Next-Gen iPad Pro Unveiled With M2 Chip From RM3,899 in Malaysia

Surprise surprise, Apple just introduced a new iPad Pro. Now powered by the Cupertino company’s very own M2 chip – which was previously only found on the
latest MacBook Air
 and
13-inch MacBook Pro
 – the new iPad is faster than ever with some new capabilities.

First, prices. Here in Malaysia, the 11-inch iPad Pro
retails from RM3,899
 for the 128GB base model. As for the larger, higher-end 12.9-inch variant, it
starts at RM5,399
 (also for the 128GB version). Unfortunately, the local availability of the new iPad Pro has not been revealed yet.

The biggest change to the iPad Pro is definitely the new M2 chip, which promises up to 15% faster performance compared to the M1. Packed with a 10-core GPU, the M2 also delivers up to 35% faster graphics performance. Suffice to say the updated iPad Pro is faster than the previous model.

Creative folks will be happy to know that the new iPad Pro now has “hover” support with the 2nd gen Apple Pencil; it will be detected up to 12mm above the display. This makes it easier for users to see a preview of where their inputs will be positioned on the screen before doing any changes.

It’s also worth noting that the updated iPad Pro now features WiFi 6E, enabling download speeds up to 2.4Gbps. Beyond that, other hardware of the iPad Pro are similar to its predecessor, including ProMotion technology for 120Hz refresh rate, a mini-LED display for the 12.9-inch model, and a familiar design.

To recap, the new iPad Pro retails from RM3,899 for the 11-inch model, while the larger 12.9-inch variant starts at RM5,399. No word yet when the next-gen iPad Pro can be purchased in Malaysia, but rest assured,
we will keep a close eye on it
.


Apple Launches Redesigned iPad With Bigger Screen & USB-C – Starts at RM2,099 in Malaysia

Aside from the
new iPad Pro
, Apple also introduced a redesigned entry-level iPad. Featuring a new design, a larger display,
and
 USB-C port, the 10th gen iPad looks much sleeker and modern now, along with some performance improvements.

For the Malaysian market, the new iPad
retails from RM2,099
, and that gets you the 64GB model; a tier up is the 256GB variant for RM2,849. Four colour options are available: Blue, Pink, Yellow, and a more minimalist Silver.

At a glance, the most notable change to the updated iPad is the larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with smaller bezels. There’s no more physical home button either, with Touch ID moved to the power button, much like how it is on the
iPad Pro
 and
iPad mini
.

Under the hood, the revamped iPad also gets the Apple A14 Bionic chip, an upgrade over its predecessor’s A13 Bionic. The new iPad’s 12MP ultra-wide camera has also been moved to the landscape edge of the tablet for better video calling experience.

Other upgrades to the redesigned iPad include support for the new Magic Keyboard Folio and the 1st gen Apple Pencil, an updated 12MP rear camera, WiFi 6 and 5G support, and of course, the aforementioned USB-C port.

The 10th gen iPad costs RM2,099 in Malaysia, and it is
sold alongside last year’s model
, which is currently going for RM1,599. It remains to be seen exactly when the updated iPad will be available for purchase on our shores, though there’s a good chance it will arrive here in the coming weeks.


“Ultra-Customisable” DualSense Edge for PS5 Coming to Malaysia 26 January for RM999

First introduced a couple of months ago, the local availability and pricing of the new
DualSense Edge
 controller for the PS5 has just been announced. Set to arrive in Malaysia next year on 26 January 2023, the premium controller carries an equally premium price tag.

For the Malaysian market, the DualSense Edge goes for a cool RM999. That’s quite a bit more costly than the standard DualSense controller, which currently retails between RM349 to RM369, depending on the colourway. Of course, given the premium, the Edge does have an edge – excuse the pun – over the regular controller.

While the DualSense Edge looks similar to the standard DualSense controller, it features a number of customisation options for a “completely personalised controller experience,” as Sony puts it. Not only can you adjust the sensitivity and dead zones of the analog sticks, you can also swap it out for different stick caps. These include the standard design, high dome, and low dome.

Oh, the stick module itself can also be completely swapped out to essentially prolong the controller’s lifespan, though the module is (naturally) sold separately for RM99 in Malaysia.

Besides the analog sticks, the adaptive triggers of the DualSense Edge can also be customised. You can adjust the travel distance and dead zones of the triggers to suit different games, and the L2/R2 buttons are textured now too for better grip.

Of course, there are also a slew of extra buttons on the DualSense Edge. There are two back buttons now – which can be swapped to a half-dome or lever design – that can be configured to any other button input. The fn buttons below the analog sticks can be used to adjust your setup as well, either to swap between pre-set control profiles, adjust game volume, or even access the controller profile settings menu.

To recap, the DualSense Edge will arrive in Malaysia next year on 26 January 2023 for RM999. If you’re keen to get it, check with your favourite game store – we reckon they will be taking pre-orders of the Edge very soon.


LG Launches 4 New UltraGear Gaming Monitors in Malaysia, Including 4K 120Hz OLED Monitor for RM5,922

LG Electronics Malaysia just launched a slew of new gaming monitors on our shores. All four monitors are under the Korean company’s UltraGear series, and the range-topping model is the 48GQ900, a 4K OLED monitor with a fast 120Hz refresh rate.

Given its premium appeal, the UltraGear 48GQ900 also carries an equally premium price tag: it retails at RM5,922 here in Malaysia. For that kind of money, it features a sizeable 48-inch 4K OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, which can be further overclocked to 138Hz.

The LG UltraGear 48GQ900

The LG UltraGear 32GQ850

The LG UltraGear 24GQ59F (left) and 27GQ50F

Aside from the 48GQ900, there’s also the UltraGear 32GQ850 for RM3,150. It comes with a 32-inch 2560 x 1440 Nano IPS panel with ATW Polarizer technology for “seamless visuals and consistent colours from almost any vantage point,” as LG puts it. It also has a speedy 240Hz refresh rate (overclockable to 260Hz).

Two more affordable LG monitors were also launched today: the UltraGear 27GQ50F (RM934) and 24GQ59F (RM765). Aside from the size difference – 27-inch and 24-inch respectively – both monitors have similar hardware, including a 1080p VA panel and 165Hz refresh rate.

All four LG UltraGear monitors are now available for purchase in Malaysia. They are available at all LG authorised dealers, as well as online through
Shopee
 and
Lazada
.


New Apple TV 4K Starts at RM699 in Malaysia – A15 Bionic, HDR10+, USB-C Siri Remote

Unveiled alongside
Apple’s two

new iPads
 is the next-generation Apple TV 4K, which sports a slew of upgrades. These include a faster A15 Bionic chip, support for HDR10+, and a Siri Remote with USB-C charging.

Two models of the new Apple TV 4K
 are offered in Malaysia. The WiFi-only base model with 64GB of storage is priced at RM699, while the 128GB variant with the addition of an ethernet port goes for RM799. It’s also worth noting that the 128GB model features Thread mesh networking protocol to connect to other smart home accessories.

Thanks to the upgrade to the Apple A15 Bionic chip, the next-gen Apple TV 4K offers up to 50% faster CPU performance, while GPU performance sees a notable 30% improvement. With support for HDR10+ (and Dolby Vision), you can be assured to enjoy HDR on a wider amount of content too.

Of course, there’s also the Siri Remote for the new Apple TV 4K, which now charges via USB-C instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector. This should make it easier to charge up the remote, especially if you’ve got a lot of USB-C cables lying around.

Although we now know the new Apple TV 4K is priced from RM699 in Malaysia, its local availability has not been revealed yet. We’ll be sure to post an update once the streaming box is available for purchase on our shores.


20 – 26 October Fuel Price: RON 97 Remains at RM3.95 Per Litre

The price of RON 97 sees no change yet again this week. Of course, the same applies to RON 95 and diesel, given that their ceiling prices have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 is set at RM3.95 per litre for the next seven days. 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 20 to 26 October 2022. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week for fuel price update.


“Eco-Friendly” Nokia X30 5G Coming to Malaysia Soon – Snapdragon 695, 90Hz AMOLED, Recycled Material

It looks like HMD Global is set to launch the Nokia X30 5G in Malaysia soon. Touted as the company’s “most eco-friendly phone” yet, the X30 is a reasonably well-equipped mid-range smartphone.

As usual, we were going through SIRIM’s database when we spotted a Nokia-branded phone with the model number TA-1450. It was registered with Zitron just yesterday on 19 October, and we know this is the X30 5G as the same model number is found in the
phone’s user guide
.

The X30 5G is said to be an eco-friendly phone as its frame is made out of 100% recycled aluminium, while the back is made from 65% recycled plastic. On top of that, it is also IP67-rated, so it can be submerged up to 1m underwater for 30 minutes.

Other specifications of the X30 5G include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, a 6.43-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a dual camera system – 50MP primary + 13MP ultra-wide – a 16MP selfie camera, and a 4,200mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

No word yet on the exact Malaysian availability of the Nokia X30 5G, but it should be made available here soon now that it has been registered with SIRIM. As for pricing, it starts at €529 (about RM2,445) in European markets, so there’s a chance the X30 5G will be priced similarly here.


TTRacing Duo V4 Pro Gaming Chair Unboxing & Assembly – What Do You Get for RM499?

TTRacing has released quite a number of gaming chairs over the years, including the premium
TTRacing Maxx
, which I find to be a comfortable chair for long hours of…well, sitting. The latest offering from the company is the TTRacing Duo V4 Pro, a more affordable RM499 gaming chair.

Given its more budget-friendly price tag, the Duo V4 Pro isn’t as feature-rich as the Maxx, though it does have its own winning qualities. If you’re thinking of getting the gaming chair, here’s an unboxing and assembly of the Duo V4 Pro – it’s a (relatively) simple chair to assemble.

Unfortunately, the box of the Duo V4 Pro was slightly damaged when I received it; the nylon wheelbase was sticking out of the box. Thankfully, the bubble wrap protected the wheelbase quite well – there doesn’t seem to be any visible damage.

Anyway, once I got all the parts out of the box, I can start putting together the Duo V4 Pro. The first thing to assemble is the aforementioned wheelbase: I’ll need to install the five castors by just inserting the metal connectors of the castors to the slots on the wheelbase.

Next is the installation of the hydraulic piston, which is really just slotting it into the centre of the wheelbase. To make it look neater, a three-part cover is provided. When that’s done, I can move on to assembling the seat base with the tilt mechanism.

It’s important to make sure that the tilt mechanism is oriented correctly before installing it to the Duo V4 Pro’s seat base. Thanks to very clear “front” labels on both the seat cushion and tilt mechanism, it’s hard (almost impossible, really) to get the orientation wrong.

I’ll just need to use four M6x20 screws to secure the mechanism to the seat base. The screws that came with the gaming chair were not explicitly labeled, though it is quite easy to differentiate the two types of screws. Basically, use the shorter screws (there are only four of them) for this part of the assembly process.

An alley key with a Philips head is provided with the Duo V4 Pro for assembly, which is great. But what’s not so great is the fact that it gets in the way while I’m trying to install the tilt mechanism to the seat base; it was hitting the knob for the back pressure adjustment. It’s not a big deal by any means, but it is a small annoyance.

Once I’m done with the tilt mechanism assembly, I can move on to installing the armrests. Each armrest is labeled accordingly, so it’s quite easy to get the correct side installed. While assembling both armrests to the sides of the seat base, make sure to not screw them too tightly just yet to make the next process (slightly) easier.

Next comes the most difficult part of the assembly process; in my opinion, anyway. The reason why you shouldn’t screw the armrests too tightly to the chair is to make it easier to line up the two screw holes of the backrest to the openings on the armrests.

Really, this part of the assembly process took the longest for me. It’s difficult to get the orientation
just right
 for both screw holes of the backrest to align properly with the armrests. Trying to install the screws
while
 holding on to the backrest is a challenge in itself too.

Granted, this process could be easier if I had another person to help me out, though it’s certainly possible to assemble the whole chair on my own, albeit with some frustration.

After installing the backrest, all that’s left is to attach the tilt mechanism to the hydraulic piston on the wheelbase. It’s a bit tricky to align the two parts together – again, another pair of hands and eyes would make it easier – but I did manage to do it after a bit of fumbling.

And that’s the whole assembly process of the Duo V4 Pro! With the exception of the backrest installation, it’s a pretty simple gaming chair to put together. As for the chair itself, it’s quite good. While it’s not as comfortable as the
Maxx
 – though that’s a much more costly RM999 gaming chair – it does offer better comfort than your everyday office chair.

On top of that, the Duo V4 Pro’s castors are also quite smooth, allowing me to glide across the room effortlessly. I appreciate the adjustable headrest and XL lumbar pillow of this gaming chair too.

If you’re interested to pick up the
TTRacing Duo V4 Pro
 – or any other gaming chairs from the company – use our discount code NEXTRIFT10 on
TTRacing’s official store
 to get a 10% discount with no minimum spend. Of course, if you’re still on the fence about getting the Duo V4 Pro or not, stay tuned for the full review. I’ll be sure to put it through its paces in the next couple of weeks.


Setel Now Offers Auto Assistance Feature – Partnership With Bateriku.com

Setel is slowly expanding its features. After introducing
EV charging
 to its app back in May this year, the company is now adding auto assistance feature. This gives users access to on-demand auto services in case of emergency.

Thanks to the new feature, Setel users can request for battery replacement, jump start, tyre change, emergency refuelling assistance, vehicle lockout (it happens), and towing services from the Setel app itself. These services are supported by Bateriku.com, which is Setel’s first partner for the feature.

“Setel aims to be the constant companion to motorists by offering an ecosystem of mobility services to settle their needs. The auto assistance feature complements the motorists’ journey with access to safety essentials right at their fingertips, said the CEO of Setel, Mazlin Erawati Ab Manan.

“The partnership with Bateriku.com expedites the help needed when a Setel user is stranded, minimising the impact of what could be a stressful event,” she added.

It’s worth noting that every transaction through the auto assistance feature will automatically earn users Mesra points, which is a nice incentive. To try out the new feature, you can download the Setel app from the
Apple App Store
 and the
Google Play Store
.


Genshin Impact 3.2 Livestream Set for 23 October – Nahida & Cyno Featured

Hoyoverse just revealed the livestream date for
Genshin Impact
‘s Version 3.2 update. Scheduled for this Sunday on 23 October, the version update looks to feature both Nahida and Cyno.

Genshin Impact’s Version 3.2 update is dubbed Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises, which should be a continuation of the current Sumeru storyline in the game. Aside from that, the new update will see the introduction of
Nahida and Layla
 as playable characters – both of them have been teased already.

As with previous Genshin Impact version update livestreams, redemption codes offering Primogems will be given during the stream as well. You can catch the livestream of Genshin Impact Version 3.2 through
Twitch
 this Sunday on 23 October at 8PM for us here in Malaysia.

If you can’t watch the stream, don’t worry: the special program
will be on YouTube
 shortly after at 12AM the next day (24 October). Looking at the release schedule shared by Hoyoverse a while back, Genshin Impact 3.2 should be released on 2 November.


God of War Ragnarok (PS5) Hands-on: An Exciting, Much Improved Sequel

God of War Ragnarok is set to arrive on 9 November for the PS5 and PS4. Ahead of its release, Sony provided Nextrift with a review copy, and reviewers are allowed to share early impressions of Santa Monica Studio’s latest title!

First, a couple of notes. This early impression is based on the first few hours of God of War Ragnarok on the PS5, so I haven’t experienced the full extent of the gameplay mechanic or storyline yet. Of course, this is a spoiler-free impression too; no plot details will be detailed to preserve the story experience.

Taking place a few years after the events of 2018’s God of War, Kratos’ son, Atreus, is now a teenager. He’s on a quest to find out who he is, given that the previous game revealed that he’s actually – spoiler alert – Loki from Norse mythology.

To be honest, I didn’t like Atreus very much in the original God of War; I found him to be too whiny and annoying, though he is understandably a child then. But in Ragnarok, I’m quite fond of him now. Santa Monica Studio really got his character development right, though I’m still in the early hours of the game.

As you’ve probably seen in the trailers of God of War Ragnarok, Kratos and Atreus will meet a number of legendary Aesir gods in their journey, including Tyr and Thor himself. Without going into too much detail, I’m definitely enjoying the plot so far. I was constantly looking forward to progressing the story.

Graphically, there’s no denying that God of War Ragnarok looks
absolutely stunning
 on the PS5. The environment looks lush, character models are painstakingly detailed, and facial expressions are rendered in a very realistic manner as well. There are also two graphics options: Performance (which looks to lower the resolution to achieve 60fps), and Resolution for the best image quality.

Personally, I don’t see a huge difference between the two graphics settings, so I opted for the Performance mode for the majority of my playthrough so far. The smoother 60fps frame rate – even at the expense of resolution – is a huge improvement to the overall gameplay experience.

Speaking of which, I’m enjoying God of War Ragnarok’s gameplay much more than I did in the 2018 game. Combat, for one, still feels familiar, but there’s a certain cohesiveness to it now. As Kratos swings his trusty Leviathan Axe around, it feels more substantial and satisfying, especially when the attacks connect.

Same goes for the parry system of Ragnarok. It’s a little tough to get the timing right at first, but once I’m accustomed to an enemy’s attack pattern, it feels great when I can parry and immediately counter attack. Again, the same cohesiveness to how the combat flows in Ragnarok can be felt here as well.

Puzzle solving has always been (somewhat) an integral part of God of War, and in Ragnarok, the puzzles are challenging enough without feeling
too
 cumbersome to solve. At times where I’m not quite sure how to proceed, the game doesn’t point out the solution immediately; Atreus waits for a bit before giving some hints, which I certainly appreciate.

While not quite an open world game, Ragnarok does feel more expansive now. Granted, I haven’t traveled to a lot of realms yet, given that I’m still in the early stages of the game. But even so, I just feel like there are
more
 areas to explore now, even if there’s still a linearity to the map.

As far as first impressions go, I am thoroughly enjoying my time in God of War Ragnarok. Whether it’s the engrossing plot, improved gameplay mechanics, or stunning graphics, I find myself eager to get back into the game in between play sessions. There’s simply an
excitement
 to the game, something that cannot be said of many other titles, AAA ones included.

God of War Ragnarok will be released on the PS5 and PS4 next month on 9 November. You can pre-order the PS4’s Standard Edition
for RM249 now
, while the PS5 version
goes for RM299
. There’s also a
Digital Deluxe Edition for RM339
, which includes both the PS4 and PS5 version, a Dark Horse digital mini artbook, an avatar set, a PS4 theme, a digital soundtrack, and in-game cosmetic items.

The full review embargo for God of War Ragnarok is set for 4 November at 12AM Malaysian time. If you’re not sure if the game is worth picking up, you can wait until then before deciding to pre-order Santa Monica Studio’s latest title or not, though I am definitely enjoying Ragnarok so far.


Genshin Impact 3.2 Lands 2 November With Nahida, Layla, Balladeer Boss Fight

The Version 3.2 update for
Genshin Impact
 is set to arrive next week on 2 November.
As expected
, both Nahida – the Lesser Lord Kusanali herself – and Layla will be playable in the new update, and there will be a new boss fight featuring another Fatui Harbinger, The Balladeer.

If you’ve played through the current Sumeru Archon quest, you can probably guess why the Balladeer (or Scaramouche) is a new boss. He is the third Fatui Harbinger to be featured as a weekly boss after Childe and La Signora, which were featured in the Liyue and Inazuma storylines respectively.

Aside from that, Nahida will finally be playable in Genshin Impact 3.2. The 5-star character, being the Dendro Archon herself, wields the element she commands over. She also uses a catalyst, while Layla is a 4-star Hydro sword character.

Other content coming to Version 3.2 of Genshin Impact include the Dendro Hypostasis world boss, rerun banners for three characters (Yae Miko, Yoimiya, Tartaglia), and a new Replication System for the Serenitea Pot, which allows players to share and use the realm designs of other players.

Genshin Impact 3.2 is set to go live next week on 2 November. Once the update is live, Nahida’s and Yoimiya’s event wishes will be available first, followed by Yae Miko’s and Tartaglia’s banners in the second phase; Layla is included in the latter.


Nokia X30 5G Pre-Orders Open in Malaysia for RM2,099 – IP67 Eco-Friendly Phone

We spotted the Nokia X30 5G in SIRIM’s database
 just last week, and HMD Global is now taking pre-orders of the eco-friendly phone here in Malaysia. Touted as the company’s “most eco-friendly phone” yet, the X30 is a reasonably well-equipped mid-range smartphone.

For the Malaysian market, the X30 5G is offered in a sole configuration with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Priced at RM2,099, early birds who pre-order the phone by 31 October will get a clear case and a Nokia Comfort wireless earbuds valued at RM250.

The X30 5G is said to be an eco-friendly phone as its frame is made out of 100% recycled aluminium, while the back is made from 65% recycled plastic. On top of that, it is also IP67-rated, so it can be submerged up to 1m underwater for 30 minutes.

Other specifications of the X30 5G include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, a 6.43-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a dual camera system – 50MP primary + 13MP ultra-wide – a 16MP selfie camera, and a 4,200mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

You can now pre-order the Nokia X30 5G in Malaysia until 31 October on
Shopee
 and
Lazada
. According to HMD Global, deliveries of the phone will start in the first two weeks of November 2022 next month.


iPadOS 16 & MacOS Ventura Now Available for Download

Time to update your iPad and Mac computers: iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura are now available for download. Naturally, the two updates bring a slew of new features and improvements.

Let’s start with iPadOS 16. Stage Manager is one of its biggest new features, which enhances the iPad’s multitasking experience by automatically organising apps and windows. In an update later this year, Stage Manager will even offer full external display support (up to 6K resolution) for M1 and M2 iPad models.

For creative professionals, iPadOS 16 also has Reference Mode, though this feature is limited to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Liquid Retina XDR display. Basically, in workflows that need accurate colours and consistent image quality (colour grading, compositing, etc), Reference Mode will match the colour requirements.

As for macOS Ventura, it also gets Stage Manager. When you enable the feature through Command Center, the current window will be displayed prominently in the centre of the screen. As for other windows, they will be moved to the left, so that users can seamlessly switch between open windows.

Oh, there’s also the impressive Continuity Camera on Ventura. You can use an iPhone as your Mac webcam, and the Desk View feature – which uses the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone – allows you to show off your desk
and
 your face at the same time in a call; very intriguing.

iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura are now available for download on
supported iPad models
 and
Mac computers
 respectively. On a side note,
Resident Evil Village
 will also arrive in the Mac App Store this Friday on 28 October. It’s the first project for RE Engine to support the Mac on macOS Ventura, and it runs natively on all Apple silicon-powered Mac computers.


Yes, WhatsApp Is Down (Update: Back Up!)

If you’re having trouble connecting to WhatsApp, you’re not alone. It appears the messaging service is not available at the moment,
as reported by various users
 – ourselves included.

It remains to be seen what is causing the service outage. At the time of writing, WhatsApp has not issued any statement regarding the issue. Nonetheless, we’ll be sure to update this space once we know more – or when the messaging service is up and running again.

Update 25 October, 4:50PM:
 WhatsApp is back! After about two hours of outage, the messaging service is accessible once again, though some users are still experiencing some issues. There is still no statement from WhatsApp on what caused the outage, curiously.


Tripowin Rhombus Review: Not So Balanced Balanced Armature Hybrid IEM

Amidst the constant release of single dynamic driver IEMs – new ones seem to come out every other week or so – Tripowin decides to up the ante with its latest product, the Tripowin Rhombus. In a bid to combine the best qualities of different driver types, this IEM’s dynamic driver is paired with a balanced armature driver.

Dynamic drivers are known for their low-end presence and more organic tonality, while balanced armatures are renowned for their detail retrieval at the cost of fidelity. Due to their differences, there isn’t necessarily a clear cut “better” driver. In fact, it’s because of these differences that manufacturers often pair the two together in an attempt to get the best of both worlds.

The Tripowin Rhombus is one such attempt, but it is…well, an example of a less successful effort.

What It Is

As mentioned, the Tripowin Rhombus is a hybrid IEM with a single dynamic driver and one balanced armature driver. The earphones are
listed for $79 (about RM375) on Linsoul
, which might seem a little pricier than most dynamic driver IEMs these days, though the inclusion of a balanced armature might have warranted this price. It’s either that, or the manufacturing cost of the Rhombus’ unique shell.

The shell of the Rhombus is apparently constructed from aerospace-grade aluminium through a five-axis CNC machining process. This “edgy” design makes the Rhombus seem more premium than it actually is. Although it’s made of metal, the Rhombus still feels relatively lightweight and isn’t too fatiguing in the ears.

Packaging of the Rhombus is as simple as it gets. There are three pairs of black tips (one already installed), another three pairs of transparent tips, and a small drawstring pouch. It can be argued that the lacklustre packaging is to be expected for a sub-$100 IEM, but the similarly-priced
Moondrop Aria Snow Edition
 comes with a hard-shell carrying case. It also has a waifu on the box, if that matters to you.

How Does It Sound?

The “balance” in balanced armature is simply moot here as it simply doesn’t pair well with the Rhombus’ dynamic driver; to my ears at least. There’s a certain incoherence in the frequency range that just sounds…wrong.

However, it’s entirely possible that my ears are more accustomed to
dynamic
 and
planar drivers
 as of late. The “hybrid sound” is definitely an acquired taste, and it is something that you will either love or hate. You really have to try one for yourself to be sure.

Anyway, the note weight of the Rhombus is thin, and there’s even sibilance present on brighter, instrumentally-rich tracks. There is some semblance of sub-bass presence, but the mid-bass (and just the low-end in general) sounds a bit anaemic and unsatisfactory – more on this later.

Thankfully, the upper mids and treble of the Rhombus are quite good, and the overall tonality is relatively bright. You can definitely tell that the balanced armature driver is doing most of the heavy lifting in this frequency range.

Bass

There is a notable sub-bass bump with the Rhombus, but it doesn’t extend and reach down particularly deep. The bass is also loose, grainy, and not well-defined, but it does help balance the otherwise overly bright sound signature of the Rhombus.

In the mid-bass, the Rhombus is rather lacking, and this is especially evident when listening to pop songs. You’ll immediately feel like there is something missing in the low-end section, causing these tracks to be devoid of fun and energy.

Mids

The aforementioned lack of mid-bass and lower mids of the Rhombus make male vocals sound thin and lacking in body. In fact, the mids also sound a bit recessed, and they’re almost lost behind the boomy sub-bass and crispy treble.

Upper mids of the Rhombus sound (very) artificially boosted, causing female vocals to sound overly clear; it’s like dragging a metaphorical clarity slider to 11. Sure, you do get more perceived detail this way, but it’s at the cost of fidelity; reverb from vocals and instruments are front and centre in an almost obnoxious manner. That’s precisely why brighter, instrument-heavy tracks can sound sibilant on the Rhombus.

The only moment this IEM actually sounds decent is during slower tracks with female vocalists. The emphasised upper mids and clarity give those songs an almost ethereal quality, but that also means it isn’t exactly organic-sounding.

Treble

The highs are where the Rhombus’ main focus lie, though it’s not perfect. While instruments are clear and resolving, snares and cymbals tend to sound overly forward and borderline sibilant. There’s definitely more detail and clarity than your typical single dynamic driver IEM, but it’s an inorganic, almost clinical kind of enhancement.

On that note, treble-sensitive listeners, or folks who just prefer a more natural timbre, should stay clear of the Rhombus.

Is It Worth It?

In short, the Tripowin Rhombus sounds like a 1BA IEM despite the fact that it has a 1DD + 1BA hybrid configuration. Bass isn’t the IEM’s strong point – as is typically the case with balanced armature driver – though there is some semblance of the “hybrid sound” here, which
can
 be a favourable quality to some folks.

While the aesthetics of its shell is quite unique, the Rhombus is just not worth it for sound quality alone. There are just a plethora of other options at the same price range – and many more below – that blow the Rhombus out of the water in this aspect. There are the
Aria Snow Edition
,
7Hz Salnotes Zero
, and the ultra-budget
CCA CRA+
, just to name a few.

With so many great budget options and new IEM brands coming out at such a rapid pace, Tripowin has to really step up its game if the company wants to remain relevant. The
Tripowin Leá
 was good, but the Rhombus doesn’t bring the same level of refinement or value to the table.

Li Jin Soh contributed to this review.


Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Coming to Malaysia Soon – “World’s Best Noise Cancellation”

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II was unveiled early last month, and it looks like the wireless earbuds will be coming to Malaysia very soon. Touted to feature the “world’s best noise cancellation,” Bose’s new earbuds feature some notable upgrades over its predecessor.

Just today, the QuietComfort EarBuds II appeared in SIRIM’s database. Registered under Futureworld Malaysia with the model number 435911 – and a typo in the product name – the wireless earbuds can now be officially sold in Malaysia, given that it has been certified by SIRIM already.

As mentioned, the QuietComfort Earbuds II promises the world’s best noise cancellation, even when compared to headphones. This is achieved through the use of Bose’s CustomTune sound calibration technology and a Fit Kit (consisting of a two-piece system) for the best seal.

Other specifications of the QuietComfort Earbuds II include a smaller, more lightweight design than the previous model, up to six hours of battery life – the “pocketable” charging case provides three additional charges – and an IPX4 water resistance rating.

Now that the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II has been registered with SIRIM already, we reckon it’s only a matter of time before the wireless earbuds go on sale in Malaysia. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on the local availability of the QuietComfort Earbuds II.


OnePlus Ace Pro Genshin Impact Limited Edition Unveiled in China – Hu Tao Design for 4,299 Yuan

OnePlus just unveiled a neat limited edition OnePlus Ace Pro – marketed as the
OnePlus 10T here
 – in China. Dubbed OnePlus Ace Pro Genshin Impact Limited Edition, the sleek-looking phone features Hu Tao from the
hugely popular game
.

There are a number of cool accessories that are bundled with the limited edition Ace Pro. These include a special back design – which looks great, in our opinion – a sleek phone case, a phone theme based on Hu Tao, a special SIM eject tool that looks like the Staff of Homa (very nice), and even an acrylic display box.

Image credit:
Weibo

Beyond the extra accessories and unique design, this version of the Ace Pro has the exact same specifications as the standard model. These include a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, a 4,800mAh battery with support for 150W SUPERVOOC fast charging, and even the same price tag – in China, anyway.

Other specifications of the Hu Tao-themed Ace Pro include a 6.7-inch 2412 x 1080 Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a triple camera system – 50MP primary + 8MP ultra-wide angle + 2MP macro – a 16MP selfie camera, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of internal storage.

Image credit:
Weibo

The OnePlus Ace Pro Genshin Impact Limited Edition is available in China for 4,299 Chinese yuan, which comes up to about RM2,785. Chances are, it will not be sold outside of China, though parallel importers may bring in the unique phone to Malaysia.

(Featured image source:
Weibo
)


Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Review: Android’s Best Smartwatch Got Bigger & Better

Samsung makes some of the best – if not
the best
 – smartwatches in the Android space, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro continues that prestige. Not only is it feature-packed, it also offer pretty darn long battery life for a smartwatch of this calibre.

But given its pro branding, the Watch 5 Pro also carries a premium price tag, and it’s quite a sizeable smartwatch too, so it may not look particularly flattering on folks with smaller wrists. Nonetheless, there’s no denying that the Watch 5 Pro is a fantastic smartwatch that’s worth every penny.

What It Is

Hardware wise, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro features an Exynos W920 processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a sapphire crystal display, and a sensor to measure body temperature. That sensor is used to improve the smartwatch’s sleeping tracking feature, though it has not been activated yet.

Other specifications of the Watch 5 Pro include a 1.4-inch 450 x 450 circular Super AMOLED display, a generous 590mAh battery (the biggest battery found in a Samsung wearable), a titanium case, as well as GPX support, which allows the smartwatch to track hiking and cycling routes.

So how much does the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro cost? RM1,899, putting it squarely against the
Apple Watch Series 8
, even if the two smartwatches are meant for different audiences. Nonetheless, this does position the Watch 5 Pro as a premium offering.

The Good Stuff

One of the most appealing features of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has to be its design. Yes, it’s a big smartwatch, but I do like how it looks on my wrist. Paired with its bright and vibrant 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display, it is Samsung’s sleekest-looking watch yet, in my opinion.

Speaking of which, I like the always-on display of the Watch 5 Pro too. While it is a tad too dim under bright sunlight, it is perfect legible indoors. With certain watch faces, it even looks like a regular wristwatch, which I absolutely love.

The always-on display looks great

Another noteworthy design element of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the magnetic clasp system of the D-Buckle Sport Band. While it’s a bit tricky to set up, I can seamlessly put on and remove the watch whenever I want. The magnet is also strong enough to ensure that the strap doesn’t come off under heavy workouts.

And that is a good segue to the comprehensive fitness-centric features of the Watch 5 Pro. There are
a ton
 of useful features here, and my personal favourite is the 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 percentage, BMI, and even my body water percentage.

These data are useful as a guideline for health tracking, and it’s convenient that I can get these stats from the Watch 5 Pro itself instead of a dedicated measuring device. Even if this is not a diagnostic tool, I still find it useful to track my health goals.

I’m also quite impressed with the automatic workout detection of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. While I was walking around a theme park, the smartwatch detected that as a workout; it was even tracking my route throughout the park with the help of its GPS. It’s quite nice to see how much distance I’ve covered at the end of my trip.

Distance is not the only thing that the Watch 5 Pro tracks in any given workout. It was even measuring my VO2 Max, heart rate, speed, and even elevation. These comprehensive data should help outdoor enthusiasts measure their fitness level more precisely.

Aside from that, there’s also the sleep tracking capability of the Watch 5 Pro. While many other smartwatches are able to do this too, what sets this watch apart is its ability to measure blood oxygen throughout the night (a very important health indicator) and
snoring pattern
. It’s quite neat to know whether or not I snore in my sleep.

Now, Samsung said that the Watch 5 Pro can measure a user’s body temperature with a dedicated sensor to further improve the smartwatch’s sleeping tracking feature. Unfortunately enough, this feature is still not available yet – at least, not to my knowledge – so I can’t test it out.

While that’s a bit of a disappointment, the battery life of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is far from that. On average, I can get between three to four days of use out of the smartwatch, depending on how heavily I use it for workout and sleep tracking. It’s worth noting that I enabled the always-on display as well, so this level of battery life is
very
 respectable.

Evidently, I’ve got a lot of positive things to say about the Watch 5 Pro, but it does have a few notable shortcomings – let’s get to that in the next section.

The Bad Stuff

One of my favourite features on Samsung’s smartwatches is the physical rotating bezel, which was still retained in last year’s
Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
. Unfortunately, it’s completely removed in this year’s lineup, and Samsung opted for a touch-sensitive bezel instead.

It’s not that this touch-sensitive bezel doesn’t work, it just doesn’t work
particularly
 well. On top of that, it is not as precise or as satisfying to use as a physical rotating bezel either.

And then there’s the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro’s GPX feature, which is troublesome to set up. While GPX can track cycling and hiking routes with turn-by-turn navigation, this is assuming I already have a GPX file ready to go.

Otherwise, I’ll have to complete a cycling or hiking route first and download it as a GPX file through the Samsung Health app. Do note that this feature is limited to the two activities; other workouts like walking or running don’t support GPX, as far as I can tell.

Last but not least is the sheer size of the Watch 5 Pro. While I like how it fits my wrist, this may not hold true for everyone, especially for users with smaller wrists. I’d definitely recommend trying out the smartwatch for yourself at a retail store to see if it fits your wrist well.

Is It Worth It?

Retailing at RM1,899, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro isn’t exactly affordable. But for that kind of money, you do get a complete, sleek-looking fitness-centric smartwatch, even if it may be a tad too big for some folks to comfortably wear on their wrists.

I do miss Samsung’s physical rotating bezel, and I’m not thrilled by the finicky setup process of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro’s GPX feature, but all in all, it is still a feature-rich, premium smartwatch. If you’re an Android user looking for a fitness-centric smartwatch, the Watch 5 Pro should definitely be in your shortlist.


27 October – 2 November Fuel Price: RON 97 Remains at RM3.95 Per Litre

The price of RON 97 sees no change yet again this week. Of course, the same applies to RON 95 and diesel, given that their ceiling prices have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 is set at RM3.95 per litre for the next seven days. 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 27 October to 2 November next week. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week for fuel price update.


Nothing Ear Stick Lands in Malaysia for RM469 – 7 Hours Battery Life, Cylindrical Charging Case

Nothing just announced a new pair of wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear Stick. While it’s not quite as feature-rich as the Ear 1, the new earbuds are more affordable – it even features better battery life and a unique cylindrical charging case.

For the Malaysian market, the Ear Stick retails at RM469. That’s exactly RM130 less than what the Ear 1 is currently priced at (RM599). It’s worth noting that the Ear 1 actually sees a price increase recently; it was previously going for RM499.

Anyway, for that kind of money, the Ear Stick doesn’t get the Ear 1’s active noise cancellation or silicone tips. But what it does offer is a familiar transparent design, longer seven hours of battery life – it can be extended up to 29 hours with the charging case – and a custom 12.6mm dynamic driver that offers “rich depths, clear highs, and bold details,” as the company puts it.

The Nothing Ear Stick can be purchased in Malaysia for RM469 tomorrow on 28 October from Crossover, though only limited units are offered. The wireless earbuds will be more widely available from 4 November next week.


PlayStation Plus November 2022 Free Games: Nioh 2, Lego Harry Potter Collection, Heavenly Bodies

PlayStation Plus’ November 2022 free games have just been announced. The lineup includes Nioh 2, Lego Harry Potter Collection, and Heavenly Bodies. Curiously, there are no extra games for the Asian region this time around.

The three games are playable on both the PS5 and PS4, though there’s no PS5 version of Lego Harry Potter Collection. With that in mind, it won’t benefit from faster loading times or the DualSense controller’s range of features like adaptive triggers and more refined haptic feedback.

With the
revamped PS Plus membership
, these three games can be claimed by subscribers of any tiers. Whether you’re on the Essential, Extra, or Deluxe plan, you will have access to these monthly PS Plus games.

All three games can be claimed by PS Plus members from 1 November to 5 December 2022. That means you have until this coming Monday (31 October) to get your hands on October 2022’s free games, including
Superhot, Injustice 2, Hot Wheels Unleashed, Rogue Explorer, and Crisis Wing
.


KommuAssist Test Drive With the Proton X50 – Enhanced Level 2 Driving!

Back in 2020, Kommu posted a
self-driving Perodua Axia
 equipped with an early prototype of its level 2 autonomous driving system, which garnered quite a bit of attention. Fast forward to today, the company now has an active community around KommuAssist, an enhancement to a car’s existing Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS).

But why would you want to install KommuAssist on a car that already has ADAS to start with? Well, there are a number of good reasons to do so. Reasons that are good enough to see the system installed on over
17 different
 car models in Malaysia right now.

If you’re not satisfied with the performance of your car’s ADAS, KommuAssist may pique your interest.

So what is KommuAssist? If you’ve heard of Comma’s openpilot open source software, Kommu actually builds upon it. Dubbed bukapilot – yes, it’s a literal translation of openpilot in Bahasa Malaysia – it’s a fork of openpilot with Kommu’s own localisations and tunings.

With that in mind, Kommu’s bukapilot software isn’t just a “copy” of openpilot. The company has put a lot of work into bukapilot, such as integrating the software to local car models like the
Proton X50
 shown here, the latest
Perodua Myvi facelift
, and even the
Perodua Ativa
.

Beyond that, Kommu has also done its own tunings to the bukapilot software. These include lane centering, braking behaviour, and even the set distance between the lead car.

Okay, how is it like to drive with KommuAssist? Very relaxing! Whether it’s highway cruising or going through slow-moving traffic in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, KommuAssist feels refined. Its Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS) for one, is capable with minimal to no “ping-ponging.” The fact that this works from 0kmph is great too, given that the LKAS of some cars doesn’t work below a certain speed.

Another capability of KommuAssist that caught me by surprise is how well it handles corners; at least, that’s the case with the X50 I tested. The ADAS on most cars can’t quite negotiate sharper corners, but KommuAssist has no trouble dealing with such corners. Of course, you should still keep your hands on the steering wheel to properly steer the car.

As its name suggests, KommuAssist is only there to assist the driver.

It’s quite a simple, straightforward setup

The braking behaviour of KommuAssist with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) activated is quite refined as well. It feels natural and “human-like,” and there’s no sudden braking in my brief test drive with the KommuAssist-equipped X50, even if the SUV was approaching standstill traffic.

And to me, that is the most impressive aspect of KommuAssist: its ability to handle stop and go traffic saves a lot of frustration in rush hour traffic. It leaves just enough gap with the lead car to prevent other cars from cutting in, the lane centering is still good in slower traffic, and it can automatically resume driving even after the car has been stationary for a while.

I find the last feature to be particularly useful, as most cars with ADAS require the driver to step on the pedal to resume low-speed follow after stopping for a set amount of time.

The KommuVision device

Of course, it can be dangerous if the driver is unaware when KommuAssist automatically resumes driving in slow-moving traffic, but that’s where the driver awareness feature comes into the picture. The KommuVision device, besides improving a car’s ADAS, also watches over the driver with a front-facing camera.

If the KummoVision device detects that the driver is distracted – through the use of an AI model – the system will alert the driver accordingly. The alerts will gradually get more alarming the longer the driver is distracted, though the system won’t disengage. Kommu said this is done to ensure that the driving situation won’t get more dangerous, especially if the driver is already distracted.

Given that KommuAssist is a third-party installation to a car, there are warranty concerns. Well, according to Kommu, installing the system to any car will not void warranty. “As KommuAssist is a plug-and-play (retrofit) system, no wires are cut to intercept your car’s electrical system, hence it will not void your car warranty,” as the company puts it.

As you can see in the video above, it’s quite easy to install KommuAssist. Most cars with ADAS (in some form) will be supported by the system, even if it’s not in
the list of compatible cars
. If that’s the case for your car, you can get in touch with Kommu
here
 to check if it can be fitted with KommuAssist.

If your car doesn’t have ADAS, you can still get KommuAssist installed, though it would only have LKAS. There’s still a form of ACC, but it’s only a partial setup; the system cannot perform any form of braking when it approaches the lead car. So think of this as a…slightly smarter passive cruise control.

The Standard set of KommuAssist

Pricing wise, the standard set of KommuAssist
goes for RM3,499
 regardless of model, while the Semi-ACC kit costs
slightly more at RM3,599
. Yes, that’s not a small amount of money, but you are getting your money’s worth with the added features, in my opinion.

In the future, Kommu plans to further refine KommuAssist, such as adding the ability to slow down the car as it approaches a corner, or shifting the car slightly to the side when another vehicle gets too close. If you’d like to know more about Kommu, give its
official website
 a visit.


Asus ROG Phone 6D Series & ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition Coming to Malaysia 8 November

Asus Malaysia just confirmed the local availability of its latest gaming smartphones. The ROG Phone 6D series – which includes the standard ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate – and the ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition will be launched in Malaysia on 8 November.

While the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate is similar to the
ROG Phone 6 Pro
 with an ROG Vision coloured PMOLED display on the back panel, it also has an AeroActive Portal. This “door” opens up when the phone is connected to the AeroActive Cooler 6, improving thermal efficiency by up to 20%. This should translate to better sustained performance.

One other new hardware of the ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate is the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ chipset, which is said to deliver 10% faster performance compared to the standard Dimensity 9000. It’ll be interesting to see how this chip compares to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip found in the regular ROG Phone 6.

Other specifications of the ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate include a 6.78-inch 1080p 165Hz AMOLED display, a triple camera system – 50MP primary + 13MP ultra-wide + 5MP macro – a 12MP selfie camera, and a generous 6,000mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging.

As for the ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition, it has similar hardware as the standard ROG Phone 6/6D; it’s powered by either a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 or MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ chipset. Of course, it also has some neat Batman-themed accessories and design elements.

The Asus ROG Phone 6D, ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, and ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition will be launched in Malaysia on 8 November next month. We’ll find out the local pricing of these gaming smartphones then.


Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 30th Anniversary Edition Malaysian Pre-Orders Open for RM13,359

To celebrate ThinkPad’s 30th anniversary, Lenovo is releasing a special edition Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (10th gen). Only 40 units are up for grabs, and the first 20 pre-orders will even receive a special laptop sleeve and a ThinkPad X1 mouse worth RM848 in total.

Given the premium positioning of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, it’s no surprise that this limited edition model carries an equally premium price tag. It retails at a cool RM13,359, though you do get some neat hardware for that kind money.

These include an Intel Core i7-1260P processor paired with 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM, a 1TB SSD, a 14-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED panel, Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, and Windows 10 Pro out of the box. This limited edition model also has the classic ThinkPad logo in red, green, and blue, along with a 30th Anniversary Edition etching below the keyboard and a serial number engraved on the right hinge cap.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 30th Anniversary Edition can now be pre-ordered on
Lenovo’s Malaysian online store for RM13,359
. If you’re a LenovoPRO member, you can even get a free T-shirt designed by Felix Ip.


Proton X50 – 62,139 Units Sold Since Launch

Proton is celebrating the second anniversary of its hugely successful SUV, the Proton X50.
Since its launch on 27 October 2020
, the national carmaker revealed that it has sold over 62,139 units of the B-segment model – that’s an impressive feat.

The high sales number of the X50 really comes as no surprise, given the value proposition of the SUV. After all, the X50 consistently topped Proton’s monthly sales reports, outselling many of the national carmaker’s other models bar the
Proton Saga
.

Looking back,
28,774 units of the X50
 were delivered to customers last year, making it the best-selling SUV in 2021. Compared to the current figure provided by Proton – minus a couple of months’ worth of sales in 2020 – the X50 looks to achieve its best annual sales performance yet.

If you’d like to learn more about this highly sought-after SUV, watch our full review of the Proton X50
right here
. Even with the
price revision
 after sales tax is reinstated, the value proposition of the B-segment SUV remains very attractive.


Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) Review: 2022’s Best Wireless Earbuds

The original Apple AirPods Pro, even though it was released three years ago in 2019, still has a strong presence in the wireless earbuds market. It was one of the first true wireless earbuds to feature active noise cancellation (ANC), and it offered reasonably good audio quality as well.

Fast forward to today, we have the new and improved 2nd generation AirPods Pro. Though it looks identical to the previous model, it brings a slew of upgrades under the hood, including superior ANC, longer battery life, and more importantly, the same RM1,099 price tag.

Yes, it is not a particularly affordable pair of wireless earbuds, but in my opinion, the 2nd gen AirPods Pro is worth every penny. In fact, I’d even consider it to be 2022’s best wireless earbuds.

What It Is

One of the biggest changes (under the hood) to the 2nd generation AirPods Pro is the new H2 chip that  promises “up to double the noise-cancelling power” of the original AirPods Pro. Though I don’t have access to the first AirPods Pro, I can say that the ANC performance of the new model is easily on par (if not better) with the best wireless earbuds in the market now.

Battery life of the new AirPods Pro has also been improved by 1.5 hours for a total of up to six hours of use on a single charge with ANC activated. With the charging case, Apple said the new earbuds can deliver up to 30 hours of total listening time.

Aside from that, this iteration of the AirPods Pro finally gets volume control on the stem.

Naturally, the audio quality of the updated AirPods Pro is better now too. With all of these upgrades in mind, it’s quite surreal that Apple is retaining the RM1,099 price tag, though that’s not exactly a budget-friendly price either.

The Good Stuff

My favourite quality of the 2nd gen AirPods Pro has to be its audio quality. Sporting a custom‑built driver and amplifier, I love the tuning of these earbuds. It has strong,
punchy
 bass; forward, full-sounding vocals with the elevated mids; and subdued highs to avoid sibilance, though this also comes at the cost of reduced airiness and sparkle in the treble region.

Basically, the new AirPods Pro has a warm, “soothing” sound signature that’s right up my alley. Its technicalities are quite good too, in my opinion – it sounds more resolving than other wireless earbuds I’ve tried.

And then there’s the ANC performance of the AirPods Pro, which is pretty darn impressive. It can cancel out ambient noise very well – the sound of an air-conditioner or a rumbling engine, for example, is barely audible – and even human voices are drowned out quite well.

Compared to its main competition like the
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
, the AirPods Pro is noticeably better at isolating ambient noise. This can be attributed to the better seal of the AirPods Pro in my ears; I can’t quite get the same amount of isolation with Samsung’s Buds 2 Pro.

Another feature of the updated AirPods Pro that I’m incredibly impressed with is transparency mode.
Everything
 sounds so natural and lifelike with the mode enabled; it feels almost like I’m not wearing the earbuds at all. I also appreciate the fact that transparency mode can now automatically reduce the volume of loud sounds like sirens and power tools.

As mentioned, the battery life of the 2nd gen AirPods Pro sees quite an improvement. Apple quotes up to six hours of use with ANC activated, and I managed to get this level of battery life quite easily. The charging case can also recharge the earbuds quite quickly in between listening sessions.

Last but not least is the new volume control of the AirPods Pro on the stalk, which feels very intuitive to use. It can recognise up and down swiping motions to increase and lower the volume respectively very well, and never did I accidentally pause or skip a track while trying to adjust the volume.

The Bad Stuff

To get good audio quality with a pair of earbuds, it’s important to get a good seal. In this regard, I do manage to get a good (and comfortable) seal out of the AirPods Pro’s four different ear tip sizes – I went with the medium one – but some folks may find that none of them will fit their ears adequately.

Given the proprietary design of the AirPods Pro’s ear tips, you won’t be able to use aftermarket tips with these wireless earbuds. I don’t find this to be an issue, since the medium tips work well for me, though your mileage may vary.

Other than that, the AirPods Pro’s same old design isn’t particularly exciting either, even if there are a ton of upgrades under the hood. The AirPods Pro’s slippery, glossy finish makes it quite hard to get a good grip on the earbuds too, not to mention the fact that the case still charges via a lightning connector.

Is It Worth It?

Despite the unchanged design and proprietary ear tips, the 2nd generation AirPods Pro remains an excellent pair of wireless earbuds. It has a pleasant, warm sound signature, good audio fidelity, long battery life, excellent ANC performance, and lifelike transparency mode.

For these reasons, the new AirPods Pro gets our Nextrift Recommends badge. It is our way of endorsing products for their unique appeal and refinement, and in the case of the AirPods Pro, it gets the badge for its winning qualities as a premium pair of wireless earbuds – best one yet of the year, in my opinion.

In short, the 2nd gen AirPods Pro can certainly demand the RM1,099 price tag.


Genshin Impact Nahida & Yoimiya Banners Coming 2 November With Bennett, Razor, Noelle

Nahida’s long-awaited event wish has just been revealed! Set to go live in Genshin Impact this Wednesday on 2 November, the 5-star character’s banner – alongside Yoimiya – will be accompanied by Bennett, Razor, and Noelle.

In line with
previous Genshin Impact

double banners
, Nahida and Yoimiya both have the same roster of 4-star characters despite the fact that they’re featured in separate event wishes. Of course, pity is also shared between the two banners, and the wish guarantee count
will
 carry over to future character banners too.

The same rule applies to the increased “drop rate” of Nahida, Yoimiya, Bennett, Razor, and Noelle. In the case of Nahida and Yoimiya, the first 5-star character you get will have a 50% chance to be either of them, depending on which banner you’re wishing. If you got a different character, the
next
 5-star character you roll is guaranteed to be them.

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

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

Nahida’s “The Moongrass’ Enlightment” and Yoimiya’s “Tapestry of Golden Flames” event wishes will be available in Genshin Impact on 2 November 2022 right after the Version 3.2 update. Their banners will be offered until 18 November; Yae Miko’s and Tartaglia’s rerun banners will follow suit then.


PRISM+ Symphony & Flow Soundbars Now Available for Pre-Order in Malaysia From RM799

After introducing a slew of
smart TVs
 and
monitors
 in Malaysia, PRISM+ is entering the soundbar market now with the PRISM+ Symphony and PRISM+ Flow. Positioned at two different price points, the value proposition of both soundbars – just like PRISM+’s other products – is their main selling point.

The more affordable soundbar of the two is the Flow, which is priced at RM799. The higher-end, more feature-packed Symphony, on the other hand, goes for RM1,999. For that kind of money, you do get quite a number of attractive features, including a wireless subwoofer.

The PRISM+ Flow

The PRISM+ Symphony

Yes, even the more affordable Flow is bundled with a wireless subwoofer. Aside from that, the entry-level soundbar features a 2.1 configuration too with support for Dolby Audio, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus. Oh, it even comes with Bluetooth 5.1 for easy streaming.

As for the more premium Symphony, it is a 5.1.2 soundbar with four upward-firing speakers, four front drivers, two surround speakers, and an 8-inch subwoofer. It also has HDMI eARC for higher quality audio, along with support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Bluetooth 5.1.

Both the PRISM+ Symphony and PRISM+ Flow are now available for pre-order in Malaysia for RM1,999 and RM799 respectively; deliveries will begin sometime in the middle of November 2022. You can purchase the two soundbars from
PRISM+’s own online store
,
Shopee
, or
Lazada
.


Genshin Impact Teases The Wanderer & Faruzan – Likely Playable in Version 3.3

Just a couple of days before the
Version 3.2 update
 goes live, Hoyoverse is teasing two new characters coming to
Genshin Impact
, and one of them is very,
very
 interesting. The two characters are The Wanderer and Faruzan, and if the former looks familiar, you wouldn’t be wrong: it looks to be The Balladeer (Scaramouche) himself.

Typically, characters that are teased by Hoyoverse are playable in the next version update of Genshin Impact, so there’s no reason the same wouldn’t apply to The Wanderer and Faruzan. Unfortunately, the rarity of the new characters has not been revealed yet, though we reckon The Wanderer is a 5-star character, given his importance in the story.

After all, The Wanderer is (was?) a Fatui Harbinger.

Unfortunately, there’s no mention of the weapons that The Wanderer and Faruzan use, though Hoyoverse did show the elements that the characters wield. Both The Wanderer and Faruzan are Anemo characters, which is quite interesting for the former, given that he wields the Electro element as The Balladeer.

Nonetheless, expect The Wanderer and Faruzan to be playable characters in Genshin Impact 3.3, which is expected to be released on 7 December. This is only about five weeks away, and compared to previous updates, this is a shorter time period in between updates.


Video: Glorious GMMK Numpad & Keychron Q0 Sound Test

In the custom keyboard scene, a full-size keyboard with a numpad is not easy to come by, especially if you want a specific set of features. For that reason (among others), getting a separate numpad can be a good idea, such as these from Glorious and Keychron.

Out of the two numpads, the Glorious GMMK Numpad is the decidedly higher-end option with a $130 (about RM615) price tag. Not only does it work wired and wirelessly, it also has a programmable slider and rotary knob. Besides that, it uses a gasket mount system too with an aluminium case and hotswap PCB.

As for the Keychron Q0, it is much more affordable. Here in Malaysia, the fully assembled model with switches and keycaps goes for RM289, while the barebone version is priced at RM269. For that kind of money, you’re also getting an aluminium numpad with a hotswap PCB, though it doesn’t have wireless support.

If you’re keen to get either one of these numpads, stay tuned for our full review of the Glorious GMMK Numpad and Keychron Q0!


Honda Malaysia November 2022 Offer – Up to RM6,000 Discount & Signed Messi Jersey

As usual, Honda Malaysia is offering a number of attractive discounts for its range of models in November 2022 this month, including the
popular Honda City
, Accord, and
CR-V
. On top of that, those who register a Honda model until 31 December also stand a chance to win an Argentina jersey signed by Messi himself.

Naturally, the
Honda Accord
 gets the best discount. Both the range-topping TC-P and more affordable TC variants of the D-segment sedan receive a RM6,000 rebate. Curiously, the
Honda BR-V
 seven-seater MPV gets an equally generous RM6,000 discount as well.

A tier down is the Honda City, which gets a RM3,500 discount for all variants of the B-segment sedan, including the range-topping
RS e:HEV model
. If you want the
Honda City Hatchback
 instead, all variants of the model receive a RM1,500 discount.

If you want an SUV instead, you can opt for the
Honda CR-V
, which is offered with a RM3,000 discount. Do note that these discounts are only applicable for vehicles registered between 1 to 30 November 2022; more information on the deal can be found on
Honda Malaysia’s website
. If you’re interested to get any of these Honda models with the rebates, you can place a pre-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
.


Hearthstone March of the Lich King Expansion Lands 6 December – New Death Knight Class

Hearthstone just unveiled the next expansion for the popular digital card game. Set to land on 6 December, March of the Lich King will add 145 new cards
and
 a new class: Death Knight.

Of course, the debut hero for the new Death Knight class – there’s a whopping 11 different classes in Hearthstone now – is none other than Arthas himself as the Lich King. The class gets 68 new cards (not including the cards from the new expansion), and 32 of them are free Core cards.

As with every new Hearthstone expansion, March of the Lich King will introduce a new keyword: Manathirst. Once you’ve acquired a set amount of mana crystals, certain cards will have additional effects. Besides that, the Reborn keyword – the first time a minion dies, it will be resummoned with one health – is making a return as well.

Hearthstone’s March of the Lich King expansion will go live on 6 December. Just like previous expansions, the new cards will be shown
here
 as they are revealed over the next few weeks. You can also
pre-purchase the new expansion
, and every player will get The Sunwell Legendary spell as a login reward now.


Glorious GMMK Numpad vs. Keychron Q0 – Which One Should You Get?

It’s tough to find a full-size keyboard in the custom keyboard scene, which is one of the reasons why getting a dedicated numpad can be a good idea. If you’re looking to get one, consider these two: the Glorious GMMK Numpad and Keychron Q0.

Both of these numpads have their own winning qualities, and depending on your preference, you may prefer one over the other. There’s also the fact that the GMMK Numpad sits at a higher price point than the Q0, though you do get more features too. Read on to find out more about these two numpads!

Priced at $130 (about RM615) in the US, the Glorious GMMK Numpad is a decidedly higher-end option. Not only does it work wired and wirelessly, it also has a programmable slider and rotary knob. Besides that, it uses a gasket mount system too with an aluminium case and hotswap PCB.

As for the Keychron Q0, it is much more affordable. Here in Malaysia, the fully assembled model with switches and keycaps goes for RM289, while the barebone version is priced at RM269. For that kind of money, you’re also getting an aluminium case with a hotswap PCB, though it doesn’t have wireless connectivity.

But the Keychron Q0 does have one distinct advantage: it supports QMK and VIA to easily customise the mapping of the numpad. After all, these two software are used by the majority of custom keyboards, so many folks in the scene will feel right at home when customising the Q0.

Of course, the GMMK Numpad’s key mapping can also be customised, but this can only be done through the Glorious Core software. It’s…an okay software that gets the job done (for the most part), though it doesn’t feel particularly intuitive to navigate around.

What the GMMK Numpad lacks in software support is made up by its more complete feature set. As mentioned, it is a wireless numpad that works over Bluetooth 5.0, so if you’re building towards a wire-free setup, the GMMK Numpad will be right up your alley.

Besides that, there’s also the added functionality of a knob and programmable slider with the GMMK Numpad. The knob can be used for general volume adjustment, while the slider can be set to change the volume of specific applications, though I can’t get it to work with
Genshin Impact
, oddly enough.

Design wise, I’m quite a fan of the LED strips on either sides of the GMMK Numpad. It gives the product a nice bit of accent, and the per-key RGB lighting pairs well with the shine-through ABS double shot keycaps too.

Though the Keychron Q0 doesn’t have a knob, slider, or wireless connectivity like the GMMK Numpad, it
is
 a good wired numpad, especially for the money. It has extra keys above the regular numpad keys for added functionality – easily remappable with VIA – and I much prefer the sound profile of the Q0 over Glorious’ offering.

Compared to the GMMK Numpad, the Keychron Q0 has a quieter, lower-pitched sound signature; it is a “thocky” numpad, basically. This can be attributed to the keycaps’ taller, more sculpted OSA profile, not to mention the fact that they are PBT double shot keycaps. PBT plastic is typically deeper-sounding than ABS, which is the material used for the GMMK Numpad’s keycaps.

As for typing feel, both the GMMK Numpad and Keychron Q0 are largely similar in this aspect. Even if the former uses a gasket mounting system, it’s still as stiff as the tray-mounted Q0. This can either be a positive or a negative quality, depending on your preference.

Stabilisers on pre-built keyboards can be a bit of a hit-and-miss, but for these two numpads, they are tuned relatively well. There is still a bit of ticking on certain keys, but they do sound relatively good with minimal rattling. I’m positive injecting a bit of lube to the stabilisers with a syringe can eliminate the ticking.

And then we have the switches, and the GMMK Numpad certainly has the edge over the Keychron Q0 in this department. Its Glorious Fox linear switch is noticeably smoother than Keychron’s regular Gateron G Pro switch, and it wobbles slightly less too.

It’s worth noting that both the GMMK Numpad and Keychron Q0 feature a hotswap PCB, but the former has north-facing LED lighting, which will cause interference with lower-profile keycaps like Cherry. Glorious
does
 offer a south-facing LED PCB for the Numpad that will eliminate this completely, but it is (curiously) sold separately.

The Keychron Q0, despite its more affordable RM269 starting price, is still a refined numpad. It doesn’t have wireless support or a fancy knob and slider, but it does offer a deeper, “thockier” sound signature, QMK/VIA compatibility, and a hotswap PCB with south-facing LED for best compatibility with different keycap profiles.

In contrast, the Glorious GMMK Numpad is more feature-rich, but it also cost
more than twice as much
 as the Q0 with its $130 price tag. You do get a more complete numpad, of course, but it also has its fair share of shortcomings.

At the moment, only the Keychron Q0 is officially available in Malaysia
through Sun Cycle
. The GMMK Numpad is not sold here yet, but expect it to be available locally sometime in the near future.


3 – 9 November Fuel Price: RON 97 Stays at RM3.95 Per Litre

For the fourth week in a row, the price of RON 97 sees no change yet again. Of course, the same applies to RON 95 and diesel, given that their ceiling prices have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 is set at RM3.95 per litre for the next seven days. 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 2 to 9 November next week. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week for fuel price update.


Shopee: 75% of Malaysians Watch Influencer Tutorial Videos to Solve Problems

To highlight the role of influencers in shaping Malaysians’ shopping habits, Shopee recently hosted a virtual forum to discuss the relatability of influencer community online. The e-commerce platform also ran a study that shows over 75% of Malaysians watch tutorial videos by influencers to solve problems.

The study took place between 28 September to 26 October 2022; feedback was gathered from 2,459 buyers and 1,035 sellers on the Shopee platform. Only 25% of respondents said that they don’t watch any form of influencer tutorial videos, while 41% mentioned that tutorial videos help them to find affordable and effective solutions to their problems.

“On Shopee, we have an ecosystem of trusted influencers – they are fellow users and sellers themselves who provide authentic experiences during big campaigns,” said Shopee Malaysia’s head of marketing campaigns, Kenneth Soh. “27% of our surveyed buyers watch Shopee Live for entertainment and educational content,” he added.

As we get closer to Shopee’s 11.11 sale next week, expect more Shopee Live content to be geared towards that. To
start collecting discount vouchers
 – or watch Shopee Live videos – you can download the Shopee app from the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
.


God of War Ragnarok (PS5) Review: The Incredible Evolution of a Beloved Franchise

The original God of War trilogy was mainly focused on violent actions, aggressive combat, and of course, vengeance – lots of vengeance. The tone shifts with the new God of War that was released back in 2018: there’s much more focus on thoughtful characterisation; a heavier, more engrossing storyline; and a revamped combat system.

With God of War Ragnarok, all of these elements are further refined. What was once a franchise of (almost) senseless violence has evolved into a semi-open world AAA game with rewarding exploration, robust gameplay, and an incredibly moving narrative with story moments that will stick with me for years to come.

As of this moment, Ragnarok is easily one of my top contenders for 2022’s game of the year, and this is our spoiler-free review of the game.

What It Is

Taking place a few years after the events of the previous game, God of War Ragnarok starts off in the middle of “Fimbulwinter.” The phenomenon is a prelude to…well, Ragnarok itself, which is basically the end of the world.

Kratos’ son, Atreus, is now a teenager, and he is on a quest to find out who he is, given that the previous game revealed that he’s actually – slight spoiler here – Loki from Norse mythology. As the father-son duo set out on their journey, they will come across a number of legendary Aesir gods, including Tyr and Thor himself.

That, and also being hunted by the goddess Freya.

Available on both PS5 and PS4, God of War Ragnarok is
priced from RM249
 for the Standard Edition on the PS4, while the PS5 version
goes for RM299
. There’s also a
Digital Deluxe Edition for RM339
, which includes both the PS4 and PS5 version.

The Good Stuff

What impressed me the most with God of War Ragnarok is its incredible plot, and I love a game with a good story to tell. I find the narrative of the 2018 game to be quite good, but Ragnarok
elevated
it to another level. Not in my wildest dream would I have thought God of War – especially in the context of the original trilogy – could tell such a compelling story.

There’s a lot to unpack throughout the main story of Ragnarok, but never did it feel too overwhelming. The lore is explained well enough for me to understand what’s going on – you do have to finish the previous game first though to really grasp it – and character developments are excellent.

Besides that, the main storyline of Ragnarok is quite long too: it took me about 30 hours to complete it. Granted, I did do some side quests as well; the game almost always encourage exploration after completing certain plot points. But there’s no denying that this is a lengthy game with a boatload of side quests to complete.

When it comes to replayability, there’s no doubt Ragnarok will keep players entertained for hours on end. There are even somewhat of a continuation to the story after the main plot is finished.

Further enhancing the narrative of God of War Ragnarok is the fantastic voice acting. Whether it’s Kratos (Christopher Judge), Atreus (Sunny Suljic), or Thor (Ryan Hurst), every voice line is delivered with the right emotions. It’s also nice to see Suljic reprising his role as Atreus in Ragnarok – I find his character to be much more likeable in this game, but I digress.

Complementing the strong voice acting are the realistic facial expressions of character models in God of War Ragnarok. When a character is angry or happy, these emotions are rendered almost flawlessly on their faces – almost. I’ll elaborate more on this further down the review.

Of course, Ragnarok also offers stunning graphics – at least, that’s the case on the PS5. The environment is lush and expansive, character models are extremely detailed, and in my eyes, lighting looks realistic as well. Not surprisingly, there are also two graphics modes: Performance and Resolution.

Most of my playthough in God of War Ragnarok is with the Performance mode enabled, as it seems to lock the game at 60fps. I don’t see a huge difference visually between the two modes, so I went with the higher frame rate option for smoother gameplay – it helps a ton in combat situations.

And that is a good segue to the combat system of Ragnarok. I selected the Balance difficulty, and it offers just the right amount of challenge. I can’t just mash buttons and hope for the best; if I’m reckless and don’t utilise my different weapon skills effectively, enemies can quickly overwhelm me.

As I upgrade my weapon tree and unlock more skills, the combat gets much more entertaining as well, and I find boss fights to be particularly satisfying to beat without feeling (too) frustrating. That being said, it does still get annoying at times – let’s get to that in the next section.

The Bad Stuff

As much as I enjoy the combat system of God of War Ragnarok, there is a steep learning curve. In the beginning, I was dying more often than I care to admit, especially in mini boss fights. But once I got into the groove – getting the right timing for parries is very, very important – the combat feels more satisfying and “fair,” though your mileage may vary.

Aside from that, there are also some instances of clipping with character models. It is not terrible by any means, but it does break the immersion of the game a tad bit. But on a more positive note, I never encountered any game-breaking bug, even with an early (non-final) version of the game.

Last but not least are the facial expressions of characters in God of War Ragnarok…outside of cutscenes. When conversing with characters in the open world, their expressions are hit-and-miss. Eye contact is not quite right, expressions are not…expressive, and it feels like they’re just talking to an open space instead of having a conversation with me.

Is It Worth It?

Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt. God of War Ragnarok is by far the most entertaining AAA game I’ve played this year, especially in the aspect of storytelling. It could be my nostalgia talking here, but to follow Kratos’ story from the first game to where he is right now in Ragnarok…is quite an emotional journey.

After experiencing one emotional cutscene to the next – and sometimes emotional (read: frustrating) combat encounters – God of War Ragnarok definitely deserves the Nextrift Recommends badge. It’s our way of endorsing a particular game or product for its entertainment value, refinement, unique appeal, or even just sheer value for money.

Yes, priced at RM249 and RM299 for the PS4 and PS5 copies respectively, God of War Ragnarok is not exactly a value buy, but you will certainly get your money’s worth out of it. From its replay value to uncovering how the Ragnarok apocalypse plays out in this latest entry to the franchise, countless hours of entertainment awaits you in Midgard – and the other eight realms accessible in the game.

God of War Ragnarok launches 9 November on PS5 and PS4.


Huawei Mate 50 Pro Lands in Malaysia From RM4,499 – Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Variable Aperture Camera

Huawei just launched its latest flagship smartphone on our shores, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro. Featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset – albeit a 4G version – one of the highlights of the Mate 50 Pro is its camera system with variable aperture.

Two variants of the Mate 50 Pro are offered in Malaysia. The base model with 256GB base model is priced at RM4,499, while the 512GB configuration (available only in the Orange Vegan Leather Edition) goes for RM5,299. Both variants are equipped with 8GB of RAM.

For that kind of money, the Mate 50 Pro features the aforementioned Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, though it doesn’t feature 5G capability. It also has a triple camera system made up of a 50MP primary sensor with variable aperture (f/1.4 to f/4.0), a 13MP ultra-wide lens, and a 64MP telephoto camera.

Other specifications of the Mate 50 Pro include a 6.74-inch 2616 x 1212 OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 13MP selfie camera, a 4,700mAh battery with support for 66W fast charging, an IP68 water and dust resistance, and EMUI 13 out of the box.

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is
now available for pre-order in Malaysia
 until 11 November next week. Early birds will also get up to RM1,450 worth of freebies, including a Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro smartwatch.


Cherry Revives Legendary Nixie Switch With the Cherry MX Black Clear-Top

The Cherry “Nixie” linear switch is one of the most sought-after vintage switches in the aftermarket for their smoothness and deep, “thocky” sound profile, but it is also very hard to come by. Thankfully, Cherry is reviving the legendary switch with the Cherry MX Black Clear-Top – a rather confusing name, given that it actually has a milky top housing.

Nonetheless, Cherry says that the MX Black Clear-Top retains the characteristics of the original Nixie switch with “modern production optimisations.” This should translate to good quality control to ensure there’s no huge inconsistency between different switches.

Of course, the MX Black Clear-Top also has the same colour scheme as the Nixie with a milky top, black bottom, black stem, and gold-coloured stainless steel spring. It also has an actuation force of 63.5g (80g bottom out) and is available with or without factory lubing.

The Cherry MX Black Clear-Top will be released sometime in early 2023 next year. It’ll be interesting to see just how similar it would be to the original Nixie, and we’ll definitely put it through its paces once we have the MX Black Clear-Top in for review!


Proton Sold 115,366 Cars in 2022 So Far, Surpassing 2021 Sales – Almost 50k SUVs Sold

Proton just shared its sales performance for October 2022. With 13,013 units sold last month, the national carmaker has registered a total of 115,366 units in 2022 so far, surpassing 2021’s total sales of 114,708 units.

In fact, Proton’s sales performance this year is the company’s best since 2014, and its SUVs make up quite a large portion with 48,729 units delivered this year. Of course, the
Proton X50
 leads the segment with 33,193 units sold between January to October 2022, while the X70 was delivered to 15,536 buyers in the same time period.

“Proton’s fourth consecutive year of volume growth coincides with the brand’s entry into the SUV market with the Proton X70. It’s an achievement the company is proud of and despite the launch of newer rivals, it remains a class leader,” said the deputy CEO of Proton, Roslan Abdullah.

“Therefore, to celebrate its upcoming fourth birthday, we are offering customers gifts comprising accessories worth RM1,499, interest rates as low as 2.52%, and many other surprises from our dealerships if they purchase a Proton X70 in November,” he added.

Beyond its SUVs, Proton’s best-selling model continues to be the Saga with 45,965 units delivered in the first 10 months of 2022. This is an increase of 42% compared to last year’s performance, so evidently, the
facelifted model
 is quite popular among Malaysians.


SINGAKBD Unikorn R2.2 Rerun – First In-Stock Sale in November 2022

We finally got a sale date for the 2022 rerun of SINGAKBD’s very popular Unikorn custom keyboard. The first in-stock sale of three (!) will happen by the middle of November this month, but as usual, the sale will be done through a raffle.

As previously revealed by SINGAKBD, this first round of Unikorn sale will consist of 300 units; it will be a combination of the Flamenco Red and Reseda Green colourways. A second sale (also 300 units) will be held sometime in December or January 2023 for the other two colours: Berlin Blue and Pewter Grey.

Do note that those who won the first round of raffle (Red + Green) for the Unikorn rerun cannot join the second round (Blue + Grey). However, there will be a third round of raffle sale for 60 units of a Special Edition Unikorn; that one will be a free for all.

As for pricing, the SINGAKBD Unikorn R2.2 rerun is said to go for around RM1,800 previously; a price increase of approximately RM200 compared to the previous run due to higher metal prices. Follow SINGAKBD’s
official Discord channel
 to get the latest updates on the sale.


PS5 God of War Ragnarok Bundle Coming to Malaysia 9 November From RM2,339

In conjunction with the launch of
God of War Ragnarok
 next week, Sony is releasing a PS5 bundle for the upcoming game. It’s set to be available in Malaysia on 9 November, so expect local retailers to take pre-orders of the console very soon.

As usual, two variants are offered. The PS5 Digital Edition bundle costs RM2,339, while the standard PS5 with a Blu-ray disc drive bundle is priced at RM2,769. Do note that both bundles offer a digital copy of God of War Ragnarok, curiously enough.

We just released
our review of Ragnarok
 earlier this morning, and it’s certainly a worthy sequel to the 2018 game. Not only does it offer a very compelling narrative with strong voice acting, it also looks great on the PS5; there’s even support for high frame rate.

If you’re keen to get your hands on the PS5 God of War Ragnarok bundle, check with your favourite game store to see if you can secure a unit. Chances are, the bundle will be reserved for those who are already in the waiting list, but it’s always worth checking.


Next-Gen iPad Pro Available in Malaysia Soon – Certified With SIRIM

It appears the next-gen iPad Pro will be available for purchase in Malaysia very soon. Now powered by the Cupertino company’s very own M2 chip – which was previously only found on the
latest MacBook Air
 and
13-inch MacBook Pro
 – the new iPad Pro is faster than ever with some new capabilities.

In our routine search through SIRIM’s database, the 4th generation iPad Pro was registered with the certification body just today on 4 November under Apple Malaysia. The model number (A2759)
belongs to the 11-inch model
, so we reckon the larger 12.9 variant will appear in SIRIM’s database soon enough.

The biggest change to the iPad Pro is definitely the new M2 chip, which promises up to 15% faster performance compared to the M1. Packed with a 10-core GPU, the M2 also delivers up to 35% faster graphics performance. Suffice to say the updated iPad Pro is faster than the previous model.

Creative folks will be happy to know that the new iPad Pro now has “hover” support with the 2nd gen Apple Pencil; it will be detected up to 12mm above the display. This makes it easier for users to see a preview of where their inputs will be positioned on the screen before doing any changes.

It’s also worth noting that the updated iPad Pro now features WiFi 6E, enabling download speeds up to 2.4Gbps. Beyond that, other hardware of the iPad Pro are similar to its predecessor, including ProMotion technology for 120Hz refresh rate, a mini-LED display for the 12.9-inch model, and a familiar design.

Pricing wise, the 11-inch iPad Pro
retails from RM3,899
 for the 128GB base model in Malaysia. As for the larger, higher-end 12.9-inch variant, it
starts at RM5,399
 (also for the 128GB version). Given that the 11-inch model has been registered with SIRIM already, there’s a good chance the new iPad Pro will be sold here very soon.


Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen) Appears on SIRIM – Available in Malaysia Soon?

It looks like the 3rd generation Apple TV 4K is also coming to Malaysia soon. Compared to its predecessor, it sports a slew of upgrades, including a faster A15 Bionic chip, support for HDR10+, and a Siri Remote with USB-C charging.

As per usual, we spotted the next-generation Apple TV 4K in SIRIM’s database. Both the 64GB (A2737) and 128GB (A2843) models have been registered with the certification body, so it won’t be long now until the new streaming box is officially sold here.

Thanks to its faster Apple A15 Bionic chip, the next-gen Apple TV 4K offers up to 50% faster CPU performance, while GPU performance sees a notable 30% improvement. With support for HDR10+ (and Dolby Vision), you can be assured to enjoy HDR on a wider amount of content too.

Of course, there’s also the Siri Remote for the new Apple TV 4K, which now charges via USB-C instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector. This should make it easier to charge up the remote, especially if you’ve got a lot of USB-C cables lying around.

As for pricing, the WiFi-only Apple TV 4K with 64GB of storage is priced at RM699, while the 128GB variant with the addition of an ethernet port goes for RM799. It’s also worth noting that the 128GB model features Thread mesh networking protocol to connect to other smart home accessories.

Given that the new Apple TV 4K,
iPad Pro
, and
iPad
 have all been registered with SIRIM, there’s a good chance these products will be available for purchase simultaneously in Malaysia. Rest assured, we will keep a close eye on their local availabilities.


iPad (10th Gen) Also Coming to Malaysia Soon

Aside from the
new iPad Pro
, it looks like Apple will also bring in the redesigned entry-level iPad to Malaysia very soon. Featuring a new design, a larger display,
and
 USB-C port, the 10th gen iPad looks much sleeker and modern now, along with some performance improvements.

Just like the iPad Pro, the updated iPad was registered with SIRIM just today on 4 November under several applicants, including Apple Malaysia itself. Two distinct models have been certified: A2696 (WiFi-only) and A2757 (cellular).

At a glance, the most notable change to the updated iPad is the larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with smaller bezels. There’s no more physical home button either, with Touch ID moved to the power button, much like how it is on the
iPad Pro
 and
iPad mini
.

Under the hood, the revamped iPad also gets the Apple A14 Bionic chip, an upgrade over its predecessor’s A13 Bionic. The new iPad’s 12MP ultra-wide camera has also been moved to the landscape edge of the tablet for better video calling experience.

Other upgrades to the redesigned iPad include support for the new Magic Keyboard Folio and the 1st gen Apple Pencil, an updated 12MP rear camera, WiFi 6 and 5G support, and of course, the aforementioned USB-C port.

The 10th gen iPad
starts at RM2,099
 in Malaysia, and it will be
sold alongside last year’s model
, which is currently going for RM1,599. It remains to be seen exactly when the updated iPad will be available for purchase on our shores, though there’s a good chance it will arrive here soon, given that the tablet’s certified with SIRIM already.


10 – 16 November Fuel Price: No Changes – RON 97 Stays at RM3.95 Per Litre

For the fifth week in a row now, the price of RON 97 sees no change yet again. Of course, the same applies to RON 95 and diesel, given that their ceiling prices have been reached.

To recap, the price of RON 97 is set at RM3.95 per litre for the next seven days. 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 10 to 16 November next week. New fuel prices will be announced every Wednesday, so stay tuned to Nextrift next week for fuel price update.


Mecha Store Now in Malaysia – First Custom Keyboard Store in Klang Valley!

As promised
, Mecha Store just opened a retail store here in Malaysia. Located at Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, the store offers the same services as it does in Singapore, which include build services and the sale of multiple keyboard parts – you won’t have to shop for parts online anymore.

At least, if Bandar Sunway isn’t too far from where you are at. In fact, Mecha Malaysia is the first retail store in the Klang Valley area that specialises in
custom keyboards
. Whether you’re looking to get new switches, keycaps, or even build a new one altogether, Mecha Store got you covered.

Once you’ve picked the parts that you want – good luck with that, given the sheer amount of switch options and keycaps to choose from – there’s space for you to start building your keyboard on the spot. Naturally, the staff will assist anyone that needs help on this matter – they’re a helpful bunch, trust us.

There are a lot of keyboards on display at Mecha Store too. Some interesting keyboards that were showcased when we visited include
Axiom Studios’ Typ 65+
, a polycarbonate Cyberboard, and even the Moondrop Dash “HiFi” keyboard with a built-in DAC/AMP.

That’s not the only audio-centric product featured at the store: you can also grab the Mecha Edition of the
7Hz Salnotes Zero
 there. We were also told that other IEMs may be sold at Mecha Malaysia in the near future – perhaps some of
Crinacle’s

collaborations
 will make an appearance.

It’s great to see the custom keyboard scene grow here in Malaysia; it’s
really a rewarding hobby
, especially for folks who do a lot of typing. Anyway, Mecha Store Malaysia will be open to the public this Saturday on 12 November; you can find the store at 57, Jalan PJS 11/7, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Subang Jaya.


Next-Gen iPad Pro Now Available in Malaysia From RM3,899

The next-gen iPad Pro is now available for purchase in Malaysia! Powered by the Cupertino company’s very own M2 chip – which was previously only found on the
latest MacBook Air
 and
13-inch MacBook Pro
 – the new iPad Pro is faster than ever with some new capabilities.

Pricing wise, the 11-inch iPad Pro
retails from RM3,899
 for the 128GB base model in Malaysia. As for the larger, higher-end 12.9-inch variant, it
starts at RM5,399
 (also for the 128GB version). These prices are for the WiFi-only models; the cellular variants cost an additional RM750.

The biggest change to the iPad Pro is definitely the new M2 chip, which promises up to 15% faster performance compared to the M1. Packed with a 10-core GPU, the M2 also delivers up to 35% faster graphics performance. Suffice to say the updated iPad Pro is faster than the previous model.

Creative folks will be happy to know that the new iPad Pro now has “hover” support with the 2nd gen Apple Pencil; it will be detected up to 12mm above the display. This makes it easier for users to see a preview of where their inputs will be positioned on the screen before doing any changes.

It’s also worth noting that the updated iPad Pro now features WiFi 6E, enabling download speeds up to 2.4Gbps. Beyond that, other hardware of the iPad Pro are similar to its predecessor, including ProMotion technology for 120Hz refresh rate, a mini-LED display for the 12.9-inch model, and a familiar design.

The new iPad Pro can now be purchased on
Apple’s Malaysian online store
. Chances are, retail stores will also have the new tablet for sale very soon.