Tales of Berseria Review: An Excellent J-RPG Held Back by Awful Voiceovers

I am a big fan of role-playing games. The way you experience the game’s storyline is so immersive, it makes you feel as if you are the protagonist, which is something movies usually aren’t able to do. Role-playing games have evolved so much from the usual turn-based combat system and today, we’re going to review the latest Japanese role-playing game (J-RPG) by Bandai Namco for the PlayStation 4 and Windows PC, Tales of Berseria.
Tales of Berseria Review
A Story of Vengeance and ‘Malevolence’

Tales of Berseria tells the story of Velvet Crowe, an ordinary village girl who suddenly finds her world turned upside down when her brother-in-law, Artorius Collbrande, murders her brother, Laphicet Crowe, in a twisted ritual to “save” the world. In an attempt to save her brother, she gets tainted by an ominous power and transforms into a being known as a ‘therion’.

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Artorius, the Main Antagonist
Instead of killing her on the spot, Artorius knocks Velvet out and places her in prison where she grew stronger day by day by consuming abnormal beasts known as ‘daemons’. After 3 years, she breaks out from prison and goes on a journey to avenge her brother’s death, meeting several people who have similar goals to her along the way.
This game takes places in the same world as its predecessor, Tales of Zestiria, but it happens roughly 1000 years before the events in Zestiria. In this timeline, malaks are utilized as tools for humans, and it explains why they view humans in negative lights in Zestiria. As such, you’ll be seeing some characters from Zestiria appear in this game as their lifespan is much longer than humans. Unlike previous games from the Tales series, Tales of Berseria has a much darker storyline. Not so much on gore but death is a major element in the storyline so this may not be so suitable for the younger audience.
An Interesting Cast of Characters Plagued by Horrible Voiceovers

There are a total of 6 playable characters in Tales of Berseria; protagonist Velvet Crowe, half-daemon samurai Rokurou Rangetsu, malak pirate Eizen, mysterious witch Magilou, exorcist Eleanor Hume, and a malak named Laphicet who happened to be someone you kidnapped at a very early point in the game. Each character has their own agenda and principles to follow, with the only thing tying them together being somewhat of a common goal.

Truth be told, I personally thought that the cast would be completely unlikeable as they’re completely different people with different mindsets and each of them have their own agenda. After seeing how the story progressed and how their interactions improved over time, you just can’t help but love this quirky group. The way they manage to perfectly sync with each other, helping to cover each other’s weaknesses and packed with comedic moments from start to end, what’s not to love?
It would’ve been much better if the English voiceover weren’t so horrible. It clearly did not fit the characters and some lines didn’t translate well from the original Japanese version, which made a lot of story elements as well as jokes fall completely flat. The game became much better after switching to Japanese voices, which you can do so every time you boot up the game.
Dated Visuals but 60 FPS Makes it Forgivable

The first thing you’d notice when playing Tales of Berseria is that the visuals are pretty much the same as Zestiria so it makes the game’s visuals a little outdated. On the plus side however, Tales of Berseria is running at 60 Frames per Second (FPS) so it makes everything, from travelling to combat, very fluid. This is me playing the game using a regular PlayStation 4 console mind you, not the PS4 Pro. I personally prefer this over any games with life-like visuals.
Exploring the World of Desolation

Tales of Berseria is set in a world known as Desolation. There are a few continents for you to explore in the world map, and you can only truly move around once you’ve acquired a ship for yourself. The entire explorable area of the game isn’t huge but due to the fact that there are plenty of things to do in the game, it makes the game seem like it has a much bigger world than it actually is.

You have the choice of progressing through the main story, complete side quests for bonus story portions as well as items, collecting spirit points to save the fabled ‘Katz’ that are trapped all over the world, and ‘Code Red Daemon’ hunts. Code Red daemons are stronger than your average daemon and it’s akin to a boss fight but they have a bounty on their head. Simply put, there’s enough to do in Tales of Berseria to keep you occupied for hours, and it’s not to the point where you’ll feel suffocated by it.
Unlike previous entries in the Tales series, the side quests are very hard to miss. It’s practically embedded into the main story, with the exception that you don’t need to complete it to progress. For the sake of gaining new items as well as mastering your equipment skills however, there’s no point in skipping them.
Combat System

The combat system of this is a variation of the series’ signature Linear Motion Battle System (LMBS) known as the Liberation-LMBS. You set up your artes in a string of 4, where the first arte will transition to the next until the string ends. Unlike in the past where your artes are limited to a numbered counter, the number of artes you can pull of is determined by a Soul gauge. You start the battle with 3 souls and you can gain or lose them in battle.

Each character has the ability to perform a ‘Break Soul’ function, where you lose 1 soul in exchange for a temporarily stronger battle form. Use this carelessly and you’ll become very weak after as you need souls to perform attacks. To gain souls, you can either stagger the enemies by exploiting their weakness or perform mystic artes; a devastating signature move that will also yield you a number of souls.
Despite it sounding complicated, the Liberation-LMBS at its core is still very similar to the past Tales iterations; a combat system that is more akin to a freeflowing fighting game and breaks away from the conventional RPG combat mechanics. It takes a bit of time to get used to but once you’ve gotten the feel for it, it’s never a dull moment in combat. Thanks to the fact that you can change the difficulty anytime, anyone from beginners to gamers looking for a challenge can dive in and have fun with it.
Conclusion

Tales of Berseria is an excellent entry in Bandai Namco’s Tales series and it far exceeds the previous game, Tales of Zestiria, overall.  A surprisingly wonderful cast of characters, an excellent storyline that spans the length of RPG games during the PlayStation 2 era, and an improved combat system, Bandai Namco has outdone themselves.
I proudly present Tales of Berseria with the Gold Pokdeward, the first game to receive Pokde.net’s highest award.

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ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 Launched in Malaysia – Most Compact 17″ Gaming Laptop

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 Launched in Malaysia

Aside from the Zephyrus S, the folks over at ASUS Malaysia has also launched the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 gaming laptop in Malaysia at the launch event in Bangsar today.
The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 is the latest addition to the ROG Strix gaming laptop lineup featuring a 17.3-inch Full HD display with 144Hz refresh rate and complete sRGB coverage. It manages to fit this in a 15.7-inch chassis, which also houses the Intel Core i7-8750H and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB.

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It has a 256GB NVMe PCIe SSD which ensures some real fast boot up / loading times. For additional storage, it does have a 1TB 5400RPM SSHD. With all of this firepower being packed, it is cooled with the HyperCool Pro system consisting of three heatsinks and two fans. The camouflage and Kevlar textures adorned on the chassis gives it added durability while also making it look pretty cool.
On the network side of things, it includes the ROG RangeBoost technology, which is used to optimize antennas to extend Wi-Fi range, and 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi which uses faster frequencies which can lead to speeds of up to 1.73Gbps. Of course, that speed is also very much dependent on your router.

For RGB enthusiasts, the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 gaming laptop has a total of seven zones of RGB lighting which can be customized via the Armoury Crate software. Four zones on the keyboard, two within the light bar stretching across the front edge, and the last one on the ROG logo on the lid.

For more information on the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 gaming laptop, check out the specifications right below here:
ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-8750H (6C / 12T @ up to 4.1 GHz), 9M Cache, 45W TDP, 14nm

RAM
16GB 2666MHz DDR4

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5

Storage
256GB NVMe PCIe SSD + 1TB 5400RPM SSHD

Display
17.3″ FHD (1920 X 1080) 144Hz IPS-level display (3ms response, 100% sRGB)

Keyboard
Desktop-inspired 4-Zone RGB-backlit Chiclet Keyboard with Aura Sync

Connectivity
Wireless:
802.11ac 2×2 Wave 2 Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 5.0
I/O:
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C
3 x USB 3.1 Gen 1
1 x mDP 1.2
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x RJ45 LAN
1 x SD Card Reader
1 x Kensington Lock
1 x Proprietary Charging Port

Audio
2 x 3.5W Speakers (Stereo) with Smart Amplifier
Array Microphones
1 x Combo Audio Jack

Power
180W Power Adapter

Dimensions
399.8 x 273.5 x 24.9~26.4 mm (W x D x H)

Weight
2.9kg

The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 is available in Malaysia from today onwards with a retail price of RM7,599.
Pokdepinion: I honestly would prefer this over the Zephyrus S gaming laptop but that’s mostly because I dig the look of this more. What do you guys think?
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Celcom Home Fibre Now Available Outside of Sabah

Malaysians have been wanting more internet service providers so they have more choices and flexibility for their home internet plans. Celcom Home Fibre was previously limited to the Sabah area but now, it is available outside of it for the first time.
Celcom Home Fibre is currently being offered in Jasin, Melaka. The prices are rather afforable, but it is no different from what we’ve seen from them in Sabah.

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The Home Fibre Gold plan which comes with 40Mbps speed, 10 sen per minute calls to all networks, and unlimited quota is priced at RM80 per month. For the more premium Hobe Fibre Gold Supreme which comes with a whopping 100Mbps speed, 10 sen per minute calls to all networks, and unlimited quota is priced at RM120 per month.
For those of you who are wondering, the Celcom Home Fibre will be riding on the broadband infrastructure from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), which is why they can offer fast internet speeds.
If you are located in Jasin, Melaka, be sure to check out with your local stores for the availability in your area. It’s about time for an upgrade.
Pokdepinion: Well, this is the beginning of a new Malaysia. Hopefully, we’ll see more rapid expansions in other parts of the country as well sooner rather than later.
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Western Digital Introduce Purple MicroSD Card – Surveillance Card For Cameras And Edge Systems

Western Digital or simply known as WD, has today introduce their latest Western Digital Purple microSD card, built for the complex and dynamic data demands of modern surveillance cameras and edge systems.
Western Digital Purple microSD
As nowadays the adoption of 4K Ultra HD video as well as the emerge of artificial intelligence (AI) applications and analytics drive the rapid growth of data in surveillance, Western Digital has unveil their new Purple microSD card to cope with those requirements.
The card is optimized for 24/7 surveillance video capture, making it ideal for business that employ surveillance video. The card captures and preserves video in a variety of high-definition formats, this includes 4K Ultra HD video, as well as supports the movement of data to core data systems for analytics and fast business insights.

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With it, it offers robust endurance for continuous recording whereby it supports up to 1,000 P/E Cycles. There’s also a card health status functionality for easy card maintenance. This means u can monitor as the card offers reporting capabilities, which includes the card’s endurance and capacity status, enabling predictive maintenance, albeit for compatible cameras.
Performance wise, the card offers speeds of up to 80 MB/s read speed and 50 MB/s write speed. In addition, it supports Speed Class 10 and UHS Speed Class 1. There are two different storage capacity that they are offering; 32GB and 64GB respectively.
The new microSD card will be available here in Malaysia by end of April at major IT malls. You can also choose to purchase it at online WD official stores at Lazada, 11Street, and Shopee as well. For the 32GB variation, it is priced at RM99 and RM159 for the 64GB variant.
On a side note, we are running our Sandisk Ultra 3D 1TB SSD, be sure to join that if you haven’t participated yet. Who knows, you might just win big.
Pokdepinion: For those looking for quality cards for surveillance, it doesn’t seem like a bad choice.
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ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M2) full specifications leaked on Lazada

The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M2) is launching in Jakarta on 11th December, and it seems like it will be up for pre-order on the same day. Considering that the 12.12 is going to feature promotions from most brands, ASUS would have been crazy to not join in. And it seems that Lazada may have jumped the gun a little.

The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M2) has already been listed on Lazada with the full specifications, down to the camera sensor used. And the specifications does seem rather interesting for a Xiaomi killer.

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Snapdragon 660 AIE (up to 1.95 GHz)
4GB RAM
64GB storage
6.3″ FHD+, 90% screen to body ratio
12MP f/1.8 Sony IMX486 + 5MP depth sensor rear cameras
13MP f/2.0 selfie camera
5000 mAh battery
Android 8.1 Oreo

If the price is right, the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M2) looks very promising as an affordable mid-range device with great specifications. How much do you think the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M2) will be priced at?
Our thanks to Sean who tipped us about Lazada’s sales page in our comments section!
Pokdepinion: A Snapdragon 660 definitely ups the ante for the ZenFone Max Pro series!
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Apple’s Upcoming iPhones To Pack Larger Batteries And Feature Reverse Wireless Charging

Seeing all the innovations that smartphones have to offer these days, some might wonder what can we expect from the latest iPhones to bring to the table. According to reports, we could see something done with their batteries.
Reportedly, the latest iPhone models will come with more battery capacity. Down the years, iPhones usually packs a small capacity batteries inside (compared to Android devices) but their optimization has been one of the best around. With recent iPhone sales growth has slowed down in the market, several survey found out that battery life is the main reason that consumers choose to upgrade to a new device and it seems that’s the reason why Apple has decided to focus on their battery on the upcoming iPhones.
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new iPhones will also be able to wirelessly charge other iPhones, AirPods 2, and also any other Qi compatible devices. With the increase in battery capacity, it is expected that the new iPhones will increase in size, where the iPhone XS Max’s successor could have a 10% to 15% bigger battery, while the XS’s could grow up to 20% to 25%.

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Pokdepinion: Well, it’s nothing new but surely Apple fans will love this? Let’s just hope that they don’t cancel it out like they did with the AirPower wireless charging mat..
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Intel Tiger Lake with Xe graphics is capable of running Battlefield 5 at 30 FPS

Intel has invested quite a bit in their GPU division, even pulling AMD’s Raja Koduri to work on their Intel Xe graphics solution. The first Intel processors to sport the Intel Xe graphics architecture will be the Tiger Lake family, and it seems to be a pretty promising GPU architecture, allowing for some real gaming, as Ryan Shrout, Intel’s chief performance strategist, has revealed on Twitter.

Perks of the job! Took a prototype Tiger Lake system for a spin on Battlefield V to stretch its legs. Impressive thin and light gaming perf with Xe graphics! Early drivers/sw, but it’s the first time I’ve seen this game run like this on integrated gfx. More later this year! pic.twitter.com/f1Qlz2jMyB
— Ryan Shrout (@ryanshrout) June 17, 2020

A pretty sleek looking laptop is shown running Battlefield 5 at 1080p with the High graphics preset, and it maintains a pretty solid 30 FPS, even going above it in spikes. That does look quite optimistic for Intel’s graphics endeavor, and considering that the device it is in is rather slim, it shouldn’t sport that high of a TDP. The drivers and software are also not finalized yet, so the final performance figures might improve as Intel optimizes their drivers to squeeze more performance out of the hardware.

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Hey everyone, I’ve got something incredibly cool I want to show you on Tiger Lake today…hoping to get clearance from the top brass here to post it. Stay tuned!! pic.twitter.com/gwzhA42Pb2
— Ryan Shrout (@ryanshrout) June 17, 2020

Shrout also showed off the laptop’s side profile, which reveals a hinge design not unlike the ASUS ErgoLift mechanism, which raises the laptop off the table when open. Of course, this being an Intel test system, it does not sport any branding, so we have no idea which partner helped them design it. It sports two Thunderbolt ports, which might be of the Thunderbolt 4 variety. The high-speed connectivity option will debut with Tiger Lake too.
Intel looks set on reclaiming lost ground with Tiger Lake. With such a powerful GPU, they might be able to give AMD some competition. AMD’s APUs have always had the advantage of featuring better GPUs than their Intel counterparts, so hopefully Intel will be able to level the playing field a little with Tiger Lake.

In addition to the Intel Xe graphics architecture, Tiger Lake will also sport the Willow Cove core architecture, which is the next generation after Ice Lake’s Sunny Cove architecture. Intel is expected to redesign the cache structure with Willow Cove, in addition to adding hardware-based security features and other optimizations.
Tiger Lake is set to launch later this year based on the 10nm++ process, so stay tuned for the next-gen laptops popping up soon!
Pokdepinion: I am glad that Intel is not taking their beating lying down!
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The Specs And Price Are Out For The Ataribox – Powered by AMD and runs Linux

More than just a throwback

Last we heard of the Ataribox was when Atari released the first few images of their brand new Ataribox console last July. The console looked pretty sweet with its retro looking design, with its ridged piece on top together with the wood paneling (which Atari says is real wood)  harks back to the original Atari 2600 design.

Now the legendary video game company has finally revealed (partly) what’s under the hood of their upcoming Ataribox, as well as the pricing and general availability.  As previously reported, Atari CEO Fred Chesnais confirmed that the Ataribox console will be running on PC-based technology. Which turns out to be true as we now know that the Ataribox will be packing a customised AMD processor together with Radeon Graphics technology.

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It will also have a Linux-based OS on board albeit a customised one and has a purported easy to use user interface. Atari also stated that the console will keep the system “open”, meaning you can access and customise the OS as you see fit. In terms of games you won’t be restricted to just the pre-loaded Atari games as the open nature of the OS allows you to access your other games from other platforms as long as it’s compatible with the OS and hardware. Atari also teased new and current titles from various studios coming their way so we’ll be keeping an eye on that.

Atari says the Ataribox “is also a full PC experience for the TV” Ala the Steam Link as well as streaming capabilities, apps, social media features, web browsing and music.

The Ataribox will go up on Indiegogo this coming fall and will be shipped out late Spring next year. Atari’s new console is priced at around USD 249 – USD 299 (RM 1050 – RM 1262) according to the specific editions and memory configurations.
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ASUS Leads in OLED Laptop Market in Asia Pacific

ASUS sets target of 30% Consumer Laptop and 40% Gaming Laptop market shares by end of 2023 in Asia Pacific, and aims to become the no. 4 Commercial Computing brand by 2027.
ASUS Sets Aggressive Targets for Asia Pacific Laptop Market

ASUS has recently held its biggest ever Partner Summit with the theme “Innovate to Elevate.” More than 550 of the region’s top distributors and business partners attended the event, where ASUS revealed an aggressive target to further its dominance in the Asia Pacific region by the end of 2023.

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According to Microsoft, ASUS has been named the No. 1 Consumer and Gaming Laptop Brand in Asia Pacific for 2022, with a 20.7% market share. Despite a tough 2022 that saw the overall Consumer Laptop Market in Asia Pacific shrink by 6%, ASUS defied the odds and grew 11% for the year instead. Additionally, ROG (Republic of Gamers) celebrated a successful 2022, retaining its position as the leading Gaming Brand in Asia Pacific for four consecutive years.

ASUS is targeting a 30% market share for Consumer Laptops and a 40% market share for Gaming Laptops by the end of 2023 in the Asia Pacific region. To achieve this, ASUS will focus on promoting products with impactful new technologies, improving customer experience from point of sale to after-sales service, and working with partners to target channel investments.
At the event, Intel and Microsoft also presented their latest solutions that are deployed on ASUS computing hardware. ASUS shared their belief in empowering business partners and defining the strategic roadmap ahead for mutually beneficial results. Furthermore, ASUS’ Commercial Business aims to grow by 22% in 2023 to become the world’s No. 4 Commercial Computing brand by the end of 2027. ASUS is harnessing its unique strengths in providing highly customized solutions.

ASUS is also the leading OLED Laptop Brand for 2022 globally with a 64% market share and 49% share in APAC according to GfK. ASUS OLED displays are found in all its key consumer and creator series, including Studiobook, Zenbook, and Vivobook. By educating users on the key performance and health benefits of the technology, ASUS asserts its leading position as a pioneering OLED laptop maker.
ASUS is confident that by working together with leading vendors like Intel and Microsoft and attracting even more customers with their innovative new products, they can achieve their ambitious goals and maintain their leadership in the Asia Pacific Laptop market.
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Pokdepinion: They have been successful in the Asia Pacific market and has set ambitious goals for the future. Their focus on collaboration with partners, investment in new technologies, and customer experience improvement shows their commitment to maintaining their position in the market. However, achieving their target market shares may require significant effort and resources, and it remains to be seen whether they can successfully execute their plans.
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The OPPO R9s Makes You Finish Faster (that’s what she said)

We literally have no time to wait, nowadays. Every second spent waiting is a second wasted. Luckily, we have the OPPO R9s, which features several technologies to give us more time to do, not wait.
OPPO VOOC Flash Charging

Every time we charge our devices, we spend time waiting for it to refuel. Using smartphones while they are charging is not recommended at all, as they involve increased heat, which is detrimental to the health of your smartphone. And we know most of us can barely function without a smartphone in our hands. Thanks to OPPO Voltage Open Loop Multi-step Constant-Current Charging (VOOC) Flash Charging, the OPPO R9s charges up from 10% to 100% in less than an hour, reducing your downtime to a minimum.

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The OPPO VOOC charger that came with the OPPO R9s is capable of delivering up to 20W of juice to quickly charge up your device. VOOC delivers the highest amount of power to your device compared to other fast charging technologies, and the most amazing thing is that the OPPO R9s remains cool even when recharging at such a prodigious rate. OPPO VOOC Flash Chargers also include power banks and car chargers, meaning you can quickly top up your battery anywhere, anytime. Not like you will need to, as the OPPO R9s features an excellent battery life with the frugal Snapdragon 625 processor in it.
Sony IMX398 with Dual PDAF and extra-wide f/1.7 aperture

The 16MP 1/2.8″ Sony IMX398 sensor is exclusively developed for OPPO, packing Dual PDAF autofocus technology, giving the OPPO R9s the ability to focus quickly. With Dual PDAF, the camera sensor is equipped with photodiodes dedicated for phase-detection autofocus, promising up to 40% faster autofocusing speeds even in lower light conditions. Coupled with the extra-wide f/1.7 aperture, the OPPO R9s will focus faster, and be able to use faster shutter speeds than the competition.
If you are unaccustomed to the term phase-detection, it is a technology that is used in DSLRs. In PDAF, the sensor helps to focus images by calculating the phase difference of the subject on the image plane, and actuates the focusing motors to bring the image into focus. While DSLRs have dedicated sensors for it, technology has advanced to a point where the photodiodes dedicated for phase-detection can be integrated onto the sensor itself, and the OPPO R9s’ Sony IMX398 doubles the area covered by these special photodiodes, for the stunningly fast autofocusing you need to capture your life’s moments.
Lightning fast fingerprint sensor

The solid-state fingerprint sensor on the OPPO R9s is blazing fast, unlocking the device in less time than it takes to blink. As soon as you place your finger on the fingerprint sensor, the device will unlock. The hydrophobic coating on the sensor helps the sensor repel water. allowing it to read your fingerprint accurately even when your fingers are moist. No more frustrating failed unlock attempts simply because your hands are slightly wet.

How fast is the #OPPOR9s’ fingerprint sensor, you ask? #OPPO #NowItsClear #LeeMinHo #MinChen
A video posted by Pokde.net (@pokdedotnet) on Jan 31, 2017 at 4:21am PST

And just to show you how fast the fingerprint sensor on the OPPO R9s, check out the video above. Also note how responsive it is, as it woke up with the lightest of touches. Also worth mentioning is that it is solid-state, which means that there isn’t a switch under it which will inevitably fail after some time. This won’t be a home button that needs to be replaced by an on-screen button.
Why are you still wasting time waiting? Get the OPPO R9s NOW!
Disclaimer: This is an exclusive advertorial for OPPO.
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ROG Phone 5 Listed On TENAA With Specifications And Images

After many leaks and speculation surrounding ASUS’ upcoming addition to their popular gaming phone line, the ROG Phone 5 seems to have popped up on China’s TENAA. Bearing the model number ASUS_I005DA, the listing includes specifications as well as images of the upcoming gaming smartphone.
ROG Phone 5 TENAA listing revealed
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The images of the upcoming ROG Phone 5 seems to confirm previous leaks of a secondary display included at the back of the device. You will also find an AniMe Matrix display at the back similar to the ROG Zephyrus G14 laptop as indicated by the ROG logo. There is also a Tencent Logo at the back of the device though it most likely won’t appear on the global versions of the device.
The front of the device seems to feature two front-facing speakers and a selfie camera on the top right. You can also see what looks to be a red SIM tray at the side of the device.
The listed specifications of the ROG Phone 5 sees the device comes with a 6.78-inch display, 6,000mAh battery (dual 3,000mAh cells), Android 11 as well as featuring 5G connectivity. There are no other specifications listed for the ROG Phone 5 at the moment though expect the usual flagship features; Snapdragon 888 SoC, 65W charging, and 144Hz refresh rate to name a few.
For now, we will have to wait as more information crops up on the interwebs. Until then, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
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Pokdepinion: I absolutely adore the AniMe Matrix display on the ROG Zephyrus G14. It’s really fun to play around with. Hope the one on the ROG Phone 5 is as good as that.
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ROG Cetra True Wireless Review – ANC Gaming Wireless Earphones

ROG Cetra TWS (True Wireless Stereo) Review

ROG ventured into the IEMs niche for a few years now under the Cetra label but this is their first attempt at TWS type. The spec sheet promises quite a number of goodies including low-latency wireless connection, Active Noise Cancelation (ANC), up to 27 hours battery life, wireless charging case, IPX4 water resistance and support for virtual 7.1 via their Armoury Crate app. Enough to pique our interest.

This is the non-pro version of the ROG Cetra TWS series. The ROG Cetra TWS Pro was launched together with the ROG Phone 6 that doubles it as a wired pair.

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Unboxing the ROG Cetra TWS

The ROG Cetra TWS package looks similar to its other siblings, albeit more compact. Inside the package, you will find:

The ROG Cetra TWS itself
2 pairs of extra eartips for different lobes
Charging cable
Quick Start Guide

ROG Cetra TWS Specifications

Driver Size
10mm

Driver Material
Neodymium Magnet

Impedence
32Ω

Earbuds Frequency Response
20Hz-20KHz

Microphone
Omnidirectional

Microphone Sensitivity
-38 dB

Microphone Frequency Response
100Hz-10KHz

Active Noice Canceling
Yes

Channel
Stereo

AURA RGB
No

Battery
4.8 + 17 hours (ANC On)
5.5 + 21.5 hours (ANC Off)

Weight
Buds 5g (each)
Charging Case (42g)

Wireless Charging
Yes

SBC Codec Support
Yes

AAC Codec Support
Yes

ROG Cetra TWS Pairing
          ROG Cetra TWS            ROG Cetra TWS            ROG Cetra TWS
The pairing can be tricky. In fact, I believe there is a bug that needs to be resolved here. There are two Bluetooth options when you attempt to pair:

ROG Cetra True Wireless – appears from the earbud itself
App-ROG Cetra True Wireless – appears from the case

I suppose the latter is supposed to be used to manage the case (firmware updates, etc) but no matter how I try, the only one that gets connected in the end is the former one. Yes, you can update the firmware when connected to the earbud but I believe it wouldn’t update anything on the case. When connected to App-ROG Cetra True Wireless, even Armoury Crate doesn’t detect anything. So save the trouble and just connect to the “ROG Cetra True Wireless” profile. The pairing is pretty straightforward and on the ROG Phone, it has a neat prompt for setting up too.
I tested the ROG Cetra TWS on my ROG Phone 6 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 for comparison.
ROG Cetra TWS Gestures

What makes TWS (and wireless headsets in general) is their touch gestures. When you don’t have the device at hand, it can prove pretty convenient. Here are the available gestures for your reference:
Left Earbud

Voice Assistant – Tap and hold for 1 sec to activate the voice assistant
ANC mode switch – Tap twice to switch between light noise canceling, heavy noise canceling, ambient surround or turn it off altogether.

Right Earbud

Answer Call – Tap twice
Reject Call – Tap and hold for 1 sec
End Call – Tap once
Play Music – Tap once
Pause Music – Tap once
Play Next Content – Tap twice
Play Previous Content – Tap 3 times
Gaming Mode – Tap and hold for 1 sec to turn it On/Off

The long press gestures can be tricky on some TWS, but for the ROG Cetra TWS, just keep pressing it until you hear the voice command.
ROG Cetra TWS User Experience

I think the first appreciation moment you will have is the moment you turn on the ROG Cetra TWS by lifting up the lid. You will be presented by a beautiful RGB-clad ROG logo right between the two earbuds. I’d give extra points if this was customizable but even if it was, I’d leave it on Rainbow mode which is already by default flashing through it, so we’re good to go. The ROG emblem doesn’t serve its purpose as battery level indicator. This is represented by a slightly arc-ed horizontal bar at the lips of the case. Which is convenient but redundant because you still have to lift the lid for it to turn on anyway.

Next thing you can appreciate is the status indicator on the neck of the earbuds. They light up along the dotted matrix and I can safely say, these are probably the most beautiful status indicator lights I have seen on any TWS by far. While charging, they will flash in red and once fully charged, they will glow in blue.

The earbud itself is neat. The ROG emblem etched on the head while the ROG letters embossed at the bottom of the neck projects ample branding for your bragging rights. There are multiple microphones around the earbud that function as omni-directional microphone and doubles as ANC mics. The two pins on the inner side of the neck provides connection to the case for charging.
Speaking of charging, the case itself supports wireless Qi charging or you can plug in the bundled type-C USB charging cable for fast charging.

The ROG Cetra TWS is only complete when you use it in combination with the Armoury Crate whether on the PC or on mobile. So, if you’re planning to use it with other devices, you might have limitations in terms of functionalities.
The app itself is pretty intuitive. You can set the playback volume for starters. You can also optimize the audio which is one of my favorite features here. Since it’s a gaming-centric TWS, the options for optimizations revolve around flat audio, FPS gaming, Movie mode, Racing gaming, RPG gaming or you can customize to your own flavor.

If you are using ROG Phone series, you can further tweak the EQ in Audio Wizard. If you’re using any other device, the equalizer sliders will be present in the app. There is also option to enable Virtual Surround Sound that gives you the virtual 7.1 experience. Finally, there is a Bass Boost option with its own dedicated slider to tweak it to your liking. Like I said, the ROG Cetra TWS gets on steroids with the app.
But the Armoury Crate app is not perfect either. While you can control most of the settings on it, at the time of writing, it’s missing one very crucial function; the ANC settings. The fact that there are four toggles like I specified above, switching them one by one is tedious and having a quick toggle would have made the app experience so much better.
Apart from this, the Armoury Crate experience is not consistent across devices. When you plug in the ROG Cetra TWS to a desktop or laptop, the Armoury Crate application on these machines have Music mode and Reverb settings which is non-existent on the mobile app. DISCLAIMER: I managed to get the ROG Cetra TWS detected on the desktop Armoury Crate but somewhere along the time with updates, it no longer works.
How does the ROG Cetra TWS fare as a pair of TWS earphone? It’s a gaming centric TWS earphone, and it has been engineered to focus on gaming. The latency is extremely low, so if you’re playing fast paced games, you wouldn’t have a noticeable audio lag. Apart from that, depending on the games you play, you could switch the modes. So when you switch to FPS mode, the footsteps get prominently louder.
The microphone sensitivity has been reduced from -40 ± 3dB to -38dB that helps reducing background noise while gaming. In fact, the microphone is actually pretty good for a gaming TWS. I tested a few games with my friends and they actually noticed the vocal audio was rather crisp. Here’s a Mic Test for your reference and note that while I did this test, I bumped up my fan to it’s maximum speed. Most TWS earphones would yield very high fan noise but in this case, it’s heavily reduced.

https://pokde.net/assets/uploads/2022/09/Rog-cetra-mic-test.mp3
Now, if you ask me, the ROG Cetra TWS are solid pair of earphones if you’re using it for gaming purposes. For deep music listening, I have to say it falls a little short. The bass gets a little too wild for my taste. You would notice this if you have been using a high-end audio centric TWS pair all along. Maybe my taste has elevated, but I enjoyed the ROG Cetra TWS mostly for gaming sessions.
The buds are also IPX4 rated so if you’re going to be having an intense gaming session so much that your sweat starts dripping, they will be fine.
ROG Cetra TWS Verdict
If you’re a hardcore mobile gamer and see yourself spending hours on mobile gaming, then you are looking at one of the best TWS earphones for that. The ROG Cetra TWS has a specific purpose and it does it well. It’s not an all-rounder, but then again, in the world of TWS, it’s almost impossible to seek perfection. The price of RM515 would not be something easily justified either.

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OPPO Malaysia Offers Discounts Up To RM120 This 9.9 Mega Sales

OPPO Malaysia is taking part in this year’s 9.9 OPPO Mega Sale, which you can expect attractive deals on both Lazada and Shopee. In the period, you can expect special price discounts, price markdowns, and vouchers up to RM120 up for grabs.
OPPO 9.9 Mega Sale

OPPO has got deals specifically ready for both Lazada and Shopee, where you can see the OPPO A91 will be available at the special price of RM799 on Lazada and the OPPO A31 will be available at RM649 at Shopee.

Aside from that, OPPO’s latest OPPO Enco W11 is launched today at RM159 on both ecommerce platforms. Additionally, from today till 9th of September 2020, OPPO is offering a special flash sale which you can get the OPPO Enco W11 at just RM99.

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For Lazada shoppers, you can enjoy more than 20% discount for OPPO Reno2 plus more deals on their Reno3 series and OPPO Reno 10x Zoom 12GB this 9.9. You can get vouchers up to RM120.
As for Shopee shoppers, OPPO will have their Shocking Sale from now till the 9th of September where there’s markdowns of more than 10% discount on the OPPO Reno2, OPPO Reno2f, and OPPO Reno3 series. Exclusive discount vouchers will be available RM10 till RM120 with minimum spend.
Pokdepinion: If you’re on the lookout to get a new OPPO smartphone, well now’s probably the time to get one! That RM99 deal for the Enco W11 looks sweet too..
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Users Can Now Use Astro Ulti Box To Stream Their Favourite Netflix Shows

Beginning today, Netflix will be available for streaming on the High Definition (HD) enabled Astro Ulti Box, allowing customers to watch all of their favourite movies and shows in one place with Astro. The addition of Netflix to the Astro Ulti Box follows the November launch of Netflix on Astro’s 4K UHD enabled UItra Box with all-new Astro packs.
Catch Netflix on Astro Ulti Box

Astro customers who are currently on the Astro Ulti Box can upgrade to any of Astro’s new packages with Entertainment Plus with Netflix to enjoy greater savings and the convenience of paying one bill. Existing Astro customers who have the Entertainment Plus Pack or Netflix can access Netflix on the Astro Ulti Box via the Home Screen by selecting the Netflix app from the Apps row or by tuning in to Channel 741. New Netflix and Astro customers who do not have the Entertainment Plus Pack can sign up for Netflix by launching Netflix from the home screen and clicking on “Join Now.”

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Users can now watch Netflix content like The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (now streaming), The Adam Project (launching 11 March), Love Like the Falling Petals (launching 24 March), and Bridgerton: Season 2 (launching 25 March), as well as Astro’s signature originals and international content like Big Stage 2022, Jangan Menangis Cinta, Take CTRL, Military Prosecutor Doberman, Kill Heel, The X Project, Royal Feast, Big Stage Tamil, and many more.
For more information, head over to the Astro website here or call 03-74812000.
Pokdepinion: Finally non 4K Astro users can finally catch Netflix and enjoy their huge library of TV shows and movies.
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War Of The 4 Pillars Coming Soon To Ragnarok Online With $6,000 Cash Prizes Up For Grabs

The Last Pillar Battle event is coming soon to Ragnarok Online where you stand a chance in winning a total of $6,000 cash prize.
Ragnarok Online War of The 4 Pillars

After the conquest of the castles, Midgard calls for the competitive spirits of those who stood their ground and prevailed. All who were crowned to be the pillars of each server will once again prove themselves in the final face-off on the 24th and 25th of July 2021, which isn’t far away from now.

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Yggdrasil will be the first to see its champion while Valhalla will follow the next day. Team .322. emerged on top in Valhalla while V.S.O.P took the highest spot in Yggdrasil. Despite that, they can’t rest on that achievement alone as other teams on the list will be vying to be the best in the tournament.

A cash prize of $1,600 awaits the winner on the top throne of the competition. 2nd place will earn $800 while there will be two guilds who will receive the consolation prize of $300 in cash. All the prizes comes with in-game money as well as fancy items to come go along with them.
Want to catch the highlights of the teams in previous battle? You may do so right here. You can also check the upcoming War of the 4 Pillars Finals in RMSP’s official website. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: It’s been a long time since I’ve played Ragnarok but it’s nice to see that they’re still active and kicking about. Who do you think will reign supreme?
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GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is nearly 60% faster than the GTX 1080 Ti — Turkish YouTuber accidentally leaks the performance of the new card in 10 games!

The performance of the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti cards have just been leaked! A Turkish YouTuber, PC Hocasi TV, accidentally published out a video of the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti’s performance in games, and even pits it against the GTX 1080 Ti.
The video has long been removed but it has far from disappeared. YouTuber Joker Productions caught some screenshots and discusses the performance, while 3DCenter compiles it into a nice little table for your consumption.

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Performance improvements range from a feeble 22.2% in Call of Duty:WW2 to a whopping 55.2% in Rainbow 6: Siege. On average we are looking at 37.5% improvements in terms of average frame rates, while minimum frame rates see 30.7% gains.
The gains fall nicely in line with the previously leaked ~35% improvement in 3DMark that the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti delivers over the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti. Are those gains enough to entice you to upgrade?
Pokdepinion: The RTX 2080 Ti seems like a smaller upgrade than the RTX 2080 over its predecessor…
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The new SilverStone PS5 SSD heatsink cover is not only designed to replace the existing one on the console, but to further improve on it. Here’s what you need to know.
SilverStone PS5 SSD Heatsink Cover Ensures Better Heat Dissipation

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It took a while for PlayStation to unlock the SSD slot on the PS5 console but now, many gamers are looking for an M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD that would go well with it as expanded storage. Ideally, one would like to get one with a heatsink but if you’re getting / have gotten one without it, SilverStone has a solution for you.
The new SilverStone TP06 PS5 M.2 SSD heatsink cover is a replacement for the default PS5 M.2 expansion slot cover. It’s made of aluminum and has ridges instead of the regular flat design of the original, which is said to improve heat dissipation.
Getting a compatible SSD for extra storage on the PS5 was a little hard before but this one certainly makes the search a lot easier. While the console itself does come with a decent amount of storage space, that will easily run out as you start downloading games. If you’re going to expand it, just make sure to keep this in mind as well.
Source
Pokdepinion: Not an accessory I expected but it’s certainly a welcome addition. Anything that can improve thermals would be good, especially if it’s inexpensive.
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Kingston Remains Top DRAM Module Supplier for 2021

Kingston Technology today announced it has been ranked the top 3rd-party DRAM module supplier in the world, per latest rankings by revenue from analyst firm TrendForce. The company maintains #1 position with estimated 78.7% of market share on $14.2bn USD revenue. The firm stated that Kingston has increased revenue year-over-year (YoY) by 8%, making this the 19th year in succession the company has held the top spot.
As per report, the world’s top five DRAM suppliers accounted for 90% of total sales in 2021, with Kingston holding nearly 80% of market share. TrendForce also states that pandemic has changed the demands of such parts, as remote work and learning has grew substantially for the last two years, and driven the growth of DRAM module shipments as a result.

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With the incoming DDR5 memory modules superseding DDR4 modules, Kingston enhanced its production infrastructure to readily support the next-gen platforms. The company began shipping DDR5 modules last year and was the first 3rd-party supplier to receive Intel Platform Validation on its DDR5 UDIMMs.
Pokdepinion: As chipmakers transition to DDR5-based platforms, the demand for it will grow pretty quickly and it’s best that DRAM manufacturers are prepared for it, to keep pricing in check.
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Dimensity 7000 may offer Snapdragon 888-class performance to the mid-range

MediaTek announced the very exciting Dimensity 9000 flagship chipset last week, promising to go toe-to-toe against the next-gen flagships from the competition. While the dust has yet to settle around it, rumors are already cropping up regarding the Dimensity 7000, MediaTek’s next-gen mid-range chipset.
Dimensity 7000 to offer performance on par with Snapdragon 888?
According to the rumors, the Dimensity 7000 will harness the latest Armv9 core architectures to be able to deliver excellent performance and efficiency. Performance is expected to slot somewhere between the Snapdragon 870 and Snapdragon 888, which is really impressive considering that it is meant to be a mid-range chipset.
Helping the efficiency aspect along might be that fact that MediaTek may have managed to cop themselves some 5nm capacity from TSMC. TSMC’s 5nm node is noted to be way superior to Samsung’s 5nm node, so MediaTek may have a lot of headroom to play around with when it comes to balancing the performance-power consumption characteristic.

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Not to mention the fact that the process node is more efficient will potentially allow the Dimensity 7000 to run cooler than the Snapdragon 888 while delivering better performance. Qualcomm’s decision to drop TSMC and go with Samsung to manufacture the Snapdragon 888 has largely backfired, with most of the 2021 flagships suffering from the toasty thermals due to the inferior Samsung 5nm process node.
Apple is currently dominating TSMC’s 5nm production capacity, so it is interesting to see if the Dimensity 7000 will actually be available in any serious quantity at all. In any case, MediaTek did manage to announce the Dimensity 9000 as the world’s first 4nm mobile chipset, so I do believe MediaTek might be working very closely with TSMC to produce their next-gen chips.

Aside from the impressive performance, the Dimensity 7000 is slated to offer support for 75W fast charging, which will be very impressive, especially if implemented in mid-range devices. Recent flagships are seeing up to 120W fast charging, so 75W might not sound like much in that segment. However most mid-range smartphones are topping out at around 30W, so 75W will be a pretty significant leap forward.
Pokdepinion: MediaTek is really making huge strides! I sure hope a certain government doesn’t suddenly deem them a security threat…
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ASUS Zenfone 4 Max Now On Promo – Now At An Even Lower Price!

To celebrate the new year, ASUS Malaysia has made a special promo for their Zenfone 4 Max smartphone, which is now at a lower price.
Zenfone 4 Max New Year Promo
ASUS Zenfone 4 Max New Year Promo
Previously, ASUS had their #TakHabisHabisLagi campaign, where they offered the Zenfone 4 Max daily for free. This time around, it’s getting a special price cut.
ASUS Zenfone 4 Max features a whopping 4100mAh battery (fast charging enabled), which you can utilize as a backup powerbank (well not that we encourage you, but it’s that big!). On 4G standby, it can last up to 46 days. Running on Qualcomm Snapdragon 425, the device has 3GB RAM and paired with 32GB of internal storage (expandable up to 256GB).

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Camera wise, it features dual rear lens camera, where the main is 13MP f/2.0 which comes with LED flash. While the second rear camera offers 120-degree wide-angle, which can give 200% wider view for more friends and scenery in the frame. For the front camera, it sports a 8MP shooter which is accompanied by a softlight LED flash.
For video purposes, it supports 1080p FHD video recording at 30fps. To ensure shake-free videos, it comes with electronic image stabilization. While recording videos, you can still take photos.
As you can see from the picture, the ASUS Zenfone 4 Max is now available to purchase at a lower price of RM699. a cut down of RM100 from its original price. To find out more on the device itself, you can click here to go to ASUS’ official site.
Pokdepinion: Well at the previous price tag of RM799, I think that it was already affordable. Now at an EVEN lower price, it looks even more lovely to my wallet. So guys, what are you waiting for? If you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with the Zenfone 4 Max!
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series will have limited availability until 2021

While we look forward to much greater value (and cheaper last-gen cards), it seems that we will have to wait for quite a while. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series cards will reportedly be in short supply until the end of the year, which means that owners of the GeForce RTX 20 series cards might have the last laugh after all.
The source adds on that the first wave of cards are going to be small, very, very small – possibly the smallest launch in many years. This is reportedly due to NVIDIA not being exactly confident about the yields of Samsung’s custom 8N manufacturing process, and will not be making large amounts of Ampere GPUs for now.
NVIDIA’s Ampere GPUs are absolutely massive with up to 10496 CUDA cores, which should be why NVIDIA is going to play it safe this time around. NVIDIA might also be cautious with Micron’s GDDR6X, as Micron’s GDDR6 caused quite a number of issues for the GeForce RTX 20 series cards.

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Well for now, all we can do is wish you guys good luck on the 17th September, as that’s when the first batch of GeForce RTX 3080 will be available, marking the debut of the GeForce RTX 30 series in the market.
Source
Pokdepinion: I guess GeForce RTX 2080 Ti users can hold on to their cards until 2021 then.
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Black Shark 2 to hit global markets? More RGB and a sleeker design to be key highlights!

The Black Shark made waves as the only affordable gaming phone back then. It was not only an affordable gaming phone, but it was also the most affordable Snapdragon 845 device. Of course, the latter claim was pretty short-lived. And it soon faded into obscurity due to the lack of official sales channels anywhere other than in China.
However they are apparently working on a new Black Shark 2, which seems to feature RGB lighting, and a much more refined design. Considering the ROG Phone and Razer Phone 2 both feature RGB lighting, it would be foolish for Black Shark to not try to capture that target demographic.

The Snapdragon 855 is yet to appear, so the Black Shark 2 will most probably be an incremental upgrade. Unless somehow Xiaomi/Black Shark manages to be the first to use the Snapdragon 855, the Black Shark 2 will easily get overshadowed. Well at least it looks a lot better than the first one now.

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We can expect the Black Shark 2 to have at least 6GB of RAM, a 4000 mAh battery and hopefully a faster display this time. They used MEMC back then for a more fluid experience, but nothing beats a true 90 Hz/120 Hz display. And of course, with Xiaomi’s DNA, affordable. How affordable, we will have to find out later. And hopefully this time it will be made available worldwide, now with a global site in place.
Pokdepinion: I love the design now! It seems like Black Shark’s designers has matured a lot! Of course when it comes to aggressive gaming aesthetics, the ROG Phone is the phone to beat, for now.
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HUAWEI Malaysia Ushers The New Year With AppGallery Festival Deals

The folks at HUAWEI Malaysia is celebrating this holiday season by offering various gifts and rewards through their AppGallery Festival which begins from the 1st to 31st January 2020.
During that period of time, you can enjoy a wide range of perks such as vouchers from selected app partners, HUAWEI Points, as well as HUAWEI smartphones.
For those who don’t know, the AppGallery is the official app market on HUAWEI smartphones since 2018.

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You can enjoy deals from apps such as Agoda, Lazada, SHAREit, and VIU to name a few, where the festival includes three main promotions; Download Apps & Get HUAWEI Points, Receive New Year Gifts at the Gift Center, and Play & Win HUAWEI Smartphones at the HUAWEI AppGallery app.
In addition to that, you can download selected apps during the period where you will be rewarded with 5 HUAWEI Points worth RM5 from each participating app.
You will also be able to claim app vouchers and gift packs from the Gift Center on the app. It includes RM20 Lazada shopping vouchers, one month free VIU Premium subscriptions, two months of iFlix VIP subscriptions, and plenty more.
Not to forget, you can also play games to win some HUAWEI smartphones. Players of Guns of Glory, Jellipop Match, Mobile Royale, Rise of Kingdoms, and Saint Seiya stand a chance to win the brand’s smartphones simply by buying in-game items and paying through the HUAWEI In-App Purchases (IAP).
The first phase will from the 1st to 7th of January 2020 with the HUAWEI nova 5T as the prize. It will then be followed by 8th to 14th January and ends at phase 3 on 15th-31st January.
For more details, you can check out their website here.
Pokdepinion: Looking to win yourself a brand new HUAWEI smartphone? ;)
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Kingston Teams Up With MSI To Provide The Ultimate PC Gaming Setups

Kingston has just announced their partnership with MSI to provide the best PC gaming solutions for gamers. The partnership comes on the back of both Kingston and MSI’s shared vision of empowering all gamers with a limitless gaming experience.

PowerUpYourGames with Kingston and MSI
Through their partnership, Kingston and MSI will provide a range of products from both companies designed for gamers of all levels whether it’s casual (entry), high performance (mid) and extreme gaming (high) segments. The two companies will also work together to launch channel promotions and digital campaigns across its APAC markets, in addition to product integrations and compatibility.

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Here are some of the PC gaming solutions that have been recommended by both Kingston and MSI:

Casual gamers: Combination of the MSI MAG series motherboard, HyperX FURY DDR4 memory and Kingston A400 SSD
High-performance gamers: Combination of the MSI MAG/MPG series motherboard, HyperX FURY DDR4 memory and Kingston A2000 NVMe SSD
Extreme gamers: Combination of the MSI MEG series motherboard, HyperX Predator DDR4 or HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB memory, and Kingston KC2500 NVMe SSD

To celebrate this collaboration, both companies are giving a chance for gamers to win a PC upgrade bundle. The PC upgrade bundle will include one MSI motherboard and a Kingston DRAM+SSD combo. Here’s what to needs to be done to participate.

LIKE the giveaway post found on both Kingston and MSI‘s Facebook page.
TAG friends in the comments of the giveaway post.
SHARE the giveaway post.

The PC bundle will be raffled out to two lucky winners in every country that runs the campaign. The giveaway will end on 15 January 2021.
Pokdepinion: This is a pretty interesting collab I would say. Looking forward to see what else they can come with through this partnership.
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Have you been trying your luck to get the PS5 console but failed so far? We have good news for you as the 5th batch of PlayStation 5 Malaysia pre-orders has been confirmed, but as always, you will have to be quick about it.
5th Batch PlayStation 5 Malaysia Pre-Orders Confirmed
Sony Malaysia has officially announced that the 5th batch of PlayStation 5 Malaysia pre-orders will be up starting 16th April 2021 at precisely 12:01AM Malaysia time (GMT+8). It will be available at the Sony Official Store on Lazada.

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With that being said, it’s briefly yet vaguely mentioned that there are pre-orders available physically via their official stores and at PlayStation authorized dealers. This is seen in the line that reads “feel free to check with our stores or all authorized dealers for more pre-order info” in the official Facebook post.
As before, there’s the usual rule of one accessory and / or one console per customer so people can’t simply mass purchase it. This will ensure as many people will be able to get their hands on the next gen console as possible. Also, only the PS5 Standard Edition will be up for pre-order, not the Digital Edition. There will be limited stocks, so you will have to be quick about it.
The same retail prices still apply, with the Standard Edition console going for RM2,299.
If you want to book your pre-order online on Lazada, click right here.
Source
Pokdepinion: I already have mine for a while and I’m happy with it. I wish everyone who plans on getting their hands on one a very good luck. As usual, I’m sure scalpers are ready to strike once again.
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PS Plus September 2019 FREE GAMES Lineup

PS Plus subscribers, rejoice. We now have the official PS Plus free games lineup for September 2019, and it’s a pretty solid lineup for sure. Without further ado, let’s check it out.
First up is Batman Arkham Knight, a game that was released back in 2015. You get to play the ever-iconic Batman as he battles his way to free Gotham City from tyranny (as always). You’ll find yourself encountering the mysterious Arkham Knight, who you might have guessed, intends in destroying Batman once and for all. The game is a third-person action game that focuses on the caped-crusader’s melee combat, stealth abilities, detective skills, and gadgets. You can move freely in the open world of Gotham City.
The next game we have is Darksiders 3, an action-adventure game where you control Fury, sister of War and Death, and two of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Developed by GunFire games and published by THQ Nordic, the game sees stronger enemies than previous installments. Darksiders 3 takes place in an open world environment where what you explore plays a big role. Solve puzzles and overcome obstacles to progress but be warned, the more you progress, the harder the game will get.

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Both games will be available to download for free for PS Plus subscribers starting 3rd September 2019. Until then the August free games lineup will still be available until 2nd September 2019.
Pokdepinion: I can dig the lineup. It’s pretty solid if you don’t own either of these games, that’s for sure. I already have Arkham Knight so it’s a small loss for me.
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Telltale Games is Shutting Down – The Walking Dead Final Season and Other Projects Cancelled?

It appears that the game development studio Telltale Games who crafted various great narratives will be shutting down following insurmountable challenges.
Telltale Games is Shutting Down

pic.twitter.com/evqg5X98WZ
— Telltale Games (@telltalegames) September 21, 2018

Many gamers across the globe have fond memories of games developed by Telltale Games. From classics like The Wolf Among Us, Tales from the Borderlands, and even The Walking Dead, the game may be simple in nature but all of them had enthralling narratives for us gamers to enjoy.

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Unfortunately, we will soon have to say goodbye as Telltale Games will be shutting down.
Earlier, there were reports of a big number of layoffs in the company and soon after, they tweeted out that they will begin a majority studio closure due as the studio faced significant obstacles, mostly financial-related issues, in a year they describe as “marked by insurmountable challenges.”
At the moment, there is about 25 employees left in Telltale Games, and they will be staying on to finish work on the Minecraft: Story Mode which will be released through Netflix, along with other final obligations to partners and board of directors. Unfortunately, this means that the status of other projects including the sequel to The Wolf Among Us as well as The Walking Dead Final Season are up in the air.
The company’s current CEO Pete Hawley explained in a statement that “it’s been an incredibly difficult year for Telltale as we worked to set the company on a new course,” and stated simply that the company “ran out of time to get there,” as the company notably faced layoffs last year and company-wide restructuring, in an attempt to recoup from financial struggles.
Despite the saddening news of the company’s impending closure, Hawley stated that “we released some of our best content this year and received a tremendous amount of positive feedback,” adding that he hopes for the company’s departing staff to “spread our brand of storytelling across the games industry.”
Telltale Games closed its statement by saying that further information and details on the studio’s slate of current and previously announced projects will be provided in the coming weeks.
Pokdepinion: This may be a bit too much to ask from them but I really hope they at least finish up The Walking Dead Final Season. I really need to know what happens to Clementine in the end.
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Palit’s Maker Project Breathes New Life to Graphics Cards at COMPUTEX 2023

In an exciting move for PC enthusiasts and modders, Palit announced its Maker Project back in January, and now, at COMPUTEX 2023, we finally have the opportunity to see this innovative initiative in action. The Maker Project allows users to unleash their creativity by customizing Palit graphics cards without the fear of voiding the product warranty.
By releasing a series of 3D models for its GamingPro GPUs, Palit empowers users to freely download, 3D print, and personalize their graphics cards with the designs of their choice, all without physically tampering with the hardware.
Palit Maker Project @ COMPUTEX 2023

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Palit understands the passion of users who enjoy expressing their creativity through PC modding. Traditionally, modifying graphics cards would result in voiding the warranty, limiting the possibilities for customization. However, with the Maker Project, Palit is breaking the mold and providing a commendable solution that allows users to fully explore their creative potential. Currently, the Maker Project is focused on the GamingPro GPU lineup, but Palit has hinted at plans to expand this project to other GPU lineups in the near future.
Alongside the Maker Project, Palit showcased its impressive lineup of RTX 40 series graphics cards at COMPUTEX. While specific details about the highly anticipated RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti 16GB were not revealed, one particular model caught our attention—the Palit GeForce RTX 4060 Ti StormX 8GB. With its compact single-fan design, this graphics card is perfect for small form factor builds, offering both style and performance.
The GeForce RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti 16GB are expected to make their debut in July this year, with an attractive starting price of USD $299 and USD $499, respectively. These graphics cards will undoubtedly bring impressive performance and next-generation features to PC gaming, catering to the needs of both casual gamers and enthusiasts alike.

Palit’s commitment to innovation and empowering users is commendable, and the Maker Project is a testament to their dedication. By allowing PC modders to freely express their creativity and personalize their graphics cards, Palit is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the realm of customization.
As we eagerly await the release of the RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti 16GB, we can appreciate their efforts to provide users with an exceptional modding experience. The Maker Project represents a new era of graphics card customization, where users can unleash their creativity and take their gaming setups to the next level.
Pokdepinion: If I ever get to this level of customization, I think I would be end up spending far too much time modding my PC rather than actually using it. Not that it’s a bad thing but I do get easily carried away.
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Here’s What You Can Expect From Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day

Shopee has recently revealed and welcomed Jackie Chan as part of their latest shopping season, where he will be featured in a range of activities the platform.
Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day

During the festival, Jackie Chan will be featured across the platform’s in-app games such as Shopee Shake, Shopee Prize, and the new Shopee Collectibles. There’s 39 million coins up for grabs and you stand a chance to win limited-edition posters signed by the man himself too by participating in special contests and giveaways.

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From now till the 9th of September, shoppers can find deals such as Free Shipping and 99% Coins Cashback vouchers, both with no minimum spend. There’s also a brand new Mercedes-Benz up for grab in the Play & Win game by collecting golden tickets daily.
They will also be hosting their August 25 Payday Sale which will feature RM25 Knockout Deals where you can get items such as a Samsung Galaxy A12, Armageddon Shuttle II Premium PU Leather Ultimate Gaming Chair for RM25.
Aside from that, there’s the Daily 99 Sen Deals, where you can receive rewards using ShopeePay. For more details on the campaign, you may head to the link right here. Stay tuned to Pokde.net for the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
Pokdepinion: It’s getting near that time of the year again where I fear for the sake of my wallet…
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YouTube Highlights Malaysia’s Best Female Creators – Empowering Women and Challenging the Stereotype

Across the globe, female content creators have been breaking new boundaries and challenging stereotypes on YouTube. Google Malaysia decided to showcase some of the best female content creators in Malaysia right now.
YouTube Highlights Malaysia’s Best Female Creators

YouTube is the home of many different kinds of videos covering a broad range of topics. It is one of, if not, the most diversified video content platform on the internet right now. As time went by, more and more women have begun expressing themselves on YouTube. Not only have they gained a following, they’ve also broken new boundaries and stereotypes surrounding them.

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For this edition of Generation YouTube, the folks over at Google Malaysia decided to put the spotlight on women empowerment by showcasing some of the best Malaysian female content creators today; Jenn Chia (SolmJenn on YouTube), Leona Chin, and Linora Low. These 3 content creators have seen quite an interesting journey in their YouTube career.
L to R: Leona Chin and Jenn Chia
Jenn Chia, the YouTuber with almost 50,000 subscribers, was genuinely surprised as to how YouTube opened up a whole new world for her. She talked about how there’s this idea on social media where everyone needs to present the “perfect” version of themselves but that’s not necessarily who they truly are. Instead of doing the same thing, she chose to portray her true, wackier self on YouTube by making funny, relatable videos.
While a lot of the things she does can be considered embarrassing for a lot of people to be doing in public (nothing lewd, don’t worry about it), she does it because she wants to convey a message albeit in a funnier fashion. While this may make people think that she’s crazy, she doesn’t mind it as she simply wants people to not only be true to themselves, but also challenge them to be the best version of themselves.
“I realize by sharing a thought, an idea or a story, YouTube is able to connect me with other who either felt the same or have different worldviews that would enrich mine.”
Professional drifter Leona Chin has also dabbled in content creation on YouTube but how she managed to gain a foothold in the world of motorsports was also thanks to YouTube. She literally went on YouTube to watch several “how to drift” videos as a means of starting out and eventually with the help of friends, she started to get better at it.
It’s no easy feat, especially for a lady in a male-dominated sport, but Leona didn’t see that as a reason to stop doing what she loves. “Under the helmet and race suit, no one knows if you’re a guy or a girl, just how good you are. I have fun seeing people’s expressions when they find out that under the helmet is actually a woman,” said Leona.
Leona makes plenty of videos on her YouTube channel, documenting her experiences in the motorsport world and teaching her viewers about some of the basics.
Image source: Linora Low Official Facebook Page
Fitness icon Linora Low, who is also the host of MIX FM’s MIXBlitz, initially started her YouTube channel as a means of keeping track of her personal fitness goal, which was her attempt at her first bikini competition in 2017. Little did she know, her actions inspired a wide number of people from various parts of the world and people started to look up to her when it comes to fitness.
“YouTube is also a place where I can document the whole journey so that I can look back and see my progress while sharing my transformation experience to inspire and educate others.”

Many people have wondered what it took to be where they are right now. They have a mutual opinion on this which is to “just do it”. The first step is always the hardest and is probably why many people aren’t able to take that leap of faith but every single one of them reminded that it could bring a new realm of possibilities if you just tried. Jenn even added on by saying there’s nothing wrong about uploading videos so people should be encouraged to do more of it if they want to.
YouTube has always been an open stage where anyone can share their story. According to a Nielsen research, 50% of YouTube’s global audience is female, which makes it all the more important for the platform to be championing women.

If you want to check these YouTubers out, feel free to click on their names right below here:
SolmJenn (Jenn Chia)
Leona Chin
Linora Low
Pokdepinion: Looking for a reason to start something new? Perhaps this would be the wake up call that you need. We know we had one, and we have been inspired by these women ever since.
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OPPO x Shopee 9.9 Super Brand Day Sale Sees Great Deals On OPPO Smartphones

This 9.9, shop the best prices from the comfort of your own home with OPPO x Shopee 9.9 Super Brand Day Sale! The new OPPO Reno6 Pro, OPPO A74, and OPPO Reno5 will be available at incredible pricing from September 9th to 14th, 2021.
OPPO x Shopee 9.9 Super Brand Day Sale

The OPPO x Shopee sale will also see those who purchase the new OPPO Reno6 Pro will be entitled to get free gifts worth up to RM980. These free gifts include:

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Shopee Voucher worth RM100
Marshall Backpack worth RM319
Mighty Mug worth RM79
1 Year Screen Damage Protection worth RM139
1 TB HeyTap Cloud Storage worth RM343

You can also get the OPPO A74 at just RM777, a discount of RM122 and the OPPO Reno5 at just RM1,499, a 12% discount during the sale. Additionally, look out for RM99 Deals only on 9.9 during the Shopee 9.9 and Super Brand Day sales! Customers will be able to get amazing OPPO items such as the A16 3GB+32GB, A74 4G, A74 5G, Reno5 F, Enco Air, Enco Buds, and OPPO Band for only RM99 at set moments throughout the day.
Only available on 9.9 from 12AM to 2AM, buyers can get RM99 discount with a minimum purchase of RM1,000. OPPO items will be discounted up to 95% (maximum capped at RM9) with no minimum spend throughout 9.9.
Last but not least, OPPO’s “Spend, Spin, and Win Worth RM60,000” promotion will further reward its customers. Users who spend more than RM500 are eligible for a spin (one spin per account) to win amazing complementary OPPO prizes.
Mark your calendars for OPPO’s fantastic bargains on Thursday, September 9th, 2021! Visit the OPPO Official Shopee Store for more details on the Shopee 9.9 Super Brand Day Sale.
Pokdepinion: Wow the RM99 Deals look pretty interesting and I know for sure it’s gonna sell like hotcakes.
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Meizu MX5 is now official

Meizu has finally announced the Meizu MX5, successor to the MX4 released last year. Moving from a metal frame in the MX4 to a full metal unibody, it’s quite a looker.

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A shift to a 16:9 aspect ratio is observed in the MX5. The screen is a 5.5″ superAMOLED panel pushing a full HD resolution and protected from the elements by Gorilla Glass 3.
The fingerprint sensor is an improved version of the one found in the MX4 Pro. A special waterproof coating on the inside and a solid screw fixture ensures it will be more durable than the one found in the MX4. Security has also been improved on a software level.
Meizu is also putting a 64 bit octa-core Mediatek Helio X10 coupled with 3GB of LPDDR3-1600 RAM. The processor was previously found in the HTC One M9+. Powering all these is a 3150 mAh battery.

The camera system seems to have been brought over from the MX4, A Sony IMX220 20.7MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture lens handles the imaging for this phone. However there is an upgrade in the form of a laser auto-focus system which will allow for faster auto-focus lock. On the front side there is a 5MP f/2.0 shooter.
It will ship with Meizu’s FlymeOS 4.5 (Android 5.0 Lollipop). It will also come with dual SIM support like many other China manufactured phones. Meizu’s new mCharge technology is also available in this phone, promising to charge the MX5 from 0 to 25% in only 10 minutes.

For now the device will only be available in China and offers limited support for our frequency bands. Three storage options, all using eMMC 5.0 chips are available. The 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants will go on sale at CNY 1800 (RM1093.26), CNY 1999 (RM1214.12) and CN2399 (RM1457.07) respectively. The Meizu MX5 comes in deep grey, silver, and champagne gold colors options.

SOURCE: GSMArena

Pokdepinion: Meizu has always been an iPhone copy to me. Even FlymeOS bears a striking resemblance to iOS. I tried the MX4 at a Digi Centre at Times Square and I was impressed at the overall experience of playing with it. Especially after seeing the price tag, I feel that it’s quite a good phone. The Meizu MX5 looks quite interesting too at the price range it targets. Good specs for affordable prices are always welcome.
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This Is The VIVIFY ARQUUS W73 — World’s First 4K Gaming HDMI 2.0b RGB Cable

VIVIFY, a premium fiber optic cable company from Taiwan has recently introduced the world’s first 4K gaming HDMI 2.0b light-up cable, the VIVIFY ARQUUS W73.

The ARQUUS W73 is able to be used to a console, PC, as well as home theater systems, with support for 4K at high frame rates and color depth settings.

Offering a bandwidth of 18Gbps, it comes with a touch sensor that you can choose the lighting modes; color cycle or 7 color options.

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Other than that, it is compatible with HDR 10, HDCP 2.2 and supports 4K UHD resolution at 60Hz.
The ARQUUS W73 can be purchased at their website, where it is priced at $79.99 (~RM340) for 2.7 meter version, and $99.99 (~RM412) for the 4.5 meter long.
Pokdepinion: Definitely not a cheap cable to say the least.. but dang. It definitely looks slick if you put it for your setup. If only they had support for DisplayPort (DP), then I’d totally buy it.
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ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060 to sport a simpler cooler than its pricier brethren

ASUS has used the same cooler for their ROG Strix cards, all the way from the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3090 to GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. But not the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060. It’s now thinner and pared back, with a slightly different design that sets it apart from the rest of the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 30 series cards.
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060

The entire card is thinner at just 2.7-slot versus the 2.9-slot designs of the higher-end Ampere ROG Strix cards. Instead of the newer, higher density Axial-tech fans that were unique to the ROG Strix lineup, the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060 will come with the older 9-blade Axial-tech fan.

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The smaller cooler should also work perfectly fine since the GeForce RTX 3060 will not be producing nearly as much heat, with the NVIDIA reference specifications putting the TGP at just 170W. While we can expect the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060 to go above that, it will not exceed the 225W mark either, as the card only comes with just a single 8-pin PCIe power connector.

The beefy GPU brace that adds to the rigidity of the entire card is also gone, which makes for a wider gap between the fan shroud and PCB. But given the smaller heatsink, GPU sag should be less of an issue here.

Interestingly, ASUS also refreshed the design of the backplate to show off more of that ROG identity, but they also pared things back here with a simpler brushed metal backplate instead of the thick ridged backplate that was found on the higher-end Ampere ROG Strix cards.
ASUS DUAL GeForce RTX 3060

The ASUS DUAL GeForce RTX 3060 has also been shrunk down, now being just 20cm long and in a 2-slot design. It still gets the same Axial-tech fans and aluminium backplate as its pricier brethren in the ASUS DUAL series, which makes it an option for those who want to build an SFF PC with little room to spare for a larger GPU.
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3060

ASUS seems to have spared the TUF Gaming model from the shrink ray, with the TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 coming with what looks like the same cooler as the one found on the TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and GeForce RTX 3070 cards.
Availability for the ROG Strix and TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 cards are slated to begin in late February, while the ASUS DUAL GeForce RTX 3060 will be coming slightly later in early March 2021.
Pokdepinion: I must say that without the GPU brace, the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060 looks a lot less imposing…
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Kaspersky To Open First Transparency Center – Moving Their Core Infrastracture From Russia To Switzerland

Kaspersky Lab has announce that they are adapting their infrastructure to move a number of core processes from Russia to Switzerland. This move will include customer data storage and processing for most regions as well as software assembly and threat detection updates.
Kaspersky Opening First Transparency Center In Switzerland
With the Global Transparency initiative being announced back in October 2017, this move will be supervised by an independent third party, which is also based in Switzerland. The decision reflects on Kaspersky determination to provide full transparency and integrity towards their users.
They have also said that trust is essential in cybersecurity and in order to achieve that, it must be repeatedly earned through transparency and accountability.

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Towards the end of 2019, the company will have established the data center in Zurich. In addition to that, the facility will store and process all information for users in Europe, North America, Singapore, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and more countries to follow suit.
The relocation will also see their ‘software build conveyer‘ programming tools used for assemble ready for usage on software out of source codes. It will also ensure that all newly assembled software can be verified by the aforementioned independent organization, and show that software builds and updates received by users match the source code provided for audit.
Sticking to the matter, the source code of Kaspersky Lab products and software updates will be available for review by stakeholders in a dedicated Transparency Center that will also be hosted in Switzerland and is expected to open this year. This is the method they are implementing so show that they are protecting the company’s customers from cyberthreats and for that reason only.
Pokdepinion: I know the controversy that has been running around with the company (since last year), but at least they are now trying to prove that they are not abusing their customers. What do you think of the move? Does it make any impact at all? Let us know in the comment section down below.

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ASUS Vivobook 16X (M1603) Review – Simple Workhorse

Unboxing the ASUS Vivobook 16X (M1603)
Box packaging.

The box is fairly straightforward – same recyclable packaging like the Vivobook 15X OLED and Vivobook S14, just slightly bigger.
Box contents.
Our unit comes with the laptop itself, the 90W barrel plug charger, and the MyASUS leaflet.
Top down view.
The keyboard carries the same layout as the Vivobook 15X OLED – however as this unit comes with Transparent Silver color, the keyboard comes with matching color as well. Touchpad is scaled up with the bigger chassis size – with the fingerprint sensor at the top right corner.

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From top to bottom: Left, Right, Front, Rear, Webcam (with microphone array)
I/O is the exact same as Vivobook 15X OLED – single USB Type-A port on the left, with indicator lights and the exhaust; right side contains all remaining ports – audio jack, USB-C (no PD support), two USB-A, HDMI, and a DC input. Another exhaust is hidden behind the rear hinge; webcam shutter is also present.
Specifications
ASUS Vivobook 16X (M1603)

CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5600H (6 cores, 12 threads)

RAM
8GB DDR4-3200, SODIMM

Graphics
Integrated: AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7)

Storage
Micron 2210 512GB SSD

Display
16″ WUXGA 16:10 IPS-level
1920×1200 (FHD+) resolution, 60Hz refresh rate
45% NTSC, 300nits brightness
Anti-glare panel

I/O
1x USB 2.0 Type-A
1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
1x HDMI 1.4
1x 3.5mm combo jack
1x DC-in

Battery
50Wh Li-ion

Power Supply
90W, barrel plug DC connector

Dimensions
358.4 x 247.7 x 19.9mm

Weight
1.88kg

Performance
All performance listed below are straight out-of-the-box, on default power profiles.
CrystalDiskMark SSD Benchmark
First off is CrystalDiskMark – this particular Micron 2210 SSD is rather middling in performance, that said you won’t have any issues as far as loading times are concerned. Random I/O (which are the more realistic metric) is more or less in line with other laptops in this price class.
Cinebench R20
Next is Cinebench R20. Being the upsized Vivobook 15X OLED meant that nothing is changed here: the Ryzen 5 5600H in Vivobook 16X performs just as fast as the ones sitting within the Vivobook 15X OLED. Thermals are slightly better, on the first run it hit 85°C; it wasn’t until I pushed it to run 3 consecutive runs that heat started soaking and reaches just shy of 90°C after the third run (which is roughly five minutes worth of CPU pinned to the limits). In all runs the CPU consumes 44W initially before settling at 40W after 30 seconds or so.
Superposition – 4K Optimized
Just like its 15-inch brother, the Vivobook 16X also scored rather low on Superposition test. Given at this point it’s just a size-up version of Vivobook 15X OLED, this result doesn’t surprise me that much. A quick TLDR for this: it likely is due to lack of reserved VRAM provided to onboard graphics which cause it to perform worse than expected (full explanation can be read on our Vivobook 15X OLED review).
3DMark Time Spy
Same theme for 3DMark Time Spy – if you want to game on this laptop, consider a RAM upgrade (this laptop provides SODIMM slots). And keep your expectations reasonable.
PCMark 10
Next is PCMark 10 benchmark. Despite using same hardware, the Vivobook 16X does score slightly better scores across the board compared to Vivobook 15X OLED – light office work will be an easy work for the Vivobook.
PCMark 10 Battery Test
Finally, the battery test. Tested under the condition of 50% brightness and keyboard backlight off, the Vivobook 16X scored a very good result here – with 10 hours 34 minutes of runtime despite having smaller 50Wh battery compared to the Vivobook 15X OLED, which scored 9 hours 5 minutes on a 70Wh battery.
The Good

The Vivobook 16X does a solid job of making sure the Ryzen 5 5600H performs as expected – you won’t have any thermal issues even on long periods unless you chose to override the default power profile. I/O is definitely usable especially at this price – you won’t be getting the creature comforts like Power Delivery, but it’ll get the job done.
Keyboard-wise, the key travel is fine for most people, though I do feel it is slightly on the stiffer side and might require slightly more force to actuate. Chassis flex is passable, as this is a 16-inch chassis so there will be slightly rigidity cost simply due to larger chassis size. Touchpad makes full use of the deck’s available space so that’s a plus.
The taller 16:10 display is always a plus point for laptops geared towards work and productivity, be it in video editing or Excel spreadsheets, that extra space will save you some scrolling. Battery life is the strength of this laptop – you can expect to go through a full workday if all you do is light office work and not much else.
The Bad

Unlike the Vivobook 15X OLED though, the speakers isn’t the ones you’d listen if you’re more picky on quality. It lacks bass, despite tuning it on DTS:X it just wasn’t enough to compensate. Another quirk comes from the hinge – this laptop is surprisingly hard to open and it’s so stiff to the point you won’t be able to open one hand, let alone one finger.
ASUS has opted for a 45% NTSC panel for the Vivobook 16X which is not designed for standard sRGB color gamut (it is equivalent to 65% sRGB). If you want to do any design work, get a separate monitor with at least full sRGB coverage. Graphics performance isn’t the best we’ve seen so you have to temper expectations even with older games that isn’t as graphics-intensive.
Verdict

At RM2,999 – the ASUS Vivobook 16X certainly does not ask a lot of money for good amounts of CPU performance, but some corners are cut so you should not ask too much out of it. I’d say the best use case would fall under office work – those who do mostly typing and data entry that needs a bigger screen will benefit a lot from this machine with a relatively low price point. If you need a better content watching experience though, go for the Vivobook 15X OLED instead.
At the end of our ASUS Vivobook 16X review, I award this laptop with our Bronze Pokdeward.

Thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us this laptop for the purpose of this review.
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