ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 Review (ZB602KL) – A new way of saying “That’s What She Said!”

Introduction

ASUS ZenFone series made very powerful headlines when it was first launched in 2014 as it was deemed as one of the most affordable device in its time. A year later, in 2015, ASUS launched their ASUS ZenFone 2 that made plenty of heads turn but timidly, an odd device was introduced; the ASUS ZenFone Max. It didn’t had a home of it’s own and was not given the generation’s “2” coefficient. Being the world’s first 5000mAh battery smartphone, the ASUS ZenFone Max surprisingly obtained a very warm welcoming despite being a black sheep of the family.
In fact, the following year, ASUS gave it a home to belong with the 2016’s ASUS ZenFone 3 generation, now calling it ASUS ZenFone 3 Max, bearing the coefficient. The Max was getting enough love to even begin spotting a fingerprint sensor in this generation, which was the “in” thing. Subsequently, the following year was the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max’s year bringing dual cameras to scene. At this point, the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max was probably the only device that was selling like hot cakes with the ASUS ZenFone 4 being undersold due to its pretty bad pricing. Not that the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max didn’t get it’s fair share of the backlash, but it survived better than other ZenFone 4 devices.
With success after success, the ASUS ZenFone Max had now matured and become the hottest selling device of the brand. In fact, it became the first ever ZenFone to be upgraded further, given a totally independent line-up of its own, leaving it’s elder siblings behind, introducing the ASUS ZenFone Max Plus M1. The M1 moniker now belongs to the ZenFone Max series and following the full view ASUS ZenFone Max Plus M1 that we reviewed previously, now comes the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1. With all the greatness that it has brought over the years, what does it have up its sleeve this year?

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Note: To those asking about a comparison of the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, we will be doing the in-depth comparison test very soon.
Unboxing the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1

So we made an unboxing video for your viewing pleasure. The package includes the device, earphones, 5V/2A charger, Micro USB charging cable, sim ejector, manual and documentations. Like most of the new ZenFone devices, this one comes with a protective case (missing in our video but it will be available in the production unit).
Appearance
There is no doubt that the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 design language has been consistent throughout the years. Why would it not be? It’s functional, feels great in palms, it just works! This time around, the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 looks pretty similar to its elder sibling, the ASUS ZenFone Max Plus M1, but yet vastly different. But before we dive into the looks, I couldn’t help but have a special mention about the packaging.

It certainly reminds you of the Red Bull brand identity. The blue and grey blend separated with the white lining creates a very powerfully vibrant impact, you just can’t miss it. Like they say, the toughest designs are usually the simplest. Now let’s move on to the device itself.

Pulling out the device from the box, with it turned off, it looks like a black slab full of surprises that its about to unfold. In fact, the only prominent thing that you would see here is the earpiece at the top and the camera next to it. But let’s have a close look at this side.

Hidden under the glass are actually the brightness control sensors and a status LED that indicates charging and notifications. This is important to specify and I will unfold more on this later in the User Experience section below. For now, let’s peek on the other sides of the device.

The back of the device is somehow “separated” by the metal sheet to give it slight hue outlook. You could notice that there are no antenna lines here which is now a 2017 thingy. At the top left, ASUS has decided to go with a vertical dual camera setup, donning an LED flash under it. Centred to the block at 1/4th of the device sits the fingerprint sensor with the ASUS emblem gracefully sitting under it. It’s neat. It’s really neat!

Top of the device is is blank with only the secondary microphone enjoying the full spot. Truth be told, I don’t really fancy seeing anything trays or buttons on this side of the device but that’s just my personal opinion.

The left side of the device spots the Dual SIM + MicroSD tray that I will elaborate later on. You can clearly see the separated metal sheet giving a very nice finishing at this angle.

The bottom of the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 is what I deem complete. The 3.5mm Auxiliary jack is present for your music pleasure, followed by the microphone. ASUS decided to use Micro USB on this low-range device and next to it is the loudspeaker which in itself has something exciting underneath it. More on this later.

Finally, the right facade is where you will find your necessary functional buttons. The volume rocker sits at the top while the power button graces next to it. As we know, ASUS is pretty particular about the little details of the device, so let’s give this one a more detailed look.

If you have been an avid fan of ASUS product, the concentric circle design is just as much attention to detail that ASUS puts into their Zen devices. Whether it’s the ZenBook, or the ZenFone, this concentric design has almost never managed to escape and it’s even present on this under-RM1000 device too. Since the concentric design is not present on the volume rocker, just by gently swiping your finger on either buttons will immediately give you the sensation of which button you are touching.
If you are following this far, I think we can agree that the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 is nothing short of a beautiful piece of hardware. But beauty is meaningless if it’s not coupled with a proper hardware under the hood. So let’s see what does it carry under all that fluff.
Here’s a promotional video:

Specifications

CPU/Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Octacore 1.80GHz with Kryo 260 architecture, 14nm

GPU:
Qualcomm Adreno 509

RAM:
3GB LPDDR4X

Display:
6.0″, FHD+ (2160×1080) 18:9 Full View IPS display, 1500:1 contrast ratio, 85% NTSC color gamut, 450 nits, 404ppi, 10-points multi-touch

Storage:
32GB eMCP 5.1 (expandable via microSD up to 2TB) + 100GB Google Drive storage upgrade for 1 year

Camera:
Main Rear Camera
13MP f/2.0, PDAF
Single LED flash, 4K video
Second Rear Camera
5MP bokeh camera for depth-of-field
Front Camera
16MP with Softlight LED flash

OS:
Stock Android Oreo 8.1

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz) with Wi-Fi Direct
Bluetooth 5.0 with HID
GSM, WCDMA, FDD-LTE (Bands 1/3/5/7/8/20), TD-LTE (Band 40), VoLTE

SIM:
Dual nanoSIM + Dedicated MicroSD slot

Battery:
5000 mAh (non-removable)

Weight:
180 g

These specifications are not to be fooled around. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 is touted to be the best SoC for smartphones this year as it becomes the most widely used CPU across various brands. The biggest highlight this could bring to the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 is definitely the coupling with LPDDR4X RAM which is going to bring some serious improvements compared to its past generations. The Stock Android is not to be confused with AndroidOne program as ASUS decided not to part in Google’s program, but at the same time delivering stock UI experience to the users. Lack of ZenUI is definitely going to be missed, but it trades the extra performance juice definitely.
Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 clocked at 1.8GHz bears 4 performance cores and 4 power saving cores constructed around 14nm lithography which used to be something that was once hogged by the high-end smartphone devices. If you are just a couple of generations behind, this will be a massive upgrade without burning your pockets, that’s for sure.

On Antutu v6, clocking over 93K score puts the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 ahead of its once powerful Snapdragon 65x series CPU which is something brag-worthy! But having just a powerful SoC is not going to cut the deal here.

On the Geekbench, things look even more promising. On single core test, it puts a very competitive fight against most previous generation Snapdragon CPUs but on multi cores test, the Snapdragon 636 definitely reigned supreme with a very close catch up with the Snapdragon 625 powered ASUS ZenFone 3!

Let’s put the GPU to test now and see how it fares against the rest. As you can see, the Adreno 509 surely lives up to its prowess putting the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 ahead of the game pretty well. In fact, even the ASUS ZenFone 4 was nothing significant of a rival to the new generation SD636. At this point of time, ES3.1 is becoming more important and the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 is definitely a device that satisfies most OpenGL needs. Gaming on this device should be pretty decent!

Here’s a practical and my favourite test – putting the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 to work. It managed to score 5919 which makes it a very practical device for productivity. In fact, it literally beat my current daily driver, the ASUS ZenFone AR which is running on Snapdragon 821! All this while bearing a much wider display! The scores don’t lie~

Finally, the test that most of you are actually looking out for if you have your eyes on the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 – the battery test! We put it against most of the 5000 mAh devices and the only device we had that was very slightly above it was the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom but that’s 2 generations behind and much have changed even in the latest Operating System optimisation now. At 12 hours 33 minutes with full time display on and on-going activity, ASUS was not lying when they said that you can carry this device without worrying about running out of juice – even if you’re playing games on it!
User Experience
So how does it feel like using the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1? This device is so affordable, you probably would doubt it’s capabilities, but let me tell you this, I was given shocks after shocks as I used this device for well over a week. There are drawbacks too, but nothing that hinders the overall experience. Ahead!

The first thing that you can not miss out on is the SIM tray on the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1. It comes with a dual-SIM plus Micro SD card slot that supports up to 2TB storage. This is the most handy feature of the device as you no longer have to choose between using a second SIM and more storage. It also holds everything in one tray so you wouldn’t giveaway Micro SD card when selling device just because you forgot to remove it. Trust me, this has happened in our realm at Pokde.net :P

Turning on the device, you are introduced with the super crisp 5.99″ display with FHD+ resolution. This is probably the most surprising moment I had ever since using the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1. The display is very beautiful! In fact, it doesn’t look like this device even belongs in the tier it says it is. Let me give you a clearer view of how beautiful the display is.

Just look at the fonts, icons and the clear rendering. It just couldn’t get better than this. This, comes at no surprise though because the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 is the only device in its class that has a 1500:1 contrast ratio. Most rivals would tout a 1000:1 contrast which really brings a very big difference. That’s not all, the 450 nits brightness and the 404 ppi pixel density does additional justice in delivering the vivid finishing. The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 provides plenty of customisation to the display and my favourite one is the font size. If you set it to the smallest font, on most devices, the text starts getting jagged, but on the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1? I took the image above for your viewing pleasure, you be the judge ;)

There is only one issue that I had with the display though, and it’s more of a software problem. Remember I mentioned about the brightness control sensor for adaptive display brightness? I almost thought the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 didn’t had the feature because the “Auto” button is missing in the slider above the notification tray. At 5000 mAh battery, you have so much juice that pushing the brightness on and off becomes pretty addictive and the missing button slowly becomes a nuisance as you have to dig further into the Android settings to enable and disable this.

Speaking of battery, I’ve been using the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 as my daily driver for the past one week, out of which the first day was totally used to charge and discharge it for synthetic benchmarking. Since then, I only charged this device one which was 2 days ago of writing this review and I have had well over 7 hours of Screen-On-Time (SOT) since then, and I’m still running at 30% juice without gaming. The battery on this device is insane! Sure the device lasts really long, but charging it can be a pain as it doesn’t support quick charging and filling up a 5000 mAh on a slow charging is a curse I wouldn’t even lay upon my worst enemies. Then again, an overnight charge is pretty much more than enough to wake up to a full battery and I don’t really see why would you need to charge this phone in the mid-day. At all!

ASUS has been marketing the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 as “Limitless Gaming” device, so we definitely had to take it up for a spin. Currently, I believe the most device hogging game of all time is the Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG) which has very resource intensive graphics. PUBG suggested that I set the graphics to “Medium” based on it’s prediction, but I kicked it up to “High” and “HD” (which was the highest because HDR is not yet available for the ZenFone Max Pro M1 and the Ultra HD is not yet available at the time of writing). I mean, if it’s a limitess gaming device, I’d put it to the highest test and that’s all I would care about. How does it fare?
Well, I was able to get pretty decent performance out of it. In fact, the ZenFone Max Pro M1 barely struggled even at the highest settings I could set it at! But even more important than that, one game later, you could barely feel the heat at the back of the device. It gets very slightly warm, and feels very comfortable to hold while gaming. I’m just as surprised as you because ASUS is otherwise very well known to overheat, but this time, they really made a very good device!

Let’s talk about the camera. The main camera is a 16MP f/2.2 with phase detection auto focus. The dual camera setup doesn’t allow you to switch between the two lenses because the secondary camera functions as the depth sensor. It provides the bokeh effect for when you need to take portrait photographs. If you ask me, unless you take plenty of portraits, you wouldn’t really find the need for having the second sensor at all, but I suppose ASUS wants to focus on as large demographics as possible. The camera application itself was developed by Qualcomm themselves, called the “Snapdragon Camera App” and it looks very different from the past ZenFone cameras. This also means, Pixel Master is out of question.
Here are some raw shot for your pleasure:

The camera does take good pictures. Even in low light conditions, it thrives well. I only had one problem with it. The PDAF can be very hard to tame as the detection area is pretty huge and it struggles to focus on the object that you are trying to make it do. In fact, at times, because the shutter is so fast, it ends up focusing on the wrong object right before you hit the shutter. Then again, once you use it for a while, you do get a hang of it but it does require some practising.

One thing I liked about the Snapdragon camera is that the options appear on a single page without having to scroll the menu and it’s rather friendly to use. It also provides plenty of effects to fit your photography needs but don’t expect the Pro mode here.

Security wise, you have the option between face unlock, fingerprint, and it also comes with Smart Lock to keep it unlocked when it’s safe with you by recognizing signals like when your device is in your pocket or near your home. Over time using it, I realized that the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 doesn’t have quick apps killing in its multi-tasking option and the memory clearing option is also missing. Although 3GB of RAM should be sufficient for your daily tasks, it’s nice to have these little features especially considering the ZenFone Max Pro M1 comes with stock Android.

Finally, another thing that I really appreciate on the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 has to be the speaker. ASUS has implemented their signature five magnet speakers into it that blows the sound pressure level (SPL) to a whopping 93 dB which is awesomely loud! Now this is something that I will let you have an experience on your own because this will not go unnoticed, I assure you.

Do watch this space as we are about to take the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 head to head against its rival of the year, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. We know you want us to, and we will be providing even more examples in that article later on. Stay tuned!
Conclusion
The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 definitely has delivered more surprises than I expected. What I really cannot understand is how did ASUS managed to cramp in so much goodness and still keep the price at RM699 as its SRP. What I can definitely say, is that ASUS is making a big comeback this year and the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 might just end up being the most wanted device this year. Bigger, Harder, Longer Lasting, Better Looking, Quicker, Cheaper. That’s what she said!

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Apex Legends Season 15 Will See New Broken Moon Map

The leaks were true after all as the new Broken Moon map has been confirmed to arrive in the upcoming Apex Legends Season 15 update.
Apex Legends Season 15: Broken Moon

Apex Legends Season 15, titled “Eclipse”, will be arriving on 1st November 2022. We will be getting the highly anticipated Legend “Catalyst” along with a new battle pass, the addition of a gifting system, and a new map known Broken Moon.
What’s interesting about the Broken Moon map is a new mode of transportation known as Zip Rails. It’s similar to Zip Lines except that it’s much faster and covers longer distances. It can be both vertical and horizontal, with the ability to use weapons retained while in use.

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The Broken Moon map in Apex Legends will be large with 14 points of interest with a variety of terrains. Unlike Storm Point, there isn’t much focus on verticality here. Here are all the points of interests in the new map:

Terraformer
Stasis Net Array
Atmostation and Backup Atmo
Perpetual Core
Bionomics
The Divide
Alpha Base
Eternal Gardens
Breaker Wharf
Production Yard
The Foundry
Dry Gluch
Cultivation
Promenades

Once again, Apex Legends Season 15 “Eclipse” will be arriving on 1st November 2022 on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
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Pokdepinion: This may very well be the best season in the game yet, especially given how the rank split is going to be like. I just hope the serves have improved significantly.
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Black Shark 2 Listed On Geekbench — Coming With Latest Snapdragon 855 With 12GB RAM

It seems that Xiaomi will be continuing their gaming smartphone lineup with the new Black Shark 2, which was spotted at Geekbench.

Thanks to the platform we now know that the device will be fitted in with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset and is set to pack 12GB RAM.

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On the benchmark, the phone is referred to as “blackshark AAA”. As what you’d expect from a new device, it will run on Android 9 Pie out of the box. In addition, it scored 3,516 on single core and 11,413 on multi-core tests.
While there hasn’t been any confirmation of an official launch date of the device, they have confirm that the Black Shark 2 will come with a new liquid cooling technology that’s called Liquid Cool 3.0.
Pokdepinion: Hopefully it’ll make its way here to Malaysia. Seeing how popular the previous model was, it’s sure to attract some attention in the market (if the price is right, of course).
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Assassin’s Creed Rebellion Officially Launched for iOS and Android

The folks over at Ubisoft has officially announced a brand new mobile game for gamers to enjoy, and it’s Assassin’s Creed Rebellion. The game is a mix between strategy and RPG set in the Assassin’s Creed universe. The best part here is that the game is free.
Assassin’s Creed Rebellion is, set in Spain during the height of the Inquisition. Players wiill manage their own fortress and forge their own Brotherhood by recruiting and training more a number of Assassins. As they upgrade skills and become more powerful, players will spark the rebellion against the Templars and take on missions with custom teams of three Assassins from their Brotherhood.
With multiple combat styles, players can tackle missions in various ways by utilizing stealth, assassinating or directly attacking the Templars to weaken their oppressive grip on Spain and put an end to their reign.

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Assassin’s Creed Rebellion was developed by Behaviour Interactive, in collaboration with Ubisoft Montreal. It is said to be a completely new experience for the series as it allows players to engage with fan favorite Assassins from different eras. This includes the likes of Ezio Auditore, Aguilar, Shao Jun, Claudia and Machiavelli.
It’s also expected to have more than 20 new unlockable characters created exclusively for the game. Players will explore different settings from the franchise during time-limited events, including Ancient Greece in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, to compete with other players in the event leaderboard and to earn exclusive new heroes.
Assassin’s Creed Rebellion is now available for both Android and iOS for free. If you want to download the game and give it a try, click right here to head to the Google Play Store, and click here instead to head to the Apple App Store.
Pokdepinion: I’ve never downloaded a mobile game so fast in my life. Guess I know what I’ll be doing in my spare time.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 Won’t Feature Built-in S Pen Slot, Here’s Why

Despite rumours suggesting otherwise last year, it appears that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 will not be coming with a built-in S Pen slot.
No S Pen Slot for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

According to a recent report from South Korea, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 will not come with a built-in S Pen slot, despite some earlier rumors. Apparently, Samsung did consider adding a slot for the S Pen during the design phase, but ultimately decided against it, as it would have made the device too thick.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is said to feature a new hinge design that will minimize the crease, as well as a different internal arrangement that would not allow for an S Pen slot. Although Samsung had thought about creating a slimmer S Pen for the Galaxy Z Fold5, the company ultimately decided against it, as it would have compromised the writing experience.

However, Samsung is reportedly working on a thinner S Pen that will not affect the stylus experience, and this new stylus could be available in time for the Galaxy Z Fold6. This means that while the Z Fold5 will not have a built-in S Pen slot, the device will still offer an excellent foldable smartphone experience, with improved hinge design and internal arrangement.
In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 will not feature a built-in S Pen slot, but the device will still offer an impressive folding smartphone experience. Meanwhile, Samsung is actively working on a thinner S Pen that will not compromise the stylus experience, which could be available for the Galaxy Z Fold6.
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Pokdepinion: I suppose it is rather difficult to be able to include an S Pen slot without making it too big since people were already complaining about its thickness. Maintaining it could come at the cost of battery life, which many will also be upset with.
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Acer Malaysia Launches Acer Triton 900 Gaming Laptop

One of the most innovative designs for a gaming laptop ever produced by Acer, the Predator Triton 900 has officially launched in Malaysia today.
This gaming laptop has one discernible feature that really makes it stand out from the competition, the CNC-machined Ezel Aero Hinge. It allows the Predator Triton 900 to flip, extend, and recline the 17.3-inch display. This especially useful as it is a touchscreen display and gives consumers more versatility in how they want to use the machine.

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It’s no slouch in the performance section either as it’s powered by the 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H and NVIDIA Geforce RTX 2080 GPU. As for memory, we have 16GB DDR4 RAM (2 x 8GB) and two 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD in RAID 0 configuration. There’s even more space to upgrade this isn’t enough for you.
Ezel Aero Hinge
To help simplify things for you, the PredatorSense application will allow you to customize your game profiles, customize your settings, overclock, and more. But wait, there’s more. You can now do this via a smartphone app, which will also show the data in real-time.
For a more detailed look into the Acer Predator Triton 900 gaming laptop, check out the specifications right below here:
Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-9750H (6C / 12T @ up to 4.5 GHz), 12M Cache, 45W TDP, 14nm

RAM
16GB 2666MHz DDR4

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 8GB GDDR6

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

Display
17.3″ 4K UHD (3840 X 2160) 144Hz IPS display with G-Sync, Ezel Aero Hinge

Keyboard
Chiclet Keyboard with NKRO, Per-Key RGB and Aura Sync

Connectivity
Wireless:
802.11ac (2×2) Wave 2 Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 5.0
I/O:
2 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 2
2 x Type-C Gen 2
1 x Kensington Lock
1 x DisplayPort
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x RJ45 LAN
1 x SD card reader
1 x Proprietary Charging Port

Audio
2 x Speakers with Smart AMP technology
1 x Audio Jack
1 x Mic Jack
Array Microphones

Power
76 WHrs, 4-cell Li-Ion Battery, 230W Power Adapter
Supports Type-C PD up to 65W

Dimensions
428 x 303 x 23.8 mm (W x D x H)

The Acer Predator Triton 900 will be retailing for RM15,999 with a 2-year warranty + Accidental Damage / Theft protection. It will be available from today onwards at all Acer authorized retailers nationwide and Acer official online stores.
Pokdepinion: Seems like a good desktop replacement but definitely not something I’d want to bring around often because of the weight.
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AMD Unveils EPYC Datacenter and Radeon Instinct – A Record Setting Performance!

AMD, with their server customers and partners, launched their new EPYC 7000 series of high-performance datacenter processors and Radeon Instinct accelerators. Here’s what we have gathered so far.

The innovative AMD EPYC design, delivers great performance with up to 32 high-performance “Zen” cores and an unparalleled feature set. It delivers when dealing with a full range of integer, floating point, memory bandwidth, and I/O benchmarks and workloads.

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Here are some of the overviews of the EPYC;

A highly scalable System on Chip (SoC) design ranging from 8-core to 32-core, supporting two high-performance threads per core.
Industry-leading memory bandwidth across the line-up, with 8 channels of memory on every EPYC device. In a two-socket server, support for up to 32 DIMMS of DDR4 on 16 memory channels, delivering up to 4 terabytes of total memory capacity.
Unprecedented support for integrated, high-speed I/O with 128 lanes of PCIe® 3 on every product
A highly-optimized cache structure for high-performance, energy efficient compute
AMD Infinity Fabric coherent interconnect linking EPYC CPUs in a two-socket system
Dedicated security hardware.

With our EPYC family of processors, AMD is delivering industry-leading performance on critical enterprise, cloud, and machine intelligence workloads. EPYC processors offer uncompromising performance for single-socket systems while scaling dual-socket server performance to new heights, outperforming the competition at every price point. We are proud to bring choice and innovation back to the datacenter with the strong support of our global ecosystem partners.  Lisa Su, president and CEO, AMD
On top of that, AMD also announce that they are planning on launching a new generation of instinctive computing with its release of Radeon Instinct accelerators.

With Radeon Instinct MI25, Radeon Instinct MI8, and Radeon Instinct MI6, these new line of GPU server accelerators aims to increase performance, efficiency, and ease of implementation, to speed through deep learning inference and training to accelerate the to machine intelligence.
Pokdepinion: It’s exciting to see the technology of tomorrow, today. One could imagine what AMD has in-store for us in the future.

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Nintendo Switch Production Cutting Down So It Will Be Harder to Buy One

Despite the massive popularity of the game system, the Nintendo Switch will see a cut down in production, which means it’s going to be harder to purchase brand new units. Here’s what went down.
Nintendo Switch Production Cutting Down

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The Nintendo Switch will see a cut down in production by roughly 20% for its fiscal year which ends in March 2022. The reason for this is due to the global chip supply shortage, which proves that even a company like Nintendo isn’t immune to it.
Based on a report by Nikkei, their original production goal for this year and has since adjusted their estimations down from 30 million units to 24 million. In case you’re wondering, the reduction in its production has nothing to do with sales as it’s doing very well, now selling over 90 million units worldwide since its launch in 2017.
As for how long the global chip supply shortage will affect them is unknown since it’s affecting virtually every company that deals with electronics, from cars to smartphones and everything in between. Highly likely, the Nintendo Switch did fine until now as they’ve already had an established supply chance given how long they’ve been in business.
If you plan on getting a new Nintendo Switch, it might be a little tricky but should still be relatively okay since it’s not a brand new console. Perhaps the OLED variant might be harder to get but the base model should still be easy to find. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: Well, I already have one so I don’t mind much but if you haven’t yet, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I doubt it will be as hard to get compared to the PS5 or Xbox Series X.
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HyperX Elite Cup Kicks Off With $6,000

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston has today announced the HyperX Elite Cup, which will see players fight in PUBG Mobile across Southeast Asia.
HyperX Elite Cup
The HyperX Elite Cup is their first PUBG Mobile Tournament across Southeast Asia, where it features 640 registered teams who will vie for the grand prize worth $6,000 (~RM24,301) in a six-day format.
Players from Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia will have the chance to compete with each other online till the last team is left standing.

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Hyper X Elite Cup will be hosted on ESPL’s online platform where qualifiers for the tournament starts from today till the 30th of December 2020. Meanwhile the Semi-Finals and Grand Finals will be live-streamed at ESPL’s and HyperX’s channel on the 2nd and 3rd of January 2021.
Aside from that, from now till the 2nd of January 2021, HyperX is offering customers a RM25 voucher when you purchase any of their peripherals that’s over RM200. You might want to act quickly however as there’s limited amounts of vouchers.
Pokdepinion: I guess it’s something if you’re a big fan of PUBG Mobile. Don’t forget to take advantage of that RM25 voucher if you’re planning to get one of their eligible peripherals!
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Celebrate Acer Day 2022 with This Year’s Theme: “Make Your Green Mark”

The annual Acer Day celebration is returning, with a special lineup of entertainment, sales specials, rewards, and activities for everyone. This year’s theme, “Make Your Green Mark“, showcases Acer’s environmentalism by reigniting its enthusiasm for sustainable practices and serves as a reminder of the collaborative efforts required to make a “green mark.”

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Acer urges Malaysians to engage in the sustainability effort and “Make Your Green Mark” by reducing, reusing, and recycling on Acer Day 2022. Acer encourages Malaysians to bring at least five empty, clean PET plastic bottles to the event in Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Acer concept stores, or Acer office in the Klang Valley and be rewarded with RM5 Touch ‘n Go eWallet credit. The programme will run from 21 July to 7 August 2022, and the collected PET plastic bottles will be recycled after the event.
As every action, no matter how little or large, matters in sustainability, Acer aims to assist Malaysians to kick-start their sustainability habits with a 21-day challenge that walks participants through numerous tasks that might help them reduce, reuse, and recycle. Participants who complete the tasks will be entered to win an Aspire Vero.
Not only that, Acer Malaysia will host a 5-day roadshow in Pavilion Bukit Jalil beginning on 3 August 2022 as part of this year’s celebrations. It includes a trade-in programme for both functional and non-working tablets, laptops, desktops, and AIOs, as well as a cash reimbursement of up to RM500 for an Aspire Vero.

Acer will offer a flash sale at the Acer Day roadshow on 7 August 2022, adding to the excitement. The table below highlights a few flash sales specials, with discounts ranging from 15% to a stunning 90% off certain goods.

Item(s)
Suggested Retail Price (RM)
Flash Sales Price (RM)

Aspire 3 (A314-35-C1E0, A314-35-C3ZU)
RM1,699
RM999

Nitro 5 (AN515-45-R49W)
RM9,199
RM7,699

Predator X28
RM3,699
RM2,499

acerpure cool C1
RM1,299
RM399

ConceptD 3 Ezel Pro C315-72P-7735
RM8,699
RM6,999

Predator Gaming Chair (Blue Accent) LK2341
RM1,299
RM499

In addition to the flash sale offer, the first 100 flash sale buyers will have the opportunity to take home select goods at exceptional discounts, such as up to 90% or RM3,400 off an Acer Nitro 5 or an acerpure Cozy air circulator for just RM19.90.

Item(s)
Suggested Retail Price (RM)
Flash Sales Price (RM)

Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-45-R9NK)
RM3,799
RM399

Acer Aspire 3 (A315-35-P9D3)
RM1,799
RM199

Acer Aspire C22 (C22-1600-4505W11)
RM1,999
RM599

EI242QRP – 165Hz
RM679
RM299

KA220HQ
RM419
RM99

acerpure Cozy F1
RM599
RM19.90

Acer Thin & Light USB Wireless Mouse
RM99
RM1

Predator Mouse Pad M Size
RM89
RM1

Predator Bomber Jacket
RM299
RM9.90

Predator Reflective Tshirt
RM89
FREE

Predator Snapback Cap
RM8
FREE

Customers who are unable to attend the roadshow in person will be able to participate in a Shopee SuperBrand Day on 3 August 2022, which will provide extra discounts and free presents to Malaysians.
Additional up to RM500 off vouchers are available for Shopee users, and consumers may also receive free presents worth up to RM567 that will be shipped straight to them and redeemed through Acer’s redemption website.
Acer Malaysia will be collaborating with APE Malaysia to plant a tree for every purchase of select Acer products from 3 August 2022 to 30 September 2022. Eligible consumers only need to register at this website to obtain an e-certificate for the tree planted in their honour. The trees will be planted in Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, to support species such as Bornean orangutans and Borneo Pygmy Elephants.
Acer Day 2022 Personalities and Advocates

The Acer Day 2022 manifesto video, which features 18 people from seven different regions, will be released on 3 August 2022, at 8:00 PM UTC+8.
Malaysia’s Mei Yan, the top Chinese-language breakfast radio programme announcer is currently active in raising environmental awareness and setting a good role model for her children.
India’s Pankti Pandey, a zero-waste advocate and TEDx Speaker and Indonesian musicians Muhammad Pradana Budiarto and Ayudia C, want to inspire entrepreneurs and start the #SayangBumi greener lifestyle.
Vietnam’s Duong Thu Thao, a young and dynamic nature lover who practises small sustainable actions on a daily basis and Thailand’s Phakin Khamwilaisak, a leading musician and actor who has recently launched an environmental project called “Keb Ruk” will also be participating in this event.
Taiwan’s Atom Boyz-Earth, one of the most popular groups among the younger generation and Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo, Esports queen Alodia Gosiengfiao, and P-pop boy band phenomenon, SB19 are among the Philippines’ Acer Day ambassadors.
All of the Acer Day 2022 celebrities are ardent environmental conservationists who have had a good effect on the global young in their own unique ways.
For additional information, go to Acer Malaysia’s official Facebook page to learn more about Acer Day 2022.
Pokdepinion: Acer making the green initiative to help out the environment while also rewarding us and teaching us about recycling and sustainability.
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The New Razer Kraken V3 X Is Now Available At RM399

Razer has recently announced the release of the new Razer Kraken V3 X gaming headset where the company claims to offer ultra-light comfort for an immersive audio experience.
Razer Kraken V3 X now available

With the Razer Kraken V3 X, it takes cues from their previous Kraken X, designed for prolonged use and improved comfort as well as upgraded audio drivers. Equipped with Razer TriForce 40mm Drivers, which was introduced back when the Razer BlackShark V2 came out, the headphone comes with 7.1 Surround Sound.

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Aside from that, it comes with Razer HyperClear Cardioid Mic, ensuring clear communications in-game without interference. The headphone weighs in at 285g and comes with hybrid fabric and memory foam ear cushions.
Razer has said that the Kraken V3 X is their most affordable headset powered by Razer Chroma RGB. Should you be interested in it, you can get it for the price of RM399 from major retailers in the country as well as their online store.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: It’s been a long time since I’ve worn one of their headphones. I had an issue with the comfort of the Razer Kraken V2 (it’s been that long). Seeing how they advertise that the new one is comfy for prolonged usage, hopefully that’s true.
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MSI announces second generation MSI ECO motherboard series

Besides their excellent gaming motherboards, MSI also manufactures their MSI ECO series motherboard with the emphasis on minimizing power output while not sacrificing crucial performance. Initially announced to support Haswell processors, today they announced the second generation of the MSI ECO series with three new models, the MSI H170M ECO, B150M ECO, and H110M ECO.
MSI ECO seriesMSI ECO seriesMSI ECO series
All these motherboard offer industry leading power efficiency while retaining optimal performance made possible through the optimized PCB and circuitry design. This allows for saving energy without sacrificing performance, compatibility and functionality. The ECO Genie and ECO Center Pro allows the user total control on the system’s power consumption.

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The 2nd generation MSI ECO Series motherboards offer more features than ever without impacting it’s power efficiency or performance. Reliable and efficient Intel® Gigabit LAN with 15kv anti-surge LAN Protect offers a stable and secure networking solution.

Through carefully selected and thoroughly tested components and materials, Guard-Pro and Military Class 4 provide industry leading stability. Even Audio Boost can now be found on MSI ECO Series motherboards as a testament to technical ingenuity.

MSI ECO series motherboard are aimed at both data center and office environments with a focus on power efficiency. To achieve an even higher level of power savings, the PCB is designed to offer hardware-based control to cut off all power to unwanted features on the motherboard. The hardware control of onboard features also allows control of standby power.

Pokdepinion: MSI ECO series has proven their magic works. You may find any review on the MSI ECO series motherboard and the result is truly amazing. This could be more interesting if we could undervolt the CPU Vcore which results in even lower power consumption and package temperatures.
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#MYBaikHati Campaign By Digi Aims To Assist B40 Students

The folks at Digi is calling for your help to be a part of their #MYBaikHati campaign, where it is a device crowdsourcing initiative to provide students from lower income (B40) community with improved access to digital learning and equal opportunity to stay ahead in today’s digital age.
Digi #MYBaikHati campaign

With the campaign, the company is collecting used devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops from its employees, customers, as well as the public to be repurposed and distributed amongst the B40 students.

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It is a year-long campaign which started its pilot phase in Klang Valley yesterday, with plans to expand progressively in the country in due course.
If you are interested in helping and doing your part, those from the Klang Valley area can contribute through two ways:

Register interest to donate on the Yellow Heart #MYBaikHati campaign page and arrange for a pick-up
Drop off devices at Digi’s designed collection points at Digi Store Klang or Digi Store Cheras

You can donate smartphones, 4G-enabled tablets, Chromebooks with Windows 8 and above  and laptops, all preferably with the chargers intact. They must be in working conditions and show no major damage. Devices that do not meet requirements will be disposed responsibly, according to the company.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: It’s a great initiative to begin with. If you have an old yet working device, why not make use of them for those who need it?
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Logitech K780 multi-device wireless keyboard review

Logitech is a renowned peripherals manufacturer, with great designs for office and also gaming use. We have previously tried the Logitech K480 Bluetooth multi-device wireless keyboard, and now we will be talking about their latest multi-device wireless keyboard, the Logitech K780 multi-device wireless keyboard.
Unboxing

The Logitech K780 comes in a rather big package. But considering that it is pretty big itself, the teal green packaging is actually quite compact. On the front you get a view of the keyboard, as well as the OSes it can work with.

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On the back, there are 4 highlighted features and also a stylized image of the keyboard.

I think this should be standard on all keyboard packaging. A side view, so you can guess how tall it will stand on your table. Nice one, Logitech.

And here is the whole contents of the box. The keyboard is wrapped in a plastic film and comes with a small safety leaflet. Instead of printing the manual on more paper, Logitech cleverly integrated the user guide as an infographic right onto the packaging box itself. Go green!

Appearance

The Logitech K780 is longer than the Logitech K480, and also features an improved cradle design, allowing you to fit much longer (or more) devices there. I am digging the round keys, as they look pretty good, and are a refreshing change from the standard square keycaps on most keyboards. Most of the keys are full-sized too, which is great for a touch typist. A full-sized numpad should please those who do a lot of data entry, but it does reduce the portability a fair bit. The keyboard is designed to work with Windows, Mac, Android and even Chrome OS, and the keys feature multiple functions which automatically switch depending on the device connected to it.

Under the keyboard, there is this vast expanse of black plastic. The rubber feet are quite small. The door at the top edge offers access to the batteries keeping this keyboard running and also the Unifying USB receiver.

Specifications

User Experience

Starting the keyboard for the first time is as easy as opening the door under the keyboard and pulling out the white tab between the batteries, turn on the keyboard, and pair it with your PC. If you are using a Bluetooth-enabled device, that is. If your device doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, just pull out that Unifying dongle and plug it into a USB port, and press Fn+P (Windows) or Fn+O (Mac). And all will be well. And oh the batteries are the common AAA variety which can easily be gotten at any convenience store or sundry shop. Logitech claims up to 24 months of battery life, so you should not worry about having to get new ones that often.

The claim to fame of these multi-device keyboards from Logitech is the ability to switch between devices. And it does work as advertised, switching between my two Android smartphones and Windows laptop seamlessly within less than a second. Re-pairing a different device is as simple as pressing the desired key for three seconds, and the LED will blink rapidly, indicating it is ready to pair a new device. The keyboard can only be used over a Unifying connection when in the first profile.

As a multi-device keyboard, the Logitech K780 offers a wide cradle for you to fit as many devices as you can along its length. As you can see here we managed to cram 4 smartphones and a tablet on that cradle. This is a great improvement over the Logitech K480 which could barely fit a tablet and a smartphone comfortably in that slot.

The top row of F keys double as Android navigation keys and media keys as well. Using it with a Windows PC, the keys served as the media keys first, and the F keys were accessible when pressed together with the Fn key. Quick access to the media controls does have its merits, considering few people ever use the F keys anyway.

The K780 works with the Logitech Option, where you can reconfigure the keyboard if you prefer the F1 – F12 as standard function keys. You can also keep track of the devices that it has been paired with in the software.
Typing on the keyboard is a pretty enjoyable experience, with the nice round chiclet keys offering nice tactile feedback. If I were to complain, it will be the rather short travel when compared to a mechanical keyboard, but if you are used to laptop keyboards, it will feel pretty similar. Keypresses are also quite silent, especially when compared with the older Logitech K480, so no worries about annoying your officemates with the Logitech K780. The keyboard feels pretty solid overall and is pretty heavy too, staying very stably planted on my desk. I do wish for some feet to tilt it for a more comfortable experience. Gaming is possible on this keyboard with no noticeable delays both over Bluetooth and the 2.4 GHz connections, but if your game relies on a lot of multiple keypresses at the same time, the keys may ghost. Still, Logitech did the layout pretty well for the Logitech K780, and it should be quite a rare occurrence.

Conclusion
The Logitech K780 is a great wireless keyboard, and the multi-device functionality is a great addition in this age of multiple devices. The experience of typing on a physical keyboard is definitely better than on any Android software keyboard that you can find. Being able to quickly switch input to multiple devices is just way too convenient. I only wish for a nice accurate touchpad to enhance the navigation experience, on Androids and also when used with HTPCs. Logitech actually has a product with just that, the Logitech K400, but it doesn’t have multi-device functionality like this one. You know what would make it even more awesome? If they made it capable of being both a numpad and touchpad. Something like this on the MSI GT80 Titan:

It has a rather lofty SRP of RM369, but I managed to find it for RM268 on Lazada, which is really quite a great deal for what you are getting, a good multi-device capable keyboard with a excellent typing experience and multiple connectivity options. The Logitech K780 definitely deserves our SIlver Pokdeward.

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realme GT delisted from Antutu charts for cheating

Antutu isn’t known for being too particular about the devices that get listed on its charts. In fact a lot of manufacturers boast of Antutu scores that we have never been able to realistically recreate. But realme apparently cheated so egregiously that Antutu has decided to delist the realme GT in addition to calling them out on Weibo for cheating on the benchmark.

realme has bragged that the realme GT scores around 770 000, which was allegedly impossible to achieve under normal circumstances. Antutu then purchased a retail sample of the realme GT and found that realme has modified the benchmark files which artificially inflates the realme GT’s Antutu scores. The modified files are seen above.

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The realme GT’s modified benchmark files uses thread delays to run the multi-threaded tests on its high-performance cores as much as possible, allowing it to net a higher CPU score. The JPG decoding image has also been tampered with mosaic color blocks to let the realme GT finish processing them faster, resulting in an inflated UX score.
Antutu has now given realme 3 months to resolve the issue before it can be relisted on the benchmark charts, failing which will see the realme GT removed permanently from Antutu’s benchmark charts.

However don’t expect realme to do anything soon, as realme’s Chief Marketing Officer, Xu Chase, has decided to take it to Weibo to announce that all upcoming realme products in China will no longer tout benchmark scores and instead allow “the product to speak for itself”.
This is quite an interesting decision as a lot of people still refer to benchmark scores when picking out a device, especially when it comes to flagship devices. It seems that realme and other BBK companies are now shying away from official benchmarking platforms. OnePlus has just announced that they won’t be sending the Hasselblad-toting OnePlus 9 series to DxOMark for testing.
Source
Pokdepinion: Higher benchmark scores don’t usually translate to a significantly better user experience, but apparently realme still found it worth their time to find ways to cheat…
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HUAWEI Unveils Honor 8 Pro – Available Now In Malaysia!

HUAWEI has unveil that the Honor 8 Pro is now available at Malaysia right now. They aim on giving fast and super performance through their latest smartphone. This, while only having only a measly 6.97mm thin metal body

The main spotlight is the smartphone’s powerful Kirin 960 chipset while powered by Vulkan API, ensuring high performance from the Mali G71 GPU. It also includes EMUI 5.1 system which learns from your habits and behaviour to minimise lag and ensures your experience with the phone goes smoothly.

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In the battery department, it packs a 4000mAh battery. Despite it’s high performance and minuscule profile, the Honor 8 Pro’s battery offers two days of regular use.
The display boasts a big 5.7-inch Quad HD display which allows you to view media and game in awe. The Honor 8 Pro is also packed with 12 MP dual-lens (monochrome sensor and RGB sensor) with both of them working together to create amazing pictures. The camera’s wide aperture range (f/0.95-f-16) which should deliver DSLR-like depth of effects for both photo and video shooting. 64GB of internal storage ensures you have abundant of space for all the photos you will be taking with the honor 8 Pro.
It is also VR ready with a bundle cardboard viewer and pre-installed Jaunt VR application.
The HUAWEI Honor 8 Pro is available in stores now and is retailed at RM 1999.
Pokdepinion: It sure has a good package. Suitable for those who uses their smartphones constantly.
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Freddy Krueger Teased for Dead By Daylight; Welcome to Nightmare on Elm Street

It would seem that another major horror icon might be joining the fray. Will we see the inclusion of Freddy Krueger in Dead by Daylight?

Freddy Krueger Teased for Dead By Daylight

Ever since the game was released last year, Dead By Daylight has included several iconic horror movie icons including Halloween‘s Michael Myers and Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, with one more horror movie killer joining the game in the near future.

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In a new teaser video titled “Don’t Fall Asleep” from Dead By Daylight, the video showcases a pipe with four scratch marks digging into it with a slash, giving a pretty clear indication that A Nightmare on Elm Street‘s Freddy Krueger will be joining as the next playable killer in the game. Or rather, the indication could not be any clearer. I mean, what other iconic horror figure is there that would fit the bill here?
No other details or indications were given as to when we can expect Freddy Krueger to join in the game, but given that Halloween is on the horizon, it wouldn’t be too much to expect that Freddy Krueger may join the fray sometime later this month to coincide with the game’s upcoming Halloween events. Let’s just hope you don’t lose too much sleep over it. Better yet, it’s probably a better idea not to get any sleep at all until then.
Dead By Daylight is already out now for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. For a closer look at the tease for Freddy, you can check out the newly-released video at the top of this post.

Pokdepinion: Well, Freddy Krueger would definitely be a great addition to Dead by Daylight. It should spice up the game quite a bit, especially for those who have been playing the game for a while now.
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Alienware has new alien incoming — Alienware 18

It looks like the new Alienware 18 has has landed with new weaponry under the hood. Alienware has just teased us with a video on their YouTube channel showing off their newest gaming laptop.

Three processor options are available, ranging from the Intel® Core™ i7-4710MQ, Intel® Core™ i7-4910MQ and the highest end part, the Intel® Core™ i7-4940MX. It will come with 16GB of DDR3 RAM, upgradeable up to 32GB. The Alienware 18 gets its name from the 18.4 inches screen which is a PLS panel with a resolution of 1920x1080p with is pretty decent. Talking about the graphical processor the Alienware comes with dual GPU configuration in SLI setup of either the Nvidia GTX 970M or the Nvidia GTX980M.

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Connectivity is powered by Killer Network ethernet and AC wireless is supported thanks to the Broadcom 4352 802.11ac adapter. Alienware 18 weighs around 5.5KG which is quite heavy for some gamers. Pricing starts from RM10,000, and you can customize it with upgrades with additional charges, of course.
More detail can be found on here.

Pokdepinion : Alienware is well-known in the Malaysia market. The Alienware 18 really has great specifications albeit with some turn-off features. I love the PLS panel which will give you a better picture quality. But even with the basic SLI GTX 970M configuration, the GPUs are just overkill. Dell should have put a 1440p display that I believe would be better choice, but please don’t go for a 4K display. Alienware may be trying to future proof the laptop though, as laptops get outdated really quickly even with MXM GPUs as the MXM cards are extremely rare. Another thing that is playing on my mind is whether the Alienware 18’s screen supports Nvidia GSync?
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Acer Debuts Swift X 16 Laptop Powered By AMD Ryzen 7040 Series APUs

The new chassis now packs up to AMD’s best 45W-class offerings with NVIDIA RTX 40 graphics.

Acer officially announced the updated Swift X 16 model with completely different internals from its 2022 model. Gone is the all-Intel lineup with 12th Gen plus Arc A3 GPUs, and in comes AMD’s latest Ryzen 9 7940H processor, plus up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 at disposal for the maxed-out configuration. Aside from the compute part, the display can be optioned with the 16-inch, 16:10 3.2K (3200 x 2000) 120Hz OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and 500 nits of brightness (certified for VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 standard).

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The chassis now measures at 1.9kg and 17.9mm thick – and Acer touts the touchpad for this particular model is the largest among the brand’s portfolio with 33% more scrolling space (we assume it’s increased vertical height, given). Conspicuously, the new chassis has more resemblance to the brand’s gaming-centric Predator models than its outgoing model, with quad exhaust channels that even bests some of the gaming laptops of yesteryears.

This should explain the presence of much more potent hardware than its predecessor, with the Ryzen 9 7940H in particular rated for 45W across 8 cores, and NVIDIA’s RTX 4050 Laptop GPU. The redesigned cooling now gets 36% more intake capacity through larger fans and keyboard intakes, and even a Turbo mode that’s previously seen on its Predator lineup. Pairing with both silicon is up to 16GB of LPDDR5 and up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, plus additional microSD card expansion slot available. Connectivity wise, it features Wi-Fi 6E, two USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1; Windows Hello comes included via fingerprint sensor and Wake on Voice command.
The updated Acer Swift X 16 will be rolling out starting from China in May, with EMEA regions following in June, while North America availability begins on July this year. No word on local availability just yet – so for now we’re looking at the price of $1249.99 (~RM5547) which should translate to RM6000-class laptop when it reaches here down the line.
Pokdepinion: The price-to-performance looks quite promising, it will be one to watch among this year’s releases.
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Waze Integrates YouTube Music For You To Enjoy Your Favorite Songs

Waze has revealed that they’ve added YouTube Music to their list of Audio Player partners, offering navigators a new way to listen to their music while they utilize the app.
Launched back in October 2018, Waze’s audio player provides cover for music to their users by partnering with the world’s leading audio platforms, delivering songs, podcasts, audiobooks, news, and more. Since then, Waze users have driven nearly 11 billion kilometers while listening to content of the mentioned partners.
In addition to the news of the integration, YouTube Music Premium subscribers can listen on Waze by simply opening up the Waze app and tapping the music note icon to select YouTube Music as their audio player.

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YouTube Music joins the likes of Deezer, iHeartRadio, NPR, Pandora, Scribd, Sticher, and Spotify to mention a few.
The YouTube Music integration for Waze Audio Player will begin rolling out from today and will be available globally in the coming weeks.
Pokdepinion: Just be sure not to set the volume too high while you are driving!
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Kirby Star Allies Coming to Nintendo Switch; Release Date Announced

Looks like there’s more new games coming to the Nintendo Switch. As announced at Nintendo Direct Mini, Kirby Star Allies is making its way to the console, and pretty soon at that too.
Kirby Star Allies Coming to Nintendo Switch

Kirby has brought gamers plenty of adventures for the past few decades, and now in his upcoming new adventure Kirby Star Allies, players on the Nintendo Switch will see that Kirby has plenty of new tricks up his pink sleeves this spring.
During today’s Nintendo Direct Mini, Nintendo announced that Kirby Star Allies will be heading to the Nintendo Switch on March 16th, 2018, and will make for one of the Switch’s big new releases for the early part of the year this spring.

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Specifically, the Direct showcased some new gameplay footage from Star Allies in addition to the release date, which includes the new Artist and Spider abilities, and also introduced new “Friend Abilities” that will integrate into the game’s co-op elements.
The Friend Abilities will allow Kirby and friends (other players, not necessarily other characters) to combine powers for unique attacks to fight off foes, which should introduce some interesting new elements for the abilities and powers that players have come to know and love from Kirby games for years.
Alongside the new Friend Abilities, Kirby will also be able to utilize a new item called the “Friend Heart” that can invite other players into a game, but also turn Kirby’s enemies into friends that can be added to his party and assist in his adventures, which gives a nice twist on the usual Kirby combat.
Kirby Star Allies will be coming exclusively to the Nintendo Switch on March 16th 2018.

Pokdepinion: Aww yes, a new Kirby game. Been wanting one for a while now and it’s coming very soon. All that’s left for me to look forward to is some kind of Super Smash Bros. game, whether it be a port or a brand new one altogether.
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Buy the POCO F2 Pro at just RM1799 this Saturday

The best bang for buck Snapdragon 865 flagship is going to offer even better value for money during the Lazada 8.8 Sale, with it going for just RM1799. Of course its the POCO F2 Pro, what else did you think it could be? This flash sale is a significant RM400 off the regular retail price of RM2199 for the 128GB variant.
This comes just a day after the POCO F2 Pro’s 256GB version saw a price drop from its launch price of RM2599 to just RM2299. As you might expect, that made the 256GB variant more enticing than the 128GB variant, which came with less RAM and storage, while also featuring the slower LPDDR4x memory instead of the LPDDR5 in the higher-specced version of the POCO F2 Pro.

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If you are looking to get yourself a flagship Snapdragon 865 device without paying above RM2000 for it, well, this is your best chance to get it.
POCO F2 Pro Specs

Snapdragon 865, octa-core up to 2.84 GHz, 7nm
Up to 8GB LPDDR5 RAM
Up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
6.67″ FHD+ AMOLED display, HDR10+, 1200-nits peak brightness
64MP f/1.89 Sony IMX 686 + 13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide + 5MP f/2.2 telemacro + 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
20MP selfie camera
4700 mAh battery, 30W Fast Charging
6GB +128GB: RM1799 (during 8.8 sale)
8GB + 256GB: RM2299

The POCO F2 Pro is definitely my favorite smartphone right now with an interesting macro camera that blows all the other implementations of macro shooters found in the rest of the smartphone market right now. But if you aren’t convinced, maybe you can check out our review of the POCO F2 Pro to decide for yourself.
Pokdepinion: Damn the POCO F2 Pro’s pricing is really aggressive…
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Aside from the Predator Helios 300 Special Edition, Acer Malaysia also introduced the world’s thinnest 4G LTE laptop on Acer Day, the Acer Swift 7.
Introducing the World’s Thinnest 4G LTE Laptop, the Acer Swift 7
Picture taken with the ASUS ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL)
Earlier at the Acer Day “Play Music Together” launch event, we got to know more about the Predator Helios 300 Special Edition gaming laptop. Now, we take a look at what is said to be the world’s thinnest 4G LTE laptop, the Acer Swift 7.
At 8.98mm thin, it is designed for those who want to maximize mobility without sacrificing productivity. It is powered by a 7th Gen Intel Core i7 with 8GBs of LPDDR3 RAM and utilizes the Intel HD Graphics 615 for visuals.

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Picture taken with the ASUS ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL)
It has a 14-inch Full HD IPS multi-touch display with narrow bezels which gives you a great 170 degree viewing angle, brilliant colour reproduction, and makes for a very pleasing viewing experience. Don’t worry about scratching the screen while you use the touchscreen feature as it is coated with a protective Gorilla Glass screen.
What makes this thing stand out from regular laptops is its smartphone-like connectivity. You can insert a Nano SIM card inside and you will be able to get full internet access via 4G LTE. Should you decide to go on Wi-Fi instead, the 2×2 802.11ac with MU-MIMO wireless technology should enable you to enjoy optimum connection speeds.
Picture taken with the ASUS ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL)
With 256GBs of NVMe PCIe SSD, you will have plenty of storage on the go while also getting blazing fast loading and response times on the Acer Swift 7. All of this combined, it is expected that the device should have about 10 hours of battery life, which should let you keep being productive without needing to hunt for a power socket.
Picture taken with the ASUS ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL)
For the complete specifications of the Acer Swift 7, check them out right below here:
Acer Swift 7 Specifications

14-inch Full HD IPS Multi-Touch Display
Intel Core i7-7Y75
Intel HD Graphics 615
8GB LPDDR3 RAM
256GB NVMe PCIe SSD
4G LTE, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
2 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1 x Nano SIM Card Slot, 1 x Combo Audio Jack, Fingerprint Reader
35.2 Wh Battery, 45W USB Type-C Adapter
328 x 237 x 8.98 mm (W x D x H), 1.2kg

Picture taken with the ASUS ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL)
The Acer Swift 7 will be retailing for RM6,399 and is currently available at all Acer Official Online Stores and authorized resellers throughout Malaysia. Purchasing the laptop will get you some extra goodies such as a protective sleever, a USB Type-C to HDMI adapter, and a USB Type-A adapter.
Pokdepinion: Would definitely like this for work, though I kinda wished the screen was slightly bigger at 15-inches. Oh well, seems like this is more than enough to be productive while also functioning as a multimedia player on the road for me.
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Sony Xperia 1 IV Unveiled As World’s First Smartphone with True Optical Zoom Lens

Sony Xperia 1 IV Unveiled

Sony has officially unveiled their newest flagship device, the Sony Xperia 1 IV. Apart from the usual boost in performance as one would expect from a successor, it features a “world’s first true optical 85-125mm zoom lens”, which makes it quite an interesting smartphone for avid mobile photographers and videographers.
To start things off, the Sony Xperia 1 IV uses a 6.5-inch 120HZ Bravia HDR OLED display with 240Hz motion blur, touch sampling rate, and its signature CinemaWide 21:9 aspect ratio. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, that makes use of Snapdragon Elite Gaming for a performance boost, alongside a “heat suppression power control” to avoid thermal throttling.

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What makes the Sony Xperia 1 IV interesting is the camera system as it consists of a 16mm shooter, a 24mm shooter, the aforementioned telephoto camera with true optical zoom lens, and a time-of-flight sensor. All of the cameras use the 12MP Exmor RS sensor with 120FPS readout speeds, allowing you to capture true 4K 120FPS video recordings or an equivalent 5x slow motion in 4K.

All of the cameras also make use of Zeiss Optics with Zeiss T* coating for improved contrast, sharpness, and reduced reflections. What makes this an even more enticing offer is its ability to livestream, as the Videography Pro app lets you stream directly from it and overlay the chat on the display. Moreover, Sony is also releasing accessories designed to make IRL streams more convenient with it.
For a better look at the device, check out the specifications right below here:
Sony Xperia 1 IV Specifications

Processor
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
(1 x Cortex-X2 @ 3GHz, 3 x Cortex-A710 @ 2.4GHz, and 4 x Cortex-A510 @ 1.7GHz), 4nm

GPU
Adreno 730

RAM
12GB

Storage
256GB / 512GB, expandable up to 1TB microSDXC

Display
6.5″ 4K (3840 x 1644) Bravia HDR 120Hz OLED, 21:9
240Hz motion blur and touch sampling rate
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
84.2% screen-to-body ratio

Rear Camera
12MP f/1.7 24mm wide angle, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
12MP f/2.3 85mm to f/2.8 125mm telephoto, 3.5x to 5.2x zoom, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
12MP f/2.2 124° 16mm ultra-wide, Dual Pixel PDAF
0.3MP TOF 3D (depth)
ZEISS T* Lens Coating
Zeiss Optics
Eye Tracking
4K HDR 24/25/30/60/120 video

Selfie Camera
12MP f/2.0 24mm wide angle
5-axis gyro EIS

Audio
Stereo speakers
3.5mm audio jack
24-bit / 192kHz audio
Dynamic vibration system

Connectivity
Wi-Fi 6E (Dual band)
Bluetooth 5.2 with A2DP, LE, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive
Dual band A-GPS with GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
USB-C 3.2

Battery
5000mAh
30W USB-PD fast charging
Fast wireless charging
Reverse wireless charging

Dimensions
165 x 71 x 8.2 mm, 185g

The Sony Xperia 1 IV will be officially available in Malaysia starting sometime in early July 2022, with retail prices expected to be announced at a later date. In case you were wondering, it’s available in the US sometime in September 2022 with a retail price of USD $1,599, so be prepared to stomach the cost if you’re interested in getting one for yourself.
Source
Pokdepinion: I am actually tempted to get one myself, mostly for work, but perhaps I’ll take it out for a spin and review it first before I do that. It does sound promising but I’m more concerned about battery life and its heat output.
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Acronis Announces Access Advanced 8.0 – So Secure That Even Scuderia Toro Rosso Are Using It!

Acronis, established leaders in hybrid cloud data protection for business and consumers, announced recently the availability of Acronis Access Advanced 8.0.
Acronis Access Advanced 8.0

The Acronis Access Advanced 8.0 offers new features that are designed to increase security, compliance and convenience protecting shared data. It also extends flexibility of integrating with other mobile applications. Its features include web-based file editing with Microsoft Office Online, simultaneous editing by multiple users, extended sharing using nested folders (with independent permissions), support for Microsoft Intune Mobile Application Management (MAM) without Intune MDM enrollment, allowing Intune app management with any MDM solution, and ZIP archive creation features inside the iOS app.

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Mobile file access, sync and share, is an integral part of every business. Today’s employees spend hours working on their mobile devices, both at home and in transit. Without a secure solution like Acronis Access Advanced, they’re putting their business data at risk. Acronis Access Advanced gives employers an easy way to control what is shared and who accesses the data. It is an important security measure for every business Gaidar Magdanurov, Acronis' Chief Marketing Officer
Just in case some of you didn’t know, The Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula 1 Team actually uses the Acronis Access Advanced to share confidential telemetry data and R&D documents between the factory, trackside engineers and subcontractors. Present at Acronis and Scuderia Toro Rosso’s event last night was Raffaele Boschetti, along with the two drivers of the Formula 1 Team, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz.

With Acronis Access Advanced, we’re in full control of our data. We can track the information path and even remote-wipe a laptop, tablet or mobile device if it is lost or stolen to prevent a competitor from accessing the data. Our plan is to share sensible data that way Raffaele Boschetti, Head of IT for Scuderia Toro Rosso
Besides the Formula 1 team, it is also used by the US Air Force Air Combat Command A4, which maintains military aircraft. It allows them to reduce electronic document management overhead by controlling and observing data on mobile devices remotely.
To find out more on the Access Advanced 8.0, you can check their website by clicking here.
Pokdepinion: Well, what more proof do you want, to see that it is secured enough? A formula 1 team and US Air Force are using it. Doesn’t get any more secured than that.
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New Acer Enduro Urban N3 Arrives In Malaysia

Acer has just announced that the Acer Enduro Urban N3 is now available to purchase in Malaysia. The rugged Enduro series designed with field and manufacturing workers in mind was first announced at the end of 2020.
Get the Acer Enduro Urban N3 now

The Acer Enduro Urban N3 has been certified to meet military standards (MIL-STD 810H) and includes an 11th Gen Intel Core processor with Intel Iris Xe Graphics to provide the best performance for students and professionals. Enduro Urban N3 comes with up to 8GB of RAM and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, allowing users to expand their storage capacity.

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The Acer Enduro Urban N3 offers a slim-bezel, 14-inch FHD IPS display with up to 450nits to keep graphics bright and clear for use outside, packed into a 21.95mm thin robust chassis and weighing just 1.85kg. The Acer Enduro Urban N3 boasts IP53 certified waterproof IO ports, speakers, and buttons, so users can take it wherever they want. It also comes with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 pre-installed for immediate productivity.
There are three Acer Enduro Urban N3 variants to choose from. Enduro Urban N3 with 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU will be available end-June for RM3,699 at all Acer official online stores and all Acer authorised resellers nationwide, while the Enduro Urban N3 with 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor will be available immediately for RM2,999. For RM2,799, the Enduro Urban N3 with 11th Gen Intel Core i3 processor is now available at SenHeng and SenQ stores and online.

Any purchase of an Acer Enduro Urban N3 from 19-21 June 2021 will entitle the buyer to redeem gifts worth up to RM497 at certain Acer official and certified stores on Shopee and Lazada in conjunction with Father’s Day. Customers who purchase an Enduro Urban N3 before June 30 will be eligible to enter the #CreateYourDreamSpace competition.
Customers who use an RM100 credit from Touch ‘n Go or Boost in the #CreateYourDreamSpace campaign will be entered to win a Woody Lab dream space makeover worth up to RM63,000. Acer monitor or projector, as well as Woody Lab Smart Desk, monitor stand, and other accessories, are included in the makeover.
Customers can find the select models, participating stores or complete the redemption form here. In the meantime, you can check out our review of the Acer Enduro N3 right here.

Pokdepinion: I’ve always been a fan of Acer’s rugged laptop series. They really mean it when they say that the laptop can take a beating.
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Next Gen Xbox Console in the Works, Regulatory Filings Reveal

Regulatory filings reveal that Microsoft is already working on its next-generation Xbox console to succeed the Xbox Series X/S.
Next Gen Xbox Console Already in Development

Regulatory filings related to Microsoft’s ongoing trial with the Federal Trade Commission have confirmed that a next-gen Xbox console is already in the works. While the codename has been redacted from public documents, it is said to be around 15 characters long and expected to consist of two words.

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The discovery phase of the FTC lawsuit against Microsoft, which is seeking to block the company’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard on antitrust grounds, has revealed documentation pertaining to Microsoft’s tenth-generation gaming system. The complaint counsel believes that gaining a clearer view of Microsoft’s long-term gaming plans would provide it with the arguments it needs to prove that owning the Call of Duty maker would give Xbox too much easily abused power.
Microsoft’s next-gen console is expected to succeed the Xbox Series X/S. Its predecessors were code-named Anaconda and Lockhart, respectively. The Xbox One was internally designated as Project Durango, while the 360 and the original console were called Project Natal and Midway, respectively.
The FTC’s lawsuit against Microsoft seeks to prove that allowing the company to acquire Activision Blizzard would likely result in antitrust problems in the future. Despite this, many industry watchers have been predicting that Microsoft is likely to complete its Activision Blizzard acquisition since February, positing that the FTC’s opposition to the $69 billion deal has little legal merit.
Source
Pokdepinion: I always thought the next gen would move away from your typical hardware and move towards something like a cloud gaming service so it will become more accessible than ever before. It can still happen but we’ll have to wait and see where it goes, and a hardware could still be sold on the side.
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GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC Review

We have looked at some pretty big graphics cards, but what if you are on a tighter budget? Well, if you only have less than RM1000 for a graphics card, you might want to consider the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC. As you might know, the SUPER lineup bumped up the performance levels a fair bit over the non-SUPER cards. GIGABYTE has two GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER cards, with the single fan GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER OC and the dual-fan GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC we are looking at here. So, how will it fare?
Unboxing

GIGABYTE’s packaging is pretty standard, with a robot eye being the main theme of their packaging. I do wish the WINDFORCE branding was a little bigger as it stands to be easily missed if shoppers weren’t paying close attention.

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Over on the back GIGABYTE goes over the main features of the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC. For an affordable card like this, there are some nice features like a backplate and also GIGABYTE’s unique WINDFORCE cooling system which incorporates fans that spin in alternate directions to avoid turbulent airflow. Sounds cool, but we will check it out in a bit.

In the box lies just the card and the Quick Guide, which is as simple as they come. Not like you need anything more, as the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC is a pretty basic card.
Appearance

GIGABYTE makes good use of angular lines for an interesting look to the card. It would look right at home on any of GIGABYTE’s motherboards with the silver-on-black theme. It’s worth noting however that unlike GIGABYTE’s more premium AORUS lineup of graphics cards, the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC here has no lighting at all, much less RGB.

Over on the side here we see a pretty tasteful GIGABYTE logo in silver and the GeForce GTX label just etched into the plastic side. The GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC is a thin card, measuring just a hair thicker than two slots.

Meanwhile here’s the backplate, which once again makes use of contrasting silver-on-black lines for a more interesting look. It’s nice to see an affordable card come with a backplate too, but this one here is plastic which means it doesn’t help with cooling. It still works to improve structural rigidity, but this card is too light and short to sag in the first place. Well, at least you won’t be looking at the solder joints, and it will be a lot easier to wipe dust off a backplate than between the solder joints and components on the card.
Specifications

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER (TU116)

Clocks
Boost: 1755 MHz
Base: 1530 MHz

Cores
1280 CUDA cores

Memory
4GB GDDR6

Memory Clocks
12 000 MHz

Memory Interface
128-bit

Display outputs
1 x DisplayPort 1.4
1 x HDMI 2.0b
1 x DVI-D

Power connector(s)
1 x 6-pin

Recommended PSU
350W

Multi-GPU support
No

Dimensions
22.5 x 11.9 x 4 cm

GIGABYTE slapped on a pretty minimal overclock onto the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC, with the boost clocks set to 1755 MHz instead of the NVIDIA-specified 1725 MHz. It’s worth noting that the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER is a great deal faster than the GeForce GTX 1650, with 384 more CUDA cores and also GDDR6 memory to bump up performance a good bit. Last but not least, the single 6-pin PCIe power connector should be more than enough to feed the card, as the TGP specified by NVIDIA is just 100W for the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER.
Test Machine

CPU
Intel Core i7-5820K @ 4.125 GHz

Motherboard
ROG Rampage V Extreme

Memory
4 x 4GB Kingston HyperX Predator 3000 MHz CL15

Storage
256GB Samsung 850 EVO SATA SSD
512GB Plextor M9PeY PCIe 3.0×4 NVMe SSD
256GB Toshiba PCIe 3.0×4 NVMe SSD

Power Supply
Cooler Master V850 Gold

Monitor
BenQ EL2870U

GPU Driver
GeForce 441.87

Testing Methodology
We will be running in-game benchmarks where available, at the specified resolution(s) and at the maximum graphics preset, unless otherwise specified. Average framerates during gameplay will be recorded with Fraps, in the event of a benchmarked game not having an in-game benchmarking tool. Temperatures will be recorded with HWiNFO, and the maximum temperature in a 45-minute long Superposition stress test run will be reported. Fan speeds will be according to the default fan curve as defined by the manufacturer. The latest drivers available will be used, unless otherwise specified. Default clocks will be used, unless otherwise specified.
Performance
Synthetic Performance

Superposition sees the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC come in slightly below the GeForce GTX 1060, but we are testing at 4K which is a bit much for the 4GB VRAM of the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER. Let’s check out gaming performance though.
Gaming Performance

It goes without saying that 1080p will be the target resolution for this card. It performs pretty well, with good frame rates even in titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider. You won’t be able to max out any high refresh rate monitor in all games except for Rainbow Six Siege, but you would be fine.

1440p is not where you want to use this card. With most titles seeing frame rates below 60 FPS and Borderlands 3 below 30 FPS, you would definitely need to consider a higher end GPU.

Well at 4K it just gets ridiculous. Nothing is playable here, but then again I don’t believe anyone was expecting to game at 4K on a sub-RM1000 card. At least not on a 2019 GPU.
Boost/Temperature

Cooling is pretty decent, although we can see that the card runs a bit hotter than some of the cards we have tested. 64°C is nothing to worry about though, and the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC still maintained a good 1845 MHz  throughout 45 minutes of Superposition’s stress test. HWiNFO reported that the card drew 103W, which is pretty good for the performance delivered here.
User Experience

Without RGB, the only thing you can play around with is the performance. AORUS ENGINE allows you to overclock the card as you see fit, or tune the fan profile for lower temperatures. By default, the spans won’t turn on when idle which gives you a really silent PC at idle. When on, there’s a noticeable fan noise, although it is worth noting that we are using the card in an open test bench and the noise would easily be silenced by any half-decent case. There is a little quirk that sees the fans spin up to maximum before going back down when the fans get out of the idle-stop mode, but the short burst of noise isn’t particularly loud anyway.
Verdict: A decent entry-level card

You are getting a pretty good card for the the asking price of just RM829. A dual fan cooler with a fan-stop feature is nice to have, and the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC does deliver good performance for 1080p gaming without requiring much power at all. It would be a drop-in upgrade for most gamers on older mid-range graphics cards, and you might even end up saving power while getting better framerates with the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC. Now if only there was just a pinch of lighting to spice things up a little…

Our thanks to GIGABYTE for sending us the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER WINDFORCE OC for review.
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Xiaomi Piston V3 review – The successor of V2 is here

You might have read about our review of the Xiaomi Pistons 2.1 and iF edition before here on Pokde.net, If you have not then you might want to take some time to read it here. Xiaomi recently just released the successor to the Pistons 2.1, the Pistons version 3 last March with a totally new design, hence it begs the question whether the performance remains still the same, or has it gotten better or worse compared to the previous iteration? Let’s find out together.
Unboxing the Pistons V3

The design of the packaging is pretty much the same as the Pistons 2.1’s. It comes in a plastic case so nothing much to mention about it.

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Pistons V3 only comes in one colour option, space grey.

Again same as the Pistons 2.1, 3 different sizes eartips are included with the Pistons V3 but doesn’t come with a shirt clip like the Pistons 2.1.

Here is a closer look at the Pistons V3. It is made of a combination of metal for the back and plastic for the body unlike the 2.1 which has a full aluminium body.

The volume rocker has 3 button and it supports both Android and iOS devices.

Here you can clearly see the difference between the materials used. The connector is gold plated.

Side by side comparison between the 2.1 and V3, as we can see the nozzle size is smaller compare to 2.1.

Comfortability and Sound
I can feel that Pistons V3 is much more comfortable than the Pistons 2.1 because the eartips is softer, but the latter did a better job in terms of noise cancellation. Anyhow the difference is negligible since both are actually quite comfortable in my ear.
Like Vyncent, I am not an audiophile either but we both enjoy listening music. He usually listens to pop songs especially One Republic but I’m more into classical  and electronic music. My Pistons V3 was burned in with pink noise, white noise, 10-200Hz frequency sweeps and 150Hz static frequency for 4 hours each with total of 16 hours burning process.
With various tracks, I was able to differentiate between the Pistons 2.1 and V3. If you happen to own a pair of Pistons 2.1 then you might know about the punchy bass which was a bit too much for me and caused me some slight discomfort after listening for longer periods of time. In the case of the Pistons V3, bass was never lacking either and the quality has improved and was less fatiguing to listen to for extended periods of time. Clarity and soundstage wise, the Pistons V3 is slightly better than the 2.1. My opinion is the Pistons V3 brings a new audio signature that doesn’t show any shared heritage with the Pistons 2.1. If you ask me which is the better one between these two IEMs I would say the Pistons 2.1 offers better audio quality when watching videos on mobile, but If you usually just listen to music, Pistons V3 is the one to get.
I tested the Pistons V3 with ASUS Padfone S, Samsung Galaxy Tab V and PC desktop with Realtek ALC887 audio chipset. Here is a list of several tracks that I use for the evaluation of the Pistons. But in my evaluation, I listen all the songs with MP3 @ 320kbs and FLAC format.

Conclusion
If you happen to be currently using IEMs that were bundled with your smartphone or any sub-MYR100 IEM other than Pistons 2.1, this should be your go-to upgrade, I guarantee you will find you will find it to be money well spent. Using the Pistons V3 is starting to become a sweet addiction. When the Pistons 2,1 was released with its ridiculously cheap price, a lot of people tried it and noticed the impressive build quality, design and sound of it. Xiaomi has once again used the same formula on the Pistons V3. For me the Pistons may be cheap but I do believe it really stands out and might even be on par with other more expensive brands in the market. The Xiaomi Pistons V3 stands highly recommended by me, so I’m giving it a Silver Award.

But where to purchase this?
You might be wondering where I got the Piston V3 right? It isn’t found on Xiaomi MY site or their FB page (yet). I got it from a trusted and verified seller on lowyat forum. As my way of appreciating his work bringing the Piston V3 into Malaysia, you can find his sales thread here,I got mine for MYR84 including postage.

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Full List of Free Games for PS Plus February 2017: Sackboy is Coming!

Sony Interactive Entertainment has finally announced their lineup of free games for February 2017. Sackboy is leading the fray!
Tons of you have been waiting so long to know what Sony Interactive Entertainment has in store for us PS Plus users. Normally, details would be made public about a week before the new month hits but not this time. We’ve been waiting and finally, we have the full list of PS Plus February 2017 free games, and I know some you will be happy to hear about it.

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PS Plus Free Games for February 2017

First major game up for PS Plus February 2017 is LittleBigPlanet 3. This is arguably one of the most imaginative games to hit the PlayStation, full of platforming adventure and excitement. After you’ve explored the Imagisphere, flex your creative muscle and bring your own imagination to life or play one of the millions of original creations from the LittleBigPlanet Community.
The other big title Sony Interactive Entertainment is offering free-of-charge for PS Plus February 2017 subscribers is Not a Hero. Sometimes you just want to blast the criminal underworld to bits. Players take control of Steve, a professional assassin turned amateur campaign manager as he cleans for his boss, an anthropomorphic rabbit and mayoral candidate from the future named BunnyLord. Run, jump, shoot, and cut your way through this white-knuckle campaign.
Of course, that’s not all there is to it. For the full list of free games for PS Plus February 2017, check it out below here.
Full List of Free Games for PS Plus February 2017 Subscribers

LittleBigPlanet 3 // PS4
Not a Hero // PS4
Starwhal // PS3, cross buy with PS4
Anna — Extended Edition // PS3
Ninja Senki DX // PS Vita, cross buy with PS4
TorqueL // PS Vita, cross buy with PS4

For those of you who are using PS Plus in the Asia region, just be patient for a little while more. Details on PS Plus Asia’s free games lineup will hit us anytime now.

Pokdepinion: I personally feel that this month’s lineup is better than last month’s. I mean come on, it’s LittleBigPlanet 3, who wouldn’t be excited? The characters may look all cutesy but don’t think it’s a game that’s just for kids. If you have not played it before, do give it a shot. If you’re a PS Plus subscriber, you have nothing to lose anyway since it’s free.
Now to see how different of a lineup the Asia region gets.
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