ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD 24″ Curved Gaming Monitor Review — Wallet-friendly curved gaming monitor!

Introduction

If you are in the market for a gaming monitor, there are a number of features you will want to take note of. A high refresh rate, quick response times and adaptive refresh rate technology are what you should have on a gaming monitor in 2019. The ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD checks all the boxes, and is priced very affordably. So affordably, that we decided that we had to check it out for ourselves.
Unboxing

ViewSonic has kept the packaging simple, with brown cardboard on the outside…

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…and thick polystyrene on the inside. Basically all you need to keep the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD well-protected from damage that might happen during transportation.
Our review unit came with little more than the monitor itself and power adapter, although the box lists a HDMI cable and quick start guide, which you will definitely get when you purchase your monitor, but didn’t come with our unit.
Appearance

ViewSonic clearly thought glossy plastic is a good material to use all over the monitor. The bezels are somewhat thick, making the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD less suitable for multi-monitor setups.

The back is even more glossy plastic, with a good array of inputs in the middle, the stereo speakers flanking them, and the singular joystick breaking the glossy deep black finish. It’s worth mentioning that the vertical part of the stand is permanently attached to the back of the monitor, with the feet attached via a screw separately. You don’t get VESA mounting points, but that’s somewhat expected at this price point.
Specifications

Panel Size
24″ (23.6″ viewable area)

Panel Type
VA TFT LCD (1800R curvature)

True Resolution
1920 x 1080 (FHD)

Display Viewing Area(HxV)
521.4mm x 293.28mm

Display Surface
Non-glare

Pixel Pitch
0.272 mm

Brightness
280 cd/m2 (Typical)

Contrast Ratio
3000 :1 (Typical)

Viewing Angle (CR≧10)
178°(H)/178°(V)

Response Time
21 ms (GTG)
3 ms (GTG with Overdrive)
1 ms (MPRT)

Display Colors
16.7m (6 bit+FRC)

Color gamut
85% NTSC

HDR (High Dynamic Range) Support
No

Refresh Rate
48 ~ 144 Hz (LFC-capable)

Low Blue Light
Yes

HDCP support
Yes

Viewing modes
Standard, Game, Movie, Web, Text, MAC, Mono

Adaptive refresh rate
Yes, FreeSync, G-SYNC Compatible

Signal Input
HDMI v1.4 (up to 144 Hz)
DisplayPort 1.2 (up to 144 Hz)
DVI-D (up to 144 Hz)

Earphone jack
3.5mm out

Power Consumption
32.2W (Max)

Chassis Color
Glossy Black

Stand adjustments
Tilt: -5±2°~20±2°

VESA Wall Mounting
No

Weight
3.37kg

Performance
We used DisplayCAL to obtain measurements of the monitor’s performance, the maximum brightness we saw was with the User Color color temperature setting, at 308 cd/m2 at the center, while on the Native mode we are seeing a measured brightness of around 230cd/m2 before calibrating, and around 199 cd/m2 once we have calibrated it to 6500K and gamma 2.2.

Uniformity is pretty good to the naked eye, although when put under a Sypder5,  we see that the top edge is a wee bit dimmer than the center. It’s absolutely fine for daily use and gaming as I absolutely didn’t notice the difference in brightness. I would recommend you not to get this monitor for production work, but then again, no one buys a curved monitor for that kind of purpose.
          Viewsonic VX2458’s sRGB gamut coverage            Viewsonic VX2458’s DCI-P3 gamut coverage          Viewsonic VX2458’s Adobe RGB gamut coverage
Color gamut is also pretty impressive, offering 95.0% sRGB coverage, 82.0% Adobe RGB and 84.1% DCI P3 coverage. The sRGB coverage is just a bit short on the blue end, in DCI-P3, we see the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD really lacking in the red and green areas as well. With that said, the results here are surprisingly good as it almost deliver 100% sRGB gamut. The gamut volume is also pretty impressive at 124%, 85.4% and 87.8% for sRGB, Adobe RGB and DCI-P3, respectively.
Out of the box
You can download the drivers from the website which includes a color profile for the monitor setting the whitepoint to 6500K. Unfortunately it doesn’t exactly deliver on that.

Measured whitepoint
CCT 8163K

Average ΔE*00
6.58

Maximum ΔE*00
12.9

Measured contrast
1314:1

Measured brightness
232 cd/m²

These results aren’t great at all. For production work, a Delta E value of <2 is necessary to ensure that the colors you are seeing are as intended. This is pretty way out of whack, and the white point is also way too blue, aside from being way off from the intended 6500K whitepoint with the factory color profile.
Calibrated
We calibrated the display to 6500K white balance and gamma 2.2 with DisplayCAL and a Spyder5, and these are the results we got.

Measured whitepoint
CCT 6392K

Average ΔE*00
1.12

Maximum ΔE*00
2.67

Measured contrast
1104:1

Measured brightness
193 cd/m²

After calibrating the monitor, we see some pretty impressive figures. The maximum Delta E got below 2.67, which is very acceptable. The brightness is on the dim side now though, at only 193 cd/m² to accommodate the 6500K white balance. You can download the profile created here.
User Experience
First off, let’s start with how easy it is to setup. The ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD literally has almost every input that is supported by modern GPUs. You get DVI-D, HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort 1.2, all supporting the full 48 ~ 144 Hz refresh rate. You would want to use the DP input if you are using a NVIDIA graphics card though, as NVIDIA only supports G-SYNC Compatible over DP. It’s worth noting that the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD isn’t in NVIDIA’s validated list of G-SYNC Compatible monitors though, but I have confirmed that you can use G-SYNC Compatible on this monitor.

The power adapter is not built into the monitor, which can be a point in favor of the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD as it means you won’t need to run a thick IEC C13 cord all the way to your monitor. Also, replacing the external power adapter is going to be a lot cheaper than trying to get a new built-in power adapter for your specific monitor.

Once you got everything up and running, you might want to pay the OSD settings a visit. While the ViewSonic VX3211-4K-MHD we reviewed previously had a comically tiny OSD, the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD has a regular sized one. It’s also quite a bit easier to navigate with the joystick, although there are some idiosyncrasies in the design of the OSD. For example, tapping the joystick closes the menu, while to apply, you had to move it left. You will get the hang of it, but when I first started off, I really questioned the sanity of the person in charge of designing the OSD here.

Right off the bat, if you are coming from any display with a lower refresh rate, you are in for a treat. 144 Hz is definitely serves up a much smoother experience. Even in Windows, the pointer moves way more fluidly than on a lower refresh rate display. For gamers, you get FreeSync or G-SYNC Compatible in addition to the high refresh rate, depending on your camp.
You also get the various gaming modes you would usually see on any self-respecting gaming monitor, as well the option to adjust the level of DCR (dynamic contrast ratio) you want. There’s Black Stabilization too on the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD, for when you need to brighten up dark areas. Like spotting enemies in dark corners, for example. It’s a lot less subtle than some implementations I have seen though.

Moving on, the viewing angles are great, but since this is a curved monitor, you would want to sit dead center to experience the enhanced immersion brought about by the curvature. Curved monitors promise less strain on your eyes, and I can vouch for it as I have stared at it for hours on end without issue. The pixel density of this display isn’t particularly high at around 93 PPI, but it’s sufficient for me at my desk which places the monitor around 69cm away from my face. Speaking of my desk, a more flexible stand that allows for height adjustments would have been great.
The VA panel used here in the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD is somewhat prone ghosting, a weakness that affects all VA panels in general. While I was able to see some mild ghosting in the UFO test, I didn’t notice it when playing my usual games. If you find the ghosting too apparent for your liking, ViewSonic does offer some reprieve in the form of the 1ms Mode that uses backlight strobing to simulate a faster response time and also overdrive. You might want to avoid the 1ms Mode though as it disables FreeSync in addition to dimming the display a bit. It’s not that bright in the first place, so this actually makes it slightly worse.

You do get stereo 3W speakers with the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD, but they are quite unnecessary. The sound quality is akin to an old radio, and I would probably only use them if I lost all my earphones and speakers and had to listen to an urgent voice message immediately. If I had some extra time, I would drive out to a nearby Daiso to buy earphones. They sound that bad.

Enough about the hardware, for now. In addition to what the monitor offers, ViewSonic also lets you use the ViewSplit software with this monitor. Basically it allows you to divide the display area more flexibly than natively possible in Windows. It’s a cool feature but probably one which would benefit larger monitors than the 24″ ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD.
Conclusion
The ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD is priced at RM719 on ViewSonic’s LazMall Flagship Store, which is somewhat steep for its feature set. However you can routinely find it for quite a bit less, making it one of the most affordable curved 144 Hz gaming monitors you can find in the market. It also offers one of the widest gamuts we have seen in this price range, which is nice to have although you most probably won’t be using this for production work given that it is a curved monitor.

Gamers who are sensitive to even the slightest ghosting in fast-paced games might want to avoid this monitor. Aside from the limitations of its VA panel, this monitor represents a pretty solid option for gamers. If you want to experience the fluidity of a 144 Hz panel as well as the immersiveness of a curved monitor without breaking the bank, this is the monitor for you. Not to mention the color accuracy is absolutely commendable after calibration, which means you will be able to experience colors as you should in games, if you have the tools for it.

Our thanks to ViewSonic for provisioning the ViewSonic VX2458-C-MHD for our testing purposes.
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SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 Review — quite a bit slower for just a bit less money

AMD has finally taken the wraps off the much-rumored AMD Radeon RX 6600, based on the Navi 23 GPU. As a slightly cut-down version of the Radeon RX 6600 XT, this allows even more gamers to enjoy the benefits of the latest technologies that AMD has to offer with RDNA 2, like hardware-accelerated raytracing and also improved efficiency. We have here a SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 to test, which should provide a really good look at what the GPU is capable of. Let’s go!
Unboxing

The first thing that you might notice is that this is a very small box. SAPPHIRE really isn’t packing much with the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600, so I guess it is probably for the best to have compact packaging, so they can fit more into a single shipping box. As usual with SAPPHIRE’s products, the packaging clearly indicates the graphics card inside, but you don’t get a sneak preview in the form of product images here.

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Over on the back we have more specifications and system requirements. Once again, no images.

Inside you have the card protected by a brown cardboard box and an anti-static bubble wrap. Since the box is very snug, I do believe that this should suffice even when facing up against the more violent delivery guys out there. All you get is the card and some documentation in the box. No driver CD, which I do believe is definitely for the better.
Appearance

This is probably going to be the shortest dual-fan RDNA 2 card ever. Instead of reusing the PULSE Radeon RX 6600 XT’s cooler shroud, this card has less space between the two large fans, making for less wasted space, and more airflow. The fans tout linked blades for better static pressure to force air into the heatsink. The shroud is made of plastic, but the sharp angular sides and red accent lines enhance the overall aesthetics for a rather handsome look.

The side of the card is probably what you will see the most of, and this is where I think SAPPHIRE totally nailed it. Since the fins run longitudinally along the card, there’s no need for a large vent on the sides. SAPPHIRE understands that staring into a wall of aluminum fins is not really something most people enjoy, and extends both the fan shroud and backplate over the edge to meet on the side of the card, for a much cleaner look than what we saw with the ROG Strix Radeon RX 6600 XT OC Edition we reviewed previously.
SAPPHIRE also used a brushed finish under the SAPPHIRE branding near the the PCIe bracket, breaking up the monotony that flat plastic shrouds tend to create. Not like they really need to do that though, since they also put in the effort by adding lines to the side to make things more interesting. I absolutely love the design of the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600.

The backplate is equally attractive as the front and side, with a plenty of holes, for both aesthetic and practical purposes. Instead of boring brushed metal, there’s a sweet matte finish here, which I do really like. And yes, this is actual metal, not that plastic composite material you usually get with cheaper cards, complete with thermal pads to utilize the backplate for cooling.

You get the standard three DisplayPort and single HDMI output, with a generous vent above the ports. The fin orientation appears to be perfect to take advantage of this area, as we have already seen that the side of the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 is pretty much closed off, preventing hot air from exiting from the sides like you would usually get with most graphics cards.

The rear is also quite open, with a nice grille extending from the fan shroud. Aside from that, there’s also a window on the backplate, letting more hot air exit the card as fast as possible. Not like it really needs it though, considering this is a pretty frugal GPU, with a very efficient architecture. But hey, it never hurts to be able to dissipate heat more effectively. I can definitely get behind the overall design of this card, from every angle. While the card is really quite small, it is quite evident that SAPPHIRE didn’t spare the style points with the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600.
Specifications
SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600

GPU
AMD Navi 23
TSMC 7nm

Clocks
Game Clock: 2044MHz
Boost Clock: 2491MHz

Cores
1792 Stream Processors
28 Ray Accelerators

Infinity Cache
32MB

Memory
8GB GDDR6

Memory Speed
14Gbps

Memory Interface
128-bit

Display outputs
3 x DisplayPort 1.4a
1 x HDMI 2.1

Power connector(s)
1 x 8-pin

Recommended PSU
500W

Interface
PCIe 4.0 x8

Multi-GPU support
No

Dimensions
193 x 120.05 x 40.05 mm

Test System

CPU
Intel Core i9-11900K @ 5.1GHz

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero

Memory
2 x 8GB T-Force Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 CL16

Storage
250GB Samsung 850 EVO SATA SSD
960GB Kingston UV500 SATA SSD
1TB Kingston KC2500 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD

Graphics
SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT

Power Supply
Cooler Master V1200 Platinum

Monitor
BenQ EL2870U

GPU Driver
AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.30.17.06 (Test Driver)

Performance
Synthetic

Interestingly enough, Superposition actually places the AMD Radeon RX 6600 behind the Radeon RX 5600 XT and the Radeon RX 5700. I did a quick double check with other reviews of both cards, and it seems that my scores aren’t off. Unigine Superposition apparently just prefers the RDNA architecture. Here, the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 is an insane 27% slower than the Radeon RX 6600 XT we reviewed previously.

3DMark Time Spy favors the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600. We see it come ahead of the Radeon RX 5700 and RX 5600 XT, although the RX 6600 XT maintains a pretty sizeable lead of almost 20%.

3DMark Port Royal which tests the raytracing performance sees the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 come up behind even the GeForce RTX 2060, which is really interesting. Once again, we see a rather huge gap between the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 and the Radeon RX 6600 XT, with the former lagging behind its brethren by nearly 19%. But hey, enough with the synthetic benchmarks, let’s get down to gaming.
Gaming

At 1080p, the frame rates are actually looking pretty good. You get above 60FPS in most titles, with notable exceptions being Cyberpunk 2077 and Watch Dogs: Legion, especially when raytracing is enabled. If you want to play these two titles, you would do well to turn off the raytracing effects.
Both games only eke out 13FPS and 10FPS, respectively, which is literally unplayable. Most of the other games are doing pretty well, and some games that I left out of the chart include The Riftbreaker that runs at 125FPS on the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 even with DXR enabled, and For Honor, which sees 138FPS, which is a pretty good indicator of what you will get in popular esports titles.

1440p see most games drop below the 60FPS mark, but I would still consider it acceptable, if you are willing to drop a few visual settings in exchange of some frames. Raytracing is not really a thing on the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 at 1440p, even in AMD-optimized raytracing titles like Godfall. Dirt 5 and Far Cry 6 might be a bit closer to the “60FPS playable” mark, and probably dropping down a few settings might let you squeeze out a few more frames per second.

4K is moot. Do not even attempt to get the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 to game at 4K, unless you want to settle for some aggressive FidelityFX Super Resolution upscaling. Definitely not recommended.
Thermals

The cooler on the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 is adequate to allow the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 to maintain its clocks at around 2343MHz effortlessly. The fan speed averages at 1223RPM, which is nigh inaudible for all practical intents and purposes. Hotspot temperatures appear to be pretty high at 90°C, but it is still very safe, as AMD considers hotspot temperatures below 110°C to be acceptable. The power draw is very low too, at 100W, which does sort of highlight the efficiency of RDNA 2.
AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT vs RX 6600?

Depending on the title, we are seeing the Radeon RX 6600 XT being about 9% to 25% faster. It seems that Watch Dogs: Legion significantly prefers the Radeon RX 6600 XT, putting it at 3X faster when DXR is enabled, and 25% faster with DXR off, although I think that is probably an issue with optimization rather than an actual performance deficit. On average, discounting Watch Dogs: Legion, we see about the Radeon RX 6600 XT being nearly a full 20% faster at 1080p.

At 1440p, the average gap reduces slightly to around 19%. Once again, we are ignoring Watch Dogs: Legion, which is 3X faster with DXR on, and 30% faster when DXR is off. Of course, we are actually comparing an overclocked Radeon RX 6600 XT versus one that’s running at reference clocks, but the ROG Strix Radeon RX 6600 XT OC Edition’s Game Clocks are only 3% higher than reference. The cooling on the ROG card is also better, but this card isn’t throttling at any point in the benchmarks as well.
I find it quite hard to believe that the four extra CUs and Ray Accelerators (32 vs 28), along with the faster memory (16Gbps vs 14Gbps), mild overclock and better cooling, helped the ROG Strix Radeon RX 6600 XT OC Edition outperform the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 so significantly. The 40% lower power draw on the Radeon RX 6600 is probably something worth keeping in mind though, with the Radeon RX 6600 XT drawing 143W versus the Radeon RX 6600’s 100W.

User Experience

One of the highlights of the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600’s fans, aside from the excellent cooling and silent operation, is the Quick Connect feature. Unlike most designs which will require you to open up the entire card to replace a fan, SAPPHIRE’s Quick Connect design lets you remove a fan with just a single screw, with the fan connections made up of contact pads. A very cool feature (no pun intended), especially if you foresee a dead fan on your graphics card.

As the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 is meant to be be an upgrade for more affordable builds, the fact that you only need one 8-pin PCIe power connector is probably a great thing to have. You might actually get by with just a single 6-pin, considering the power draw figures we just saw, but I believe that nobody wants a repeat of the Radeon RX 480.

Conclusion
For RM2299, the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 is a much better match versus the GeForce RTX 3060, at least in terms of pricing. Performance wise, they do trade punches, as long as raytracing isn’t something you are particularly interested in. But when compared against its own brethren, the Radeon RX 6600 ($329 SEP) is just $50 less than the Radeon RX 6600 XT ($379 SEP). The Radeon RX 6600 is around 15% cheaper, but performance wise, it is 20% slower, which means that the Radeon RX 6600 is just very poor bang for your buck.

I guess this is yet another card that exists at this price point simply because of the global shortage of GPUs. If more GPUs were available, I am pretty sure this sort of GPUs would probably be a lot more affordable. Heck, even the Radeon RX 6600 XT, which we noted to be not great value for money, is actually better value than this. But hey, it is what it is. With all that said, SAPPHIRE did a good job with what they have here, and I commend them for that. AMD, not so much.
Our thanks to AMD Malaysia for sending us the SAPPHIRE PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6600 for review.
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ROG Phone 3 Bypass Charging feature to arrive in an upcoming update

Charging while gaming is a terrible idea, but what’s one to do when their device runs low on battery but they still need to game? ASUS plans to solve the issue by introducing a Bypass Charging feature in an upcoming update for the ROG Phone 3.
With the Bypass Charging feature, the ROG Phone 3 will divert the current from the charger to power the system instead of charging the battery. The battery level will be maintained at a fixed level instead of being charged, thus reducing the overall heat output.
The battery lifespan will also be extended with this feature, as you won’t be charging the battery while simultaneously discharging it to power the device. Aside from avoiding excess charge-discharge cycles, the lowered heat output from the device will also keep the battery healthier in the long run, which bodes well for the overall longevity of the device.

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ASUS will be rolling out the update to add Bypass Charging to Game Genie starting from 21st September. At the moment, the update will be exclusive to the ROG Phone 3, although ASUS didn’t explicitly mention that the ROG Phone and ROG Phone 2 will be left out of the fun.
ROG Phone 3 Specs and Price

ROG Phone 3
ROG Phone 3 STRIX Edition

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

GPU
Adreno 650 (+10% performance)
Adreno 650 @ 587MHz

RAM
Up to 16GB LPDDR5
8GB LPDDR5

Storage
Up to 512GB UFS 3.1
256GB UFS 3.1

Display
6.59″ FHD+ 144Hz AMOLED display,
10-bit HDR, Delta-E <1
1000-nit peak brightness
113.3% DCI-P3 gamut coverage

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

Connectivity
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Bluetooth 5.1, aptX Adaptive
Dual-band GPS
5G: Bands N1, N2, N3, N5, N28, N41, N66, N71, N77, N78, N79
FDD-LTE: Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66, 71
TD-LTE: Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Bluetooth 5.1, aptX Adaptive
Dual-band GPS
5G: Bands N41, N77, N78, N79
FDD-LTE: Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28
TD-LTE: Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41

Battery
6000mAh
30W QuickCharge 4.0/USB-PD 3.0/Direct Charge

Dimensions
171 x 78 x 9.85 mm

Weight
240g

Price
12GB+512GB: RM3799
16GB+512GB: RM4499
RM2999

With such a massive 6000mAh battery, the ROG Phone 3 will probably be able to withstand quite a few years of abuse before the battery is noticeably degraded, but the addition of such a feature does bode well for mobile gamers.
A similar feature was introduced in the Sony Xperia 1 II as well, although we can probably all agree that the Sony smartphones aren’t exactly great for gaming ergonomics.
Pokdepinion: I wonder if smartphones will soon have better performance when connected to the wall, like how laptops are now.

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Xiaomi Civi series to debut this 27th September

While we await the announcement of the local pricing for all the products launched during the Xiaomi Global Launch Event last week, Xiaomi is already gearing up to launch the Xiaomi Civi series in China this 27th September. This new series is reportedly going to offer “fashionable and diversified designs” and “innovative imaging technologies” for youths, according to their Weibo teaser.

It might be the successor to the Xiaomi Mi CC9 series, which arrived in Malaysia as the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 series. The devices debuted Samsung’s 108MP ISOCELL HMX sensors, along with a premium design involving a fancy curved display. The Xiaomi Civi series might be set to offer something similar, at a relatively affordable price as well, considering that it is targeted towards the younger demographic.

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Android Authority also believes that it might be a series targeted towards selfie aficionados, which is still a common theme for youth-focused smartphones. In any case, the Xiaomi Mi Note series is definitely due for a new member, with the Mi Note 10 series launched back in 2019. Two years is a really long product cycle for Xiaomi, and I do hope that we will see something with a similarly groundbreaking camera setup, but preferably at a more palatable price point.

With that said, don’t hold your breath for the Xiaomi Civi to make its way globally. Xiaomi has recently decided to launch a number of their devices in limited regions instead of making them available globally, so you might never get to see it outside of China.
Source
Pokdepinion: I mean smartphones today offer good enough selfie capabilities for just about everyone, unless you are a serious vlogger.
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A closer look at the ViewSonic M1 and PX747-4K projectors — one for those on the go, and one for maximum enjoyment

Yesterday, ViewSonic invited us to check out their ViewSonic M1 and high-end PX747-4K projectors in a very laid back event held in a residential unit. It definitely gave us a taste of what to expect from the award-winning portable projector!
ViewSonic M1

This little projector comes with a built-in battery that allows it to project an image basically anywhere, even where there is no power source! It supports a multitude of input options including HDMI, USB 2.0, USB Type-C and a microSD card reader. We actually saw it in action working well with HUAWEI and Samsung devices over USB Type-C, so you can use it to for your EMUI Desktop or DeX functions. There is also 16GB of internal storage to play media off the projector without any additional hardware.

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While the 250 lumen maximum brightness pales in comparison to the 3500 lumen ViewSonic PX747-4K we also saw today, it was actually good enough for dimly lit environments like a cozy bedroom or living room.  The short-throw lens is really handy when you need a big screen in a small area. The 360°-swivel smart stand lets you display your content on any surface you want, while the automatic keystone correction ensures that your image does not look distorted. The stand also doubles as a lens cover, automatically turning off the projector when you block the lens with the stand.

For RM1349, the ViewSonic M1 is a very versatile projector. It even comes with dual Harman Kardon speakers so you don’t need to carry additional speakers with you when you use the ViewSonic M1 on the go.
ViewSonic PX747-4K

First off I would like to admit that photos definitely do not do justice to the image quality provided by this projector. It’s a 4K projector that can easily project a 100″ screen that’s insanely sharp. To get a 100″ display, the throw distance is slightly further than 2 meters, but you will need a lot of space to fit a 100″ display in the first place.

The 3500 ANSI lumens prove themselves useful when you use the ViewSonic PX747-4K in a standard living room condition. The contrast is definitely a lot better. The projector features TM DLP DMD display technology, which is pretty similar to what cinemas use. The takeaway is an amazing viewing experience.

The projector supports HDCP 2.2, which will let you enjoy DRM-protected 4K content without issues. Since it’s a 4K projector, it also works well with consoles like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One S. The projector is also HDR ready, for more vivid colors and an overall more immersive experience.

Priced at RM5399, the projector isn’t cheap, but it is definitely cheaper than any 100″ display panel out there. if you have the space for a 100″ display, you should definitely consider the ViewSonic PX747-4K!
Pokdepinion: While the 4K ViewSonic PX747-4K projector is cool, I still think the ViewSonic M1 is more practical for my use. If you are reading this, you know what to do, ViewSonic Malaysia.
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Nubia M2 Play to arrive in Malaysia at RM799; with NeoVision 6 image engine for better photos

Nubia is readying to bring a new contender to the sub-RM1000 market, the new Nubia M2 Play. Set to hit stores on 1st September 2017, the Nubia M2 Play is the Chinese company’s latest budget-conscious camera smartphone.
The Nubia M2 Play packs a Snapdragon 435 octa-core processor which is a step up from the ubiquitous Snapdragon 430 found in most budget smartphones. The main upgrade over the Snapdragon 430 is the X9 LTE modem which supports 300 Mbps download speeds. The SoC is paired with 3GB of RAM for a better user experience in Android 7.0 Nougat with the proprietary Nubia UI 5.0. 32GB of internal storage with support for up to 128GB microSD cards. Keeping the lights on is a 3000 mAh battery, supported by NeoPower 2.5 technology to optimize and extend the battery life of the Nubia M2 Play.

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Nubia calls the M2 Play a camera smartphone, so it has to be packing some serious hardware in the photography department, right? Well, it does not have a dual-camera system that you find on every camera-centric smartphone, but the 13MP Sony Exmor RS sensor with an f/2.2 aperture should suffice for great shots. Also, let’s not forget that the smartphone with the best camera does not feature a dual-camera setup after all. Of course, hardware isn’t the only factor when it comes to great photos, and Nubia has the NeoVision 6.0 image engine with an updated Clone Camera 2.0, Macro Camera 2.0 and DNG Camera 2.0 to enhance your shots. The front facing camera is a 5MP f/2.4 one, with various beauty modes to enhance your selfies.
The Nubia M2 Play will be available in Malaysia starting 1st September priced at RM799 on Lazada, 11street, shopee and DirectD. The first batch of the device will only be offered in Matte Black.
Pokdepinion: The Nubia M2 Play is set to be a viable alternative to the various affordable smartphones in the market, with a Snapdragon 435 instead of the Snapdragon 430 to offer better LTE speeds.
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Mi A1 up for pre-orders at RM1099; the Xiaomi smartphone without MIUI

The Xiaomi Mi A1 which was launched early last week in India is now available for pre-orders in Malaysia! The main selling point of the Mi A1 is that its an Android One device, meaning  pure Android with the only exception being MIUI’s camera app to better take advantage of the dual camera system on the Mi A1.

For RM1099, the Mi A1 actually offers quite a lot. It shares the bulk of its specifications with the Mi 5X including a Snapdragon 625 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB internal storage expandable via microSD, 5.5″ 1080p IPS panel and a 3080 mAh battery, all encased in a metal body. Oh, and the aforementioned dual camera setup is carried over from the Mi 5X, which in turn shares its setup with Xiaomi’s flagship, the Mi 6. It puts two 12MP cameras in a wide angle + telephoto configuration, one which rivals the iPhone 7 Plus’, at least according to the Chinese company. With that in mind, the camera on the Mi A1 should be the least of your worries.

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Android One will also be the pathway to faster updates, considering most of the framework is stock Google. Devices with pure Android will always be updated faster than those with customized skins, as we have seen in the Nokia 8 which has just received the September Security Patch. It also opens up the doors to stock Android in regions where Google does not market their Pixel devices, like Bolehland, for example.

For those of you who are out to pre-order the Mi A1 on Lazada, or if you prefer a brick-and-mortar store, it is also available at Mi Premium Reseller (Queensbay Mall), Mobile To Go (SS2 PJ) and Direct D outlets. The price is RM1099 with the ETA of the device set for 21st September, which is just a week away. It will be available in Black and Gold color variants.
Pokdepinion: This is probably the best value for money ever for a device with pure Android! The black one looks very sexy too, but I have my heart set on other devices.
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Why does the Redmi Note 8 Pro sport a 64MP camera?

The Redmi Note 8 Pro touts a 64MP main camera, and it also holds the bragging rights of being the first 64MP smartphone in Malaysia. Not to mention the most affordable device out there with a 64MP camera. Why 64MP though? Well, first we will have to understand how does the 64MP sensors work.
Yeah, how does the 64MP sensor work?
Similar to most of the 48MP sensors we saw earlier this year, the 64MP Samsung GW1 sensors in the Redmi Note 8 Pro also tout a Quad bayer filter. The pixel pitch on the new 64MP sensors are still the same at 0.8 μm as the 48MP Sony IMX586 and Samsung GM1, but since there are more pixels, the 64MP sensor in the Redmi Note 8 Pro is larger, measuring in at 1/1.7″, 33% bigger than the 1/2″ 48MP sensors you find in lesser smartphones. In the world of camera sensors, bigger is always better.

Then there’s pixel binning to deliver better image quality than conventional sensors. The sensor will take 4 adjacent photosites and combine them into one. This allows for a bigger equivalent pixel pitch for better low-light performance with the Redmi Note 8 Pro, as four pixels combine to offer an equivalent pixel size of 1.6 μm. To get the full advertised resolution, it will use a demosaicing algorithm to give you a high resolution 64MP image.

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In addition to that, there’s also the ability to do HDR by exposing alternate photosites with different exposure times instantly. Older sensors would have to do multiple exposures, but with the Redmi Note 8 Pro’s Quad Bayer sensor, you will only have to do one to get a similar outcome, avoiding motion artifacts you might encounter with traditional HDR processing.
What about the results?
The above two scenarios are also why you don’t get 64MP photos off the bat. The Redmi Note 8 Pro defaults to capturing 16MP images, taking advantage of the pixel binning technology.

 With most of the 48MP sensors outputting 12MP images after performing pixel binning, you are enjoying 33% higher resolution with the Redmi Note 8 Pro serving up 16MP shots, without having to deal with the usual downside of higher resolution — smaller pixels. So you get a higher resolution without sacrificing on quality, an absolute win.
The Redmi Note 8 Pro’s full set of features like its Night mode, AI scene recognition and HDR capabilities all work in this mode, giving you great images with minimal effort.
But you said it’s a 64MP camera…
Of course, the Redmi Note 8 Pro also lets you take 64MP images, using the aforementioned magic to deliver higher resolution shots.
I don’t think anyone actually prints 3.26m tall posters regularly, but you can with the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
Now what can you do with the 64MP shots? Print massive 3.26m tall posters, that’s what. Or, for more practical purposes, take a 64MP shot, crop in and make it an entirely different scene. Focus on different parts of the image by cropping in
 This is the full image, resized to upload.
The resized image you see here definitely doesn’t do justice to the real amount of detail you can see in the full 64MP image.

Even when doing cropping heavily to get a better shot, there’s still plenty of resolution to go around. This shot was cropped from a full 64MP image taken by the Redmi Note 8 Pro, and there’s still 14.3MP of data. Plenty to upload to social media. And if you are wondering what a 100% crop would look like:
Yep, this is a 100% crop.
Considering that Instagram supports a maximum width of 1080px, you can crop in closer ~8.5x with the Redmi Note 8 Pro. If that isn’t impressive, I honestly don’t know what is. Here are two more.

Generally, the 64MP mode is best left for shots taken in well-lit conditions, although as you can see, even in dingy indoor situations like the two images above, you still can do more than your fair share of cropping with the Redmi Note 8 Pro, changing the perspective of your image completely.
And how much does this all cost?

From just RM1099, the Redmi Note 8 Pro offers you this impressive 64MP camera. And if that’s not a good enough deal for you, they have thrown in three more cameras, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, a 2MP dedicated macro camera and a depth sensor for even more flexibility when taking your best shots. There’s also a huge 4500 mAh battery to let you capture great shots all day. Sounds good? You can head over to Lazada to pick yours up via the link below:

P/S: We do recommend getting the 128GB variant if you are planning on taking a lot of 64MP shots. Each of them are around 15~30MB in size.

If you are looking for an even more affordable smartphone with an awesome camera, there’s the Redmi Note 8 too. Priced from RM599, the Redmi Note 8 serves up a similar quad-camera array, albeit dropping the superior 64MP sensor for a 48MP one.
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Here are the ASUS Z490 boards with beefed up VRMs to support the 10th Gen Intel Core CPUs!

The 10th Gen Intel Core processors has just been launched, and as you might have realized, you will need a new motherboard to go with them. Well, fret not, as ASUS already has a full lineup of Intel Z490 motherboards with full support for everything up to the 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10900K. Take a look at the ASUS Z490 boards that ASUS Malaysia will be bringing in to Malaysia soon.
ASUS ROG Maximus XII Series
As we enter the 12th generation of ASUS’ stellar ROG Maximus motherboards, we are looking at an absolutely overkill set of features. That includes up to 16 90A power stages and MicroFine Alloy chocks to deliver stable power to the 10th Gen Intel Core processors. ASUS also implemented ASUS OptiMem III and its daisy-chain topology to deliver higher memory clocks of 4800 MHz and above.
ASUS Malaysia will be bringing in the ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme, ROG Maximus XII Hero and ROG Maximus XII Hero (WiFi).

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ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme
As the flagship of the ROG Maximus XII family, it comes with the aforementioned 16 90A power stages. All of that feeds the CPU cores, as there is no support for the integrated graphics on the ROG Maximus XII Extreme. There are also a slew of on-board buttons, allowing you to overclock without breaking a sweat.

For connectivity, you get a nice assortment of ports including a next-gen USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port that can deliver up to 20 Gbps of bandwidth. There is also a Marvell 10 GbE LAN controller along with an Intel Ethernet I225-V for 2.5 Gb Ethernet. The ROG Maximus XII Extreme will also be bundled with a ThunderboltEX 3-TR card to enable you to take advantage of Thunderbolt 3 devices.
ROG Maximus XII Formula
For those who want to setup a custom liquid cooling system, well the ROG Maximus XII Formula is the board to get. It offers a CrossChill EK III waterblock over its VRM developed in partnership with EK Water Blocks. This allows the 16 70A power stages on the ROG Maximus XII Formula to be cooled a lot more effectively than on regular air-cooled designs.

Most of the overclocking features are similar to the ROG Maximus XII Extreme, and the connectivity options are similar too. You don’t get the Thunderbolt 3 add-in card though, which might be a bummer for those who just prefer the aesthetic of the ROG Maximus XII Formula.
ROG Maximus XII Hero (WiFi)
The “baby” of the ROG Maximus XII family, the ROG Maximus XII Hero (WiFi) is the entry-level ROG board for this generation. Of course, an entry-level ROG board is equivalent to many premium boards from the competition, so don’t overlook this one just yet. Power delivery is courtesy of 14 +2 power stages, with the two going to the integrated graphics. Yes, the ROG Maximus XII Hero (WiFi) also stands out as the only ROG board to support the integrated graphics on the 10th Gen Intel Core processors.

Connectivity is pared back a little, with a 1GbE Intel I219-V controller paired with a Marvell AQC111C 5GbE controller. You still get WiFi 6 with an Intel WiFi 6 AX201, so I guess all is well?
ASUS ROG Strix Z490 Series
Moving further down the stack we see the ROG Strix boards. ASUS Malaysia will be bringing in a total of four boards from the ROG Strix Z490 family, namely the ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming, ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming, ROG Strix Z490-A Gaming and the ROG Strix Z490-G Gaming.
          ROG Maximus Z490-A Gaming            ROG Strix Z490-G Gaming WiFi            ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming            ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming
All the ROG Strix Z490 boards offer support for integrated graphics, but the standout features being the ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming’s 14+2 power delivery system, the ROG Strix Z490-A Gaming’s white bits, the ROG Strix Z490-G Gaming’s mATX form factor and the ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming offering a 8+2 power stage configuration in a mITX form factor.
ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus (WiFi)

Designed for endurance, the ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus (WiFi) features 12+2 teamed power stages with DrMOS components, TUF capacitors and ProCool solid-core power connectors. The LAN port comes with TUF LanGuard too to protect it from surges damaging it over the LAN connection. You can also use WiFi with WiFi 6 built into the ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus (WiFi).
ASUS ProArt Z490-Creator 10G
The ASUS ProArt Z490-Creator 10G is a creator’s dream motherboard, with additional connectivity features baked into the motherboard. Two Thunderbolt 3 Type-C are integrated into the rear I/O, powered by Intel’s latest “Titan Ridge” controller. Each port is capable of handling 40 Gbps speeds, which lets you connect all kinds of peripherals including external GPUs and high resolution displays.

Then there’s the LAN connectivity. One 2.5 GbE is integrated into the board, with a 10 GbE add-in card included with the ASUS ProArt Z490-Creator 10G. Unfortunately WiFi 6 is not a part of this package.
ASUS Prime Z490M-Plus

ASUS’ most affordable Intel Z490 board yet, the ASUS Prime Z490M-Plus makes do with an 8+1 DrMOS power delivery system. But make no mistake, ASUS made sure that this is sufficient to power the latest 10th Gen Intel Core processors. Optimem trace allows you to push memory speeds up to 4400 MHz, letting you take full advantage of the improved memory speed support on the 10th Gen processors. The rear I/O offers DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI outputs, letting you connect almost any modern display directly to the motherboard.
Which of these boards are for you? Well, I guess you will need the pricing to decide, so stay tuned as we will share the pricing as soon as we find out!
Pokdepinion: I am really quite digging the ROG Maximus XII Formula’s chunky design, but the ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming is quite a looker as well…
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Logitech G Unveils New Gaming Speaker And Keyboard – Comes With LIGHTSYNC!

Logitech G has announced today of two latest addition in their gaming gear lineup, the Logitech G560 PC Gaming Speaker as well as the new G512 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, where both of the items comes with LIGHTSYNC RGB.
Logitech G560 Speaker & G512 Keyboard
Logitech G560 PC Gaming Speaker
Up first is the G560 speaker, which the company claims that you can hear every detail as game designers intend them to be. They provide 240 Watts Peak/120 Watts RMS power, delivering excellent sound for both music and video games. It also offers 3D audio with DTS:X Ultra 1.0 for in-game positional audio, highly crucial when you play games that are audio dependent for an advantage.
Powered with LIGHTSYNC, the speaker synchronizes RGB lighting and audio in real time to match on-screen gameplay action. It’s light and animation effects can be customized across 16.8 million colors, with four lighting zones. Connection wise, it includes USB, a 3.5mm  jack port, and also Bluetooth. With Logitech’s Easy-Switch, you can also utilize the speakers to switch between four devices whether it be your PC, smartphone or tablet.

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The Logitech G560 gaming speaker is expected to be available here in Malaysia in early May with a price tag of RM999.
Logitech G512 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
On the other hand, there is Logitech’s new G512 mechanical gaming keyboard. Also offering RGB lighting and LIGHTSYNC support, users are offered the choice of two Logitech’s Romer-G mechanical key switches, the Romer-G Tactile and Romer-G Linear.
With the tactile version, it provides soft tactile feedback, suitable for gamers who prefer direct feedback. As for the linear version, it gives you a smoother stroke. All Romer-G keys offer fast as well as a quiet experience. The company has said that the switches actuate up to 25% faster than competitors at a distance of 1.5mm, this combined with a low-force 45g actuation.
The keyboard features an anodized and brushed aircraft-grade 5052 aluminum top case for a slim, premium design but not forsaking durability. Similarly to the G560 speaker, it is also expected to come out in early May. Price wise, it will cost you RM579.
Pokdepinion: The G560 speaker looks awesome. Wouldn’t mind having that for my gaming sessions.
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Instagram Is Putting Twitter In Its Crosshairs With The New “Project 92” App
Image: The Verge

Well, it looks like word on the street that Meta is working on a direct Twitter rival turned out to be real. The Verge was amongst the personnel present in Meta’s company-wide meeting in which chief product officer Chris Cox reveals the app dubbed as “our response to Twitter”, or officially codenamed as: Project 92.
The app, which is pretty much an offshoot of Instagram will use a decentralized social media protocol called ActivityPub. The protocol is also supported by other social media platforms and companies, such as Tumblr, Medium, Flipboard, Mozilla and Mastodon – the lattermost of which should help combine the powers of “in-exile” Twitter users to give Meta better chances at taking on Twitter head-on.
Codenamed “Project 92”, this app uses existing account system from Instagram so users won’t have to start from scratch – they can get things kicked off right away as soon as they choose to join the new platform that was also labeled as “Instagram for your thoughts”. However, based on findings made by The Verge, it looks like the official name for the app could be called “Threads”.

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“We’ve been hearing from creators and public figures who are interested in having a platform that is sanely run, that they believe that they can trust and rely upon for distribution,” said Cox. Obviously, a dig at Elon’s rather brazen tactics of revamping Twitter since his takeover in October 2022. The goal is straightforward – “safety, ease of use, reliability” and stability for creators to “grow their audiences”.
Cox also mentions Meta has secured top celebrities to use the app from launch, including DJ Slime, and others like Oprah and Dalai Lama are still in discussion stage. The whole project started off in January this year and the company is trying to roll out the app as soon as possible, in hopes to grab as many users and organizations from Twitter contemplating from leaving the platform. Previous reports has pointed at a possible late-June launch – or at least a public testing of some capacity.
Pokdepinion: This will be an interesting development. With the users readily available, this might entice advertisers to spend more on Meta platforms and even drop Twitter (or rather X Corp) altogether especially after a few unpopular policies with the platform.
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HONOR Becomes The Official Partner For ESL Clash of Nations – Arena of Valor

Previously partnering up with PUBG Mobile and Fortnite Mobile with their HONOR Play and HONOR View20 smartphones, HONOR Malaysia is back again in the mobile gaming scene. This time around, they’ve come up in being the official smartphone partner for the Malaysia/Singapore and Philippines Qualifiers of the first ever ESL Clash of Nations – Arena of Valor.
With mobile gaming gaining attraction in the region, HONOR has revealed that they are excited to be part of the local mobile gaming industry.
The qualifiers will see four MY/SG teams and four PH teams that advanced from the earlier qualifying rounds to compete at the ESL Clash of Nations Closed Qualifiers on 9th of March 2019. The two finalists of the qualifiers will then compete at the Valor Cup Championship on 10th of March 2019, using HONOR smartphones such as the HONOR View20 and HONOR 8X.

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The winner will represent their region at the ESL Clash of Nations – Arena of Valor tournament which takes places from 29th to 31st of March 2019 in JIExpo, Jakarta.
Winner of the final tournament will receive their share of the US$50,000 grand prize and the honor (pun intended) of being the best team in South East Asia.
For more details on the tournament, you can check out the link right here.
Pokdepinion: Personally, I’m attracted to Arena of Valor compared to any other mobile MOBA games out there… well everyone has their own preference.. What about you?
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Samsung Galaxy S10 May See Some Major Upgrades – A Tri-Camera Flagship?

While we may still be ways ahead from the next Galaxy S-series smartphone, some info has surfaced on the Samsung Galaxy S10, hinting at some major upgrades.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Smartphone May See Some Major Upgrades
Image source: Forbes
Some of you might think it’s a bit too early for any details on the Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone to be revealed at this point in time but it would seem that we have come across some very valuable information on the device.
According to Tech Radar, a report straight from South Korea has suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S10 will be sporting an in-display fingerprint sensor, advanced facial recognition, and a choice of two screen sizes when it launches sometime next year. Those two different screen sizes are said to be 5.8-inches for the base model, and 6.3-inches for an alleged Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus.

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The iris scanning technology available in current Galaxy smartphones, and possibly in the Note 9, will be ditched in favour of fingerprints and a 3D face scanner similar to the one Apple has for the iPhone X. It’s worth noting that while it’s no surprise Samsung has been working on this, they might just end up adopting a more conventional method to unlocking the device if the new one isn’t working well enough by then.
Another interesting piece of information comes in the form of the camera for the smartphone. It is being said that there is a possibility that it will be utilizing a triple-lens camera on the back, much like the Huawei P20 Pro.
At the moment, do take these information with a grain of salt as we are still ways ahead from the launch of the device. In fact, we have still yet to see the Galaxy Note 9 yet so things will most likely become clearer after this device has been launched. One thing for sure, only time will tell.
Source: Tech Radar
Pokdepinion: A Galaxy device with a triple camera setup does sound interesting but it also boils down to how well the company implements it. Even then, the smartphone might not be sporting a tri-camera setup at all. It would be interesting to see what the South Korean giants will pull off but first things first, let’s look forward to the Galaxy Note 9.
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ASUS Republic of Gamers Unveils the ROG Phone 6 Series

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) recently conducted the ROG Phone 6: For Those Who Dare virtual launch event to unveil the new ROG Phone 6 series of gaming smartphones. The ROG Cetra series of True Wireless gaming headphones and ROG Delta series of gaming headsets, as well as a collection of ROG Phone 6 accessories, were also launched during the event. The event ended with the revelation of local prices and availability, along with promotion details in Malaysia.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 6 Pro

The ASUS ROG Phone 6 series features the newest flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and up to 18 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512 GB of storage.

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The improved GameCool 6 cooling system contains 360° CPU cooling technology, a 30% bigger vapour chamber, and 85% larger graphite sheets 6, as well as a centered-CPU design to maximise heat dissipation from the core. The ROG Phone 6 series, when combined with the new performance manager in Armoury Crate, allows gamers to customise performance levels for different games.
The ROG Phone 6 series features a 6.78-inch 165 Hz AMOLED HDR10+ display with a 720 Hz touch-sampling rate and 23 ms ultra-low touch latency. The display can be tuned to 60 Hz, 90 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz, or 165 Hz for a much better gaming experience. The stunning images have been fine-tuned in partnership with premier visual-processing business Pixelworks to achieve high colour accuracy.
The AirTrigger 6 has been considerably improved to provide even more powerful control options including new functions like Dual Action, Press and Lift, and Gyroscope Aiming. The phone’s GameFX audio system has symmetrical seven-magnet dual speakers that balance stereo sound effects by focusing the audio forward. Not only that, a 3.5 mm headphone jack is also available on the phone. ROG Phone 6 has outstanding audio quality, thanks to their partnership with Swedish digital audio, Dirac.
The ROG Phone 6 series has a triple-camera system that includes a flagship Sony IMX766 50 MP main wide-angle camera, an ultrawide 13 MP secondary camera, and a macro camera, as well as a 12MP selfie camera. All of these features are powered by a 6000 mAh battery with a 65-watt HyperCharge adaptor for quick charging.
The ROG Phone 6 comes in Phantom Black and Storm White, with Aura RGB lighting on the back, and up to 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 512 GB of storage. The ROG Phone 6 (12GB+256GB) will cost RM3,599, whereas the (16GB + 512GB) model will cost RM4,399. Both models will be available in Malaysia beginning in August 2022.
The ROG Phone 6 Pro is only available in Storm White and comes with a colour ROG Vision mini-display on the rear, 18 GB of LPDDR5 RAM memory, and 512 GB of storage at the price of RM4,999 and will be available in September 2022.

Pre-orders for the ROG Phone 6 will begin on Shopee and offline retailers on 6 July 2022, with RM548 worth of early bird bonuses, including a 1-year warranty extension that is worth RM199 and an AeroActive Cooler 6 that is worth RM349. In addition, Shopee pre-orders of the ROG Phone 6 will receive a 10% discount on the ROG Slash Hip Bag priced at RM499 and ROG Slash Crossbody Bag at RM399.

For more information about the ASUS ROG Phone 6 and the ROG Phone 6 Pro, feel free to visit their official website by clicking the link here and here.
Curious about what we thought about the ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro. Why don’t you come find out by clicking on the link here.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Accessories

With the launching of their ROG Phone 6 series, ASUS has decided to allow gamers to customise their gameplay experience on their phone by releasing an array of accessories such as the AeroActive Cooler 6, ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad for ROG Phone 6, ROG Phone 6 Glass Screen Protector, cases, and others.

The clip-on AeroActive Cooler 6 has an AI-powered thermoelectric cooler and a fan that directs additional cooling airflow to hotspots on the ROG Phone 6’s back case. As a result, the surface temperature can be reduced by up to 25°C. The cooler also has four additional physical buttons for a true console-like control experience.
ASUS ROG Wireless and Wired Headphones
Apart from the new ROG Phone 6 series and its accessories, ASUS showcased a variety of new and current wireless and wired headphones such as the ROG Cetra True Wireless Pro and ROG Cetra True Wireless.

With an ESS Quad DAC and an AI Noise-Canceling Microphone, the new Cetra True Wireless Pro is a wired and wireless dual-mode model that offers great in-game audio and communication with the flexibility to quickly switch between wireless and wired USB-C modes.
The headphone also leverages the most recent Snapdragon Sound technology in Bluetooth mode to give a low-latency connection and high-quality audio streaming. On the ROG Phone 6, an ultra-low-latency gaming mode offers 45 ms audio for flawlessly synchronised in-game noises. Additionally, the Cetra True Wireless Pro offers a variety of Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) settings to lessen wind noise and background noise with a larger frequency range.
ASUS ROG also created an in-line audio optimizer with integrated ESS 9280 Quad DAC for the wired mode to provide excellent audio with rich, detailed spatial sound. Additionally, for crystal-clear voice communication, the AI Noise-Canceling Microphone suppresses up to 95% of the more than 500 million varieties of background noise.

The ROG Cetra lineup also includes the ROG Cetra True Wireless, a completely wireless variant with a Gaming mode for low-latency wireless music that improves sync with on-screen graphics.

The newest ROG dual-mode wireless gaming headset is the ROG Delta S Wireless. For the most versatility when connecting devices, it may be utilised in Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz modes while providing comfort and style without sacrificing the clarity of in-game communication.

The disguised AI Beamforming Microphones with AI Noise Cancelation provide flawless voice pick-up and decrease background noise by up to 95% for clear in-game conversation. The new ROG Delta S Core, a lightweight, 270-gram headset made for maximum comfort, is another option in the ROG Delta line.
For more information about the ROG Cetra True Wireless and Cetra True Wireless Pro headsets, feel free to visit their official website by clicking the link here and here.
If you are interested in the ROG Delta S Wireless and the ROG Delta S Core, visit their official website by clicking the link here and here.
Pokdepinion: Powerful gaming phone that some of you might want to consider if you prefer mobile gaming and you can spend long hours on the phone with its 6000mAH battery life.
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HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro Performance Mode — up to 82% higher benchmark scores!

We have been playing with a HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro these few days, and one of the features which definitely drew our attention was the new Performance Mode toggle offered in EMUI 9. After HUAWEI drew flak from UL Benchmarks for a hidden performance mode, they now offer it as a toggle for end users to experience the full grunt of the Kirin 980 chipset.

On earlier HUAWEI devices, the hidden performance mode allowed the chipset to deliver substantially higher performance, but it was frowned upon because it wasn’t an option for users to enable the higher performance on their devices. Now that we can toggle it, we see that HUAWEI’s new Performance Mode allows the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro to really shine in our benchmarks.

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3DMark

In 3DMark, we saw performance gains of around 65% when Performance Mode was enabled in the Ice Storm Unlimited benchmark. A considerable boost of around 20% was obtained in 3DMark’s Sling Shot Extreme benchmark. The whopper is when we ran the Sling Shot benchmark (OpenGL ES 3.0) on the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro. The Performance Mode gave rise to a score that’s an insane 82% higher!
Antutu

In Antutu, a smaller delta was observed. The Performance Mode let the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro deliver 13% higher performance, which is cool, but not nearly as mind-blowing as what we saw in 3DMark.
Geekbench

The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro posts less gains when it comes to the CPU, as the scores with Performance Mode on and off are pretty close. The multi-core gains a small boost, but that’s about it. Single-core performance is still within the margin of error, pointing to the Performance Mode boosting the GPU performance rather than the CPU performance.

This is pretty much confirmed when I ran the Compute benchmark in Geekbench, revealing nearly 47% better performance with Performance Mode enabled. This points to the GPU segment being the main contributor to the better scores we see in the other benchmarks when we enable Performance Mode.
PCMark

PCMark yields a good 21% gain, so you will probably enjoy better productivity with Performance Mode enabled. Which brings us to the next point. Battery life. Battery life with Performance Mode enabled is noticeably poorer, with the battery percentage dropping much more drastically with each benchmark run.
The Performance Mode will probably never see a practical usage scenario, considering it takes quite a toll on the battery life. But it is cool to know that you have extra performance on tap, even if you will probably never use it.
What do you think of these performance figures? Let us know in the comments!
Pokdepinion: The Kirin 980 in the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro does deliver pretty impressive performance, but they were definitely somewhat overhyped.
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Win a Redmi Note 8 Pro with these simple steps

Xiaomi has set up standees at Pasar Seni and Masjid Jamek, showcasing the Redmi Note 8 Pro’s camera chops. And while you will probably be in awe with what the upcoming mid-range device can do, Xiaomi Malaysia are not looking forward to seeing you slack-jawed in front of the photos. They want you take a selfie with it.
After you take a selfie, upload your photo to Facebook with the hashtags #PoseAndWin, #64MPMemangShiok, #LiveToCreate and #RedmiNote8Pro and stand a chance to win a Redmi Note 8 Pro for yourself!

The contest runs until 31st October, so don’t miss your chance to win Malaysia’s first 64MP smartphone!

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Pokdepinion: There literally is no reason to not join this contest!
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Send And Receive Money Through WhatsApp Payments

It seems that WhatsApp has introduced Payments to their platform, where you are allowed to send and receive money through the app.
WhatsApp Payments
WhatsApp Payments
It was announced at their blogpost of the new payment service and it seems that there’s no commission free involved, meaning that it’s a free service for users.
Despite that, it appears that businesses have to pay a 3.99% processing fee to receive payments. The process of transaction requires a six-digit PIN or authentication through fingerprint.

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With the feature, you can utilize it by linking your WhatsApp number to your VISA or Mastercard credit or debit card. Unfortunately, the feature is only introduced and available at Brazil at the moment.
Having over 2 billion users in the world, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them introduce the new feature to more countries soon and their statement confirms it:
Payments on WhatsApp are beginning to roll out to people across Brazil beginning today and we look forward to bringing it to everyone as we go forward.
We’ll sure to update you once it does indeed comes out for Malaysia. Till then, stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: Having so many users, it’s definitely a convenient way of making transactions. Hopefully we’ll see it soon here.
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BenQ ZOWIE congratulates FrostFire for winning eXTREMESLAND CS:GO Asia Open Malaysian qualifier — advances to Shanghai Asia Finals

eXTREMESLAND CS:GO Asia Open 2018, a tournament which will see 20 qualifiers played across Asia Pacific and 3 qualifiers in China, has just seen the Malaysia Qualifier end with FrostFire claiming the title of champion. The two-day leg saw strong competition between all the attending teams.
FrostFire which was previously known as Fire Dragoon, have qualified for the Shanghai Asia Finals back in 2017. This year they have once again successfully qualified to appear at the Shanghai Asia Finals for eXTREMESLAND CS:GO Asia Open 2018.
The team will be in the running to take home part of the prize pool of $100 000. eXTRMESLAND CS:GO Asia Open 2018 is sponsored by BenQ ZOWIE, with the gaming brand sponsoring the XL2546 eSports gaming monitors with 240 Hz and DyAc technology to allow the players to perform at their very best.

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Stay tuned as the Shanghai Asia Finals will take place this 18th October to 21st October!
Pokdepinion: Good luck to FrostFire! Malaysia Boleh!
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ASUS brings in the latest TUF Gaming FX505 and FX705 gaming laptops — a more affordable option for slim bezel gaming starting from just RM3699!

The ROG Strix SCAR II and HERO II GL504 gaming laptops spearheaded ASUS’ entry into the slim bezel gaming laptop game. But their pricing definitely placed them out of most people’s reach. Which is what these ASUS TUF Gaming FX505 and FX705 laptops are here to change.
The ASUS TUF Gaming laptops will be available in two variants, the 15.6″ TUF Gaming FX505 and the 17.3″ TUF Gaming FX705 laptops. The former’s pricing starts from RM3699, while the latter comes in starting from RM4999. A wide range of specifications are available to suit the unique requirements of every gamer.

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These laptops come configured with up to an Intel Core i7 8750H processor and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5. The highest end variants also come with 144 Hz displays for a smoother visual experience. The available configurations are listed as below:

FX705G-MEV169T
FX505G-MES182T
FX705G-EEV163T
FX505G-EES241T
FX705G-EEW164T
FX505G-EBQ242T
FX505G-MBQ202T
FX505G-EBQ269T

CPU
Intel Core i7 8750H
Intel Core i5 8300H

RAM
8GB DDR4
4GB DDR4

GPU
GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5

Storage
256GB PCIe SSD + 1TB 7200rpm HDD
128GB PCIe SSD + 1TB 7200rpm HDD
1TB 7200rpm HDD

Display
17.3″ FHD 144 Hz IPS
15.6″ FHD 144 Hz IPS
17.3″ FHD 144 Hz IPS
15.6″ FHD 144 Hz IPS
17.3″ FHD 60 Hz IPS
15.6″ FHD 60 Hz 300 nits
15.6″ FHD 60 Hz 200 nits

Keyboard
RGB
Red
RGB
Red

Design
Gold Steel
Red Matter
Gold Steel
Red Matter

Price
RM5899
RM5599
RM5299
RM5099
RM4999
RM4699
RM4399
RM3699

Availability
End of October
Available Now
End of October
Available Now

Which of these laptops fit your fancy? Is it the more portable ASUS TUF Gaming FX505 or the ASUS TUF Gaming FX705 with a larger screen? Let us know!
Pokdepinion: The ASUS TUF Gaming FX-series laptops seem like an interesting option for gamers on a budget, with a nice list of features that used to be exclusive to more premium gaming laptops!
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Half of PlayStation Releases Making Their Way to PC and Mobile by 2025

More PlayStation Games Coming to PC and Mobile by 2025

It appears that Sony Interactive Entertainment is looking to expand their presence in the gaming market even further as they are looking to make a bigger impact in PC and mobile by releasing more games on those platforms.
According to a recent investor relations briefing, first party PlayStation games on the PS5 are expected to make 50% of the output by fiscal year 2025. As for the remaining, 30% is listed for PC while the leftover 20% will be for Mobile, which is expected to apply to both Android and iOS. It’s also added that by then, PS4 game launches would have already been phased out.

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This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise since PlayStation has been wanting to expand more in the mobile games market for a while now. However, this may be a cause of concern for many due to mobile games being more simplistic in nature and typically accompanied by microtransactions.
For now, do expect to hear more PlayStation games coming outside of their consoles moving forward. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m sure they will be ramping up on PC ports but for the mobile games, I don’t mind microtransactions. I just hope they are games that are worth playing rather than just being a quick cashgrab with little to no gameplay elements.
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Get the PlayStation 4 and PS4 Pro at Lower Prices in Malaysia This December 2019

The folks over at Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore have announced a new “Incredible Deals” promotion. This will include discounts on a variety of PlayStation products, most notably the PlayStation 4 and PS4 Pro consoles this December 2019.
Starting 12th December 2019 to 5th January 2020, you can get the following items at a discounted price:
PS4 Party Bundle = RM1,099 (discount of RM350)PS4 MEGA PACK = RM999 (discount of RM350)PS4 Pro Party Bundle = RM1,549 (discount of RM350)PS4 Pro God of War / The Last of Us Remastered Bundle = RM1,449 (discount of RM350)PS4 DualShock 4 Wireless Controller (selected colours only) = RM179 (discount of RM60)

Furthermore, you can also get a number of PS4 games at lower prices. This will applicable to both new owners as well as existing customers, so everyone can enjoy the discounted prices. The games available at a discount are:

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Death Stranding = RM169Marvel’s Spider-Man = RM79Concrete Genie = RM79Days Gone = RM79Left Alive = RM79
The Incredible Deals promotion will available at all Sony authorized dealers, Sony Stores, and Sony Centres in Malaysia. Once again, the promotion will be available from 15th December 2019 to 5th January 2020.
Pokdepinion: To me, it’s definitely worth getting Marvel’s Spider-Man, Death Stranding, and Concrete Genie at those prices. I personally didn’t enjoy Days Gone so you can give that a pass.
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Illegear ARES X Laptop With Latest 10th Gen Intel Desktop Processors Available For Pre-orders From RM9,999

Illegear has recently announced that their ARES X laptops are now available for pre-orders in the country, where they come with desktop processors, specifically 10th Gen Intel Core processors.
Illegear ARES X pre-order now available in Malaysia
Aside from the processor, the ARES X offers expandable RAM up to 128GB, up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super, G-SYNC support, and it is engineered to offer 4 M.2 2280 SSD slots, which can give you a total capacity of 8TB of fast storage.
You can checkout the full specifications below:

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Model
ARES X

CPU:
Intel Core i5-10400 up to Intel Core i9-10900K Desktop Processor
Intel Core i7-10700 up to Intel Core i9-10900K Desktop Processor

Display:
17.3″ FHD (1920×1080), 144Hz, IPS sRGB 99% INFIVISION bezel-less screen
17.3″ FHD (1920×1080), 240Hz, IPS sRGB 99% INFIVISION bezel-less screen

GPU:
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB GDDR6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB GDDR6

Wifi:
Killer Doubleshot Pro

Memory:
Up to 128GB DDR4 RAM (4 x slots)

Storage:
2x M.2 PCIe SSD slots, 1 x 2.5″ SATA slot

Keyboard:
Tactile keyboard with single-zone programmable RGB

Weight and size:
2.7KG in weight and 32.5mm in diameter including battery

Other Features:
Sound Blaster Atlas

Price:
Starting from RM9,999
Starting from RM12,999
Starting from RM15,999

As you can see from the specs, the ARES X is definitely a powerful machine on paper. They’ve revealed that in the pre-order promotion period, they are offering several deals to let you enjoy more from your machine. This includes a free 1TB Samsung NVMe SSD upgrade, free Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, free professional color calibration, as well as a free Tusk Gaming Mouse.
For more information on the Illegear ARES X, you can head to the link right here.
Pokdepinion: Well, if you are ever looking for a desktop replacement that’s portable, you can definitely check this out. Will you be getting one?
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Facebook Dark Mode For Mobile Is Coming Soon

It seems that Facebook has confirmed that Dark ode will indeed be arriving to the platform, especially for mobile devices soon.
Dark Mode on Facebook mobile

So I have dark mode on Facebook now. 😍 #darkmode #facebook #iOS14 pic.twitter.com/AuC5uYoMJ2— Jimmy Buckets Coffee 🔥🔥🔥 (@NotFridayCraig) June 26, 2020

There’s been reports that Facebook is working on the mode for their mobile app and it seems that the company has spoken about it.
While Instagram and WhatsApp, both of which owned by Facebook has been featuring the mode for quite some time, the Facebook app has yet to see the light of it (or in this case dark).

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As you probably have known already, with dark mode, it’s more pleasing to the eyes as well as less battery consuming, especially if you’re using OLED displays.
A Facebook spokesperson has said that despite the news, the feature has no specific timeline just yet of its release.
Source
Pokdepinion: All I can say is, it’s been a long time coming.
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PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan Teases Unannounced PS5 Features

Many gamers are excited to see what’s in store for us from Sony Interactive Entertainment with regards to the PlayStation 5. While we know quite an amount about the PS5 already like the logo and specifications, there are still a bunch of stuff that’s still left in the dark.
Recently, Business Insider Japan held an interview with PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan. In the interview, he talked about the PlayStation 5 logo, teased about some unannounced features of the upcoming console, among other things. You can check some of the highlights of the interview right below here:
On similarities between the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 LogosJim Ryan: “It is important to give off a sense of consistency for products within the PlayStation brand. It is a must for anyone who sees [the logo] to immediately and positively think, ‘That’s PlayStation.’“There are over 100 million PlayStation 4 owners—there is a community there. We have an obligation to keep them happy, interested, and absorbed [in PlayStation].”On the migration from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5Jim Ryan: “During the migration from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, there will still be a great deal of PlayStation 4 users. That is very important and we have an obligation to those users. In the same way, we need to work out new appeals for PlayStation 5. This year will be a tough, but special year for us compared to previous console releases.”On the unique appeals of the PlayStation 5Jim Ryan: “Each time a new console is released, the processor and graphics improve. Those are enticing of course, but we need to have special appeals as well. We have already confirmed the use of an solid-state drive. Having load times that are next to nothing is a major change.“3D audio and the haptic feedback support of the controller are also things that, when you try them, you will be surprised at how big a change they are. Even just playing the racing game Gran Turismo Sport with a PlayStation 5 controller is a completely different experience. While it runs well with the previous controller, there is no going back after you experience the detailed road surface via haptic control and play using the adaptive triggers.“But you know. There are still more unique elements for PlayStation 5 to come that separate it from previous consoles. The ‘bigger differences’ have yet to be announced.”
The PlayStation 5 is expected to be released sometime in Holiday 2020.

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Source: Gematsu
Pokdepinion: I do wonder what these unannounced features are exactly. Would it be enough to make a big difference in gaming, or would it just be convenient to have? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
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The Largest Sony Centre in Northern Malaysia Now Open in Penang

The folks over at Sony Malaysia has officially launched the largest Sony Centre ever in Northern Malaysia. Specifically, this new Sony Centre is located at Queensbay Mall, Penang at the Bayan Lepas area.

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This new Sony Centre will feature the complete range of products from Sony, including audio, video, photography, gaming (PlayStation), and more. The store is said to be 2,000 sq. ft. and is not only the largest in Northern Malaysia, it’s also said to be one of the biggest in Southeast Asia.

Sony Malaysia plans on running a series of workshops and promotions, utilizing the full power of their products, at this very store in the future. Consumers can head here if they want to try out specific Sony products, consultation, or any form of customer support. In a sense, this would be the most complete Sony Centre in Northern Malaysia so consumers can expect the fullest support possible when heading to this store.

It is said that in Penang Island, Sony’s customer base is about 1.7 million. It would definitely be an ideal place to open such a store as consumers in the northern area will have more options as to which Sony Centre to head to, and not have to look too far for it either.

There was even a huge crowd already waiting in front of the store prior to its launch, and a good number of them have been waiting since dawn.

At the moment, this Sony Centre in Queensbay Mall will have special discounts and extended activities running here so if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, head on over to Queensbay Mall, Penang.
If you want to know more about what’s happening as well as good deals at the store, click right here.
Pokdepinion: I’m genuinely surprised at how big it was (that’s what she said), and it was definitely worth it too given the sheer amount of people that showed up on launch day.
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Resident Evil 3 Remake Officially Announced

After the recent leak on the PlayStation Store, Capcom has officially announced that Resident Evil 3 Remake is coming at the PlayStation State of Play show. You can check out the brand new trailer for the game right above here.
As you can see, we get a look at some of the series’ most iconic characters; Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveira in Raccoon City. We also get a glimpse of the Nemesis T-Type, the game’s monstrous antagonist, at the end of the trailer.
The game does seem to look more like Resident Evil 2 Remake, which isn’t a surprise given that the game was only released in January 2019. It’s worth noting that the game seems to indicate some form of first-person perspective, but we’re uncertain if this will be actually part of the game or not.

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Despite it popping up during the State of Play Show, Resident Evil 3 Remake will not be exclusive to the PlayStation brand. It will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on 3rd April 2020. It will also be bundled with Project Resistance, the multiplayer Resident Evil game, for free.
Pokdepinion: I’m personally more fond of Resident Evil 3, so I’m definitely looking forward to this one. Not sure if I like the idea of being chased by Nemesis T-Type again, though.
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Assassin’s Creed 2 Is Free For A Limited Time And Here’s How to Claim It

With the COVID-19 pandemic still going on, I’m sure many of us are looking for more things to do at home to pass the time. Now, Ubisoft is giving you one with Assassin’s Creed 2 being free for PC gamers.
Arguably the most popular entry in the series, Assassin’s Creed 2 puts you in the shoes of Desmond Miles as he goes into the Animus and relive memories of his ancestor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze during the Italian Renaissance in the 15th and 16th century.
Assassin’s Creed 2 Synopsis by Ubisoft

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The acclaimed follow-up to Assassin’s Creed features a new hero, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young Italian noble, and a new era, the Renaissance. Assassin’s Creed II is an epic story of family, vengeance and conspiracy set in the pristine, yet brutal, backdrop of a Renaissance Italy.
Ezio befriends Leonardo da Vinci, takes on Florence’s most powerful families and ventures throughout the canals of Venice where he learns to become a master assassin.
To claim the game, all you have to do is head on over to UPlay with your Ubisoft account and simply claim the game. It’s limited to only PC gamers. For an easier time claiming the game, click right here to head straight to the page. Alternatively, simply open up your UPlay client on your PC and claim the game there.
The game will be free to claim until 17th April 2020 at 2PM UK time (GMT +1) / 9PM Malaysia time (GMT +8). Once you have claimed it, the game will be yours forever so best to get that over with quickly.
Source
Pokdepinion: Ezio is the most iconic protagonist in the series, and it was hard to adapt after his adventures were over. This is especially given how awkward the true protagonist of Assassin’s Creed 3 was. Good thing we had two more games with Ezio after this one.
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Multiple Certifications Confirm That POCO X3 Pro Is Coming

It seems that we’ll be getting a POCO X3 Pro pretty soon according to multiple certifications, a few months after releasing the original POCO X3 NFC back in September of last year. An FCC (Federal Communications Commission) certification sees that the POCO X3 Pro carries a model number of M2102J20SG. The new POCO phone has also certifications from TUV, EEC and IMDA.
POCO X3 Pro certified, coming soon
The FCC certification further shows that the X3 Pro will feature dual-band WI-Fi support as well as NFC connectivity. It doesn’t seem to feature 5G connectivity, however, as the certification only mentions LTE connectivity.

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The POCO X3 Pro is allegedly codenamed “vayu” and “bhima” which likely to different variants of the same base model and according to reports, the device might be running on Qualcomm’s sm8150 (Snapdragon 855) platform. It is said that the X3 Pro could also feature a 48MP quad-camera setup.
While the certifications and model numbers are indeed confirmed and genuine, the other specs of the POCO X3 Pro are still just rumours so take things with a pinch of salt for the moment. We will update on this as soon as more information becomes available.
Pokdepinion: I wonder why they chose to release a Pro variant of the POCO X3 NFC so long after the original’s release?
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Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition Released for Windows – Like the Regular FFXV, But Much Lighter

Months after the game first launched for the iOS and Android, Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition is now available for every Windows 10 machine. Laptops, desktops, Surface
Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition Released for Windows

Not too long ago, Square Enix released Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition, an abridged version of the 2016 RPG with Chibi-style graphics for the iOS and Android. Today, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition is now available for the “Universal Windows Platform,” specifically PCs, laptop, and Microsoft Surface tablets.

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When it comes to pricing, the Windows version of Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition functions similarly to the mobile versions. The game’s first chapter is available for free, while Chapters 2-10 can be picked up either individually or as a bundle. For those who’d rather play the game more traditionally on PC, Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition is also available.
The game’s minimum system requirements are very forgiving, but you can check them out below if you want to make sure your PC can run it:
Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition Minimum System Requirements

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100U or Higher
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 520 or Higher
RAM: 4GBs
Video RAM: 1GB
OS: Windows 10 (x64)

Unlike the main game itself, Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition has an episodic format so if you were confused as to how this works, you will still have to purchase most of the game chapters but the first one itself is free. You can consider the first kind of like a demo of sorts. If you wanted to play the game but your PC isn’t strong enough or you don’t have a current generation gaming console, this is a good opportunity for you since the requirements are pretty light.
Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition is now available for iOS, Android, and all Windows 10 PCs, with the first Chapter available for free.
Pokdepinion: I may have finished the main game but I’m tempted to play the Pocket Edition just to see how different the experience is. If it ends up better than the original, I’m just gonna laugh my life away.
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iPhone 13 series sees production cuts due to chip shortage

If you are still considering getting an iPhone 13 series, you might be in for a long wait. Apple is apparently set to cut production on the iPhone 13 series by 10 million units in 2021, due to the chip shortages, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Apple has apparently secured quite a lot of chips from TSMC, which should mean that the A15 Bionic isn’t as affected, but it is the other chipmakers in Apple’s supply chain that are holding Apple back. Apple was reportedly planning to make 90 million iPhone 13s in this last quarter of 2021, but Broadcom and Texas Instruments are reportedly unable to keep up with Apple’s demand. Broadcom supplies the wireless components while Texas Instruments is said to be responsible for the display parts.

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It is quite interesting that while Apple is facing chip shortages, the Android smartphone market appears to be just fine. While we would probably assume that Apple will probably be capable of securing better supply, it seems that Android smartphone makers are still churning out their devices like nobody’s business.
In any case, your wait for your new iPhone 13 will possibly extend quite a bit if you haven’t pre-ordered yours. Most of the industry predicts that most of the supply issues will be alleviated sometime in 2022, so fingers crossed. And to Apple fans, here’s a meme from us PC gamers:

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Pokdepinion: Imagine wanting to pay over RM5000 for your smartphone and yet being unable to get one.
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Apple Faces Lawsuit Over Apple Pay Payment System

In recent news, Apple Inc. is accused of abusing its position as a market leader in the mobile phone business to stave off competition from rival payment card providers. Affinity Credit Union, an Iowa-based chartered credit union, filed the class-action case in federal court in California.
According to the lawsuit, Apple “forces” users who use its devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets to use its own wallet for contactless payments, in contrast to manufacturers of Android operating products that allow consumers to choose wallets such as Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

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As per the allegation, Apple inhibits users from utilising competing mobile wallets that provide competitive tap and payment alternatives. The company’s anti-competitive behaviour compelled the more than 4,000 banks and credit unions that are using Apple Pay to pay a minimum of $1 billion in extra fees each year as stated by the Affinity Credit Union in Iowa.
It also claimed that the company’s actions reduced the motive for California businesses to enhance Apple Pay and make it more resistant to security breaches.
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Pokdepinion: This lawsuit seems interesting. Didn’t know they have been doing this tactic for the longest time. We shall wait and see what they have to say.
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New Mi Smart Band 6 Is Now Available For Purchase In Malaysia

Xiaomi has just announced that the latest addition to their popular fitness band, the Mi Smart Band 6, is coming to Malaysia. The new Mi Smart Band will be available for Malaysians to purchase in stores from 25 April.

The Mi Smart Band 6 touts a 1.56-inch Stunning Full Screen Touch Display and includes features such as up to 30 fun and challenging workout modes including indoor training like stretching and HIIT (high-intensity interval training), and health monitoring features such as SpO2 measurements, accurate heart rate monitoring, enhanced sleep tracking function that monitors naps, sleep cycles including REM and sleep breathing quality, stress monitoring and female health tracking.

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The Mi Smart Band 6 has a 14-day battery life, a convenient magnetic port for fast clip-on and clip-off charging, and is water-resistant to 5 ATM.
Mi Smart Band 6 price and availability

As mentioned before, the Mi Smart Band 6 will be available from 25 April with a retail price of RM189. It will be available at Xiaomi official stores on Lazada and Shopee and offline at Authorised Mi Stores and other official retailers in Malaysia. The band will also come with different colour options which Xiaomi says will be revealed at a later date.
Pokdepinion: I’ve been using these fitness bands since the Mi Band 2 and I can personally say that Xiaomi’s fitness bands really do offer the best value and good functions.
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