ZOTAC Unveils ZBOX Q Series Mini PC – World’s Tiniest Workstation Mini PC With Nvidia Quadro!

ZOTAC has unveil their latest ZBOX Q Series Mini PC which is the world’s tiniest and first that comes with NVIDIA Quadro graphics with Pascal architecture.
ZOTAC ZBOX Q Series Mini PC
The new ZBOX Mini PC Series lineup is set to be demoed at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, USA, meaning it will be the company’s first miniature workstation solution. As mentioned earlier, the series features the NVIDIA Quadro graphics with Pascal architecture, ranging from the P1000 to the new VR ready P5000. All three of them comes equipped with an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor.
ZOTAC QK5 P1000 Mini PC
The P1000 utilizes an Intel Core i5-7200U processor and NVIDIA Quadro P1000 (4GB GDDR5 128-bit). For hard-drive and memory wise, it offers a M.2 SATA 6.0 Gbps SSD slot, 2/5-inch SATA 6.0 Gbps HDD/SSD bay, and two 260-pin DDR4 2133 SODIMM slots.

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There are two USB 3.0 ports for you to utilize and also four HDMI 2.0 ports for display. At the front port, there’s also a 3-in-1 card reader. The P1000 adds versatility and mobility with VESA mounting compatibility, meaning that you can lay it, hang it, or hide it behind a display.
ZOTAC QK7 P3000
For the P3000, it’s graphics card offers 6GB GDDR5 192-bit. With the mini PC, you’ll be getting an Intel Core i7-7700T quad core processor. On the rear, it has 2 USB 2.0 ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports. Head to the front, there’s 2 USB 3.1 ports and also the 3-in-1 card reader.
Hard drive wise, there’s four M.2 PCIe/ SATA SSD slots and a 2.5-inch SATA 6.0 Gbps HDD/SDSD bay. In addition, there’s also two 260-pin DDR4 2400/2133 SODIMM slots (up to 32GB) for you to utilize.
Last but not least is the QK7P5000. It’s NVIDIA Quadro offers 16GB GDDR5 256-bit. As for the processor, it uses an Intel Core i7-7700T, similar to the P3000. This mini PC is VR-ready on the go. Storage wise, it offers the same as the P3000. Besides that, port wise, it offers similarly to the P3000 as well. It comes with 2 HDMI 2.0 ports too for display.
For more information on the series, you can click here to check that out.
Pokdepinion: Prices of the mini PC series hasn’t been confirmed yet. Guess we have to wait to see if it’s worth to buy or not.

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Intel targets PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 by 2021

While we have yet to find a scenario where we can properly saturate PCIe 4.0 in the consumer space, server applications would definitely welcome the extra bandwidth. Intel is planning on capitalizing on that as they are reportedly working on bringing both PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 to the server space in 2021.

TEで、さりげなく重要な展示が… pic.twitter.com/DUwtg8Kdjf
— Kazuki Kasahara (@KazukiKasahara) October 14, 2019

The upcoming Sapphire Rapids series will be the generation which Intel launches support PCIe 5.0 and also an eight-channel DDR5 controller. This will translate to massive amounts of bandwidth to the memory and storage, accelerating any data-intensive workloads. And it will require the massive LGA4677 socket.

They will also be based on a new core architecture called Willow Cove, which will be the next step forward for Intel after the Sunny Cove architecture we see with the Ice Lake processors.

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Sapphire Rapids is expected to come in 2021, which leaves little room for the Ice Lake-based Xeon parts in 2020.
Pokdepinion: I wonder how much of a premium DDR5 will have over current DDR4 memory.
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RFID system upgraded with number plate recognition at selected tolls

While we have yet to see the TNG RFID system rolled out across all of PLUS’ highways, it seems that PLUS is looking to further improve upon the system. PLUS is implementing an Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system in addition to RFID, claiming that this will enhance toll payment processing, and that it is the “first step to a barrier-less, multi-lane free flow highway experience.”
RFID + ANPR is the future?
That was the end goal of RFID, although it seems that the RFID system alone is deemed insufficient for that. PLUS’ implementation of the ANPR system will work with a Toll Validation Center (TVC). The integrated system will be used to detect, analyze and resolve common RFID customer issues automatically. It will be interesting to see if the toll payment experience will actually end up being smoother with the implementation of the ANPR system though.

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It’s quite unclear why PLUS deemed that either RFID or ANPR alone is sufficient, and decided to run both technologies at the same time. But then again, ANPR is probably going to be a challenge in Malaysia, with the non-standardized number plates, despite multiple attempts to curb the issue. However, I do think that’s what the TVC is for, since they are supposed to manually validate vehicle details that cannot be automatically processed by the ANPR system.
PLUS claims that RFID with ANPR system has enabled lane pass-through speeds of up to 30km/h. Currently, the RFID + ANPR system is implemented at nine tolls along the Hutan Kampung to Sungai Dua stretch. The reasoning behind this specific stretch was apparently due to the RFID utilization along this stretch to be the highest among all closed toll highways in Malaysia.
Hopefully the testing goes well and we will have more RFID-enabled tolls with ANPR across Malaysia. But first, more tolls with RFID lanes along with more RFID lanes per toll would be very welcome.
Source
Pokdepinion: I wonder if PLUS has plans to phase out RFID and just use ANPR, making anyone who paid for RFID tags look like fools. Also wasn’t it part of the government’s manifesto to phase out toll payments?
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AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and 7900X3D Malaysia Pricing Announced

Local pricing are mostly similar to standard non-X3D counterparts.

AMD today announced the general availability of its latest Ryzen 7000X3D series processors, with both 16-core and 12-core Ryzen 9 models on this launch. Unlike their standard non-X3D counterparts, these chips contain an extra 64MB of L3 cache stacked on top of one CCD which makes a total of 128MB L3 cache. You’ll need to get the chipset driver update to get these chips work at their best, though.

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The local pricing for AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D is RM3,299 whereas the 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X3D is priced at RM2,799. In fact, the 16-core model is slightly cheaper than its standard counterpart, whereas the 12-core got a RM100 premium over the standard model (pricing at the time of writing).
Pokdepinion: This pricing may actually give the regular 7950X a pricing problem, unless they drop the price of that one.
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Alienware m15 R7, m17 R5, Aurora R14 and Dell G15 Unveiled

Dell and Alienware have recently announced their new machines powered by AMD Ryzen. The Alienware Aurora R14 has a new processor and liquid cooling update which is the first OEM PC with AMD Ryzen 5800X3D processors (Vermeer X), making the most demanding games into cakewalk. The Alienware m15 R7 and m17 R5 laptops were first revealed at CES has also been unveiled with a entry-level and casual gamer laptop, the Dell G15.
Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R14
The Alienware Aurora Ryzen R14 is made by the collaboration of Alienware and AMD designed to optimised airflow and Legend 2.0. The PC has an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU and AMD #D V-Cache technology for faster frame rates in all triple-A title games. The PC includes a new liquid cooler option that improves heat resistance by 42% more than a regular liquid cooler.
Check out below for a more detailed look at its key specifications:

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Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R14 Key Specifications

Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
or
Up to AMD Ryzen 9 Processors

RAM
DDR4 XMP (Up to 128GB @ 3600Mhz)

Graphics
Up to AMD Radeon RX 6900XT
or
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090

Storage
Up to 4TB NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD (with 2TB Boot and 2TB Storage)

Connectivity
2.5G Ethernet
Wi-Fi 6 2×2 WLAN
Bluetooth 5.2

Power
Optional 750W Platinum Rated

Dimensions
529~589 x 225 x 510 mm

Weight
~16.5kg

Alienware m15 R7 and Alienware m17 R5

Both laptops allow the users to enjoy a full gaming experience that features a modern front screen display as well as maximum performance while being juiced with the maximum wattage on the laptop with 170W thermal design power (TDP), which is kept cool by an improved Cryo-tech architecture. The new thermal technology utilizes larger, thinner, and broader fan blades, resulting in 1.3x greater airflow. Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos will allow users to experience better visual and audio.
Check out below for a more detailed look at their specifications:
Alienware m15 R7 and Alienware m17 R5 Specifications

Alienware m15 R7
Alienware m17 R5

Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (8-Core / 16 Thread, 20MB Cache, up to 4.7 GHz max boost)
or
AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX (8-Core /16 Thread, 20MB Cache, up to 4.9 GHz max boost)
AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (8-Core / 16 Thread, 20MB Cache, up to 4.7 GHz max boost)
or
AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX (8-Core /16 Thread, 20MB Cache, up to 4.9 GHz max boost)
or
AMD Ryzen™9 6980HX (8-Core /16 Thread, 20MB Cache, up to 5.0 GHz max boost)

RAM
8GB / 32GB DDR5 4800MHz
or
16GB / 32GB / 64GB Dual-Channel DDR5 4800MHz

Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series
or
AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series

Storage
Single Storage Configurations
26GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
Dual Storage Configurations
512GB / 1TB / 2TB / 4TB (2x 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD)

Connectivity
Mediatek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921 2×2 Wireless LAN / Qualcomm Wi-Fi 6E WCN6856 Dual 2×2 Wireless LAN
Bluetooth 5.2
(1x) RJ-45 Realtek RTL8125BGS 2.5Gbps Ethetnet Port (only w/ 3060, 3070 Ti, or 3080 Ti graphics)
(1x) RJ-45 Realtek RTL8111H-CG 1Gbps Ethernet Port (only w/ 3050 Ti graphics)
(1x) Global headset jack
(1x) Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port
(1x) Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port w/ PowerShare
(1x) Power/DC-in Port
(1x) Type-C (Includes USB4®, 15W (3A/5V) Power Delivery, and DisplayPort 1.4) Port (only w/ 3060, 3070 Ti, and 3080 Ti graphics)
(1x) Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 15W (3A/5V) Power Delivery, and DisplayPort 1.4) Port (only w/ 3050 Ti graphics)
(1x) Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port

Display
15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 165Hz 3ms with ComfortView Plus, NVIDIA G-SYNC and Advanced Optimus
or
15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 360Hz 1ms with ComfortView Plus, NVIDIA G-SYNC and Advanced Optimus
or
15.6″ QHD (2560 x 1440) 240Hz 2ms with ComfortView Plus, NVIDIA G-SYNC and Advanced Optimus
(1x) HDMI 2.1 Output Port
17.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 165Hz 3ms, ComfortView Plus, AMD Freesyncor NVIDIA G-SYNC + Advanced Optimus
or
17.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 360Hz 1ms, ComfortView Plus, AMD Freesyncor NVIDIA G-SYNC + Advanced Optimus
or
17.3″ UHD (3840 x 2160) 120Hz 3s with ComfortView Plus, AMD FreesyncPremium & AMD SmartAccess Graphics support
(1x) HDMI 2.1 Output Port

 Keyboard
Alienware M Series 1-Zone AlienFX keyboard (Standard)
1.8mm key travel
Includes Anti-ghosting technology
or
Alienware M Series per-key AlienFX RGB keyboard
1.8mm key travel
Includes N-key rollover technology
or
Alienware’s CherryMX ultra low-profile mechanical laptop keyboard with per-key AlienFX lighting
1.8mm key travel
Includes N-key rollover technology

Power
Lithium Ion (56 Whr) Battery with Alienware Battery Defender technology (Standard)
or
Lithium Ion (86 Whr) Battery with Alienware Battery Defender technology
Lithium Ion (64 Whr) Battery (Standard)
or
Lithium Ion (97 Whr) Battery

Dimensions
12.9~13.95 x 272.5 x 356.2 mm
14.62~26.7 x 298.71 x 397.3 mm

Weight
2.42~2.69 Kgs
3.3 Kgs

Dell G15 (5525)

The Dell G15 gaming laptop features the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series graphics with up to 8GB dedicated memory and AMD Ryzen 6000 Series Mobile Processors, cooled by a dual air-intake and four exhaust vents. The laptop has Alienware-inspired thermal engineering and delivers ideal cooling with ultra-thin fan blades and copper pipes, allowing for a longer and quieter gaming experience. The laptop is ideal for novice and casual gamers that are looking for a laptop with an easy-to-care-for sturdy exterior finish and enhanced sound features with Alienware Command Center.
Check out below for a more detailed look at its specifications:
Dell G15 Specifications

Processor
AMD Ryzen™5 6600H 6-Cores Processor (19M Cache, up to 4.5 GHz)
or
AMD Ryzen™6800H 8-Cores Processor (20M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz)
or
AMD Ryzen™9 6900HX 8-Cores Processor (20M Cache, up to 4.9 GHz)

RAM
8 -16GB, 4800 MHz, DDR5

Graphics
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™3050 4GB GDDR6
or
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™3050 Ti 4GB GDDR6
or
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™3060, 6GB GDDR6
or
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™3070 Ti, 8GB GDDR6

Storage
256GB / 512GB / 1TB PCIe NVMeM.2 SSD Class 35
or
2TB PCIe NVMeM.2 SSD Class 40

Connectivity
MediaTek MT7921 Wi-Fi 6
RTX 3050/3050 Ti
Realtek Ethernet
(3x) SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
(1x) USB Type C Gen 3.2 Display Port Alt-Mode
(1x) RJ45
RTX 3060/3070 Ti
Realtek RTL8125BGS (2.5G)
(3x) SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
(1x) USB Type C Gen 3.2 Display Port Alt-Mode
(1x) RJ45

Display
FHD (1920x 1080) 250 nits WVA Anti-GlareLED Backlit Display (non-touch) with 45% NTSC color gamut, 120Hz refresh rate
or
FHD (1920x 1080) 300 nits WVA Anti-GlareLED Backlit Display (non-touch) with sRGB-100% color gamut, 165Hz refresh rate
or
QHD (2560x 1440) 400 nits WVA Anti-GlareLED Backlit Display (non-touch) with DCI-P3 99% color gamut, 240Hz refresh rate
HDMI 2.1

Audio
2 tuned speakers with Dolby Audio for Gamers
1 combo headphone/microphone jack
Integrated widescreen HD (720p) Webcam with Dual Array Digital Microphone

Keyboard

Standard full-size, spill-resistant keyboard with numeric keypad
or
Orange backlit full-size, spill-resistant WASD keyboard with numeric keypad with Game Shift key at F9 (USEnglish only)
or
4-zone RGB backlit, spill-resistant WASD keyboard with numeric keypad with Game Shift key at F9 (US English only) on R5 with 3050 Tiand above

Power
56 WHr, 3-Cell Battery (integrated) with express charge
or
86 WHr, 6-Cell Battery (integrated) with express charge
with
180W AC Adapter
or
240W AC Adapter

Dimensions
26.9 x 357.26 x 272.11 mm

Weight
2.519 Kgs or more

Pokdepinion: Alienware Aurora R14 design looks really unique. Can’t wait to take a look when it comes to Malaysia. All three laptops look good for their portability and value.
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Take a look at these promotions on Intel®-powered PCs at MITE 2019!

If you are in the market for a new laptop, you might be heading over to the Malaysia IT & Electronic Expo 2019 (MITE 2019). Well to save you the hassle of scouting out for a great deal yourself, we have here some offers from SNS Network.

For starters, the first 50 customers to purchase any modern PC powered by an Intel® Core™ processor from Acer, Dell or Lenovo will be eligible for a FREE Seagate Expansion 500GB external HDD. But of course, that’s not all.

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The Microsoft Surface Go can be set up like a normal tablet or used like a normal laptop.
SNS Network is currently throwing a promotion on the latest range of Microsoft Surface products, with prices starting from as low as RM2289. The promotional deals are as follows:

Surface Pro 5 bundled with Signature/Normal Type Cover *clearance* – pricing starts from RM4669
Surface Pro 6 bundled with Signature/Normal Type Cover – pricing starts from RM4399
Surface Go bundled with Surface Signature Type Cover – pricing starts from RM2289
Surface Laptop starting from RM5199 *clearance*
Surface Laptop 2 starting from RM4499
Surface Book 2 starting from RM5699
Surface and PC accessories from RM139
Office 365 and Office 2019 from RM159
PWP offers for only RM1 each for selected Surface models – Surface Pen, Microsoft Designer Bluetooth Mouse, 1-year Shield Care Extended Warranty
Lucky wheel spin to win up to 3 additional complimentary gifts!

If you are in the market for a new laptop or a Surface device, you know where to go this weekend from 29th March to 31st March. MITE 2019 will be running through those dates from 11am to 9pm at Mid Valley Exhibition Center, Level 3, Mid Valley Megamall. SNS Network’s booth is at Booth P105, Hall 1, so go check them out!
Pokdepinion: Should I get a Surface Go? Hmm…
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Cooler Master MM830 arrives in Malaysia priced at RM289 — OLED display, hidden D-Pad and a maximum 24 000 DPI sensitivity in tow

Now, how often do you see mice with a D-Pad? The Cooler Master MM830 is your best chance to experience a hidden D-Pad integrated into a mouse. This is probably the Taiwanese brand’s most feature-rich mouse ever.
Cooler Master managed to cram a 24 000 DPI Pixart 3360 sensor, the aforementioned D-Pad in the thumb rest area, Omron switches good for 20M clicks and even a customizable OLED panel into the PBT chassis of the Cooler Master MM830. The OLED display can be customized to show graphics, track APMs or show your current DPI settings.

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Of course, we can’t expect it to be a feather-weight with so much hardware in it. The mouse weighs a pretty substantial 162 g, so it might take some getting used to.
The Cooler Master MM830 is now available here in Malaysia, priced at RM289.
Pokdepinion: Hmm looking at the weight, I am having second thoughts… Although I would love to have an OLED on my mouse…
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Acer Predator G1 gaming desktop review — small and powerful

The Acer Predator G1 is the latest addition to Acer’s G series of gaming desktops after the Predator G3 and G6. Inside its 16-liter body, the Acer Predator G1 gaming desktop is packed with uncompromising high performance hardware with a 6th generation Intel Core series desktop processor and the latest NVIDIA Pascal graphics card. If you like small form factor gaming rigs, let’s go on to the unboxing section of the Acer Predator G1.
Unboxing

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The Acer Predator G1 comes in a fairly small box with the actual product picture printed on both the front and back side. At the side of the box, we have a specifications label. For this review, we received the Acer Predator G1-710 model.

Inside the box we have the Acer Predator G1, two power bricks and its cradle, a RGB mechanical gaming keyboard, a gaming mouse, a Acer mousepad also the usual user guide manual and warranty documentation.
Appearance

At first glance it look similar to the Predator G6, but with a smaller footprint the Predator G1 looks way more aggressive. Dressed in black with red accents, the armored-plated design give the Predator G1 a unique look. The Predator logo on both the side panels ensures that no one will mistake it for any other system. On the right-side panel, it has stickers highlighting the PC specifications and its features, such as its VR readiness.

From the front view, we have a microphone and headset jack, a USB 3.0, a USB Type-C port and a SD-card reader. Discreetly hidden along the center line is also a vertically oriented DVD drive. While the viability of a DVD drive is lessening as time goes by, it is still better to have one than not to. The Predator G1 also sports LED lighting on the front panel, and the Predator logo is also illuminated when the Predator G1 is on.

On both side the Predator G1 has two headset cradle which I found a little bit small for certain headset model which has wider and thick headband. But it’s really convenient no matter where you position the PC either right or left side of a table. You can also mount up to two headset at the same time on the cradle.

Move to the rear compartment, we have 7.1 surround sound audio jacks, four USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port and two power connectors which power the graphics card and the rest of the system separately. For display connectivity, we have a DVI port, a HDMI 2.0 port and a total of three DisplayPort 1.4.

The two power bricks that feeds the Predator G1 are each capable to supply up to 230 watts. In total, 460 watts can be delivered to the Predator G1. Do note that while the Predator G1 itself is very compact the dual power bricks do take up quite a bit of space themselves too.

The internal layout of the Predator G1 is very neat. Its’s very clean without any cable snaking around in plain sight. The Predator G1 using a typical Intel heatsink but with a larger fan for better cooling. Beside the HSF it has a blower-type fan to exhaust the heat out of the case. As we can see the unit only comes with a single stick of 16GB RAM running at single channel. I’ve seen that some other samples of the other Predators that comes with 32GB RAM, but are made up of 4 sticks of 8GB RAM. With the extra free RAM slots, this configuration is much better if you want to add more RAM in the future.

Hiding behind the enclosure, there is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Founder Edition mounted vertically with a PCB riser. Upgrading might be limited, but as far I can see you can only easily upgrade the RAM or storage.

Upgrading the GPU seems possible as I found there is another extra 6-pin PCIe connector on the motherboard to feed a more power hungry card if needed.

Acer has bundled a low-profile RGB mechanical keyboard, a gaming mouse and a mouse pad. All you need to do is own a monitor and you will be set to frag. The Acer Flare mechanical keyboard uses Blue Kailh Agile switches, with a detachable braided cable, which is definitely a clear upgrade from the usual disposable membrane keyboard you get bundled with gaming desktops. By the way, can you spot the similarities with the Tesoro Gram Spectrum?
Specifications

BIOS interface

Instead of a UEFI BIOS, the Predator G1 comes with a legacy BIOS. It might bother some people but since the processor has a locked multiplier, it’s fine by me.
Killer Network Manager

This tool allows you manage, prioritize or even block any network connections on certain apps for lower ping. This does seem quite unnecessary as long you have subscribed to any decent internet package.
Predator Sense
Acer Predator SenseHomeAcer Predator SenseLogoAcer Predator SenseV BadgeAcer Predator SenseHighlights
A monitoring software built-in to monitor the CPU temperature and Fan speed. You can also customize the LED effect with this app. I also found that it need an update since it doesn’t detect and monitor the GPU unlike on the Acer’ Predator gaming notebook.
Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5ProfileCreative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5SBX Pro StudioCreative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5Scout ModeCreative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5EAX Effects & EQCreative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5Advanced Settings
Equipped with a Creative sound chip, the Predator G1 allows you to make audio adjustment and effect on-the-fly. There are multiple tabs in the software for you to explore and tweak the sound. I played with the software around 40 minutes and I found above setting is the best for my ear.
Predator Intuitive Software

With the software, you can set the macros on the keyboard and customize the RGB lighting effect. The software feels a little bit laggy and not very responsive.
Performance
For the operating system, the Acer Predator G1 has it on a standard 2.5″ SSD from Lite-on. For archive and game library, a sizeable 2TB mechanical hard drive from Seagate helps you store all the games you have.

The SSD transfer speed is quite disappointing especially in terms of the write speed. It’s quite slow, averaging at 181 MBs. If compared to the Kingston UV400, another entry-level SSD I have reviewed, the Kingston one has much better transfer speed.

Surprisingly the spinning disk is faster in sequential transfer speed compare to the SSD, but in term of responsiveness a HDD will never able to beat a SSD. Overall the HDD is a good drive for game storage.

For a quick system stability test, I’m ran ROG RealBench and It had no stability issues at all at stock clocks. During the review the Predator G1 idle power consumption was only 103 watts and never hit above 305 watts under load. At idle, the temperature for CPU was 44 Celsius and the GPU was sitting at 46 Celsius. I ran LinX to stress the CPU and the highest temperature is recorded at 75 Celsius while the GPU recorded a peak of 87 Celsius when gaming. The results were expected since it’s not using third-party cooling solutions that would have brought temps further down.

With a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, playing DOTA2 and CS: GO regardless of the resolution is never an issue at all. The GPU usage started to peak at 100% after increasing the resolution to 4K.

The Acer Predator G1 handled Overwatch with ease. It does perform very well on 1080p and 1440p. At 4K resolution, it passes the PC Master Race 60fps threshold, but not my much. The setting used is “Epic” and I set all the advanced setting to the highest possible, render scale is set at 100%. By the way have you bought the game? If not then you should buy and play it, the game is very fun to play. Or play this weekend. It’s free!

We are still using the Battlefield 4 until Battlefield 1 is fully stable to judge both DX11 and DX12 performance. The Predator G1 did a good job in to keep the game smooth even at 4K resolution. The setting is set to “Ultra” and the AA is set to the highest setting.

As long the Predator G1 not equipped with a NVIDIA GeForce Titan X Pascal, playing the Witcher 3 at 4K is almost impossible. As the game is graphically intensive, playing at 1440p with NVIDIA HairWorks turned off is already very satisfying. If you really intend to play the Witcher 3 at 4K resolution without any lag or screen tearing, be ready to purchase a Acer Predator gaming monitor with NVIDIA G-Sync.
Overclocking
The Acer Predator G1 comes with an Intel Core i7 6700 instead of the unlocked “K” variant, so we could not overclock the CPU. We do wish Acer packed in an unlocked CPU and beefier AIO liquid cooling to allow us to have an insanely powerful yet compact rig.

I managed to overclock the the GTX 1080 without increase any voltage. I got a 230 MHz increment on the core clock and an extra 500 MHz on the memory clock. After testing it to be stable without any color artifacts in Valley benchmark, I played Overwatch for several rounds and the real world benefits are as below.

User Experience
Personally, I found the LED lighting on the Predator G1 to really enhance the overall aesthetics of the system. It’s bright and the color transition or pulsing effects are smooth. When under loadm the system doesn’t get loud at all even though it is trying really hard to keep the temperature cool. In terms of audio quality, I really have nothing to complain about.

How about the gaming peripherals that are bundled with the Predator G1? The size of mouse pad is rather small and the material is very thin. The mouse is pretty light, which is great, and the tracking performance is acceptable. The mouse’s lift-off distance is a bit too high for my liking though.

The included mechanical keyboard is a great touch by Acer, and RGB illumination is just the icing on the cake. Typing on a low-profile keyboard is really satisfying and really quite enjoyable, but the experience is slightly marred as the Blue Kailh Agile switches feels stiffer than what I am used too. Still, I would pick the Acer Flare any day over a membrane keyboard.
Conclusion
A pre-built computer doesn’t come cheap and I agree that building your own computer can save a lot of money. But in the market, there are a lot of people who do not know/want or even think about building his/her own computer. In addition, some DIY system might face problems if you are not that experienced in DIY PC building. The Acer Predator G1 comes with a 2-year warranty and it is priced at RM 10,999. You are essentially paying the extra for peace of mind, a guarantee your new gaming system will work straight out of the box. Judging based on the performance, aesthetic values and its rich features, this small beast absolutely deserves our Silver Pokdeward. To be honest, we would love to give it a Gold Pokdeward, but we are held back by the slow storage, locked CPU as well as the limited cooling performance of the CPU cooler.

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Apple announced shift to Arm-based Apple Silicon for Macs

Apple has made huge strides in the mobile SoC space, with the Apple A-series chipsets being the fastest chipsets you can get in a smartphone today. Of course, they are hobbled by relatively poor cooling, but that’s a discussion for another day. Apple is now apparently confident enough in their chipmaking capabilities that they will be making the shift to Apple Silicon across their product lineup, instead of just using them in their mobile devices.

This move has been rumored for quite sometime, with Apple reportedly unhappy with Intel’s relatively slow progress. And we also know how much Apple loves having full control over its hardware and software, which is something that Intel cannot offer to them. So to that end, Apple will adopting their own SoCs for Macs, sharing a common architecture with the other Apple Silicon as well.

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Apple being Apple, they have ensured that the software end of things are well taken care of, with them confirming that all of their apps are now available as Arm apps too. They are also working with Microsoft and Adobe to ensure that popular apps like Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop can run natively on the Arm-based chips in the upcoming Macs. They showcased Final Cut Pro running smoothly on the dev kit too, which sports the A12Z Bionic from the recent iPad Pros in a Mac mini enclosure. It sure looks pretty promising.

Parallels Desktop will still work as usual, and on top of all that, all iPad and iPhone apps will now run directly on macOS, which isn’t all that surprising considering that they are essentially based on the same architecture now. For apps that aren’t compiled for Arm, Apple has implemented Rosetta 2 to translate software developed to run on Intel’s processors to run on the newer Macs featuring the Arm-based chips.

With this transition to be more self-reliant, Apple will be able to control their product’s user experience better. They will also be able to release refreshes of their products, with incremental upgrades to the chipset, without having to wait on Intel to churn out the next big thing, only to throttle it. The efficiency of the Arm-based Apple Silicon chips would also easily surpass any x86-based design, which should result in drastically improved battery life in the upcoming MacBooks. The reduced need for cooling will come in handy for some thinner and lighter designs.

Both macOS and Windows now offer their software for Arm-based devices. To be entirely honest, I do believe Apple will have a better chance at succeeding, considering that they do have full control over their products, from the hardware to the software, and now with them no longer needing a third-party to supply them with processors, the optimization can be even more in depth. I am surely looking forward to see how Apple will play their cards with this development.
Pokdepinion: I wonder if Intel will now open up the sales of their higher-end chips to other OEMs instead of making them Apple-exclusive.
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VAIO Set For Comeback In Asia — Introducing S11 And S13!

Do you still remember VAIO? Previously under Sony, the Japanese laptop brand is now set for a comeback as they make an appearance at this year’s Computex 2018 in the form of the Vaio S11 and S13 notebooks. They are set for markets in Asia next month following an agreement with Nexstgo to oversee business here in the region.
VAIO S11 And S13

It has been 4 years since VAIO cut-off ties from Sony and soon in August, Nexstgo will be supervising as the S11 and S13 be making their way to Singapore and Malaysia. The agreement between both companies will see Nexstgo to handle manufacturing, sales, as well as marketing of the VAIO laptops in the region.

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Both of the new laptops are powered by Intel’s 8th Gen Core i5 or i7 processors, where the S11 sports a 11.6-inch full HD IPS display. As you can tell from its namesake, the S13 will have a bigger 13.3-inch full HD IPS screen.
As they are thin and light laptops, the S11 weighs only at 0.85KG and 1.07KG for the S13, meaning they wouldn’t be a hassle to bring around, even with one hand. They will come with a LAN port, three USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, VGA, a 3.5mm audio port, and also an SD card reader. The S11 will pack 8GB to 16GB of RAM while the S13 will start from 4GB to 16GB RAM. Storage wise, they will feature 128GB to 512GB SSD.
While prices aren’t released just yet. you can expect it to not be cheap as their previous history has shown that they aren’t low in terms of pricing. Until then, we would have to wait for their official prices and play the waiting game.
Pokdepinion: While I’ve personally have never used a VAIO laptop before (mainly because I couldn’t afford one back then), they’ve always had the reputation of offering good quality and build material. Are you looking forward to their new laptop? Let us know.
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Source: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd

With the global chip supply shortage going for far longer than expected, Sony will be partnering up with Taiwanese semiconductor company TSMC to remedy the issue. This is what’s expected to happen.
Sony and TSMC Partnering Up to Combat Chip Supply Shortage Issue

Sony and TSMC will reportedly be teaming up to help with the ongoing global chip supply shortage. Both companies are looking at a partnership to co-establish a new semiconductor factory somewhere in Japan, which is expected start operation by 2024 if everything goes well.

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According to sources familiar with the matter, this new factory will be based at a location owned by Sony in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture. This is relatively close to their image sensor factory and will see an investment of USD $7 billion (RM29.2 billion approximately) from both them and TSMC combined.
The factory will be manufacturing chips used for cameras, cars, and other products, most notably highlighting the ones that have seen a drop in production capacity as a result of the global chip supply shortage. While both companies have declined to comment on the matter, Japanese automotive parts manufacturer Denso is said to be interested in the project as well.
It’s not going to fix things anytime soon, especially since it’s expected to begin operations in 2024, but a step today will ensure a better tomorrow. As it is, plenty of companies are already expecting this issue to continue for at least a few more years so for now, we will just have to deal with it. We will report more on this and similar happenings as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: I foresee either more companies hopping on the project as well or running similar initiatives to combat the issue. Either way, it’s kind of sad that we will still be having this issue for years to come.
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Ride Sharing Drivers May Be Halved Come July 2019

As some of you may be aware, there is a deadline for ride sharing drivers to obtain a Public Service Vehicles (PSV) license, which is on 12th July 2019. Because of this, it’s expected that the number of ride sharing / e-hailing drivers will be halved when the deadline is here.
One major reason for such a drastic drop is because there are plenty of ride sharing / e-hailing drivers doing this only on a part-time basis to supplement their income. Obtaining the PSV license will incur more costs, which may make it pointless unless people plan to do it on a full-time basis.

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Grab Drivers Malaysia Association president Arif Asyraf Ali said:
We expect to see about 50% of the drivers opting out. Since most of them drive on a part-time basis, the procedure to join a e-hailing company directly was much easier.
To help out with costs in obtaining the PSV license, Grab is subsidizing RM50 for each driver attending the training, as well as an additional RM70 for inspection costs of vehicles older than three years. Despite this, many drivers may not see the long-term benefit of working towards the requirement, and would most likely quit as a result.
It is said that there are approximately 200,000 ride sharing / e-hailing drivers working in Malaysia. Out of this, roughly three-quarters of them do this on a part-time basis. With an expectation of a significant number of drivers dropping out, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see far lesser people signing up as drivers in the future.
This move wouldn’t be affecting Grab exclusively as there are other similar services around. This includes MyCar, Mula, and the women-only Carriage for Her, and all of these will certainly be greatly affected by this.
Source: The Star
Pokdepinion: Now I’m wondering two things; would we see an inevitable increase in fares and would it be harder to get rides when the deadline is here? I guess only time will tell.
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ASRock says GPU demand from China’s cryptominers is dropping

While the new generation of GPUs launched right into a time when cryptocurrencies were breaking records with their all-time highs, the new lows are apparently also resulting in a reduced GPU demand among cryptominers. At least, if you take ASRock’s word for it.
In ASRock’s quarterly report, they reported a net profit of $17.88 million for Q1 2021, representing a 39.7% increase from last quarter, or 167% year-on-year, marking the company’s most profitable quarter yet. And ASRock expects to grow even further, despite the ongoing shortages and also dropping graphics cards prices due to the lowering GPU demand for GPUs from China’s cryptomining sector.
ASRock’s shipments are affected by the silicon shortage, as they can’t exactly sell motherboards for non-existent CPUs, and they definitely can’t produce a graphics card without AMD GPUs either, which actually makes their results all the more amazing. They expect to see improved availability of their AMD graphics cards offerings in the second half of 2021, with capacity adjustments and improved supplies of substrate materials on AMD’s end.

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It is probably worth mentioning that AMD’s RDNA 2 GPUs aren’t nearly as popular among miners as NVIDIA’s latest Ampere GPUs, so the improved availability might probably be attributed to AMD’s efforts to improve supply, rather than miners losing their appetites for the latest GPUs.

Still, any graphics card that’s widely available is good news. Especially now with AMD trying to level the playing field with its FidelityFX Super Resolution technology to address its weakness in raytracing performance, AMD might be a great choice for gamers, especially if it is more widely available at lower prices.
Source
Pokdepinion: I guess we can hang on to our current graphics cards just a bit longer…
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HP Locks Its Printers From Using Third-Party Inks After Firmware Update

Previously only a warning message noting print quality may be affected if any non-HP inks are used, but now HP locks them out outright.
Image: u/grhhull (Reddit)
Some users found it the hard way when HP locks out their printers from using non-HP inks: Reddit user u/grhhull posted with the image above and has inquired HP on the matter. The company confirms that “this is due to the recent ‘update’ of all printers”.
HP has gained some amounts of notoriety with its Dynamic Security feature for its printing products, and has even got themselves in hot legal waters a few years ago. The company cited these reasons for the feature: “HP uses dynamic security measures to protect the quality of our customer experience, maintain the integrity of our printing systems, and protect our intellectual property.”

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We don’t know exactly which models are getting this “update” so far, but HP has apparently said this on some of the model pages: “Cartridges using a non-HP chip may not work, and those that work today may not work in the future.” One way of avoiding this is to simply not update your printer. This isn’t new, though – this Twitter thread from late last year has enraged the user so much so they stopped using HP printers altogether (and has since bought the competing Brother printers instead, as suggested).
When Ars probed, HP came back to them with rather vague response. Comments under the article has pointed out that HP’s business model meant selling cheap printers at a loss, but that requires selling inks to recoup the costs back, which may explain HP’s aggressive measures against the use of third-party inks.
Source: PCMag | Ars Technica
Pokdepinion: Bad move, HP.
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ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Great for Some, Not So For Others

Unboxing the ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Box

Let’s start off our ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED review with the unboxing. The box is pretty much your run-of-the-mill brown box, nothing much to say it. Inside the box, you can find the following items:
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Box content

User guide
Warranty card
ASUS Pen 2.0
Magnetic stylus holder
Sleeve
Stand
65W USB-C charging brick
Detachable keyboard
The ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED itself

Appearance
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – OLED display
The ASUS VivoBook Slate 13 OLED is a 2-in-1 laptop akin to the Microsoft Surface devices. In other words, it’s basically a tablet running a full-fledged Windows OS with a detachable keyboard which connects magnetically. The screen is a 13.3-inch Full HD OLED display with touchscreen support and relatively thick bezels.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Ports
On the left side, you have a 3.5mm combo audio jack, two USB-C ports, a microSD card reader, and speaker grilles. As for the right side, you have more speaker grilles, the Dolby Atmos logo, and volume rockers. Moving over to the top, you have a dedicated area to put the ASUS Pen 2.0 and the power button. Lastly on the bottom, you only have the magnetic accessory port, which is used for the detachable keyboard.

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ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Rear
Flipping it over to the rear, which has a matte black finish, it’s relatively clean here. There’s nothing much to find here aside from the rear camera. You can attach the included stand here magnetically so it can be positioned upright on its own or position it in any angle up to 180° flat.
Overall, the ASUS VivoBook Slate 13 OLED is more of a tablet with accessories that can transform it into a laptop. It has a clean, classy finish with good innovations that allow users to have more versatility with it. In fact, the included accessories make it seamless to transform it from a standalone tablet to laptop mode and anything in between, which is great.
Specifications

CPU:
Intel Pentium Silver N6000 (up to 3.3 GHz Boost), 4C/4T, 6W TDP, 10nm

RAM:
8GB 2933MHz DDR4 Dual-channel (soldered)

GPU:
Intel UHD Graphics

Storage:
256GB NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD (WD PC SN530)

Software:
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
MyASUS

Connectivity:
Wireless
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Dual Band (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.2
Wired
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (DisplayPort and PD Charging)
1 x microSD card reader

Display:
13.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) PANTONE Validated Glossy OLED display, 16:9 aspect ratio, 60Hz, 83% screen-to-body ratio
100% DCI-P3, VESA Certified Display HDR True Black 500, SGS Eye Care Display, touchscreen with stylus support
Dolby Vision
ASUS Pen 2.0

Audio:
4 x stereo speakers with Smart Amp Technology
1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack
Dolby Atmos
Array microphone

Power:
65W USB-C power adapter
50Whr 3-cell Li-ion battery

Dimensions:
309.9 x 190 x 8.2 mm

Weight:
0.78kg

Performance
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – CrystalDiskMark
Kicking off the benchmark suite with CrystalDiskMark, the 256GB WD PC SN530 SSD did pretty well. The speeds are fast for sure which means you can expect minimal booting and loading times for sure, at least as far as storage is concerned.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Cinebench R20
Moving next to Cinebench R20, the Intel Pentium Silver N6000 powering the ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED shows why it is an entry-level CPU. The single core performance is decent for sure but the multi-core score is certainly lacking. This is a sign that it won’t be able to hand intensive tasks too well.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Unigine SuperPosition
Unsurprisingly in Unigine SuperPosition is 4K Optimized setting, the ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED is lacking here. After all, this benchmark would require a decent discrete GPU to be able to get good scores, and with this 2-in-1 laptop, it uses the Intel UHD Graphics integrated GPU.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – 3DMark Time Spy
A similar pattern can be seen in 3DMark Time Spy, with the score being low. The only good thing we can say is that it’s at least not the lowest performer in our list of benchmarked devices, but it doesn’t really mean much. If you want to play games on it, you’d either stick to browser games or retro games that doesn’t require much computing power.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – PCMark 10
As for PCMark 10, it seems to show that the ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED is a pretty decent device, with Digital Content Creation being the one area it’s lacking. For the most part, it’s pointing towards this laptop being good for productivity.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Battery endurance test
In case you’re wondering about battery life, the ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED managed to last 8 hours and 16 minutes (496 minutes) before the battery died out. It’s not the best, nor would I call it all-day battery life, but it’s still pretty decent nonetheless. It’s worth noting that the standby time is pretty good, and the ability to charge via USB-C makes it very convenient to juice it up as well.
Looking for a more traditional laptop that can fit well for office work? Check out our review of the ASUS ExpertBook B5 by clicking right here.
User Experience
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Intel Pentium Silver N6000
The ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED is powered by the Intel Pentium Silver N6000 CPU with Intel UHD Graphics iGPU. This might seem unfamiliar to most of you but it’s basically an entry-level processor, so its performance is a far cry from even the Intel Core i3 within the past few generations. As for memory, it has a dual-channel 8GB DDR4 RAM that’s soldered on and 256GB SSD. Given its status, the memory configuration is certainly enough but would be nice if the RAM wasn’t soldered so it gives room for upgrades.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review
Moving on to the main event of the device, the display. It’s a 13.3-inch Full HD PANTONE Validated Glossy OLED touchscreen display. This means you get to enjoy good colours, excellent contrast, and the truest blacks possible. The downside of the display is the brightness being rather low and the glossy display, which can make it a bit hard to use outdoors, especially under direct sunlight.
Pairing that display in an ideal environment with its quad speaker setup and you actually have a pretty good, portable multimedia machine. It’s capable of outputting clear, bright audio with a smidgen of bass at a good volume. If you don’t plan on using headphones and you won’t be disturbing other people around, relying on the speakers is actually a good idea given how well it performs.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – ASUS Pen 2.0
Moving back to the display for a bit, you can make use of the touchscreen with your fingers for added convenience regardless of whether you’re using it in tablet mode, laptop mode, or anything in between. If you want to do something with more precision, then the included ASUS Pen 2.0 is your friend.
You can enjoy up to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and customize it with 4 different tips (2H, H, HB, and B). All it you need to do pair it is with a single click of a button. Just keep in mind that it needs to be charged via USB-C, which can yield roughly 120 to 140 hours per full charge. Writing with it has been a pleasant experience, with response times being almost instant, and options that makes it easy for creatives to sketch and colour their artwork.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Stand
If you’re not sure what sort of laptop this is, think of it as ASUS’s take on the Microsoft Surface. The keyboard, which also has a trackpad on it, is completely separate from the device as it connects to it magnetically. Typing experience is decent with low travel distance but if you need something with more tactile feedback, this isn’t the one for you. It’s worth noting that the stand, while easy to attach, isn’t sturdy enough to sit on your lap in a stable manner. You will feel it wobble and there’s a likely chance it will fall off, so do be careful.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Ports
As for ports, the ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED doesn’t have much but it’s unsurprising given its emphasis on portability. You only get two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, a microSD card reader, and a combo audio jack. One of the USB-C ports will be used for charging, which means you can only connect one peripheral with it. However, you can always use a USB-C hub to expand its connectivity potential, where it’s more USB ports, an HDMI port, or others. The card reader is a bonus but personally, I wished it came with Thunderbolt 4 for better versatility.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review – Webcams
One thing that is surprising is the webcam quality on the ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED. It’s certainly a step up from most laptops’ built-in webcams, even those that are far above its price range. With people still working away from the office, if video conference calls are high on the priority list, this will definitely serve you well.
Like most ASUS laptops nowadays, the ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED comes with MyASUS pre-installed. It essentially has everything you need in a single suite, from toggling performance modes to changing display modes and more. You can also use the Link to MyASUS feature to mirror your smartphone screen on it.
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Verdict
ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED Review
The ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED is an interesting 2-in-1 laptop, but it’s not meant for everyone. It would fit well for multimedia consumption, office work, and studies. For creative work, I would limit it to drawings or image-related visual work as it would be tough to edit videos on this given its power. If you fit in the mold of these people and want something ultraportable, this will server you well, though its retail price of RM3,499 may be a bit hard to justify it.
At the end of our ASUS VivoBook 13 Slate OLED review, I award this 2-in-1 laptop with our Bronze Pokdeward.

Big thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us this laptop for the purpose of this review.
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New Samsung Galaxy A03s Launches In Malaysia For RM559

Samsung today unveiled the new Samsung Galaxy A03s, an entry-level smartphone aimed at individuals looking for a handset with great essential features without breaking their budget. This device features a side fingerprint sensor, a 6.5-inch HD+ display, a 13MP rear camera, and a 5,000mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy A03s Launched

The Samsung Galaxy A03s comes with a triple camera setup that includes a 13MP main camera, a Macro 2MP camera and a depth sensor. It also has a 5MP selfie camera with built-in Selfie Focus and Smart Beauty effects. To create the tone for any of your photographs, use various effects like Live Stickers (also known as facial-recognition stickers), stamps, and filters to add a personal touch to your already stunning image.

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The Samsung Galaxy A03 also touts a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD display and is powered by a MediaTek Helio P35 SoC. The device also comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of inbuilt storage that can be upgraded up to 1TB with a microSD card. Powering the lights on is a 5,000mah battery with 7.75W charging.
The Samsung Galaxy A03 retails for RM559 and comes in three colour variants; Black, Blue, and White. For more information on the device, head over to their official site here.
Pokdepinion: The A03s looks pretty decent if I do say so myself. Looks like a really good phone to get for kids or grandparents as their first phones.
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Crystal Of Reunion ; Now Available To Download For Free!

Crystal of Reunion, a kingdom-build, real-time mobile strategy MMORPG is now available to download for free (contains in-app purchases). The game, which was developed by Orange Cube Inc. and gumi inc. is available to download for iOS and Android players in the Southeast Asia and Oceania regions.
Crystal of Reunion
The game is set on the world of Midgard where players take the role of King, aided by a legendary hero of your choice. It features authentic Japanese strategy RPG elements, real-time strategic battles, a host of characters and legendary heroes, ability to wage war or form alliances, battle with innumerable monsters, hero customization and much more.
Conduct research and gain resources to build up your army. Uncover each character’s own unique personality and backstory as you progress through the game.

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Participating in events would grant you rewards, from both competitive and cooperative events.
The launching of the game also coincides with Heroes’ and Gods’ Autumn: Night of the Full Moon Over the Sea festivities, where players can take part in several events. This includes the Change’ Limited Time Challenge, where you’ll need to impress the goddess of the Moon by defeating her to gain rewards. This event is only until the 15th October 2017.
Next is the Goddess Mid-Autumn Wish, which starts from 4th to 5th of October. This one day event will see the goddess make an appearance. Just login to the game during the period to receive her full blessing.
Besides that is the Hunt for the Golden Golems event. It is also from the 4th to 5th of October. The task is very simple, simply hunt the golems down to harvest gold, the most valuable resource in the game.
Last but not least, there is the Autumn Festival Celebration Login Bonus. It is available from now until the 24th of October. Just login within this period and enjoy 20 days of login rewards which includes up to Golden Golem Tome x3, 100,000EXP x3, 10,000 Aura x80, 100 VIP points x10, and more.
Players can look forward to the Halloween celebratory which will be lined up next month.
Here’s the game trailer by the way!

Pokdepinion: Personally, I haven’t tried the game yet. I wonder what features will make it different from the rest of the pack.

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MSI Black Friday deals are here — get up to RM200 Steam Wallet!

MSI’s Black Friday deals are up, and you will want in on them! MSI is slashing up to RM200 off their laptops, and throwing in an additional freebie for selected laptops, which ranges up to a free 1TB external hard drive!

The laptops in MSI’s Black Friday promotion are the:

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GP63 8RD-409MY – RM4699 – get RM200 Steam Wallet
GL63 8RD-410MY – RM4199 – get RM100 Steam Wallet
PS42 8M-432 – RM3999 – get free 1TB external HDD

The offer will be valid from now until 25th November. You can get the laptops from MSI’s Official Online Store, and redeem your free gift from this redemption site.
Pokdepinion: It’s a pretty limited deal, but still a good one to consider if you need a new gaming laptop!
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Blizzard Battle.net Facing Service Issues Due to DDOS Attack

Call of Duty Warzone is a very popular game right now, especially given the battle royale genre and that it’s free. Most of the time, the game doesn’t have much issues playing but recently, there seems to be an odd number of server-related issues. It appears that this is a result of recent DDOS attacks on Battle.net services.
Blizzard Battle.net DDOS Attack

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Previously, it usually doesn’t take long to find a game, let alone logging into the Blizzard Battle.net service or Activision’s servers for Call of Duty Warzone. Now, people are reporting long wait times just to log back into the servers, as high as 130 minutes. At the moment, it is unclear whether the DDOS attacks are isolated to PC servers or geographic region.
This isn’t the only major DDOS attack that happened recently. Last week, we’ve seen similar attacks on Amazon Web Services, which can potentially affect Twitch as well as Amazon owns the livestreaming platform.
These issues may not affect everyone necessarily since it’s still uncertain if it’s limited to certain regions only. If you run into issues on the Blizzard Battle.net service, then this will likely be the issue for now.
Source
Pokdepinion: Time to hop back into Apex Legends for now.
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48″ LG 4K OLED C1 TV Set For Launch With 32% Discount

The folks at LG Malaysia has recently revealed that they will be launching their new 48″ LG 4K OLED C1 TV in the country? Should you get it as soon as it’s released, you will enjoy a 32% discount.
48″ LG 4K OLED C1 Malaysia launch

The launch will take place tomorrow, during the 7.7 Big Sale on both official stores on Shopee and Lazada. It features the Self-Lit Pixels that enhances the sharpness of the picture quality by utilizing millions of pixels and brings out the deepest and richest colours found especially in dark cinematic scenes.

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With its OLED Motion Pro feature, it offers clarity and smooth motion picture, especially when watching fast-paced movements in action-packed scenes or sports. Featuring Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos, LG has said that the TV comes with both NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync support as well as HDMI 2.1 certified.
Other than that, it sports a 120Hz refresh rate and has TUV Rheinland certification. As we’ve mentioned earlier, the smart TV will be available on 7 July 2021. You can get it for the special price of RM5,699, which saves you RM2,800 for one day only. There is other models that the company is offering, which comes with up to RM4000 of savings, in case you are interested.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: If you’re interested in the model, you’d definitely would want to get it during the sales. It’s not like everyday that a company give such a discount at launch.
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4K Gaming on a Steam Machine? Why not?

This could very well be the most powerful Steam Machine out there. The Maingear Drift is set to be one of the few SFF PCs out there that will venture into the realm of 4K gaming on a Steam Machine.

The Maingear Drift can be configured with either the Intel Z170 or X99 chipsets, and your choice of CPU depends on which chipset you picked. The 120mm MAINGEAR EPIC 120 Supercooler is an option too. GPU options range from the GTX 750 to the Titan X in the green camp, or if you are a member of the red camp, fret not as you also get a choice ranging from the R7 360X to the R9 Fury.

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The Maingear Drift can be loaded up with up to 16GB of DDR4 memory and also sports 2 2.5″ bays and a single 3.5″ bay which can be converted to a 2.5″ bay as well, allowing up to 3 2.5″ drives of your choice. Enthusiasts shouldn’t worry about running out of memory with support for so many drives. If three isn’t enough, it will also offer support for a single Intel 750 Series PCIe NVMe SSD. If you for some weird reason still rely on optical media, you can also configure the Drift with a Blu-ray Burner/8x Super Multi Combo drive.

All of these goodies is packed into a 14.8 x 13.8 x 4.2-inch chassis, and if the standard brushed black aluminium finishing is not up to your tastes, you can also get a custom finishing using the finest Glasurit automotive paint.

If you are planning to move your Drift around often, Maingear also offers a custom body shell case, specially optimized for the Maingear Drift. The asking price? Z170 configurations start from $1199 (approximately RM5244), while X99 configurations start from $2399 (RM10492) onwards. For more information, click here.

Pokdepinion: The effort to cram so much power into a 14-liter SFF PC is quite commendable. I also really like the customization options that Maingear offers with the Drift. It can be a good choice for those who need flagship performance in a footprint usually reserved for much weaker PCs, but alas Maingear isn’t available in Malaysia yet. For now, Malaysian SFF enthusiasts will have to go down the DIY route to satisfy their desire for a small yet powerful PC.
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ASUS Releases ROG STRIX & DUAL Radeon RX 7600 GPUs

ASUS today officially announced three models with the new AMD Radeon RX 7600 GPU silicon. The ROG STRIX, DUAL OC and DUAL V2 OC all comes overclocked from the factory – and unlike NVIDIA equivalents, so far there’s no default clockspeed variants on offer just yet.

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The ROG STRIX model uses a slightly uncommon dual-fan, triple-slot (2.9-slot according to ASUS) form factor which they claim to help maximize the effectiveness of the axial fans. Despite its dual fan configuration however, the dimension is definitely on the large side with 281 x 135 x 59 mm, as far as dual-fan GPUs are concerned. Out of the box this will boost up to 2755MHz (+100MHz over stock), with game clock differing based on BIOS modes – 2375MHz on OC mode (+125MHz over stock) and 2355MHz on default mode.

Meanwhile, there are two versions of DUAL series, named DUAL OC and DUAL V2 OC respectively which use previous-generation designs. The DUAL OC (pictured above) gets a more aggressive 2745MHz overclock (2340MHz game clock) thanks to its larger footprint at 245 x 134 x 49 mm, whereas the DUAL V2 OC will feature a less aggressive overclock at 2715MHz/2300MHz but in turn feature a smaller shroud size at just 205 x 128 x 49 mm.
All three models will feature I/O layout that contains a single HDMI 2.1 port as well as 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. No local pricing has been revealed as of this writing, however.
Pokdepinion: Was hoping the Radeon cards can get the new DUAL designs too, oh bummer.
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Get Free Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn Of Ragnarok With Select MSI Products

MSI has just announced that they are collaborating with game developer and publisher Ubisoft by offering free copies of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok as well as adding voice control support exclusively for the game.
Free Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok with MSI

MSI says that since gamers’ hands and eyes are already overworked during gameplay, it had hoped to free up the excessive controls to allow gamers to focus on the most important aspect of the game. Hence why MSI and Ubisoft have collaborated to deliver a new level of game immersion by adding voice control support to the game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok.

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Gamers worldwide can also redeem the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok Standard Edition digital PC game by purchasing selected MSI product models. Users are required to leave a comment on the etailer page, sharing their game experience with their MSI product, in order to earn a Steam Code. Eligible MSI products include desktops, gaming chairs, gaming monitors, motherboards and other components.
The promotion will run from 10th March to 10th April. More information regarding the deal can be found here. You can also read our review of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla right here.
Pokdepinion: That voice control feature sounds really interesting. I wonder if the feature is available just through MSI products or can it be accessed through other platforms?
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EZVIZ C6N Home Security Camera Launched With 4MP With Crystal Clear View

On the lookout for a home security camera? Well EZVIZ has announced recently of the launch of their new camera, the EZVIZ CN6 which is equipped with a 4MP sensor that offers 2K resolution.
EZVIZ CN6 4MP home security camera

The new camera is an upgrade to the existing C6N model, which offers finer detail capturing as well as a motorized pan and tilt function. This enables it to offer a 360-degree field-of-view.

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It can capture a distance of up to 10 meters as well as smart tracking and motion detection features. In addition to that, it offers a two-way communication feature so you can stay in touch when you’re not even at home. There’s also a sleep mode for privacy protection which you can enable through the EZVIZ App, available on both Android and iOS devices.
In terms of storage, the camera comes with a built-in microSD slot that can store up to 256GB of footage. If you are interested in purchasing the camera, it is priced from RM189 at physical distributor stores as well as online at their Shopee and Lazada stores.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: The only thing I’m curious about is why the prices are different on both Lazada and Shopee store. Surely they need to standardize it, no?
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ASUS ROG Phone 3 announced with AirTrigger 3 and enhanced X Mode from €799

The ultimate gaming smartphone has just gotten an upgrade. The ROG Phone 3 and ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition has just been announced to bring mobile gamers a next-gen gaming experience. Yes, the ROG Phone 3 comes with the 5G-capable Snapdragon 865+, but of course the faster chipset isn’t the only upgrade that ASUS will be throwing into the ROG Phone 3.

ASUS dropped in a new X Mode that is able to adjust even more system parameters, making it easier to unlock the full performance that’s crammed into the ROG Phone 3. ASUS also upgraded the ROG Phone’s signature feature with its third iteration, aptly named AirTrigger 3. AirTrigger 3 now offers dual-partition button emulation that supports taps and also slide gestures, on top of a new motion sensor that allows you to shake the device as an input. This upgrade allows you to perform even more actions without obstructing your view of the screen.

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Speaking of the screen, ASUS kept the same 6.59″ dimensions of the ROG Phone II’s display, but upgraded its refresh rate. The ROG Phone 3’s display runs at a whopping 144Hz instead of the 120Hz that the previous generation was capable of. The display is flanked by stereo speakers that were given a DXOMark Audio score of 75, with evaluators noting its noticeable bass resonances and good dynamics even at low volumes.

Ensuring that you can enjoy the full gaming capabilities of the ROG Phone 3 is the new AeroActive Cooler 3. This works in tandem with the GameCool 3 cooling system that consists of a 3D vapor chamber and a large graphite film as well as the rear vent to quickly cool the device. ASUS doesn’t resort to using using thermoelectric coolers (TEC) which have a risk of condensation, but instead relies on good ol’ airflow to do the job.

The AeroActive Cooler 3 also doubles as 3.5mm adapter, as the ROG Phone 3 does not sport a 3.5mm audio jack on the device itself. On top of all that, you also need to have enough juice for long gaming sessions. To guarantee that you won’t run out of battery half way through a boss battle, ASUS used the same massive 6000mAh battery from the ROG Phone 3, complete with 30W fast charging.

The final touch to ensure that gamers are fully satisfied is ROG HyperFusion, which combines the multi-antenna WiFi and mobile network connection to ensure that you can game without worry of interrupted connections. The ROG Phone 3 makes sure that you can’t blame it when you lose your game.
ASUS ROG Phone 3 Specs

ASUS ROG Phone 3
ASUS ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition

Chipset
Snapdragon 865+, octa-core up to 3.1 GHz, 7nm
Snapdragon 865, octa-core up to 2.84 GHz, 7nm

RAM
Up to 16GB LPDDR5
Up to 8GB LPDDR5

Storage
Up to 512GB UFS 3.1
Up to 256GB UFS 3.1

Display
6.59″ FHD+ (2340 x 1080) 144Hz AMOLED display, HDR 10+, Delta E<1
270Hz touch sampling

Rear camera
64MP f/1.8 camera, Sony IMX686
13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide
5MP f/2.0 macro

Selfie camera
24MP f/2.0 selfie camera

Battery
6000mAh, 30W fast charging

Price
12GB+512GB: €999 (~RM4932)
16GB+512GB: €1099 (~RM5426)
8GB+256GB: €799 (~RM3945)

ROG Phone 3 Lighting Case
The ROG Phone 3 will come with its own set of modular accessories, including the ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad, ROG Lighting Armor Case, ROG Clip, ROG TwinView Dock 3 and Mobile Desktop Dock. ASUS is also partnering with Stadia and Unity to deliver an integrated gaming experience with the ROG Phone 3.
ROG Phone 3 Malaysia Price and Availability

The ROG Phone 3 and ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition’s Malaysian pricing has yet to be confirmed, although ASUS Malaysia has reassured us that they will be very close to the pricing of the ROG Phone 2 and ROG Phone 2 Strix Edition. Malaysians can expect to see the official launch of the ROG Phone 3 happening sometime mid-September, so stay tuned for that!
Pokdepinion: My body is ready! Bring in the ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition!
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Genshin Impact Leak Sheds Light on New Ningguang and Keqing Skins

As we all know, miHoYo added the ability to change skins for characters, most notably for Jean and Barbara back in update 1.6 for the Summer event. Unfortunately, we have yet to see more new skins since then but that’s expected to change as there will be new ones for Ningguang and Keqing coming soon.
Genshin Impact Leak: New Skins for Ningguang and Keqing

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According to a new leak that popped up on the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Discord server, there are new skins being worked on for Ningguang and Keqing. In the case of the latter, this isn’t exactly a surprise but compared to what miHoYo has worked on before, there is said to be some changes for the skin, particularly with the hairstyle.
As for the Ningguang skin, it’s said to be blue in color overall, and is described as more lewd compared to Keqing’s one as it’s noticeably more revealing. However, it might not remain this way when it does get launched as miHoYo wouldn’t want to make their game too raunchy.
For now, we’re only getting bits and pieces with regards to the new Ningguang and Keqing skins. We likely won’t be able to see visuals of them until they get implemented in the beta. Stay tuned for further updates.
Genshin Impact is currently available for free on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, and PC. A Nintendo Switch port of the game coming in the near future.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m putting up bets for Ningguang’s skin being the one that players get the fastest as soon as it’s out. Even if they make it less revealing, I’m sure many would go out of their way to get it anyway.
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Dew Challenge 2017 Dota 2 Tournament – Back For A Third Year Running With SGD50,000 To Vye For!

Mountain Dew play hosts to the Dew Challenge 2017 Amateur Dota 2 Tournament. The tournament is back again for a third year running, with a prize pool of SGD50,000.
Dew Challenge 2017 Amateur Dota 2 Tournament

The tournament which has been running for three years straight, has opened its doors to Singapore teams to participate for the very first time. Also new to the tournament, live streams will be made available to the public.

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Dew Challenge 2017 Dota 2 kicked-off things in Penang over the course of two days, battling out for that top four spot within the region to proceed to the group stage. A total of 20 teams (100 participants) participated in Penang, with eventual teams take took top spots were Penang Hunter, Exes, 5noob, and finally Maisloki.
Over in Kuantan, the second leg of the tournament was also held. Similar to Penang, there were a total of 20 teams, with ShroudFanBoiss, Team Solid, WildfireD and 100+ qualifying for the next stage.
Overall, there were 1440 participants from 288 teams,  with 224 teams coming from Malaysia and 64 of them hailing from Singapore. To reach the finals, teams need to battle it out on a state level. You can catch and watch the upcoming rounds in the following regions and locations:
Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur at TBUN 3 Internet Cafe (Wangsa Maju) on 11 and 12 November 2017
Johor at 818 CC (Johor Bahru) on 18th and 19th November 2017
Selangor at INC (SS2) on 25th and 26th November

Singapore

Pasir Ris at Colosseum on 11 and 12 November 2017
Outram Alienware on 18 and 19 November 2017

Subsequently, top 24 teams from Malaysia and top 12 teams from Singapore will then compete at a group stage level which will be held at Alienware cyber cafe in Outram, Singapore on the 25th November 2017.
Those who are interested in joining in the next leg of the competition may do so by registering their team members at Mountain Dew’s site. All that needs to be done afterwards is just attend and battle it out on the stage.
Fans can watch the tournament live through Mountain Dew’s Facebook page by clicking the link right here.
Pokdepinion: For an amateur tournament, that is one hella’ lot of cash to be won.

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MCMC solved my Maxis fibre internet problem – Here’s how I did it

If you have been on queue for Maxis Fibre upgrade, the first thing that happens is that your older router will be exchanged with a new one. But that is not when you actually get your upgrade. In fact, it may even take up to 7 days before your internet actually gets updated. You can reach out to Maxis if you still did not get it after 7 days, but due to the nature of the massive roll out, we need to calm down and let Maxis roll it out. It WILL happen eventually. Now, what happens AFTER that, is what this story is all about.
Maxis offers their 100Mbps package that provides 100Mbps downlink and 50Mbps uplink for their updated package. Of course, for home internet, this is on best effort basis, and you would almost never get exactly the specified speed unless your area is a low density type. The question remains, what is the buffer before you actually lodge a complaint? I was using 30Mbps package before this upgrade so let’s keep that at the back of our minds.
You can pretty much tell which part was before and after the upgrade. But something feels off, no? Look at the dates too.
When I finally realized that things were noticeably faster than they should, I told myself, “this is it! It has happened!”. So, just like a typical internet samaritan, I run my first speedtest test and look at the glorified download speed clocking 94.5Mbps. However, the upload, which was expected to hit 50Mbps, barely made it there and sat around the range of the older upload speed. This is where I raised the question to myself, where do we define the fine line of best efforts?

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That is how the subsequent steps actually came about. I discussed this with a friend and he advised that this is something that the Malaysian Communications And Multimedia Commission (MCMC) should be able to sort out. The next thing after reaching out to MCMC? I was told that MCMC representative will pay my premise a visit to test out the internet speed. While they’re at it, I can ask any questions that I may have and they will be more than happy to answer them. I won’t lie to you guys, I myself was a little surprised with this scenario because more often than not, the perception that we, the public have created towards MCMC has skewed a lot towards the negative side. I’m guilty myself too.
This test can take up to an hour, so make sure you take enough time off
So, exactly a week later, yesterday, a representative from MCMC appeared at my doorstep right on time as promised. He plugs in his network analyzing device and begins a long winded test that is about to take roughly an hour. I already have plenty of questions in mind, but suddenly, the doorbell rings. This time, a man introduces himself as Maxis technician appears. Okay, this wasn’t part of the plan? Or was it? Since he’s late, and the network analyzing tool is already running, he has to wait for his turn.
So a three way discussion started. The first question I threw, had to be what we all have in mind by now. According to the Maxis technician (which is an outsourced third party personnel, by the way), 30Mbps was “fine” because it’s “more than half”. However, the MCMC personnel disagreed. According to him, end-to-end fibre internet should guarantee north of 90% of service level which means, I am supposed to get at least 45Mbps on a full network test and 40Mbps would already be considered very bad. I don’t blame a third party technician for not knowing this, of course. But I think it’s my social responsibility to at least share this bit with my people.

After MCMC personnel is done with the test, whatever Maxis does will no longer reflect to the audited report.
He’s done with his test and turns out, he also got about 28Mbps on his test. Since I was using a third party router, the Maxis technician requested that he run a test using the one that was provided by them. I wasn’t worried about that at all. I was using an ASUS RT-AC5300 router, one of the most powerful commercial routers available in the market, in case you’re wondering. So naturally, he got a failed test too. The next bit gets even more interesting!
Apparently, when I contacted MCMC, the reason why they required a minimum 7 days before they diagnose my network, had nothing to do with their schedule. Instead, according to the MCMC personnel, upon receiving a complaint from the end user, MCMC will initiate a command to the respective Internet Service Provider (ISP), giving them a chance to perform their round of test if they wish and rectify the problem before MCMC themselves step in. Once MCMC steps in and run their tests, that would be deemed as the final audited test report. Failing this test will affect the ISP and eventually result in penalties. Maxis has introduced their “Maxperts” program, either it’s not working out, or they’re probably too caught up with the upgrade programs.
The MCMC personnel asked the Maxis technician to check on my internet profiling and turned out, indeed, that was where the problem was. While Maxis did set my download speed to 100Mbps, my upload speed was left at 30Mbps, untouched from the previous figure. The problem was identified rather quickly, because, apparently this was the 3rd case so far that had this problem. Looking at the scale of upgrades that are happening in Maxis right now, 3 cases can be safely considered as a careless mistake. Then again, if I was a non-technical user, I probably would have never found out about this problem. If its happening in your premise, you must know your rights and have it fixed. How do we do this?
Steps to file a report with MCMC
Before you bug MCMC, I strongly advise you to contact your ISP’s technical support to get things sorted out. Let’s not abuse the powers that are bestowed upon us and be the good samaritans that we are. If things get too frustrating, you can be assured that you have a supreme governing power that can sort out the problem for you.
What I am sharing is a public domain information and not behind the scenes thingy. Surprisingly, many people are not aware of it.

Run speedtests on your network at various times, in a span of a few days. Don’t just jump to conclusions and make sure you have a reproducible problem first. Importantly, test out the network with the router that was provided by the ISP because that is the one that is deemed as a legitimate test. If your third party router is not performing, and their test renders perfect, it would be embarrassing for you.
Once you have enough data that justifies for you, and that you were not able to get it resolved with the ISP, reach out to CFM using this page.
If you are still not satisfied and your service is not improved, you can reach out to MCMC’s complaint page. Refer to the link in the next line.

The whole process is explained elaborately on MCMC’s page. The complaint page can also be found here.
Please be patient! This is not a process that happens overnight. It involves a LOT of paperwork, processes and multiple parties. Being patient will reward at the end. If you have any questions, drop a comment below so we can advise you where necessary too. Again, do not abuse this. I just hope someone out there will get their internet woes resolved because I certainly know a lot of people who have problems with their internet.
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Former CS:GO Pro Gamer Faces 116 Years Jail Sentence for Fraud

Vou me afastar das redes sociais, deletar o aplicativo e cuidar da minha sanidade mental. O ser humano não tem noção das palavras lançadas e o quanto isso dói, sem ao menos saber da luta que estamos batalhando.
— shAy (@shaycsgo) March 4, 2020

It looks there is never a dull moment in the world of Esports as a popular Brazilian female CS:GO pro gamer and influencer, Shayene “shAy” Victorio is facing a 116 years jail sentence, along with fines, for fraud.
Shayene “shAy” Victorio, who is one of the most prominent gamers in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) and the original Counter-Strike with 10 years of experience, was convicted of multiple counts of fraud. While the jail sentence is for 116 years, Brazilian law only allows for a maximum prison terms of 30 years for a single crime.

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The Brazil Special Action Force Group to Combat Organized Crime investigated the accusations that the former pro gamer, as the co-owner of an online storefront, sold goods that were never delivers or refunded. She has denied the claims and blamed her former partners in the venture. Moreover, she is also seeking an appeal.

Shayene “shAy” Victorio’s lawyer said:
We will appeal against the sentence that we consider inhumane, awaiting a new decision and under the guise of the principle of innocence.
She has since issued a statement on social media which basically denying the claims and said that she’s leaving social media, at least for a while. She previously left her Esports career  as a CS:GO pro gamer to focus on carving a new path as a social media influencer.
We will be reporting more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
What are your thoughts on the matter? Join the discussion right below here:

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Pokdepinion: I’m not taking sides because I don’t know what’s actually happening. Perhaps her partners screwed her over, or perhaps it’s her own fault. We should let the court of law decide that.
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Western Digital Warned Users For NAS Drives’ Condition By Simply Having 3 Years Of Uptime

Imagine you’re in your late 20s. Some kid on the street saw you call you an old uncle, even though you’re not – that’s essentially what Western Digital is doing against its NAS drives users in what looks like an attempt to convince their users to buy a new one prematurely. Or in other words, planned obsolescence.
Users of Synology has reported that WD’s drives will flag a warning in the DiskStation Manger (DSM) software as soon as the power-on time reaches 3 years – regardless of whether an actual error (i.e. bad sectors or critical SMART warnings) are present. This warning is generated from a slightly different system called Western Digital Device Analytics (WDDA), though it is believed that WDDA uses existing values from SMART sensors for some of its functionality while providing little on its own.

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Screenshot taken in-video
Synology has clarified to Ars Technica that warnings are generated on WD’s part, not their software.  “WDDA monitoring and testing subsystem is developed by Western Digital, including the warning after they reach a certain number of power-on-hours,” said their spokesperson. Given that NAS drives are commonly designed for long hours of operations and by design can be used for many years beyond, the 3-year warning got users – such as YouTuber SpaceRex – particularly angry.
According to the YouTuber-plus-tech-consultant, the 3-year warning flag has in fact managed to panicked one of its clients and prompted them to swap the “problematic” drives, fearing the risk of losing business-critical data. He goes on and slams the company in the video: “It is clearly predatory tactics by Western Digital trying to sell more hard drives.”
So why is the 3-year warning an issue? Turns out, the warning flagged by WDDA will mask any actual errors such as uncorrected or bad sectors, and WD can simply dismiss it as the drive being “too old” to operate. Note that some drives affected have warranty exactly 3 years long, though others go as long as 5 years – meaning you’ll get WDDA’s warning for no practical reason before warranty even runs out.
This is far from the first time WD has gotten themselves into hot waters. The recent, high-profile incidents include WD My Cloud locking users out due to breach, pulling a bait-and-switch on WD Red NAS drives to use cheaper but slower, less reliable SMR (shingled magnetic recording) technology instead of the NAS-standard CMR (conventional magnetic recording) tech. Subsidiary brand SanDisk also sees its portable Extreme SSDs failing en masse, with only limited fixes provided.
Source: Ars Technica
Pokdepinion: Uptime by itself shouldn’t be a metric of a drive’s health – just like you wouldn’t call a person sick even if they’re still healthy in their 50s or 60s.
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