MSI Christmas 2017 Laptop Promotion; Awesome goodies bundled too!

MSI has just shared with us their upcoming MSI Christmas 2017 laptop promotion. We have broken down the offers along with their respective specifications for your better understanding.
MSI Christmas 2017 Laptop Promotion

MSI GE63VR 7RE – 067MY

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Specifications
Bundle
Price

Intel Core i7-770HQ
Window 10 Home
GeForce GTX1060 6GB GDDR5
8GB DDR4 RAM / 1TB HDD (7200 RPM)
15.6 Full HD, 120Hz 3ms
128GB NVMe SSD

Steelseries Siberia V2 Gaming headset (MSI Edition)
RM7,199

MSI GS63 7RD – 075MY

Specifications
Bundle
Price

Intel Core i7-770HQ
Window 10 Home
GeForce GTX1050 2GB GDDR5
8GB DDR4 RAM / 1TB HDD
15.6 Full HD, IPS
128GB NVMe SSD

MSI Hecate Gaming Backpack
RM5,499

GP62MVR 7RFX – 898MY

Specifications
Bundle
Price

Intel Core i7-770HQ
Window 10 Home
GeForce GTX1060 6GB GDDR5
8GB DDR4 RAM / 1TB HDD
15.6 Full HD, 120Hz 3ms
256GB M.2 SATA SSD

MSI Christmas GE Pack
RM5,999

GP62 7RDX – 1021MY

Specifications
Bundle
Price

Intel Core i7-770HQ
Free DOS
GeForce GTX1040 4GB GDDR5
8GB DDR4 RAM / 1TB HDD (7200 RPM)
15.6 Full HD, Vivid Color 94%
256GB M.2 SATA SSD

MSI Christmas GE Pack
RM4,699

GL62VR 7RFX – 1057MY

Specifications
Bundle
Price

Intel Core i7-770HQ
Windows 10 Home
GeForce GTX1060 6GB GDDR5
8GB DDR4 RAM / 1TB HDD (7200 RPM)
15.6 Full HD, IPS
128GB NVMe SSD

MSI Christmas GS Pack
RM5,399

GL62M 7RDX – 1022MY

Specifications
Bundle
Price

Intel Core i7-770HQ
Windows 10 Home
GeForce GTX1050 4GB GDDR5
4GB DDR4 RAM / 1TB HDD
15.6 Full HD, Vivid Color 94%
128GB NVMe SSD

MSI Christmas GE Pack
RM4,299

GL62M 7RDX – 1825MY

Specifications
Bundle
Price

Intel Core i5-730HQ
Windows 10 Home
GeForce GTX1050 4GB GDDR5
4GB DDR4 RAM / 1TB HDD
15.6 Full HD, Vivid Color 94%
Support 1 Slot NVMe / M.2 SATA

MSI Christmas GE Pack
RM3,499

PE62 7RD-1609MY

Specifications
Bundle
Price

Intel Core i7-770HQ
Free DOS
GeForce GTX1050 4GB GDDR5
8GB DDR4 RAM / 1TB HDD (7200RPM)
15.6 Full HD
128GB M.2 SATA SSD

MSI Christmas GS Pack
RM4,499

Pokdepinion: As you can see, there are a lot of laptops to choose from. So if you’ve been planning to get an MSI laptop, get ready your wallets!
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Samsung turn the mySamsung to a responsive customer service app — the app that will lighten your life

Samsung Malaysia Electronics remains committed in offering customers a holistic mobile experience, the company is turning its mySamsung app into a one-stop application for all things Samsung, from exclusive privileges to responsive customer service for a complete Galaxy experience.

Officially launched in Malaysia earlier in June, mySamsung helps customers manage their devices, provides easy and direct access to customer service representatives, as well as enjoy Samsung ownership privileges. As a continuous effort to delight customers, exclusive privileges will be extended to include fresh treats and rewarding cashbacks from various brands and retail merchants.

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On top of these privileges, mySamsung brings users a wealth of tips and tricks to help them make the most out of all their device features. The app provides alerts and recommendations for users to optimise their device usage such as extending battery life to saving device memory. This latest post-purchase service aims to help customers attain everything from assistance in setting up the device to managing and optimising it. It is the one place for everything.

Users can additionally enjoy direct access to customer service with one tap through the app, where customer support, advice and step-by-step guidance are available whenever required. For those needing assistance from Samsung’s experts, users can make use of the Live Chat or direct call via the application. With help only a tap away, customers can save travel time to service centres and brand stores unless absolutely necessary.

“We aim to provide the best value-added services and a complete mobile ecosystem to all our customers. A seamless user experience is important in a customer’s journey; hence we will continuously ensure that all post purchase efforts, including a single and comprehensive platform like mySamsung, support this journey. This is also a way for us to thank our loyal customers for choosing Samsung,” said Mr Lee Sang Hoon, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics.

The mySamsung app can be downloaded for free from Google Play™ (click icon above), and is available on the following Samsung smartphones with Android OS 4.3 and newer:

Galaxy Note5, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note Edge
Galaxy S7 & S7 edge; Galaxy S6, S6 edge and S6 edge+; GALAXY S5 and GALAXY S4
Galaxy A3 (2016), A5 (2016), A7 (2016) & A9 Pro
Galaxy A3, A5, A7 & A8
Galaxy J1, J1 Mini, J2, J3, J5 & J7
Galaxy J1 Mini Prime, J2 Prime, J5 Prime, J7 and J7 Prime (2016)

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EA Officially Announces New Dead Space Remake And I Am Excited As All Hell

At the recent EA Play Live event, EA has officially lifted the lid off of the long-rumoured remake of Dead Space. The beloved survival horror series has laid dormant since the release of Dead Space 3 back in 2013. Now it’s back and hopefully with a terrifying vengeance.
Dead Space is back!

Star Wars: Squadrons developer, Motive Studios will be handling the development of the remake seeing that the original developer, Visceral Games was shut down back in 2017 by EA. The Dead Space remake will be next-gen exclusive and will be available on the PS5, Xbox Series X and S as well as on PC.

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EA says that the game will be ‘completely rebuilt from the ground up’ and will utilise the company’s Frostbite game engine. The publisher also states that the remake will feature an improved story, characters, and gameplay mechanics.
For those who are not in the know, here’s a little description of what Dead Space is all about.
Isaac Clarke is an everyman engineer on a mission to repair a vast, sprawling starship, the USG Ishimura, only to discover something has gone horribly wrong. The ship’s crew has been slaughtered and infected by some alien scourge…and Isaac’s beloved partner, Nicole, is lost somewhere on board.
Now Isaac is alone with only his tools and engineering skills as he attempts to uncover the nightmarish mystery of what happened aboard the Ishimura. Trapped with hostile creatures called “necromorphs”, Isaac faces a battle for survival, not only against the escalating terrors of the ship, but his own crumbling sanity.

The Dead Space remake currently has no release date.
Source
Pokdepinion: I am super excited for this remake and I hope to God EA does not mess this up. Dead Space is one of the few horror game series that I truly love. I even enjoyed the third game.
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 rumored to be priced at $1399

Recently we did see rumors of the flagship NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series card being priced at $1999. Now that’s pretty eye-watering, but I guess you can’t really complain as NVIDIA doesn’t have any real competition at the moment. However it does seem that NVIDIA has a heart, and newer rumors are pointing to a more affordable $1399 (~RM5851) price tag.
If you link the price and the other rumors we have heard about the GeForce RTX 3090, it does sound like a pretty good deal. There’s allegedly 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM, more than double the amount on the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. That, coupled with a massive GPU that should be around 30% faster than a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, for just $200 more? Seems like quite a steal to me.
According to the rumor, the partner cards will start from $1399, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Founders Edition will be an additional $100, or $1499 (~RM6270). Those who are interested in the Founders Edition will also have to contend with the new 12-pin PCIe power connector, while AIB partners are expected to continue using up to three 8-pin PCIe power connectors to deliver juice.

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NVIDIA is expected to announce more about the GeForce RTX 30-series next month during the GeForce Special Event this 2nd September.
Source
Pokdepinion: Hopefully the local pricing will be more similar to the US pricing this time around… We have been paying GeForce RTX 3090 prices for the current crop of RTX 2080 Ti anyways…
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Here’s What You Need To Know About Fast Charging

Fast charging is pretty much a mainstay in the smartphone world nowadays. What used to take hours to fully charge a phone can now take mere minutes to go from 0% to 100% with fast charging technology. However, fast charging standards are not all the same as different deploy their own take on the fast charging technology. Let’s take a look at what the differences are and what you need to know about them.
What is fast charging?
Before we get down to how fast charging works, we need to look at how charging works in the first place. A charge is typically determined by its amperage and voltage levels. Amperage is the level of how much electricity is flowing, while voltage is the strength level of which the electricity is flowing. The wattage of a charge is calculated by multiplying the amount of amperage and the amount of voltage.

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So basically, in the case of fast charging, manufacturers tend to either increase the amperage level or manipulate the voltage level to deliver a faster charging rate. Though, manufacturers tend to bump up the voltage levels rather than the amperage levels as it is generally safer that way.
Types of fast charging
Now we move on to the types of fast charging standards deployed by different manufacturers now available on the market. Although they generally work similarly to one another, they are all different as manufacturers employ their own ways and techniques to deliver fast charging. Here’s a general breakdown on the different types of fast charging standards.

Types of fast charging
Features
Maximum Wattage

USB Power Delivery

This is the official fast charging standard set by the USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum).
Enables charging of up to 100W.
Used by Pixel phones and Apple devices.

100W

Qualcomm Quick Charge 1.0

Qualcomm’s proprietary standard.
Enables Qualcomm powered devices to charge up to 10W.

10W

Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0

Introduced a feature called Dual Charge that helps with heat generated while charging.
Can go up to 18W.

18W

Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0

Has improved Dual Charge+ and Battery Saver Technologies.
Introduced INOV (Intelligent Negotiation for Optimal Voltage) to maximise efficiency.
Can go up to 36W.

36W

Qualcomm Quick Charge 4

Has improved features over QC 3.0.
Introduced safety measures to protect against over-voltage, over-current and overheating.
Can go up to 100W.

100W

Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+

Features Intelligent Thermal Balancing and Advanced Safety Features to further protect against overheating and damage to USB.
Dual Charge tech is now mandatory instead of optional.

100W

Qualcomm Quick Charge 5

Has better heat management than before. Can go up to 100+W.
The first phone to feature this QC standard is the Mi 10 Ultra.

100+W

MediaTek Pump Express 2.0

Mostly for MediaTek’s low-end chipsets.
Can go up to 15W charging.

15W

MediaTek Pump Express 3.0

World’s first fast charging to enable direct charge through Type-C USB power delivery.
This helps prevent the phone from overheating while charging.
Can go up to 30W.

30W

MediaTek Pump Express 4.0

Similar to Pump Express 3.0 but with wireless charging support.
Can go up to 30W.

30W

Motorola Rapid Charging

Mainly for lower-tier Motorola devices with micro USB.
Can go up to 10W.

10W

Motorola Turbo Power

Mainly for midrange and high-end Motorola devices.
Supports both 15W and 18W charging depending on the device.

18W

OPPO VOOC

VOOC doesn’t deliver high voltage like USB PD and QC.
It uses a higher current instead to match the phone’s battery voltage.
This also means that VOOC doesn’t run as hot as other fast charging standards.

20W

OPPO VOOC 2.0

Similar to VOOC but with improved charging rate.
Licensed to both OnePlus and realme as Dash Charge and Dart charge respectively.
Operates at 5V/4A.

20W

OPPO VOOC 3.0

Charges 23.8% faster than VOOC 2.0.
It is a 5V/5A version of VOOC.

25W

OPPO SuperVOOC

Successor to VOOC 2.0.
Charges phones up to 65W.

65W

OPPO SuperVOOC 2.0

High charging efficiency.
High discharge efficiency.
Charges up to 65W.

65W

OPPO AirVOOC

Uses self-developed isolated charge pump technology and parallel dual-coil design for better efficiency.
Compatible with wireless Qi standard.

65W

OnePlus Dash Charge

OnePlus charging standard. Licensed from OPPO’s VOOC 2.0 technology.

20W

OnePlus Warp Charge

OnePlus’ proprietary wired and wireless fast charging.
Can go up to 30W.
Wireless charging only delivers 20W at 1.5A which generates less heat.

30W

Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging

Runs similarly to Qualcomm’s QC.
Can go up to 45W charging.

45W

HUAWEI SuperCharge

Features Huawei’s proprietary SCP (Smart Charging Protocol) which adjusts the phone’s charging current and voltage as needed, and makes charging faster and more efficient.

40W

Xiaomi Charge Turbo

World’s first 30W wireless fast charging technology.

30W

Xiaomi 100W Super Charge Turbo

Fully charges a 4,000mAh battery in just 17 minutes.
While named 100W, it doesn’t actually reach 100W. Only hovers around 80W.

100W

As you can see from the chart above, fast charging rate and support depend on which brand of smartphone you are using. It’s important to note that not all manufacturer’s fast charging standards can cross over with other brands. For example, to use OPPO’s VOOC charging standard, you must use an OPPO device such as the OPPO Reno3 Pro with OPPO’s own proprietary VOOC charger and cable. It will not work with something like the ROG Phone 3 as they both support two different fast charging standards.

We hope that this has been useful in understanding the whole gist of what fast charging is and how it works. For more interesting topics like this or tips and tricks regarding tech, do stay tuned to Pokde.net.
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[UNBOXING] ASUS ZenBook UX433 Laptop – A4-Sized Laptop

Unboxing the ASUS ZenBook UX433 Laptop

It’s 2019 and it’s hard to imagine what sorta new things are coming our way this year. Well, we’d like to start things off good with the ASUS ZenBook UX433 unboxing to kick off the new year.
Like the ASUS ZenBook Pro 15, this laptop is rather special as the touchpad also doubles as a numberpad. Simply pressing the touchpad on the top right corner will activate the lights to reveal the numberpad. Yes, it works just like any ordrinary numberpad would, and it certainly is a clever, space-saving design choice.
Be sure to check out our ASUS ZenBook UX433 unboxing at the top of this post. If you want to know more about it, check out the specifications right below here:

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Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i5-8265U @ 1.6 GHz (up to 3.9 GHz Turbo Boost)

RAM
8GB LPDDR3

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2GB GDDR5

Storage
512GB PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe SSD

HID
Full-sized backlit keyboard, 1.4mm travel
Glass-covered with integrated NumberPad; intelligent palm-rejection

Connectivity
Dual Band WiFi 802.11ac
Bluetooth 5.0
1 x USB 2.0 Type-A
1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 (Type-A)
1 x USB 3.1 Gen2 (Type-C)
MicroSD card reader

Display
14″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Wide View Frameless NanoEdge, 100% sRGB
1 x HDMI

Audio
ASUS SonicMaster stereo audio system with Surround Sound
Array microphone with Alexa and Cortana support
1 x Combo Audio Jack

Power
65W power adapter
50 WHr 3-cell Li-Po battery

Dimensions
319 x 199 x 15.9 mm

Weight
1.19 kg

Our review of the ASUS ZenBook UX433 laptop will be coming very shortly, within today, so be sure to stay tuned to Pokde.net for that.
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[E3 2018] Another Kingdom Hearts 3 Trailer Surfaced – Showcasing Pirates of the Caribbean

Yet another Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer has popped up during the Sony Interactive Entertainment conference at E3 2018, this time featuring the Pirates of the Caribbean.
E3 2018: Another Kingdom Hearts 3 Trailer Surfaced Showcasing Pirates of the Caribbean

At the Sony Interactive Entertainment press conference in E3 2018 held in Los Angeles, a brand new trailer for Kingdom Hearts 3 was revealed. This time, it highlights the inclusion of the Pirates of the Caribbean and our favourite pirate, Jack Sparrow.
The trailer also features familiar faces returning in Organization XIII, and what appears to be either a reflection of Dark Riku from Riku’s own mind or Riku Replica from Chain of Memories. We also get to see a limited edition PlayStation 4 console and a all-in-one Package with the other games of the series.

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In case you missed it, there were a number of interesting things that popped up with regards to Kingdom Hearts 3. In particular, new trailers as well as a release date. In case you missed it, click here to get right up to speed with what’s been happening.
Kingdom Hearts 3 will be coming to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 29th January 2019, and in Japan just a few days earlier on 25th January 2019.
For more developments and news at E3 2018, be sure to stay tuned to Pokde.net
Pokdepinion: I’m slightly disappointed that they’re bringing back some Organization characters that didn’t really do much in previous games but I’m more curious as to why Riku is seeing the Dark version of himself there. Only time will tell I suppose.
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Huawei “SuperCharge” coming to Mate 9?

We have seen Huawei demonstrate their quick charging batteries, which can juice up a 3000 mAh batteries to nearly 50% in 5 minutes. Huawei is applying for a trademark of the brand “SuperCharge” in the EU, which should see the new technology being introduced in the next Huawei flagship.

As Huawei uses their own Kirin SoCs, they do not rely on Qualcomm QuickCharge technology, but instead have to develop their own system to juice up batteries quickly. Not much information is leaked out, and we aren’t even sure whether this technology will appear anytime this year with IFA 2016 looming. In any case, we are sure that Huawei is readying a great new technology to compete with the big dogs in quick charging.

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SOURCE: GSMArena

Pokdepinion: The Huawei Mate 8 impressed us with strong battery life, and now the next Huawei flagship is set to impress us with its charging speed as well? Well we can’t wait! Oh and will they name the chargers SuperChargers?
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ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) Review — the perfect mid-range laptop?

ASUS’ VivoBook series offer a more affordable selection of laptops for light users, and the ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) we are looking at today definitely ticks the “affordable” box. However it might be suitable for more than just “light users” though, with an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 4700U under the hood. With the performance-oriented AMD Ryzen 4000H-series delivering the heavy punches in the ROG Zephyrus G14 and the TUF Gaming A15, will the ASUS VivoBook S14 similarly dominate in the thin-and-light category too? Well, we’ll see.
The unit we test in this review came directly from ASUS HQ, and some parts of the review may not be applicable to local units. We will highlight the differences in italics as we go along.
Unboxing

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The package contents of our review sample is rather sparse, owing to it not being a retail unit. Malaysian units will receive a power adapter with the appropriate plug as well as some stickers to decorate the ASUS VivoBook S14.
Appearance

One of the reasons why you would need stickers to personalize your ASUS VivoBook S14 is the blank lid. The lid of the ASUS VivoBook S14 is made of aluminium, although it lacks the fancy finishes touted by ASUS’ more premium options, but I don’t mind the minimalism one bit. If you opt for the Ryzen 5 variant, you can also get the ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) in more colors, but the Ryzen 7 model only comes in Indie Black.

The underside of the ASUS VivoBook S14 is equally clean, with just five rubber feet to raise the laptop a bit to allow the speakers to pump out sound better, while the small vent in the center allows the cooling system in the ASUS VivoBook S14 to breathe.

Opening up the laptop reveals a rather understated design, which seems to be the theme of the ASUS VivoBook S14. The bezels are rather thin along the sides of the screen, but the top bezel is slightly thicker than some of the recent laptops we reviewed, partly because of the fact that there’s a webcam in the usual position above the display. ASUS makes up for it with a narrower lower bezel than the ones you get with their gaming laptops, so you still get an small overall footprint.

While most of the entire laptop’s design wouldn’t look out of place even when placed beside utilitarian machines like the ASUS ExpertBook P5440, somehow ASUS decided that highlighting the Enter key would be a good way to impress its target audience. Our sample of the ASUS VivoBook S14 doesn’t come with a fingerprint scanner, but retail units will sport one in the upper right corner of the trackpad.
ASUS VivoBook S14 Specifications

CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U @ 2.0 GHz (up to 4.1 GHz Boost), 8C/8T, 15W TDP, 7nm

RAM
16GB DDR4-2666, dual-channel (on-board)

GPU
AMD Radeon Graphics, 7 CU @ 1600 MHz

Storage
512GB Intel 660p PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD
1 x vacant M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 slot

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.40.40
MyASUS

Connectivity
Realtek 8822CE WiFi 5 (802.11ac 2×2)
Bluetooth 5.0
1 x USB-C (USB 3.0)
1 x USB 3.0
2 x USB 2.0
1 x MicroSD card reader

Display
14″ FHD (1080p) TFT LCD, Chi Mei CMN14D4, 85% screen-to-body ratio
1 x HDMI output

Audio
Stereo speakers
Array microphone
1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Power
45W power adapter
50 WHr 3-cell Li-Po battery

Dimensions
324.9 x 213.5 x 15.9 mm

Weight
1.4 kg

The ASUS VivoBook S14 will only be available with 8GB RAM here in Malaysia, which might be a bummer for some. The rest of the specifications are similar to what’s offered here in Malaysia. One thing I want to note is the rather lackluster DDR4-2666 memory that ASUS equipped the ASUS VivoBook S14 with, despite AMD’s support for DDR4-3200 and LPDDR4-4266 memory with the Renoir APUs. Faster memory should yield even better performance in both CPU and GPU workloads, but unfortunately we won’t be able to see it here.
Performance

For the performance of the ASUS VivoBook S14, let’s start with the storage. The Intel 660p isn’t the fastest SSD in the market, but it will beat having SATA SSDs, or god forbid, HDDs. Having 512GB of SSD storage also means that you won’t have to worry about running out of space with normal use.

Now, this laptop is definitely ready for more than just normal use. The CPU performance is right up there with last-gen 45W parts from AMD and Intel. While the Picasso parts were clearly behind Intel’s offerings at both 15W and 45W TDPs, AMD Renoir turned the tables around, and now appears to be even faster than Intel’s 45W processors.

GPU performance also sees AMD makes huge leaps forward. Versus the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, we can see that the ASUS VivoBook S14’s Ryzen 7 4700U and its integrated graphics almost makes the MX 250 irrelevant. But of course, the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro isn’t exactly the best example of a MX 250-powered laptop, and you can see from the VivoBook Ultra‘s results that having a dedicated GPU does still have its perks like faster, dedicated GDDR5 memory, which is still going to deliver better performance than the integrated graphics here.

Overall, thanks to a combination of the beefy CPU and integrated graphics, the ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) posts a very respectable score here. It’s still behind a well-designed laptop featuring the MX 250, so there’s that for consideration.

For all intents and purposes, the ASUS VivoBook S14 is designed well for almost all computing tasks. You can even do a little bit of content creation on it, if you want to really torture the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U.

The ASUS VivoBook S14 serves up some awesome battery life figures, which is proof that you can have your cake and eat it too. The Intel-powered HUAWEI MateBook X Pro does deliver longer battery life, but with the abysmal performance, it doesn’t exactly represent good efficiency.
For those who are into gaming, the ASUS VivoBook S14 is capable of some light gaming too. I managed to play DOTA 2 at around 90~100 fps at 1080p with the lowest graphics settings, which is very respectable indeed for just an iGPU.

The thermal performance of the ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) is also quite impressive. Despite a relatively simple construction, the cooling system appears pretty effective at keeping the Ryzen 7 4700U cool even under load. In 15 minutes of Realbench, temperatures were maintained below 90°C even during the initial boost period where clocks were around 3.1 GHz on average, with a power draw averaging around 21.7W. The TDP limit seems to kick in at about 4 minutes, dropping clocks down to around 2.6 GHz with the power draw now sitting around 12W now. Temperatures hover around 68°C now, which is excellent.

The cooling system used to deliver such impressive thermals is a simple single heatpipe, with a single fan as well. I must mention that the fin array does seem a bit larger than most designs I have seen, which may have helped to enhance the thermal dissipation.
User Experience

ASUS used metal through out the construction of the ASUS VivoBook S14, with the material used for the lid, palm rests and also the bottom side. While ASUS seems to have kept the fancy finishes for their more premium ASUS ZenBook lineup, what’s important is that the ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) feels very sturdy without being heavy. And although I mentioned that it doesn’t sport a fancy finish, the ASUS VivoBook S14’s metal surfaces are nice and smooth, unlike some other laptops in this price range which boast of all-metal designs but sport shoddy, rough finishing.

With solid build quality combined with the performance of the ASUS VivoBook S14, it might seem like the perfect laptop for some light content creation on the go. But unfortunately our sample’s display just doesn’t cut it. Its brightness is very mediocre, with a maximum brightness measured to be just 234 nits. That’s really weak. Adding on the hurt is the 61.1% sRGB gamut coverage, which makes it suitable for little more than content consumption, and most definitely not content creation.
However there’s good news. ASUS Malaysia has confirmed that the Malaysian retail units will feature a 100% sRGB display with a maximum brightness of 250 nits, which makes it a lot more suitable for content creators to take advantage of the horsepower we have under the hood. The maximum brightness will limit usability outdoors, but we wouldn’t recommend you to edit your images under direct sunlight anyway.
In addition to the excellent display, the ASUS VivoBook S14 also serves up a very good audio experience too. Possibly thanks to some input from harman/kardon, these speakers sound quite nice, with them also being some of the loudest laptop speakers I have ever encountered. It loses out a bit in terms of clarity at the high end, but I wouldn’t hold it against the ASUS VivoBook S14, considering that the laptop is relatively inexpensive when compared to the quad-speaker laptops we have played with recently.
Moving on, the keyboard on this thing is decent enough, but not the best we have used in recent times. It offers sufficient travel but could do with more tactile feedback. It’s not mushy just yet, but I would prefer a touch more “click” to my keypresses. The power button is also a part of the keyboard, which might annoy those who are used to pressing the top right corner for the Backspace key. There’s also a secondary Fn key so you don’t have to stretch your hand as much to use the secondary layer on the F-keys. It’s one of those small touches that will be nice when you actually use it, but not something that’s absolutely necessary.

Meanwhile the trackpad here does pretty decently with multi-finger gestures well supported, even when I used it with a finger placed on the left click button, while I used another two fingers to scroll around. Malaysian units will have a fingerprint scanner in the upper right corner of the trackpad, which slightly reduces the room available for mousing around, but it isn’t going to significantly impact the user experience. The convenience of being able to login with your fingerprint surely outweighs the lost trackpad area.

Lastly, let’s talk about the I/O on the ASUS VivoBook S14. ASUS didn’t furnish the ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) with the most advanced I/O in the market, but we did kinda expect that, given the price point it’s targeting. But for some reason, they decided that we all need two USB 2.0 ports. I do commend ASUS for providing more ports than most laptops of this size, but I would have very much preferred them to be all USB 3.0 ports. Speaking of which, there are two USB 3.0 ports over on the other side, with one of them being a USB-C port. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support USB-PD charging nor DisplayPort Alt Mode, so it’s merely there to facilitate data transfer from some of the newer external storage devices.

Aside from USB, there’s also a HDMI port, a headphone jack and a microSD card slot. The reason why ASUS went with a microSD card slot over a full-sized SD slot was purportedly because they want to support action cameras and drones which are now apparently very popular among young people, who are the target market for the ASUS VivoBook S14.
Conclusion

The ASUS VivoBook S14 will set you back RM3199, which I do believe is a very reasonable price for what you are getting. A portable laptop that will fit into any bag and not weigh you down, yet have enough performance for you to fire up some games if you are in the mood for it.
There are some flaws here and there, like the I/O options and non-upgradeable RAM, but overall it is an excellent laptop for most people. More RAM is always welcome, but 8GB RAM should suffice in most usage scenarios, and more RAM would probably have jacked up the price as well, making it a less enticing choice in the competitive multimedia laptop segment here in Malaysia.
I would recommend the ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) to students or just about anyone who want a laptop that’s reasonably light, powerful enough for some games and has good enough battery life to last you the day. Even content creators can get by with the ASUS VivoBook S14, considering that it comes with a 100% sRGB display and a strong 8-core CPU too. And if you think RM3199 is a touch too much to spend on a laptop, you can also opt for the variant with the 6-core Ryzen 5 4500U under the hood which costs just RM2899.
It shares most of the specifications you see in the Ryzen 7 model, which makes it an even better deal for those who don’t need the CPU and GPU horsepower that the Ryzen 7 4700U brings to the table. Regardless, it should represent a pretty big upgrade for anyone coming from an older laptop in this price segment.

Our thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us the ASUS VivoBook S14 (M433) for review.
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Telegram Will Start Charging Users In 2021

Telegram has become one of the most popular messaging app today. With an expected 500 million users, it seems that the app needs funding to continue with its service.
Telegram soon to come with fee

The news was revealed by the founder and CEO of the company, Pavel Durov. He has said that the company needs the appropriate funding to keep business afloat.

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Durov has stated that previously he had to use his personal savings to pay for the company’s expenses. With more users getting into the app, he thinks that this needs to change.
It seems that they will start charging beginning next year in 2021 where Durov has said “Telegram will begin to generate revenue, starting next year. We will do it accordance with our values and the pledges we have made over the last 7 years. Thanks to our current scale, we will be able to do it in a non-intrusive way. Most users will hardly notice any change”.
He has said that the current features that are free will still stay the same. Telegram will add several features for business teams or power users and they will require more resources and will be paid by these premium users.
The CEO has stated that the company will stay “independent as a place where users are respected and high-quality is ensured”.
Source
Pokdepinion: All I can say is, let’s just hope that they stay true to their words. I’ve been on Telegram a whole lot more than WhatsApp these days for its better experience. I wonder what features they’ll charge for though..
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MSI Launches Plethora Of Business And Productivity Products

The folks at MSI has recently held their MSIology event where they’ve unveiled a host of business and productivity products that includes the Summit E13 Flip Evo, Summit E16 Flip, MSI Pen, as well as the MSI USB-C Docking Station Gen2. Curious to find out what they are all about? Read on to find out.
MSIology business and productivity products
MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo

The MSI Summit 13 Flip Evo was awarded the “Best of CES 2021” award, promoting the “Golden Ratio” design and precise calculation that MSI has crafted it with. It measures at 13-inches and is lightweight and versatile, where the chassis is tailored by CNC machining process. Its 16:10 display has been has been carefully designed for an expanded reading space.

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It comes with an ergonomic 360-degree hinge for flexible working scenarios. The special Ink-Black or Pure-White comes with shining streamline edges and brushed line engraving gives the laptop a sense of premium.
Verified by the Intel Evo platform, the Summit E13 Flip Evo features the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor plus Intel Iris Xe graphics. In addition to that, the battery can last up to 20 hours so you are rest assured that it can last you even if you go out nearly the whole day.
Aside from that, the laptop supports Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, Thunderbolt 4, and PCIe Gen4 SSD for a faster overall experience. Catered for business individuals, the laptop also comes with enterprise-grade security hardware such as TPM2.0 and its webcam features indicator light, on/off hotkey, and a physical switch at the side of the laptop. In addition, there’s the MSI AI Noise Cancellation and Noise Reduction CAM that helps acoustically to create a professional working environment for your meetings.
MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo Specifications

CPU:
Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7 with Intel Iris X Graphics

Display:
13.4″ FHD+ (1920×1200), 16:10, IPS-level, Touchscreen, Support MSI Pen

Memory:
32GB LPDDR4 onboard, dual channel

Storage:
1TB NVMe M.2 SSD (PCIe Gen4)

Webcam:
IR HD (30fps/720p) with Noise Reduction Cam

Connectivity:
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210
Bluetooth 5.2

I/O Port:
2 x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C
1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C
1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
1 x microSD Card Reader (Hidden)

Security:
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0
Webcam Lock Switch

Sensor:
Fingerprint Reader/ Ambient Light Sensor/ Gyroscope/ Accelerometer/ Magnetometer

Keyboard:
Single Backlit Keyboard (White)

Audio:
2 x 2W speakers / 1 x Audio combo
Hi-Res Audio Ready, Nahimic

Battery:
4-cell, Li-Polymer, 70Whr / 65W

Dimension:
300.2 x 222.25 x 14.9mm

Weight:
1.35kg

Colour:
Pure White / Ink Black

Price:
RM6,899

MSI Summit E16 Flip

On the other hand is the thinnest 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop, the MSI Summit E16 Flip. As you might have guessed, the laptop comes with a larger display than its brother, offering all the features of the Summit E13 Flip Evo while equipped with the latest NVIDIA graphics. It also comes with MSI Dynamic Cooler Boost design, which supposedly offers better thermals. They’ve promoted on how silent the laptop is, where it produces 35dB even when the CPU is under full load. Unfortunately they didn’t reveal the full specs as well as the pricing but they did mention that it will be coming soon to the country.
MSI Pen

Up next is the MSI Pen, which won the Innovation Award in this year’s CES 2021. It is actually the first award-winning stylus to do so. It comes with a minimalistic and steady craftsmanship with all-metal design.
It provides 4096-level pressure sensitivity and is packed with MPP2.0 technology, providing a more stable connectivity. Other than that, it allows you to customize functions of the pen button and more conveniently, show the battery life on the screen.
MSI USB-C Docking Station Gen2

Last but not least is the MSI USB-C Docking Station Gen2, where it saves users from the messy workspace and epitomizes all the devices into one dedicated docking box. You have the option to connect to up to 3 displays with 5 extra USB ports for convenience and efficiency.
It offers 100W power output along with 4K video and data transmission, helping users to save more time and enhance productivity.
Pokdepinion: If I had to choose between the two laptops, I’d definitely go with the Summit E13 Flip Evo. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather work with a portable and light laptop. What do you think of the price? Would you be interested in getting one? Let us know in the comments.
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Celebrate Chinese New Year Together With Celcom And You Could Win RM888

Celcom is rallying the strength of togetherness this Chinese New Year where they will be hosting their virtual potluck event, Chinese New Year Grand Union, where you can win big.
Celcom Chinese New Year Grand Union

Malaysians can get together with Celcom’s virtual potluck event, where they are leveraging on the power of connectivity and food, bringing everyone together.

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From now till the 6th of February 2021, you can participate in the event by preparing your favorite and best Chinese New Year dishes and virtually showcase them during the event to a panel of judges.
You are also welcomed to show and tell the story behind your dish and be in the running for a grand prize of RM888 Boost eWallet as well as engage with a list of renowned local artists and join trivia quizzes to win rewards.

The Grand Union Virtual potluck will be aired on Celcom’s Facebook page on the 10th of February 2021 at 7pm. For more details on the event, you can head to the link here.
Pokdepinion: Sure it is different celebrating the festive season without your close ones not physically being there but hey, they’re always there with you. Why not join in on the fun with Celcom? You might be the lucky one to win the grand prize too.

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Apple iPhone 8 News: Overhauled Design, Bezel-less OLED Display, 3 iPhones in 2017, and More!

The Apple iPhone 8 to have a bezel-less OLED display and a design overhaul? Refreshing.
With a brand new year coming, there will be a slew of new smartphones heading our way as well. 2016 has been quite an explosive year for smartphone, literally and figuratively, so it’s natural for people to wonder what’s coming next. Let’s take a look at what Apple has in store with their upcoming iPhone 8.

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Apple iPhone 8 News

https://t.co/vN2NOyIss3 : #iPhone8 #iOS – iPhone 8 Render Imagines What A Curved #OLED Bezel-Free Display Design Will Look Like pic.twitter.com/JWDAUEhaKn
— InstallWorld (@Install_World) December 25, 2016

At this point in time, we’re still about 8 months away from the official launch of the Apple iPhone 8. However, information on the device has surface on the net, and it’s looking pretty solid. Inquisitr has gone as far as to call it an “edgeless” phone.
Zach Epstein from BGR said:
Despite the fact that Apple’s flagship iPhone lineup continues to be the best-selling smartphone series in the world, fans are anxious for something new — and in 2017, they’ll get the completely overhauled iPhone design they’ve been waiting for.
Image source: iDrop News
According to Inquisitr, the iPhone 8 will have a design overhaul so we won’t be having the same look again in 2017. It’s expected to have a bezel-less OLED display as well as the Touch ID fingerprint scanner embedded on the display itself. If this is true, this will truly mark the end of the Apple’s signature home button on the iPhone.
Speaking of removing buttons, Forbes talked about Apple’s new patent, which sheds lights on the iPhone 8’s touch sensors. It would seem like Apple is dropping the current buttons on the iPhone in favour of touch-enabled areas on the device:
Forbes contributor Ewan Spence said:
This patent describes a technique where touch sensors can be placed around any side of a device allowing for new input sources. The patent also notes that physical buttons (such as the volume controls) could be replaced by these embedded touch sensors.
Wireless Charging in the iPhone 8
The iPhone 8 could have wireless charging capabilities. [Image by Daryl Deino]The folks over at 9to5mac on the other hand has some interesting news on the iPhone 8. This one in particular is about the addition of wireless charging for the upcoming device:
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities, the 2017 iPhone will add wireless charging for the first time. Instead of plugging in a cable, iPhone 8 owners will be able to charge their batteries using an inductive pad similar to how the Apple Watch charges.
Unlike the Android smartphones that have wireless charging capabilities, the iPhone 8 is said to be using a glass casing for wireless charging. Android smartphone typically use plastic and metal chassis but apparently, the glass casing will allow for better wireless charging performance. It is said to be capable of charging rapidly with minimal disruption from frequency interference.
3 iPhone Models to be Released in 2017
Image source: AppAdvice
If you thought that was surprising, wait until you hear this. Apple is reportedly planning on releasing 3 iPhone models in 2017, and it’s a shocker. It’s said to be the iPhone 7S, iPhone 7S Plus, and the iPhone 8.
This would be the first time Apple will be releasing the ‘S’ model and the mainline iPhone model in the same year. If we are to speculate that the 7S would be a speedier version of the iPhone 7, and the 7S Plus being the same for the iPhone 7 Plus, one would wonder what the iPhone 8 will be.
Bigger screen? The more premium model? Or just a unique offering compared to the other 2 iPhones? Only time will tell.

Pokdepinion: A bezel-less Apple iPhone 8 is a beautiful smartphone. It’s strange to see the ‘S’ model selling side-by-side with a step up model but I suppose there’s a first for everything. I personally feel that no brand should sell too many variants at the same time. Having 3 models in one go could mean having an excess stock in store shelves for certain models, like the iPhone 5C before.
I’ve seen OLED displays before and I really hope more smartphones will adopt this type of display in 2017. The black is as real as it gets, and it really makes every colour stand out. Wireless charging is a welcoming addition, and it’s great to see that Apple is finally putting in their spin of that technology.
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The Radeon RX 5500 XT is bottlenecked by PCIe 3.0

While you may think that the recently launched Radeon RX 5500 XT would be a great drop-in upgrade for your ageing rig, it seems like there’s more to the story. As we have previously reported, the Radeon RX 5500 series is limited to a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface and that is apparently a bottleneck.
Tests by PCGH revealed quite a bit less performance when running the cards with a PCIe 3.0 system, especially on the Radeon RX 5500 XT 4GB variant. The lesser VRAM may have resulted in the card having to rely on shuttling data from the system memory to the card over the PCIe interface, and thus with half the bandwidth with PCIe 3.0 versus PCIe 4.0, you run into performance issues.
64% lower performance is a serious problem…
This is a rather new finding, as PCIe 3.0 x8 has never been found to be a huge bottleneck even for flagship cards like the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and the likes of it. But then again, I don’t remember seeing a card designed for a 8-lane PCIe interface either, so this is quite a unique issue that’s affecting the Radeon RX 5500 XT.

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Whatever the issue, the 8GB variant of the Radeon RX 5500 XT is also affected, although to a much lesser degree. Most of the cards here in Malaysia are the 8GB variant, so you would probably not encounter that much of an issue with them.

With that said, Hardware Unboxed’s testing revealed a smaller difference in performance between PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0, although there is still noticeably lower performance when running the Radeon RX 5500 XT 4GB over a PCIe 3.0 interface. It’s also worth noting that Hardware Unboxed decided to run with less taxing graphics settings, which may have not taxed the frame buffer on the card nearly as much as PCGH’s testing.
Pokdepinion: It doesn’t really make sense to pair a Radeon RX 5500 XT 4GB with an X570 board, so I would think AMD released this card knowing full well you would run into these kind of issues…
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Stifled Game Review – Innovative Horror Experience

Looking for a new horror game? Bored of the usual zombies, monsters and murderers? This echolocation-based horror game, Stifled, might be the one for you.
Stifled Horror Game Review
I’ve been wanting to do this for a while but had trouble finding the time to truly enjoy it. Sure, partly it’s also because I’m scared but as a game reviewer, I gotta do my job. Let’s take a look at arguably one of the most innovative horror games in recent times, Stifled.
What is Stifled About?

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Stifled is a horror game developed by Singaporean game development studio Gattai Games. In the game, players take control of David Ridley, a man whose mind is slowly fracturing under the weight of heartbreak, turning his world dark. What makes Stifled a very unique game is that you see through sound via a process known as echolocation.
Each sound you make generates a wave which will then reveal your surroundings. You can do so by tossing in-game items such as rocks, or even use your own voice. As crucial as it is to navigate through the game, doing so will attract the attention of grotesque and terrifying creatures that are lurking in the dark. Your life is on the line and it could mean the end for you if you fail to stifle yourself.
This game was initially a PlayStation 4-exclusive title but eventually made its way to PC this year. You can check out the game on Steam by clicking right here.
Using Sound to See

At the beginning of the game, you’ll be able to see everything as clear as daylight as it is before protagonist David Ridley suffered severe “effects” from heartbreak. It’s meant to show you the basics of how the game works as you pick up some items, move around, present you with the premise of Stifled and eventually progress through the brunt of the game.
The game truly begins when everything becomes pitch black all of a sudden and you somehow gained an affinity for echolocation. From this point onwards, you will have to rely on this new echolocation skill to make your way forward. You can use your shoes, items such as rocks that are lying around, or basically speak so that there will be waves being generated to your surroundings.

These waves will then temporarily map out your surroundings, in mostly black and white, so you’ll have an idea as to where you need to go or if there’s something blocking your way. Keep in mind that you are not the only living being making sound so you can tell if there’s something to take note of if there is sound coming from a different location that you can spot in your perimeter.
Since it is a horror game, you will have to be careful as there will be strange, hostile creatures around who will not only make noise, but also move towards you if you make any sound whatsoever. These soundwaves will be easier to spot as it is coloured in red instead but it’s not always that you can find see something that is making the red waves. Sometimes, it’s just there but you can’t truly see it, which adds to the horror experience.
Can You Think Under the Immense Pressure and Fear?

Generally speaking, all you have to do is move forward, find clues which makes up for the game’s narrative and overcome the obstacles that have been set in front of you. However, this is easier said than done as it isn’t an action-horror game where you have access to guns to eliminate the threat like Resident Evil. Instead, all you have to rely on is your wit and wisdom.
For example, there will be times where certain creatures will be out to get you but they can only detect you if they hear you. Every movement you make will have a sound accompanying it and it might just be enough to alert them. Stand still and you’ll be enveloped in complete darkness. So what can you do to surpass the ordeal?

Well, for most parts, all you have to do is create a distraction. This could be as simple as tossing your shoe or a rock elsewhere so the creature will move towards that direction, while you make your way to wherever you need to go. In this sense, there’s really not much else you can do which may make gameplay feel a bit repetitive but as to how you go about it can be a bit tricky at times.
For most parts, there’s going to be plenty of trial and error with certain parts being frustratingly confusing or difficult to pass. It’s not a Dark Souls-esque difficulty but it can be a bit of a pain when the solution ends up being a little illogical, though this doesn’t happen a lot. If you were expecting a bit of variety as to how you solve these obstacles, you are going to be disappointed.

When you see it from a perspective of a horror experience, it is a good game. Walking around in a pitch black environment and the wireframe visuals shaping up according to the soundwaves you make can be very nerve-wracking, especially since the very tool you need to navigate is the same one that can lead you to danger.
While the creatures aren’t exactly that creepy by today’s standards, having them chase you while you are trying to make an escape route for yourself or even stay still in hopes of it not catching you will your heart beating intensely. If this isn’t scary enough for you, you can actually play Stifled in VR, which brings the horror experience to the next level as it truly feels like you are there in person.
Stifled Verdict

Stifled brings an innovative spin to horror games. It doesn’t follow the typical cliché of having the undead or a serial killer out to get you, which makes the game feel like a breath of fresh air. The game shows how much of a psychological impact it can have on a person just by not being able to see anymore.
Like many horror games, it does have its fair share of jumpscares but I personally don’t feel like it was done cheaply or excessively. It’s not the perfect horror game, and it’s far from masterpieces like Amnesia or Outlast but it is definitely a game that horror-enthusiasts should play once and only once. And if you really want to up the ante, play the game in VR to further intensify your experience. With that in mind, I give Stifled our Silver Pokdeward.

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HTC Double Exposure

On the 9th of October, an event by HTC was held in New York. And as usual with any event by a major manufacturer, there will surely be new stuff to drool over. Launching not only a new phone, the HTC Desire EYE, but also the RE handheld camera which is…uh….a handheld camera.

The HTC Desire EYE is a phone aimed directly at the selfie-fanatic crowd. 13MP cameras on both sides of the phone, you can now take detailed selfies. However blemishes will show up more clearly too. That might be a downside cough.

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Processor
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 (2.3GHz quad-core)

RAM
2GB

Camera (s)
Rear camera: 13MP , BSI sensor, f/2.0, 28mm lens, wide angle, with HDR capability; 1080p Full HD video recording; dual LED Flash
Front camera: 13MP, Auto-focus with zoom capability, BSI sensor, f/2.2, 22mm lens, wide angle, with HDR capability; 1080p Full HD video recording; dual LED Flash

Display
5.2″ 1080p FullHD

Memory
16GB (microSD expandable up to 128GB)

Battery
2400mAh (embedded)

Unlike the Sony Xperia C3 which is also marketed as selfie-centric phone, this phone actually has flagship specifications so you won’t have to sacrifice performance for the perfect selfies you are after. It is also IPX7 rated which means it is capable of resisting water entry when being immersed in water for 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter. Basically if you want a flagship and want the ultimate selfies, this is the phone to go to. Coupled with a pleasing design, it may even do well in a non-selfie market.

Besides hardware, you also need to have software to help you take great selfies. Luckily HTC has not forgotten that and added HTC EYE Experience to it’s arsenal. With Face Tracking, Screen Share, Split Capture, Face Fusion, Live Makeup, Auto Selfie, Voice Selfie, Photo Booth and Crop Me In, you now have both the hardware and software to take the best selfie ever. And remember I mentioned about too much detail revealing flaws more clearly, Live Makeup is the solution. You can adjust the level of skin smoothing BEFORE taking the photo. Flawless skin. Every time. So wow. Much smooth.

A camera. From a phone manufacturer. “HTC has been setting the standard for smartphones for years – today we’re focused on redefining the concept of imaging forever,” said Peter Chou, CEO, HTC. “As a company we don’t stand still and our devotion to innovation has seen us take smart photography in a completely new direction for our business and our customers. Once people get a RE in their hands, they won’t want to put it down. This is everybody’s opportunity to get out from behind the lens and start living in the moment again.”
Rated at IP57, I believe many will find more creative uses for this smart camera compared to the non-waterproof ones in the market now. The camera specifications are rather mediocre with a 16MP 1/2.3″ BSI sensor and ultra wide angle lens (146°) and f/2.8 aperture, but I believe it is more important how you can use this camera in ways that you can’t with a phone. To find out more about the RE, click here.
Last but not least, HTC Zoe is now out of beta. Not much is said about the changes though. Fans of the application can go download it now. And it is also coming to iOS later this year, so iFans have no need to be jealous of the Android-using crowd.
More details about the new stuff here at HTC’s official blog.

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Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Edition unveiling on 7.7.2016

As if Samsung hasn’t got enough models in its stable, they are adding new commemorative editions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. This time, it is for the coming Olympics.

Specifications should not be any different from the standard S7 Edge, but we may see exclusive goodies thrown into the package like the limited Galaxy S7 Edge Injustice Edition has. It is also not known if the Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Edition will ever make it to our shores, and how much it will cost if it ever comes to Malaysia.

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SOURCE: GSMArena

Pokdepinion: Samsung is well known for spamming the market with devices, and this time they are not only spamming a lot of different models, but also several editions of their current flagship, S7 Edge. However I believe even if this arrives here, few will be sold considering the Galaxy Note 7 is just around the corner…

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New Leak Showcase Apple’s iPhone 11 Design

While there was a previous leak revealing the design of Apple’s upcoming iPhone, now there seems to be a newer leak and showing a better looking design. The leak was revealed by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
iPhone 11 Max and iPhone 11 leaked design
According to him, the iPhone 11 series will come with a camera upgrade for both iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max, where they will come with triple rear cameras, while the iPhone 11R will be fitting in dual cameras on the back. He has also mentioned that the new series will come with a new frosted glass backs and a few more subtle design changes.
iPhone 11 camera bump
On the front, the new iPhones looks similar as to the iPhone X and iPhone XS. The back is where the noticeable difference being at. They will come with a big square camera bump with three camera lenses fitted in.

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It is said that the new iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max will be slightly thicker than previous iPhones and that could mean that they will be fitted in with bigger batteries. If Apple decides to introduce the new series at a similar month as their previous iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, we should see them around September. Until then, watch this space.
Pokdepinion: I’m not entirely sure on what to make of the new leaked design.. It’s definitely better than the original leak but that doesn’t mean that it’s attractive..
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Your Account Will Be Blocked If You Make Too Many Game Purchases On Epic Games Store

Game stores will normally be happy if you buy games from them and even more if you buy in huge bulk. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Epic Games though as it seems that there’s been a report by a streamer that his account was blocked by the store simply because of purchasing too many games.

HAHAHA OH MY GOD THIS FUCKING STORE IS SO BAD pic.twitter.com/LLz9dGJyeI
— Patrick Boivin (@AngriestPat) May 16, 2019

On the Epic Games Store, they are currently hosting their Epic Mega Sale which sees games up to 75% off. In addition to that, they are giving $10 off every game at checkout that saves you money. Taking these two offers, it’s not surprising to see gamers to make loads of purchases.
A streamer named Patrick Boivin in turn found himself in quite the predicament where his account was blocked because he purchase 5 games from the store. It seems that Epic Store flagged his account for possible fraud.
Giving a response to the issue, Nick Chester from their PR division has said “This was a result of our aggressive fraud rules. If players run into this issue, they should contact player support so we can investigate”.
Pokdepinion: I’m so confused on what to make out of this news. Do they want to make money or not?

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Mobile Legends Dev Lost Lawsuit to Riot Games / Tencent – Close to USD $3 Million

In the case of Riot Games / Tencent against Moonton with regards to League of Legends & Mobile Legends, the results are in. Almost USD $3 million at stake.
Mobile Legends Dev Lost Lawsuit to Riot Games / Tencent

Tencent Holding, the parent company for League of Legends developer Riot Games, has been awarded a whopping 19.4 million Chinese Yuan (RMB) in the case against Moonton, the developers of Mobile Legends. This amount is equivalent to about USD $2.9 million.

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Last year, Riot Games first sued Moonton (Shanghai Moonton Technology Co.) in the Central District Court of California. Unfortunately, it was dismissed on grounds of forum non conviens, which basically means that another jurisdiction or court could hear the case more conveniently. For this, it would be the court in Shanghai.
This was then proceeded with Tencent, a Chinese company, launching a new suit against Mobile Legends there instead. This lawsuit was a non-disclosure and non-compete lawsuit.
According to Dot Esports, It was being said that Moonton was originally supposed to pay Tencent roughly 2.6 million RMB (about USD $388,000). The court however ruled that this original settlement, a number reached by Moonton, was incorrect.
It appears that Moonton’s owners used a valuation based on how tax authorities calculate value, rather than one based on book values which made it insufficient for settlement. The figure was then raised to 19.4 million RMB.
It’s no surprise that many people, including the companies involved, that Mobile Legends seems to be eerily similar to League of Legends. There were plenty of assets that seemed to be either a carbon copy or completely ripped from the game as well. But it wasn’t just Mobile Legends as Riot Games even brought another game, Magic Rush: Heroes, into the lawsuit as it included several playable characters that are very simlar to some champions in League of Legends.
Image credits: Dot Esports

That might not be the end of if it for Moonton as according to Dot Esports, Tencent’s China-based mobile MOBA King of Glory is joining forces with Riot and Tencent to sue Moonton for an additional copyright infringement case as well. We’ll have to wait and see how this develops.
Source: Dot Esports
Pokdepinion: GGWP Moonton
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ASUS Officially Launches Zenbook 14X OLED & Zenbook 14 Flip OLED in Malaysia

During the launch event on Starbucks Reserve @ Tropicana Gardens Mall last Friday, ASUS formally launched two new Zenbook models – the Zenbook 14X OLED and the Zenbook 14 Flip OLED.

The Zenbook 14X OLED is now updated with 13th Gen Intel CPUs, which can be optioned up to Core i9-13900H, plus up to 32GB LPDDR5 RAM and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 handling the graphics duty (lower-spec models will use integrated Intel Xe Graphics instead). The OLED panel is a 14.5-inch 16:10 2.8K 120Hz OLED with 100% DCI-P3 color gamut certified for DisplayHDR True Black 600 with PANTONE-validated colors.

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Inside the 16.9mm, 1.5kg chassis houses a 70Wh battery with fast charging support; the new USB-C Easy Charge support allows any USB-C charger to top up the batteries using up to 20V (100W PD) chargers. Two colors are available – Inkwell Gray and the ceramic-like finish Sandstone Beige. As of this writing, the Core i7-13700H variant are now available for purchase (RM5,999) – whereas Core i5-13500H and Core i9-13900H option (RM4,999 and RM6,999 respectively) will be available by early April.

Coming in late March is the Zenbook 14 Flip OLED – this convertible laptop features Intel Core i5-1340P 28W-class CPU, paired with onboard Iris Xe Graphics and 16GB RAM; on the display department it features 14-inch 2.8K 90Hz touch OLED panel with DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, PANTONE-validated color and is supported with optional ASUS Pen 2.0 stylus (included with the laptop).
The chassis weights 1.5kg and measures slightly thinner than its clamshell counterpart at 15.9mm – and it features a slightly larger 75Wh battery with fast charging support allowing 0-60% charge in 49 minutes. The laptop comes with one color finish, Foggy Silver, and features only a single configuration set to cost RM5,499.
Left to right: Pik Kee, Country Product Manager, Notebook, ASUS Malaysia; and Lenny Lin, Business Development Manager, ASUS Malaysia.
Pokdepinion: I like the lid design – definitely stands out in many productivity laptops out there.
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New Oculus Rift S With Five Onboard Cameras Introduced At RM1,619

At GDC 2019, Oculus has revealed their latest VR headset, the Oculus Rift S where it comes with an upgraded five cameras for inside-out camera tracking.

The previous Oculus Rift VR headset depended on an outside-in tracking system, which relies on external camera to detect glowing lights on the headset and controllers. With the new Rift S, it relies instead on computer algorithms. It uses details from the cameras to determine the headset and controller’s location to distinguish themselves.
In terms of resolution, the Rift S offers from 1080 x 1200 to 1280 x 1440, which is an upgrade. They’ve also changed the display from OLED to LCD.

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It comes with a larger field-of-view and it replaces the on-ear headphones from the original with speakers situated near your ears. Though the Rift S comes with somewhat similar minimum PC requirements as the predecessor, you could do with a better CPU.
They’ve announced that the Oculus Rift S will come out in Spring 2019, so we could expect to it soon on the market at the price of $399 (~RM1,619)
Pokdepinion: The price is quite ‘okay’ for a VR headset actually but I don’t think my PC would have the power to fully utilize it..
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Acer launched its Acer XF240H Freesync Gaming Monitor – Priced at RM1199

If your gaming system powered by the latest AMD Polaris graphics card and in search of a new gaming monitor, you should check this out. Acer just unveiled its new gaming monitor, supports AMD Freesync technologies for smoother gaming experience.

The Acer XF240H gaming monitor is a 24-inch entry level gaming monitor, a full HD resolution at 1920x1080p with a 16:9 aspect ratio. By using a TN display panel, it has a 144Hz refresh rate and supports AMD Freesync technologies to offer excellent in-game experience. Acer XF240H has an ergonomically-designed stand that allows height, swivel, tilt and pivot adjustment enabling user to find the ideal viewing position.

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The Acer XF240H is also equipped with the Acer EyeProtect technology which incorporates several features including Flicker-less, Blue Light Filter, ComfyView display and Low dimming designed to reduce eye strain and fatigue, providing a more comfortable viewing experience for heavy users. In term of display connectivity, it has a DVI port and a HDMI port connector.

Priced at RM1,199, Acer XF240H is available for purchase immediately at all authorized Acer re-sellers nationwide.
For more information regarding the Acer XF240H gaming monitor can click at this link.
Specifications:

Model
XF240H

Screen
24″ (16:9), 1920 x 1080 resolution

Active Display Area
531 x 299 mm

FreeSync
Yes

Panel
TN

Refresh Rate
144 Hz

Response Time
1 ms (Grey to Grey)

Contrast Ratio (ACM)
100,000,000 : 1

Brightness
350 cd/m2

Viewing Angle
170° (H), 160° (V)

Colours
16.7 million

Speakers
2W x 2

Colours Gamma
72% NTSC

Input Signal
DVI (Dual Link), DisplayPort (v1.2), MHL

Tilt
-5° to 35°

Height Adjustment
150 mm

Price
RM 1,199 including 6% GST

Pokdepinion: The Acer XF240H has a good design and specification also a competitive price make it a good recommendation for who are using AMD graphics card.
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MediaTek Plans To Have Mid-range Smartphones To Be Fitted With 5G Chips Next Year

Though MediaTek has introduced their first 5G chipset, the Helio M70 previously, it’s still not out yet in the market. Now it seems that they are planning to introduce another 7nm SoC, where it will be released for mid-range smartphones next year.
The chipset is reportedly will be mass produced in Q2 of 2020, which we could possibly see it unveiled in the next quarter.
It is said that when MediaTek is done with developing them, the company is expected to switch to TSMC’s 6nm EUV process. This would mean that it will be the first EUV product for the company. Coming in with four designs, all of them offer an upgrade on both CPU and GPU performance.

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MediaTek has been reported to be aiming to release around 100 million sold chips in 2020.
Pokdepinion: Mid-rangers to be fitted with 5G modems? Interesting. Though I can hardly imagine they’d be for us here in Malaysia at the current moment.
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Surface 2 Gets The Axe

“We are no longer manufacturing Surface 2; however, those still eager to buy Surface should visit Microsoft Retail Stores, MicrosoftStore.com, third-party retailers and resellers for the latest availability,” Microsoft said in a statement to The Verge.
To add more salt to the wound, Windows 10 is also not coming to the Windows RT tablets.
However in retrospect, it’s really hard for anyone to justify purchasing a Windows RT tablet. The Surface 2 cost quite a sum starting from RM1699. For that price you can get a full sized laptop running Windows 8.1. The only plus point about the Surface is the long battery life. However at the cost of the versatility of a true Windows platform, most are willing to trade battery life for the use traditional Windows software. Windows RT requires developers to make a special version just for the RT platform, and with the low numbers of devices running on Windows RT, that just wasn’t happening.

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So it comes as no surprise to us that the end of the line is looming for Windows RT. It should never have existed in the first place and now hopefully developers can focus on making Windows 10 a real success.

SOURCE: The Verge
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MSI GP66 Leopard and GE66 Raider OLED are ready for both gamers and content creators!

MSI GP66 Leopard @ Notebook Plaza (Lazada)
MSI GP66/GP76 Leopard @ MSI Online Store
MSI GE66 Raider @ MSI Official Store (Shopee)
MSI GE66 Raider @ MSI Official Store (Lazada)
We often hear about gaming laptops and content creator laptops as if they are two distinct categories of laptops, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Today we will be taking a look at the MSI GP66 Leopard and GE66 Raider OLED, both laptops that straddle the line between gaming and content creation laptops with their high performance and stunning displays.
Sweet 165Hz QHD IPS-level or 4K 60Hz OLED displays!

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A lot of gaming laptops in the market offer high refresh rate displays, but not that many offer 100% DCI-P3 panels. 100% DCI-P3 is a good 25% wider than the full sRGB gamut, meaning that the MSI GP66 Leopard and GE66 Raider laptops will serve up a much more vibrant experience, be it when you are editing your content or gaming. And that’s about where the similarities end between the two laptops we are talking about today.

The MSI GP66 Leopard and GE66 Raider both come with 165Hz QHD IPS-level display options, which is a great match for the hardware under the hood. The high refresh rate coupled with the resolution will provide for an excellent gaming experience. If you want deep, true blacks and more vivid colors, then you must take a look at the 4K OLED panels that the GE66 Raider OLED has to offer. While it may have a lower 60Hz refresh rate, its DisplayHDR 500 support and 4K resolution will come in handy for a better experience when viewing or creating wide gamut content.
Alternatively, there’s also the MSI GP76 Leopard which offers a more expansive 17.3″ display running at up to 240Hz. This is a FHD panel with support for close to 100% of the sRGB gamut, but it should be great for fast-paced shooters where you might be more focused on landing your shots than enjoying the colors and visual fidelity that you get with the other laptops mentioned.
Powered by the latest 11th Gen Intel Core processors and GeForce RTX 30 series graphics!

Under the hood of the MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI GE66 Raider OLED are the latest 11th Gen Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics. These are currently the fastest CPUs and GPUs you can get in the market, and they are definitely a great fit for a gaming machine or content creation beast. Why?
For starters, the 11th Gen Intel Core processors are definitely the fastest laptop processors you can get in the market. Based on the latest Willow Cove core architecture, you get up to eight really fast cores and sixteen processing threads with the latest Intel Core i9-11800H to handle all your workloads. The 11th Gen Intel Core processors also offer PCIe 4.0 support, which facilitate faster communication between the CPU and GPU, as well as enable 2X faster storage speeds with the latest PCIe 4.0 SSDs, which come standard with the MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI GE66 Raider OLED.

Speaking of graphics, the GeForce RTX 30 series are able to take advantage of the PCIe 4.0 speeds that the 11th Gen Intel Core processors offer. With the resizable BAR feature, the CPU is able to access the entire GPU’s memory at once, improving performance. But that’s not all. The GeForce RTX 30 series pack the 2nd Gen RT cores, 3rd Gen Tensor cores and 2X the FP32 performance of its predecessors, promising excellent performance in all of the latest titles featuring raytracing and DLSS.
To ensure that you get an optimal experience in every application, the MSI laptops also feature Dynamic Boost 2.0 to allocate the power budget to the CPU and GPU intelligently to deliver maximum performance while you are gaming and creating.
Cooler Boost 5 for that boost of coolness!

With all that powerful hardware under the hood, an exceptional cooling system is definitely necessary to deliver consistent performance over longer gaming sessions or content creation workflows. The MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI GE66 Raider OLED pack the latest Cooler Boost 5 cooling systems which pack six heatpipes, two fans and four fin arrays. The wide heatpipes efficiently wick the heat from the components to the four fin stacks, and the large fans’ high airflow push plenty of air through the fins to dissipate the heat quickly.
Should you get the MSI GP66 Leopard or the GE66 Raider OLED?
MSI GP66 Leopard
While both of the laptops share a lot of their specifications and features, I would say that the MSI GP66 Leopard is going to be the better option if your main focus is on a great gaming experience. With a QHD 165Hz IPS-level display, the MSI GP66 Leopard promises smoother and more responsive gaming visuals. It also packs a faster GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU.
MSI GE66 Raider OLED
If you intend on also doing some content creation on the side, the MSI GE66 Raider OLED might be the better choice with its sweet OLED display panel and longer battery life thanks to a much larger 99.9WHr battery, which is about as big a battery MSI could cram into the laptop before you start running into issues with airport security.
For a quick breakdown of the differences between the MSI GP66 Leopard and GE66 Raider OLED, have a look at this specifications table:
MSI GP66 Leopard, GE66 Raider OLED Specs and Price in Malaysia

MSI GP66 Leopard (11UG)
MSI GE66 Raider OLED (11UE)

Processor
Intel Core i7-11800H, 8C/16T @ up to 4.6GHz, 45W TDP
10nm SuperFin

RAM
16GB DDR4-3200 (2 x 8GB DDR4-3200)

Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics, 32EU @ up to 1.45GHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6, up to 1720MHz Boost Clock (140W max TGP with Dynamic Boost)
Intel UHD Graphics, 32EU @ up to 1.45GHz
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6, up to 1802MHz Boost Clock (130W max TGP with Dynamic Boost)

Storage
1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD
1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD

Connectivity
Killer WiFi 6E + Bluetooth 5.2
Killer LAN
3 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5Gbps (Type-A)
Killer WiFi 6E + Bluetooth 5.2
Killer LAN
1 x Thunderbolt 4
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10Gbps (Type-C)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10Gbps (Type-A)
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5Gbps (Type-A)
1 x SD Express slot, 985MB/s

Display
15.6″ QHD 165Hz IPS-level display
100% DCI-P3
1 x mini DisplayPort
1 x HDMI 2.1 (8K60/4K120)
15.6″ 4K 60Hz OLED display
100% DCI-P3
1 x mini DisplayPort
1 x HDMI 2.1 (8K60/4K120)

Power
65WHr 4-cell battery
280W power adapter
99.9WHr 4-cell battery
240W power adapter

Dimensions
358 x 267 x 23.4 mm
358 x 267 x 23.4 mm

Weight
2.38kg
2.38kg

Price
RM8999
RM9399

You can check out the MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI GE66 Raider OLED via the following links:
MSI GP66 Leopard @ Notebook Plaza (Lazada)
MSI GP66/GP76 Leopard @ MSI Online Store
MSI GE66 Raider @ MSI Official Store (Shopee)
MSI GE66 Raider @ MSI Official Store (Lazada)
This is an exclusive article for MSI Malaysia.
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Apple M3 Chips: Unveiling the Next-Generation Processors

While the M2 chip and its variants are still on the horizon, the next generation Apple M3 chips are already in the works. These processors are currently undergoing testing, promising even greater performance and capabilities. Let’s delve into the details revealed by recent reports and explore what the future holds for Apple’s M3 chips.
Apple M3 Chips: Unveiling the Future of Performance and Innovation

According to sources cited in Bloomberg and the Mark Gurman Power On newsletter, the testing phase for the Apple M3 chips have commenced. Mark Gurman’s report provides an intriguing glimpse into the potential specifications of these next-generation processors. One version under testing reportedly boasts 12 CPU cores, 18 graphics cores, and an impressive 36GB of memory. These specifications are divided between six high-performance cores and six efficiency cores, offering a balance between power and energy efficiency for different tasks.

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The Apple M3 chip being tested is believed to be the base-level version of what will eventually become the M3 Pro. The testbed for this chip is expected to be a high-end MacBook Pro model. While speculation surrounds the exact specifications of the M3 Pro, comparisons with the M1 Pro and M2 Pro suggest significant advancements in performance and capabilities. Additionally, the M3 line of chips will be manufactured using the advanced 3nm process, enabling more cores to be packed into the chip, resulting in enhanced performance and efficiency.

While the Apple M3 chips are generating excitement, it’s important to note that they won’t be available for purchase in the immediate future. Mark Gurman predicts that the first Macs equipped with the M3 chips will likely arrive toward the end of this year or early next year. When they do become available, expect to see them in a range of Apple devices, including new iMacs, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models. These chips are set to take the performance and capabilities of Apple devices to new heights.
Apple’s relentless pursuit of innovation is evident once again as the company pushes ahead with the development of its M3 family of chips. With impressive specifications, including multiple CPU cores, graphics cores, and ample memory, the Apple M3 chips promise to deliver unparalleled performance and efficiency.
Source
Pokdepinion: Although we’ll have to wait a bit longer to experience the power of these chips firsthand, Apple enthusiasts can anticipate their arrival in future iMacs, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models. As Apple continues to push the boundaries of technological advancements, the M3 chips are set to redefine what is possible for Apple devices.
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Minecraft Earth Coming Soon To Android Devices

There’s plenty of AR games in the market right now and now it seems that Minecraft is set to join the party with their very own mobile game, Minecraft Earth. The game is what you’d expect from an AR game that puts you into the world of Minecraft in reality.

The game is currently in beta testing on the Google Play Store. There’s not a confirmed release date for the game just yet, but with it already being listed on the Play Store, we should expect it to come sooner rather than later. You can pre-register yourself for Minecraft Earth earth on the Google Play Store right here.
If you wish to test the game out a little bit sooner, you can also sign up for the closed-beta at their official website. It’s worth noting that you’d need to have a Microsoft or Xbox Live account in order to sign up.

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Devices that’s able to support the game are those that support ARCore and are running Android 7.0 Nougat and above.
Pokdepinion: To be frank, I’ve never played Minecraft before. I might just give this one a go I think.
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New Razer Basilisk v2 and Deathadder v2 leaked

Razer has teased a 14th January launch. The only hint Razer gave was the caption itself. The legacy continues. It does hint at a Razer Deathadder for sure, because the shape is indeed one of their most popular ergonomic mice to date. But apparently there will be two new mice coming from Razer soon.
The legacy continues. 01.14.20 pic.twitter.com/ju5wBLPfnV— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) January 6, 2020
The second mouse in question is the Razer Basilisk v2, a refresh to bring the wired version up to speed with the wireless Razer Basilisk Ultimate we reviewed recently. The shape follows the Razer Basilisk Ultimate’s longer profile versus the original Razer Basilisk‘s stouter design.

Both the Razer Deathadder v2 and Razer Basilisk v2 pack the latest Razer Focus+ sensor, which is an insane 20 000 DPI optical sensor. Both the mice will also sport the new Razer optical mouse switches, which promise better durability although I must say I am not a huge fan of the tactile feedback of the switches. Last but not least, they have upgraded the cables to the latest Razer Speedflex cord.

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The pricing of these mice have also leaked out along with the mouse packaging, with the Razer Basilisk v2 coming in at HKD 690 (~RM364) and the Razer Deathadder v2 at HKD 590 (~RM311). If the pricing turns out to be true, gamers who can’t give two hoots about wireless connectivity can opt for the Razer Basilisk v2 and save over 50% from the Razer Basilisk Ultimate.
One question that remains unanswered is the weight of these new mice, and that’s will probably have to wait for the official launching on 14th January.
Pokdepinion: Hmm while I love myself some wireless mice, the Razer Basilisk v2 at half the price is actually quite enticing. Although I must say it is still relatively pricey for a wired mouse.
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NVIDIA Turing GPUs may be in shortage soon as TSMC ceases production

NVIDIA may be looking at a shortage pretty soon as TSMC has just stopped production due to a chemical contamination. The contamination has apparently affected at least 10 000 wafers. With the production currently on hold to investigate the issues, supplies will be set back even further.

The contamination has reportedly affected the 12nm and 16nm wafers, which are used by NVIDIA for their GPUs, AMD for their current-gen console APUs as well as by HUAWEI for their older Kirin chipsets. It seems like TSMC’s newer 7nm process node isn’t affected, so AMD’s latest hardware like the Vega VII and Ryzen 3000 series should still be on track.

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Whether this will affect supply of NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX cards will remain to be seen, but given that Jensen Huang has recently lamented the poor sales of the RTX cards, there should still be plenty to go around.
Pokdepinion: Well, that’s a lot of damage! I wonder if Flex Tape will work here.
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Red Dead Online To Be A $20 Standalone Game

Rockstar Games has recently revealed at their website that they will be making Red Dead Online, the online game mode for Red Dead Redemption 2 as a standalone game.
Red Dead Online to be standalone game

Those who have yet to own Red Dead Redemption 2 can soon opt to purchase the online mode of the game. Rockstar has said that Red Dead Online will be available for purchase from the PS Store, Microsoft Store, Rockstar Games Launcher, Epic Games, and of course Steam at a special price of $4.99 (~RM20), which is 75% off the regular price. The offer runs until the 15th of February 2021.

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In the mode, there’s five Specialist Roles to choose from, which includes Bounty Hunter, Naturalist, and Trader to name a few. They’ve said that the game will require up to 123GB of storage and you will have the option to purchase the story mode of Red Dead Redemption 2 separately.
At the time of writing, Red Dead Online is yet to be available on both Steam and PlayStation Store but we do expect it to come out sooner rather than later for purchase.
Pokdepinion: I guess if you haven’t gotten the game just yet and just want to play the game with your friends, it’s fine. Personally, I loved the story in Red Dead Redemption 2. So I feel that it’s kind of a waste if you just play Red Dead Online..
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ROG Zephyrus M16 now available in Malaysia from RM8999

ASUS Malaysia has just announced the availability of one of their most exciting gaming laptops yet. The ROG Zephyrus M16 has arrived in Malaysia with the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i9 processors and GeForce RTX 30 series graphics, priced from RM8999.

The ROG Zephyrus M16 stands out from previous ROG Zephyrus laptops by offering a 165Hz 16″ 16:10 display with a WQHD resolution. The display is Pantone-validated for 100% DCI-P3 gamut, and it also supports Dolby Vision. Another defining feature is the webcam above the display, a feature that was missing from most recent ROG laptops. Paired up with the 3D mic array with AI noise cancellation feature, the ROG Zephyrus M16 is just as suitable for video conferencing as it is for gaming.

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Speaking of which, the ROG Zephyrus M16 touts an impressive six-speaker system for more immersive audio, complete with Dolby Atmos enhancement. The audio is allowed to shine by the ROG Zephyrus M16’s 0dB fans, which will turn off when temperatures are below 50°C. When needed, the fans can kick into high gear with a Turbo profile, working together with the six heatpipes, liquid metal thermal interface on the CPU to keep temperatures low and performance high.

All of that performance is packed into a sleek 19.9mm package that weighs just 1.9kg. On the magnesium aluminum lid, there are a 8279 precision milled perforations that reveal the Prismatic Film underneath. The ROG Zephyrus M16’s lid also extend into the ErgoLift hinge, which raises the laptop for a more ergonomic typing experience, as well as increasing the clearance for the intake fans. It can fold all the way back to let the ROG Zephyrus M16 lay flat too.
ROG Zephyrus M16 Specs and Price in Malaysia

GU603H-MK8043TS
GU603H-RK8037TS

Processor
Intel Core i9-11900H, 8C/16T @ up to 4.9GHz, 45W TDP, 10nm SuperFin

RAM
16GB DDR4-3200 (8GB on-board + 8GB SO-DIMM)
32GB DDR4-3200 (16GB on-board + 16GB SO-DIMM)

GPU
Intel UHD Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 6GB GDDR6, max. 95W TDP
Intel UHD Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6, max. 100W

Storage
1 x 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
1 x vacant M.2 slot
1 x 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
1 x vacant M.2 slot

Connectivity
WiFi 6 + Bluetooth 5.2
1 x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (40Gbps)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (10Gbps)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (10Gbps)
1 x USB 3.0 Type-A (5Gbps)
1 x microSD reader
1 x RJ45 LAN

Display
16″ WQXGA (2560 x 1600) 16:10 165Hz IPS-level display, Pantone Validated, Adaptive Sync
1 x HDMI 2.0b

Power
240W power adapter
90WHr 4-cell Li-Po battery
100W USB-PD charging support (included)

Dimensions
355 x 243 x 19.9 mm

Weight
1.9kg

Price
RM8999
RM11 499

Availability
Now
August

Bundled Items
ROG Backpack
ROG Chakram Core
100W Type-C AC adapter

Pokdepinion: The ROG Zephyrus M16 looks like the absolute ideal laptop for gamers and content creators, aside from the fact that it doesn’t have a full-sized SD card slot. But I am willing to settle for a microSD slot.
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