Cooler Master CK351 Review — raising the bar for the CK series!

Cooler Master has a wide range of keyboards with an equally wide selection of switches. They have designed keyboards featuring everything from Cherry MX to Oetemu switches, and even low-profile switches from both Cherry and TTC. Today, we will be looking at yet another keyboard from Cooler Master, featuring LK DarGo optical switches. It’s their latest Cooler Master CK351, and without further ado, let’s get into it.
Unboxing

The packaging is clearly identifiable as a product of the Cooler Master family, with the dark gray base and purple accents. Cooler Master also highlights the switch type on the front, which in the case of our sample here, are the LK DarGo Optical Blue switches. There’s also a little window over the arrow keys to let you cop a feel of the switches before spending your money on it.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

On the back we have more details about the Cooler Master CK351’s features. Some of the main new additions coming from the Cooler Master CK350 is the included wrist rest and also support for software control via MasterPlus+. There’s also IP58 ingress protection, which makes it perfect for those who often eat and drink near their keyboard.

The insides are pretty standard, with a hard plastic cover protecting the entire keyboard except for the arrow keys, while a soft plastic wrapper houses the wrist rest.

And these here are the entire contents of the box. You get a nice keycap puller, a user guide, the Cooler Master CK351 itself and the wrist rest. Interestingly, while the Cooler Master CK351 actually has hot-swappable switches, Cooler Master didn’t include a switch puller in the box.
Appearance

Cooler Master seems to have decided to shake things up a little coming from the Cooler Master CK350. Instead of the gunmetal gray finish that you get with the CK350 or CK550, you get a bright silver brushed metal finish for the base plate. Aside from that, the Cooler Master CK351 might be indistinguishable from the Cooler Master CK350. The keycaps are standard black ones, which really provide for that nice contrast against the bright silver metal.

Overall, Cooler Master seems to prefer the “floating keys” design which is a lot more popular than the standard keyboard designs of yore. I guess it also saves on some manufacturing costs. The Cooler Master CK351 ends are sharply cut off, which reduce the overall footprint it takes on your desk.
The soft wrist rest included with the Cooler Master CK351 pushes up against the sloping edge of the keyboard, but unfortunately doesn’t have any sort of mechanical attachement to the keyboard. I guess it’s probably for the better, as the wrist rest looks exactly like the one that Cooler Master sells separately as the WR531. Nice of them to include it with the Cooler Master CK351, further enhancing the value proposition here.

On the underside, you get cable channels to route the cables to the sides to make your cable management a little neater, but you still can’t detach the cable here. Compared to the Cooler Master CK350, it appears that the Cooler Master CK351 has slightly larger rubber feet, but it shouldn’t affect your user experience much.
Cooler Master CK351 Specifications

Body material
Aluminium top plate, plastic case

Keycap
Double-shot ABS keycaps

USB report rate
1000Hz

Switch type
LK DarGo Optical Blue (Clicky)
Actuation force: 50±10gf
Pre-travel: 1.8±0.5mm
Travel distance: 4±0.5mm

KRO
NKRO

Anti-ghosting
Yes

Microprocessor
N/A

Cable
1.8m rubberized cable, non-detachable

Dimensions
440 x 140 x 45 mm

Weight
904g

Included accessories
User guide, keycap puller, wrist rest

User Experience

The Cooler Master CK351 connects to the system via a single USB cable, and you can see that Cooler Master applied a touch of their signature purple here. It’s still USB 2.0 though, and it’s not like there are any passthroughs to take advantage of a faster interface anyway. I wish the cable was more premium with a braided sleeve, but the rubberized cable does seem robust enough to take some abuse.

One major difference between the Cooler Master CK351 and the CK350 is MasterPlus+ support. While the Cooler Master CK351 is still plug and play, you can now customize the RGB lighting, keyboard settings and also create macros from the convenient GUI of MasterPlus+.
It definitely is a nice upgrade, especially if you are the kind who can’t be bothered to remember key combinations to change your RGB mode. That’s not to say that the Cooler Master CK351 does not have a hotkey-based system, as it does. If you prefer, you can still switch between profiles and RGB modes on the keyboard without firing up MasterPlus+.

Speaking of RGB, the Cooler Master CK351 has pretty bright lights under those switches. The brightness is also enhanced by the silver backplate, as it helps reflect the light a bit, for a more festive looking keyboard. Color transitions are as smooth as they come, and I have no issues with the RGB on this keyboard.

In fact, Cooler Master is so extra that they decided to make even the status LEDs RGB, which is not something you see everyday. Overall, the Cooler Master CK351 will definitely satisfy most RGB enthusiasts, as there won’t be a blinding white light standing out in the status LED cluster, unlike most RGB keyboards in the market.
Surprisingly good switches

Now let’s talk about the switches themselves. Unlike the previous Cooler Master mechanical keyboards, the Cooler Master CK351 touts optical switches from LK. It appears that Cooler Master is the only vendor using the LK DarGo switches, as Googling for the name doesn’t yield any other result other than this keyboard here.
As the name “optical switch” implies, the key actuation mechanism here is optical, and it is what allows the keyboard to be IP58-rated, which essentially means that the keyboard can actually withstand immersion, if you for some reason decided to wash your keyboard instead of wiping it.
I am not a fan of blue switches, due to the fact that they just make too much noise for comfort. But I can definitely appreciate the qualities of the LK DarGo switch here. Unlike most mechanical switches, the switch here features what some would refer to as a “box stem,” preventing the dreaded key wobble that affects many standard switches. Each actuation feels precise and clean. The latter might also be due to the fact that the key actuation isn’t dependent on plastic rubbing on metal, which allowed for a smoother keypress.

Aside from that, the Cooler Master CK351 feels pretty much like your standard blue mechanical keyboard. It makes a crisp clicky noise that some keyboard enthusiasts swear by, and it actually feels pretty good to type on, thanks to the aforementioned merits of the design that these switches tout. And because of the design, the switches are rated for an insane 100 million keypresses, but I do think that the switches on the Cooler Master CK351 will most probably outlive the rating.
That’s because the actuation actually happens on the keyboard PCB itself, instead of in the switches. Unlike normal mechanical keyboards, the actuation happens when the light beam between the two sensors is interrupted. That also means that there isn’t going to be any noticeable debounce delay, although that is definitely a lot harder to experience on a clicky switch.

And because of this design, the switches are hot-swappable, with them not being connected to the PCB at all. It sort of makes their lifespan irrelevant, since you can easily replace them if the switches start to fail. So yeah, technically I can buy compatible LK optical switches and replace the clicky blue switches with tactile brown ones without any effort, if I wanted to.
With that said, the Cooler Master CK351 still exhibits vestiges of a budget-oriented keyboard. For one, the entire keyboard sounds pretty hollow. The Space Bar is probably the biggest offender, with it emitting a loud thocking noise. Some padding to fill up the empty spaces in the chassis of the Cooler Master CK351 should fix it. Fortunately the pinging noise that affected the Cooler Master CK350 does not seem to be present here, so I am glad that Cooler Master managed to address that.
Doubleshot keycaps and wrist rest comes included!

Another major advantage of the Cooler Master CK351 is that you won’t need to replace the keycaps for quite some time, as Cooler Master has finally decided to go with double shot keycaps. They are still made of ABS, and they are very thin, which means that they will probably become glossy in a few months of intense typing. However with the Cooler Master CK351’s price point in consideration, these are pretty decent.

They aren’t going to be the best doubleshot keycaps you can get, with some legends looking a bit cloudy and not as sharp as others, but I guess it still has its perks. The legends will never fade, and the Cooler Master CK351’s switches tout a standard MX-style stem that will work with pretty much any third-party keycap set out there. Cooler Master even used Cherry-style stabilizers which means you can quickly swap out your keycaps without worrying about having to insert clips into your keycaps for the stabilizers.

The next bit that we are going to talk about is the included wrist rest. I do wish that there was a bit of a slope, as the flat profile feels like it is in the way of my wrists. I guess if your current seating position puts excess stress on your wrists, this would be better than pressing your wrist against the hard surface of your desk. It seems like Cooler Master just took their WR531 and packaged it with the Cooler Master CK351 to be sold as a package, as it touts the same high quality fabric top to keep you comfortable, and the same rubbery base to keep it planted on your desk.
Conclusion
For RM299, I do think that this is an awesome effort from Cooler Master to make their keyboard lineup more interesting. The switches feels nice and clicky, and there aren’t any major flaws to talk about. The hot-swappable switches is also quite interesting, given Cooler Master’s “Make It Yours” ethos. I look forward to Cooler Master selling the switches in a kit as well, for you to truly make your Cooler Master CK351 yours.

What I also hope to see from Cooler Master is probably a TKL variant of the Cooler Master CK351, and maybe a more solid body in their upcoming keyboards. It’s not to say that the Cooler Master CK351 isn’t sturdy enough, but the hollow noise inside the keyboard isn’t appealing. But as it stands, the Cooler Master CK351 is a nice keyboard, especially if you like crisp clicky feedback along with your precise, wobble-free keypress.

Our thanks to Cooler Master Malaysia for sending us the Cooler Master CK351 for review. You can check out the Cooler Master CK351 on Shopee here.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Zorloo ZuperDAC Portable HiFi USB DAC review; sound quality not proportional to size

Introduction

Good audio equipment can only reproduce what your source sends it. So you can have the best speakers or headphones, but it will only be able to deliver its best with a good source. If you have a crappy source, then what you hear will be turd. Or at least that’s what the audiophiles say. I do have some decent hardware myself with the Edifier R1700BT and Simgot EN700 Bass in my arsenal, so I requested the Zorloo ZuperDAC Portable HiFi USB DAC to see what kind of difference it will make. This little DAC was crowdfunded on Indiegogo hitting 303% of their target way back in 2015. It has to be good, right? Let’s see.
Unboxing

The Zorloo ZuperDAC arrived at my doorstep in a generic postal envelope, with a simple cardboard box to protect it. The packaging features an image of the DAC itself overlaid on a mesh background. Not particularly striking but it does its job.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

And this is all you get in terms of specifications on the packaging. You really get nothing to guide your decision in picking the Zorloo ZuperDAC if you found it at a store. Zorloo really trusts consumers to do their own research and pick the Zorloo ZuperDAC up.

This is all that came in the Zorloo ZuperDAC’s packaging. No cables, no drivers, just the Zorloo ZuperDAC which bears an uncanny resemblance to a standard USB stick and a simple user guide. It would have been nice if Zorloo bundled a USB extension to help those with systems having their USB ports very close together.
Appearance

The Zorloo ZuperDAC features a minimal matte aluminium finishing, the sole embellishment on the body being the Zorloo logo sandblasted onto the top side of the enclosure. It is really an unassuming looking thing, appearing just like a slightly oversized USB stick, except that it has a 3.5mm hole at one end. The 3.5mm jack is accompanied by a tiny hole that lets only a minuscule amount of light out, guaranteed not to distract you even when using it in totally dark environments.
Specifications

DAC chip
ESS Sabre ES9018K2M

Headphone amplifier
ESS Sabre ES9601

Supported sampling rate (kHz)
44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192

Supported bit depth (bit)
16, 20, 24 (only 16 and 24 in Windows)

Output level
1Vrms

Signal-to-noise ratio
115 dB

Total harmonic distortion
0.003%

Max output power
25 mW per channel

Channel separation
60 dB

Output impedance
4.7 Ω

Dimensions (mm)
46 (L) x 23 (W) x 10 (H) excluding the USB connector

Weight (g)
16

Let’s talk a little about the specifications here. ESS Sabre should not be a stranger to anyone who has taken a look in “gaming” sound cards as well as mid-range to high-end MSI laptops, as most of them come with one or another of ESS Technologies’ designs. You may even find higher end DAC designs with ESS Sabre ES9018 in them. The ESS Sabre ES9018K2M differentiates itself with fewer output channels (eight vs two) but since we are going to use it only for our stereo setup, the difference is actually moot here. Apparently, the fewer channels is actually an advantage in stereo setups as there won’t be a need for extra circuitry to combine the eight channels into two. A more significant difference would be the lower power consumption as compared to the standard ES9018 variant. As the Zorloo ZuperDAC is designed for use with everything from Windows PC and Macs to Android and iOS smartphones, power efficiency is very important as the Zorloo ZuperDAC will sip power from your device without a battery of its own.

The ES9601 headphone amplifier here is also an accomplished one, the exact same one as found in the audio station of the well-received ASUS ROG Centurion 7.1 headset. It eliminates pops and clicks when starting audio playback while not needing large DC blocking capacitors. Also the ES9601 allowed Zorloo to implement ESS Technologies’ designs throughout the pathway from the DAC to the 3.5mm jack.
User Experience
The little pinhole LED that lets you know the Zorloo ZuperDAC is working its magic
You can actually use the Zorloo ZuperDAC straight out of the box with Windows 7 and above, but you will need to install drivers to make full use of the 192 kHz/24 bit capabilities that the Zorloo ZuperDAC supports. Without drivers, you are limited to 96 kHz/24 bit. Still a bit better than the 48 kHz/24 bit supported by my monitor over HDMI, but I am sure when you get a DAC, you will want to run it at the maximum resolution it can handle, so make sure to head over to Zorloo’s page to download the USB Audio Class 2 drivers.
So after installing the driver, I do have the option to enable 192 kHz/24 bit in Windows 10. I listen to a rather wide variety of genres consisting of FLAC, MP3 and M4A files as well as YouTube music, so you know that I am not really picky when it comes to my music. Which I believe makes me a pretty great judge of the DAC, since I am not locked into a particular genre.
It is slightly wider than your average thumb drive, causing it to eat into the space of the adjacent USB port.
The first thing I noticed when listening to some Wagakki Band was that the instrument separation was vastly improved over my monitor’s 3.5mm output. My laptop’s 3.5mm jack is totally out of the picture, pumping static noise into everything. So let’s take a look at the Zorloo ZuperDAC’s sound. As the going gets frantic in most of their songs, one particular example was my FLAC copy of Senbonzakura having a much greater sense of space, with every instrument reproduced with much more definition, even through my humble Edifier H840, which I found to have poor separation with the 3.5mm output of my Lenovo Y50, which was working well back then when I reviewed the Edifier H840. Clarity also took a boost as the highs seemed to have been given a jab in the arm here. I even got myself a 96kHz/24bit FLAC copy of Hotel California, and the guitar twangs, drum beats were reproduced very nicely indeed. It’s as if a veil was lifted from my headphones as I really have never heard my headphones sound this good. It doesn’t change the warm sound signature of the Edifier H840 but they are a lot more resolving with the Zorloo ZuperDAC as a source. The Simgot EN700 Bass got a cleaner, clearer and more balanced sound when used with the Zorloo ZuperDAC, much better than the monitor’s output. Soundstaging was also improved slightly. There was some background hiss from the monitor, which was horrible when compared against the Zorloo ZuperDAC’s total silence. Used with my Edifier R1700BT, the Zorloo ZuperDAC allowed the speakers to resolve more in the higher frequencies and also pump out slightly tighter bass, with a slight widening of the soundstage for better instrument separation. TL;DR, the Zorloo ZuperDAC is a clear step up from sub-par outputs, offering clean, refined sound with a great soundstage. The Zorloo ZuperDAC also does not add its own sound signature to your music, delivering it to your headphones just as it is supposed to, with astounding detail. A downside is the volume control is not linear, with bigger gaps in loudness every few volume steps instead of a smooth, linear rise. Still the steps are pretty close together, so you won’t really face an issue of one volume level being too loud while the other being too soft.
Used with my Honor 8 via a USB OTG adapter
Using it with my Honor 8, there was no need for any additional apps. It worked straight out the box, something which the Fiio K1 has failed to do with my smartphone. I could not get to run Hiby Music Player as it kept crashing when searching for music on my device, while Onkyo HF Player wants me to pay for the Pro version to use the USB DAC functionality. The built-in music player on the Honor 8 works with USB output, so all testing was done with it. I noticed that the Zorloo ZuperDAC drove my earphones and headphones effortlessly, with a lot of headroom left to blow my eardrums. With my Simgot EN700 Bass, I had to put it to around 10/15 notches for adequate loudness, while 4 steps was sufficient with the Zorloo ZuperDAC. The Simgot EN700 Bass saw little to gain from the Zorloo ZuperDAC, but the Edifier H840 was a lot less muddy when fed music through the Zorloo ZuperDAC, offering a difference similar to what I got when moving from my monitor’s 3.5mm output to the Zorloo ZuperDAC on my laptop. Clearly the Edifier H840 needed more power than was possible from the smartphone, laptop and monitor output, only showing its true potential here thanks to the headphone amp in the Zorloo ZuperDAC. Volume control here on my Honor 8 is simple, following the volume steps my smartphone offered faithfully, increasing in volume with every step. It does consume a fair bit of power when running off the smartphone, but I definitely did not encounter any heating issues reported by other reviewers, regardless whether I was using it with my laptop or my smartphone.
Conclusion
By now I believe I should have established that the Zorloo ZuperDAC is a good upgrade for most basic onboard sound cards in laptops and desktops, with a lot better resolution to be retrieved from headphones that you may have thought were not that great at all. With the compact size, you can easily plug it into your PC and forget about it. Using it with a smartphone might be less than ideal with the noticeable power drain it imposes on the smartphone. If you want to see for yourself what kind of difference a simple USB DAC can do to your sound, the Zorloo ZuperDAC is priced at $74, and an extra $5 for shipping to Malaysia. For $79 (approximately RM336.54 at the time of writing), it is a pretty good deal, considering the simple design that allows for such a nice upgrade in sound quality across the board for all my audio equipment. I would award it a Gold Pokdeward for improving my enjoyment of music without taking up any space at all.

Our thanks to Zorloo for sending us the Zorloo ZuperDAC for review purposes.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Acer Upgrades TravelMate Business Laptops Series

Acer has revamped its TravelMate business laptops for SMB (Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses) and hybrid workers, giving customers a larger range of mobility and performance options. Each of the long-lasting Acer TravelMate P4, TravelMate Spin P4, and TravelMate P2 laptops provides an enhanced experience for workers at the office, at home, or on the go.
Acer TravelMate P4 and TravelMate Spin P4

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The 14″ and 16″ TravelMate P4 laptops, as well as the 14″ TravelMate Spin P4 notebook, are powered by 12th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro or AMD Ryzen 7 PRO CPUs. The WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS narrow-bezel display has a screen-to-body ratio of up to 86%, and the 16:10 aspect ratio maximizes screen space even more.
With AI-powered noise reduction microphones, four upward speakers, and built-in DTS Audio for higher quality, distortion-free audio, all TravelMate P4, and TravelMate P4 Spin models deliver high-quality video chatting performance. These environmentally friendly laptops contain up to 37.7% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastic and 100% recycled packaging materials.
Furthermore, the TravelMate Spin P4 convertible laptop has an anti-glare display, can be spun 360 degrees into a laptop, stand, or tablet mode, and supports an AES 1.0 pen for quick note-taking. Its screen and touchpad are scratch-resistant and long-lasting, thanks to Corning Gorilla Glass.
The new TravelMate P4 and TravelMate Spin P4 laptops with AMD Ryzen PRO CPU include Microsoft-designed Pluton hardware security. Pluton technology is built directly into the processor, assuring system integrity and continuing protection for identities, data, and apps on Windows 11 systems.
The 14-inch Acer TravelMate P4 with Intel CPUs will be available in the United States in Q3 2022 for USD1,099, in EMEA in September 2022 for EUR999, and in China in July 2022 for RMB6,999.
The 14-inch Acer TravelMate P4 with AMD CPUs will be available in the United States starting in Q3 2022 for USD1,099, and in EMEA starting in August 2022 for EUR949.
The 16-inch Acer TravelMate P4 with Intel CPUs will be available in the United States in Q3 2022, starting at USD1,099, in EMEA in September 2022 starting at EUR999, and in China in July 2022, starting at RMB6,999.
The 16-inch Acer TravelMate P4 with AMD CPUs will be available in the United States in Q3 2022, starting at USD1,099, and in EMEA in August 2022 starting at EUR949.
The 16-inch Acer TravelMate P4 with AMD CPUs will be available in the United States in Q3 2022, starting at USD1,099, and in EMEA in August 2022 starting at EUR949.
The Acer TravelMate Spin P4 with AMD CPUs will be available in the United States in Q3 2022, starting at USD1,199, and in EMEA in August 2022 starting at EUR1,049.
Acer TravelMate P2
The 14″ and 15.6″ Acer TravelMate P2 business laptops have a 180-degree hinge that opens flat and are powered by the newest 12th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro CPUs. The device’s chassis is composed of Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastic, and it contains an OceanGlass touchpad made of ocean-bound plastic and a UV texture layer to offer a glass-like tactile feel.
The Acer TravelMate Spin P2 will be available in the United States in Q3 2022 for USD899, in Europe in August 2022 for EUR799, and in China in July 2022 for RMB5,999.
Specifications, prices, and availability will vary depending on the area. Please contact your nearest Acer office via their official website to learn more about availability, product details, and pricing in specific markets.
Pokdepinion: Laptops made specifically for people on the go. Those who are interested can consider getting it.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Registrations For New Pokémon Asia Players Cup 2021 Are Open Now

The Pokémon Company has just announced that registrations for their new Pokémon Asia Players Cup 2021 are now open. The new event is Asia’s first multi-region online Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield tournament. It will take place from August 28 through September 11.
Register for the new Pokémon Asia Players Cup 2021 now

In the Pokémon Asia Players Cup 2021, players from Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand will compete against Trainers from all across Asia for a chance to win a ticket to the Pokémon Global Exhibition in October and a trip to the 2022 Pokémon World Championships!

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The top players from Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand will compete in qualifiers on August 28, 29, and September 4, 5, 2021. The Grand Finale will take place on September 11th, with the top 8 players from each area competing for the title of best Pokémon trainer in Asia.

All eight players that compete in the Grand Finale will receive an invitation to Day 1 of the 2022 Pokémon World Championships, as well as tangible copies of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl Double Pack and Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
The Grand Finale winner will be invited to the Pokémon Global Exhibition, as well as an invitation to Day 2 of the 2022 Pokémon World Championships, which includes flights and accommodations.
Those interested to participate in the Pokémon Asia Players Cup 2021 may register at the ESL play page right here.
Pokdepinion: Oh wow this is pretty cool. I’ve never played any of the Pokémon games past the Nintendo DS era. I couldn’t afford a 3DS growing up and I just haven’t gotten around getting myself a Nintendo Switch.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


GrabFood to Be Integrated Into the Grab App – Now With More Food Choices and Available Locations

GrabFood to Be Integrated Into the Grab App

The folks over at Grab Malaysia have officially announced that the GrabFood app will “moving back home” as it will be integrated into the Grab app itself. You will no longer need to have both apps and will only require the main app itself starting tomorrow, 17th April 2019.
The move was done in order to have a more convenient app experience for partner restaurants and delivery partners, as well as allowing users to have everything they need in one single “super app”. Interestingly, this move coincides with the one year anniversary of GrabFood, which has since delivered over 2 million deliveries since its launch.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Users will be able to look forward to an even larger array of food choices moving forward. This is because they have partnered up with even more restaurants exclusively. Some of the names that were mentioned are MyPizzaLab, The Alley, La Juiceria, Baskin Robbins, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and MyBurgerLab. Moreover, the GrabFood service will be seeing a rapid expansion as it will be available in more places in Malaysia. To be precise, it will be available in Penang, Johor Bahru, Melaka, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu starting 22nd April 2019.
Soon to be available in more places in Malaysia.
The app unification is said to allow the restaurants to access even more potential customers, as all Grab users will be able to reach out to them more easily moving forward. There is a projected increase of deliveries by two-fold just from this move alone. Grab Malaysia also informed that users can look forward to even more promotions and happening from within the app itself.
Booths from some of the new exclusive vendors: La Juiceria, MyBurgerLab, MyPizzaLab, Secret Recipe, Baskin Robbins, and The Alley.
It is said that this is the beginning of something big from them, and we can expect more in the near future for both Grab and GrabFood in Malaysia.
Pokdepinion: Well, I certainly hope I don’t end up confusing myself and order a ride to a restaurant instead of having food delivered to my doorstep :P
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Revitalize Your Business with Dell Latitude 3410 and Optiplex 3070

With Malaysia recovering well from the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more businesses have started to reopen and operate with new standards set by the government. Plenty of businesses are looking to revitalize their workforce and now, you might have a new solution for that. There are specials deals on the Dell Latitude 3410 business laptop and the Dell OptiPlex 3070 business desktop this July 2020.
It’s Easier to Own the Dell Latitude 3410 and OptiPlex 3070

The folks over at SNS Network is making it easier for businesses to get their hands on business PCs. The Dell Latitude 3410 business laptop can be purchase with an installment plan of up to 24 months, with payments starting from RM158.30 per month. As for the Dell OptiPlex 3070, it can be had with an installment plan of up to 24 months, going starting from RM137.50 per month. Businesses can also opt to lease both products instead if they wish to do so.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Together with either of the two products, customers can enjoy big savings on Microsoft 365. Microsoft Office Home & Business will be available for a special price of RM980 (retail price is RM1,399) whereas Microsoft 365 Business Standard will be priced at RM529 (retail price is RM645).
Dell Latitude 3410 Business Laptop

If you’re looking for a laptop to supercharge your productivity at work, then the Dell Latitude 3410 business laptop powered by the 10th Gen Intel® Core™ CPU might be the one for you. With the new Dell Optimizer feature, it has a built-in AI that learns and adapts accordingly with how you work. It can automatically optimize your experience to reduce lag, get the best performance for your tasks, and have you using the laptop for longer per full charge with the ExpressCharge feature. With Intelligent Audio, it can even optimize the sound quality for conferences.
The Dell Latitude 3410 business laptop lets you start work faster thanks to an innovative sensor that powers on just by opening the lid. For added security, it has TPM 2.0 to ensure that the laptop is secure with integrated cryptographic keys. Moreover, Windows 10 Pro can further secure the laptop with features like BitLocker to protect your files, while also adding useful features like Remote Desktop to connect to other PCs within the same domain.
It has a good array of ports such as RJ-45 LAN for ethernet connection, and you can even use the proprietary docking station for improved functionality. It’s easy to take this around with you as it’s one of the world’s smallest essential laptops of its size, coming in a modern, grey finish. With narrow bezels and up to Full HD resolution, you also get to enjoy clarity with minimal distractions.

With any bit of downtime potentially causing plenty of complications for businesses, the Dell Latitude 3410 prevents that as it has serviceable parts including WLAN, battery, memory, and storage. Furthermore, it has excellent durability and build quality as it has passed 15 harsh MIL-STD tests, making it a MIL-STD 810G-certified laptop.
As this is a Dell Computer, and one that is focused on business for that matter, users will have access to a host of features for improved security and reliability. The idea here is to transform the employee experience with proactive, predictive, and automated solutions to deliver on the promise of a modern workday while also simplifying its use in four key areas:

Deploy: With ProDeploy, you can get devices preconfigured with company apps and settings straight from the factory before being shipped out, saving precious time for businesses.
Secure: As part of their Dell SafeBIOS portfolion, Dell Trusted Devices includes BIOS Verification, Image Capture, and BIOS Events and Indicators of Attack. This ensures that the device is protected, even below the operating system.
Manage: With Dell Client Command Suite and VMware Workspace ONE gives you a unified endpoint management experience for IT, allowing you to manage firmware, OS, and apps from a single console while simultaneously creating a seamless experience for end users.
Support: With ProSupport, you can get hardware issues resolved by up to 11-times faster with 24-hour access to in-region ProSupport engineers. This effectively helps IT stay ahead and minimize downtime.

For a better look at the Dell Latitude 3410 business laptop, take a look at the specifications right below here.
Specifications

CPU
Intel® Core™ i5-10210U @ 1.6 GHz (4C / 8T, Turbo up to 4.2 GHz) 6M Cache, 25W TDP

RAM
8GB DDR4 2667 MHz Non-ECC RAM
2 slots supporting up to 32GB

GPU
Intel® UHD Graphics 620

Storage
M.2 256GB PCIe NVMe Class 35 SSD
2.5″ 5400RPM 1TB HDD

Display
14″, 16:9, HD (1366 X 768), Anti-glare Non-Touch display, 220 nits, NTSC 45%, TN, HD Camera and Single microphone

Connectivity
Wireless:
Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201 2×2 (Gig+) + Bluetooth 5.0
I/O:
1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C (supports Power Delivery 3.0 and DisplayPort 1.2)
2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A (1 x supports PowerShare)
1 x USB 2.0
1 x HDMI 1.4
1 x Flip-Down RJ-45 LAN with status LED
1 x MicroSD card reader 3.0
1 x Wedge-shaped Lock Slot
1 x 4.5mm adapter port with status LED

OS
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Audio
High Quality Speakers
1 x Universal Audio Jack

Weight
1.61 kg

If you’re interested to purchase or lease the Dell Latitude 3410 business laptop, you can click right here or drop an e-mail to [email protected].
Dell OptiPlex 3070 Business Desktop

If you’re looking for a desktop PC solution instead, then you can consider the Dell OptiPlex 3070 business desktop. Powered by up to the 9th Gen Intel® Core™ CPU, you get performance that you can rely on with convenient connections such as for multi-monitor setups through DisplayPort, HDMI, and an optional third output.
As for security, you can make use of Dell Endpoint Security enhanced with lockable cable covers and optional chassis intrusion switch. Furthermore, Windows 10 Pro further augments the system’s security with features like BitLocker to protect your files, along with useful features like Remote Desktop to connect to other PCs within the same domain.
For this particular deal, SNS Network is only offering the SFF (small form factor) version of the Dell OptiPlex 3070 business desktop, which is designed with efficiency in mind. It uses a tool-less design with versatile mounting options, making it easy to maintain the system with less clutter to worry about.

As this is a Dell Computer, and one that is focused on business for that matter, users will have access to a host of features for improved security and reliability.The idea here is to revolutionize the working experience with Intelligence and automation, thus saving time, improving user experience, optimizing resources and strengthen security. This is done in four key areas:

Deploy: With ProDeploy, you can get devices preconfigured with company apps and settings straight from the factory before being shipped out, saving precious time for businesses.
Secure: With Dell Endpoint Security, you can easily manage cyber threats while still being adaptive to workforce transformation. Using Dell SafeGuard and Response, you can get insights on how to quickly and efficiently prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats, ensuring your safety in the process.
Manage: With Dell Client Command Suite and VMware Workspace ONE gives you a unified endpoint management experience for IT, allowing you to manage firmware, OS, and apps from a single console while simultaneously creating a seamless experience for end users.
Support: With ProSupport, you get the only predictive and proactive support available in the market right now. ProSupport with SupportAssist can reduce time to solve a failed HDD issue up to 11-times faster.

For a better look at the Dell OptiPlex 3070 business desktop, take a look at the specifications right below here.
Specifications

CPU
Intel® Core™ i5-9500 @ 3.0 GHz (6C / 6T, Turbo up to 4.4 GHz), 9M Cache, 65W TDP

RAM
8GB 2666MHz DDR4

GPU
Integrated UHD Graphics 630

Storage
256GB SSD

Connectivity
Wireless:
Intel® Wireless-AC 9560, Dual-band 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO + Bluetooth 5.0
I/O:
1 x DisplayPort
1x HDMI
1x RJ-45 LAN (Realtek RTL8111HSD-CG Ethernet)
1 x Optional 3rd Video Port (VGA / DP / HDMI 2.0b
1 x Optional Serial Port
1 x Line Out
Optional 8x DVD-ROM 9.5mm ODD (Tower/Small Form Factor only)
Optional 8x DVD+/-RW 9.5mm ODD (Tower/Small Form Factor only)
Tower and SFF
4 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
4 x USB 2.0 (2 x SmartPower On)

OS
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Audio
1 x Universal Audio Jack

Weight
SFF = 5.26 kg

If you’re interested to purchase or lease the Dell OptiPlex 3070 business desktop, you can click right here or drop an e-mail to [email protected].
Pokdepinion: The Dell Latitude 3410 sounds like a pretty good deal to me, given the suite of features that come with it.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Comic Book Publisher Forms Dark Horse Games – Might see games developed from properties such as Hellboy, Sin City and 300

Dark Horse Comics, the legendary comic book publisher has just announced a brand new video game and digital division called Dark Horse Games. The publisher is known for creating many well-known comic books including Hellboy, Sin City, 300 and Umbrella Academy. They were also the main publisher of many seminal Star Wars comic books before Disney came into the picture and moved the property over to Marvel.
Dark Horse Games aims to bring their popular comic book characters to the world of video games

According to the new Dark Horse Games website, the company’s mission is to bring “Dark Horse Comics’ portfolio of over 425 story-driven, diverse and unique worlds and characters” and turn them into entertaining video game properties. Some of their popular and evergreen properties include Hellboy, Frank Miller’s Sin City and 300, Umbrella Academy, Polar, Lady Killer, Emily the Strange, Usagi Yojimbo, Resident Alien, just to name a few.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The division is looking for partners to develop some of these evergreen properties presumably because they lack the manpower or the expertise to develop them in-house at the moment. Here’s their official statement on partnerships written on their website.

We believe key partnerships with top game companies for our popular IPs is the optimal path to create the best gaming experience for players. DHG is in active discussions with the world’s top gaming companies to develop games with our IPs to be released over the next several years and across all platforms (mobile, PC, console, and cloud).
DHG’s first party games will focus on refreshing older and less established IPs as gaming first IPs. DHG will produce and release multimedia projects in conjunction with our games. DHG is in active discussions with the world’s top game co-development studios and content production studios.

Dark Horse Comics was founded way back in 1984 by Mike Richardson and is “one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers, Dark Horse Comics is well-positioned to further expand its reach globally with publishing, products, gaming, TV & Film, and location-based entertainment.”
Pokdepinion: I grew up with a lot of Dark Horse Comics characters including Titan, Ghost and the Star Wars comics so I am pretty excited to see what Dark Horse Games will bring to the table with these characters. I can just imagine a Hellboy game in the vein of maybe the Arkham games or something. Also maybe a GTA-style The Mask game? God, that would be awesome!

Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Coolita OS promises enhanced TV experiences and services

coocaa has just announced Coolita OS, their in-house smart TV OS. The operating system is a lite Web OS based on a Linux kernel that promises a lighter, smoother and more convenient smart TV experience on more affordable TVs. Coolita OS is developed to address the issues faced by more budget-friendly smart TVs, including lack of storage space due to the space used by the OS itself, frequent system freezes and complicated user interfaces.

Coolita OS was developed to deliver a lighter, smoother and more convenient smart TV experience, with a simple and intuitive user interface. While it isn’t as robust an OS as Google TV, Coolita OS offers support for apps like YouTube 2021, as well as a built-in Internet browser, cloud games and an app store. There’s also CC Plus, a comprehensive streaming platform with local and global content with real-time updates, as well as CC Cast, which lets you, well, cast, from your Android device.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Aside from the aforementioned features, Coolita OS 1.0 also includes stuff like Data Saver to help you manage your data consumption, and as an Eye Protection Mode for a more comfortable viewing experience.

The first smart TV that will run Coolita OS will be the coocaa S3U, which is a 32″ Direct View LED (DLED) TV with a rather modest resolution of 1366 x 768. It will be offered on e-commerce platforms across Southeast Asia at an affordable price of $199 (~RM827), which helps it bridge the gap between Android smart TVs and conventional TVs.
Pokdepinion: I mean, if it has most of the features we need without the additional fluff that Android TVs have, I don’t see why it won’t be popular, especially at the lower price points it targets.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


As getting one’s hand on the PlayStation 5 is quite difficult, it’s no surprise that many gamers have turned to scalpers to get their hands on it, even if it means paying for extra. However, one PS5 scalper turned scammer has been the hot topic as of late in Malaysian gaming communities. Now, it appears that the culprit is under police custody.
Malaysian PS5 Scalper Turned Scammer Under Police Custody
With regards to the recent case of a Malaysian PS5 scalper turned scammer, the Director of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) under the Royal Malaysian Police, CP Mohd Kamarudin Md Din has confirmed that a suspect has been remanded in Penang in order to assist with ongoing investigations.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The suspect has provided a statement to the police in Georgetown, Penang. Apparently, the police received 26 reports from all parts of the country relating to the scam case, currently valued at a loss of RM99,468. With that being said however, the actual loss may be much higher, potentially around the RM1.5 million mark.
For now, the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which may lead to a jail term from 1 to 10 years, whipping, and a fine.
In case you’re wondering how this is even possible, many gamers are desperate to get their hands on the PS5 console. With there being a low amount of stock available and with Sony apparently reducing production of the console due to a lack of components among other issues, there are bound to be more scalpers and scammers around.
We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available. For now, best to stay safe and wait for official stocks from Sony themselves. At least this way, your money will be safe and you don’t have to pay extra.
Source
Pokdepinion: There isn’t much PS5-exclusive games around yet so the PS4 is still good to have for at least another year or two. Just wait it out, most of the games can be played on the older console anyway.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Xiaomi Pad 5 announced along with Mi Smart Projector 2, Mesh System AX3000 and Mi Smart Band 6 NFC

In today’s event, Xiaomi also announced the much-awaited Xiaomi Pad 5. The Xiaomi Pad 5 and Pad 5 Pro were announced in China last month, but it seems like only the former is coming to global markets for now. Along with the tablet, Xiaomi also announced the Mi Smart Projector 2, Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000 and Mi Smart Band 6 NFC.
Xiaomi Pad 5 – your work and play companion

The Xiaomi Pad 5 has really narrow bezels that might let you mistake it for the iPad Pro series, especially when you factor in the flat edges as well. The 11″ 2.5K LCD display goes up to 120Hz, and supports the wide P3 color gamut as well as HDR10. Xiaomi also outfitted it with TrueTone and Dolby Vision, making the Xiaomi Pad 5 great for color-sensitive work, as well as for kicking back for some movies.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Xiaomi didn’t stop there when it comes to the display. The Xiaomi Pad 5 supports the Xiaomi Smart Pen with 4096 pressure levels and responsive 240Hz touch sampling rate. This contributes to a more natural writing experience as well.
Now back to the topic of enjoying movies on the Xiaomi Pad 5, you get Dolby Vision support with the display, as well as Dolby Atmos from the speakers. The Xiaomi Pad 5 packs a total of four speakers along the sides of the tablet for an excellent listening experience when on the go.

Performance is probably the only area that the Xiaomi Pad 5 can be found slightly wanting. Xiaomi equipped the Xiaomi Pad 5 with the Snapdragon 860, which is essentially an overclocked Snapdragon 855.
Xiaomi Pad 5 Specs and Price in Malaysia

Snapdragon 860, octa-core up to 2.96GHz, 7nm
6GB LPDDR4X RAM
Up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
11″ 2.5K (2560 x 1600) 120Hz LCD display, TrueTone, HDR10, P3 color gamut
13MP rear camera
8MP selfie camera
8720mAh battery, 33W fast charging
6GB+128GB: TBA
6GB+256GB: TBA

Local pricing is still unknown for now, but it was launched in China from 1999 CNY, which translates to about RM1307. Pretty reasonable for a relatively high-end tablet, if you ask me. The Xiaomi Pad 5 has already passed SIRIM nearly two months ago, so we are just literally waiting on Xiaomi Malaysia to announce it here.
Mi Smart Projector 2 – projector with Android TV
Shouldn’t it be called Android Projector then? Jokes aside, the Mi Smart Projector 2 offers a FHD resolution in a compact size, letting you beam your content wherever you want in your home. With auto-keystone correction and auto-focusing, you also don’t have to fiddle with the Mi Smart Projector 2 to get a sharp image. There’s Dolby Audio support too, giving you great audio and great visuals in a nice, compact package.
Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000 (2-pack) – up to 4000 sq.ft. of WiFi coverage!
With all the smart devices around your house, you will need a strong WiFi connection to support them all. The Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000 offers dual-band WiFi 6 to cover up to 4000 sq.ft., and supports a maximum of 254 connected devices. Thanks to the WiFi 6 protocol with 1024QAM, OFDMA and 2 x 2 MIMO, the Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000 can deliver a good experience to everyone connected, even if you have many users in your network.
Mi Smart Band 6 NFC – now with NFC

The Mi Smart Band 6 NFC is essentially the Mi Smart Band 6 we have in the market now, but upgraded with NFC. This allows users to use the Mi Smart Band 6 NFC for NFC payments, without having to whip out their phones. Xiaomi also integrated Amazon Alexa into the Mi Smart band 6 NFC to offer smart home users a better time.
As with the rest of the products announced today, the Malaysian pricing of the Mi Smart Band 6 NFC is still unknown.
Pokdepinion: I hope Xiaomi will bundle the Smart Pen with the Xiaomi Pad 5, at least for early birds…
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


New LG CineBeam Laser 4K Projector Set For CES 2019 Unveiling

LG Electronics is all set to unveil their second-gen CineBeam Laser 4K projector (HU85L) that comes with Ultra Short Throw or UST technology at this year’s CES 2019.

With the technology, the projector can be placed a little more than 2-inches from the wall to project a 90-inch diagonal image. If you place it 7-inch or further, it can produce even larger and still bright 120-inch image.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

It delivers 2500 ANSI lumens and 4K UHD resolutions, ensuring bright and clear images as well as super black level that you gives you a sense of immersion.
Thanks to its wide color gamut, the LG HU85L can reproduce highly accurate colors.
As for content options, you can stream movies and shows from your favorite services. There’s also USB and HDMI options to provide more connectivity.
There’s also AI functionality that comes with it. If you’ve experienced LG’s propriety ThinQ, well this projector also comes along with it. You can easily control it through your voice by saying “turn off projector after the movie has finished” or simply find a song that you’d like to listen or view by saying “play Slipknot on Youtube”.
Pokdepinion: 4K viewing with AI capabilities, what’s there not to like? Well maybe the price.. I wonder how much they will put it at once it comes out.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Lenovo Legion Battlecruiser Unveiled and Will Be Touring Around Malaysia – New Gaming Laptops Inside

Lenovo Legion Battlecruiser Unveiled and Will Be Touring Around Malaysia

The folks over at Lenovo Malaysia have officially unveiled the Legion Battlecruiser, a vehicle fully equipped with the latest gaming setups. It will be touring around Malaysia from now until December 2019, and will be at MyTOWN Cheras for the time being.
Thus far, the Lenovo Legion Battlecruiser has already made a few stops in Malaysia. Some of the places include Sungei Wang Plaza and Kuantan City Mall in October 2019. Gamers who were lucky enough to board the Legion Battlecruiser get to experience the newest gaming laptop offerings by Lenovo. The new machines are:
Lenovo Legion Y545

Similar to the Y540, the Lenovo Legion Y545 is a compact gaming laptop but with more firepower, premium aluminum build and a button-less trackpad. It is powered by up to the 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU. It is said to be thermally optimized to run cooler and quieter. It also has a full-sized keyboard with white backlighting.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

CPU
Intel Core i5-9300H / i7-9750H

RAM
8GB DDR4

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6

Storage
Up to 1TB PCIe SSD

Display
15.6″ FHD (1920 X 1080) 144Hz IPS AG 300N display, 72% color gamut, 300 nits

Keyboard
White-backlit Chiclet Keyboard with Numpad

Connectivity
Wireless:
802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi 2×2 (Dual Band 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 4.2
I/O:
3 x USB 3.1 Type-A Gen1
1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen2
1 x RJ45 LAN
1 x Mini DisplayPort 1.4
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x Kensington Lock
1 x NOVO Hole
1 x Proprietary Charging Port

Audio
Harman Speakers with Dolby Audio for Gaming
1 x Combo Audio Jack

Power
57 / 52.5Wh Battery
230W Power Adapter

Dimensions
361.1 x 266.7 x 24.7 ~ 26.6 mm (W x D x H)

Weight
2.3 kg

The Lenovo Legion Y545 will be retailing from RM5,599 with 2-years on-site warranty + 1-year accidental damage protection. It will come with Windows 10 Home and Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 pre-installed.
Lenovo Legion Y7000

Designed to push gaming performance and portability even further, the Lenovo Legion Y7000 is a 15.6-inch gaming laptop that weighs in at just 2.3kg. It is powered by up to the Intel Core i7-9750H CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU. Unlike the Y545, the keyboard has a crimson red “Y” backlighting.

CPU
Intel Core i7-9750H

RAM
Up to 8GB DDR4

GPU
Up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6

Storage
Up to 512GB PCIe SSD
Intel Optane-ready

Display
15.6″ FHD (1920 X 1080) 144Hz IPS AG 300N display, 72% color gamut, 300 nits

Keyboard
“Y” Crimson Red-backlit Chiclet Keyboard with Numpad

Connectivity
Wireless:
802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi 2×2 (Dual Band 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0
I/O:
3 x USB 3.1 Type-A Gen1
1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen2
1 x RJ45 LAN
1 x Mini DisplayPort 1.4
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x Kensington Lock
1 x NOVO Hole
1 x Proprietary Charging Port

Audio
Harman Speakers with Dolby Audio for Gaming
1 x Combo Audio Jack

Power
52.5Wh Battery

Dimensions
365 x 260 x 24.7 ~ 25.9 mm (W x D x H)

Weight
2.3 kg

The Lenovo Legion Y7000 will be retailing from RM3,799 with 2-years on-site warranty + 1-year accidental damage protection. It will come with Windows 10 Home and Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 pre-installed.

The Lenovo Legion Battlecruiser will be continuing its tour around Malaysia. The next known locations are One Utama on 9th November 2019, The Curve on 23rd November 2019, and EkoCheras Mall on 30th November 2019.
Gamers whop drop by can participate in game challenges for a chance to win some Lenovo Legion goodies. The games that are available include The Surge 2, Gears 5, and Battlefield V.
Esports @ Legion Battlecruiser: Legion of Champions Update

At the event, Lenovo Malaysia also took the time to give an update on the upcoming Legion of Champions tournament. Over 1000 teams from Asia Pacific will be competing in online qualifiers from on 9th and 10th November 2019.
Malaysia will be represented by 56 teams consisting of 51 PUBG teams and 5 all-female teams for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO).
Pokdepinion: Part of me wishes that there were more games and it was slightly bigger. It’s an interesting concept and I’m sure it will catch the eyes of many gamers in Malaysia.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Visual Arts Expo 2017 – Visually stunning

VAX 2017: What is it all about?

Last weekend we went to the Visual Arts Expo 2017 that was held over at Shah Alam Convention Center in you guessed it, Shah Alam and truth be told it was a feast for the eyes. Well not just the eyes, pretty much all your senses are affected by this sensory explosion (no, I’m not talking about the smell of sweaty people there), it’s more due to the atmosphere of the whole event. The bright colours, the loud and catchy Japanese songs thumping throughout the event that make you feel like you’ve stepped into an anime and the infectious enthusiasm of the fans there all decked out in costumes of their favourite characters from their favourite anime, comic books and video games.
Kazuya Masumoto
But first, here’s a short history lesson. For those in the know, you might have heard about the Visual Arts Expo before but for those who have never heard of it, like me (total noob, I know), Visual Arts Expo is an event where they exhibit the latest and cutting edge visual arts from a variety of animation, TV shows, comic books, movies and video games. It’s also a platform where local artists and artists from neighbouring countries can come and set up booths to promote their work and make a name for themselves. On top of that, Visual Arts Expo regularly invites guest speakers who’re mostly the creatives working in the entertainment industry.
Anime animation key-frame sample
This is what people call an ACG (anime, comics and games) event, similar to the bigger Comic Fiesta convention that’s held every December.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Deadpool, Deathstroke and some sort of Malaysian Flag inspired cosplayer

This year’s Visual Arts Expo 2017 international guest speakers were some real high profile crackerjacks in the world of anime. These guest speakers were involved in various panels which include Q&A sessions, portfolio reviews; where the public gets to submit their original one page story treatment for critique and feedback, and also autograph sessions. The invited guests were:

Tadashi Hiramsu: A veteran artist in the anime industry whose notable works include Neon Genesis Evangelion, Space Dandy and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Just to name a few.
Kazuya Masumoto: A producer from famed animation studio, studio TRIGGER. He is the producer of popular anime shows such as Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill.
Noriko Ito: She is an animator who has worked on several popular anime such as Pokemon XY, Yuri!!! on ICE and Rage of Bahamut VIRGIN SOUL.
AiRI: She is a singer who has sang on a few songs for animes like Gundam Build Fighters. Head on down to her official website to know more about her.
Pierre Sugiura: A seasoned anime writer who’s written for animes such as Yuyushiki, Bottom Biting Bug and Barakamon. He’s done Japanese script translations for major Hollywood movies such as Lego Batman The Movie.

Pierre Sugiura
Apart from these guest speakers there were also some artist booths and stalls where you can purchase various pop culture merchandise. Some of the artists who have their own booths include super popular local cartoonist, Abam Apam, House88kend who makes popular the webcomic Kendylife and also regional artists like the talented Lespapillions. (Do check them all out!) There was also a special panel with local animation studio, Les’ Copaque.

I really liked Visual Arts Expo 2017. It was well managed, crowd management was fantastic and the general feel of the event was nothing short of exciting. Kudos to the organisers, they really outdid themselves. Next on our event watch list? This August’s AniManGaki event and Comic Fiesta at the end of the year.
Seeing the fans’ enthusiasm and the effort and care put into their cosplays, the future of geek conventions in Malaysia is definitely bright.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Samsung To Host Galaxy A7 Ultra Wide Roadshow

With the launch of their new triple camera smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy A7, Samsung Malaysia will be hosting their ultra-wide roadshows from 26-28 October 2018.
Samsung Ultra Wide Roadshows
With the roadshow, there will be special performances by local artists with meet and greet sessions on the 27th and 28th October. Mark your calenders to experience the Galaxy A7 together with Jeii Pong, Gaston Pong, Adrian Tan, and Ismail Izzani only at the Sunway Pyramid roadshow.
The full roadshow locations are as follow:

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Selangor – Sunway Pyramid
Perak – Ipoh Parade
Pulau Pinang – Prangin Mall
Johor – Aeon Tebrau City
Melaka – Dataran Pahlawan
Pahang – Kuantan Parade
Kuching – Vivacity mall
Kota Kinabalu – Imago Mall

Want more than that? You can join Samsung’s Mirror Mirror Me contest which we’ve posted previously where you can win yourself an all-expense paid trip to Korea.
Pokdepinion: To be honest, I don’t recognize the local artists that will be on the roadshow.. *please don’t shoot me
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER, RTX 3070 Ti 16GB, RTX 2060 12GB rumored for January 2022 launch

NVIDIA is reportedly working on a GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER, a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 16GB, as well as a much rumored revival of the GeForce RTX 2060, but now with 12GB memory. Leakers are hinting that NVIDIA will be unveiling the new additions in January 2022, which are in line with some of the earlier rumors.

已經確認
nvidia 2022年1月 公開：
1.3090 SUPER
2.3070Ti 16G
3.2060 12G
之前的傳聞都是真的！
— hongxing2020 (@hongxing2020) October 4, 2021

Of course, take these rumors with a pinch of salt, as NVIDIA has yet to unveil a SUPER card for the Ampere series. They are apparently going to unveil a refreshed SUPER lineup for their mobile GPUs, but once again, these are currently still just rumors.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER?

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

NVIDIA will possibly offer a GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER featuring the full GA102 GPU die, which is currently only offered in the professional-oriented RTX A6000. Unless NVIDIA has an even larger die in the works, the GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER will pack two additional SMs over the GeForce RTX 3090, for a grand total of 10752 CUDA cores, 84 RT cores and 336 Tensor cores. As you might have noticed, that’s not all that much.
Games see relatively little scaling once you go beyond the GeForce RTX 3080, so the GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER isn’t going to be a necessary upgrade from the existing GeForce RTX 3090. If NVIDIA is able to unveil a GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER though, it might be indicative of improving yields from the Samsung 8N process, as it is much harder to get fully-working dies, especially ones that can operate at the high frequencies of the GeForce RTX 30 series.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 16GB

Along with the GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER, the rumored GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 16GB is probably going to be the same as the existing GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, albeit with double the memory. I have found that at 4K, some games do seem to need more memory than the 8GB you get with the current GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, but if you are really planning on making the jump to 4K, it would probably make more sense to put the extra money towards a GeForce RTX 3080 instead.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060

Meanwhile for the more budget-conscious gamers, the return of the GeForce RTX 2060 might be just the thing to enable everyone to put GeForce RTX hardware into their PCs. While you can also make the same argument that the GeForce RTX 2060 won’t be able to take advantage of its 12GB of memory as it struggles at the higher resolutions that need that much memory, I guess a plain refresh would be quite boring. I do wonder if NVIDIA will make the GeForce RTX 2060 a Lite Hash Rate GPU to deter miners as well.
In any case, do stay tuned for more updates from us, as we will definitely be sharing with you guys if NVIDIA really decides to unveil the trio of cards we just discussed!
Pokdepinion: It doesn’t make sense to release the GeForce RTX 3090 SUPER, unless NVIDIA just wants to give GeForce RTX 3090 owners a bad case of buyer’s remorse…
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


ASUS Republic of Gamers Malaysia introduces exclusive ROG merchandise lineup

Ever had the desire to inject more ROG into your life? Aside from the hardware, laptops and peripherals, ASUS Republic of Gamers Malaysia is now offering the exclusive ROG Collection and Ranger Backpack series, exclusive ROG merchandise to let you show off your allegiance to the most prolific gaming brand in the world.
ROG Collection
Eat, sleep, game. Sounds like something to live by.
The ROG Collection currently consists of two designs, Lifestyle and Mechanic. The T-shirts are made for gamers who want to flaunt their unique style and gaming flair with ROG. The first wave of T-shirts come with a classic rib crew-neck design and is made of 100% cotton.
For those who are more mechanically inclined?
The current series of T-shirts are priced at RM109 each for both the Lifestyle and Mechanic designs. The next series consisting of compression training shirts which are coming soon will feature a nylon and spandex combo for intense gaming or gym sessions. Not sure why would you sweat so much when gaming though…

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Ranger Backpack series
The Ranger Backpack series currently consist of three models: the Ranger 2-in-1, the ROG Ranger BP2500 and the ROG Ranger BP1500 gaming backpacks. These backpacks range from RM499 to RM159, and each suit a different niche.

The Ranger 2-in-1 Backpack is modular with detachable compartments to fit your daily gear. This includes space for a 17″ gaming laptop, a keyboard, a pair of headphones and a mouse, each with their dedicated storage space. There’s is also space for a 10″ tablet in case you want to indulge in some Clash of Clans on the side.

Anti-theft zipper designs also help protect your investment, while the full frontal EVA panel with the reflective ROG logo keeps your hardware safe from harm’s way. Keeping you comfortable are ergonomic shoulder straps and ventilated back-padding crafted from multi-layer, high-density memory foam. The Ranger 2-in-1 Backpack is priced at a cool RM499.

The ROG Ranger BP2500 fits up to 15.6″ laptops, but comes with a bolder aesthetic with ROG’s signature cyber-text and slash pattern. It is also designed to be durable with scratch-resistant and waterproof leatherette and polyurethane. Magnetic fasteners provide extra protection to whatever’s inside, while built-in luggage straps allow you to easily secure the Ranger BP2500 to other travel cases. The ROG Ranger BP2500 is priced at RM279.

The most affordable backpack of the series, is the ROG Ranger BP1500. It is priced at RM159, and it offers space for a 15.6″ laptop and other accessories. It features a similar cyber-text motif and textured zippers. It also comes with extensive mesh on the backrest area, but doesn’t sport the fancy memory foam of the Ranger 2-in-1 backpack.
The ROG Collection and ROG Ranger Backpacks series are available via authorized ROG dealers now. Would you be getting one?
Pokdepinion: I want that ROG x Nike sweater SuperDaddy got…
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT announced from $479

After the exciting launch of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 series and Radeon RX 6900 XT, it’s time to check out some of the more affordable members of the Radeon RX 6000 series based on the RDNA2 graphics architecture. The Radeon RX 6700 XT is here.

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is based on the same RDNA2 architecture as the previously announced AMD Radeon RX 6800 series, but based on a smaller Navi 22 die that packs less cores and Infinity Cache, allowing AMD to offer it at a rather significantly lower price point.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

AMD reworked the reference cooler design for the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, lobbing off one fan and resorting to a trio of heatpipes to wick heat away from the GPU, instead of using a more expensive vapor chamber design. AMD will still be using the same graphite thermal pad here.

It does find itself in a rather weird position though, as AMD claims that the card is on par or slightly faster than the GeForce RTX 3070 in a short list of titles at 1440p. Right now, if we go by AMD’s results, they have three cards between the GeForce RTX 3080 and GeForce RTX 3070 in terms of performance, and yet the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is priced between the GeForce RTX 3070 and RTX 3060 Ti cards.
It does stand to reason that the Radeon RX 6700 XT might be the go-to value gaming graphics card from AMD. In terms of pricing, it is a good 17% more affordable, while being 33% smaller (in terms of core count) than the Radeon RX 6800, which is my favorite GPU in the current RDNA2 lineup. The Navi 22 GPU in the Radeon RX 6700 XT is clocked quite a bit faster though, which should help with things.
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT Series Specs

AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT

CUs
40

Cores
2560 Stream Processors
40 Ray Accelerators

Game Clock (MHz)
2321

Boost Clock (MHz)
2425

Memory
12GB GDDR6, 16Gbps

Infinity Cache
96MB

Memory bus width
192-bit

TBP
230W

Price
$479 (~RM1940)

Launch date
18th March 2021

AMD has announced that the Radeon RX 6700 XT will be available starting 18th March priced from $479, with reference and partner cards to be offered on the same day.
Pokdepinion: My favorite GPUs are usually the mid-range cards, and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT does seem right up my alley.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


AMD Ryzen 9 7950X Review – Oh-So-Close

AMD’s top-brass CPU, like the previous one, still has 16 cores at disposal. On the other side, Team Blue has been slowly but steadily growing its core counts like cell reproduction – and now with Intel’s best shot, the Core i9-13900K having 8P+16E cores, it makes for a pretty serious threat for the Ryzen. In this flagship head-to-head, who wins?
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X: Basic Specifications
First, let’s compare the latest Ryzen 9 flagship with its previous best: the Ryzen 9 5950X. You can read about the architectural changes in AMD Ryzen 7000 series and 600 series motherboards in our review of the Ryzen 9 7900X here.

Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X

Core Configuration
16 cores, 32 threads (2 CCDs)

Process Node
CCD: TSMC N5
IOD: TSMC N6
CCD: TSMC N7
IOD: GloFo 12nm

Microarchitecture
Zen 4 “Raphael”
Zen 3 “Vermeer”

Boost Clock
5.7GHz
4.9GHz

Base Clock
4.5GHz
3.4GHz

Cache (L2+L3)
16+64MB
8+64MB

TDP
170W
105W

Memory Support
DDR5-5200
Max. 128GB dual-channel
DDR4-3200
Max. 128GB dual-channel

Onboard Graphics
AMD Radeon Graphics
2 CUs (RDNA2) @ 2.2GHz
None

PCIe Lanes Configuration
28x PCIe 5.0
24x PCIe 4.0

Socket
Socket AM5 (LGA1718)
Socket AM4 (PGA1334)

Chipset Support
AMD 600 Series
AMD 300*, 400, 500 Series
(Select 300 series M/Bs only)

And here’s how it fares against Intel’s flagship, the Core i9-13900K:

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
Intel Core i9-13900K

Core Configuration
16 cores, 32 threads
(2 CCDs)
8P+16E
24 cores, 32 threads

Process Node
CCD: TSMC N5
IOD: TSMC N6
Intel 7

Microarchitecture
Zen 4 “Raphael”
Raptor Cove (P-Core)
Gracemont (E-Core)

Boost Clock
5.7GHz
5.8GHz (P-Core)
4.3GHz (E-Core)

Base Clock
4.5GHz
3.0GHz (P-Core)
2.2GHz (E-Core)

Cache (L2+L3)
16+64MB
32+36MB

TDP
170W
125W (PBP)
253W (MTP)

Memory Support
DDR5-5200
Max. 128GB dual-channel
DDR5-5600 / DDR4-3200
Max. 128GB dual-channel

Onboard Graphics
AMD Radeon Graphics
2 CUs (RDNA2) @ 2.2GHz
Intel UHD Graphics 770
1.65GHz

PCIe Lanes Configuration
28x PCIe 5.0
16x PCIe 5.0 + 4x PCIe 4.0

Socket
Socket AM5 (LGA1718)
LGA1700

Chipset Support
AMD 600 Series
Intel 600 / 700 Series

Test System

Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

Cooler & Thermal Paste
ASUS Ryujin II 360 AIO
Cooler Master MasterGel Maker

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E EXTREME

Graphics Card
NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition
Driver Version 528.02

RAM
Kingston FURY BEAST DDR5-6000 CL36 (16GB x2)

Storage
Samsung SSD 980 PRO 256GB (Boot)
Kingston NV1 1TB

Power Supply
Cooler Master MWE Gold 1250 V2 Full Modular 1250W

Case
VECTOR Bench Case (Open-air chassis)

Operating System
Windows 11 Pro 22H2

Benchmarks
For the gaming tests – Resizable BAR is turned ON, and VBS (virtualization-based security) is turned OFF. All tests are conducted in out-of-the-box configuration, unless otherwise specified.
Cinebench R23

In this hottest contest of who crunches the most points in Cinebench, it’s very close between the two chips. Multicore-wise, both are basically within each other’s spitting distance to the point it’s basically considered margin-of-error. However, Intel gets a commanding lead over Ryzen 9 7950X in single-core performance with +16% more points in this Cinebench test.
Here’s the thing: despite Intel technically calls their Core i9 a 24-core processor, two-thirds of that are in fact the less powerful (and not hyperthreaded) E-cores. If you look at the thread count, both chips have the same 32 threads to work with – so the performance turned out to be on par with each other (if we don’t take power consumption into account – which we’ll talk about shortly).
Cinebench R23 (Power Scaling & Consumption)

While AMD didn’t had a commanding lead against Intel’s best like its old days, one thing they still have going for it is power efficiency. Now AMD’s cTDP rating can be a bit finicky to read so here’s a bit of a cheat sheet for you:
170W cTDP = 230W PPT
105W cTDP = 142W PPT
65W cTDP = 88W PPT
AMD’s power behavior isn’t the most straightforward, let’s just say. Still, in a full-power benchmark run, the Ryzen 9 7950X will boost up to 219W for a few seconds before falling down to stable state of around 202W. Intel on the other hand is consistently pinning itself to the 253W MTP power limit, and it could go higher if ASUS MCE allows it (we locked the TDP to stock Intel figures for the purpose of this test).
When you turn the power down a step on both chips (with Intel locked at 125W, AMD locked at 105W cTDP which is effectively 142W socket power) – the results start going towards AMD’s favor. Intel’s power scaling has been traditionally more linear compared to Team Red equivalents, which somewhat hurts its performance-per-watt if it’s not fully utilized. Turn it down further to 65W / Eco Mode (effective 88W PPT) and AMD gained nearly +35% lead in multicore performance.
7-Zip

Pretty straightforward test – and 7-Zip being traditionally Ryzen’s high ground meant the 7950X wins against the Core i9 by +13.5% on decompression, but in terms of compression performance, both chips are once again in the dead heat.
3DMark Time Spy (CPU Score)

And the situation reverses for 3DMark’s CPU test. It’s possible that the AMD chips are just plain underutilized here though, as the 12-core 7900X have very similar scores with its 16-core sibling. Regardless, Intel takes the win here with a convincing lead at nearly 30%.
Handbrake

Next is Handbrake transcoding test – a 10-minute clip is sent to the program to render in 1080p30 H.264 in MKV format. Given both chips are virtually tied in Cinebench, it’s pretty odd to see Ryzen lost out here by quite a substantial margin (34 seconds, +16%). This could be down to the utilization or core scaling issue, but nonetheless Intel is the clear winner here.
Gaming

Finally, gaming. Both chips are, for the most part, neck-and-neck with a single exception that is Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The Ryzen did get a win in F1 2022 with 3 more frames per second, but in all of these cases they’re mostly identical to an untrained eye. Still, Intel wins 3 out of 4 games we tested here so gamers who needs absolute fastest CPU right now will be better served by the Blue chip.
Conclusion
So now we’ve settled the performance argument, how about the price? The Ryzen 9 7950X at this writing costs RM3,399 – which is quite expensive when you consider its competition, the Core i9-13900K is now hovering around substantially lower pricing, averaging at RM2,799. Things may change for AMD when their X3D chips arrives here (some countries has seen some pretty aggressive price drops ever since), but until then, this is the price you’re going to settle with.

All things considered, the 7950X is still very efficient against Intel’s chips, but outside of power bills concerns, it’s not as likely for the user base of CPUs of this class to care about power consumption or even thermals (cooling the Core i9 down almost definitely requires a pretty robust AIO loop). Couple this fact with the current pricing, and now you can see it’s not the best deal to go with AMD at this performance class right now.
For AMD to counter back Intel, keeping its core count at 16 might not cut it in the next generation – but Zen 5 is still very far and we might not know if AMD may eventually go with the hybrid-core architecture like Intel currently does. As it is today, I think the 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X is still a better bet in terms of value, performance, and even just on platform longevity that AMD promises for its Socket AM5 platforms.

Special thanks to AMD for providing the Ryzen 9 7950X for this review; also thanks to ASUS Malaysia, Kingston Malaysia and Cooler Master Malaysia for providing their respective components in this review.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Good, But Could Be Better

Unboxing the Acer Nitro 5 2020
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Box

The box itself has some pretty cool graphics of robots, along with a promo for the “eSports Social Platform” Planet9 on the bottom right corner. The QR code will take you directly to the site but in case you’re curious, you can click right here. Inside the box of the Acer Nitro 5 2020, you will find the following items:
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Box content
Setup guideHDD upgrade kit (cable and screws)180W power brickPower cablePlanet9 stickersQuick guideInternational Travelers Warranty guideThe Acer Nitro 5 2020 itself
Appearance
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Lid
As many of you may know by now, the Nitro lineup is supposed to be the more affordable, value-focused series of gaming products. The build itself is decent, but it mostly feels rather plasticky. The lid itself has the Acer logo taking center stage, with some slits on the left and right sides that arches towards the center as it goes down for a more aggressive look.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Open the lid
Open up the lid and you get a 15.6-inch Full HD 144Hz IPS display, a 4-zone RGB chiclet keyboard complete with Numpad, and your run-of-the-mill trackpad. The bezels are also on the thicker side but nothing excessive. It’s here that you start to see a bit more with Acer is focusing more on the internals to attract consumers that are more value-centric. The display does have a bit of a wobble, especially if you type a bit hard.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Ports
On the left side, you have a Kensington Lock, an air vent, an RJ45 LAN port, two USB-A ports, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. On the right side, you have a USB-C port, another USB-A port, an HDMI port, and an air vent. In case you’re wondering, the proprietary charging port resides in the rear, sandwiched between the two rear vents. It’s worth noting that the rear is mostly red, allowing it to stand out a bit more in the blackness of its build.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Bottom
Moving to the bottom, you have some air vents, speaker grilles, product stickers, and five stands. It’s worth noting that only four of the five stands are rubberized whereas the remaining one is small and purely plastic. Another thing is that you get a clear view of 10 screw holes here, with one hidden by the Acer warranty void sticker in the center.
Overall, the Acer Nitro 5 2020 looks like your typical gaming laptop. The build quality is decent and the looks can be improved. Given the range and design choice of this product however, we’re certain that they’re more focused on the internals and practicality than anything else.
Specifications
CPUIntel Core i7-10750H @ 2.6 GHz (up to 5.0 GHz Boost), 6C/12T, 45W TDP, 14nmRAM8GB DDR4 @ 2933 MHz2 x slots, upgradable to 32GB (2 x 16GB)GPUNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6Storage512GB PCIe NVMe SSD (SK Hynix HFM512GDJTNI-82A0A)1 x 2.5″ SATA slot vacant1 x M.2 slot supporting RAID0 vacantSoftwareMicrosoft Windows 10 HomeKiller Control CenterAcer NitroSenseDTS:X UltraNorton Security UltraConnectivityIntel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 160MhzBluetooth 5.01 x RJ45 LAN (Killer E2600 Gigabit Ethernet)3 x USB 3.0 Type-A (1 x supports power-off charging)1 x USB-C (supports USB 3.2 Gen2 up to 10Gbps)1 x Kensington LockDisplay15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 144 Hz IPS, Acer ComfyView LED-backlit TFT LCD display1 x HDMIAudio2 x 2W speakers1 x Combo audio jackPower180W power adapter57.5 WHr 4-cell Li-Ion batteryDimensions363.4 x 255 x 23.9 mmWeight2.3 kg
Performance
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – CrystalDiskMark
As we’ve listed in the specifications table, the Acer Nitro 5 2020 uses a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. To be precise, it’s the SK Hynix HFM512GDJTNI-82A0A. As you can see from the CrystalDiskMark results, it’s pretty good. While we’ve seen better NVMe drives, this is still pretty solid results, especially in a budget laptop.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Cinebench R15
Moving on to Cinebench R15, you can see that the Intel Core i7-10750H powering the Acer Nitro 5 2020 performed well. The single core performance is essentially on par with the 9th Gen Intel Core i7 and i9 CPUs, and the multi-core performance is only trumped by the Intel Core i9, which is to be expected.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Cinebench R20
The story is slightly different in Cinebench R20 however, as the disparity between CPUs / machines can be seen clearer. It’s still a solid performer, but it seems like it can do better, perhaps when upgrading the RAM since this one is just using a single stick 8GB DDR4.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Unigine SuperPosition
On Unigine SuperPosition in its 4K Optimized benchmark, the Acer Nitro 5 2020 performed decently enough for its specs. The performance is essentially on par with machines running 9th Gen Intel Core i7 and a GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 2060 graphics.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – 3DMark Time Spy
As for 3DMark’s Time Spy benchmark, results differ quite a bit. Some machines running 9th Gen Intel Core i7 and RTX 2060 and GTX 1660 Ti seemed to have scored noticeably better. I suspect this has more to do with RAM configuration than anything else.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – PCMark
In PCMark’s benchmark suite, it seems to indicate that the Acer Nitro 5 2020 gaming laptop is a decent all-rounder machine. You can easily use this for work and play without issues unless what you need to run is very resource-intensive. In which case, you might want to look into some upgrades.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Gaming
As for gaming, the Acer Nitro V 2020 performed well enough in Full HD at each games’ highest settings. Running temperature for CPU and GPU is also good as I had no thermal throttling. Even at max fan speed, it’s not too noisy. It’s best to crank down the settings for some games so you can get a smooth gaming experience.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – PCMark Endurance test
In PCMark’s Modern Office endurance test, you can see that battery life is clearly the weak point of the Acer Nitro 5 2020. Other gaming laptops running similar configurations can do better. Even in the gaming endurance test, it only managed a measly 56 minutes. This is a good sign that you definitely need to bring a charger around if you’re taking this outside.
As for my own use with web browsing, YouTube videos, Photoshop, and word processing, the results vary at times. Sometimes I find myself with 2 and a half hours while other times, I find myself exceeding 3 hours. This is to be expected as it’s based on my usage but basically, the battery life is average.
User Experience
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – Charging port
When I first received our Acer Nitro 5 2020 review unit, I legitimately thought it was faulty. I couldn’t get it to power up even after plugging in the charger. As it turns out, you have to push in the charging connector until you hear an audible click. Something to point out in case you run into similar issues.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review
The Acer Nitro 5 2020 is clearly a budget gaming laptop. The internals are noticeably better than its appearance, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s powered by the Intel Core i7-10750H CPU and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU. As for memory, it has a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD and 8GB DDR4 RAM clocking in at 2933 MHz.
While I do feel that the storage is plenty, it would be nice if it immediately came with 16GB DDR4 RAM (dual-channel). This will improve its usability greatly in all areas. I can understand not being able to do so to keep things within a budget, but if you plan on getting this, I highly suggest upgrading the RAM.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review
As mentioned earlier, it has a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The colours, while not the best, is surprisingly good for a budget gaming laptop, with good viewing angles as well. You can open the lid up to roughly 155°. which is more than enough. There’s not much games that can let you truly enjoy the 144Hz refresh rate, with CS:GO most likely being the only viable one, but at least the option is there.
The laptop measures in a 23.9mm thick and 2.3kg in weight. It’s definitely far from being big and heavy, but we have seen lighter, more portable gaming laptops as of late, even from Acer themselves. I still don’t think it’s hard to carry around, but if you really need a light machine, do consider your options.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review
The Acer Nitro 5 2020 has a decent array of ports. It has a total of three USB-A ports, a USB-C port, an HDMI port, a combo audio jack, and an RJ45 LAN port. What’s great here is that the USB Type-A port on the right side supports power-off charging, essentially turning the laptop into an emergency powerbank. Would be great if they included an SD card reader here.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – 4-zone RGB keyboard
The keyboard on the Acer Nitro 5 2020 is comfortable to use. It has a 4-zone RGB keyboard with low travel distance and decent tactility. The addition of the Numpad makes things even more convenient, especially if you need to use this for work. I expected Acer to cut some costs and make it a single-zone RGB instead, so good on them for going a little extra here. The trackpad works fine but there’s nothing much to shout out about.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – NitroSense
As this is a Nitro gaming laptop, it comes with the Acer NitroSense software. It isn’t as extensive as the PredatorSense software, but it’s still something. You can adjust fan speed, change power plan, customize keyboard RGB lighting, and more. The UI is simple and straightforward so most people shouldn’t have trouble with it.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review – DTS:X Ultra
Apart from that, you do have the KILLER Control Centre, specifically when used with a LAN cable, and the DTS:X Ultra software for a more immersive audio experience with 3D audio. I doubt you’d bother with it when used with internal speakers but with gaming headsets, it can give you that extra edge over your enemies in games, especially first-person shooters.
The speakers on the Acer Nitro 5 2020 gaming laptop are decent at best. It can produce decent details with a severe lack of bass, which is to be expected from built-in speakers. I personally wished that the volume could be louder, but it’s not too bad. You’re better off using your favourite pair of earphones / headphones / gaming headsets.
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Verdict
Acer Nitro 5 2020 Review
The Acer Nitro 5 2020 is a good budget gaming laptop. You get a good amount of firepower but you can easily tell that they had to make some sacrifices here and there. If you simply want a gaming laptop with 10th Gen Intel Core CPU and good GeForce graphics, you can consider this one.
The build quality could be improved, the bezels are on the thicker side, and the battery life is average. It still doesn’t change the fact that it’s a good value-for-money offering. With that I award the Acer Nitro 5 2020 gaming laptop with our Bronze Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Acer Malaysia for letting us use this laptop for the purposes of this review.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Wondering On Where To Get Face mask? Here’s Where You Can Find One In Malaysia

Ever since the Covic-19 outbreak, people have been facing problems in trying to find a face mask for protection. If you’ve been looking for one, you’ll be glad to know that the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS) has given out details on where you can find one.

It is an initiative done by them, where they’ve released on the locations of where you can get a face mask. You can see that each location is colored differently. Here’s what they mean:
Blue: Not confirmedYellow: Sold OutRed: Has stock
If you want to look at the map in detail, you can click on the link right here to find one near you on Google Maps.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Since the Coronavirus outbreak, it’s been hard in trying to get a proper face mask due to the demand, and understandably so. It also was the cause for the cancellation for this year’s MWC 2020.
Pokdepinion: Be sure to share this with your friends and family.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related