The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima Release Date Confirmed

We have some major news dropped from out of nowhere today as Sony Interactive Entertainment has revealed the release date for two blockbuster games; The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima.
It was first announced on the US PlayStation Blog, which acknowledges the current global situation that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Last of Us Part II will be coming on 19th July 2020 whereas Ghost of Tsushima will release a little later on 17th July 2020.
Sony Interactive Entertainment on The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima Release Date

I want to personally congratulate and thank both the teams at Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch Productions on their achievements, as we know it’s not an easy feat to reach the finish line under these circumstances. Both teams have worked hard to deliver world-class experiences, and we can’t wait to see what you think of them when they release in just a few short months. And finally, I want to thank the PlayStation Community for their continuous support and patience.

Once again, The Last of Us Part II will be released on 19th June 2020 while Ghost of Tsushima will be released on 17th July 2020. Both games will be exclusively available on the PlayStation 4.

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Source
Pokdepinion: I certainly wasn’t expecting this announcement to take place now of all times. It’s great to know that both games are coming sooner than expected.
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Pokemon Rumble Rush Announced for Android and iOS Devices

Mobile gamers, rejoice. You now have another Pokemon game to enjoy in the form Pokemon Rumble Rush for both Android and iOS. The game is already available in Australia and has started to roll out in other regions as well.
For those of you who aren’t aware, the game is known as Pokemon Scramble SP in Japan and is an adaptation of the Pokemon Rumble World free-to-play game that was first released for the Nintendo 3DS. Interestingly, the game is indeed the original Pokeland project that was announced in 2017 but never got a release.

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Pokemon Rumble Rush takes place on an island which is said to contain Pokemons from all regions in the world. Players will need to survey the island by exploring it with their own Pokemon and do the usual battles. The game uses simple touch controls, and will contain microtransactions.
To avoid confusion, the game has nothing to do with the announced game by DeNA, which is a separate mobile game altogether being made in collaboration with The Pokemon Company. That game will be coming out on March 2020.
Pokemon Rumble Rush is currently available for both Android and iOS. If it’s not available in your region yet, just give it a bit of time, as they are in the midst of rolling the game out.
For more details on the game, click right here.
Pokdepinion: Not gonna lie, this looks like a lot of fun. Personally not a fan of the AR game so this might just be the one for me.
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AMD launches the AMD Radeon R9 380X — 1440p gaming ready

AMD has officially launched the AMD Radeon R9 380X graphic card which feature the full Tonga GPU core, which was previously found on the AMD R9 285 in a cut-down form, the new core will be called Antigua XT and ready for the Radeon Crimson driver.

The Antigua XT core runs at 970 MHz and is packed with 2048 stream processor, 128 texture unit and 32 compute units. The core is paired with 4GB of memory, which is fed through a 256-bit memory interface.The core will most probably see factory overclocks by most AIB partners. The card is rated at 190W TDP, similar to the previous AMD R9 285.

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The AMD Radeon R9 380X is based on the latest AMD GCN 1.2 architecture, optimized for DirectX 12 features and many more of the latest graphics API. It also packs more features like AMD FreeSync, Virtual Super Resolution (VSR) and Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC). The AMD Radeon R9 380X has two DVI display ports, a HDMI 1.4 and a DisplayPort 1.2 which supports 4K video output.

Made for 1440p gaming, AMD claims that the AMD Radeon R9 380X is up to 2 times better than the NVIDIA GTX 660 and about 25% better than the NVIDIA GTX 960. Based on AMD’s internal benchmarks, the AMD Radeon R9 380X is capable of pushing above 70fps in most games on 1080p with high settings and above 50fps on 1440p high settings.
AMD Radeon R9 380XAMD Radeon R9 380XAMD Radeon R9 380XAMD Radeon R9 380X
The AMD R9 380 X will start selling today with prices starting from USD 229 (approximately MYR 988) for reference models and USD 239 (approximately MYR1030) for AIB custom design cards which will sport factory overclocks.

Pokdepinion : The AMD Radeon R9 380X price point is pretty affordable and could force NVIDIA to drop the GTX 970’s prices as the AMD Radeon R9 380X stands to offer better performance per dollar. I bet a pre-overclocked AMD Radeon R9 380X could run almost on par with NVIDIA GTX 970.

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Kingston KC2000 M.2 PCIe NVMe 1TB SSD Review

Introduction

Kingston has a really broad range of storage solutions, with a number of series like the A-series, UV-series and KC-series. We have seen a drive from the former two series, while this is the first time we are testing a Kingston KC drive, specifically the Kingston KC2000. This is actually the second member of the family, offering better performance for enthusiasts as well as all the security options professionals will need. Let’s take a look at it.
Packaging + Appearance

Packaging wise, there really isn’t much to see. It comes in Kingston’s standard card package, giving them the ability to save on shipping, I guess? The sad thing is that once you open the package you will never get it back.

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The drive itself features a pretty utilitarian sticker, which most probably won’t fit in with your build’s theme. However given that most motherboards nowadays come with heatsinks over the M.2 slots, you should be fine. The Acronis True Image HD license is a pretty good inclusion too for people upgrading from their older drives.

Interestingly, the Kingston KC2000 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1TB SSD has NAND on both sides of the drive. It points to them using lower density 3D NAND here, although given the controller here, having more flash channels would help with performance. There are also two DDR3L DRAM chips here for caching.
Specifications
Kingston KC2000 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1000GB SSD

Capacity
1000GB (931GB usable)

Interface
PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe

NAND Type
96-layer 3D TLC NAND

DRAM Cache
DDR3L

Controller
SMI 2262EN

Rated speed
Sequential:
Read: Up to 3200 MB/s Write: Up to 2200 MB/s
Random:
Read: 350 000 IOPS Write: 275 000 IOPS

Endurance
600TBW

Dimensions
80 mm X 22 mm X 3.5 mm

Weight
10 gram

Included accessories
Acronis True Image HD activation key

Warranty
5 years

Pokde Benchrig

CPU
Intel Core i7-5820K @ 4.125 GHz

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Rampage V Extreme

GPU
ASUS ROG Strix RX 480 8GB

Memory
4 x 4GB Kingston HyperX Predator 3000 MHz CL15

Storage
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB
Plextor M9PeY 512GB

Power Supply
Cooler Master V850

Performance
Synthetic
As far as performance goes, the Kingston KC2000 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1TB SSD is one strong performer. Just what you might expect from a PCIe 3.0 x4 drive.

Kingston KC2000 CrystalDiskMark benchmark

Kingston KC2000 AS SSD benchmark

Kingston KC2000 Anvil Storage Utilities benchmark

it does deliver some awesome scores across the board, and it is currently one of our fastest SSDs in our labs. The temperatures are slightly worrying though, with the drive heating up to 64°C when we ran the CrystalDiskMark benchmark. We did the testing on an open bench without a heatsink on the thing, but since most decent motherboards nowadays come with M.2 heatsinks anyway, the toasty temperatures should not be too much of a concern.
Real world
The nippy performance also shows in our Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood benchmark.

The Kingston KC2000 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1TB SSD delivers the fastest loading times we have seen yet, which bodes well for gamers. Considering that it is also pretty cost effective, it will also suit gamers who might use this to store their large game files.

At RM0.762/GB, the Kingston KC2000 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1TB SSD is really quite affordable too. It might not be the most affordable drive we have tested, but as you can see, it is definitely the fastest when it comes to game loading times.
Conclusion
Is the Kingston KC2000 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1TB SSD a good purchase? I would say RM762 is a good price point for a 1TB drive. It’s fast, it’s affordable, and there’s only the issue with higher than expected temperatures. Not really an issue though considering that you would most probably be using the drive under a heatsink anyways.

Our thanks to Kingston for sending us the Kingston KC2000 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1TB SSD for review.
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[Leaked] Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Pro Appears Online — Comes With 6.9″ Display With A Whopping 5,400mAh Battery

Over the web, you can find almost anything and adding to that list is leaks on Xiaomi’s Mi Max 3 Pro, which was spotted online with its whole specifications.
Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Pro
The leak showed that the Mi Max 3 Pro will feature a big display being 6.9-inches. Other than that, it will utilize a Snapdragon 710 chipset that is paired with 6GB of RAM. Storage wise, it will offer 128GB of internal storage. One of the big points would be its battery, which comes in at a whopping 5,400mAh battery capacity.
Over at the back of the device, it will come with a vertical dual camera setup which will use Sony IMX363 as the main sensor, similar to their Mi MIX 2S setup. It seems that Xiaomi has stayed to the conventional rear fingerprint sensor on the back and not opt for more.

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While Xiaomi already confirming that the Mi Max 3 Pro will be announced officially in July, there are still no precise launch date to be heard from them.
If these rumored specifications and leaks turned out to be true, it’ll sure to attract a lot of users. Till we get more information on the device, guess we’d have to play the waiting game. Stay tuned for more updates once we get them.
Source
Pokdepinion: That is one mammoth of a smartphone.. and that battery. I wonder how efficient the battery performance will be where although it has a big battery, it would still need to compensate for the large display size. Hopefully it does comes here in Malaysia.
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realme Launches Its Flagship 5G Tablet – the realme Pad X for RM1,399

As part of realme’s 4th anniversary, also known as the 828 Fans Festival, themed ‘Keep It Real,’ the company presents their first 5G flagship tablet, realme Pad X, which will be available in Malaysia beginning 23 August 2022.

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The Pad X is the brand’s most powerful tablet, expanding its 5G footprint in Malaysia. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 6nm 5G processor, the tablet offers users a powerful performance, together with the versatile realme UI 3.0 system packed in a stunning display panel for a seamless daily experience.
With its Smart AIoT Connect function, the company delivers an integrated ecosystem for all of its products. The Pad X allows users to explore connections by linking the device to their laptops, TVs, headphones, and smartwatches, in addition to the brand’s extensive line of tablets and smartphones.
The Pad X is the company’s first tablet to feature Multi-Screen Collaboration with a better sync experience, allowing smartphone users to cast their screens onto the tablet for text copying and file transfer. Users can also multitask by dragging and dropping windows across multiple devices in split-screen mode.
The collaborations are not restricted to smartphones and the Pad X due to the company’s integrated ecosystem throughout its product portfolio, which includes their laptops, TVs, earbuds, and smartwatches.
The Pad X is positioned as a productivity tool for users to easily work, browse, design, create, or gaming. The tablet has a compact 7.1mm, ultra-lightweight design at 499g without sacrificing its solid build quality.

The Pad X is as stunning as it gets, with a 10.95-inch WUXGA+ 2K Full View Display and TÜV Rheinland low blue light certification. The tablet also has a high-resolution display with an 84.6% screen-to-body ratio and a 450-nits peak brightness level, allowing users to browse comfortably inside or outdoors.
For individuals who are constantly on the go, the Pad X comes with an 8,340 mAh battery that allows users to go all day. The tablet also offers lightning-fast 33W fast charging. The tablet also supports reverse charging, so it can be used as a power bank to charge your phone while on the road.

The official realme Pencil, when paired with the Pad X, has 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, a 240Hz sampling rate, and charges magnetically on the side of the device. The tablet also features a 13MP back camera, an 8MP front-facing camera, and quad speakers that support Dolby Atmos.
The Pad X is available in two colours with a matte finish: Glacier Blue and Glowing Grey. Customers can purchase the Pad X from their official Shopee store from 23 to 25 August, with limited-time deals.

In line with realme’s 4th anniversary, the company is providing unique incentives to their customers with the 828 AIoT Fan Festival Promotions, which include savings of up to 70% on selected goods and are only available until 31 August.

Product
Colour
Open Sales Platform
Promotion Period
Price (RM)
Promotional Price (RM)
Free Gift

realme Pad X Open Sales Promotion

Pad X
(6 + 128GB)

Glacier Blue
Glowing Grey

Shopee Official Store
23 – 25 August
1,699
1,399
N/A

Pad X
(6 + 128GB)

Glacier Blue
Glowing Grey

Brand Store and Authorised Dealers
26 August
1,699

Open Sales Free gift:

Cobble speaker 5W
Pouch
Free 1-year extended warranty worth RM199

Pokdepinion: Great tablet at an excellent price for those looking for something portable with long battery life for work and studies.
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[UNBOXING] Razer Ifrit Gaming Headset – Freedom Like Never Before

Unboxing the Razer Ifrit Gaming Headset

When you think of gaming headsets, chances that you’re thinking of headphones with a microphone attached to it. They’re rather bulky so earphone-lovers might not like it as much for a myriad of reasons. However, what if you could a gaming headset that is also discreet in nature?
Introducing the new Razer Ifrit gaming headset, a discreet take on gaming headsets.
This was first shown on a video published by the gaming giant featuring NJPW star and Bullet Club member Kenny Omega, which we reported about right here. Kenny Omega himself is an avid gamer who has made waves in the fighting game community. Many people wondered how good the Razer Ifrit gaming headset truly is, especially when compared with conventional headsets.

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Well, we’ll be answering that question in the near future as we are in the midst of reviewing the Razer Ifrit gaming headset ourselves. For now, do check out our unboxing video at the top of this post. If you want to know more about it, check out the specifications right below here:
Razer Ifrit Specifications

Drivers:
10mm drivers

Frequency response:
20 Hz – 20 KHz

Sensitivity:
 -41 ± 3dB

Impedance:
 32 ± 15% Ω

Microphone:
Cardioid-pattern condenser microphone

Features:
Low profile, discreet design
USB Audio Enhancer
Adjustable condenser mic
Duo recording capability
Compatible with PC, console, and mobile

Could this be your next purchase or is it better to avoid completely? To find out, be sure to stay tuned to Pokde.net as we will be publishing the review for this very soon. :)
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ASUSTOR Announces Support for ElephantDrive — a new cloud backup service for ASUSTOR NAS

ASUSTOR, a leading innovator and provider of network storage solutions, has announced the addition of the new ElephantDrive cloud backup App for all ASUSTOR NAS devices.

ASUSTOR NAS users will be able to download and install this new App via App Central. ElephantDrive provides an online cloud backup service that allows data from ASUSTOR NAS devices to be backed up in real time or via scheduling to ElephantDrive’s encrypted cloud storage space. Data can also be conveniently restored in the event of an accident, significantly enhancing data availability.

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Product Manager at ASUSTOR, James Su said:

“We aim to provide our users with the best backup and data protection solutions, securing their data and providing peace of mind.”

ASUSTOR recognizes the demanding requirements that users have for backup, providing a host of comprehensive backup solutions that give users the flexibility to configure backups in different usage scenarios. ASUSTOR backup solutions include the Backup Plan utility for Windows, Time Machine support for Mac, FTP/Rsync backup to remote servers, and synchronized backup to cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Owncloud, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, HiDrive and hubiC.
For more information about ElephantDrive’s features and take advantage of ElephantDrive’s exclusive pricing, click here.
Learn on how to install ElephantDrive, click here.
For more product information, please click here.
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Samsung’s world’s first UFS memory cards read speeds rival SSDs!

Samsung has just unveiled their first removable UFS memory cards based on the JEDEC Unversal Flash Storage (UFS) 1.0 Card Extension Standard.

Samsung has been aggressively making new memory solutions based on UFS standards, starting with the implementation of UFS 2.0 memory in the Samsung Galaxy S6. This allowed the Galaxy S6 to achieve storage speeds that were unheard of in smartphones.

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Their latest memory cards are available in sizes ranging from 32GB to 256GB, giving users an optimal combination of capacity and performance in their latest UFS memory cards. Samsung’s latest 256GB UFS card is capable of 530MB/s sequential read speeds, rivaling SATA SSDs in terms of read speeds. Sequential write speeds are a little more humble, topping off at a claimed 170MB/s. Still when compared with the current generation of UHS-1 microSD cards, we are seeing an almost 5x increase in read speeds and write speeds! These cards are also capable of random read rate of 40 000 IOPS and 35 000 IOPS at random write, many times faster than typical microSDs which offer 1800 IOPS read and 100 IOPS writing.
With dedicated paths enabling simultaneous reading and writing, multiple command support with command queuing features, Samsung has managed to achieve the performance these cards are capable of, all while maintaining power efficiency.
However these cards are not coming in the standard microSD package, and will abide by the new UFS 1.0 Card Extension standard specifications. So until you get a DSLR, 3D VR camera, action camera or drone that supports the new standard, you will be stuck with microSD cards.
Read the full press release at Samsung Newsroom

Pokdepinion: This is a good sign. This probably means that Samsung isn’t going to phase out removable storage on its devices anytime soon, since now they have cards with the speeds necessary keep up with the fastest internal storage available.
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Meet The Smartphone That Comes With Two Notches

Are you a big fan of notches? Neither are we (well at least I don’t!). If one notch wasn’t enough, well Sharp has ‘up-ed’ the game and brought in two instead with the introduction of the Sharp Aquos R2 Compact.

It is reported that the company seeks to offer a respectable screen size while also offering a fingerprint sensor on the front. The Sharp Aquos R2 Compact comes with a 5.2-inch Full HD LCD screen, where a waterdrop notch is visible on top. Specification wise, it packs a Snapdragon 845 chipset that comes with 4GB of RAM. Thanks to its small size, it only manages to store a 2500mAh battery under the hood.

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The previous device from Sharp came with a lower Snapdragon 660 SoC, so this seems like an upgrade from its predecessor.
Pokdepinion: I guess it’s a nice thing to have a fingerprint sensor at the front of your device but two notches….? Come on man, that’s too much. Another thing that worries me is the 2500mAh battery. I can’t imagine how long would I last by using the phone.
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HUAWEI is now 12th on the Brand Finance Global Brand Value 500!

From ranking 500th in Brand Finance’s Global Brand Value of the Top 500 report in 2016, HUAWEI has leaped all the way to the #12 spot in 2019, up from 25th in 2018, charting a 63.7% growth rate from last year.

HUAWEI has reportedly achieved revenues of more $50 billion from its consumer business alone, with global shipments of smartphones exceeding 206 million units. In that figure, 17 million consisted of the HUAWEI P20 series. Over 7.5 million HUAWEI Mate 20 devices have also been shipped since October 2018.

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The Chinese tech giant charted momentous growth with their innovative smartphones featuring multiple groundbreaking features such as Leica cameras, AI chipsets and more. The latest HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro even comes with wireless reverse charging, an unprecedented feature in smartphones.
HUAWEI looks set to chart even more growth in 2019, with the upcoming HUAWEI P30 series expected to arrive pretty soon. Good luck, HUAWEI!
Pokdepinion: Well they do make good devices, so congratulations HUAWEI on rising through the ranks!
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ASUS ZenBook 14 (UX425EA) Review — it has got tiger blood!

Today we will be taking a look at the ASUS ZenBook 14 (UX425EA). If that sounds familiar, that’s because we have previously reviewed the ASUS ZenBook 14 (UX425), which packed an Ice Lake processor. Today, it is pretty much the same laptop, but with a Tiger Lake processor under the hood.

I did think that the Ice Lake-powered ASUS Zenbook 14 UX425 was very close to perfection, with a timeless design, good performance, great battery life, an excellent display, a very comfortable keyboard and trackpad combo, as well as its impressive expandability with dual Thunderbolt 3 ports.

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So, will this new Tiger Lake-powered ASUS ZenBook 14 (UX425EA) impress me even further, with its Willow Cove CPU cores and Iris Xe graphics, or will it be more of the same? Well, let’s find out.
Unboxing

As usual, let’s start with the unboxing. The packaging is pretty premium, and does seem like an upgrade over the previous generation of ZenBooks. But of course, it is what’s inside that matters when it comes to packaging, and there’s quite a nice spread here.

You get a USB-C power adapter that can pump up to 65W into laptop for fast charging, a nice laptop sleeve, your usual documentation, as well as a USB-C to headphone jack adapter. Yes, this laptop doesn’t have a headphone jack.
Appearance

Moving on, let’s take a look at the ASUS ZenBook 14 itself. Design wise, ASUS didn’t try to change things up, and that’s good. The Ice Lake powered ZenBook 14 was a sleek machine, and so is the Tiger Lake-powered version we have here today. On the lid, there’s a nice concentric circle pattern, that’s a signature of the ASUS ZenBook series. I do quite like the offset logo, rather than having it in the center like ASUS used to do in their much older designs.

The bottom of the laptop is definitely not the most sexy part of this laptop, but shakes things up a little by going with angular edges. There’s a nice intake vent along the center to allow the cooling system to draw in fresh air, and ASUS decided to use an array of holes, instead of the longer slits that they preferred in earlier designs. A similar decision was applied to the speaker grilles, which will output their sound at around 45 degrees to bounce off your desk.

Opening up the ZenBook 14, you will first lay your eyes on the screen, which has shockingly thin bezels. And yet, ASUS managed to cram in not only a webcam above the display, but also an IR facial recognition system. More on that later. Then there’s the keyboard. While most laptops will have their keyboard in a matching color or just plain old black, ASUS went with a gray. Interesting decision indeed. Further down, there’s the ASUS NumberPad which is a very nifty bit of innovation that ASUS borrowed from their gaming machines.

To make it more ergonomic in use, ASUS designed the ZenBook 14 with the ErgoLift hinge, which raises the laptop at a slight angle. This makes it more comfortable for you to type on the laptop when you have it on a desk, in addition to increasing the clearance under the laptop to allow it to breathe easier.
ASUS ZenBook 14 (UX425EA) Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-1165G7 @ 2.8 GHz (up to 4.7GHz Boost), 4C/8T, 25W TDP, 10nm SuperFin

RAM
8GB LPDDR4X-4266, dual-channel (on-board)

GPU
Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU @ up to 1.3GHz)

Storage
512GB Intel 660p 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Office Home & Student 2019
Intel Graphics Command Center
MyASUS
AudioWizard
McAfee Personal Security

Connectivity
Intel WiFi 6 AX201 (2×2 WiFi 6 up to 2.4Gbps)
Bluetooth 5.0
2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4, USB-PD charging)
1 x USB 3.0
1 x microSD card reader

Display
14″ FHD (1080p) IPS panel, Innolux N140HCE-EN2, 300-nit brightness, 90% screen-to-body ratio
HDMI 2.0 (up to [email protected] Hz)

Audio
Stereo speakers, certified by Harman-Kardon
USB-C DAC included
Array microphone

Power
65W power adapter, USB-PD support
67 WHr Li-Po battery

Dimensions
319 x 208 x 13.9 mm

Weight
1.17kg

Performance
Next up, benchmarks. Considering that it is a Tiger Lake-powered machine, I do believe many of you are interested to know how it performs. We are too. So let’s get to it.

Firstly, the storage. As ASUS is using the Intel 660p QLC-based drive, performance isn’t great. Sequential reads are pegged at around 1.5GB/s, while read speeds are at close to 1GB/s. Random speeds are fine, although they won’t match the premium SSDs in the market today.

The newer CPU architecture in the Intel Core i7-1165G7 allows it to outperform most of the ultraportables we have tested, including its high-performance predecessors like the Intel Core i9-10980HK, in Cinebench R20. Tiger Lake does offer a nice performance boost, and most of it comes from its ability to clock higher than Ice Lake. The only area which we see it falter behind the competition is in the multi-threaded test, as it is nigh impossible to make up for double the cores, even if you increase IPC significantly.

But the biggest gains are probably in the graphics division, as we can see here in Superposition, it easily beat even the MX250. Intel definitely has the fastest integrated graphics right now with the Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and it is nice to see them beat AMD’s APU for once, as AMD’s Radeon Vega integrated graphics have led integrated graphics benchmark charts for quite some time. It has made NVIDIA’s entry level MX GPUs largely irrelevant, unless you have a use for CUDA cores or something.

Meanwhile over in 3DMark we see a similarly nice bump up over the existing laptops in the market, simply because of its much beefier GPU. Despite coming to the fight with far fewer CPU cores, the much better GPU performance packed into the Intel Core i7-1165G7 allows the ASUS ZenBook 14 to eke out a win over AMD’s 8-core Ryzen laptops.

PCMark gauges the overall performance of the machine, and here we see the ASUS ZenBook 14 offer excellent performance in the essentials and productivity segments, while taking a step back in digital content creation. Digital content creation generally prefers more cores and beefier GPUs, so the ASUS ZenBook 14 doesn’t shine here. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do content creation. It just means that it won’t be as great an experience as you would probably get from a beefier machine.

On top of all that performance, it also offers great battery life. With such performance gains, it is quite impressive to see that the ASUS ZenBook 14 UX425E deliver even better battery life than its predecessor. Compared against the AMD laptops in this chart, it does have the largest battery, but Tiger Lake is quite visibly more efficient than Renoir, at least in the implementations we are seeing here.
Clocks, Thermals and Power
To check out the boost and power characteristics, I am using Cinebench R20. As Cinebench has multi-core and single-core sections of its test, we can see how it behaves when tackling multi-threaded tasks versus single-threaded ones.

For the multi-core part, we see power draw drop from around 38W at maximum boost, before dropping off to 23W, and then tapering off to less than 18W at the end of the run. Clock speeds also take a nose dive due to it hitting the thermal and power limits, with them dropping from the max of around 3.59GHz at the start, down to 2.8GHz as it runs out of boost and finally around 2.5GHz at the end of the run. The highest temperature observed was a pretty toasty 95°C, although as the CPU gets its power limit dropped, so do the temperatures.

Over in the single-core run, the graphs are quite a bit more chaotic. The 18.5W power limit here is plenty for the Core i7-1165G7 to stretch its legs, and on average we are seeing clocks of around 4.28GHz. The temperatures aren’t nearly as well controlled here, averaging around 86.5°C, as while the power limit is relatively tame, the clocks are still quite high. Interestingly, we also see boosts above the 4.7GHz it is rated for, which should provide a nice boost in short, bursty workloads.
User Experience

And now, the user experience. As mentioned earlier, the laptop features an IR facial unlock feature that works with Windows Hello. Unlike their older implementations, the one here works really fast. Once you have set it up, it will almost instantly recognize your face when you arrive at the lockscreen, and unlock the laptop. During the process, you can see the IR beam flashing, but because it is so intuitive, you might actually miss it in normal daily use.
While previously I would have preferred a fingerprint scanner, the ZenBook 14’s facial recognition is fast enough to satisfy me. And the fact that I don’t have to move my hand to put my finger on a fingerprint scanner, is probably a strong motivator for me to choose the ASUS ZenBook 14’s facial recognition over any fingerprint-based security option.

Looking down slightly, you will find the nice display. It is pretty standard, measuring in at 14″ and sporting a regular 1080p resolution, but it is a quality one. But of course, observing a screen through a camera is not the ideal way of picking your next laptop if screen quality is important to you, so we did run some tests as well.

99.4% sRGB gamut volume

68.5% Adobe RGB gamut volume

70.4% DCI-P3 gamut volume

The display is capable of 96.6% sRGB, 67.6% Adobe RGB and 70.3% DCI-P3 gamut coverage, which should suffice for most users. While you might argue that 100% sRGB doesn’t quite cut it anymore, most of the content online is still calibrated for sRGB viewing, so the ASUS ZenBook 14 is perfect for content consumption as well as some light content creation. Aside from decent gamut coverage, we are also seeing average delta E figures of 1.09, which is pretty excellent considering that the ASUS ZenBook 14 doesn’t come factory calibrated.

Speaking of which, the keyboard on this is pretty good. I did enjoy typing on it, with good tactile feedback and there’s sufficient travel distance as well. The full-sized keys are great for touch typing too, as they allowed me to mistype far less on this keyboard than on laptops that have a more cramped layout. The ASUS NumberPad feature is also a godsend, especially considering that the ASUS ZenBook 14 doesn’t have enough room for a dedicated numpad array.
As I frequently use Excel for my work, being able to perform number entries via the Numberpad is really much better than having to rely on the numbers above the letter keys. And the fact that you can easily toggle it on and off, or just leave it on and use the trackpad and the Numberpad feature seamlessly, is really quite amazing. ASUS definitely refined the user experience, as now you don’t have to disable the Numberpad to use the trackpad for mousing around anymore.

If you still prefer full-sized peripherals, well, there’s also the full-sized USB-A port. Yes, having USB-C is great for future compatibility and of course Thunderbolt 4 is definitely the way to go when it comes to expandability, but how many peripherals have a USB-C connector? For now, most peripherals are still based on USB-A, and being able to plug them in directly to the ASUS ZenBook 14 is a really refreshing experience, as many ultraportable laptops are now moving towards purely USB-C, despite the fact that you still need USB-A for most of your existing USB devices.

Let’s not forget the microSD card slot too, as it is quite convenient for a quick storage upgrade, or if you use a camera with an adapted microSD, it will also be very easy to transfer your shots to the ASUS ZenBook 14. A full-sized SD card slot would have been preferable for photographers, but then again, I guess that this is a compromise I am willing to live with, considering how thin and portable this laptop is. The full-sized HDMI port is also great if you often have to connect your laptop to a projector for presentations, or just to kick back with some movies on a bigger display.

We have talked quite a bit about the hardware experience, now let’s check out the built-in software. MyASUS will be pretty familiar to most of you who have used an ASUS laptop recently, but ASUS has taken it up a notch here, and you can do way more with it now. The best feature to have been added to MyASUS is definitely the Link To MyASUS feature, and we first saw it on the ASUS ExpertBook B9. The ASUS ZenBook 14 offers the capability to access your smartphone and even mirror your smartphone’s screen over to the laptop, for a more convenient multi-tasking experience. It’s really nifty and I wished ASUS had unveiled this feature earlier, when they still offered their ASUS ZenFones here in Malaysia.
On top of all the work that you can do, the ASUS ZenBook 14 is also actually up to the task if you decide to kick back and game a little. You might not have expected a laptop like this to be able to game, with it only featuring an iGPU, but the Iris Xe Graphics here is actually quite capable. I did manage to get a few rounds of CS:GO in, and surprisingly it was quite a smooth experience. I did finish a game, even though it wasn’t the best gaming experience I have had, it does give me the option to kill some time, and keep myself entertained if needed.

It can handle some Genshin Impact too, if you are into that, but the game still feels kinda sluggish. Lowering the resolution down to 720p allows for a smoother experience, but in a nutshell, despite the ASUS ZenBook 14 packing Intel’s latest Iris Xe graphics, it still won’t be replacing your gaming laptop anytime soon.
Conclusion

Overall, I do think that the improvement coming from Ice Lake to Tiger Lake is pretty tangible. The performance is better than expected, and I do appreciate the fact that ASUS kept the ASUS ZenBook 14 UX425EA similar to the UX425 in most areas. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. And the ASUS Zenbook 14 UX425EA is just the perfect example of that. With that said, I am still annoyed that there still isn’t a headphone jack. I do understand that most people rely on wireless headphones today, but I just prefer having the option to connect a pair of wired headphones to my laptop.

I do think that the ASUS ZenBook 14 UX425EA is a great laptop priced at RM4699. It packs a nice punch, thanks to the 11th Gen Intel Core processor under the hood. It is perfect for everyday productivity, and even some gaming if you feel like it. The only issues with it aside from the headphone jack is the non-upgradeable 8GB RAM and the relatively slow storage at this price point. But 8GB RAM is still going to be sufficient for most users, and while I consider the storage slow because I have been playing with premium SSDs, it doesn’t impact the user experience in any meaningful way. It still boots up quick enough, and I guess that’s more important to most users.

Our thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us the ASUS ZenBook 14 (UX425EA) for review.
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12VHPWR Connector Melts Again, This Time On The PSU Side
Image: u/Shiftyeyes67k (Reddit)

Looks like the issue with the new 12VHPWR connector isn’t quite over yet. NVIDIA’s RTX 40 series GPUs were initially plagued with melting connectors, and subsequent investigations has largely concluded that it is a small design flaw coupled with user error that may cause the connector to unseat, creating a path of resistance in the conductors and thus creating excessive heat, melting it as a result. However, reports of 12VHPWR connector melting on PSU’s end has surfaced.
Image: u/Shiftyeyes67k (Reddit)
Reddit user u/Shiftyeyes67k has posted these images on the r/4090Burning subreddit showing his be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W PSU with the dedicated 12VHPWR (labeled here as PCIe 5.0) melted, with the connector itself suffers from serious disfigurement. While this looks like a one-off case for now, it’s hard to say if the problem could be more widespread – given that there are still RTX 40 GPUs suffering from this issue.
This video from PCWorld demonstrating MSI’s version of 12VHPWR connector in their new PSU presented in Computex recently may have explained the potential cause at play here. Editor Gordon Mah Ung has showed that the connector, with its bright yellow indicators can tell the user if the cable may be unseated. It turns out that despite the clip locked in place, he is able to wiggle out one or two millimeters away from the contact point, briefly showing the yellow part of the connector that isn’t supposed to be visible in an ideal contact.

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Image: PCWorld (YouTube screencap)
Despite NVIDIA claiming this is user error, the slight wiggle shown in the video could still point to a design flaw. Users often do cable management on the PCs, and that sometimes may create tension on the cables leaving it slightly unseated that may end up nearly impossible to spot, as PSUs often hides deep into PC cases and gets obscured by excess cable lengths. In any case, it looks like the debacle on this notorious connector may not be done just yet.
Pokdepinion: To me that’s clearly a design flaw – a clip is supposed to lock it into place and not be wiggled out simply by pulling the cable without even holding the clip to unseat.
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Sony Releases New Range Of Headphones – Addition To The 1000X And h.ear Series!

Sony has officially release their new line ups in their audio products, which includes brand new additions to the 1000X and h.ear series.
Sony’s New Audio Line Up

You might have watched videos on it over the internet, those wireless headphones that offer complete noise cancellation. Well, they are officially coming to our shores.

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1000X Family
WF-1000X
First up is the WF-1000X. Completely wireless, it features a minimal design which is lets you go about your business in a simple manner. It comes with a 6mm driver, which gives sounds that are dynamic despite its small size.
The moment you take them out, these headphones will automatically power on and connect to the last device they were paired with, convenient from all the trouble of setting it up.
With the WF-1000X, it can last you up to 9 hours of usage (with the carry case can charge it 2x over).
WI-1000X
Next is the WI-1000X headphones. It features a behind-the-neck style with wireless noise cancelling. Designed for those who wants to add some sophistication to their daily commute, it can last you up to 10 hours with the wireless noise cancelling turned on. It includes a zip-style cable management and has vibration alerts if there was someone making a call to you.
WH-1000XM2
Inspired from the features of the MDR-1000X, the WH-1000XM2 headphones sets to bring even more to the table. Along with noise cancelling technology, it is combined with Ambient Sound mode, Personal NC Optimiser and Quick Attention mode in this around-ear style.
The new Atmospheric Pressure Optimising feature analyzes your surrounding atmospheric and improve the NC performance. Great to have when you are a frequent flyer.
Built to last 40 hours with an audio cable or 30 hours wirelessly, its Quick Charge gains 70 mins of battery life with just 10 minutes of charging.
For the 1000X family, users can utilize the Sony Headphones Connect app, it allows customization on how users want the headphones to adjust to their surroundings. With the world’s first activity recognition, the Adaptive Sound Control, it offers noise cancelling and ambient sound preferences to suit different environments. This is made possible through Sony’s technology called SENSE ENGINE, making a personalized experience tailored to individual needs.
WH-1000XM2 is now available for purchase at a retail price of RM1599 along with the WI-1000X which is at RM1499. The WF-1000X will be released later on the 19th November 2017 and retails at RM899.
h.ear Series
WH-H900N
The H900N brings wireless noise cancellation with touch control in a traditional around-ear style. You can easily skip songs with touch control. If that isn’t your taste, you can use your smartphone to control it through the Headphones Connect app. It also comes with Ambient Sound and Quick Attention mode for your listening experience on the go.
2 Wireless NC can give you 28 hours of battery life and you can use its Quick Charging for just 10 minutes to get 65 minutes more life with the headphone.
WI-H700
The  WI-H700 is an updated version of the h.ear in headphones, MDR-EX750AP. Offering simplicity in the new h.ear series color palette coupled with high-end components to ensure quality sound.
WH-H800
The WH-H800 is compact and lightweight, suitable for those who don’t like weight over their ears. It is easily foldable and can fit neatly in your bag for convenience.
Both WH-H800 and WH-H900N is now available for purchase at RM959 and RM1159 each. The WH-H700 will be made available in 18 December 2017 at RM859.
Pokdepinion: I’m not really into earphones so my favorite of them all is the WHH-1000XM2. I really enjoyed the audio quality and it has one of the best noise cancellation I’ve experienced.

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Redmi Note 8 Pro is a beastly mid-range gaming phone!

The recent launch of the Redmi Note 8 Pro turned a number of heads. Aside from being the first 64MP smartphone to enter Malaysia, it touts a Mediatek Helio G90T chipset. *cue gasps* Isn’t Mediatek bad? Why would they use Mediatek? But hey, let’s all note (hehehe) that the Mediatek of today isn’t the same as the one of a few years back.
 Most smartphones touting Mediatek chipsets back then suffered from heating issues as well as poor GPU performance. That may have been the source of the stigma against Mediatek chipsets. But the Redmi Note 8 Pro runs cool and performs better than most smartphones in its price range.
Mediatek is cool!
But hey, you don’t have to take our word for it. Check out the data here. We used our infrared thermometer to check out the surface temperatures after 30 minutes of COD Mobile at the maximum settings and frame rate.

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36.5°C on the front38.4°C on the back
As you can see, the Redmi Note 8 Pro definitely runs cool, thanks to a combination of several factors. Firstly, Xiaomi built the Redmi Note 8 Pro with performance in mind, equipping it with LiquidCool technology. The technology promises to reduce temperatures by up to 6°C, which might not seem like a lot, but it can definitely mean all the difference in the world when you are 6°C below the point where it begins thermal throttling, and actually experiencing throttling.

Then there’s also the Mediatek Helio G90T itself. Manufactured on TSMC’s proven 12nm FinFET process, the Helio G90T is more efficient than their previous designs, thus delivering the cool temperatures and performance we see in the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
How’s the performance like?
With the Redmi Note 8 Pro, the Helio G90T is allowed to perform at its highest with the LiquidCool technology. The Redmi Note 8 Pro outperforms the other devices in the same price range, most of them which feature Snapdragon 710, Snapdragon 712 and Snapdragon 730 chipsets.

The GPU architecture at play here is the Mali-G76, which is shared with flagship chipsets like the Kirin 990 and Exynos 9825. This GPU supports all the latest graphics APIs including Vulkan. Mediatek packed in four cores for a Mali-G76MP4 configuration, and clocked it at up to 800 MHz in the Helio G90T, giving it chart-topping gaming performance in the mid-range segment.

Overall, in combination with the beefy Cortex-A76 and Cortex-A55 CPU cores, the Redmi Note 8 Pro posts higher Antutu scores than the rest of the devices in the same price range. In fact, it scores better in Antutu than last-gen flagship processors like the Snapdragon 835 and Kirin 970 too.

With these impressive performance figures, all that you need is a huge battery to let you game all you want. The Redmi Note 8 Pro delivers on that front too, with a massive 4500 mAh battery. When you finally run out of juice, there’s 18W fast charging to ensure that you will be back on your feet and winning games in no time. Be it PUBG Mobile, COD Mobile, Mobile Legends, you will be dominating.
King of mid-range gaming phones?

The Redmi Note 8 Pro definitely serves up impressive performance, and it offers the best gaming experience in the mid-range segment. Yes, there’s a headphone jack. With better performance than the fastest mid-range Snapdragon-powered smartphone in the market, this is the go-to mid-range device if you are serious about gaming. Priced from just RM1099, few smartphones can hold a candle to its immense performance in its price range. During the 11.11 sale, you can get the Redmi Note 8 Pro 64GB for just RM999 and get a free 128GB microSD card on top of that, for even more bang for your buck!

If you have a larger budget, you can consider splurging on the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro, which touts a much more powerful Snapdragon 855. Priced from RM1599, the Mi 9T Pro offers even more performance for you to play any game smoothly at their maximum settings.

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While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is shaping up to be a powerful SoC befitting, of next gen Android flagships, it might also cause a huge security scare. Here’s what you need to know.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Could Cause Huge Security Scare for Android Users

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As many of you may know by now, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is an upcoming SoC by Qualcomm that is expected to power plenty of Android flagship smartphones in 2022. It brings a host of new features, including an advanced 5G mobile processor with all-day power support, Wi-Fi 6 / 6E support with multi-gig rates, and more.
However, one particular feature could cause a huge security scare, especially among those who are very particular about privacy, and that is the always-on nature of the front camera. According to Qualcomm Vice President of Product Management, Judd Heape, “Your phone’s front camera is always securely looking for your face, even if you don’t touch it or raise to wake it.”
This will certainly unlock new use cases such as making it easier to unlock your smartphone without picking it up or if your hands are messy. It will work in tandem with the always-on microphone, so you can initiate voice commands like “Hey Google” or “Hi Bixby” with added ease and gives more room for more complex commands.
With that being said, it does sound like it will allow your smartphone, more specifically those who track you through it, to constantly spy on you via the always-on front camera. We’re not claiming that companies will be using it to spy on us, but having the room to do so will leave people with an unsettling feeling.
Ultimately, this will boil down to the level of trust that Android users have with Qualcomm and any companies that can track users via the smartphone. While the added convenience is certainly helpful, whether it’s worth compromising your privacy or not is up to you.

Source
Pokdepinion: We foresee some changes, perhaps in policy, with this feature in the near future. Not only will this ease the worries of Android users, it will also avoid potential abuse by tech companies.
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New iPad Pro Gets Updated with Apple M2 Chip and Apple Pencil Hover

The newly announced iPad Pro updates the 12.9-inch and 11-inch models with the new Apple M2 chip and Apple Pencil hover feature.
New iPad Pro Powered by Apple M2

Apple has officially announced newly updated versions of the 12-inch and 11-inch iPad Pro, and they will be powered by the same Apple M2 chip powering this year’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

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This means that the new iPad Pro models will have an 8-core CPU consisting of 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, a 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine for AI and machine learning. It’s said to have a memory bandwidth of 100MB/s. We’re looking at roughly 35% better graphics, 40% better machine learning, and 50% more memory bandwidth than the Apple M1 chip.
Apart from that, it comes with an updated touchscreen and iPadOS 16, which enables it to support the hover feature with the 2nd gen Apple Pencil. Now, it can detect the Pencil up to 12mm above the display, which gives you more options on actions in supported apps.

For connectivity, it will feature Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G, and USB-C. While the camera itself did not see a change, the new Apple M2 chip lets you use the ProRes encoder so you can record using the codec and transcode it up to 3 times faster. We’re also seeing an upgrade here from Smart HDR 3 to Smart HDR 4.
Retail prices of the new Apple iPad Pro appears to be the same as its predecessors at launch, with the 11-inch variant priced at USD $799 and USD $999 for the Wi-Fi and LTE models respectively. The 12.9-inch variant will be priced at USD $1,099 and USD $1,299 for the Wi-Fi and LTE models respectively. It will be available starting 26th October 2022.
Source
Pokdepinion: The temptation to replace my laptop with this has grown immensely given its portability. Maybe in due time.
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ASUS Announces Another RM1 Frenzy – Promises No More Errors This Time

ASUS has decided to team up with Lazada and hold their RM1 sale for their ZenFone 5 and the ZenFone Max Pro M1 again as a way of making up to those who were disappointed in the previous promo incident.
ASUS x Lazada RM1 Frenzy Round Two
ASUS x Lazada RM1 Zenfone Max Pro M1 and ZenFone 5
Recently, ASUS collaborated with Lazada in offering their Zenfone 5 and Zenfone Max Pro M1 smartphones for customers to purchase them for just RM1. All they needed to do was to wait for the clock to strike 12AM to be eligible to make the purchase, which was only for limited units. Sadly enough, some managed to make purchases before it came to the promo time period.
To make things up, the new RM1 frenzy will commence at 3.00PM on the 24th of July 2018 at ASUS’ Official Store in Lazada. Up for grabs is of course the ZenFone 5 (2x units) which is worth RM1,299 and the ZenFone Max Pro M1 (10x units) that’s worth RM699 each.

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So mark your calendars guys, and get ready to click. It’s not everyday that you get to buy a smartphone for just RM1.
To find out more on the devices, you can also read on our reviews on the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone Max Pro M1 by clicking on their respective links.
Pokdepinion: I kind of pity ASUS because of the treatment that they’ve receive for the previous RM1 sale. It’s not like they were the ones who control the sale. I mean it was put on Lazada’s platform. Oh well, enough whining. For those of you who weren’t lucky enough last time around, this is your chance. Let’s hope they don’t mess up this time though. Good luck people, and get your mouse ready for some serious clicking. Maybe I should get ready to…
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STOP using these five fire hazard extension cords!

Hong Kong’s Electrical and Mechanical Services Department has urged the public to stop using these five extension cords as they pose a fire hazard. The extension cords in question do not comply to the relevant safety regulations due to their thin wires which may overheat quite easily.
The five power socket terminals are the:

Remax RU-S4
LDNIO SC3301
LDNIO SC3604
Unbranded ZGN-T06
Unbranded ZGN-T08

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The LDNIO SC3301 and ZGN-T08 extension cords pose an even larger risk of starting a fire because they do not even feature the necessary fuse in the plug required to prevent overloading. Most of the extension cords feature USB charging ports, which may make them a popular choice for smartphone users.
The authorities recommends consumers to pick extension cords which comply to the British Standards BS 1363 and have wire cores that measure at least 1.25mm². Considering that Hong Kong’s mains electricity standards are similar to ours, Malaysians should also take note of this requirements for their own safety.
Pokdepinion: Definitely going to check if anyone near me uses these extension cords…
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Reward Yourself This Valentine’s Day with Black Desert SEA

Give Yourself Some Self Love with Black Desert SEA!
Image Credit: Black Desert SEA

This Valentine’s Day celebrates Black Desert SEA in an unexpected way. Pearl Abyss recently announced that the open-world MMORPG is having a Valentine’s day event to celebrate and reward their players.
The Valentine’s Day event starts from February 10th to March 9th 2022 through a 60 minutes challenge. Players who have been online in the game for an hour can receive a Box Full O’ Love, which can be claimed up to 10 times a day. After February 16th, players can then use these gift boxes to participate in a special raffle event where you will get a chance to win high-tier rewards like an Epheria Carrack Box, TET (IV) Blackstar Weapon Box, TET (IV) Black Distortion Earring and a Dream Horse Box.
Consolation prizes are also being offered to players who don’t win; you will automatically get Sweet Chocolates, which can be used to exchange Gold Bar Boxes and Advice of Valks. Do note that the reward items aforementioned are only available in limited quantities and can be deemed “SOLD OUT” if the items run out.

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Black Desert SEA: Gyfin Rhasia Temple Revamped

With monsters that is harder to beat, the underground level of the Gyfin Rhasia Temple is now a solo monster zone that is recommended for veteran Adventurers with 300 Optimal AP or higher.
In fights, monsters known as petrified Ancient Weapons surround The Tower of Transfusion as the latter will be the center of the action. To receive an additional buff that will continually deal damage to monsters of the same emotion, players will need to utilise their best strategy tactics to defeat these monsters.
Black Desert SEA is an open-world MMORPG action adventure franchise that is currently available on PC, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Source
Pokdepinion: Whether you are spending Valentine’s Day with a loved one or alone, these rewards (if you play) are sure to bring you joy! Unless you have really bad luck then hmmmm…
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[TGS 2017] Square Enix Announced ‘Left Alive’; From Armored Core’s Director and Metal Gear’s Artist

Square Enix announced a brand new game called Left Alive, with the director from Armored Core and artist from Metal Gear working on it.
Enjoying Tokyo Game Show 2017 so far? Well, it looks like we have a new game to look forward to from Square Enix, with the game’s art looking oddly familiar. Like something from Metal Gear.
Square Enix Announced ‘Left Alive’

Square Enix announced their newest game, Left Alive, during Tokyo Game Show 2017 in a first look teaser trailer. It is a brand-new survival action shooter.

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The trailer opens with a shot of a hotel corridor straight out of The Shining, but instead of a pair of creepy girls, there’s a Christmas tree, and then a series of bullet holes popping into the corridor from an adjacent room. These are followed by an explosive of some kind and half the hotel vanishes, so the camera can pan over a thoroughly ruined cityscape. 3 futuristic helicopters carry mechs across the destruction. The whole scene makes being left alive seem like something more of an achievement.
It was revealed that, Left Alive is currently being worked directed by Toshifumi Nabeshima, who some might know from his other works, Armored Core and Chromehounds.

Also on the team is character design Yoji Shinkawa who has worked on Metal Gear and Zone of the Enders, and Ghost in the Shell: Arise and Mobile Suit Gundam mech designer Takayuki Yanase.
Sadly, not many details were shared in the reveal trailer, but the game seems to feature mechs and a post-apocalyptic world. A speculation might be that this could be apart of the Front Mission series, but we’ll have to wait for further details in the coming days.
Left Alive is coming to the PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam with a release window of 2018. Additionally, Left Alive is confirmed to release outside of Japan so no worries there.

Pokdepinion: When I first saw the game’s art, I really thought it was going to be a new Metal Gear game. Well, I still don’t have much thoughts on this game but it feels like things may get more interesting with the game as more information becomes available.
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Get RM200 Off Voucher This HUAWEI 11.11 Super Sale

HUAWEI Malaysia has kickstarted their HUAWEI 11.11 Super Sale today where you can take advantage of some of their promos to get your favorite HUAWEI products.
HUAWEI 11.11 Super Sale

For one day only (on 11.11 itself), you can get flash deals as low as RM1.10, must buy items, discounts vouchers, and store pick up service. For the flash deals, you can check them below:
ProductPlatformRRPFlash Deal PriceHUAWEI Band 4 StrapHUAWEI Store (10.08am), Lazada, ShopeeRM29RM1.10HUAWEI Watch GTHUAWEI Store (10.08am), Lazada, ShopeeRM799RM211HUAWEI GT ChargerHUAWEI Store (10.08am), Lazada, ShopeeRM39RM11HUAWEI AM61 Sport Bluetooth Earphone LazadaRM205RM11HUAWEI MateBook 13 i5 2019LazadaRM3,999RM2,111HUAWEI Mate 20LazadaRM2,099RM110HUAWEI CM51 SoundStone Portable Bluetooth SpeakerLazadaRM99RM11HUAWEI nova 3iShopeeRM799RM110
Aside from the flash deals, they’ve also got special deals for their latest products at lower prices and freebies happening only on 11 November 2020.

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Don’t forget to claim your RM200 discount voucher from the HUAWEI Store which can be used on selected products from now till the 11th of November itself.
Last but not least, you also stand a chance in winning prizes worth up to RM16,000 which includes the grand prize of a E-Bike ORBIT EB350W while the consolation prize is an E-Scooter Starlight ES200B.
Pokdepinion: RM110 for the HUAWEI Mate 20? That looks like a steal. Fancy something on the list?
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Hands-On: Sony MASTER Series A9F 4K OLED HDR TV Powered by Android

We were invited today for a more intimate hands-on experience with the Sony MASTER Series A9F 4K OLED HDR TV, powered by Android. For those of you who have missed out on that, it is Sony’s premium 4K OLED TV which launched in August of this year, as we reported right here.
At the private demo session, we were greeted with two OLED TVs as well as a QLED TV, with one of them being the Sony MASTER Series A9F. We were shown a myriad of sample videos showcasing some of the major benefits that not only OLED has over QLED TV, but also what the A9F has over a rival OLED TV.

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First things first, we were greeted with the OLED technology which brings the truest black colour. This is made possible thanks to the 8 million self-illuminating pixels which will only be activated when there is something to show. If a particular part is supposed to show nothing (black), the pixel will turn off and thus resulting in a true black colour. This enhances viewing experience as the colours will truly pop on the display, and takes colour contrast to the next level.

When compared to the rival’s OLED TV, there were two key differences. The first is demonstrating the Object-based HDR capabilities of the Sony MASTER Series A9F. It allows for the lighting to be adjusted with pinpoint accuracy which results in improved colours, depth, and texture. How it was demonstrated was simple. A sample video shows birds coming out of a magician’s hat, which can be seen on the A9F but not on the competitor’s OLED TV. It can only be seen when the picture mode is adjusted to a lower quality preset, which Sony as to what’s the point of having a TV if the best setting will have you missing precious details.
The other key difference is with regards to smoothness and clarity. We were shown a sample clip of a ball moving in circles endlessly. On the A9F, it was buttery smooth with no motion blur whatsoever but on the rival OLED TV, it wasn’t as smooth and there was a slight blur during movement. It’s worth noting that the refresh rate of the A9F is 100Hz with no additional features to help boost the refresh rate or clarity in fast-moving visuals.

One major weakness of OLED TVs when compared to QLED TVs is the susceptibility of burnt-in images. If you leave a certain image with a bright light for too long, it will leave an imprint on the screen itself. However, Sony has managed to overcome this weakness as they have a feature called Panel Refresh, which can remove the burnt-in images and restore it to its original condition. It can be done via the Settings menu but Sony advised to only use this feature once a year at most. This feature is said to not affect the lifespan of the TV.

On the audio side of things, we were shown a trailer in 4K resolution for the movie “Alpha”. This trailer was played on all three TVs with an emphasis on sound from the built-in speaker. On the QLED TV as well as the rival OLED TV, the sound was essentially in stereo mode but on the A9F, it was surprisingly wholesome, had a good amount of depth, and had a surround sound feel to it. This was made possible as the Sony MASTER Series A9F has the sound coming from the screen directly to viewers via vibration. Yes, the screen actually vibrates to produce the sounds.
As for viewing non-4K content on the Sony MASTER Series A9F, we watched a 4K video on YouTube which we purposely set to play on 1080p quality to see the 4K upscaler in action. While it will never hold a candle against true 4K video, it was still surprisingly pleasant to watch on the display. Colour quality did not take a hit and the amount of details were still pretty solid. You can only notice some degradation in visuals when the camera is moving but aside from that, it still looks great.

While there was still more that we’d like to try out with the TV, especially for gaming, we didn’t have the time to do so. Perhaps we will get the opportunity to do that another time. For now, it appears that the Sony MASTER Series A9F 4K OLED HDR TV powered by Android is a great TV to have. However, it will cost you quite a bit as it is retailing for RM14,999 for the 55-inch model and RM21,999 for the 65-inch model.
If you’re interested to know more about the TV, click right here.
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The Moto Z3 is Motorola’s latest flagship — first smartphone ever to support 5G networks!

Motorola may not be a a name you link with flagships nowadays. Their presence in Malaysia is pretty much limited to the mid-range, but they still make some pretty amazing phones. Their latest one is the Moto Z3, a flagship that might seem outdated right from the start.

The Moto Z3 is powered by a Snapdragon 835, which was featured in yesteryear’s flagships. But it has a trick up its sleeve. Building upon the Moto Mod ecosystem, the Moto Z3 works with the new 5G Moto Mod. The 5G Moto Mod packs the Snapdragon X50 modem for 5G access on Verizon.

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The smartphone itself is pretty unremarkable. Aside from last year’s chipset, there is only 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. It does run Android 8.1 Oreo, with the promise of an upgrade to Android P in the future. The Max Vision 6″ FHD+ 18:9 AMOLED display at least keeps the device looking rather modern in 2018, thankfully without resorting to a notch. A 3000 mAh battery keeps the lights on in the Moto Z3.
The device can be purchased exclusively via Verizon in Ceramic Black starting 16th August at $480 (~RM1,957). The pricing of the 5G Moto Mod has yet to be revealed, but it will be exclusive to the US when it arrives early 2019. Would you get it if it came to Malaysia?
Pokdepinion: While us Malaysians are still struggling with our quota, the US are advancing their wireless tech to such levels.
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Get more than 1TB of internet for just RM159 with Celcom — Celcom taps 4G network to deliver high speed broadband to homes!

Celcom Home Wireless is Celcom’s latest broadband service which taps their 4G network to deliver high speed internet to your home. Celcom claims that their new service is so easy to setup that even children can set it up to enjoy internet connectivity in mere minutes!
Celcom Home Wireless doesn’t need you to wait for a technician to come to your house to configure connection. Celcom has summed it down to three steps, plug, play and enjoy. You can register for Celcom Home Wireless at any Celcom bluecube or Celcom Certified Partners nationwide.

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Priced starting from RM74.20, users even get a free HUAWEI B618 modem worth RM1500. On top of that, existing Celcom FIRST Gold Plus, Gold Supreme, Platinum and Platinum Plus subscribers will also enjoy a RM15 rebate when they register for Celcom Home Wireless Platinum during the Homedec exhibition which is currently running until 29th April at KLCC Convention Center. For other visitors to Homedec, you also stand a chance to win a 1-year free subscription of Celcom Home Wireless.
To find out more about Celcom Home Wireless, click here. Check Celcom’s 4G coverage here.
Pokdepinion: 1.15TB of data just isn’t enough for a home… But that could just be me.
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Spotify 2020 Wrapped Revealed And Here’s What Gamers Have Been Listening To

Spotify Malaysia has presented us with the top artists, songs, and video game soundtracks globally and in the country that highlights what gamers have been listening to in 2020.
Spotify 2020 Wrapped for console gamers

Spotify has revealed that there’s an increase of nearly 55% in music streaming from gaming consoles over the past year. Of course, this includes both Xbox One and PS4 consoles, which both has Spotify available.

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Without wasting any time, you can check below of what gamer’s (console players) has been listening to the most:
Most Streamed Artists Globally

Juice WRLD
XXXTENTATCION
Travis Scott
Lil Uzi Vert
YoungBoy Never Broke Again

Most Streamed Female Artists Globally

Billie Eilish
Halsey
Ariana Grande
Nicki Minaj
Dua Lipa

Most Streamed Tracks Globally

The Box – Roddy Ricch
Blueberry Faygo – Lil Mosey
goosebumps – Travis Scott
ROCKSTAR – DaBaby feat Roddy Ricch
Falling – Trevor Daniel

Most Streamed Video Game Soundtrack Globally

Minecraft Volume Beta – C418
Doom (Original Game Soundtrack) – Mick Gordon
Death Stranding: Timefall – DEATH STRANDING: Timefall

Malaysia’s Most Streamed Artists

Travis Scott
Juice WRLD
The Weeknd
Post Malone
Justin Bieber

Malaysia’s Most Streamed Tracks

Falling – Trevor Daniel
death bed (coffee for your head) – Powfu, beabadoobee
The Box – Roddy Ricch
ROXANNE – Arizona Zervas
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd

In case you’re wondering on what Malaysians have been listening to in general on Spotify 2020 Wrapped, do check out our previous article right here.
Pokdepinion: Kinda weird seeing a list on ‘gamers’ when it only feature findings for console players..
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PS Plus Users Get Special Bonus for Call of Duty Warzone

Call of Duty Warzone is the latest battle royale game to hit the gaming market. It’s actually an add-on to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare but you can enjoy just the battle royale portion for free. If you’re on the PS4 with an active PS Plus subscription, then you can get something extra.
PS Plus members across the globe get to claim the Call of Duty Warzone Combat Pack DLC for free. It’s a list of items that you can enjoy in the game, both aesthetically and functionally. There are a total of six items in the combat pack, which we’ve listed right below here:
What’s In the Call of Duty Warzone Combat Pack?

1 Operator Skin
1 Weapon Blueprint
1 Double XP Token
1 Calling Card
1 Weapon Charm
1 In-Game Watch

For those of you who aren’t aware, Call of Duty Warzone has 150 players in each game. You will simply have to jump out into the map like your typical battle royale game, with the ultimate goal of survival. You have two game modes; Plunder, where you try your best to earn 1 million cash in a match, and the other being a traditional battle royale game mode.

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If you want to hear our thoughts on the game, click right here.
If you’re a PS Plus user, you simply need to redeem it on the PlayStation Network with your account. If you’re from the Asia region, click right here to redeem it. If you’re from the US / EU, click here instead. Once again, it is available for free with no extra charge for as long as you’re an active PS Plus member.
Do you like the free Combat Pack DLC? Join the discussion right below here:

Pokdepinion: It’s not a game-changing addition but it’s definitely a good addition if you already have a PS Plus subscription and are planning to play the game. See you all on the battlefield.
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Stand A Chance To A Night Out In KL When You Preorder The OPPO R17 Pro

With OPPO still holding their pre-order period for the new OPPO R17 Pro, well you stand a chance in winning a OPPO R17 Pro ‘Seize the night’ bus tour when you book your device.
In addition to the tour, you will also be joined by Syafiq Kyle as well as Youtuber Phei Yong during the bus tour.
A number of 25 people who pre-ordered the OPPO R17 Pro will stand a chance to participate in the campaign. They will have to visit the OPPO Concept Store at Suria KLCC LG3 on the 1st of December 2018, at 6.15pm and show the pre-order payment proof to secure their seats.

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The OPPO R17 Pro retails at RM2,699. If you are interested in pre-ordering the device, you can do so at OPPO Concept Stores, ecommerce partner stores such as Shopee and Lazada, as well as Celcom Blue Cube outlets, Senheng plus senQ outlets
To find out more on the OPPO R17 Pro, you can check out our previous post on the smartphone’s official launch here in Malaysia.
Pokdepinion: To be honest, I don’t know both of the ‘celebrities’ they’ve added to the tour, but maybe I’m just outdated in the local entertainment world.
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Resident Evil 4 Remake’s The Mercenaries DLC Mode Gets April Release Date

The previously announced The Mercenaries DLC mode for Resident Evil 4 Remake finally has an early April release date, as announced in the game’s launch trailer.
Resident Evil 4 Remake Getting The Mercenaries DLC Mode This April 2023

Capcom’s highly anticipated game, Resident Evil 4 Remake, will receive its free DLC, The Mercenaries, on April 7th 2023, as revealed in the game’s launch trailer. While the image accompanying the announcement only depicts Leon fighting against Ganado in the village area, the DLC’s five playable characters and the number of stages remain unknown. The Mercenaries mode first appeared in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis in 1999 and has since been a staple in the franchise, but its iteration in the Resident Evil 4 remake is yet to be detailed.

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There are also rumors of paid DLC coming to Resident Evil 4 Remake in the form of Separate Ways, which made its debut in the 2005 PlayStation 2 re-release. The DLC had players taking control of Ada Wong, providing a different angle to the story and offering more exposition regarding her character. Resident Evil insider and enthusiast Dusk Golem claimed on Twitter that Separate Ways would be a “more extensive” paid DLC, but Capcom is yet to confirm this.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is currently available on Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. The game has been highly anticipated by fans of the Resident Evil franchise, and the announcement of The Mercenaries DLC mode release date will surely add to the excitement.
Source
Pokdepinion: While I personally feel that it didn’t quite nail the same experience as the original, it’s still a pretty fun game. It’s even more fun to watch other people play it so while it’s still trending, go check out your favourite streamers playing this game. I’m sure you’ll have a good laugh from time to time.
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FIFA 19 Continental Cup 2018 Taking Place at Paris Games Week

The folks over at Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that they will be hosting the FIFA 19 Continental Cup 2018 at Paris Games Week from 26th October to 28th October 2018.
There will also be a Continental Cup 2018 Asia Qualifiers tournament where you, yes you, could get the chance to represent the region at Paris Games Week. The qualifiers will be taking place from 6th October to 13th October 2018, and it will be taking place right in the comforts of your own home as it is an online qualifiers.
This is the first official EA Sports FIFA 19 Global Series and a grand opportunity for 32 of the best FIFA players around the world to compete for FIFA 19 Global Series Points. These points can be used for a chance to attend the Global Series Playoffs, along with some cash prizes and a trip to the UEFA Champions League in Madrid, Spain.

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The Continental Cup 2018 will also be livestreamed on Twitch, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook from 26th to 28th October 2018. More details are expected to be released soon so we’ll report it as soon as it becomes available.
If you’re interested in the tournament and would like to know more, click here to head to the official website.
Pokdepinion: Hmm, a chance to go to Paris Games Week, you say? Very tempting.
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HONOR 9X Pro Review — a strong contender

The HONOR 9X came in as the successor of the HONOR 8X, and while it generally was not that big of an upgrade, we now have the HONOR 9X Pro. As you might expect from a device carrying the “Pro” moniker, the HONOR 9X Pro stacks on more features and upgrades the chipset to a Kirin 810 (finally!). With that out of the way, let’s see if the HONOR 9X Pro can actually offer a much needed update to HONOR’s mid-range lineup.
In the Box

The HONOR 9X Pro’s packaging is pretty similar to its non-Pro brethren. There a big product image and the HONOR 9X Pro label is printed under it.

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In the box are pretty much everything you would expect from a mid-range device. A soft case comes standard, as does a pair of really basic wired earphones. I am quite disappointed that they didn’t take the opportunity to include fast charging with the HONOR 9X Pro though, as it shares the same crummy 10W charger that really has no place coming with a “Pro” device.
Appearance

The screen appears to be one and the same as the one in the regular HONOR 9X. It’s pretty large at 6.59″, with very minimal bezels. HONOR pegs the screen-to-body ratio at 92%, and I think they are pretty spot on. This achievement is possible thanks to HONOR hiding away the selfie camera with a pop-up mechanism, similar to the HONOR 9X. With the minimal bezels, the HONOR 9X Pro is quite a compact device for its screen size.

The HONOR 9X Pro gets a much richer back. Not only does it sport a sexy smooth blue-pink gradient (HONOR calls this Phantom Purple) instead of the HONOR 9X’s pixelated back, but it is made of glass. It’s nicely curved and the glass also adds a nice heft to the device, making it feel quite a bit more premium than the plasticky HONOR 9X. And it’s worth mentioning that HONOR still managed to slide in an “X” pattern along with that beautiful gradient, making this one of the most interesting backs ever featured on a HONOR devices yet.

If you were comparing the HONOR 9X versus the HONOR 9X Pro side-by-side, you would have noticed that the HONOR 9X Pro doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor on its back. That’s because they moved it to the side. It also doubles as a power button and sits right under where your thumb should be. I do like that HONOR made the sides matte, although they did make things a bit more interesting by throwing in glossy lines that run around the entire frame of the device.

And here you have the USB-C port, the 3.5mm headphone jack and the mono loudspeaker. Over on the top is the secondary camera and the popup camera. Design wise, HONOR was quite successful at giving it sufficient differentiation from the non-Pro variant, which is always nice to see.
HONOR 9X Pro Specifications

CPU:
Kirin 810 (2 x Cortex-A76 @ 2.27 GHz + 6 x Cortex-A55 @ 1.88 GHz), 7nm FinFET

GPU:
Mali-G52 MP6 @ 820 MHz

RAM:
6GB

Display:
6.59″ FHD+ (2340 x 1080), IPS LCD, 92% screen-to-body ratio

Storage:
256GB UFS 2.1 (expandable via microSD up to 512GB)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
48MP f/1.8 Sony IMX582 + 8MP f/2.4 ultra-wide angle camera + 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
AIS Super Night Mode, AI Camera, AI Video Stabilization, 3D Portrait Lighting, AI Portrait, 1080p60 video
Front Camera
16MP f/2.2
AI Beauty, 3D Portrait Lighting, 1080p30 video

OS:
EMUI 9.1 based on Android 9 Pie

Connectivity:
LTE Band 1/3/5/7/8/20/38/40/41
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 GHz)
Bluetooth 4.2

SIM:
Dual SIM (hybrid dual SIM)

Battery:
Li-Po 4000 mAh (non-removable)
10W charging (USB-C)

Dimensions:
163.5 x 77.3 x 8.8 mm

Weight:
206 g

Ingress protection:
N/A

It is very unfortunate that the HONOR 9X Pro offers no support for NFC or 5 GHz WiFi, as NFC is a key feature to support the HONOR Magic-Link, which will be available in the upcoming HONOR MagicBook. The lack of 5 GHz WiFi is also a sore point considering that it allows for much faster WiFi speeds, perfect to take advantage of the internet speeds we can get in Malaysia today.
Performance
So the HONOR 9X Pro comes with a Kirin 810, which is a pretty beefy chip for a mid-range device. It actually packs sufficient power to nip at the heels of the Kirin 970, which was HUAWEI/HONOR’s flagship chipset back in early 2018, so I would consider it a pretty strong mid-range chipset. We will be comparing the HONOR 9X Pro against more recent devices with more modern chips in the following charts though.

Antutu sees the HONOR 9X Pro pull ahead of all the popular mid-range devices launched in recent times. It is definitely a clear upgrade over the regular HONOR 9X though, with much higher performance.

We see a similar lead in the CPU performance, with the HONOR 9X Pro pulling ahead of the Helio G90T-powered Redmi Note 8 Pro and of course, leaving its non-Pro brethren in the dust.

In 3DMark, the HONOR 9X Pro once again appears as the top dog in the devices compared. At this point it is probably humiliating to even comment on how far behind the HONOR 9X is. The HONOR 9X Pro literally posted nearly 3x higher scores in ES 3.1 than the HONOR 9X.

PCMark is the first time we see it slide down the charts. Perhaps it just isn’t designed for productivity-related workloads? Regardless, the HONOR 9X Pro still delivers a strong showing in this segment.

It also posts nice battery life figures, lasting exactly an hour longer than its non-Pro sibling, despite featuring the same-sized battery. It’s pretty obvious that the Kirin 810 is a massive upgrade over the Kirin 710 by now, with it delivering not only much better performance, but also better battery life.

Its excellent endurance figures also extend into real-world usage. I managed to clock more than two days away from the plug, in addition to The 10W charger added 30% to the tank over 30 minutes connected to the plug. That’s relatively slow, but considering the impressive endurance, I am almost willing to forgive it. It is worth noting that even when I plugged in a faster 40W SuperCharge power adapter, the HONOR 9X Pro didn’t support a faster charging speed, so you are stuck with that 10W charging rate.
          COD Mobile            PUBG Mobile
For gamers, you will be pleased to know that it supports COD Mobile at up to 60 FPS, although PUBG Mobile is stuck at 40 fps even at the lowest graphical settings. It is most likely not a hardware limitation, as the GPU in the Kirin 810 here is actually pretty beefy for a mid-range chip.
User Experience
Another thing I really like about the HONOR 9X Pro is that it comes with a full notchless display, unlike most of its peer in this price range. That allows for a truly unblemished 6.59 inches of viewing area. As mentioned earlier, the slim bezels also make it rather manageable for a device with such a large screen, while the curved back helps it sit more firmly in your palm. It is worth noting that the display is relatively wide though

The screen quality is decent enough, although it is still held back by the usual limitations of an IPS LCD panel, namely the fact that it can’t deliver true blacks and the vividness that OLED panels can. Still, it is a good-enough IPS panel and can go really bright for good visibility outdoors.
Audio gets pumped out via a single loudspeaker, and if you want better sound you will have to plug in some earphones. Thankfully there’s still a headphone jack on the HONOR 9X Pro, just like its lesser brethren offered. If you want to tune up the sound, HONOR also offers you the HUAWEI Histen audio software to tune your sound profile to your liking.

When it comes to the software, you will still find the severely outdated EMUI 9.1. It is still based on Android 9 Pie too. That’s somewhat unfortunate as you even miss out on essentials like Dark Mode. There really is no reason for HONOR to release a device in 2020 with EMUI 9.1, so hopefully they will release an update to bring the HONOR 9X Pro up to speed.

As the HONOR 9X Pro still runs EMUI 9.1, the camera UI is also outdated. But you do get features like the Super Night Mode and also 48MP AI Super Clarity, so while the UI is outdated, its feature set isn’t.
          Main camera (Auto)            Ultra-wide (Auto)          Ultra-wide (Auto)              Main camera (Auto)            Main camera (Auto)            Ultra-wide (Auto)              Main camera (Night)          Main camera (Auto)            Ultra-wide (Auto)              Main camera (Night)            Main camera (Night)              Main camera (Night)            Selfie          Main camera (Auto)              Ultra-wide (Auto)            Main camera (Night)
Results are decent, but the ultra-wide camera’s images are a bit on the soft side. Even the main camera doesn’t take all that sharp images under good lighting, which I do believe to be an issue with the image processing algorithm, rather than the hardware here. Night mode is available only for the main camera, which is unfortunate, as the ultra-wide angle could definitely do with some help in the low-light department. The selfie camera’s Beauty mode game is strong, and I look quite flawless. Not exactly my thing but if you are into that sort of look where your skin looks smooth and your eyes shiny, it will definitely do a good job. You can check out the full-sized shots on Google Photos.
Conclusion
The HONOR 9X Pro was exactly what I hoped the HONOR 9X was: a good mid-range flagship with good performance across the board and a nice camera. HONOR definitely delivered on that, although I do wish that they released the Magic UI 3.0 update for it before it was launched.

There are probably devices at this price that offer faster charging, or better cameras too, but if you want a device with chart-topping performance and an expansive display for gaming, the HONOR 9X Pro takes the cake. For RM999, it definitely offers strong performance under the hood, although it does have its fair share of drawbacks too.

Our thanks to HONOR Malaysia for sending us the HONOR 9X Pro for review.
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Google Stadia Lets You Game at 4K 60FPS on Any Device with Google Chrome

During GDC 2019, Google CEO Sundar Pichai when on stage to announce their latest initiative geared towards the gaming industry. It is the game streaming service known as Google Stadia, which is set to launch later this year.
Google Stadia is a game streaming service which will allow gamers to ditch their expensive gaming PCs and game on pretty much any device that has the Google Chrome browser as well as internet connection. This includes, desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and even some TVs. It is said that this will work across platforms as well. The idea here is to make gaming convenient for everyone and it can be as easy as clicking a “Play Now” button on YouTube to start gaming, no downloads / installations required.

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This isn’t exactly a surprise as not long ago, Google ran a pilot program for Project Stream where gamers stream Assasin’s Creed Odyssey running at Full HD 60 FPS through their browser. With the use of Cloud Computing on the rise, it’s no surprise to see Cloud Gaming just on the horizon.

It is said that Google Stadia will support 4K at 60 FPS, HDR, and surround sound when it’s launched. Interestingly, they are currently working on 8K 120 FPS support which will appear sometime in “the future.” AMD has partnered up with to create a custom high-end GPU which is said to be capable of 10.7 teraflops. This dwarfs the output for both the PS4 Pro and Xbox One, which is listed as 4.2 and 6 teraflops respectively.
At the moment, there are still plenty of details that are missing. We expect to hear more on potential latency issues, release date, and pricing in the near future. For now, Google mentioned that they’ll have more to share at their I/O developer conference.
Pokdepinion: This would let me game on-the-go with some rather light hardware, provided the internet speed is fast and reliable enough, and that is great.
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