the game. His banner will then be replaced by Hu Tao’s event wish, which will also include Thoma.

As for Tsurumi Island, it is described as an island “shrouded in dense fog, and players may easily get lost and encounter unprecedented challenges while exploring this area.” The island is also home to the new Rifthound and Rifthound Whelp monsters, which will inflict the “Corrosion” status to players hit by their attacks.

Other new additions coming to Version 2.2 of Genshin Impact include a new domain challenge featuring Tartaglia and Xinyan, a seasonal rhythm game, a new Inazuma-themed realm layout for the Serenitea Pot, as well as DualSense controller support for the PC version of the game.

Genshin Impact 2.2 will go live next week on 13 October. Do note that once Version 2.2 is live, all players will be able to claim
Horizon Zero Dawn’s Aloy
, a free 5-star Cryo character, until 24 November 2021.


Genshin Impact Collaborates With Razer for Special Products, Including Gaming Chair

Mihoyo announced a rather interesting collaboration with Razer to produce a number of
Genshin Impact
 licensed co-branded products. These include the Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro gaming mouse, Razer Iskur X ergonomic gaming chair, as well as the Razer Goliathus Speed mousepad.

These three products will have their own Genshin Impact Edition with design elements from the game. Aside from that, every purchase of these Genshin Impact-themed products will also come with a bonus code that players can redeem for “exciting in-game rewards,” as Mihoyo puts it.

Those who purchase the Razer Iskur X Genshin Impact Edition, for one, will receive 500 Primogems, 20 Hero’s Wit, and 100,000 Mora. The special edition DeathAdder V2 Pro, on the other hand, comes with 200 Primogems and 80,000 Mora.

Last but certainly not least is the Goliathus Speed mousepad, which is offered with 30 Primogems and 5 Adventurer’s Experience. Given that this is the most affordable product, it’s no surprise that the bundled in-game rewards are also the least exciting.

Aside from these aforementioned products, Genshin Impact designs will also be available on Razer Customs. It’s essentially Razer’s online service which lets gamers personalise a number of the company’s peripherals.

If you’re keen to get these Razer products with Genshin Impact’s designs, you can register your interest
right here
. Unfortunately enough, Malaysia is not in the country list, so it’s unlikely the special edition products will be made available here.


Perodua Sold 14,160 Units in September 2021 – Sales up by 102%

After
months of extended COVID-19 lockdown
, things are looking up again for the automotive sector. Perodua, in particular, sold as many as 14,160 units in September 2021. Compared to its
sales figure in August 2021
 (6,988 units), this is a 102% jump in sales.

“The automotive supply chain has shown improvements but have yet to reach their full potential. We are continuously working with our suppliers and dealers to further improve productivity and safety,” said the CEO and President of Perodua, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

He elaborated that the gradual growth in Perodua’s production and sales are to ensure that strict quality control measures are still in place. “We thank our customers that have continued to be patient with us as we further improve production,” Dato’ Zainal added.

“We do apologise for any inconvenience caused by the delay in the delivery and we will assist our customers in any way that we can to ensure that their Perodua is delivered as soon as possible,” Dato’ Zainal said in the press release.

If you’re still waiting to take delivery of your brand new Perodua model, now you know why. After all, it’s better to wait a tad longer for a vehicle with no major quality control issues, right?


Apple Watch Series 7 Approved by SIRIM – Coming to Malaysia Soon?

Unveiled globally just a few weeks back, the
Apple Watch Series 7
 has just been approved by SIRIM. This suggests that the brand new smartwatch could go on sale here in Malaysia very soon; all electronics have to be registered with SIRIM first before they can be officially sold on our shores.

We spotted two distinct models of the Apple Watch Series 7 on SIRIM: A2473 and A2474, which were registered with the certification body on 1 and 4 October respectively. Both of these are the WiFi-only models; the cellular versions have not appeared in SIRIM’s database yet.

Anyway, compared to its predecessor, the Apple Watch Series 7 has a larger screen; its screen bezels measure only 1.7mm thin. This allows the smartwatch to support a full-size keyboard now, and you can even use swipe typing for a more intuitive typing experience.

Aside from that, the updated Apple Watch is also said to be the most durable one yet. It features a stronger, more crack-resistant front crystal, along with an IP6X certification for dust resistance. Of course, the WR50 water resistance rating is retained too.

Charging speed of the Apple Watch Series 7 sees a nice upgrade as well. According to Apple, this smartwatch can now recharge up to 33% faster. As for battery life, the new Apple Watch can still provide the same all-day 18-hour battery life.

At the moment, the Apple Watch Series 7 is only said to be coming to Malaysia later this year. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on the local availability (and pricing) of the smartwatch.


Honor MagicBook 15 AMD Lands in Malaysia for RM2,699 – Early Birds Get RM200 Discount

Honor is launching its latest productivity-focused laptop here in Malaysia. The Honor MagicBook 15 AMD will go on pre-order locally tomorrow, but if you get it on 10 October instead, you can grab this affordable laptop with a pretty good discount.

Only one variant of the MagicBook 15 AMD is offered for the Malaysian market, which is priced at RM2,699; you can get it for only RM2,499 on 10 October. For that kind of money, this laptop is packed with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. As for colour option, it is only available in Mystic Silver.

Aside from that, the MagicBook 15 AMD, as its name suggests, is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U hexa-core processor, so you can expect to get a reasonably good level of performance out of this chip. It also features AMD Radeon integrated graphics.

Other specifications of the MagicBook 15 AMD include a 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS screen – it covers 100% of the sRGB colour gamut – a 16.9mm thin profile, a 1.54kg chassis, and a quoted battery life of up to 11.5 hours.

To recap, the Honor MagicBook 15 AMD will be available for pre-order in Malaysia tomorrow on 5 October for RM2,699. Interestingly, if you get it on 10 October instead, you can grab it for only RM2,499, saving you RM200.


Acer Swift X With RTX 3050 Ti & 17.9mm Chassis Now in Malaysia From RM4,299

The all-new
Acer Swift X
 has just been launched in Malaysia. Sporting an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU in a 17.9mm thin chassis, this is quite an interesting productivity-focused laptop that can also double as a reasonably capable gaming machine.

Two variants of the Swift X are offered for the Malaysian market. The base model (RM4,299) features an AMD Ryzen 5 5600U processor paired with 8GB of RAM, while the higher-end RM4,999 configuration comes with a faster Ryzen 7 5800U chip and 16GB of RAM.

Beyond the different processor and RAM capacity, both variants of the Swift X share the same hardware. First and foremost, the Swift X is a thin and light laptop. Measuring only 17.9mm thin, its chassis tips the scales at only 1.39kg. Oh, it also come with a 512GB SSD storage.

In the display department, the Swift X features a 14-inch Full HD IPS screen with an 85.7% screen-to-body ratio; a relatively good ratio for a modern, sleek-looking laptop. The screen has a brightness of 300 nits with 100% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut too.

The Acer Swift X will be available for purchase in Malaysia from 6 to 20 October 2021. Those who place an order for the laptop in this time period can also get the
Logitech MX Anywhere 3
 mouse with 50% discount, bringing down the price to only RM199.


The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4’s Body Composition Analysis Is a Great Motivation Tool

One of the biggest new features of the
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
 is its ability to measure a user’s body composition. Thanks to the new Samsung BioActive Sensor on the back of the smartwatch, this wearable can give me vital details like my skeletal muscle, fat mass, body fat percentage, BMI, and even body water.

This feature alone really does make the Galaxy Watch 4 a great motivation tool to achieve my fitness goals. Yes, the body composition analysis is not meant to be used as a diagnostic tool, but the data that it can gather can still be helpful to track my progress.

Plus, no other smartwatch in the market now offers such a feature, which gives the Watch 4 a unique appeal.

So how does the Galaxy Watch 4 measure a user’s body composition? Well, it uses a technique called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Basically, the sensor on the back of the watch sends “microcurrents to the body to measure the amount of muscle, fat, and water in the body,” as Samsung puts it.

Even though BIA is harmless to humans, Samsung doesn’t advise using the body composition analysis if you’re pregnant. If you have an electronic medical device inside of your body (such as a pacemaker or defibrillator), the same disclaimer applies, so keep this in mind.

When you’re ready to measure your body composition with the Galaxy Watch 4, all you need to do is to just launch the body composition app, put your ring and middle fingers on the side buttons of the watch, and…well, let the smartwatch do its thing. After about 15 seconds, you’ll get the results.

In order to get the most accurate results from the Watch 4, Samsung has several guidelines. For one, it’s best to do the body composition analysis at the same time every day, preferably in the morning before you go about your day. Aside from that, it’s recommended to do the measurement on an empty stomach, and right after going to the bathroom.

While these guidelines seem rather troublesome, it’s important in order to get consistent results. This will make it much easier to track any changes in your body composition, and whether or not you’re getting closer (or further) from your fitness goals.

That being said, as I’ve mentioned earlier, the Galaxy Watch 4’s body composition analysis is not a diagnostic tool. Even though the results I got from the smartwatch have been quite consistent, there is still room for error; BIA is not exactly the most accurate measurement technique.

But that doesn’t mean data collected by the Watch 4 is not useful, because it certainly is in the right context. Say you want to reduce your fat mass or increase your skeletal muscle – so long as you’re taking your body composition measurements consistently in the same conditions every day, you can still use the data to track your progress.

To me, this is exactly why the Galaxy Watch 4 is an excellent motivation tool; it feels good to bring down the numbers shown in the body composition analysis. Even if these data should not be taken at face value, they can still serve as a guideline to show how much progress I’ve made in my fitness journey.

Plus, BIA has been used in many other products – such as smart scales that you see at certain gyms – to assess the fitness level of individuals. It’s not perfect, but it is still a popular measurement technique, and the fact that such a technology has been shrunk down to fit into something as small and compact as the Watch 4 is no small feat.

Besides that, the Galaxy Watch 4 itself is a fantastic smartwatch. It has robust tracking capabilities – it can detect as many as 95 different activities with a
very interesting sleep tracker
 – it feels fast and zippy, and it has a nice, minimalist design complemented by a bright and vibrant Super AMOLED circular display.

To top it all off, the Galaxy Watch 4 is reasonably affordable too. The standard model is offered in 40mm and 44mm sizes for RM899 and RM999 respectively, while the bigger Classic version costs RM1,299 and RM1,399 for the 42mm and 46mm models respectively. These are really quite competitive price tags for a smartwatch of this calibre.

If you want a feature-packed smartwatch that can also track your fitness journey like no other wearable in the market can right now, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is an excellent,
excellent
 choice. If you would like to learn more about it, check out our full review of the Watch 4
right here
.


Proton Saga Best-Selling Car of September 2021 in Malaysia With 3,907 Units Sold

Proton just posted its sales figures for the month of September 2021, and things are looking good for the national carmaker. In fact, the Proton Saga is the best-selling car in Malaysia last month with over 3,907 units sold.

In total, Proton managed to ship 10,380 units in September 2021. While this isn’t enough to beat
Perodua’s impressive 14,160 sales last month
, that’s still no small figure, especially given the disruption to Proton’s supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not surprisingly, right behind the Saga in terms of sheer sales volume is the ever-popular
Proton X50
: as many as 2,431 units of the B-segment SUV found a home last month. Next in the list is Proton’s other SUV,
the X70
 – 1,577 units of the C-segment model were sold in September.

Sales figures for the newly facelifted
2022 Proton Persona
 and
Iriz
 look promising too with 1,440 and 749 units sold respectively. Last but not least is the Proton Exora, which registered 272 sales last month.

“Sales were strong for Proton in September, so we are happy with the results. While we could have sold more than the 10,380 units achieved, some context should be given to our performance as Malaysia is recovering from a pandemic that is still affecting our vendors,” said the CEO of Proton Edar, Roslan Abdullah.


Honor 50 Appears in SIRIM – Malaysian Launch Imminent?

Honor 50, the Chinese company’s latest smartphone, is set to arrive here in Malaysia very soon. Shipped with Google Mobile Services – giving users access to Google’s range of apps and services – the Honor 50 will mark the company’s return to the smartphone business in Malaysia.

In our routine search through SIRIM’s database, we saw that Honor Malaysia registered the Honor 50 with the model number NTH-NX9 just yesterday on 4 October. Since all electronics have to be certified by SIRIM first before they can be officially sold here, there’s a good chance the Honor 50 will be launched locally very soon.

Sporting a premium-looking design, the Honor 50 is a reasonably well-equipped mid-range smartphone. After all, it’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, which should be able to offer a good level of performance. Aside from that, it also comes with a 120Hz 6.57-inch 1080p OLED display.

Other specifications of the Honor 50 include a quad camera system (108MP primary + 8MP ultra-wide angle + 2MP macro + 2MP depth), a 32MP selfie camera, a 4,300mAh battery with support for 66W fast charging, up to 12GB of RAM, as well as 128GB or 256GB of non-expandable storage.

No word yet on exactly when the Honor 50 will be launched in Malaysia. Given that it has appeared in SIRIM’s database already, we reckon we’ll see the local debut of the phone very soon.


You Can Still Get the Nintendo Switch OLED for RM1,849 in Malaysia

The
Nintendo Switch (OLED Model)
 is expected to be available globally this Friday on 8 October, and several Malaysian retailers started taking pre-orders for the new console
back in July this year
. If you haven’t secured a pre-order yet, good news: you can still get it right now.

Preferred+ Shopee retailer Unity Game is currently listing the White colourway of the OLED Switch
for RM1,849
; this is the lowest price we managed to find from a reputable shop. Unfortunately, the Neon colour option is sold out from Unity Game, though it seems to have quite a lot of stocks for the new White model.

Compared to its predecessor, the new OLED Switch features a larger 7-inch OLED panel with thinner bezels. It also has double the internal storage at 64GB, and the stand sees a design revision as well. Instead of the original Switch’s fragile-looking stand, this new Switch uses a much sturdier, wider stand that is also adjustable.

Other changes introduced in the new OLED Switch include a new dock with a wired LAN port, “enhanced audio” from the system’s onboard speakers, and between 4.5 to 9 hours of battery life – the same quoted battery life as its predecessor.

If you want to get the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model)
for RM1,849
, you can do so from Unity Game on Shopee. According to the retailer, the new Switch will arrive this Friday on 8 October.


Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Arriving in Malaysia Early 2022

Just last week, we wrote about the
SIRIM certification of the Microsoft Surface Pro 8
, suggesting that the brand new Windows tablet will be arriving in Malaysia very soon. Well, it’s now confirmed to be coming to our local market early next year in 2022.

The Malaysian availability of the Surface Pro 8 was spotted by
Lowyat.NET
 on
Microsoft Malaysia’s website
. As shown on the page, the tablet – and the
Surface Laptop Studio
 – is said to arrive here in early 2022. Given that the Pro 8 has been registered with SIRIM already, it’s interesting that it will only be sold locally next year.

Anyway, compared to its predecessor, the Surface Pro 8 sees a much more significant design revision. Not only does it sport a larger 13-inch PixelSense Flow Display now with smaller bezels, it also has a higher 120Hz refresh rate for a more responsive user experience.

The Surface Pro 8 can also be paired with the new Surface Pro Signature Keyboard that houses the equally new Surface Slim Pen 2 stylus too. More importantly, this Windows tablet
finally
gets two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support as well.

Other specifications of the Surface Pro 8 include Intel’s latest 11th generation Core i5 or Core i7 processor, up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage – the base model features 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage – along with up to 16 hours of battery life.

Naturally, no word yet on the Malaysian pricing of the Microsoft Surface Pro 8. We’ll just have to wait until early 2022 to find out once the Windows tablet is available here.


Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio Also Coming to Malaysia Early 2022

Aside from the
Surface Pro 8
, the powerful
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
 is also coming to Malaysia sometime in early 2022 as reported by
Lowyat.NET
. This product is Microsoft’s flagship laptop – replacing the
Surface Book
 lineup – so naturally, it has some capable hardware and an interesting design.

The most unique selling point of the Surface Laptop Studio is its “Dynamic Woven Hinge,” which allows the laptop to transition between three modes: laptop, stage, and studio. Laptop is self-explanatory, while stage props up the 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow display (2400 x 1600 at 120Hz) right behind the trackpad; much like
Acer’s ConceptD 3 Ezel
.

As for studio, it’s…basically transforming the Surface Laptop Studio into a tablet. But tipping the scales between 1.7kg to 1.8kg for the Core i5 and Core i7 models respectively, this is not exactly a lightweight machine.

The three modes of the Surface Laptop Studio

Speaking of processors, the Surface Laptop Studio can be configured with an Intel Core i5-11300H or Core i7-11370H processor. The Core i5 model features an Iris Xe Graphics integrated GPU, while the Core i7 option can be configured with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti or an RTX A2000 GPU.

Other specifications of the Surface Laptop Studio include 16GB or 32GB of RAM, SSD storage capacities between 256GB to a whopping 2TB, two USB-C ports with support for Thunderbolt 4, as well as up to 19 hours of battery life. Naturally, it will ship with Windows 11 too, though users have the option to use Windows 10 instead.

To recap, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio will be available here in Malaysia in early 2022 next year. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on the local availability (and pricing) of the flagship laptop then.


Google Pixel 6 Set for 20 October Launch

Google’s next flagship smartphones finally got a release date. Set to be unveiled on 20 October at 1AM for us here in Malaysia, the
Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro
 are properly premium high-end devices – they’re also powered by Google’s very own Tensor chip.

That’s right, the Pixel 6 phones will be using Google’s own Tensor SoC instead of, say, a Qualcomm processor. While the CPU and GPU of the Tensor chip still remain a mystery, the company did say it will be packed with Google’s own Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) and a Titan M2 security chip.

So what does the TPU offer? Well, for one, it promises better image
and
 video qualities; the latter has always been one of the biggest shortcomings of previous Pixel smartphones. On top of that, the TPU allows for faster offline speech recognition as well.

As for the hardware of the two phones, only some details were revealed. The better-equipped Pixel 6 Pro, for one, will be sporting a 6.7-inch QHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also has a triple camera system made up of a new primary sensor, an ultra-wide angle shooter, and get this: a periscope telephoto lens that can do 4x optical zoom.

In contrast, the regular Pixel 6 has slightly more pedestrian hardware, though we reckon it should still look and feel very much like a premium smartphone. It’s said to feature a slightly smaller 6.4-inch Full HD+ screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, and while it has a similar camera setup as the Pro model, it loses the telephoto lens.

The Google Pixel 6 smartphones will make their debuts on 20 October at 1AM Malaysian time. You can catch the livestream of the launch event
right here
.


Infinix Enters Laptop Market in Malaysia With INBook X1 From Only RM1,899

Infinix started selling its range of smartphones in Malaysia not too long ago, and now, it is ready to enter the local laptop market too with the Infinix INBook X1. Retailing from only RM1,899, this is definitely a budget-friendly laptop with a rather sleek-looking design.

Three different variants of the INBook X1 are offered in Malaysia. The base model with an Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD is priced
at only RM1,899
. A tier up is the Core i5-1035G1 configuration, which also upgrades the SSD to 512GB
for RM2,399
.

Last but certainly not least is the range-topping model, which is dubbed INBook X1 Pro instead. Not only is it the fastest of the lot with a Core i7-1065G7 processor, it also gets more RAM at 16GB with a 512GB SSD. This particular configuration
costs a cool RM2,999
.

Aesthetically, the INBook X1 does have a rather modern-looking design with a relatively thin 16.3mm chassis. Tipping the scales at 1.48kg, it’s not an awfully heavy productivity-focused laptop either. It has a 14-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS display with 100% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut as well.

The Infinix INBook X1 will be available for pre-order in Malaysia
on Shopee
 from 10 October onwards. Although this laptop doesn’t have the latest Intel processors, it makes up for this with its affordable pricing.


Infinix Zero X Neo With Periscope Camera Landing in Malaysia for RM899

Infinix is launching its latest smartphone in Malaysia very soon. Not only is the Infinix Zero X Neo an affordable device, it also offers a periscope telephoto lens that can do up to 60x hybrid zoom.

Only one variant of the Zero X Neo will be offered in Malaysia. Set to be available for pre-order here on 10 October – just like the
company’s range of laptops
 – this smartphone offers 128GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM
for only RM899
.

For that kind of money, you’re also getting a triple camera system headlined by an 8MP periscope lens that can do 5x optical zoom and 60x optical zoom; it has optical image stabilisation too. The other two sensors, on the other hand, are a 48MP primary shooter and a 2MP monochrome lens.

Other specifications of the Zero X Neo include a MediaTek Helio G95 chipset, a 6.78-inch 2460 x 1080 LTPS display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a 16MP selfie camera, a generous 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging, as well as Android 11 out of the box.

To recap, the Infinix Zero X Neo will be available for pre-order in Malaysia on 10 October
from Shopee
. Retailing at only RM899, you don’t often see a phone at this price point with a periscope telephoto camera.


7 – 13 October Fuel Price: RON 97 up 1 Sen Again, Others Remain

The price of RON 97 is set to go up again this coming week. From tomorrow onwards, RON 97 will go up by 1 sen per litre, while the prices of RON 95 and diesel are maintained, given that their price ceilings have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 for the next seven days is set at RM2.77 per litre (up from RM2.76). The price of RON 95, on the other hand, stays at RM2.05 per litre. As for diesel, it still costs RM2.15 per litre.

These prices will be in effect from 7 to 13 October. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week on the same day for future updates!


Twitch Confirms Data Breach – Change Your Password Now

Twitch just confirmed that it has suffered a data breach; a pretty big one too. If you have a Twitch account, it’s highly recommended to change your password now and enable two-factor authentication.

Even though Twitch has issued a response concerning the data breach, the company said that it is still “working with urgency to understand the extent” of the breach. Based on
numerous

reports
, it’s quite serious: even the source code of the streaming service itself was exposed, not to mention details of creator payouts.

We can confirm a breach has taken place. Our teams are working with urgency to understand the extent of this. We will update the community as soon as additional information is available. Thank you for bearing with us.
— Twitch (@Twitch)
October 6, 2021

Interestingly, the initial data leak does not include email accounts or passwords of Twitch users. However, this leak is also only labeled as “part one,” so there’s a good chance more leaked data will be released. On top of that, some users
have already been asked
 to change their Twitch passwords.

Needless to say, even if user passwords and email addresses of Twitch users have not been leaked (yet), it’s always best to err on the side of caution and change the password of your Twitch account immediately. If you haven’t already, activate two-factor authentication as well for enhanced security.


Perodua Ativa Hybrid Coming to Malaysia Soon?

The
Perodua Ativa
 is undoubtedly very popular in Malaysia, and there’s a chance a hybrid version of the compact SUV will be introduced here soon. See, a Daihatsu Rocky test mule – the model the Ativa is based on – was seen around KL with Perodua’s trade plate, but this is not just a regular Rocky: it’s the upcoming e:Smart Hybrid model!

Compared to the standard Rocky, the e-Smart Hybrid version features a honeycomb grille, which is what this particular test unit is equipped with. Given that the SUV is being tested on Malaysian roads already, it’s not far-fetched to assume that Perodua is preparing to integrate the hybrid system to the Ativa.

Image source:
Alex Tung (Facebook)
Image source:
Alex Tung (Facebook)

However, the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid is only set to be unveiled in Japan sometime in November 2021 next month, so most of the SUV’s technical details are still under wraps. It’s been revealed to be
powered by a 1.2L three-cylinder engine
 though, which will be paired with a hybrid electric system.

In fact, the electric motor of the hybrid system is said to power the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid exclusively; the 1.2L engine is there as a generator. This is similar to how Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system works, though we’ll have to wait until the new model is revealed in November next month to know for sure.

Image source:
Alex Tung (Facebook)

Of course, it’s still to early to speculate when (or if) the Perodua Ativa will receive a hybrid system. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on this.