Let’s Talk: Microsoft vs. Everyone Else In The Activision Blizzard Deal
Image: Microsoft

When Microsoft’s vision of gaming empire went so far to the point of acquiring Activision Blizzard, one of the biggest publishers in the gaming industry, outright – it has got everyone talking about it: gamers, media, investors, stock traders, and even regulatory bodies all around the world for how much money it involved (or may potentially involve). Many sees this move as the way the American tech giant looked to compete their arch-enemy in gaming: Sony.
In some ways, this acquisition is fairly similar to the NVIDIA-ARM deal – but that one was eventually called off due to the sheer stakes at hand especially in terms of national security and interest (semiconductor design and manufacturing has since been a fairly serious and sensitive issue in world politics). ARM owns one of the biggest slice of the CPU industry with its licensed ISA (instruction set architecture), and that can be seen as an equivalent to Activision Blizzard, the home of one of the best-selling video game franchises ever. So, what are the prospects here?
Backstory: Out-playing PlayStation
Satya Nadella – during the recent Bing event. Image: TechRadar
Microsoft knows they can’t stay on the revenue on Windows forever – and in the early 2010s since the current CEO Satya Nadella took over, the company has seen a huge shift in its core business. Most people may not be familiar with Microsoft Azure, the company’s cloud compute platform; but it has been one of three main contributors to the company’s financials in recent years (the other 1/3rd being Office).

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To further stick with the “don’t put all eggs in one basket” strategy, the gaming division or Xbox as we all know, has been slowly but surely increasing its presence behind the scenes. Back in March 2021, one of the recent high-profile acquisitions made by Microsoft was the purchase of ZeniMax Media Inc., better known for its subsidiaries such as Bethesda Softworks and id Software – makers of Fallout franchise and DOOM franchise, respectively.
The deal was estimated to be around $7.5 billion – while you may think “that’s a lot of money” (and it is, being one of the largest video game acquisitions at the time), it’s not even close to the Activision Blizzard deal which is set at a staggering $68.7 billion – set to be the biggest video game acquisition deal, ever. For years, Xbox has always been playing second-fiddle against Sony in the console markets, especially in the almost impenetrable Asian region, and so they are – quite literally – buying their way up, in hopes of fighting Sony head-on.
Who Exactly Is Activision Blizzard?
Image: Call of Duty
Call of Duty – you may have heard of this franchise. It’s ranked fourth in the best-selling video game franchises in history, only behind Mario, Tetris and Pokemon franchise. That’s just one of the many highly popular game franchises this company owns – the other include Crash Bandicoot, Starcraft, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and even Candy Crush Saga (the developer, King, is part of this company). Like ZeniMax – when the acquisition is complete, all of the franchises will fall under the ever-expanding Xbox Game Studios umbrella.
Walking Past The Regulatory Minefield
A transaction this big has obviously turned out to be one of the highest-profile acquisitions ever made, and it got plenty of attention all over. As of this writing, regulatory bodies are still in the process of inspecting the deal and are still deciding whether to approve the sale of Activision Blizzard to Microsoft, and they got plenty of jurisdictions to take care of. Aside from governments, one of the biggest opposition to this deal is – you guessed it – Sony.
In retrospect, had the deal not include something as big as Call of Duty, the whole acquisition process would’ve gone under much less scrutiny than it is today. Sony’s concerns falls squarely at the Call of Duty franchise, and the potential consequences if Activision is fully owned by Microsoft, who also conveniently owns Xbox platforms – the PlayStations biggest and arguably sole competition.
Image: NVIDIA
In response, Microsoft assures that CoD will remain available on PlayStation platforms for years to come – Phil Spencer even wrote a letter himself to address the concerns. However, the people over at Sony are not as convinced (they claim the deal was to only retain CoD on PS for 3 years, this was reported last year). Microsoft has been sending a lot of 10-year deals with various companies ever since, including Sony, NVIDIA and even Nintendo, in a move to convince everyone they are not going to keep the renowned franchise to themselves.
Deal or No Deal?
Image: Wikipedia
So the question remains: how likely would Microsoft get the nod from regulators around the world to fully close the deal with Activision Blizzard? To that end, here’s a list of all regulatory bodies, lawsuits, and other kinds of roadblocks Microsoft is currently facing:
In its home country, US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is currently responsible for the review – traditionally this has been done by Department of Justice (DOJ), but the Big Tech has made so much acquisitions in the last decade, it prompted FTC to probe the deals instead. The agency has previously blocked the sale of ARM from its original onwer, SoftBank, to NVIDIA – and has declared to do the same on this deal. Microsoft counterargued that Sony is the one that locks its titles exclusively to itself, whereas they aim to provide its titles to all platforms.
Over at Europe, European Commission (EC) has inquired various game industry firms on the matter of whether such deal may harm the competition. The EC has since conducted additional review and the report is expected to be out by April this year. In February, EC has filed complaint against the deal, and Microsoft in response has met with its regulators and subsequently announced the 10-year deal with NVIDIA (for GeForce NOW) and Nintendo on non-exclusivity agreement.
UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) shares similar views as EC – stating that the deal may affect consumer’s choice, and has advised Activision to divest the Call of Duty franchise in particular. Like EC, the full report is set to release this April. Japan, Australia, New Zealand and various other regions are also probing the deal – so far Chile is known to have approved the deal in Phase 1, while Saudi Arabia and Brazil has given the deal a green light.
Additionally – a group of gamers has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft citing concerns on competition, to which Microsoft attempted to dismiss the lawsuit but has been denied so. Hearing of the case is set to start in late March this year. Google and NVIDIA opposed the idea as well – but NVIDIA has since signed the aforementioned 10-year deal which may or may not have change their opinions in this.
That’s a lot of scrutiny to take care of. At this stage it’s still not decidedly clear if the deal will be approved; but given the circumstances especially with increased aggression from US in particular, there are some pretty big likelihood that this deal may fall through just as NVIDIA-ARM deal did months prior.
Info source: Bloomberg | GamesRadar | Associated Press | POLITICO | Reuters | Microsoft
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PlayStation 5 Officially Hits 10 Million Sales Milestone

The PlayStation 5 isn’t even a year old yet and it already managed to hit the 10 million sales milestone. It’s easily the fastest-selling PlayStation console and it might be the fastest of all time as well.
PlayStation 5 Hits 10 Million Sales Milestone

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Sony Interactive Entertainment has recently announced that their PlayStation 5 console has officially hit the 10 million sales milestone. They calculated based on global sales up to 18th July 2021. In case you might have forgotten, Sony’s next gen gaming consoles was launched on 12th November 2020, making it about 8 months old.
The PlayStation 5 actually managed to outpace the sales of its predecessor, the PS4, as it managed to hit that milestone a full month earlier. This is a good sign for the company, especially given that they are facing supply shortage issues.

Apart from the console’s new achievement, there were other notable milestones across the PlayStation Studios games. This includes the following:

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales from Insomniac Games has sold more than 6.5 million copies since releasing on 12th November 2020
MLB The Show 21 from San Diego Studio is the fastest-selling title in franchise history with more than 2 million copies sold across all platforms. The game has reached more than 4 million players since releasing on 16th April 2021
Returnal from Housemarque has sold more than 560,000 copies since releasing on 30th April 2021
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart from Insomniac Games has sold more than 1.1 million copies since releasing on 11th June 2021

PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan did note that they still have plenty of unique challenges ahead of them, with supply being the top of their list at the moment. We can expect more games coming your way for the PlayStation 5 moving forward, from the likes of the God of War sequel to Battlefield 2042.
Pokdepinion: That’s pretty fast but I can’t help shake the feeling of there still not being many people around me lacking one for themselves. In fact, I can still count them with my hands. Hopefully the supply issue gets fixed soon so more people can enjoy the next gen console gaming experience.
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti based on the GA102 in the works?

According to the leaker which accurately predicted the GeForce RTX 30 series to date, there will be another graphics card based on the GA102 GPU. Previously there were rumors of the GeForce RTX 3070 16GB, which would be based on the full GA104 GPU, but that was allegedly scrapped. NVIDIA might instead offer a cut-down GA102 with 7424 CUDA cores as what could be the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, or possibly the GeForce RTX 3070 SUPER, depending on how NVIDIA wants to play their cards this generation.
The 7424 CUDA core count points to a 58 SM configuration, 10 less than what the GeForce RTX 3080 offers. That would pack 232 Tensor cores and 58 RT cores, which is a nice bump up from the GeForce RTX 3070. In fact, this new GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (or SUPER) will sit quite well in between the GeForce RTX 3070 and GeForce RTX 3080, with 10 less SMs than the GeForce RTX 3080, and 12 more than the GeForce RTX 3070. On top of a higher core count, the GeForce RTX 3070 SUPER (or Ti) will also be offering a wider 320-bit memory bus, which might be used to feed 10GB of GDDR6X.

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There are a number of reasons why NVIDIA might want to release a card in between the GeForce RTX 3070 and GeForce RTX 3080. Between these two cards, there’s a $100 (~RM416) gap, which is probably where the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (or SUPER) will fit into. It hints that at least one of AMD’s RDNA 2 cards will fit into this price bracket, while offering quite a bit more performance than the GeForce RTX 3070, thus the need for NVIDIA to respond with this cut-down GPU at around $599 (~RM2490).
Another possible reason might be terrible yields for the GA102 GPU. NVIDIA has to bin the GA102 dies manufactured by Samsung to determine whether they can be sold as the GeForce RTX 3090 or GeForce RTX 3080, and if yields are very poor, there might a buttload of defective chips that cannot even meet the specifications of the GeForce RTX 3080. This might have forced NVIDIA to create a new SKU just to clear off the defective dies as a lower bin.

The full GA102 sports a total of 10752 CUDA cores, which does give NVIDIA quite a bit of room to play around with. Even the top-of-the-line GeForce RTX 3090 is essentially a cut-down GA102, as it only offers 82 out of the full 84 SMs that the GA102 GPU touts. For now, the only way you can get the full GA102 GPU is by getting the NVIDIA A40 and A6000 GPUs, which are targeted towards server and workstation segment, and will inevitably come with an even bigger premium than what the GeForce RTX 3090 has over the GeForce RTX 3080.
Source
Pokdepinion: A GA102 for $599 must not sit well with the bean counters… Probably that’s why NVIDIA will work with TSMC next year.
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Leaked Antutu Score Suggest Snapdragon 875 Offers Substantial Upgrade

While we’ve reportedly previously on the Snapdragon 875, a new leak has suggest that it will be quite the upgrade when compared to its previous versions.
Snapdragon 875 Antutu score

It appears that the upcoming flagship chipset from Qualcomm is code-named Lahaina and according to the leak, it scored a huge 847,868 on Antutu.
In case you’re wondering, the iPhone 12 scored 565,000, 696,000 for Kirin 9000 and 693,000 for the Exynos 1080 reportedly.

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From our personal experience of reviews on Snapdragon 865 devices, the highest we’ve got from one was the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, which clocked in at 577,245, and the leaked score is true, well that’s a big gap that we’re talking about.
Source
Pokdepinion: Usually these scores are lower in our tests but if it’s anywhere that high, it seems like encouraging news for the Snapdragon 875. Hopefully we’ll learn more soon.

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Finding For A Video-conferencing Solution? Google Meet Will Soon Be Available For FREE

The folks at Google has announced recently that they are making Google Meet, their very own video-conferencing solution absolutely for free.
Google Meet for free
Google Meet
Google has said that the solution will be free and its availability will be rolling out over the coming weeks. Beginning May 2020, those with an email address can sign up for Google Meet and start to enjoy the features that’s available similar to G Suite business and education users.
With Google Meet, you can use it for both desktop and mobile to schedule, join, or start secure video meetings with anyone, whatever the purpose is.

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Google has said that meetings have a 60 minute limit (for free users). Despite that, they will not enforce the time limit until after the 30th of September 2020.
They’ve also introduced a new edition called G Suite Essentials for those who want more of Google Meet’s advanced features. This includes dial-in phone numbers, larger meetings, and meeting recording. As a nice gesture, Google is offering the G Suite Essentials for free until the 30th of September too, just so you can experience it yourself.
Aside from that, Meet is included in G Suite for Education, a suite of free Google apps, specifically for schools, who then can utilize for virtual classes, PTA meetings, parent-teacher conferences, tutoring, and more.
Wish to get notified on when it will be available? You can sign up here on Google.
Pokdepinion: Wish it came sooner though. It would’ve been handy in this MCO period of ours.
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OPPO Reveals Rollable Display Smartphone And It Looks Impressive

You might know about the OPPO INNO DAY, an event where OPPO showcase new product concepts and some of them eventually makes it out to the market. This year’s convention sees them introduce a new smartphone that comes with a rollable display.
OPPO rollable smartphone

Remember when those big notches were a thing? OPPO introduced the OPPO Find X back in 2018 where it eliminated the need for it through a pop-up camera. This time around, they are looking to offer another option for users of instead of a foldable smartphone, why not make it a rollable one.

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What’s interesting about the device is that you apparently can determine the size of its display. Yes, it does not have a specific display size. You can select the size from 6.7-inch to 7.4-inch.
It appears that they’re utilizing dual rolling motors underneath the screen, which is said to offer no crease on the display. Aside from that, there’s the Warp Track screen laminate part that sits just below the display.
Besides the rollable smartphone, OPPO has also revealed the OPPO AR Glass 2021, which features stereo fisheye camera, one ToF sensor, and one RGB camera.
As you’d expect, there are no official release dates for them at the moment. We will update accordingly should there be any new information from OPPO.
Pokdepinion: I’m just concerned of the mechanism underneath that display. Since it’s still a new idea, I wouldn’t be surprised for it to have some issues. Regardless, it’s nice to see that they conjure up something like this. If everything’s the same, the smartphone world would be boring, no?

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Previously, you might have heard of SUP3R5 offering custom black PS5 consoles which will remind you of the classic PS2 design, at least somewhat. Unfortunately, the company has now cancelled all ordered not because of legal threats but alleged customer threats.
Custom Black PS5 Retailer Cancels All Orders Due to Safety Threats

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According to a report by VGC, SUP3R5 managed to sell out their custom black PS5 consoles in less than 20 minutes. This isn’t a surprise given demand for the base console itself is already very high, so having a highly-favoured colour would make it be even more sought after by gamers. With just 304 units in stock, it’s inevitable for it to be sold out.
Initially, there were complaints where certain customers’ credit cards were charged despite failing to secure a unit for themselves. SUP3R5 then promised to refund the people who were incorrectly charged while also announcing a delay for their international launch. Strangely enough, they then cancelled all orders just mere hours after the previous announcement and issued refunds.
The team has allegedly received “credible threats to their safety” and has since deleted their Twitter account. VGC went on to report by stating that they will be selling the custom black PS5 consoles again when it is deemed to be safe. At the same time, certain customers who managed to secure a unit prior are accusing them of scamming customers.
With other brands looking to do a similar offering already receiving legal threats, it looks like there is no hope for a black PS5 coming anytime soon.
Source
Pokdepinion: Would have been cool to be able to get it in that colour scheme. I’m personally happy with my PS5 so I’m okay as is.
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AMD Ryzen 6000 RDNA 2 iGPU might be faster than the Xe DG1, GeForce MX350

When AMD debuted the AMD Ryzen APUs with the Radeon Vega graphics, it was pretty great. Integrated graphics from Intel at that time were nigh useless, but you could game on the AMD Ryzen APU. Intel soon caught up, and surpassed them with the Iris Xe Graphics in the 11th Gen Intel Core processors, although the upcoming AMD Ryzen 6000 “Rembrandt” APU might have something to say about that.

According to earlier leaks, AMD Ryzen 6000 processors are slated to feature Zen 3+ CPU cores along with RDNA 2 GPU cores. Leaked benchmarks of what might be the Ryzen 7 6800H has appeared, but as usual, take these with a pinch of salt as the specifications might not be finalized just yet. This AMD Ryzen 6000 APU was also put through UserBenchmark, which is infamous for being biased. The result has since been removed, but Tom’s Hardware managed to grab the scores and compare them to the current-gen parts.

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AMD Ryzen 6000 CPU: slower than Ryzen 5000?
This mystery AMD Ryzen 6000 APU underperforms its last-gen peer, which is definitely not something you would expect. It might be that the chip isn’t hitting the targeted clock speeds as an engineering sample, and there’s also the fact that it only has a single DDR5-4800 memory module connected, which resulted in poorer memory bandwidth.

AMD Ryzen 6000 CPU (Zen 3+)
Ryzen 7 5800H (Zen 3)
Intel Core i7-11800H (Willow Cove)

Memory Score
67.9
76.6
70

1-Core Score
111
132
161

2-Core Score
228
257
315

4-Core Score
399
496
592

8-Core Score
740
875
995

The scores appear to be suboptimal, with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H being up to 19% faster in the single-core test, while the Core i7-11800H absolutely whoops it by being a good 45% faster. I do not expect AMD to release a product that’s slower than their last-gen parts, so you can probably sleep easy knowing that these scores are most probably from a non-finalized AMD Ryzen 6000 sample.
AMD Ryzen 6000 iGPU: Faster than even GeForce MX350 and Iris Xe DG1
Now this is where it gets interesting. Despite having a narrower memory bus due to the single memory module, the RDNA 2 iGPU in this Ryzen 6000 APU appears to still be capable of stomping on the GeForce MX350 and Iris Xe DG1. The Rembrandt APU’s integrated graphics delivers some nice results, especially in the Reflection benchmark, which sees it being 382% faster than the Iris Xe DG1, and 392% faster than the GeForce MX350.

AMD Ryzen 6000 iGPU (RDNA 2)
GeForce MX350
Iris Xe DG1

Lighting
29.5 FPS
24.8 FPS
23.6 FPS

Reflection
131 FPS
26.6 FPS
27.2 FPS

MRender
9.7 FPS
17.3 FPS
29.2 FPS

Gravity
33.7 FPS
24.2 FPS
31.6 FPS

The MRender test has both the other GPUs beating the Ryzen 6000 though, and by a significant margin. However we do see higher scores from the Ryzen 6000’s iGPU across the other tests, so I guess it is fine. It is worth mentioning that the GeForce MX350 and Iris Xe DG1 are technically dedicated graphics, so it is already impressive that this RDNA 2-based iGPU can beat them in the first place. Also we might not be looking at optimized performance with the proper drivers and stuff, so there’s might be still room for improvement here.

AMD is slated to release the AMD Ryzen 6000 series in early 2022, so stay tuned for more leaks and rumors cropping up about these processors!
Source
Pokdepinion: Finally we are leaving the Vega GPU architecture behind…
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New Overwatch Patch Will Require Full Game Reinstallation

Blizzard has announced that the next patch for Overwatch will require a full game reinstall on basically every gaming platforms.
Overwatch Patch Requires Full Game Reinstallation
Overwatch’s newest addition, Ashe
The company has said that there’s a lot of back end changes that they’ve put in and they couldn’t patch over the current content efficiently. As for what does this new update brings, Blizzard has said the rework includes memory optimization, a reduction in HDD space on PS4, bug fixes across various maps, and additionally support for future contents.
In addition to that, the company has interestingly said that the whole patch is a ‘remaster’ of the game. If you’re playing on PC and you have got the Public Test Realm, the installation size is said to be significantly smaller.

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You could soon get the chance to play Ashe, the newest addition to the Overwatch lineup, where she’s already available on the PTR, that means you should soon see her appear in the game officially.
Pokdepinion: While you’d need to fully reinstall the game, it isn’t a particularly that big, where it comes in just around 10GB. Though, people with limited/slow internet speeds would probably still feel the weight of it.
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CPU and GPU prices may further increase by 20% with TSMC wafer price hike

As if things aren’t bad enough, CPU and GPU prices are set to further increase, with TSMC apparently notifying its customers that it will be increasing contract pricing by up to 20%. Previous price hikes were in the range of about 10% over the last year, so this is much larger increase than what we have seen before this.
According to the report, the price hike won’t affect all of TSMC’s clients at the same time. Some however will be seeing an immediate increase, while some others might still be paying the same price according to their agreements in existing contracts. Still, it should mean that a lot of electronics will be significantly pricier soon.

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TSMC is the top foundry right now, churning out chips for Apple, Qualcomm, AMD and NVIDIA. AMD banks their entire lineup of products on TSMC’s 7nm process currently, from the SoCs powering the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, to their AMD EPYC server processors, so if AMD has to pay more to get their chips made, we will probably notice it soon enough. The upcoming iPhones may also be pricier, due to the costlier chips.
It is also worth mentioning that TSMC isn’t doing this alone. Other foundries have also increased their prices recently, and Samsung has reportedly bumped up their prices by 25% to finance their expansion plans.
Source: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd
A silver lining to all this is that the Taiwanese government expects the chip shortages to be over by the end of the year. But then again, we have also seen reports to the contrary recently. Oh well.
Source
Pokdepinion: I believe that even if the cost increases, if supply improves significantly, we should still be able to see cheaper CPUs and GPUs than what we are looking at right now.
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Acer Predator Helios 700 Review – If Gaming Is Your Main Priority

Unboxing the Acer Predator Helios 700

As you can see from the above picture, the Acer Predator Helios 700 comes in a rather large box. It is rather heavy so be mindful when you’re carrying the box.

Inside the box, you should be getting the following items:
330W Power brickPower cableUser Guide4 x MagForce Keys (W, A, S, and D) and key pullerHDD Upgrade KitThe Acer Predator Helios 700 itself
Appearance

The Acer Predator Helios 700 is a rather hefty machine. At first glance, it looks similar to the Triton 500, albeit with a 17-inch display and looks like it put on a few pounds. The body is made mostly out of plastic, which is surprising given its price. You have a clear view of the Predator logo on the lid, which glows blue when it’s powered on.

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Open up the lid and you’ll be greeted with a 17.3-inch 144Hz Full HD IPS display with G-SYNC capabilities. You also have a traditional full-sized laptop keyboard with a Numpad and a trackpad below it. There are 5 additional keys above the Esc key which can be used to toggle specific settings like fan speed.
The lid doesn’t open completely flat, but pretty close, roughly 160°.

Slide out the keyboard and you’ll be greeted with a glass panel which shows the heat pipes and some of the internal parts. It has better backlighting than the Triton 900 and the colour can be customized so it looks pretty good. There are additional speaker on the left and right of the glass panel. The trackpad area will be at an angle when slid out, but more on that later.

On the left side, you have an air vent, an RJ45 LAN port, a couple of USB-A ports, a microphone jack, and a combo audio jack. On the right side, you have a USB-A port, a couple of USB-C ports, an air vent, and a Kensington Lock. On the back, you have the proprietary charging port, a DisplayPort, and a HDMI port. All three are situated between the two rear air vents.

On the bottom, you have four rubber stands, some stickers with fine details listed, and slits for air ventilation as well as speakers. You have a clear view of 12 screws here, but you don’t have to unscrew all to get to a good portion of the internals.
Overall, the Acer Predator Helios 700 looks a little bland when it’s powered off. However, it’s a completely different story when it’s powered on as the all the colourful lights make it truly seem like it’s coming to life. They did right with the backlighting of the glass panel, which I feel was lacking on the Triton 900 as it was dim on that one. It’s a really thick machine.
Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i9-9980HK (8C / 16T @ up to 5 GHz), 16M Cache, 45W TDP, 14nm

RAM
32GB DDR4

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 8GB GDDR6

Storage
512GB NVMe PCIe SSD x 2 (RAID 0 )

Display
17.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 144Hz IPS display with G-Sync

Keyboard
HyperDrift keyboard with MagForce WASD Keys, Per-Key RGB

Connectivity
Wireless:
Killer Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth 5.0
I/O:
3 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 2
2 x Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 2
1 x Kensington Lock
1 x DisplayPort
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x RJ45 LAN (KILLER Ethernet E3000)
1 x Proprietary Charging Port

Audio
4 x Speakers
1 x Headphone Jack
1 x Mic Jack
Array Microphones

Power
70Wh 4-cell Li-Ion Battery, 330W Power Adapter

Dimensions
430 x 299 x 41.7 mm (W x D x H), 4.9 kg

Performance

In CrystalDiskMark, you can see that the speeds are pretty good. It’s a 1TB SSD consisting of two 512GB NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 configuration after all. You can definitely expect zippy boot-up / loading speeds, that’s for sure.

In Cinebench R15, it managed to be our second highest score of all the devices we’ve tested thus far for both Multi Core and Single Core tests. It’s no surprise given the Intel Core i9-9980HK that’s powering it. What’s interesting is that there’s a notable difference with the ROG Mothership, which uses the same CPU. I believe the difference is because of the RAM and power supply (Mothership utilizes two power bricks).

In UNIGINE Superposition, the results are similar. Regardless, it’s still a very high score, that’s for sure. It’s interesting that the Triton 900 did not perform too differently in this benchmark.

Moving on to 3DMark’s Time Spy and the difference between the Acer Predator Helios 700 and the ROG Mothership becomes smaller. It became the second machine in our benchmark tests to surpass the 10,000 mark.

As for 3DMark’s Port Royal ray-tracing test, it performed admirably and once again secured its position as the 2nd highest. The top three machine here aren’t too far apart but the top 2 are the only ones that surpassed the 6,000 mark.

On the matter of gaming, the Acer Predator Helios 700 is definitely one powerful beast. In Full HD, it was basically capable of running everything at its highest settings very smoothly. It made me wish the screen was a slightly higher resolution like 1440p. As to why Final Fantasy XV was also ran in 4K, the test had it as a setting so I figured it would be worth trying.
As for running temperature with the keyboard slid out, it’s actually great. CPU rarely goes above 80°C and GPU is usually around 64°C when gaming. There’s no thermal throttling throughout the tests but the fan does get rather loud at times. You can definitely game with ease without worries of sudden frame drops here.
Battery life on any gaming laptop is bound to be bad given the high performance parts. Despite the hefty 70Wh battery, I only got about 2 hours+ of battery life on a mixture of internet browsing, word processing, YouTube, and light Photoshop work. It never gets close to 3 hours.
User Experience

Seeing the results of the benchmark, you should definitely know how powerful the Acer Predator Helios 700 is. With a 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, 32GB DDR4 RAM, and two Intel NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 configuration, that’s a lot of firepower.
Personally, would prefer to have an additional 1TB HDD storage given its asking price and slight worries of the storage’s lifespan. As for the difference in results with the ROG Mothership, I feel that if you put similar RAMs in both ( 16GB x 4), both will perform more evenly with each other.

The Acer Predator Helios 700 is monstrous in both strength and size. You should consider it more of a desktop replacement rather than a laptop you’d bring anywhere. It’s 4.9kg and 41.7mm thick after all. Running temperature is great and the sliding keyboard concept actually works. Just keep in mind that the 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D fans can get a bit loud.

The 17.3-inch IPS display on the Acer Predator Helios 700 gaming laptop is great for gaming. With 144Hz refresh rate, G-SYNC, and 3 ms response, you can definitely enjoy smooth gaming with minimal delay. Colours aren’t the best and a little more washed out especially compared to the Triton 900.
Viewing angles are decent and I don’t expect anyone to have issues with it. Full HD in such a powerful machine may seem like a waste and 4K is overkill on a 17-inch display. Having 1440p instead would hit the sweet spot without taking down the performance too much. The bezels are noticeably thick.

There’s a good array of ports on the Acer Predator Helios 700. You have three USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, an RJ45 LAN port, DisplayPort, HDMI port, and both a microphone jack and combo audio jack. I just wished that they included an SD card reader with this for added convenience.

The keyboard on the Acer Predator Helios 700 is decent. It’s comfortable to type on and works good for gaming. It’s not noisy either, in case you were worried about that. Even when you slide the keyboard out, it still feels comfortable to use as the trackpad area is now at an angle and becomes a natural wrist rest.
What’s special about this keyboard is the MagForce keys which can be inserted into the keyboard instead of the standard WASD keys. They are designed to imitate the pressure point and gradual pressure control of a gamepad’s analog joystick. It does make certain games like Apex Legends behave weirdly as I really need to press down to run. Keep in mind that you have to enable MagForce keys on the PredatorSense software to use it.

Speaking of the PredatorSense software, that one is still present here. You can use it to adjust cooling, do some simple overclocking, toggle specific settings, customize the RGB backlighting (keyboard, trackpad, and glass panel), and more. As usual, the UI is easy to use and I like how it’s designed. You can also opt to control it via the PredatorSense app via smartphone.

But that’s not all on the software side as there’s also the KILLER Control Center. Not only will you be able to view and manage your network traffic, you can also optimize the system for gaming with the GameFast feature. What this does is that it prioritizes the game that you’re running above other network traffic, it also optimizes your CPU and memory resources for the game to ensure a smoother gaming experience.

On the sound department, the Acer Predator Helios 700 sounds great especially with the keyboard slid out. It’s even better than the Triton 900, with more depth and wholesome audio experience in both music, videos, and gaming. You can further enhance your listening experience with the Waves MaxxAudio software. Using a good headset may be better still, but at least the speakers are good enough to use. Just wished it was a bit louder.
Acer Predator Helios 700 Verdict

The Acer Predator Helios 700 is a great gaming laptop for those who prioritize gaming above everything else. It’s powerful, the running temperature is great, and it’s a treat for the eyes when it’s powered on. It’s more suitable as a desktop replacement given its hefty size and weight.
It does have its quirks, like MagForce keys making games like Apex Legends behave weirdly, the loud fan noise, and plastic build. It also feels like it could do better than a Full HD display but at least performance will be top notch. I don’t see any of these as a dealbreaker however, but I personally prefer the Triton 900 more, given the similar price range, for its versatility.

On the matter of this going against the ROG Mothership given the rather similar specifications and me reviewing both devices, I personally prefer the Helios 700 for one simple reason. While the Mothership may have performed better with overall lower running temperature, the Helios 700 is closely behind with just one power brick. The Mothership uses two.
With that, I award the Acer Predator Helios 700 with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Acer Malaysia for letting us use this laptop for the review. You can check it out at their official website by clicking here.
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US administration bans HUAWEI from government contracts

HUAWEI has been banned from trading with US companies, although Trump did offer some reprieve by promising to issue licenses to US companies who wish to continue business with HUAWEI. The latest ban stops HUAWEI from dealing with government agencies.
This ban is clearly politically motivated, and HUAWEI plans to challenge the ban in court. According to HUAWEI, the ban from conducting business with government agencies isn’t unexpected. A US Congress defence bill signed last year prohibits trading with telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from companies which the government deems as security threats.
While several Chinese companies including ZTE and Hikvision are in the list, HUAWEI has been the main focus, as Trump toys with the tech giant as a bargaining chip in the US-China trade wars.

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Given Trump’s propensity to do U-turns, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the regulations relaxed in the near future. Meanwhile, it seems like HUAWEI will still have to deal with an emotional roller coaster when dealing with the US government and companies.
For HUAWEI and HONOR smartphone users, do not worry as retailers are now offering warranties in case you lose access to your Google services.
Pokdepinion: I wonder how long will this drama go on…
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OnePlus Fold Leaks Reveal Exciting Hardware Details

The upcoming OnePlus Fold has been making waves in the tech world, and recently, renowned leakster @OnLeaks shared intriguing hardware details about the highly anticipated foldable device. From the screen specifications to the chipset and camera setup, here’s a closer look at what we can expect from the OnePlus Fold.
OnePlus Fold Leaks

According to the leaks, the OnePlus Fold will boast a 7.8-inch internal display featuring an AMOLED panel with a rumored resolution of 1,900 x 2,100 pixels. Additionally, both the internal and cover displays will offer a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, providing users with a seamless and immersive visual experience. While the cover display is expected to measure 6.3 inches, specific details about the panel type remain undisclosed.

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The OnePlus Fold is rumored to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, ensuring high-performance capabilities. Paired with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, the device will deliver impressive multitasking capabilities and ample space for multimedia content. This configuration mirrors the top-tier offering of the OnePlus 11 smartphone, further emphasizing the Fold’s flagship status.
Camera enthusiasts will be pleased to know that the OnePlus Fold is said to feature a triple camera system on the rear, likely with Hasselblad branding and advanced photography features. The primary module is expected to house a 48MP sensor, possibly the IMX890, accompanied by a 48MP ultra-wide module for capturing expansive scenes.

Additionally, a 64MP telephoto camera will provide users with versatile zoom capabilities. While lens details are still unknown, the Hasselblad partnership hints at exceptional image quality. The device will also feature dual selfie cameras—a 32MP lens on the cover display and a 20MP lens on the inside.
The OnePlus Fold is anticipated to debut with OxygenOS 13.1, based on Android 13, ensuring a refined and optimized user experience out of the box. Other notable features include a side-mounted fingerprint reader for convenient unlocking and the beloved alert slider that OnePlus users have come to appreciate.
As leaks continue to surface, the OnePlus Fold is generating significant excitement among tech enthusiasts. While OnePlus has yet to announce an official release date, rumors suggest an unveiling in August, potentially following Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold5 launch. Stay tuned for more updates on this innovative folding device that aims to redefine smartphone capabilities.
Source
Pokdepinion: With its expansive AMOLED displays, powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and impressive camera setup, the device promises to deliver a high-performance and visually stunning foldable experience. I just hope the UI is optimized for such a display.
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This Is The Limited Edition FC Barcelona OPPO Reno 10x Zoom

The folks at OPPO has today revealed that they have renewed their partnership with one of the giants in world football, FC Barcelona for another three years. To celebrate the occasion, they have released a Limited Edition FC Barcelona OPPO Reno 10x Zoom smartphone at the football club’s Camp Nou stadium.

As you can see, the special edition device comes with Barcelona’s colors alongside the club’s crest down below. The OPPO Reno 10x Zoom doesn’t only offer 10x zoom but all the way to 60x through some digital zooming.

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Other than that, it comes with Ultra Night Mode 2.0, which gives you better results when taking low-light shots. There’s also the phone’s VOOC 3.0 technology that can swiftly charge your device.

Limited Edition FC Barcelona OPPO Reno 10x Zoom Specifications

Snapdragon 855, octa-core up to 2.84 GHz, 7nm FinFET
8GB RAM
256GB storage
6.6″ FHD+ AMOLED display, 93.1% screen-to-body ratio
48MP f/1.7 + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 13MP f/3.0 telephoto
16MP f/2.0 selfie camera, sharkfin popup
ColorOS 6 based on Android 9 Pie
4065 mAh battery, 20W VOOC Flash Charge 3.0

The Limited Edition FC Barcelona OPPO Reno 10x Zoom will be released gradually, starting in Europe and soon to Southeast Asia. Pricing of the smartphone is yet to be confirmed.
Pokdepinion: Looks decent.. but it’s no Liverpool :P
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[E3 2018] Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Unveiled – 5 Different Editions of the Game With Plenty of Goodies

During the Ubisoft E3 2018 press conference live at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, the new Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has been unveiled. The leaks were true after all?
E3 2018: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Unveiled

At the Ubisoft press conference at E3 2018, Ubisoft has finally revealed the next entry into the popular Assassin’s Creed series, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Alongside the reveal, we have some details as to the game’s storyline. This time around, gamers follow the role of a Spartan outcast rejected by his own people as he climbs the ladder from a ragtag mercenary to a legendary hero for his country. Interestingly, the game will let players play as either a male or a female protagonist (named Kassandra and Alexios).

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Ubisoft also revealed 5 different editions of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, ranging from USD $79.99 all the way to USD $219.99:

The Pantheon Collector’s Edition will cost USD $219.99 and comes with early access on 2nd October 2019, season pass, the Gold Edition copy of the game, 2 Ubicollectibles statues, Steelbook case, a 64-page art book, an exclusive lithograph, and a printed version of the game’s world map (hand-drawn).
The Spartan Edition will cost USD $159.99 and comes with the same thing as the Pantheon Collector’s Edition with the exception of the Spartan Leap Ubicollectible statue and the game’s soundtrack.
The Ultimate Edition costs USD $119.99 and comes with the season pass, and the “Secrets of Greece” bonus mission, alongside the Deluxe Edition pass and the 2 days early access.
The Gold Edition costs USD $99.99 and includes the season pass, and the “Secrets of Greece” bonus mission,  alongside the 2 days early access.
The Digital Deluxe Edition costs USD $79.99 and includes the Deluxe Edition pass. Pre-orders grant the “The Blind King” bonus mission.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on 5th October 2018. You can check out the gameplay footage from E3 2018 right above here.
For more developments and news at E3 2018, be sure to stay tuned to Pokde.net :)
Pokdepinion: Would definitely like the Spartan Edition just for that statue but I’m wondering if I’m willing to eat bread for a month…or two.
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Celcom Conducts First 5G Trial in Collaboration with Ericsson

The future of telecommunications looks to be a fast one

Celcom Axiata Berhad and Ericsson have taken one huge stride in the evolution of our country’s telecommunications landscape today after they conducted Malaysia’s first ever 5G trial. Following a memorandum of understanding signed by both companies in Barcelona back in February 2017, the trial showcases Celcom’s intent on bringing the best telecommunications technology to Malaysia. The trial is also the first 5G trial conducted on the 28Ghz band in the South East Asia region.
The trial managed to achieve an impressive peak throughput of 17 to 18.1 Gigabits per second.

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Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Yang Berhormat Dato’ Jailani Johari who was present during the demonstration had this to say,
We foresee that 5G technology, with it ability to deliver ultra-fast data speed, low latency and better battery life, will be the essential enabler to empower people, transform industries and advance our society in the near future.
With recent announcements such as the launch of premier digital hub of the world’s firstDigital Free Trade Zone and Kuala Lumpur Internet City, Malaysia envisions to be the epicenter of South East Asia’s internet economy. This will drive Malaysia to be one of the world’s largest purpose built digital hub for tech giants and leading startups from around the globe.
Ultimately, 5G will be a solid foundation in creating a strong ecosystem to enable innovation.
The trial also demonstrated futuristic 5G use cases such as robotic control, connected environment, virtual reality, Internet of Things applications and 4K video streaming over 5G.

Celcom’s recently announced “journey to 5G” will involve the deployment of key technologies such as 4×4 multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) and 256 QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) to provide users with data speeds up to 400Mbps (megabits per second). In the near future, Celcom will also deploy IoT to enable digital and connected living.

Todd Ashton, Head of Ericsson Malaysia remarked that widespread 5G availability is still a few years down the road and should be available globally by 2020. Though it could be available as early as 2018.
Pokdepinion: Celcom’s 5G trial is sure exciting as it shows what the future of our telecommunications landscape is potentially capable of.
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[UNBOXING] ASUS ROG STRIX GL702Z Gaming Laptop – Powered by AMD Ryzen

Our official unboxing of one of the rare few machines to be powered by the AMD Ryzen processor, the ASUS ROG STRIX GL702Z gaming laptop. It’s beauty and power combined together.
Unboxing the ASUS ROG STRIX GL702Z Gaming Laptop (Powered by AMD Ryzen)

This is the official unboxing of the ASUS ROG STRIX GL702Z gaming laptop, which is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 1700 octa-core CPU. Yes, it’s one of the rare few machines to actually use AMD Ryzen as most laptops are on the Intel bandwagon, usually either the 7th or 8th gen as of late.
It’s interesting to see how good it performs, especially since we don’t get AMD Ryzen laptops often but that’s as far as performance goes. If you wanna see if its battery efficient, among other things, you’re going to have to wait for the full review. If you want to know more about the ASUS ROG STRIX GL702Z gaming laptop, check out the specifications right below here:

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ASUS ROG STRIX GL702Z Gaming Laptop Specs

CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 1700 8-Core @ 3.0 GHz

RAM
8GB DDR4

GPU
AMD Radeon RX580 4GB GDDR5

Storage
256GB M.2 SSD + 1TB 7200RPM HDD

Display
17.3″ FHD (1920×1080) 120Hz Anti-Glare IPS Display with 72% NTSC

Connectivity
Integrated 802.11 AC (2×2) Wi-Fi
3 x USB 3.0 port(s) Type A
1 x Type C USB 3.1 (GEN2)
1 x RJ45 LAN Jack
1 x HDMI, Support HDMI 2.0
1 x mini DisplayPort
1 x SD Card Reader

Audio
Sonic Studio & Sonic Radar
1 x Combo Audio Jack (Mic + Headphone)

Power
4 Cells 76 Whrs Polymer Battery, 280W Adapter

Dimensions
41.5 x 28 x 3.4 cm (WxDxH)

Weight
3.2kg

If you like what you see from the unboxing and the specifications, just wait a little longer. The review of the ASUS ROG STRIX GL702Z gaming laptop will be up soon right here on Pokde.net so stay tuned. It will be worth the wait.
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Digi Teams Up With Malaysia Airports And Panorama Langkawi In Launching 5G Real-time Virtual Tourism

Just recently, the folks at Digi has partnered up with Malaysia Airports as well as Panorama Langkawi to launch the country’s first real-time virtual tourism experience, which is powered by 5G in Langkawi International Airport.

They’ve set up a cable car gondola as well as a VR experiential zone which allows visitors to experience a 360-degree view of Gunung Machinchang, live-streamed from 20km away through a camera mounted at the Langkawi SkyCab middle station.
The project is in line with the telco’s use case in the 5G Demonstration Projects (5GDP) to develop and foster 5G use cases in live but controlled environment.

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We are excited at the possibilities of 5G bringing next-gen virtual tourism to many other local destinations and connect more people to experiences that matter most to them. In partnership with Malaysia Airports and Panorama, we are pleased to bring a piece of Langkawi’s heritage to tourists from the moment they arrive at the airport. This is just the start, we are continuously learning and improving our use cases with our partners, and studying the commercial feasibility and scalability as we progress during this 5GDP trial period.Albern Murty, Digi’s Chief Executive Officer
Digi’s 5G live site at the Langkawi International Airport is the first of two on the island, with the second one located at the Langkawi Hospital. The 5G mobile base station located near the LGK terminal operates at 3.4-3-5GHz (C -band) of 100MHz bandwidth with a speed of 1.2Gbps.
Pokdepinion: It must’ve been cool to experience it (the 5G VR). Goes to show how 5G can be used in multiple ways.
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AMD Radeon RX 7000 series may feature Radeon RX 6000 GPUs on TSMC 6nm

AMD made some huge steps with the AMD Radeon RX 6000 series, adopting Infinity Cache, implementing hardware raytracing and also improving the overall efficiency coming from the Radeon RX 5000 series. And I guess Navi 2X is such a huge leap forward for AMD that they feel like they don’t have to create an all-new lineup for the Radeon RX 7000 series.
Much of Radeon RX 7000 series to be refreshed Radeon RX 6000 series?

According to @greymon55, only Navi 31, 32, 33 is based on RDNA3.
For the rest of the Radeon RX 7000 portfolio, AMD thus seems to have two options:
1) 6nm refreshes of Navi 24, 23, 22
2) further use of Navi 24, 23, 22, possibly with new card nameshttps://t.co/7nKEPVC9lZ pic.twitter.com/vSjcNQXTvE
— 3DCenter.org (@3DCenter_org) August 16, 2021

According to rumors, AMD is going to refresh their Navi 21 GPUs from the Radeon RX 6800 and 6900 series to become the Radeon RX 7700 series. The Radeon RX 6700 XT’s Navi 22 and also the Radeon RX 6600 XT’s Navi 23 will also reportedly be given a new lease on life as members of the Radeon RX 7000 series. Essentially what AMD is doing is pushing the GPUs down a rung, while releasing new Navi 31 and Navi 32 GPUs which will power the flagship Radeon RX 7800 and RX 7900 series cards.

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Aside from a new name, the newer GPUs will reportedly be manufactured on the TSMC 6nm node, which should further improve efficiency. This won’t be the first time AMD has refreshed their GPU lineup on a newer process node though. The Radeon RX 590 is essentially the Radeon RX 580, which in turn is the Radeon RX 480, with the only changes being a higher TGP and a newer 12nm process node. Before that, we also saw the older AMD GCN-based GPUs being refreshed for quite a few generations.
It will be interesting to see how AMD will juggle the capabilities of the newer GPUs with the older ones though. Both NVIDIA and Intel has dedicated their efforts towards AI upscaling, so it will be odd to see AMD not try to counter that with their next generation GPUs. If these rumors are true, AMD is really going to bank on FSR to go up against the more complex AI upscaling techniques the competition are employing. I somewhat doubt AMD wants to deal with the nightmare of trying to tell gamers that some Radeon RX 7000 series will support AI upscaling, while some won’t.

Other rumors are also pointing towards AMD going all out with their multi-chip module (MCM) design that they debuted with the Ryzen processors with the Radeon RX 7000 series’ RDNA 3 GPUs. This does make sense, as it means that AMD can be increasing the core count in their GPUs, and subsequently performance, without having to deal with the yield issues and costs that a huge monolithic GPU die will entail.
In any case, take these rumors with a dose of salt, as it might or might not be true. 2022 should be an interesting year, as Intel will also be joining the fight in the GPU market. Let’s see who comes out on top.
Pokdepinion: If AMD plays it right, it might mean that gamers will be able to get Radeon RX 6800 series performance at Radeon RX 6700 series prices, which is a win in my books.
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Epic Games Heads To Game Publishing Segment

It seems that Epic Games is entering a new market, specifically into game publishing. The news was revealed as they’ve announced on their official YouTube channel of signing deals with several game developers.
Epic Games Publishing

It’s been quite the journey for the company over recent times. Some of you remember that they are the people behind the hugely popular Fortnite battle royale game and more recently for their Epic Games store.
Now they are venturing into game publishing where they’ve sign up partnership deals with PlayDead (Limbo/Inside), Remedy Entertainment (Quantum Break/Control) as well as the folks from Gen Design (The Last Guardian).

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This deal means that Epic Games will be covering all the development costs for the developers but will be taking a 50% share of the profits, once the game comes out.
For the developers, it’s also a win for them as they get to make games without having to shelve out any expenses.
As you might’ve noticed, Epic Games Store has been giving out free games every week, with the most recent one offering three games that includes World War Z.
Source
Pokdepinion: I just hope that there’ll be no dictatorship going around behind the scene with the deal. We’ve seen that happened before..
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ASUS ZenFone 5z Android 9 Pie update arriving in January 2019

ASUS maintains their devices very well, with devices as old as the ZenFone 3 series still receiving updates. But speed of delivering the updates is not something they are known for. In fact, even their flagship ASUS ZenFone 5z will receive the latest Android 9 Pie update a tad late.
The ASUS ZenFone 5z’s Android 9 Pie update is scheduled for a late January 2019 release, which is actually pretty tardy when compared to other flagships in the market. The new update should bring most of Android 9 Pie’s niceties as well as ASUS’ tweaks to further enhance things. Hopefully that includes a better gesture navigation system, because the current one looks absolutely premature.

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With the Android 9 Pie update for the ASUS ZenFone 5z so far away, one can only imagine how much longer will users of more affordable models need to wait. I hope they don’t have to wait until Android Q is released to get Android 9 Pie…
Pokdepinion: We do say better late than buggy…
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Computex May Have Provided Hints On What’s To Come With Intel’s 14th Gen CPUs

While Intel themselves was focusing on the upcoming Meteor Lake mobile chip (which will use a new name entirely), Wccftech claims that based on the conversations made with various PC peripheral vendors, the upcoming 14th Gen CPUs should have a few key differences than the current 13th Gen chips.

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]First off, ADATA has explicitly mentioned the name “14th Gen” on the spec sheet under their new DDR5-6400 CKD DIMM memory. Despite the memory speed increase, this set of modules is set on the JEDEC-spec 1.1 volts with the CAS latency rated at 46 cycles – not exactly aggressive as far as timing go. The publication also claimed to heard various mentions of 14th Gen elsewhere in the show floor, with one of them just received a BIOS designed for upcoming chips last week.
ASRock Z790 Phantom Gaming NOVA (middle).
Coincidentally, GIGABYTE, MSI and ASRock each has released a ‘refreshed’ version of their existing motherboard lineup (AORUS Xtreme X / Master X, MSI Z790 MAX series, Phantom Gaming NOVA), mainly with the inclusion of even more robust VRM and 5GbE+ LAN ports. ASRock in particular mentions the fact that Intel may be pushing even higher TDP based on the press release, though nothing’s confirmed for now.
Intel’s 14th Gen CPUs will be a Raptor Lake Refresh – with some clockspeed bumps up to 6.5GHz and additional features such as DLVR (Digital Linear Voltage Regulator). The chips are otherwise mostly identical, and it will be a direct drop-in upgrade for existing Intel 600 and 700 series motherboards. Expect these models to launch somewhere in 2H 2023.
Source: Wccftech
Pokdepinion: Given that 250W+ can punish some of the best AIOs out there, we’ll see if anything tames 300W or more.
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HUAWEI Mate 20 X debuts in Malaysia this 11.11 — HUAWEI’s first gaming smartphone is coming!

The HUAWEI Mate 20 X is finally going to arrive here in Malaysia. Set your calendars for 11.11 as that’s the date the HUAWEI Mate 20X will start selling at HUAWEI’s official online store, as well as at all HUAWEI experience stores.

The HUAWEI Mate 20 X could very well be the best in the HUAWEI Mate 20 series. It comes with the same Leica Triple Camera setup as the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, and it is the only device that is equipped with HUAWEI Supercool cooling system to chill the Kirin 980 chipset. There is 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage here, as well as support for NM cards to expand the storage. The HUAWEI Mate 20 X is also the only device with support for the M-Pen stylus so you can scribble on the 7.2″ OLED display.

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The HUAWEI Mate 20 X will be offered here in Malaysia priced at RM3199, in Midnight Blue and Phantom Silver on 11.11. With every purchase users will also receive a phone case, an M-Pen and a wireless keyboard for FREE. Every HUAWEI Mate 20 X user is also automatically a member of Mate 20 VIP, and are eligible to enjoy privileges from partners such as Malaysia Airlines, Auto Bavaria and Maxis.
Will you be getting the HUAWEI Mate 20 X when it arrives in Malaysia?
Pokdepinion: Now the question is, can the HUAWEI Mate 20 X go toe to toe with the other gaming phones in the market?
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Digi Partners With AXA Affin In Offering Free Life Insurance Via Digi Abadi

Digi has today announced their partnership with AXA Affin Life Insurance in offering Digi Abadi, Malaysia’s first of its kind prepaid internet plan that comes with free life insurance cover.
Digi Abadi prepaid plan
The Digi Abadi plan bundles both connectivity and insurance cover into one single plan. It is exclusively available through the Digi Online Store for the first 100,000 customers, where it is open to all eligible Malaysians aged 30 to 55 years old.
To subscribe to the package, you will need to purchase the starter kit at RM28, preloaded with a life insurance cover of up to RM40,000 for death, accidental death, and funeral expenses, providing customers protection at no additional cost.

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The plan gives you 3GB of internet quota with 30 days validity, 10sen/minute for calls and SMSes to all networks as well as a 365-day SIM validity.
Every 30 days, the plan will renew at RM20 where you can sill enjoy the life insurance cover and internet quota. You can also enjoy loyalty bonuses of up to RM55,000 life insurance and 6GB internet quota the longer that you stick with the plan.
The Digi Abadi plan is open to new registrations only. If you are an existing Digi customer, well you need to register a new line should you be interested in the package. Each user is entitled to one line with one Life Insurance policy.
For more details on the Digi Abadi plan, head to the link right here.
Pokdepinion: Know someone that fits the criteria? You might want to show them this. It’s not everyday that you see a mobile data plan that’s bundled with life insurance.
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NVIDIA share prices plummets due to disappointing GeForce RTX 20-series

The embargo for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20-series cards have just been lifted, and most reviewers cited the same concerns. The GeForce RTX 2080 offers minor gains over the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, but is priced slightly higher than the older card. The GeForce RTX 2080 Ti card’s performance is unprecedented, but it is also matched by an equally huge price gap from the older cards.

After some huge claims and promises from Jensen Huang, when the reviews came out, the cards proved to be quite a flop. And investors seem to agree, with NVIDIA’s stock prices dropping from a high which coincidentally was before the reviews were published.

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NVIDIA has jam-packed the Turing GPUs in the GeForce RTX with future-ready technologies like Tensor cores and raytracing cores, but their potential in gaming is yet to be fully exploited. That made what NVIDIA released looks like very expensive upgrades for little performance gains. At least for now.
Source: Hexus
Pokdepinion: Probably no reason to get the GeForce RTX cards now if you have a GTX 1080 Ti.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – The Foldable Peak

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Box

Let’s kick off the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 review with the unboxing. The box is black and pretty much the same dimensions as its predecessor, so you know which accessory isn’t making a comeback. You also have the word “Fold” written on the top instead of “Z” like last year. Inside the box, you will find the following items:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Box content

USB-C to USB-C cable
User guide
Warranty card
SIM Ejector tool
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 itself

Specifications

CPU:
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 4nm
1 x Cortex-X2 @ 3.2 GHz + 3 x Cortex-A710 @ 2.75GHz + 4 x Cortex-A510 @ 2 GHz

GPU:
Adreno 730

RAM:
12GB

Display:
Main Screen

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7.6″ QXGA+ (2176 x 1812), Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display, 1Hz to 120Hz, S Pen support, HDR10+, 120Hz
Cover Display
6.2″ HD+ (2312 x 904) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, 48Hz to 120Hz, 120Hz Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+

Storage:
256GB / 512GB / 1TB UFS 3.1 (not expandable)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
50MP f/1.8 wide angle camera with Dual Pixel AF,
12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle camera, 123°,
10MP f/2.4 telephoto camera with OIS 30x Space Zoom (3x Optical),
 Cover Camera
10MP f/2.2 wide-angle selfie camera
Under Display Camera
4MP f/1.8 wide-angle camera

OS:
Android 12L, One UI 4.1.1

Audio:
Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot Bluetooth 5.2 5G Band: SA/NSA/Sub6 LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps

SIM:
Hybrid Sim (NanoSIM and eSIM)

Battery:
Li-Po 4400 mAh (non-removable) dual battery 25W Fast charging, 15W wireless charging

Dimensions:
Unfolded
155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mm
Folded
155.1 x 67.1 x 14.2~15.8 mm

Weight:
263g

Ingress protection:
IPX8

Colors:
Graygreen, Black, and Beige

Performance
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Antutu v9
Starting off our benchmark suite with Antutu v9, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 nearly took the top spot in our list of benchmarked devices. The only device that managed to beat it was an ROG Phone 6 running on X Mode with the cooler on, which is basically their high performance mode. It’s an impressive start for sure.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Geekbench 5
Moving on to Geekbench 5, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 took the top spot as far as Android devices are concerned, showing how powerful the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip really is. The only thing that had it beat is the Apple iPhone 13 with its A15 Bionic chip, and the difference isn’t huge.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – 3DMark
Then in 3DMark, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 managed to finally take the top spot, and this is for all three tests in the benchmark app, beating out other devices running the same chip. If you’re looking for a smartphone with high performance capabilities for gaming, this is looking to be one of the top choices available today.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – PCMark Work 3.0
Things aren’t as great in PCMark’s Work 3.0 benchmark but it’s still pretty solid nonetheless. I find it interesting how the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and Snapdragon 888 doesn’t differ much in performance here but this is testing real-life use as close as possible so it makes sense. After all, most people don’t need superbly high power for daily use.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Battery endurance test
Lastly for battery life, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 has a notable improvement over its predecessor in all areas despite having the same battery capacity, at 477 minutes unfolded and 601 minutes folded. This proves that the new chip is certainly efficient, but I personally feel that the battery life could be better as it’s still average at best.
This test was done with the adaptive refresh rate setting enabled, in case you were wondering. If you want to compare this with the Z Fold3, click right here.
The Good
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review
For our review unit, we did not have an S Pen to try with the device but to our knowledge, it should work just fine. For now, we will be skipping that until we can get our hands on one.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 has built upon the success that its predecessor brought, and it does have a number of improvements. For starters, the added width, although very slight, makes the Cover Display easier to use. It’s not just a matter of being able to see more but also makes it easier to type and touch in general.
Having it too narrow makes it a bit awkward to use as you might accidentally tap on the wrong thing or, in the case of typing, tap on two letters at the same time. This of course leads to the main display being slightly bigger as well, which is always a good thing to have in this type of device.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – UI
Previously, the main display just felt like your standard Android smartphone experience, except wider. Now, with the new Android 12L, we get a more tablet-like experience with the main display. For starters, the new taskbar on the bottom will show your recent apps, and you can even have it arranged to show your favourite apps as well.
This, along with the ability to open multiple apps at once with a simple drag-and-drop gesture, gives a more seamless multitasking experience. In fact, you can drag a photo from the Gallery and drop it straight to WhatsApp or Gmail to easily share it with other people. From our own experience, you can have up to 3 apps running on the main display at once.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Flex Mode
Flex Mode has also seen more improvements as more apps are able to take advantage of the feature. When it does work, you can have half of the display dedicated to controls while the other half displaying the content itself. This is especially useful when taking photos / videos but we’ll get to that later. To my knowledge, there are still a good number of apps that can’t make use of this feature yet but Samsung is working with more developers on that end so expect more updates that will improve the experience somewhere down the road.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Main display
Speaking of the display, we noticed that the main display has gotten a bit brighter than its predecessor along with more saturated colours. In simpler terms, the blue icon for the messaging app looks more blue than on the Z Fold3. With that being said however, both displays look identical when watching videos or playing mobile games so perhaps, with the exception to added brightness, is just a new UI optimization that is present on this smartphone.
Of course, you can’t have a good multimedia experience without a proper sound system and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 doesn’t disappoint here either. Functionally, it doesn’t appear to be any different from its predecessor but it’s still one of the most enjoyable stereo speaker setup we’ve had in a smartphone. It’s loud and it’s clear, with the only thing lacking is bass but that’s to be expected for built-in speakers. If you don’t use any earphones or external audio peripherals, I’m sure you’ll be happy with the stereo speakers, especially for mobile games and videos.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Playing Tower of Fantasy
Speaking of games, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 proves to be a powerhouse as it can run Genshin Impact on High with buttery smooth 60FPS with only minor frame drops at most. It’s not as smooth on Tower of Fantasy but that’s likely due to optimization issues as it has the same stuttering issue on PC with beefy hardware as well. Simply put, gaming on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is going to be enjoyable since it’s pretty powerful and it only gets warm at most. As for display optimization, your mileage may vary depending on which game you’re playing.
Lastly, the reduced weight may not seem significant on paper but it’s quite noticeable when you actually hold it up yourself. It’s still a heavy and bulky smartphone compared to other standard devices, there’s no doubt there, but shaving off some weight helps a lot as it’s less tiring to hold, regardless of whether it’s folded or not.
The Bad
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Crease
Now to address the elephant in the room for foldables, the crease. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 still has a noticeable crease but to the Korean giant’s credit, it’s not as apparent. As soon as the display turns on, it’s as if it’s not there unless you really focus on it. It’s not much of a bad point but I feel like it’s worth noting, especially with some people on social media claiming that the crease has disappeared in this iteration.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Artifacts
As great as it is to have a large display, there are still a good number of apps that can’t make full use of it yet. Sure, Android 12L makes it look less odd compared to the standard Android version when unoptimized but it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s just the same app, just wider. Of course, this will improve over time as Samsung continues to collaborate with more developers but for now, your best bet for this is the more popular apps and their own homegrown creations.
Camera
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Camera UI
The camera UI is practically the same as before, with Portrait, Photo, Video, and More available as shooting modes by default. As always, you can drag and drop the ones in More so you have quicker access to it. Generally, all the options are there and it’s easy to use as it’s not different from recent Galaxy devices.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review – Flex Mode Director’s View
What is different and unique however is Flex Mode, which is exclusive to their foldables. By “folding” it slightly, it will automatically switch to that mode, where the viewfinder takes the upper half of the screen while controls and preview will be in the lower half. It’s even better in Director’s View as you get to see the view from all 3 camera modules and seamlessly switch between them.

As for imaging quality, it’s certainly a step up from its predecessor as it matches up more with the Galaxy S22 Plus, but not the Ultra. The main cameras can take good shots in bright light and low-light environments, with the latter requiring a slightly more stable hand. Both the telephoto and ultrawide cameras are certainly usable but suffers in low-light, making it a little less viable. Zoomed shots work great but anything past 10x is practically unusable.

If you’re an avid selfie / wefie taker, you can use the main camera since you can get a preview of it on the Cover Display. If not, the front camera on the selfie camera can capture decent detail, albeit with artificially softened results. The under-display camera on the main display has seen improvements, but the quality is still terrible, so I wouldn’t rely on it except for video calls.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Verdict
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Review
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 has brought a number of good improvements that make it more viable as a daily driver. Honestly speaking, it doesn’t make much sense to upgrade if you’re coming from the Z Fold3 as it’s not a whole world’s difference but if you’re using any other device, this is certainly the best foldable smartphone yet. I hope for next year’s model, we can look forward to an all-new design with a noticeably wider cover display.
At the end of our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 review, I award this foldable smartphone with our coveted Gold Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Samsung Malaysia for sending us this foldable smartphone for the purpose of this review.
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New Lenovo Products from IFA 2019 May Not Take Long to Reach Asia Pacific

At IFA 2019, Lenovo had quite a big showing with a focus on making smarter technology for everyone. Usually when it comes to these global expos / conferences, the new products will take a while to reach Asia Pacific, let alone Malaysia. We have an inkling as to when and why this seems to be a common practice for the company.
We managed to talk with Bhaskar Choudhuri, the Chief Marketing Officer for Lenovo Asia Pacific, to shed light on the matter. To be precise, we asked when can we expect the new products to reach Asia Pacific, why it usually takes a while for it to reach, and if there will be any products that won’t be made available in the region.

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We are bringing the new products when the market is ready for them. Especially with smart home technology, many countries do not have proper support for the ecosystem yet. This is why they are ready in countries like Australia but not coming to countries like Malaysia so soon. We will have to conduct the necessary studies on implementing them as effectively as possible. Otherwise, the consumers won’t benefit from having these products.
Of course, this doesn’t necessarily apply to all the new products unveiled at IFA 2019. Some of the products such as the new Yoga laptops will be easier to introduce to the Asia Pacific market. As such, we can expect at least some of these products to reach Malaysia in the near future.
Other products like the Lenovo Mirage AR and smart home-related products may only reach later on when the ecosystem for it is ready. There’s also a chance that some of these products may not ever be released here. For now, we will just have to wait and see. We will be reporting more on them as soon as information becomes available.
Pokdepinion: If you ever wondered why it takes these companies a while to reach our region, there’s a good reason for it. Now we know what’s happening and hopefully, we will see these products sooner rather than later or never.
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Honkai Star Rail 1.1 Double Calyx and Relics Drop Event Detailed

Honkai Star Rail 1.1 is set to introduce thrilling new events for players, providing them with fresh experiences and opportunities to progress in the game. Among the exciting events included in the update, the highly anticipated Planar Fissure event takes the spotlight, offering players a chance to enjoy a double drop rate and obtain valuable items to enhance their gameplay. Additionally, the Garden of Plenty event adds another layer of excitement, allowing players to collect double rewards. Let’s delve into the details of these events and how they can benefit players in their Honkai Star Rail journey.
Honkai Star Rail 1.1 Double Calyx and Relics Drop Event

Double Drop Rate Delights The Planar Fissure event is a standout feature of Patch 1.1, captivating players with its double drop rate for Planar Ornament drops. This means that players will have increased chances of obtaining valuable rewards from the Simulated Universe Immersion. It’s worth noting that the number of daily double-reward opportunities will be limited, so players should plan their participation accordingly. Mark your calendars, as the Planar Fissure event will be available from June 23rd to June 28th.

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Within the Simulated Universe, there are two sets that offer exceptional value for players: the Space Sealing Station and Fleet of the Ageless. The Space Sealing Station is a top-tier damage dealer set, providing a significant 24% ATK boost. This set is highly recommended for most damage dealers, especially those who utilize Speed boots. On the other hand, the Fleet of the Ageless set shines as the most potent support set available. Not only does it grant a 12% HP boost for survivability, but its secondary effect also enhances the ATK of other party members. Moreover, the effect of this set stacks, meaning that equipping it on multiple supports can lead to a remarkable 24% free ATK for the entire team.

Following the conclusion of the Planar Fissure event, players can look forward to the Garden of Plenty event. Starting from July 10th and running until July 17th, this event presents an exciting opportunity to collect double rewards by claiming rewards from Calyxes using Trailblaze Power. The gameplay mechanics in Garden of Plenty are reminiscent of the Leyline Overflow and Overflowing Mastery Events from Genshin Impact, adding a familiar yet engaging twist to Honkai Star Rail.
As players plan their participation in these events, it’s crucial to assess their individual goals and needs. If your Equilibrium Level is already high and your characters’ levels are maxed out, engaging in the Planar Fissure and Garden of Plenty events is highly recommended. However, if you currently require Stagnant Shadow or Relic drops more urgently than Credits, Trace materials, or EXP materials, you may want to consider skipping these events and focus on obtaining the resources you need.
Source
Pokdepinion: While we might not be getting any new main story quests, Honkai Star Rail is introducing an array of captivating events that promise to enhance the gameplay experience for players. The Planar Fissure event, with its double drop rate and valuable rewards, presents an enticing opportunity to strengthen your character’s arsenal. The inclusion of the Garden of Plenty event shortly after further adds to the excitement, allowing players to collect double rewards and indulge in a familiar yet rewarding gameplay experience. Choose your path wisely and make the most of these events as you embark on your Honkai Star Rail journey.
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The Steam Deck portable gaming device was set to launch in December 2021. Unfortunately, Valve has officially announced that the launch has been delayed, and here’s why.
Valve’s Steam Deck Launch Officially Delayed

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On their official website, Valve has confirmed that the launch of the Steam Deck has been delayed to February 2022. The reason for this, unsurprisingly, is due to global supply chain issues that plagued many different companies from automotive to smartphone. As such, they wouldn’t have enough stock for the December deadline.
Just in case you might be confused as to how they will deal with pre-orders, those who have already registered for it will retain their place in line. The only difference here is that you have to wait until February 2022 to get your hands on it.
While there’s no guarantee that the global chip supply shortage issue would be fixed in the coming months, it would at least let Valve gather more of the necessary components so they can get more Steam Deck machines manufactured.
If you were planning to get it in time for the holiday season, you will have to be patient and wait out a little longer. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: I foresee plenty more delays coming for a variety of products. Sure, the situation is getting better but I think it will still be a long time before everything goes back to normal.
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Show Your Inner Beast With Lenovo’s Instagram Contest

Lenovo Malaysia is organizing an Instagram contest that invites all their fans to show off their inner savage. Inspired by the brand’s tagline, “Stylish on the outside, save on the inside”, six lucky winners will walk away with Steam vouchers and exclusive access to the official launch of the Lenovo Legion Y740.

The winners will have an opportunity to game on the latest Legion device before anyone else in the country. If you are interested in joining the contest, you can simply follow the steps below:

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Follow the official Lenovo Malaysia Instagram account @Lenovo_MY
Snap a photo or a video of your everyday self and an interpretation of your inner save. Note that videos need to be under a minute long.
Direct message the entry with a description of inner savage in not more than 50 words.

The Instagram contest is up and running and will last until the 3rd of March 2019. Winners will be contacted after the contest period. For more information, you can check out Lenovo Malaysia’s official Instagram page here.
Pokdepinion: Seems simple and direct enough. Fancy trying your luck out? Who knows, you might just win yourself some Steam wallets and the exclusive invite ;)
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[E3 2019] Doom Eternal Gets Gameplay Trailer and Release Date

If you’re excited for yet another gory shooter to sink your teeth in, then you’re gonna be happy to hear this. Doom Eternal will be coming this November for a multitude of platforms.
Are you ready for Hell on Earth? Well, you won’t have to wait too long! Doom Eternal will be launching on November 22, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Before id Software Executive Producer Marty Stratton and Creative Director Hugo Martin talked about Doom Eternal, a trailer was shown flaunting some new weapons, colorful locales, and some gruesome demon slaying from the Doomslayer himself.

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Stratton and Martin then began to discuss the game slightly more in-depth discussing the different locations you’ll visit. This will include places never seen in Doom before including Heaven, Earth, the Sentinal homeworld, and “beyond.” They also stressed how gameplay and level design were key to creating the best Doom experience.
The two ended the presentation with even more gameplay showing the Doomslayer making his way back to Mars. With a bit more cinematic flair, the quick and aggressive gameplay that the Doom franchise is known for is clearly present as the Doomslayer jumps, sings, and blast his way through a variety of demons. We also get to see some new weaponry in action, such as the shoulder mounted cannon.
Interestingly, a new competitive mode called Battle Mode was also revealed along with a new trailer flaunting its multiplayer gameplay. We expect to hear more about it at QuakeCon.
Doom Eternal will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on 22nd November 2019.
Pokdepinion: I’m just looking forward to enjoy a lot of gore and action in shooting everything up. It’s going to be a fun and stress-relieving experience for me.
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Spotify To Come Up With Own Hardware – What Will It Bring To The Table?

It seems that Spotify is on the way to join the hardware market with recently they’ve posted job listings suggesting that they will be launching a product or two.
Spotify To Come Up With Hardware?
It’s been surfacing over the internet that Spotify has been planning to come up with their own hardware device with apparent job listings posted online. These jobs include Operations Manager, Hardware Product, Project Manager, Hardware Production and Engineering, Product Analyst, Hardware Products, and Senior Project Manager Hardware Production.
There has been speculation on to what hardware they are really going to come up with, possibly a smart speaker, which is gaining popularity. Despite that, many would ponder on where the voice assistant will come from (which Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri provide).

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To top that off, Spotify is not the default service of any of them. Except through AirPlay, you can’t use it at all with Apple’s HomePod but what you can do is set it manually as the default on Google Home and Alexa devices.
It is possible that Spotify will be integrating Alexa or Google Assistant by licensing them. It will be quite shocking if they decide to come up with their in-house version considering it will be more expensive and time consuming to catch up with the bigger boys quickly.
Regardless if the company is building a smart speaking or something totally different than that, they are entering a market in which they have no prior experience. The product needs to be very good from the get go or stand out from the rest in order to compete with competitors.
Source: Musically
Pokdepinion: It will be really interesting to see on what they will offer to the table. I wonder what features that they will implement on it. The device coming in to our country is a different question though.
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Facebook and Google are Spying on Your Porn Habits Even in Incognito Mode

It’s no secret that there’s plenty of entities looking to track user activities on the internet. Many have thought that Incognito Mode would be the way to some of their web browsing activities a secret, but it appears that it isn’t the case after all.
This valuable information came from a research paper by a team of researchers from Microsoft, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pennsylvania. Incognito Mode still gives up personal data to trackers, especially browsing habits. The only difference is that it’s not recorded on your PC.

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The study showed that third-party tracking is “endemic on pornography websites.” A massive 93% of the thousands scanned were leaking user data to at least one third-party tracker. Here’s a more insightful breakdown:

22,484 porn websites were scanned for the study with a tool called webXray, which matches data requests to third-party sites
74% of the sites scanned had trackers from Google or one of its subsidiaries, 24% had trackers from Oracle, and 10% had Facebook’s trackers on them
According to the researchers, the tracking is almost identical to that used for online retail / e-commerce.
Only 17% of the sites had their data encrypted

Needless to say that many people’s privacy have been breached pretty hard. Google and Facebook mentioned that they don’t allow their trackers to be used by adult websites for business purposes. However, there isn’t really anyone policing this so it’s hard to say for sure.
Anyone can add their trackers to any website, and get reports from the back end. It doesn’t really matter if Google isn’t allowing advertising profiles based on sexual interests or related activities, as the website tracking those can generate their own reports to use the data however they see fit.
You can check out the research paper by clicking right here.
Pokdepinion: Well, uhh, if you’ve been into some really “unique” stuff, then it’s probably out in the open now.
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Xiaomi Introduces New CC Smartphone Series — Aimed For Those Who ‘Want To Define Themselves’

If you remember at the back of last year, Xiaomi took over Meitu and now it seems that they are ready to introduce a new CC smartphone series, starting off with the Xiaomi CC9 and Xiaomi CC9e.
The ever popular Lei Jun (CEO of Xiaomi) took the time to explain that CC means ‘Colorful & Creative’. Seeing how Meitu focuses more on selfies, we could possibly see a ‘selfie focused’ smartphone from the company.
Render of Xiaomi CC9e
There’s also been a render of the Mi CC9e, where it gives a somewhat teaser of what we can expect from the device. Reports suggest that the phone will sport a 6.39-inch display that comes with a waterdrop notch that’s fitted with a 32MP front camera.

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It’s also suggested that over at the back is a 48MP shooter and it may come with a Snapdragon 712 chipset and a 4000mAh battery under the hood.
As of now, the specifications are still in the dark, so do take the information with a pinch of salt. We should learn more on the CC series soon enough. Until then, stay tuned to Pokde.net for more news.
The Xiaomi CC series is set to be third sub-brand to be under Xiaomi, which comes after Mi and Redmi respectively.
Pokdepinion: Let’s see what they’ll be offering with the new series.
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