TM Contracting Opcom to Supply Fibre Cables – More Unifi Coverage Underway?

Opcom Holdings Bhd has been contracted by Telekom Malaysia (TM) to supply optical fibre cables in a deal worth RM21.37 million. Could this be a sign of better or wider Unifi coverage coming soon?
TM Contracting Opcom to Supply Fibre Cables

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According to Opcom, the contract is a supplementary agreement that was accepted by their subsidiary, Opcom Cables Sdn Bhd. It will be valid from 1st August 2020 to 20th May 2022.
Needless to say, trade interest in Opcom Holdings started to surge as a result of the deal. According to The Edge Markets, share prices rose as much as 48.05% to 57 sen after they secured the contract from TM.
What could this mean for Malaysia? Well, there are a number of possibilities, especially in a deal that amounts to a significant sum of cash. While TM themselves did not comment on it, it could be used to strengthen their Unifi service, make it available in more places, or possibly both at the same time.
As we know by now, there are still a good number of areas that have yet to receive the upgrade to TM Unifi and are stuck with Streamyx, where they pay almost the same, if not more, for much slower speeds. TM has worked on solutions like Unifi Air at RM79 per month to improve connectivity in rural areas, but it does have some limitations such as speeds going anywhere from 1Mbps to 20Mbps for both download and upload activities.
For now, we will just have to wait and see what TM has in store for us Malaysians. We will be reporting more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: Hopefully, this is a good sign of things to come from TM. Whether it’s strengthening coverage or widening it, the consumers will be the one to benefit most.
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DisplayPort 2.1 Specification Officially Released by VESA

Superseding DisplayPort 2.0 spec, the DisplayPort 2.1 specification has been officially released by Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). This backwards-compatible display specification is set to be generally more stringent on signaling validations and various features over its preceding DP 2.0 spec, to ensure a more consistent experience across certified peripherals.
Thanks to the collaborative effort in designing various DisplayPort peripherals between VESA and respective device manufacturers, all devices previously certified for DP 2.0 specification will automatically be certified for the DP 2.1 specification as well. In this revision, the efforts are focused on lining up with USB-C’s specification as well as USB4’s PHY (physical layer) to ensure a common communication protocol.

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This specification applies to all DisplayPort form factors, including standard full-size ports and Mini DPs, which in turn is expected to improve signal integrity over longer cable lengths – while maintaining the high-speed UHBR (Ultra-High Bit Rate) standard. DP40 and DP80 UHBR cables, as the name implies, run on 40Gbps and 80Gbps in total, respectively. The maximum cable length for DP40 cable configuration are “beyond two meters” and DP80 is set to “beyond one meter” in that regard, per VESA press release.
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Pokdepinion: We shall see if this spec update over existing products may cause confusion among masses…
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Go hands-on with JOI’s latest devices at these locations!

JOI devices come in a wide variety of form factors to satisfy everyone. To give you a chance to find the right one for yourself, JOI is holding showcases of their JOI Book Touch 300, JOI 11 Pro 64GB, JOI Book 150, JOI Book 100 and JOI 10 Flip at the following locations and dates.

12th June – Nilai University, Negeri Sembilan
15th & 16th June – AEON Kinta City, Ipoh
21st & 22nd June – Aeon Bandar Utama, PJ & Aeon Kinta City, Ipoh.
23rd June – Shang Wu Chinese School, Penang

Just to give you a brief overview of the latest JOI lineup that’s going to be showcased, here are some of the highlight features of JOI’s latest devices:
JOI 11 Pro

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If you are in the market for a tablet that’s not only affordable, but also comes with stylus support, this could be the one for you. The JOI 11 Pro touts a 10.8″ FHD IPS multi-touch display which supports the JOI Active Pen Pro 110, giving you the ability to write and draw on the screen. There’s also a big 8400 mAh battery inside to give you the flexibility to keep drawing and writing anywhere you want. And you can quite literally do that with the JOI 11 Pro weighing a paltry 700g.
For more info about the JOI 11 Pro: https://www.joi.com.my/JOI11Pro64GB
JOI 10 Flip (2018)

The JOI 10 Flip (2018) is a more affordable option in JOI’s lineup if you want a tablet. It has a lower resolution 10.1″ HD IPS display, but there’s support for the JOI Active Pen, which means you can still use it for drawing and writing.  It does come with a smaller 6500 mAh battery, which lets it weigh less at just 522g. Even with the smaller battery, JOI claims over four hours of video playback.
For more info about the JOI 10 Flip: https://www.joi.com.my/JOI10Flip
JOI Book 150

The JOI Book 150 touts an Intel® Celeron® N4100 and 4GB LPDDR4 RAM packed into its 14mm thin and 1.35kg light metal body. In addition to that, the display touts narrow 3mm bezels which gives the JOI Book 150 a narrower footprint than standard 14″ laptops in the market. While its small on the outside, it’s pretty big on the inside. There’s support for up to 512GB M.2 SATA SSDs and also microSD storage if you need even more space.
For more info about the JOI Book 150: https://www.joi.com.my/JOIBook150
JOI Book 100

Same design but slightly cheaper, the JOI Book 100 comes with an older Intel® Celeron® N3450 processor. It’s just as light and portable as the JOI Book 150, and it also comes with the same 38 Wh battery which promises up to 6 hours of battery life.
For more info about the JOI Book 100: https://www.joi.com.my/JOIBook100
JOI Book Touch 300

Probably JOI’s highest end design, this is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop to give you the best of both worlds. There is a 13.3″ FHD IPS touch screen display, and a built-in keyboard that’s just a flip away. Despite all that versatility, the JOI Book Touch 300 weighs just 1.54kg and is just 15.6mm thin. For those concerned about security, there’s also a fingerprint scanner to make logins quicker and also more secure.
For more info about the JOI Book Touch 300: https://www.joi.com.my/JOIBook300
If you are interested in any of these, just head on down to the locations listed above on the dates mentioned to check them out for yourself.
This is an exclusive article for JOI.
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We’re getting closer and closer to a whole new generation of gaming, with Sony’s PS5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X. The latter has already revealed the prices of their offerings, with the Xbox Series X going for USD $499 while the more affordable S variant will go for USD $299. It appears that Sony has taken notice of this and there are rumours of them changing the price of the PlayStation 5 as a result.
PS5 Price May See A Change Thanks to Xbox Series X

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With Microsoft already revealing the launch date and price of the Xbox Series X, Sony may be rethinking their plans with the PS5. According to Gamereactor, citing an anonymous source, the PlayStation 5 was “considerably” more expensive to the point that the company might just cut the prices down to compete against the Xbox Series X.
Based on that information alone, the PS5 could be retailing for USD $499 while the digital edition, which doesn’t have a disc drive, will be USD $399 as many are expecting it to be a hundred dollars less. In this case, it won’t be going under the competitor’s price, but it will match it.
With that being said however, Sony has still not made any announcements with regards to the PS5. There was also no notable reactions on the Xbox Series X announcements, so all of this might just be a speculation. At the moment, we know what sort of hardware will be powering the machine and a rough idea of manufacturing costs, but it’s still hard to say what the price would actually be.
There is a chance that Sony is purposely waiting for Microsoft to make the first move and adjust their business strategy accordingly. After all, it’s not the first time Microsoft released their product earlier than Sony. For now, do take this information with a grain of salt. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: If it actually resulted in a price change and made it cheaper, then thank you Microsoft for pushing them in that direction.
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THQ Nordic Lands in Hot Water For Teaming Up With NSFW Website 8Chan

We’re doing an 8chan AMA and we have no idea why. Come join us!https://t.co/i2okKUfpdP
— THQNordic (@THQNordic) February 26, 2019

Recently, THQ Nordic has done arguably the craziest thing they could ever do and it doesn’t have anything to do with acquisitions. The PR and marketing team decided to hold an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session over at an NSFW site, 8Chan. If you’re familiar with that site, then you know how bad of an idea that is.
For those of you who are unaware, 8Chan is an imageboard website that in the past has been linked with such disturbing content related to child pornography. Google Search went as far to blacklist 8Chan in 2015 citing “suspected child abuse content” as the main factor in doing so. Many people on the internet have described the place as the “toilet of the internet”.

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Despite this content being frequently associated with 8Chan though, THQ Nordic still opted to host an AMA there. THQ said it was approached in a “friendly and polite manner” about the prospect of the AMA on 8Chan and went on to say that some guy named Mark would take care of the “nasty stuff” that might appear in the thread.
As you might imagine, it didn’t take long for those at THQ to realize they should have thought this through a bit more. A few hours after initially promoting the AMA, THQ Nordic’s PR and Marketing Director, Philipp Brock, tweeted out an apology through the official publisher’s account. Brock claimed he wasn’t aware of the site’s history and said he does not condone “child pornography, white supremacy, or racism in any shape or form.” Brock also claimed sole responsibility for the entire event, ending by saying that it’s something they regret.
One would think research would have been done prior to running any form of marketing or publicity-related efforts on a foreign platform but clearly there has been some oversight in the company. Perhaps this is a lesson not just for them, but for everyone of us here that to do some thorough research before agreeing to anything.
Pokdepinion: Well, that was an interesting turn of events. One would think there would at least be one person there that would know how NSFW the site is but at this point, what’s done is done. I’m hoping the backlash on them wouldn’t be too bad.
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HONOR Malaysia Crowns 1st Ever My Idol Winner

Previously HONOR Malaysia was on the search for the first ever idol to become their ambassador for the HONOR My Idol contest. The search finally ended today as they’ve announced the winner, who walked away with prizes from the smartphone company.
At the event, they even did a conceptual portrait workshop presented by Daniel Adams, where he gave several tips when it comes to photography as well as showcasing several shots that he took with an HONOR 10 Lite.
HONOR My Idol Winner
The winner walked away with RM3,000, an HONOR 10 Lite as well the opportunity of being the brand’s ambassador for upcoming HONOR product and of course a trophy too for winning.

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As for the first and second runner ups, they walked away with a brand new HONOR 10 Lite, Band 4 Running and a trophy. They’ve also awarded consolation prizes for two winners where they earned themselves an HONOR Band 4, HONOR Bluetooth speaker and a trophy each.
Pokdepinion: Well now you know who is going to be the face of their next product. Interestingly, HONOR also teased on a brand new smartphone that offers a triple lens camera..
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Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) Officially Unveiled in Malaysia – 4 Cameras on a Single Device

Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) Officially Unveiled in Malaysia

At a launch event in Kuala Lumpur today, Samsung Malaysia has officially launched their newest, and arguably most innovative smartphone yet, the Samsung Galaxy A9. What makes this smartphone rather special is the fact that it has 4 cameras, the most we’ve seen in a smartphone today (aside from prototypes).
It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset with 6GBs of RAM, 128GBs of storage, and is running Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. With a quad-camera setup, not only is it more than the ones you see today, like the tri-camera setup on the Huawei P20 Pro, it is a notable step up from the newest Galaxy A7 smartphone.

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It has a 6.3-inch Full HD+ (2160×1080) Super AMOLED display and has dual-SIM capabilities. Interestingly, it’s not using those hybrid SIM slots so there is indeed a dedicated slot for microSD cards, supporting up to 512GBs of storage. For battery, it has a capacity of 3,800mAh and it supports fast charging via USB-C.

What you’re most likely going to be curious about here is the camera, and it’s definitely packing some power. On the Samsung Galaxy A9, you will find a 24MP f/1.7 main camera, a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom capabilities, a 5MP f/2.2 depth camera (Live Focus), and an ultra-wide 8MP f/2.4 camera with 120-degree viewing angle. For you selfie / wefie lovers out there, there will be a 24MP front-facing camera.

The Samsung Galaxy A9 will be available starting November 2018 onwards. Retail price will be announced at a later time so stay tuned.
Pokdepinion: It certainly does look like a promising device but we can only know for sure how good it is when put it through our rigorous testing process. Do you guys want to see us review this smartphone?

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Malaysia to Implement Open Payment System for Public Transportation

The Ministry of Transportation in Malaysia has directed all public transport operators to implement an open payment system, allowing passengers to pay for their rides using credit and debit cards. Read on to find out more.
Malaysia: Use Open Payment System for Public Transportation

Malaysia’s Ministry of Transportation has issued a new directive requiring all public transportation operators to implement an open payment system for credit and debit cards. The move aims to provide greater convenience to the public and to expand the range of cashless payment options. With this new directive, major transportation operators like Prasarana and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) will be expanding their cashless payment options for their bus and rail services.

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This is a significant development for public transportation in Malaysia as it signals a move towards greater accessibility and convenience for the public. The new directive means that Touch ‘n Go (TnG) will no longer have a monopoly hold on the cashless payment method for public transportation. This could mean that other payment providers like Maybank, CIMB, and Visa, will soon be offering their own payment options for public transportation.
Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, has stated that the integration process for the system will take several months to be completed. This means that the public may have to wait a little longer before they can start paying for their rides with credit and debit cards. However, the move is a step in the right direction and is expected to boost the country’s digital economy.

It is important to note that the new directive does not mean the end of TnG’s existence within the public transportation system. The company will continue to offer its services and will become one of several cashless payment options instead of being the sole choice as of now.
In the past, Rapid KL and PayNet had installed MyDebit card readers at LRT stations almost three years ago but had not put them to proper use. With the new directive, these dormant card readers will finally be utilized, providing greater convenience to the public.
Recently, there has been a push towards cashless payments in Malaysia. Last year, Express Rail Link (ERL) introduced cashless payment options for its KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit services. This allowed passengers to tap their credit or debit cards directly on the turnstile, providing a seamless and convenient experience.
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Pokdepinion: The move towards an open payment system for public transportation is a positive development for Malaysia’s digital economy. The public can look forward to greater convenience and accessibility in the near future as transportation operators expand their cashless payment options.
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Vivo Unveils Their New Vivo V7+ Smartphone – Big on selfies, small on bezels

My selfie cam is bigger than yours

Vivo has lift the lid off of their brand new device, the Vivo V7+. Vivo is best known for brand that emphasises their selfie cameras as evident in their previous Vivo V5 and Vivo V5s devices, both packing an impressive 20MP front facing shooter. They’ve continued this trend with the new Vivo V7+. The Vivo V7+ is the first smartphone in the world to have a 24MP front facing camera as well as an LED flash to keep your selfie game on point.

Apart from its jaw dropping front facing camera, the Vivo V7+ features a huge 18:9 FullView display on a 5.99 HD screen which is nearly bezel-less. The screen to body ration of the Vivo V7+ is an insane 84.4% and should give you an immersive viewing experience.

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Check out the full specifications of the Vivo V7+ down below.

CPU:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Octa-core 1.8 GHz Cortex-A53

GPU
Adreno 506

RAM
4GB

Display:
5.9″, HD (720p) IPS display

Storage:
64GB internal (expandable with microSD up to 256GB)

Camera:
16 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, LED flash
24 MP, f/2.0, LED flash

OS:
Android 7.1 Nougat (Funtouch OS 3.2)

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, hotspot
Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, LE

SIM:
Dual Nano SIM

Battery:
3225 mAh (non-removable)

The main highlight of the Vivo V7+, the 24MP selfie snapper has a few interesting features about it. Namely their updated Face Beauty 7.0 which makes you look more natural and beautiful in your selfies, even when the lighting isn’t particularly great. Face Beauty 7.0 achieves this by utilising a new algorithm that helps brightens up and gives your face a more even complexion. You can also use Face Beauty 7.0 for video calls on supported apps like WhatsApp, Line, Facebook Messenger, Viber Messenger and BBM. The V7+ will also automatically activate Selfie Softlight if it deems the environment a bit too dark.
There’s also the ever popular Portrait Mode that adds bokeh effects to your selfies like a DSLR.

The display on the Vivo V7+ is no slouch either. The screen actually comes in at 5.5 inches, similar to their previous Vivo V5 but it can increase into a 5.99 inch FullView Display, which allows for a more immersive viewing experience. The device’s thin bezels, at just 2.15mm thick helps to nail home the superior visual experience of the device.
The Vivo V7+ also comes with a new feature called Game Mode. In Game Mode, the device actually prevents incoming calls and messages or other notifications from interrupting you while you’re in the zone. Other interesting features found on the V7+ are the Smart Split 3.0, App Clone and the Face Access smart unlocking feature.
In Smart Split 3.0 the Vivo V7+ allows you to multitask a little easier using split screen. The App Clone lets you use two different accounts to log into the same app. The Face Access smart unlocking is similar to the iPhone X’s FaceID feature where you can unlock the V7+ simply with your beautiful face.
The Vivo V7+ will retail at a decent RM 1,499 and will be available from September 29th onward through Vivo concept stores, partner stores as well as their official store on Lazada. It will be available in two colours, Crown Gold and Matte Black.
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OPPO Releases Short Film To Celebrate Merdeka & Malaysia Day

In conjunction with both Merdeka and Malaysia Day, OPPO Malaysia has released a new short film that celebrates patriotism and love for the country.
OPPO Malaysia short film

The video was uploaded at the company’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel, where it follows the story of a man as he journeys through every Malaysia’s worst nightmare under one roof. Shot and released in conjunction with the launch of the OPPO Reno6 Series, the short film is inspired by real-life events.

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In case you’ve missed it, OPPO is hosting their Malaysians, in Portrait Bonanza celebration, where they are offering free gifts and lucky draw prizes worth a total of RM100,000 up for grabs which lasts until the 19th of September 2021.
Those who purchase selected new OPPO products will be entitled to free gifts. As for the lucky draw prizes, you may follow these steps:

Purchase any OPPO smartphone
Download the My OPPO App and register as a new user
Participate in the Malaysians, in Portrait Bonanza Lucky Draw through the My OPPO App and fill in your particulars

Check out our previous coverage to find out more details on the contest. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: There were some parts that I thought was cringy… though I guess the overall message is a good one about togetherness in the community. How about you? Did you liked the short film?
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Shadow of the Colossus Remake Coming To The PS4 This February – Special bonuses for pre-order customers

Get ready for a journey

Back in September during the Tokyo Game Show 2017, Sony announced that they were remaking the highly popular action-adventure game Shadow of the Colossus to much fanfare from the gaming community. They even showed off the trailer! First released way back in 2005 for the PS2, Shadow of the Colossus is often considered as one of the most beloved and best games of all time due to its immersive gameplay, emotional story as well as a beautiful art style. The game was also re-released and remastered for the PS3 back in 2011.

Now Sony Interactive Entertainment Hong Kong Limited Singapore Branch (SIES) has revealed that the Shadow of the Colossus remake will arrive on our shores soon, 6 February next year to be exact. Shadow of the Colossus will be available on both Blu-ray disc as well as Digital Download through the PlayStation Store. There will be two versions of the Digital Download edition of the game, a Digital Deluxe version that will retail for RM 189 and a Digital Standard edition that will retail for RM 149. Meanwhile the Blu-ray disc edition will have a retail price of RM 159.

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Here’s a brief description of the game:
Rebuilt from the ground up by Bluepoint Games and JAPAN Studio, SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS on PlayStation 4 system introduces the awe of its unforgettable world and towering creatures to a new generation of gamers, while allowing long time fans to revisit the beloved masterpiece with unparalleled visual fidelity and improved performance.
Tales speak of an ancient realm where Colossi roam the majestic landscape.  Bound to the land, these creatures hold a key to a mystical power of revival – a power you must obtain to bring a loved one back to life.
SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS is a breathtaking journey through ancient lands to seek out gigantic beasts.  Armed with only a sword and a bow, explore the spacious lands and unearth each Colossus, presenting a unique challenge to test your wits, determination, and skill.
You can pre-order the Shadow of the Colossus remake starting now till 5 February next year. Not just that, those who purchase the game early are eligible to receive various Early Purchase bonuses such as the Life Sword, an exclusive Shadow of the Colossus PS4 theme as well as other various bonuses. The Early Purchase period is from 6 February to 19 February 2018.

That’s not all! If you pre-order the Digital Deluxe version or the Digital Standard version now you can get the game at a 10% discount over at the PlayStation Store! The special discounted price is only available now until 5 February 2018.
Pokdepinion: I remember being absolutely mesmerised by the game’s beautiful art when I first played it on the PS2. I missed the remaster on the PS3 but for sure I won’t miss this remake.
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Tower Of Fantasy “Vera” Update Goes Live On October 20th

Tower Of Fantasy Publisher Level Infinite and developer Hotta Studio has confirmed that Vera, the first major update for the game will go online for free on 20 October 2022 on all platforms.

The Vera expansion features two distinct environments – Desert Gobby, the irradiated wilderness; and Mirroria, the cyberpunk city within its center. Full of danger and conflict, both areas will offer Wanderers new set of missions, events, raids, instances, monsters and legendary bosses to overcome, plus new vehicles and weapons. Grayspace – a section within Desert Gobby – presents players with biggest challenge. Take on the Abyssants, the biggest enemies inhabiting the zone, to preserve Vera’s already fragile ecology.

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New characters joining the game includes Lin, Ruby and Saku Fuwa. Watch the trailer here:

A special stream will be hosted on 13 October 2022, 8PM UTC (14 Oct 2022, 4AM Malaysian Time) on YouTube, Twitch and Twitter. The stream will feature an in-depth look at the Vera update – fans can expect exclusive content, new announcements, rewards and more.
Pokdepinion: The wait is almost over, get ready to play as soon as update goes live!
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Google Play’s billing system is required for apps to remain on the Play Store

Epic Games made some shockwaves last month by removing Fortnite from the Apple App Store and Google’s Play Store. This was reportedly done in protest of the 30% cut that both Apple and Google take from their in-app billing, which to it is “exorbitant”. Google is now going to be enforcing it even more strictly.
Starting from 20th January 2021, new apps distributed on the Google Play platform offering in-app purchases must use Google Play’s billing system. This includes purchase of in-game items, subscriptions, additional features or content and also cloud services. Apps that are currently available on the Play Store will be given until 30th September 2021 to implement Google Play’s billing.
App developers will no longer be allowed to provide alternative payment options if the app is to be listed on the Play Store. However Google does allow for alternative app stores, and even mentions an example of Fortnite being available on the Samsung’s Galaxy App store. Developers who decide not to follow Google’s policy can choose to offer their apps to Android users on other app stores.

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It will be quite interesting to see how will apps like Spotify and Netflix react to this, considering that both of them offer payment options outside the Play Store. They do offer their services on more than just Android devices though, so it should be slightly more complicated. Financial management software is also listed among the apps that will need to use Google Play’s billing, so I am not sure how will that work either.
Pokdepinion: I wonder how many app developers will decide to embrace other app stores like HUAWEI AppGallery or maybe a manufacturer-agnostic one like APKPure to avoid these rules.
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You Can Watch The Full 2021 Premier League Season On sooka

A big fan of the Premier League but don’t know where to watch it? sooka will be streaming all 380 matches of the 2021 Premier League live in HD for their subscribers should you be interested.
Premier League 2021 season on Sooka

As mentioned earlier, you can catch all the 2021 Premier League matches through the sooka app, which is available for both Android and iOS devices. You can subscribe for all matches through its VIP+Sports plan at RM41.90 per month.

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Should you want to watch certain matches only, you can opt to purchase single match passes for RM7.90 per game, a similar rate to their previous offer for EURO 2020.
To find out more on the app, do check out our previous coverage by heading to the link right here. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: I just giggle when I saw “Clash of the Premier League titans” and there’s no Man United.
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Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Series’ New Update Elevates Holistic Wellness

Fans of Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Series, rejoice! Samsung Electronics just unveiled their newest update to the Galaxy Watch4 series. The new update equips users with a set of new programs that aims to help you sleep better, train better, attain more body composition insights as well as more customization choices. The software update will be available via Galaxy Wearable app on 10th February.
Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Series’ New Update

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One of the latest updates to look forward to is a body composition update that is powered by Centr, a digital fitness program curated by Chris Hemsworth. Whether it be setting your running duration, distance or the number of sets for your cycling workout or customizing your intensity training session, the new update aims to provide users more insight to change their health, fitness and mindset. To kickoff this new update, Galaxy Watch4 users will be entitled to receive a full 30-day trial in Centr.
To help users achieve better rest, the Galaxy Watch4’s newest sleep coaching program utilizes the data accumulated from your current sleeping habit and surveys to reset your sleeping habits – using one of the eight sleep symbol animals assigned to represent your sleep type.
The program then helps you through a four to five week coaching program that includes sleep-related activities, meditation guidance and reports your sleep statistics as you work towards improving sleep quality. An added bonus to this update is that if you have Samsung SmartThings synced, the smartwatch detects inactivity and helps turn lights off so that you can rest easy.
The new update also incorporates the use of advanced BioActive Sensor technology and Samsung Health Monitor app to measure both blood pressure and electrocardiogram to monitor your heart health anytime, anywhere.
Satisfying Your Customization Needs
Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic Review
If you are looking for a new change for your current Galaxy Watch4, the new update aims to elevate the current watch face via personal customization with more colourways and changeable digital clock fonts. There are also two new strap colours, fabric brands and link bracelets available in late February.
Google Assistant will also be available on Galaxy Watch4 series in an upcoming update. To achieve seamless connections throughout, you will be able to stream music from the YouTube Music app on your Galaxy Watch4 smartwatches and install your favourite smartphone apps during initial setup using one tap.
Source
Pokdepinion: LOOK AT THEM CUTE ANIMALS!!!
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Razer Viper V2 Pro Review – The Lightest is Also the Darkest

Unboxing the Razer Viper V2 Pro
Razer Viper V2 Pro Review – Box

Let’s kick off the Razer Viper V2 Pro with the unboxing. The packaging is your run-of-the-mill Razer gaming peripheral design clad in its signature black and green colour scheme. You get a bunch of details on the features and parts listed on the box itself. Inside, you can find the following items:
Razer Viper V2 Pro Review – Box content

Wireless USB dongle
USB dongle adapter
USB Type-A to USB Type-C Speedflex cable
Razer Mouse Grip Tape
Important Product Information Guide
The Razer Viper V2 Pro itself

Specifications

Body material
Matte plastic shell

Sensor
Razer Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor

DPI
Up to 30,000 DPI in 50 DPI increments, 5 DPI stages

USB report rate
125/500/1000 Hz

Switch type
Razer Optical Mouse Switch Gen 3 rated for 90 million clicks

RGB
No

Cable
1.8m Razer Speedflex cable, USB-C

Mouse Feet
100% PTFE

Built-in Memory
Yes, 1 profile for custom DPI and configurations

Weight
58g

Dimensions
126.7 x 57.6 x 37.8 mm

Performance
Razer Viper V2 Pro Review – Tracking test
From my own experience, the Razer Viper V2 Pro is able to track with great accuracy but your experience will vary depending on your DPI. At 1,000 to 3,200, it’s very easy to use and works great. At 8,000 DPI, the jitter starts to kick in but not as bad. After 16,000 DPI, it’s practically unusable. For gamers, I foresee a DPI setting as low as 500 to 2,000 where as for casual users, a max of 4,000 would be ideal.

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Looking for a wireless gaming mouse that’s more suitable for MMORPGs? Check out our Razer Naga Pro review by clicking right here.
The Good
Razer Viper V2 Pro Review – Right side
The Razer Viper V2 Pro was marketed as lightweight but I genuinely didn’t know how light 58g truly is. Despite being light, it feels well built still. Together with the 100% PTFE mouse feet, moving it is practically effortless which makes it less tiring and allows more room for precision. After using this, even a mouse that is 90g, which is still considerably light, feels heavy.
Given that it’s the Viper series, it has an ambidextrous design so both lefties and righties can use it with ease. This is especially important for lefties as the options for them aren’t nearly as wide as the ones for righties. The shape and size makes it comfortable to use for claw grip and resting my palm on it, especially considering how long my fingers are. Much larger hands may struggle a bit.
While it may not be the best performer for high-level competitive gaming, the click latency is certainly within acceptable range. There are no odd delays and for most people, it would feel near instantaneous. Anything faster and you would need something with much higher polling rate, perhaps within the 4K to 8K Hz range.
Razer Viper V2 Pro Review – Top view
Under normal circumstances, having no textured grip of any kind would be bad as it can make the mouse feel slippery but I personally believe this is good for the Razer Viper V2 Pro as it comes with the Razer Mouse Grip Tape. This makes it more versatile as you can freely place the grip tape anywhere you prefer for improved grip, and you can choose not to if it works well for you out of the box.
The battery life is also excellent, and certainly one of the best that Razer has to offer for a wireless gaming mouse. It’s pretty close to the advertised 80 hours, as I typically get about 74-75 hours per full charge. This means that I only need to charge once a week, even as a primary mouse. In case you forgot to charge it, you can do so by using the Speedflex cable and continue using it still.
The Bad
Razer Viper V2 Pro Review – Right hand and left hand
While the Razer Viper V2 Pro sounds pretty good, it does have its drawbacks. For starters, it looks rather bland as it doesn’t come with any form of RGB lighting whatsoever. At most, you have a small indicator light below the mouse wheel. Practically speaking, what you see is what you get. Would have been nice if they at least coloured in the Razer logo in green for some contrast. Ironically, this makes it one of the lightest, yet darkest gaming mouse around.
It is an ambidextrous gaming mouse thanks to its symmetrical design but lefties will lose out on the side buttons. It’s only really usable for righties unfortunately, unless you’re able to use your pinky or ring finger flexibly.
For those of you who plan on bringing this mouse out and about, it doesn’t have Bluetooth functionality. Therefore, you will need to either bring a USB cable and use it as a wired mouse or bring the wireless dongle around with you.
Razer Viper V2 Pro Verdict
Razer Viper V2 Pro Review
The Razer Viper V2 Pro is an excellent wireless gaming mouse with an emphasis on lightweight. Its drawbacks are minimal and the only thing you have to be worried would be its asking price. Initially, it was launched with a retail price of RM749 but you can get it on their official Lazada store for just RM639 instead.
At the end of our Razer Viper V2 Pro review, I award this wireless gaming mouse with our coveted Gold Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Razer Asia Pacific for sending us this mouse for the purpose of this review.
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Huawei P20 Series Morpho Aurora and Mother of Pearl announced – together with two additional genuine leather variants at the IFA2018

Huawei extends the P20 series with two more colors and leather variants. One of these is also coming to Malaysia!
Huawei has just announced an extension of their existing P20 and P20 Pro lineup with additional variants. The flagships are getting another update of beautiful colors; the Morpho Aurora and Mother of Pearl. These were officially made available on Huawei’s twitter as of today.

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Richard Yu on stage at #HuaweiIFA2018 with the extended #HuaweiP20 Series. Will you be upgrading your style? #ExperienceSmarter #IFABerlin #IFA18 pic.twitter.com/dSpd8aS0hO
— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) August 31, 2018

Adding more flair to the colors

The Morpho Aurora is a dark silhouette of blue while the Mother of Pearl is a white model with a tinge of pink and light blue underneath. These will be powered by the similar Kirin 970 processor found in the previous models, and the colored body will be showing their flair underneath the toughened 3D glass panels.
In the powerhouse department, there are 6GB RAM + 64GB storage alongside the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variants for your consideration. Huawei seems committed in further expanding their award winning flagship phone of the year and this announcement is definitely an epitome to that.
Introducing the Leather P20 Series
On top of that, the company also introduced two genuine leather clad versions, the Golden Brown and Elegant Black. These models not only look good, but also give the flagships premium feel and great grip.
The P20 leather series will also feature 8GB RAM configuration which is the largest among all of the P20 series devices.
Huawei P20 Pro Mother of Pearl arriving in Malaysia soon

Our very reliable sources has indicated that among the four variants that have been announced, the Huawei P20 Pro Mother of Pearl variant is definitely coming to Malaysia. I think that’s the best decision Huawei Malaysia can make because the Mother of Peal seems to be the most captivating among all others. The price of the Mother of Pearl variant in Malaysia will be announced soon, so keep checking out our website for further updates on it.
Pokdepinion: The Huawei P20 Pro Mother of Pearl is definitely worth looking forward to! Now we’re waiting for the official price announcement by Huawei Malaysia.
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Dell Releases New UltraSharp Monitors And Meeting Space Solutions To Enhance Working Environments

Dell has just unveiled brand new UltraSharp monitors as well as various new meeting space solutions to better enhance productivity and increase the comfort of creatives and office professionals. These include the Dell UltraSharp 32 HDR PremierColor Monitor (UP3221Q), Dell UltraSharp 24 USB-C Hub Monitor (U2421E), Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Hub Monitor (U3421WE), Dell Slim Soundbar as well as Meeting Space Solution for Microsoft Teams Rooms.
Dell UltraSharp 32 HDR PremierColor Monitor (UP3221Q)

The Dell UltraSharp 32 HDR PremierColor Monitor (UP3221Q) is a professional monitor with 2K mini-LED direct back-lit dimming zones where the individually controlled back-light zones on the monitor provide contrast with deep blacks and bright whites. It features DCI-P3 colour coverage at 99.8%, 4K resolution and VESA DisplayHDR 1000, for precise and uniform colour reproduction of film and video content.

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The Dell UltraSharp 32 HDR PremierColor Monitor comes with a built-in Calman Powered colorimeter which gives creators the flexibility of on-demand or scheduled calibration with or without the PC attached. This 31.5-inch professional monitor comes at a retail price of RM16,919 and will be available from 6 November.
Dell UltraSharp 24 USB-C Hub Monitor and 34 Curved USB-C Hub Monitor (U2421E and U3421WE)

The Dell UltraSharp 24 USB-C Hub Monitor (U2421E) and Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Hub Monitor (U3421WE) offers more of a balance between comfort and functionality. The 24-inch UltraSharp Monitor has a 16:10 aspect ratio and is Dell’s first monitor with ComfortView Plus – a built-in, TÜV Rheinland-certified Hardware Low Blue Light solution that maintains colour accuracy on the screen and minimises blue light emission to optimise eye comfort.

The 34-inch Curved UltraSharp Monitor meanwhile, features WQHD resolution, 95% DCI-P3 colour coverage and delivers an immersive audiovisual experience with three-sided ultra-thin borders and built-in dual speakers.
Both the 24-inch UltraSharp Monitor and the 34-inch Curved UltraSharp Monitor retails for RM1,519 and RM3,429 respectively and is available to purchase now.
Dell Slim Soundbar

The new Dell Slim Soundbar attaches magnetically to the bottom of the display and allows users to tilt, swivel and pivot the monitor without the soundbar getting in the way. The powerful 3.6W speakers requires no proprietary software and delivers high quality sound in an easy plug and play setup. The Dell Slim Soundbar has a retail price of RM209 and is available for purchase now.
Meeting Space Solution for Microsoft Teams Rooms

Dell’s new Meeting Space Solution for Microsoft Teams Rooms offers a complete group collaboration ecosystem that includes the OptiPlex 7080 Micro running the Teams Room experience on Windows, Dell Large Format Monitors as well as audio and video peripherals. The solution features proximity detection and one-touch join which allows employees to start meetings on time and instantly project content in the room and to virtual participants.
For more information on pricing, do check out the official Dell page for assistance.
Pokdepinion: I’m pretty interested in that Dell Slim Soundbar. Can stick it anywhere on the monitor without it hindering the monitor movement? Consider me sold!
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Fall Guys To Arrive On Mobile?

You’ve probably know the game by now, it’s everywhere. We’re talking about Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, which is a huge hit for gamers when it came out on the PS4 and PC. Well it seems that we might see it being ported for mobile devices soon.
Fall Guys on mobile

Chinese games and entertainment company Bilibili has secured the rights to publish a mobile version of Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout in China.The game released for PC and PS4 on August 4, 2020 and has become a viral hit.#FallGuys https://t.co/BjElzemUGr pic.twitter.com/EBgYq3pck5— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) August 22, 2020

It appears that a company called Bilibili in China has gained the license to release a mobile version of the game. Unfortunately, it will be made available only in that country for now.
Seeing the game’s success, it’s not surprising to find ripoffs in the Play Store or App Store but as you’d expect, their not the official game.

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According to reports, the Bilibili game will be called Jelly Bean: The Ultimate Knockout.
Fall Guys’ developer Mediatonic has confirmed that a mobile version “was in the works” but there’s not much info as to what devices it will arrive in.
For more of the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
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Pokdepinion: I can see a lot of people playing the game, whether it’s on PC or PS4. If it does indeed arrive on mobile, it’s in for another huge success.
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realme launches the realme C2 and realme 3 Pro

realme has launched their latest smartphones here in Malaysia, with the realme C2 and realme 3 Pro released here in Malaysia. The two affordable smartphones are extremely impressive in their price segment, with specifications that can match much more expensive smartphones.
realme 3 Pro – priced starting from RM899
The realme 3 Pro is the most affordable smartphone with a Snapdragon 710 in Malaysia. The device also offers a slew of amazing features including Nightscape and Chroma Boost, giving it some strong photography chops as well.

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The realme 3 Pro will be offered first on Lazada at 10am on 15th May 2019, with it available in realme’s network of physical stores starting 18th May 2019.
realme 3 Pro Specifications

Snapdragon 710, octa-core up to 2.2 GHz, 10nm FinFET
Up to 6GB RAM
Up to 128GB storage (expandable via microSD)
6.3″ FHD+ IPS display
16MP f/1.7 Sony IMX519 + 5MP f/2.4 depth sensor
25MP f/2.0 selfie camera
4045 mAh battery, 20W VOOC Flash Charge 3.0
ColorOS 6.0 based on Android 9 Pie
4GB + 64GB: RM899
6GB + 128GB: RM1099

realme C2 – entry-level king
The successor to the realme C1, the realme C2 features a Helio P22 instead of the Snapdragon 450 in the former. The realme C2 wil lbe offered in two variant, with the base variant with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage starting from just RM429.

realme C2 Specifications

Mediatek Helio P22, octa-core up to 2.0 GHz, 12nm FinFET
Up to 3GB RAM
Up to 32GB storage (expandable via microSD)
6.1″ HD+ display, 89.35% screen-to-body ratio, dewdrop notch
13MP f/2.2 + 2MP depth sensor
5MP selfie camera
4000 mAh battery
ColorOS 6.0 based on Android 9 Pie
2GB + 16GB: RM429
3GB + 32GB: RM499

What do you think of the new realme C2 and realme 3 Pro? Let us know!
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Get an exclusive Limited Edition ROG Bomber Jacket with these selected ASUS GeForce graphics cards!

Ever wanted to own one of those limited edition ROG Bomber Jackets? Well now you have a chance to get one! Simply by purchasing one the following ASUS GeForce graphics cards, you can stand a chance to get the bomber jacket! The eligible ASUS graphics cards are:

STRIX-GTX1060-A6G-GAMING RM 1399
STRIX-GTX1060-DC2O6G RM 1279
DUAL-GTX1060-O6G RM 1199
STRIX-GTX1050TI-4G-GAMING RM 919
CERBERUS-GTX1050TI-O4G RM 809
PH-GTX1050TI-4G) RM 769

All you have to do is to head over to the registration page here, and key in the necessary details to be able to get yourself the exclusive ROG Bomber Jacket! Of course, terms and conditions apply, and this promotion is only valid while stocks last, so be quick!

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Aside from the chance to win the sweet jacket, you will also be getting a great graphics card with technologies like the patented wing-blade 0 dB fans as well as Auto-Extreme Technology for enhanced reliability.
Pokdepinion: That’s a really sweet jacket!
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Shopee Wraps Up 2018 With Over 12 Million Orders On 12.12 Birthday Sale

Shopee has revealed that they’ve wrapped up 2018 with a record-breaking successful 12.12 Birthday Sale, where they saw over 12 million orders across the region, surpassing all past records including the previous Shopee 11.1 Big Sale.
Coming with more than 450,000 brands and merchants, Shopee recorded 48 million visits as users shopped 60 million deals across all categories.
In addition, Shopee’s in-app games was also popular where the Shopee Shake was played 46 million times throughout the campaign.

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As we’ve reported, Realme won as the “Best Selling Phone” award. With BLACKPINK soon to perform in the country, their tickets were hot and they’ve managed to sell all of them less than hour from the beginning of sale.
Other than that, the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 was a hot item during the sale with it getting attention from the public. Shoppers seemed to be attracted the latest iPhones too during the period.
Were you too distracted with the deals during 12.12 and couldn’t decide what to buy? Well good news. To round off Shopee’s birthday celebration, Shopee is having one final round of birthday treats at Shopee 12.12 Thank You Sale which only lasts today.
Available on both Android and iOS devices, you can download the Shopee app at the Google Play Store and App Store.
Pokdepinion: I was lucky enough to avoid the temptation to overly spend on 12.12.. just barely..
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Intel Core i5-13600K Review – A Punch Above Its Weight

Here comes the little brother among the Raptor Lake CPUs, the Intel Core i5-13600K. Just like its bigger Core i9 brother, it also gained extra E-Cores, a slight clockspeed bump, extra L2 cache and higher TDP limit. Let’s see what this CPU is made of, in detail.
Intel Core i5-13600K: Basic Specifications

Processor
Intel Core i5-13600K

Core Configuration
6P+8E / 14 cores, 20 threads

Process Node
Intel 7 (formerly 10ESF)

Microarchitecture
Raptor Cove (P-Core) / Gracemont (E-Core)

P-Core Max Turbo Clock
5.1GHz

E-Core Max Turbo Clock
3.9GHz

Cache (L2+L3)
20+24MB

TDP (PBP / MTP)
125W / 181W

Memory Support
DDR5-5600 / DDR4-3200, Max. 128GB dual-channel

Onboard Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 770 @ 1.50GHz

PCIe Lanes Configuration
16 (Gen 5) + 4 (Gen 4)

Socket
LGA1700

Chipset Support
Intel 600 / 700 Series Chipset

As mentioned above, the improvements over its direct predecessor, the Core i5-12600K, are similar to that of the flagship: 8x E-Cores instead of 4, +200MHz bump on P-Core, doubled L2 cache, and 181W MTP instead of 150W of the older model.
Test System

Processor
Intel Core i5-13600K

Cooler & Thermal Paste
ASUS Ryujin II 360 AIO
Cooler Master MasterGel Maker

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 HERO (BIOS ver. 0502)

Graphics Card
NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition
Driver Version 522.25

RAM
Kingston FURY RENEGADE DDR5-6400 (16GB x2)

Storage
Samsung SSD 980 PRO 256GB (Boot)
Kingston NV1 1TB

Power Supply
Cooler Master V850 Platinum 850W

Case
VECTOR Bench Case (Open-air chassis)

Operating System
Windows 11 Pro 21H2 (Build 22000.1098)

Before We Begin…
Few pre-requisites: first, Intel recommends Windows 11 if you intend to upgrade to 13th Gen CPUs (same applies to 12th Gen) – the Thread Director feature is optimized on the OS-level for Windows 11 based systems. If you do use Windows 10, expect performance deviations from the numbers presented below.

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All tests follow Intel’s stock limits by turning off ASUS MCE (Multi-Core Enhancement) – a feature turned on by default for this motherboard which removes all power limits on the CPU installed. With that out of the way, let’s begin.
Benchmarks
Cinebench R23

Here we include previous flagship CPU, the Core i9-12900K for comparison. Single-core are slightly ahead of the Core i9-12900K; however, the multicore scores are surprisingly very close – and it looks like the improved P-Core has mostly covered the deficit of two less P-Cores over the 12900K.
One thing to note, the Core i5 has done so in much lesser power, at 156 watts as observed – which, weirdly enough – isn’t the MTP limit of this particular CPU. We couldn’t figure out why the CPU refuse to go past that limit despite XTU clearly says the limit is 181W per Intel’s specs (there’s no throttling involved whatsoever). That said, all subsequent multicore tests we observed has seen the CPU just hovering around 120-140W depending on workloads, so the numbers should still apply.
7-Zip

The theme from previous benchmark continues – the Core i5-13600K with its 6P+8E cores placed itself extremely close to the outgoing Core i9’s performance (8P+8E), with the 12900K leading at just 3% on compression metrics.
3DMark Time Spy

Here the Core i5-13600K is somewhat behind the Core i9-12900K, at 9% deficit – which is slightly surprising given how close these two are on the numbers above so far. How would that affect gaming performance in general? Read on.
Handbrake

This test is performed by transcoding a 10-minute source file (4K30) into H.264 MKV 1080p30 format. Here we see the Core i5-13600K is on the same ballpark in terms of duration, at just 7 seconds (or 3%) behind. Not bad for a midrange CPU at all…
Gaming

At this point I might sound like a broken record – but the numbers once again has shown the Core i5-13600K is pumping out the same amount of frames in the games we tested on (SOTTR has in fact elected the Core i5 as winner). On the grand scheme of things though, such performance is not far off of its big brother, the Core i9-13900K, and especially so if you go for higher resolutions. However, some games such as Forza Horizon 5 is especially bottlenecked by GPU, so you might be better off picking the Core i5 as there’s no point in getting the Core i9 if your PC’s sole purpose is to just game on GPU-bound titles like this one.
Conclusion
To describe this CPU in boxing terms – it packs quite the punch. Its direct competition from AMD will be Ryzen 5 7600X – also a six-core CPU. However, the extra E-Cores for the Core i5-13600K has given it a definite advantage on workstation tasks. But the more surprising part comes from the fact that it kept pace with the company’s previous best – the Core i9-12900K, which is nothing short of impressive especially with the expected pricing of CPUs within this segment.

However, I do want to point out the odd behavior of this CPU not utilizing fully its 181W of available power, which somehow has itself capped at 156W on all-core workloads like Cinebench. Single-core performance is in line of our expectations – slightly lower than contemporary Core i9-13900K but much improved over the 12900K. As far as gaming is concerned, you don’t really lose much, if at all, in overall performance; the GPU is more important anyway in that aspect, especially as you go for higher resolutions.
For those already on 12th Gen platforms, the Core i5-13600K can be seen as effectively a “much cheaper” Core i9-12900K, which makes it a very enticing upgrade, if the RCP of $318 (RM1,500 at current exchange rates) is any indication. For those yet to get onboard of DDR5 platforms though, the current pricing might still hold them off for a while. That said, if you’re after the multicore performance when picking your next midrange CPU, there’s no question – the Core i5-13600K has it in the bag.

Special thanks to Intel for providing the Intel Core i5-13600K for the purpose of this review. We would also like to thank ASUS Malaysia for providing us the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero and ROG Ryujin II 360, as well as Kingston for the their FURY RENEGADE DDR5 RGB memory kit.
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HUAWEI Mate 10 review; AI-powered photography extraordinaire?

Introduction

HUAWEI has really matured as a smartphone manufacturer, taking a huge leap into the premium flagship market with partnerships with Leica and Porsche Design. They are also one of the few companies that have their in-house SoCs, with Samsung and Xiaomi being the other two smartphone brands having the ability to design their own chipsets. This gives HUAWEI the advantage whereby they can pack a SoC with the right tools to deliver a unique experience for users.
The HUAWEI Mate 10 we are taking a look at today comes with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) which greatly accelerates the AI features that comes with the HUAWEI Mate 10 and EMUI 8.0. AI is touted to be the next frontier, especially as the A11 Bionic in the latest iPhone trio also features a NPU. Other brands will definitely follow suit now that the fruity smartphone brand is on-board, but HUAWEI is already a step ahead of everyone else with their Kirin 970, which is actually faster than Apple’s SoC at AI-related tasks. We know the HUAWEI Mate 10 will definitely be great for AI when it becomes mainstream, but how does it perform as an everyday smartphone? Let’s take a look
Unboxing

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HUAWEI has never disappointed with packaging. The HUAWEI Mate 10 comes in a nice flat black box with a subtle band finished in smoother material than the rest of the box. The little red Leica logo indicates HUAWEI’s partnership with the German camera maestros.

The cover lifts off to reveal the HUAWEI Mate 10 laying in a tray with the words HUAWEI Design beside it. Perhaps HUAWEI wants to remind you that this is their own work without input from Porsche Design? It’s not the first time we have seen HUAWEI Design emblazoned on their packaging though.

Lift off the tray and the two compartments with little icons indicating what lays beneath them is revealed.

The HUAWEI Mate 10 come with a full entourage, including a soft case to protect your smartphone from Day One. Out of the box, the HUAWEI Mate 10 is actually protected on both the front and back by a plastic screen protector and also a plastic sheet with a guide to help you insert your nanoSIM and microSD card. Our review sample didn’t arrive with the documentation and SIM tray ejector pin though.
Appearance

HUAWEI has maxed out the front with minimal bezels on the top and bottom, while there really isn’t any side bezels to talk about. HUAWEI has refrained from joining the hype train with an 18:9 display here, instead reserving the long display for the Pro variant. Still, 16:9 with these small bezels look plenty premium enough.

The back is entirely made of glass, a rather stark departure from HUAWEI’s previous dedication to metal unibodies. Our Mocha Brown unit here has a really shiny sheen with a band in the camera area giving it a unique look. Leica branding is featured prominently beside the dual camera lens, and I also really like the symmetry formed by having the dual LED flash and laser AF system on opposite sides flanking the camera lens. The two cameras jut out of the smooth glass black with a metal rim around it.

You will find the primary loudspeaker on the bottom, as well as two microphone holes flanking the USB Type-C port. Flush antenna lines run on both sides of the phone.

Yet another microphone is positioned on the top, along with a 3.5mm jack and IR blaster. The HUAWEI Mate 10 is probably going to be the last flagship from HUAWEI with a 3.5mm jack, so appreciate it, while you can.

The power button and volume rocker are not differently textured like on older HUAWEI flagships, but they do feature a nice brushed metal finish and chamfered edges. The metal frame is also brushed metal, with a smooth chamfering that won’t nick as easily as the sharp chamfering found on other devices. The SIM tray is over on the left side of the HUAWEI Mate 10.
Specifications

CPU/Chipset:
HiSilicon Kirin 970 (4 x ARM Cortex A73 @ 2.4 GHz, 4 x ARM Cortex A53 @ 1.8 GHz), dedicated NPU

GPU:
Mali-G72MP12 @ 850 MHz

RAM:
4GB LPDDR4X

Display:
5.9″, QHD (1440p) IPS display, RGBW sub-pixel arrangement, 499 ppi, HDR 10 support

Storage:
64GB UFS 2.1 (expandable with microSD up to 256GB)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
12MP f/1.6, 1/2.9″ IMX 386, 27mm (35mm equiv.), RGB matrix, PDAF, OIS
20MP f/1.6, 27mm (35mm equiv.), monochrome
Leica Summilux-H, dual LED flash, Wide aperture mode, laser autofocus system, 2x lossless zoom
Front Camera
8MP f/2.0, 26mm (35mm equiv.) screen flash, Beautify Mode, bokeh mode

OS:
Android 8.0 Oreo with EMUI 8.0

Connectivity:
Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2 with AptX, AptX HD, LDAC HD Audio
Cat.16 1 Gbps (DL) and Cat.13 150 Mbps (UL) LTE

SIM:
Dual nanoSIM (one nanoSIM slot doubles as microSD slot)

Battery:
Li-ion 4000 mAh

Weight:
186 g

The new Kirin 970 SoC is built on TSMC’s 10nm FinFET process, which is expected to offer better efficiency over last year’s 16nm chipsets from HUAWEI. 4GB of RAM seems rather limiting (or not, according to a HUAWEI executive) when 6GB is available in a mid-range device. Well, perhaps HUAWEI needed something to make the Mate 10 Pro appear more.. uh, Pro.
HUAWEI has learnt its lesson from its P10 fiasco, with the HUAWEI Mate 10 featuring UFS 2.1 exclusively. Or so they say. I couldn’t run the cat proc/scsi/scsi command on the HUAWEI Mate 10 to determine what UFS chip is inside, so I decided to run Androbench. The 748.52MB/s read speeds corroborates HUAWEI’s statement, so I am happy.
Bluetooth 4.2 is also rather outdated, but thanks to Android Oreo, the HUAWEI Mate 10 supports a wide variety of Bluetooth audio codecs to make for a better wireless listening experience. The DAC in the HUAWEI Mate 10 is also plenty capable, with support for up to 32-bit/384 kHz audio.
Performance
So we have the Kirin 970, with its 10nm FinFET manufacturing process and the Cortex A73 and A53 cores clocked exactly the same as in the Kirin 960. The Mali-G72MP12 GPU is a big upgrade from the Mali-G71MP8 found in the Kirin 960. We will take a look to see if it has the grunt to match 2018’s giants like the Snapdragon 845 and the upcoming Exynos 9810.

The HUAWEI Mate 10 is off to a good start, topping the Antutu benchmark chart. It doesn’t leave the current crop of flagships far behind though, which is quite worrying when next year’s flagships start popping up.

The CPU performance here is rather lackluster. The Nokia 8 and Galaxy S8 both come out ahead of it. It is understandable though considering the Exynos 8895 packs custom Mongoose M2 performance cores, while the Snapdragon 835 in the Nokia 8 has semi-custom Cortex A73 performance cores marketed as Kryo 280. HUAWEI definitely has to start working on custom cores if it intends to pose a threat to the big dogs in terms of performance. It does pull ahead of the Nokia 8 by a small margin in the multi-core test, but is still unable to beat the Galaxy S8.

GPU performance is also similarly worrying, with the HUAWEI Mate 10’s slotting in below the Galaxy S8 and the Nokia 8 once again. The lead that the Nokia 8 has over the HUAWEI Mate 10 is pretty formidable, and we expect to see the HUAWEI Mate 10 fall even further down the charts when the flagships with the Adreno 630-packing Snapdragon 845s arrive. Unless HUAWEI has another SoC with a beefier GPU up its sleeve, the upcoming P-series flagship with the Kirin 970 will definitely be outclassed by its peers.

The HUAWEI Mate 10 does pretty well in PCMark’s benchmark. Considering the HUAWEI Mate 10 is marketed as device for professionals, it does seem fitting that it ranks as one of the fastest at productivity-related workloads.

Battery life is a rather sore point for the HUAWEI Mate 10. Despite featuring a sizeable 4000 mAh battery, it falls behind the Nokia 8 and Galaxy S8 which both feature 3000 mAh batteries. The HUAWEI Mate 10 does have a bigger screen, but the battery is also much bigger. It points to the HUAWEI Mate 10 either having poorly optimized software, or TSMC’s process is not as efficient as GloFo and Samsung’s fab.

Real-world usage delivers rather mixed results. You can get anything in the range of 3 hours to 5 hours, depending on your usage. As with previous Kirin SoCs, battery consumption when using a data connection is substantially higher than when using WiFi, indicating an inefficient modem. Fast charging works as advertised, giving me a full charge from 12% in a mere 1 hour and 20 minutes. Considering that this is a 4000 mAh battery, that’s really impressive!
User Experience

HUAWEI managed to cram a vibrant 5.9″ 1440p display into this body, while keeping the dimensions manageable thanks to side bezels that are practically non-existent. I like the colors of the IPS display, as they can match SuperAMOLED panels in terms of vividness while also featuring an ultra-low minimum brightness. Great for viewing in dark conditions. You also do not have to worry about OLED burn-in here, which is a great point in favor of IPS displays.

Also amazing was the fact that they stuck a front fingerprint sensor on the lower bezel. However HUAWEI decided not to add capacitive keys, and instead wants you to use on-screen navigation keys or rely on gestures. The fingerprint sensor is really quick, detecting my finger stunningly fast. This is definitely the fastest I have seen a device wake up. There is practically no delay between my thumb contacting the fingerprint sensor and the screen waking up. Gestures work well too, with a tap for back, long press for home, swipe to the sides to bring up the multitasking cards and swipe up to access Google Assistant. The fact that we don’t need to ever have navigation keys popup on the screen means that the full 5.9″ display can be utilized.
With all that said, the device is really quite slippery. The metal sides while grippier than the smooth glass back, doesn’t really have a lot of surface area to hold on to. My unit has actually hit the floor a couple of times, with dents in the metal frame but the glass panels held up well to the abuse, with both the front and back still perfect. Opting for a glass back also seems to have caused HUAWEI to be unable to cool the Kirin 970 properly, as the area to the right of the camera (with the screen facing me) does warm up quite substantially when watching videos or gaming. Oh and this is rated IP53, unlike its bigger brother.

For audio, the HUAWEI Mate 10 features a 3.5mm jack which is fed by a DAC capable of handling up to 32-bit/384 kHz. Numbers are nice to see, but I am glad to report that it sounds pretty good too. You do have HUAWEI Histen sound effects to play around with to tune the sound signature and even opt for virtual 3D audio, but my Simgot EN700 Bass sounds great with HUAWEI Histen off. The loudspeakers are decent too, with the earpiece doubling as a secondary speaker too. It’s very weak, even weaker than the one in the ZenFone 4 (2017), but it does offer a mild stereo effect. As usual, there isn’t any bass to speak of coming out of these speakers.

HUAWEI is one of the first OEMs to launch their device with Android 8.0 Oreo, along with its own skin, EMUI 8.0. While the overall appearance is more akin to previous iterations of EMUI, it does pack features new to Oreo like Autofill, Notification Dots and Picture-in-Picture too. However I noted a rather annoying bug — setting the DPI affects the size of everything but the notification shade. The end result is huge notification cards, quick setting icons that look totally out of place against the smaller UI elements everywhere else. HUAWEI also baked in some fitness features in Health, allowing you to track your steps even without a smartband. This feature has been available for some time on HUAWEI devices, and it’s nice to see it still around. The presence of HUAWEI’s own music player app in addition to Play Music seems redundant, just like having both HUAWEI’s Email app and Google’s Gmail.
Using the device as my daily driver, it does quite frequently choke when I swap between a few tabs in Chrome to Facebook and then tap on a chat head to reply to messages. Firing up the camera also routinely results in the background apps being killed. I believe the 4GB of RAM is the issue here, especially when it is running a rather heavily customized skin. Perhaps HUAWEI intends to drive heavier users towards the HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro? HUAWEI should put their expertise at machine learning and AI to good use here, and do a better job at RAM management especially when they are offering less than the 6GB that most recent flagship have.

Now that we have gone through most of the device, let’s take a look at the cameras. The latest camera setup doesn’t see much change coming from its predecessors. Why change a winning formula, right? So we get a 12MP RGB + 20MP monochrome sensor behind Leica Summilux-H optics, just like the HUAWEI P10 Plus did. However this time the apertures are wider, from f/1.8 in the P10 Plus to an unprecedented f/1.6. Yes, the LG V30 did f/1.6 first, but this is the first smartphone to feature TWO f/1.6 lenses. Autofocusing is handled by phase detection in the 12MP IMX386 sensor, in addition to the depth perception afforded by the dual camera system and laser autofocusing system, as well as the good ol’ contrast detection autofocus. Autofocusing on this device is fast, no doubt about it.

The camera UI is pretty convenient to use, with most features accessible with just a single swipe or tap. I really like the easy access to the Pro mode by swiping on the little tab near the shutter button. In fact I often open the tab just to see the parameters the camera goes for automatically, without actually meddling with the exposure settings. HUAWEI uses AI to help you get the best shot automatically, with its scene detection feature. Do note that keeping the camera app opens causes the phone to heat up pretty quickly, and it can get quite uncomfortable to hold.

The results of the camera are great. The f/1.6 aperture opens up a lot of opportunity for real bokeh when doing close ups. Lots of details are seen upon zooming in on shots taken in good lighting, while the Smooth color profile makes even the most random shots look better. I especially like the photos of food taken with the Smooth color profile. There is probably some auto HDR behind the scenes, so you won’t ever need to turn on HDR at all to get excellent dynamic range. Low light performance is good thanks to the wide aperture, with well controlled noise but there is a visible loss of fine detail upon zooming in. Monochrome images are fun and highly detailed, but the HUAWEI Mate 10 never remembers that the monochrome sensor is in fact a 20MP sensor, thus deciding to shoot at 12MP for monochrome shots too. If you want to take full advantage of the 20MP sensor, you will have to manually change it. Every. Single. Time. Or, you can shoot color photos in 20MP and lose out on the 2x lossless zoom which actually works quite well in practice. The 20MP monochrome sensor offers quite a lot of details, as can be seen in the shots with rain drops actually being visible. Even the 12MP monochrome shots offer more fine detail than the color photos, which is to be expected. Selfies are overly smoothened, which is definitely something I know girls look forward to. Do check out the full sized samples on Flickr here.

The Wide Aperture mode which debuted on the HUAWEI P9 is still here, but seems to have taken a step backwards. I enjoyed the images out of the normal auto and manual modes, but I am quite taken aback by those I got from the wide aperture mode. The blurring is far from accurate. You also can apply the bokeh effect to your monochrome shots, but these suffer from the inaccurate blurring effects too. Despite HUAWEI claiming to use AI for the software blurring, it seems to be worse than in previous iterations. A HUAWEI representative once likened the AI in the HUAWEI Mate 10 to a 3 year old child. Perhaps it needs some time to grow up? But until then, it is doing a poor job at identifying what should and what shouldn’t be blurred in a shot. The blurring is also far from natural.
Conclusion
The HUAWEI Mate 10 is a nice smartphone. It is the proof that HUAWEI isn’t afraid of using glass panels on both front and back just like Apple, and it shows that they can do minimal bezels without going down the 18:9 route. The f/1.6 cameras co-engineered with Leica do a great job delivering great shots without much effort. The Kirin 970 in it is also quite a courageous step for HUAWEI, opting to go for AI before it’s mainstream. There is also the EMUI Desktop which is much better than Samsung DeX, as it only requires a Type-C cable to HDMI cable to connect to your display, unlike Samsung which forces you to buy a dock to use it. The minimal bezels, quick fingerprint sensor with gesture navigation also add points in favor of the HUAWEI Mate 10.
However while its ahead of the pack in one way, the HUAWEI Mate 10’s performance in our benchmarks is quite worrying. It doesn’t even manage to top the current crop of flagship devices convincingly, and the next generation chipset and smartphones are just around the corner. The Leica dual-camera’s fancy wide-aperture mode which once let HUAWEI stand heads-and-shoulders above the competition is actually not that useful now, but that should be able to be fixed with software updates later. In its current iteration, it is really quite poor. The RAM management is also in desperate need of attention, with stutter and background apps killed more frequently than certain mid-range devices.
For RM2699, the HUAWEI Mate 10 is a decent device. As the competition are now pricing their flagships into the stratosphere and beyond, HUAWEI maintains a relatively affordable price tag. It is quite worth the price, but when you consider that the Kirin 970 will be outclassed very soon, the deal suddenly doesn’t seem nearly as sweet. Still, if we just focus on the here and now, the HUAWEI Mate 10 is definitely a device worthy of our Bronze Pokdeward.

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NVIDIA Says You’d Be “Crazy” For Not Buying Ray Tracing Graphics Card

NVIDIA’s latest lineup of graphics card offer ray tracing support, something that probably most of us already know. Is it really beneficial though? Well it seems that NVIDIA has said that those who opt to buy a GPU in 2019 with no ray tracing support is absolutely crazy.

The statement was revealed by Jensen Huang, the company’s founder and CEO, where he took on a Q&A session. He says “SUPER is off to a super start for and at this point, it’s a foregone conclusion that we’re going to buy a new graphics card, and it’s going to last 2, 3, 4 years to not have ray tracing is just crazy”. He adds “Ray tracing content just keeps coming out. And between the performance of SUPER and the fact that it has ray tracing hardware, it’s going to be super well positioned for throughout all of next year”.

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Jensen also implied that GeForce RTX cards with ray-tracing is a wise purchase and that AMD’s Radeon RX 5700 series that features RDNA architecture is a less worthy purchase.
Pokdepinion: I don’t exactly agree on what he has said.. Sure, a GPU with ray-tracing capabilities does give you a assurance of ‘future proof’ but not everyone has the money to spend on high-end cards. Current GTX cards that’s on the market aren’t that bad either if they can offer you the performance to play today’s AAA titles..
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Let’s talk about Republic of Gamers (ROG) – before we dive into the ROG Phone review

Whenever we mention the brand ASUS, the first thing that hits our mind is their top of the line, premium gaming identity, the Republic of Gamers. I was a huge fan of Alienware during my high school days so my love for gaming identity began early. So when ASUS unveiled the Republic of Gamers (ROG) in 2006, I didn’t think twice and surrendered my soul to the Republic. Everyone have their own preference, this one is mine. What made me do that, you ask?
ROG is not just another brand. ROG is the epitome of ASUS’ luxurious hardware. ROG has very strict guidelines to adhere and very extensive QC processes before the particular hardware even gets to carry the logo. It’s a whole independent division on its own in ASUS. And before you speculate, let me tell you this, ROG and ROG Strix are NOT the same!
This is how a typical ROG event looks like.
ROG identity is very well taken care of. This is not just about the products. When the ROG division needs to host an event for example, it has to follow certain documented guidelines in terms of the emblem positioning, lighting, sound, stage, setup, and everything in between. Which is why, whenever you attend any ROG event, whether its eSports gaming or product launch, the setup will always blow your mind.

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If they put that much emphasis in their events, you can only imagine how far they would go with their products.
For an ASUS product to qualify for the ROG branding, it has to go through hundreds of iterations from design, performance, materials and a plethora of perspectives. Until everything doesn’t add up and the ultimate product is not created, it will keep on getting back to the design stage again and again. When the end product is created, you can be assured that it will be a breakthrough in the market, being something that either doesn’t exists yet, or it will leave you craving so badly for it if you are a gamer.
Once the product enters the market, it is still possible for it to have its shortcomings based on long term sample usages. When this happens, it is taken back to the division that created it with strict instructions for an improvised version which will only be used in the next generation of that device.
It came with a unique AAS system and an equally special keyboard placement.
Just look at any ROG product. For example, the ROG Zephyrus. When it was first announced, it was a breakthrough that no other brands had done before. It just blew everyone’s minds and you know that if you have the money, you wouldn’t think twice to own it. With the little sample of owners who had the ROG Zephyrus, they took the data, reworked on it, and came the ROG Zephyrus M which was probably one of the best laptop in its time ever built. It barely had any flaws. But this is ROG and they don’t stop here. Soon, we will be getting the ROG Zephyrus S and from our first sights, just when we thought there was no room for improvement, they proved us wrong again.
So, when ASUS announced the ROG Phone, you can be damn sure, it made me jump off my seat and the long dreadful and painful waiting period started ticking.
Note: This article started off as the ROG Phone review, but I got carried away and the introduction got too long, so I isolated the article as a standalone instead. This is NOT a paid content. You can read the full review here.
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ASUS ZenFone 6 price leak points to a RM2680 starting price

ASUS will be launching the ASUS ZenFone 6 very soon in Spain. Design wise, it is set to be quite a looker with no notch or punch hole in sight. It is also rumored to be sport flagship-tier specifications like a Snapdragon 855, 48MP rear camera and also up to 512GB storage.
With great specifications, comes a pretty hefty price tag as well. The ASUS ZenFone 6’s pricing has been leaked to start from NT$19 990 (~RM2680) for the basic 6GB + 128GB storage variant. It is expected to arrive in Taiwan in three configurations, with the following price tags:

6GB + 128GB: NT$19 990 (~RM2680)
8GB + 256GB: NT$23 990 (~RM3217)
12GB + 512GB: NT$ 29 990 (~RM4022)

The ASUS ZenFone 5z was one of the most affordable Snapdragon 845 phones when it was introduced in Malaysia.
ASUS’ top brass did mention that they will be focusing on the gaming market and power users, so the lofty storage and memory configurations do makes sense. What do you think of the ASUS ZenFone 6’s rumored pricing?

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Pokdepinion: I hope these rumors are false and we will see a repeat of the ZenFone 5z…
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HUAWEI Prepares Wireless Charging Case Specially For The HUAWEI P30

Just recently HUAWEI revealed their new HUAWEI P30 and P30 Pro smartphones to the market. One of the difference that the two have is wireless charging, where the standard P30 doesn’t offer it as compared to its sibling.
To cope with that, HUAWEI has decided in bringing in a wireless charging case for the P30 itself. It’s ideal for those who’s aiming to get the normal P30 but still desire the wireless charging feature that the Pro version offers.
P30 wireless charging case
There’s two color variants for the case, Orange and what seems to be Teal. It comes with a “permeable magnetic material”, allowing you to secure the phone to a car holder. As for performance, don’t expect it to be offering a similar result from the P30 Pro. The wireless case only goes up to 10W wireless quick charging, where the P30 Pro instead supports up to 15W.

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In terms of pricing, there’s nothing much that was revealed on that end. We should expect it to come out with the P30 and P30 Pro’s launch next week.
If you’d like to know more on the HUAWEI P30 series, you can check out our previous post by clicking on the link right here.
Pokdepinion: Certainly this will entice those who don’t want to shell out more on the Pro version but if it was me.. I’d wait until I know the official Malaysian price of the devices first. If it is not much of a difference between the two, I’d rather go for the Pro as it offers more RAM and faster wireless charging anyways.
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OnePlus 6 arrives with a higher starting price — more screen, more speed, more glass

The OnePlus 6 is finally here. Touted as the next flagship killer, the OnePlus 6 has hit the deck with some pretty interesting changes from OnePlus’ previous devices. For one, it decided to join the crowd with a notch and glass back. Also, the camera setup which was probably one of the OnePlus 5T‘s main drawbacks has also been upgraded with new sensors and OIS.

The dual camera setup features a 16MP sensor coupled with a 20MP sensor for depth detection and more accurate bokeh processing. Simply by looking at the resolution, you may think OnePlus reused the camera modules from the 5T. But they didn’t. The new 16MP f/1.7 camera in the OnePlus 6 sports the Sony IMX519 sensor with 1.22 µm pixels. This translate to 19% larger pixels as compared to the 16MP sensor in the OnePlus 5T. Throw in OIS and there should be some serious improvements in low light image quality. Meanwhile the secondary camera is brought over from the OnePlus 5T, with the 20MP Sony IMX376K sensor behind a f/1.7 aperture. The front camera on the OnePlus 6 also sports the same sensor as the OnePlus 5T.

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Bucking the trend of 960fps slow-mo video, OnePlus decided to go for 720p480. The slow-mo effect is less intense, but you get to shoot for up to 1 minute, longer than what the competition offer. This definitely seems like a good trade-off in terms of practicality. You can enjoy your videos on the new notched 6.28″ 19:9 FHD+ Optic AMOLED display with support for the DCI-P3 color space.

Then we have the Snapdragon 845, mated to either 6GB or 8GB RAM. Storage options range from 64GB all the way up to 256GB, with no support for microSD expansion. The hardware is kept alive by a 3300 mAh battery, with the renowned Dash Charge technology for fast charging. Despite switching over to a glass back, OnePlus omitted wireless charging, meaning the only way to juice up is via the USB Type-C port.

Interestingly, OnePlus packed the OnePlus 6 with weather protection. They didn’t specify an IP-rating, and they did mention not to bring it for a swim. It is claimed to be capable of surviving a drop in the sink or a spilled glass of water. The ports and body are sealed to protect against water ingress, but once again, there is no immersion protection. No idea why they didn’t just go the whole 9 yards and just give it the much-requested waterproofing that OnePlus’ lineup sorely lacks.

The OnePlus 6 is available in Silk White, Mirror Black and Midnight Black. The Midnight Black looks unique with its matte look, but it’s all under the smooth glass back, while the Silk White and Midnight Black look as glossy as you would expect glass to look. Priced from $529 (~RM2098.81), the OnePlus 6 is still priced very competitively against its flagship-class peers, despite being more expensive than its predecessor.
OnePlus 6 Specifications

CPU/Chipset:
Snapdragon 845 (4 x Kryo 385 @ 2.8 GHz, 4 x Kryo 385 @ 1.7 GHz)

GPU:
Adreno 630 @ 710 MHz

RAM:
6GB / 8GB

Display:
6.28″, 19:9 FHD+ (2280 x 1080) Optic AMOLED, DCI-P3, sRGB support

Storage:
64GB / 128GB / 256GB UFS 2.1

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
16MP f/1.7, Exmor IMX519 1.22µm pixel pitch, Dual-Camera AF (DCAF)
20MP f/1.7, Exmor IMX376K 1.0µm pixel pitch, PDAF
Dual LED flash, portrait mode, HDR, Clear Image, 4K video, 720p480 slow-mo
Front Camera
16MP f/2.0, Exmor IMX371 1.0µm pixel pitch

OS:
Oxygen OS based on Android Oreo (Android P upgrade confirmed)

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/ac (2×2 MIMO)
Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX and aptX HD
FDD-LTE (Band 1/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/32/66/71)
LTE-A 4×4 MIMO Down 1 Gbps Cat.16 4CA/256QAM, Up 150 Mbps Cat.13 CA/64QAM

SIM:
Dual nanoSIM

Battery:
Li-ion 3300 mAh (non-removable), Dash Charge

Dimensions:
155.7 x 75.4 x 7.75 mm

Weight:
177 g

Pokdepinion: I despise the notch, but this one seems that bit more interesting. Wish there was wireless charging and perhaps an under-display fingerprint sensor, but maybe those will need to wait until the OnePlus 6T arrives.
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is one massive graphics card…

Recently leaked photos of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 reveals an absolutely massive triple-slot graphics card. In addition to its thickness, it also dwarfs the GeForce RTX 2080 Founders Edition which was also featured in the leaked images.

The design is pretty interesting with one fan on each side of the card. I have never seen such a design so I am quite intrigued with how well will it cool. The fans sport a ring around the blades which is pretty similar to ASUS’ Axial-tech fans and Cooler Master’s SF120M. These fans supposedly increase static pressure, which should improve heat dissipation from better airflow over a tightly packed fin stack.

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Regardless, we will most probably not get to see the GeForce RTX 3090 Founders Edition here anyway, so I guess we will have to see how big NVIDIA’s partners will make their cards. Stay tuned as NVIDIA is expected to announce the GeForce RTX 3090 and maybe a few other Ampere-based cards this 2nd September!
Source
Pokdepinion: I do think it looks pretty good… But I am quite worried about the compatibility with smaller cases.
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Red Dead Redemption II for PC brings even the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti to its knees

Have we found the new Crysis? While Rockstar brought one of the most anticipated PS4 exclusives to PC, it seems like they have a lot more work to do. Aside from running into issues like it crashing somewhat frequently for a lot of gamers out there, there’s also another problem. Few gamers can actually enjoy the full visual experience of Red Dead Redemption II.

According to Guru3D‘s tests, a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti can’t even hit 144 Hz at Full HD with Ultra texture and High settings for the rest of the options. With the Vulkan API, the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti eked out 104 fps, while AMD’s top-of-the-line Navi card pushed out just 74 frames per second.

At 1440p, the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti hits 80 fps, while Pascal’s flagship, the GeForce Titan Xp only manages 48 fps. The Radeon RX 5700 XT fares better with 60 fps, right on the sweet spot.

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4K is when you see none of the cards even delivering 60 fps. The fastest gaming card money can buy right now, the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, only manages to eke out 48 fps. Just for contrast, the slowest card tested by Guru3D was the GeForce GTX 1060, clocking in an amazing 13 fps.

We believe Rockstar will be pushing out updates to improve performance of Red Dead Redemption II on these cards, although it was noted that tuning down some graphics settings proved to be very beneficial for frame rates. Also, cards with 6GB VRAM and above are recommend, with 8GB being the sweet spot.
How did your card fare in RDR2?
Pokdepinion: 45 fps for the old 1070 Ti I am running? Oh well, look at a game I am not buying.
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Yes Wireless Fibre 5G Brings Our 1st 5G-based Fixed Wireless Access Plan

Yes Wireless Fibre 5G Plan

With YTL Communications being the only telco that has deployed 5G services for the public thus far, a new offering has come to light. It’s the Yes Wireless 5G Fibre plan, the first 5G-based Fixed Wireless Access service in Malaysia.
This new plan will let you enjoy unlimited 5G data quota with speeds going up to 120Mbps, and 150GB 4G data without any speed limit. You will get a 5G router with dual-band Wi-Fi support for free but you will be tied to a 24-month contract. You also have the option of going for the Yes Wireless Fibre 5G bundle plan, which also comes with two supplementary Yes Infinite Basic lines for your smartphones.

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The Yes Wireless Fibre 5G plan will be priced at RM148 per month whereas the bundle plan will be priced at RM229 per month. It is only applicable in places where 5G services are available, which means selected areas of Johor, Perak, Penang, Selangor, and Kuala Lumpur.
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Pokdepinion: This sounds pretty interesting, and I do wonder how consistent the performance will be. However, I feel like it will only make a significant impact when 5G is available in more parts of the country.
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