Get The OPPO R15 Pro With Maxis Zerolution — All Yours From RM46 Per Month

Now you can get the OPPO R15 Pro with Maxis’ Zerolution for just RM46 per month with zero upfront payment, on top of the MaxisOne 188 Plan.
Maxis Zerolution OPPO R15 Pro
The OPPO R15 Pro, which was launched back in May, is now accessible for consumers to get through Maxis’ Zerolution Plan. Coming in with a 24-month contract, you can get it from as low as RM46 per month. Pricing are as follow:

MaxisONE 188 – RM46/month (RM999*)
MaxisONE 158 – RM61/month (RM1299*)
MaxisONE 128 – RM76/month (RM1599*)
MaxisONE 98 – (RM1699*)

*24-month contract pricing

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The OPPO R15 Pro comes in two color variants, Cosmic Purple and Ruby Red. It comes with a dual 20MP+16MP rear camera with AI. Featuring a 6.28-inch display, it runs on ColorOS 5.0 (based on Android 8.0 Oreo) and uses a Snapdragon 660 chipset.
Under the hood, it packs a 3430mAh battery that comes with fast charging. Memory wise, it has 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
Retail price for the OPPO R15 Pro is RM2,399.
Pokdepinion: If you were already aiming for the phone, what are you waiting for, O-fans?

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NVIDIA’s CEO says FreeSync monitors do not work

In a pretty curious interview with NVIDIA’s CEO, Jensen Huang, told PCWorld a few nasty things about AMD. Including how the AMD Radeon VII was underwhelming and also how FreeSync did not work. The former would probably ring quite true with most enthusiasts, but the latter? Now that just reeks of bull crap.

NVIDIA did test 400 monitors, and only 12 monitors passed their “requirements”. We would understand if the guy says most FreeSync monitors can’t actually pass muster. There are some really affordable 75 Hz TN panels with FreeSync support. Those definitely do not offer much advantage over a standard 60 Hz monitor. However the fact that he said:

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(FreeSync) was never proven to work. The truth is most of the FreeSync monitors do not work. They do not even work with AMD’s graphics cards.
is definitely a blatant lie. He also lambasted the just launched AMD Radeon VII. Jensen Huang not only called the latest Vega-based graphics card underwhelming, but he also compared it against the GeForce RTX 2080 from the green camp:
The performance is lousy and there’s nothing new. [There’s] no ray tracing, no AI. It’s 7nm with HBM memory that barely keeps up with a 2080. And if we turn on DLSS we’ll crush it. And if we turn on ray tracing we’ll crush it.
It is probably true that the GeForce RTX 2080 is a better card. The GeForce RTX 2080 does offer more new features, and it might just run cooler and consume less power while at that. But to diss a competitor like this is somewhat uncharacteristic of a CEO leading one of the biggest tech companies out there. It truly makes one wonder what is Jensen Huang up to.

He also commented on the fact they have more AIB partners for the GeForce RTX 2080, while Lisa Su didn’t mention any for the Radeon VII. The Radeon VII is still a month from launch, and such a comment does seem quite inappropriate after NVIDIA tried to launch the ridiculous GeForce Partner Program.
What do you think Jensen Huang is getting at? Is he just trying to stir up something? In any case, the Radeon VII might stand to be a better deal than the GeForce RTX 2080. You are getting more VRAM, more free games and more fans.
Pokdepinion: Well, the Radeon VII must be something pretty awesome to get NVIDIA’s CEO so salty…
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Quad Bayer sensors to power the Sony A7S III?

Quad Bayer sensors are probably the best innovation to hit smartphones. Instead of just throwing more megapixels into smartphones, Quad Bayer filters make for a pretty interesting way of doing HDR, and it seems like Sony will be bringing it to their full frame cameras as well.

The new Sony IMX521CQR is a 61.44MP sensor with a 15.36MP effective resolution. Something like how the Sony IMX586 for smartphones is a 48MP sensor with a 12MP effective resolution.  The difference is that unlike the smartphone sensor, Sony is marketing the Sony IMX521 as a 15.36MP sensor instead of a 61MP one.

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Might this be the sensor powering the Sony A7S III? Considering how smartphones with Quad Bayer sensors offer excellent low-light photography, having the technology in a full-frame camera might prove very interesting.

The sensor is also capable of up to 92.52 fps 12-bit 4K output, which would be great for videographers as well. Which would make it a great sensor to fit into the Sony A7S III to offer 4K60 recording with excellent low-light performance. The older Sony A7S II only offers 4K30 recording.
If used for stills, the Sony IMX521CQR can also output 61.44MP images with the appropriate interpolation. Once again, this nothing we haven’t seen already on a smartphone. If used in combination with the Sony A7R IV’s Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode, we might be seeing some really impressive high resolution stills. Although I somewhat doubt that Sony would do that as that might cannibalize the sales of their Sony A7R IV.

I am definitely looking forward to see the implementations of this new sensor in full-frame cameras. Sony sell their sensors to other camera makers as well, so we might see it in cameras from Canon or Nikon too.
Pokdepinion: Finally something new in the full-frame arena?
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Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Monster Among Monitors

Unboxing the Acer Predator CG437K P
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Box

Let’s kick off the Acer Predator CG437K P review with the unboxing. Inside the large black box, you are expected to find the following items:
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Box content
DisplayPort cableUSB Type-B cableRGB stripsRGB headerRemote controlPower cableThe Acer Predator CG437K P gaming monitor itself
The retail unit should also have a warranty card and user guide included inside. The USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable is optional.
Appearance
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Display
The Acer Predator CG437K P is a large sized gaming monitor. It measures in at 43-inches, making it the largest gaming monitor we’ve reviewed yet. Looking at the display, you have 43-inch 4K anti-glare display with relatively small bezels on all four sides. You have the Predator text on the bottom bezel, with LED lights below that to show if the monitor is powered on. You can also see an NVIDIA G-SYNC stick on the bottom-left corner.

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Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Buttons
The buttons to control the monitor is on the bottom of where the LED lights are shining. From left to right, the buttons are:
Analog stick / Navigation buttonInput switch button (HDMI to DisplayPort, etc.)Brightness buttonViewing mode buttonPower button
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Rear
Moving to the back, you can see the Acer text in the top-left corner. In the center, it appears to be air vents. The four slits surrounding it appears to be where the speakers are located.

On the left side you can find two HDMI ports and two USB Type-A ports. The rest of the ports are located below the center air vents, facing the bottom.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Stand
The Acer Predator CG437K P gaming monitor already has a stand pre-installed. So you don’t have to put that one and can use it right out of the box. You can see two sturdy metal frames holding it up, and it also extends to a plastic surface with gamepad icons on it. It’s designed this way so you have a comfortable place to put your gamepads on. Due to the nature of the stand, there is no tilt adjustment here so if you want that, you will have to go for a wall mount instead.
Overall, I do like how the Acer Predator CG437K P gaming monitor is designed. It looks like it can easily replace a TV, and it has some smart design choices so you have a proper place to display your gamepads. It’s a shame that there is no tilt adjustment but given the size and weight of this, it might be better without it.
Specifications
Panel SizeWide Screen 43″ (109.22 cm)Panel TypeVATrue Resolution3840 x 2160Display Viewing Area (HxV)529.42 x 941.12 mmDisplay SurfaceAnti-Glare / MattePixel Pitch0.245 mmBrightness750 cd/m2Contrast Ratio4000:1Viewing Angle (CR≧10)178°(H) / 178°(V)Response Time4ms GTG / 1ms VRBDisplay Colours1073741824 colours, 30 bitsHDR SupportYes, VESA DisplayHDR1000Refresh Rate144Hz (overclockable to 165Hz)Low Blue LightYesHDCP SupportNoViewing ModesAction, Racing, Sports, User, Standard, ECO, Graphic, HDRAdaptive Refresh RateYes, G-SYNCSignal Input1 x USB Type-C (supports DisplayPort 1.4, 30W)2 x USB 2.0 (downstream)2 x USB 3.0 (downstream)1 x USB 3.0 Type-B (upstream)3 x HDMI 2.02 x DisplayPort 1.4bAudio2 x 10W speakersPower Consumption51.7W, brightness @ 200 nitsChassis ColoursBlackTiltNoVESA Wall MountingYes, 200 x 100 mmWeight18.7 kg
Performance
To see how well the Acer Predator CG437K P gaming monitor can perform, we test it using DisplayCAL with Spyder5 as our measurement tool. This is the benchmark right out of the box:
Measured whitepoint4.07Not OKMeasured display profile whitepoint0.11 Average ΔE*000.32OKMaximum ΔE*001.00OK
It managed excellent scores right out of the box. In case you weren’t aware, to get the best possible scores, it’s recommended to get a score less than 1 for average ΔE00. As for the maximum ΔE00, it’s best to score less than 3. It’s interesting as Acer themselves promoted this with ΔE<2, and our results definitely proved that.

As for the colour gamut, the Acer Predator CG437K P gaming monitor managed to cover 99.9% sRGB, 79.5% Adobe RGB, and 89.2% DCI-P3. For Gamut volume on the other hand, it covers 126.7% sRGB, 80.6% Adobe RGB and 90.1% DCI-P3. The scores are pretty great, making it a viable choice for creative work or if you just need a big range of colours.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Screen uniformity test
We ran the display uniformity test to see if each part of the display are equally lit up, with the centre square used as a guide and compared to the others. In this area, it performs well enough. The Acer CG437K P mostly had nominal scores but two areas saw nominal tolerance exceeded; the top-right and bottom-right corners. It’s interesting as I don’t personally notice any difference in those areas myself. If you’re very particular about this, it’s something to look out for.
User Experience
Acer Predator CG437K P Review
The Acer Predator CG437K P is my favourite product to review in 2020, not just because of what it offers but the sheer joy I had in using it. For starters, it’s a proper gaming monitor with G-SYNC support, up to 144Hz refresh rate, has RGB lighting, and has a wide variety of connectivity options. At the same time, it’s like a TV due to its size and remote control.
Why is this special to me? Well, most TVs nowadays are still locked to 60Hz refresh rate. Some claim to have higher refresh rates but they’re simply adding extra frames to artificially smoothen what you see, resulting in the soap opera effect. However, it’s worth nothing that with a single DisplayPort, you will only get 120Hz so if you want the 144Hz experience, you will need to use two DisplayPort connectors from your GPU to the monitor.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review
Honestly, 120Hz is plenty enough for most people, especially if you’re coming from TVs, as you will need to a powerful PC to be able to push frames that high. It’s also a solid, futureproof display option since the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X is said to support up to 4K 120Hz gaming. As those systems use HDMI 2.1 and this monitor only has HDMI 2.0, you simply need to make use of a HDMI 2.1 to DisplayPort adapter to enjoy it. It will definitely be more cost-effective than a HDMI 2.1-capable TVs.
Keep in mind that this monitor does have NVIDIA G-SYNC so if your PC can support it, you can take advantage of it. This is especially great for resource-intensive games like Battlefield V where the game may get choppy due to low frame rates. You will then get to enjoy a surprisingly smooth gaming experience with it at the cost of a bit of input lag. As for whether it will be beneficial for next gen console gaming with their VRR technology, that is still unclear, but it’s still good to have nonetheless.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review
One area that it lacks from your usual gaming monitor is the ability to tilt / swivel. Due to the sheer size of the display, it would be very hard to engineer the ability here so what you see if what you get, just like a regular TV. If you really want the ability to tilt the display, you will need to use wall mounts.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – OSD
The first thing you should do when you have the Acer Predator CG437K P monitor up and running is to check out the OSD settings. You have a variety of viewing modes to choose from, and you can adjust specific settings such as speakers, contrast, RGB lighting, and more.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – Remote control
It does have a fair bit of options so it will allow users to customize it to quite an extent. I personally like how the OSD looks, and I find it easy to navigate. The joystick works great but you will be relying on the remote control as it’s far more convenient than using the controls on the display. It’s worth noting that the remote uses two AAA batteries, which is great.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review
Moving on to the display itself, the Acer Predator CG437K P monitor is one of the better ones I’ve experienced myself. Viewing angles are great, colour reproduction is accurate enough to be used for creative work, and the slim bezels make it a more immersive experience as it slowly seems to blend in. By today’s standards, the bezels are thicker than a lot of displays out there, but it’s thin enough that it wouldn’t be an eyesore.
Gaming on the Acer Predator CG437K P also enjoyable. Not only do games look great across PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch, the response time is noticeably faster than my 42-inch Philips Full HD TV. This is particularly noticeable for me in games like Tekken 7 (PC and PS4) and Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Switch). You can take advantage of HDR features on the PS4 with this monitor as it has support for VESA DisplayHDR1000.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review – RGB
The RGB lighting here isn’t exactly the best, but it certainly is better than nothing. It will come with four RGB strips, which you can connect directly to the monitor via the RGB header. You can then freely place the RGB strips as you see fit. Previously, the RGB strips didn’t have any means of sticking to the monitor but now, Acer has included 3M stickers on the back so you can stick it wherever you want to. The picture above is how I did mine.
As for lighting mode, you can switch between Spectrum, Wave, Star, Static, Shifting, Filling, Breathing, Motion Point, and Zoom. You can also adjust the brightness and set to a specific colour (depending on which lighting mode you choose) via the OSD menu.
It’s worth noting that Acer Predator CG437K P gaming monitor has an ambient light sensor just below the bottom bezel. This will help the monitor compensate automatically based on how bright / dark your environment is. Moreover, there’s a proximity sensor as well which will put the monitor on standby if it doesn’t detect anyone around.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review
Another thing I like about the Acer Predator CG437K P is that the stand has a platform where you can place your game controllers on. It lets me have a cleaner, space-saving gaming setup as I can easily fit in four standard gamepads on the platform.
Acer Predator CG437K P Review
The Acer Predator CG437K P has built-in 10W stereo speakers. You can get audio transmitted from devices, like the PS4 and Nintendo Switch for example, via HDMI and it will automatically play the audio. The volume is actually louder than I expected and the sound quality is decent. However, it lacks the booming bass and crisp detail of a standalone speaker. If you simply need audio, this will work great in a jiffy but I would recommend standalone speakers for a more immersive experience.
Acer CG437K P Verdict
Acer Predator CG437K P Review
The Acer Predator CG437K P monitor is great for both PC and console gaming. It has features that’s futureproofed for next gen console gaming, and the colours are actually good enough for creative work. It feels like a TV but with the added benefits of a gaming monitor.
While the RGB lighting implementation could be better and the lack of the ability to tilt the display may turn off some users, I honestly have no complaints about this monitor. The only reason why anyone would say no to this would be because they need a gaming monitor with higher refresh rates, or a display with better colour reproduction.
At the end of our Acer Predator CG437K P review, I award this gaming monitor with our Gold Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Acer Malaysia for sending us this monitor for the purposes of this review.
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Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition Is Now Free For Limited Time

The folks at PlayStation Asia has recently revealed that PlayStation gamers can now get Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition absolutely for free for a limited time.
Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition

The company has said that they are giving away the game for free as part of their Play At Home initiative. If you are unaware of it, it all started when the pandemic began and Sony thought it would be better if gamers stayed at the comforts of their home and play free games.

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As you might’ve probably guessed by now, this isn’t the first time that Sony/PlayStation has given away free titles to play as previously they’ve listed a total of 10 free games for the initiative.
If you are interested in getting Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for free of charge, you can do so until the 14th of May 2021 where once you’ve claimed the game for the PS4, it’s yours to keep forever. In the game, it includes the following content:

The Frozen Wilds expansion
Carja Storm Ranger Outfit and Carja Mighty Bow
Carja Trader Pack
Banuk Trailblazer Outfit and Banuk Culling Bow
Banuk Traveller Pack
Nora Keeper Pack
Digital Art Book and PS4 theme

For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: Horizon Zero Dawn isn’t my number one game on the PlayStation 4 but it’s decent enough. It’s an even better offering since they’re giving it away for free now, so there’s nothing to lose. Be sure to grab it quickly.
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Marvel Studios’ “What If…?” Releases Today On Disney+ Hotstar

Marvel Studios’ first-ever animated series “What If…?” is finally premiering today, August 11 exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar.
Marvel Studios’ “What If…?” premiering today on Disney+ Hotstar

Here’s the official synopsis of Marvel Studios’ “What If…?”:

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“What If…?” flips the script on the MCU, reimagining famous events from the films in unexpected ways. Marvel Studios’ first animated series focuses on different heroes from the MCU, featuring a voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their roles. The series is directed by Bryan Andrews; AC Bradley is head writer.

Each episode of Marvel Studios’ first-ever animated series reimagines historic events from MCU films in wildly new ways, bringing back fan favourites like Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Dr Strange, Killmonger, Thor, and more. The Watcher, a cosmic overseer who introduces spectators to different tales in the “What If…?” multiverse each week, is voiced by Jeffrey Wright.

The series will also see more than 50 MCU cast members reprising their iconic roles, including Angela Bassett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Hemsworth, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Danai Gurira, Dominic Cooper, Don Cheadle, Emily VanCamp, Evangeline Lilly, Hayley Atwell, Jeff Goldblum, Jeremy Renner, Jon Favreau, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Mark Ruffalo, Michael B. Jordan, Natalie Portman, Paul Bettany, Paul Rudd, Rachel McAdams, Samuel L. Jackson, Sebastian Stan, Stanley Tucci, Taika Waititi, Tom Hiddleston.
Malaysians can watch new episodes of “What If…?” on Disney+ Hotstar every Wednesday via the Disney+ Hotstar website or via the app on Android and iOS devices.

Pokdepinion: Been waiting a long time for this show to come out. I’m a huge fan of the original comic series so I’m really stoked to see it finally on screen (even if it’s not the original stories from the comics).
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2K Games To Look For Inspiration From Iconic Titles For WWE 2K22

I think we all probably know by now that WWE 2K20 wasn’t well receive by gamers and critics alike. With 2K Games opted to not release a 2K21 this year, it seems that they are looking for inspiration from wrestling’s iconic games for WWE 2K22.
WWE 2K22 to look for inspiration
Over at Reddit, it seems that the game’s new executive director, Patick Gilmore has given some light about the WWE 2K22. Here’s what he has said:
We are looking at much-loved previous games like No Mercy or Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain, along with top franchise installments, and more modern wrestling and fighting games to build an all-new philosophical foundation for the game. People who hope that we holistically adopt the control scheme or philosophy from one of their favorite games are likely to be disappointed; we are trying to combine the best ideas out there into a brand new wrestling experience that sets a new standard.Patrick Gilmore, WWE 2K22 executive director
In addition to looking several games for ideas, he has said that they are trying to improve on ‘deeper combos and working moves’ as well as ‘limb damage’ and ‘technical capabilities’.

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WWE 2K2020 has received ‘Mostly Negative’ reviews on Steam and at the time of writing, it is offered at a 75% discount at just RM43.75.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’d be happy if they could emulate the success from Here Comes the Pain. Now that was a good and fun game.
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GoOffice is U Mobile’s voice, data and office applications bundle for SMEs

U Mobile partners Microsoft to bring us GoOffice, Malaysia’s first voice, data and office applications bundle for SMEs. The bundle combines U Mobile’s voice and data services with the Microsoft Office 365 suite of applications.
The GoOffice bundle comprises of the following:

Microsoft Office 365 Business

Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access (PC-only)
1TB cloud storage on OneDrive
Up to 15 devices (smartphone, Mac/PC, tablets)

1 x Principle Postpaid Line

Unlimited voice and data
4GB of Roam-Onz data, which enables roaming in 12 destinations.
20GB for hotspot

2 x Supplementary Postpaid Lines

Unlimited voice
6GB of high-speed data
500MB of Roam-Onz data, which enables roaming in 12 destinations.
Unlimited Waze

The GoOffice bundle is priced at RM238/month, with each additional supplementary line (on top of the two bundled ones) will be charged at RM45/month. U Mobile is currently running an early bird promotion though, giving you RM20 off you monthly bill.

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It does seem like a good deal for business owners who are just starting up, as it offers them quite a bit of flexibility, especially with that 15 Microsoft Office 365 licenses.
Pokdepinion: Hi boss, terbeli for us to use please!
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The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 may be significantly inferior to Samsung’s Exynos 2200

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 is a really powerful chipset, but it does run rather hot. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (or Snapdragon 898) will be even more powerful, but just as toasty, with earlier rumors hinting towards that. It seems that the heating issues might be due to the Samsung manufacturing process node that they are using, rather than Qualcomm being overly ambitious with their thermal limits.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 on Samsung’s 4LPX, Exynos 2200 on Samsung’s 4LPE?

SD898 uses a 4LPX process, which is essentially a 5LPP, which is also based on 7LPP.
This means that SD898 will still have all the problems that was present in 5nm and 7nm process, which includes “heating” and “high power consumption”.
S22 trio’s future seems dark to me.
— Tron ❂ (@FrontTron) November 11, 2021

According to tweets by FrontTron, Qualcomm will using the Samsung 4LPX process node for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Yes, that’s apparently what Qualcomm might be calling their next-gen flagship mobile chipset. The Samsung 4LPX process node is reportedly very similar to the older 5LPE node that the Snapdragon 888 was manufactured on, which was in itself based on the 7LPP node. It is a rather mature process, which means that yields are better although you still get the same drawbacks, i.e. heat output.

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On the other hand, Samsung is using the newer Samsung 4LPE node for their Exynos 2200, which is more advanced. However as a cutting edge process, yields are apparently not that good for now. The AMD RDNA 2 GPU is also reportedly affecting the yields of the Exynos 2200, which lends more credence to the rumors that that Samsung will be using the Snapdragon 898 (or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1) in more regions for the Samsung Galaxy S22 series.

S.LSI Exynos 2200 (4nm Pamir) for Galaxy S22 is still in low yield of 20%~30%.
Therefore, Exynos 2200 is being considered to be equipped only in Europe and Russia regions. Other regions (CJK, SEA, India, M.E., Africa, Austrailia, N/S America, and Antarctica) will get Snapdragon.
— Tron ❂ (@FrontTron) November 12, 2021

FrontTron also went on to mention that the Snapdragon variant will be offered across most regions with the exception of Europe and Russia, which is quite intriguing. As far as my memory serves me, this would be the first time we see a Snapdragon-powered Samsung Galaxy S-series flagship in Malaysia since the Samsung Galaxy S5 back in 2014.
It will be interesting to see if the process node advantage of the Exynos 2200 really translates to a tangible performance advantage. Qualcomm has enjoyed a pretty significant lead in terms of graphics performance, but Samsung decided to work with AMD to use their scalable RDNA 2 architecture, with promising results.

But we might also see a nice improvement from Qualcomm as well. The upcoming Snapdragon flagship chipset is rumored to pack the Adreno 730 GPU. Qualcomm usually only changes the first digit when there’s a major architecture upgrade, so the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 might not be left in the dust by Samsung’s chip after all.
In any case, take all of these rumors with a pinch of salt, and only make your decisions when the devices are finally available. One thing is for sure, the Samsung Galaxy S22 devices are going to be absolute beasts in terms of performance, regardless if you go with the Exynos or Snapdragon version. It’s only a matter of which is beastlier.
Pokdepinion: I do look forward to the Exynos 2200, but I guess we won’t see it in Malaysia then.
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ROG Phone 5 Unboxing and First Impressions

The ROG Phone 5 has just been launched, and we have only just received it yesterday. Therefore we are unable to do too much testing yet, but here’s a quick unboxing as well as our first impressions of the ROG Phone 5 we received.
Unboxing

Instead of the triangular packaging that ASUS has been using for the ROG Phone series till date, the ROG Phone 5 comes in a standard rectangular box. The attention to detail here is just excessive though, with the ROG logo boasting of a shimmery reflective finish to stand out even more against the dark box.

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The box is really thick, so you know ASUS isn’t skimping on the contents in the name of going green. There’s a huge emphasis on the dot-matrix, probably due to the popularity of the ROG Zephyrus G14 and its stunning AniMe Matrix lid.

The box unfurls to reveal an AR comic, which is pretty interesting. We won’t be getting into it today, but it is quite an interesting touch. One thing to note is also the fact that you won’t have the problem of dropping the ROG Phone 5 from the box just because you opened it wrong, as the layout is significantly safer with the phone actually hidden under an envelope.

The contents of the box is pretty standard, with a charger, USB-C cable and a nice case. But of course aside from them being absolutely bespoke, as this is after all an ROG product, there are some stickers here as well. You might also notice the AeroActive fan being missing here.
We didn’t leave it out, but ASUS didn’t include it in the box this time around. If you want the fan, you will have to buy it separately or opt for the higher end ROG Phone 5 Pro and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate variants, which do come in a triangular box that also contains the AeroActive 5 cooler.

The charger here is not just any simple charger, with ASUS upgrading the fast charging on the ROG Phone 5 to a whopping 65W. ASUS has kept the 30W charging for three generations of ROG Phones, so this is a very welcome upgrade. The charger outputs its charge via USB-C and is apparently made by Intertek.
ROG Phone 5 Specifications

Processor
Snapdragon 888, octa-core up to 2.84GHz, 5nm

Graphics
Adreno 660

RAM
16GB LPDDR5

Storage
256GB UFS 3.1

Display
6.78″ FHD+ (2448 x 1080) 144Hz AMOLED display
300Hz touch sampling
150.89% sRGB, 111% DCI-P3, Delta E <1
1200 nits peak brightness
Gorilla Glass Victus

Rear Camera
64MP f/1.8 + 13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide + 5MP f/2.0 macro

Selfie Camera
24MP f/2.0 selfie camera

Connectivity
WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (WiFi 6E support)
Bluetooth 5.2
Dual-band GPS
5G: n41/77/78/79, n1, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38,n40
FDD-LTE: Band 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 7/ 8/ 18/ 19/ 20/ 26/ 28

Battery
6000mAh (3000mAh x 2)
65W HyperCharge (USB-PD)

Dimensions
173 x 77 x 9.9 mm

Weight
239g

First Impressions

After experiencing stuff like the Xiaomi Mi 11, HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro and other absolutely stunning displays, the ROG Phone 5’s FHD AMOLED panel doesn’t exactly impress. It is very smooth, but so is pretty much every flagship in the market right now. It is meant for gaming though, so we will have to report back when we finally get the time to game on the ROG Phone 5.
The corners of the displays are significantly rounded, which is quite odd to see on a device that still has bezels. Speaking of which, the top and bottom bezels are much narrower now, and the speaker grilles have been minimized to just little slits. Apparently that didn’t affect the sound quality though. Of course, we have seen stereo smartphones that do not even need bezels, so I am not exactly impressed here either.
The first thing I actually noticed about the ROG Phone 5 after taking it out of the box is the sheer thickness of it. After checking back, it appears that the ROG Phone 5 actually put on a little extra girth, with it now being slightly thicker than the ROG Phone 3. It also feels extra thick because of the way that I have been using devices like the Mi 11 and my personal POCO F2 Pro, both of which have very curved back panels that provide the illusion of them being slimmer than they actually are.

Another thing to note about the ROG Phone 5 is the new side port configuration. While ASUS used a similar dual-connector design for the side port from the first ROG Phone right up to the ROG Phone 3 generation, they have now decided to change it to a USB-C + pogo pin arrangement. This essentially cancels out all backward compatibility when it comes to accessories, with the ROG Kunai 3 requiring a specific bumper to work with the ROG Phone 5. It’s unclear why they decided to go with pogo pins though, as the device still lacks any IP rating.

The RGB logo on the back is a step forward for ASUS. While previous generations had a single-color RGB logo, the ROG Phone 5 actually supports two colors. The left and right have separate LEDs behind them, which allow for smooth color transitions, if you want. As you can see here, I have set it up in red and blue, and it looks absolutely gorgeous. I can’t wait to see what can we do on the ROG Phone 5 Pro and Ultimate, considering that they have a display instead. But as of now, I am very happy with this design.

And oh, the headphone jack is back, after it being missing in the ROG Phone 3. After all, who wants to game with the latency that most Bluetooth earphones exhibit?
Conclusion
The ROG Phone 5 appears to be a major upgrade in the ROG Phone lineup. It also marks the first time ASUS has dropped the Strix variant, and instead expanded the higher-end SKUs with more features. This time around, ASUS did not just add more RAM and storage and called it a day for the higher end models. But I guess we will have to talk about them when we finally get our hands on one.

Even for the base ROG Phone 5, there’s still a lot more to talk about, but we will reserve that for our full length review. Stay tuned! For more info about the pricing, specifications and availability, head on over to the following link:

ASUS ROG Phone 5 Series announced in Malaysia priced from RM2999

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Transcend Offers Conformal Coating – Providing Better Protection!

Transcend has announce that they are now offering conformal coating coating as a customization option on their full range of embedded-use flash and DRAM products.
Transcend Now Offers Conformal Coating
Conformal coatings can be done in several ways which includes manual brushing, manual spraying, dipping, and by automated spraying machines. Although dipping sounds like a fast and easy option to go with, it doesn’t give you the best of uniformity of coating, possibly the worst of options when it comes to uniformity. As you can expect, Transcend utilizes automated spraying machines due to their speed and of course the most important part, accuracy.
With these methods, each has its own strengths and weaknesses and it’s important to get it right as the coating which encapsulates the entire printed circuit board (PCB) provides a physical barrier against moisture, dust, and other environmental contaminants. Commonly, most coating materials are acrylic, silicone, urethane, and epoxy. Silicone and epoxy coatings can withstand exposure to high temperatures, while urethane is chemical resistant. Acrylic coatings are the preferred choice as they offer good moisture and electrical resistance.

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Transcend offers an acrylic conformal coating solution, which is supplied by HumiSeal. The coating offers fast drying and offers flexibility, moisture protection, electric isolation, and is well suited to most applications. The coating is applied directly to the surface, except for the gold-fingers area. Not surprisingly, Transcend recommends to have conformal coated flash and memory modules, especially for those in harsh environments with high moisture, high dust, or chemical contaminants.
For more information on Transcend and their products, you can click on the link right here to go to their official website.
Pokdepinion: Well you’d best get protection for your flash and memory modules, no matter how tedious or too much of a hassle to do. Better safe than sorry no?
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Tower of Fantasy Welcomes New Character, Cobalt-B

Wielding her trusty Flaming Revolver, the latest addition for Tower of Fantasy, Cobalt-B, is a mechanical engineer on the Hykros weapon development team, she has the instinct for creating highly effective weapons to test against unsuspecting Hyena members.

Starting now until 12 October 2022, the Vera Orienteering Limited-Timed Event will give Wanderers the opportunity to earn rewards by completing a series of challenges focusing on three different gameplay elements, which will be unlocked over time.
For more details on the Event, visit the Events section at toweroffantasy-global.com or check out their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Discord.

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Pokdepinion: Wonder what kind of weapons she can create aside from that?
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Hover Camera Passport Coming To Malaysia At RM1,599

Gadget Goods Asia has today announce the launch of pre-order sales for the Hover Camera Passport self-flying here in Malaysia.
Hover Camera Passport Now Available For Pre-order
Hover Camera Passport now available for pre-order
The Hover Camera Passport weighs in at 242-grams and is capable of face-detection that allows it to follow you around. With a simple gesture, you can get it to snap a photo of you and your friends.
It is portable, as it can be easily folded and placed into a backpack and what not when needed. Perfect for those holiday photographers to capture the environment around.

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Camera wise, it shoots with a 13MP shooter and offers video in 4K resolutions. It also comes with a built-in flash. With its facial recognition software, it follows the user’s bodies and faces automatically. Also, it is able to maintain its position and avoid objects without even using GPS.
As for modes, it comes in Orbit and Follow, Manual, 360 Panorama, and also Birds-eye, which allows the drone to circle around with the camera pointing inwards.
So how fast can it go you ask? Top speed for the Hover Camera Passport is 17 miles per hour in manual mode and a maximum range of 65 feet.
You can connect to the drone through WiFi and control it through a downloadable app available on the App store. The Hover Camera Passport is available here in Malaysia at a special pre-order discount of 20% at RM1,599.
For more information, you can click on the link here.
Not to forget, if you’d like to see how it works, you can refer to the video down below.

Pokdepinion: I wish i own one! It will be neat to have around when I travel. Well that’s if I have the time to travel…… sad life. What do you think of it? Would you buy it? Let us know.

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HUAWEI Service Carnival Is Running Until 12 May 2021

Think your HUAWEI device is in need for some care? Well HUAWEI Malaysia has recently announce the return of the HUAWEI Service Carnival where they’ve prepared various offers for both new and existing users.
HUAWEI Service Carnival

The campaign starts from now till the 12th of May 2021 where the company is offering you the chance to redeem an extended warranty up to 90 days, 50GB HUAWEI Cloud Storage, repair discounts and many more.

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Users can get a free 90 days of extended warranty where the applicable devices are:

HUAWEI P40
HUAWEI P40 Pro
HUAWEI P40 Pro Plus
HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro
HUAWEI nova 7i
HUAWEI nova 7 SE
HUAWEI nova 7
HUAWEI Y7p
HUAWEI Y6p
HUAWEI Y5p
HUAWEY Y7a

For Out of Warranty repair, users get to redeem free labour charger voucher that’s worth RM60. Those who are new to HUAWEI Mobile Cloud will also get a complimentary 3 months of 50GB HUAWEI Cloud Storage.
You are welcomed to get a refresh for your device by getting system upgrades and cleaning service for free at HUAWEI Authorised Customer Service Centre. Users can also get to replace your LCD screen, back cover, or mainboard for selected old models at an all-in promotional price that includes spare parts and labour fee.
The HUAWEI Service Carnival deals are applicable for HUAWEI users who purchased eligible devices at authorized channels in the country. You can simply log in to the Support App, claim, and enjoy the exclusive offerings.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: Who doesn’t enjoy a quick patch up, right? You’d definitely would want to get your phone serviced up if you start to find something seems a bit off with your device.
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Flash Plus 2 successor to come with FOUR cameras

Yes we did not miscount the cameras on the TCL 598, which will feature dual camera systems for both the rear and front cameras, for a total of four cameras. It doesn’t aim to impress solely with the number of cameras though, as it also features a vastly more premium design compared to the current models by Flash.

The dual rear cameras are going to be two 13 MP ones, and based on the above image, will not feature laser autofocusing system to improve focusing speeds. The brushed back metal also sports a nice curve to it, which will improve the ergonomics and overall feel of the device in the hand.

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The front camera system will consist of an 8 MP and a 5 MP cameras, paired together to bring some nice effects making use of the enhanced depth perception gained with dual camera systems.
The TCL 598 will also pack the deca-core MediaTek Helio X20 paired to 4GB of RAM. The display will be a 5.5″ 1080p IPS panel, with a 3030 mAh keeping the lights on. Currently we have no information of when it will be made available here in Malaysia, but we will be sure to keep you posted!
SOURCE: NasiLemakTech

Pokdepinion: Not a great fan of selfies, but I would really like to try out how does it change the selfie game. Will the Selfie Expert be dethroned?
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Intel Core i9-13900K Review – Same Same But Better

Intel’s 12th Gen “Alder Lake” processors has finally show some promises after enduring a difficult period for the company with many missteps – and now after a generation of making through growing pains and settling into the DDR5 platform ahead of Team Red, Intel has released the first refined iteration of the company’s first-ever hybrid x86 desktop CPUs. Similar to the ‘tick-tock’ cadence strategy of prime 2010s Intel, the 13th Gen “Raptor Lake” processors are here to build on top of the base that Alder Lake has laid on. Before going into numbers, let’s look at what Intel has to offer in this generation of CPUs…
Intel Core i9-13900K: Basic Specifications
“Iterative” is going to the main theme of this review. We’ll be pitting this CPU against its direct predecessor – the Core i9-12900K. Here’s a chart for you to differentiate the main differences Intel has made between the two flagships:

Processor
Intel Core i9-13900K
Intel Core i9-12900K

Core Configuration
8P+16E
24 cores, 32 threads
8P+8E
16 cores, 24 threads

Process Node
Intel 7 (formerly 10ESF)

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

P-Core Max Turbo Clock
5.8GHz
5.2GHz

E-Core Max Turbo Clock
4.3GHz
3.9GHz

Cache (L2+L3)
32+36MB
14+30MB

TDP (PBP / MTP)
125W / 253W
125W / 241W

Memory Support
DDR5-5600 / DDR4-3200
Max. 128GB dual-channel
DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200
Max. 128GB dual-channel

Onboard Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 770
1.65GHz
Intel UHD Graphics 770
1.55GHz

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

Socket
LGA1700

Chipset Support
Intel 600 / 700 Series Chipset

Both processors’ accompanying motherboard chipsets also shares similar traits, with only minor additions such as extra PCIe 4.0 lanes:

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Chipset
Intel Z790
Intel Z690

Memory Generation Support
DDR5 & DDR4

Downstream PCIe 4.0 Lanes
Max. 20
Max. 12

Downstream PCIe 3.0 Lanes
Max. 8
Max. 16

USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) Ports
Max. 10

USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) Ports
Max. 10

USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20Gbps) Ports
Max. 5
Max. 4

Minor differences, on paper at least. The biggest improvement comes from the very CPU itself – we saw a significant clock speed bump from the Core i9-13900K over the outgoing model that’s almost reminiscent of CPU clockspeed wars back in 2000s. A new P-Core microarchitecture “Raptor Cove” takes over in the this CPU, while the E-Core maintained the same architecture, with core count doubled; L2 cache has been significantly increased.
What’s New?

Intel claimed 15% improvement on single-core workloads while multi-core receives a healthy 41% improvement over prior generation with the improvements in design and clockspeeds they have made on this generation – with frequency and core count improvements being the respective major contributor of the performance increase. The onboard graphics also received a small clockspeed bump, but it’s not like you’d ever put it into gaming uses – for all intents and purposes, this is merely for situations where a diagnostic is required in case of discrete GPU issues.
Test System

Processor
Intel Core i9-13900K
Intel Core i9-12900K

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 RGB 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…
A few things you need to know as you see the numbers below. First off – if you’re still holding on Windows 10 as your daily driver, be aware that the performance shown below may not reflect the same way as Windows 11 due to a feature called ‘Thread Director’. This is a feature that allows Intel to intelligently allocate two types of cores based on workload types – which require explicit OS-level support that only Windows 11 enjoys.
Finally, we have actively disabled ASUS’s MCE (Multi-Core Enhancement) – this is a feature intended to remove all power limits on CPUs, but for the purpose of this comparison we will enforce Intel’s own TDP limits to reflect ‘stock’ performance. Both processors will run on their respective MTP limits for the entirety of this review, unless otherwise specified.
Benchmarks
Cinebench R23 (Standard benchmark)

Right off the bat, the Core i9-13900K means business. The extra E-Cores plus significant clock bumps has the processors produced 37,269 points on multicore and 2,230 points on single core results. That translates to 38% and 15% improvement respectively, pretty much in line with Intel’s claims.
During the benchmark, one of the P-Core gets pinned to the redline sitting at 5.8GHz, while the other seven sits at 5.5GHz. All E-Core clusters sit at a fairly high 4.3 GHz which gave this CPU plenty of rendering firepower to work with. In terms of temperature, our Ryujin II 360 just about keep the temperature in check – at maximum of 253 watts, the CPU package temp is seen hovering at a scary 98°C… there’s simply no more room for extra power or overclocks.
With that said, the one time I turned off MCE, the CPU come roaring past 300 watts before settling down after a short period – so if you have an even more powerful cooling solutions, this CPU will be very happy to take that temperature headroom like it’s free real estate.
Cinebench R23 (Power scaling & IPC)

First up, let’s look at the CPU’s power scaling. Intel touted the Core i9-13900K, at 65 watts is capable of matching its predecessor at maximum power when it comes to multicore performance. How does it stack up running on various power levels? At 125W (Intel’s default PBP limit), the CPU has benched 30,611 points – 18% less performance at 50% less power.
Now, 18% does sound like a lot to lose, but you might be more comfortable living at this power level if you do intend to do other things while a render job runs in the background. What if we go deeper? At 65W, that score dropped to just 60% of its full performance, so 40% reduction. It’s probably not worth it to reduce the power that far as this is a flagship-grade CPU, after all. If you don’t have the top-of-the-line cooling to keep this beast in check, the Core i9-13900K at 125W is still fast enough to surpass the older model (at full power) with a healthy 13.4% margin.

The second test focuses on the architecture itself – by making all cores equal on clocks, we can see how much the CPU architecture has contributed to the generational improvement. The clock speeds do matter this time, the Core i9-13900K scored just 1.4% better over Core i9-12900K under equal clocks – not by much all things considered – so this might be something you’ll have to be aware of if you’re looking to upgrade within the mid-range realm, where clock speeds often overlooked.
7-Zip

This benchmark runs on all threads available using the 32MB dictionary setting. Now, as far as compression-based workloads are concerned, the extra E-Cores on the Core i9-13900K has contributed a good amount. Here we see Intel’s 13th Gen flagship leading the compression charts by a huge margin over its predecessor at 38%, and doing the same on decompression tests as well, leading by a massive 56%.
3DMark Time Spy (CPU Score)

The Core i9-13900K has showed a big jump over its predecessor for this particular test, scoring over 18% – which is quite impressive.
Handbrake

Here we took a 10-minute Blender-animated video and feed it into the Handbrake application to encode in H.264 1080p30 MKV format. In both cases you’re looking at faster-than-realtime performance – that said, the Core i9-13900K leads by 14%, and the margin should maintain across other resolutions or encoding formats.
Gaming

Now, when it comes to games, clock speeds and latency are absolutely critical. The +600MHz P-Core clocks does wonders here on Shadow of the Tomb Raider, on top of its architecture – we’re seeing a noticeable improvement in this game’s framerates so that’s always a plus. But if you only just game and not much else, maybe the midrange Core i5-13600K (review here) is the more valued option. Take Forza Horizon 5 for example – despite the Core i9-13900K gets higher “CPU render” framerates over the predecessor (203 vs 187), the bottleneck is entirely on the GPU – which makes both occasions having virtually identical performance to your eyeballs. If you are looking for improvement on FPS, consider investing on GPU upgrades instead.
Conclusion
Intel’s 12th Gen CPUs was released in a time when next-generation platform is still very new – which makes purchasing decisions a bit more tricky especially in the face of AMD’s Ryzen 5000 processors which offers amazing value for performance. Now, the tables may have turned, even if it may be just briefly – with AM5 just entering the next-generation platform contest, Intel has a year’s worth of headstart which could set a reasonable value proposition when you account for motherboard and DDR5 costs. The Core i9-13900K’s $589 RCP (RM 2,780 at current exchange rate) is maintained from the outgoing model – at worst you’re looking at slightly increased pricing for Malaysian markets due to weakened currency rates.
Interestingly, power limits has been bumped up again to 253W – and given that Intel no longer enforces PBP (PL1) limits for the most part, even something as massive as a Ryujin II 360mm AIO will be stressed hard just to keep it from thermal throttling. Would it be worth it to overclock? I’d personally say no, simply because there’s just no room unless you start looking for exotic cooling solutions. That said, I think keeping the CPU at 125W probably gives you a better experience overall – you lose a small amount of performance in exchange for much, much quieter fans and less heat. Of course, you can freely adjust that based on your preference using their XTU software.

Those who already running on the 12th Gen seeking more workstation-based performance may find this a good choice to upgrade – and if the performance benchmarks is anything to go by, the Core i9-13900K has the chance to steal the performance crown from AMD outright. Though on the other hand, the 13th Gen do not offer any new features significant enough that might entice those on 12th Gen to upgrade. The DDR4 compatibility at this point is much less important, and is likely reserved for low-end budget boards; so if you’re upgrading from older platforms, I’d recommend just jump straight into DDR5 instead.
Aside from that, you’re not getting a whole lot as far as features are concerned: same CPU PCIe lanes, slightly improved IMC and PCH for memory and peripherals, and same number of P-Cores (albeit improved). So if you’re just looking for simply a souped-up version of Core i9-12900K, this is pretty much it.

Our thanks to Intel for sending us the Intel Core i9-13900K for 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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[LEAKED] ASUS Malaysia to bring in a slew of WiFi 6 routers — including the world’s first 10 Gigabit Wi-Fi router!

For those of you who are worried that your current networking setup is holding you back from enjoying all the speed your ISP gives you now, your solution is coming. We found out that ASUS Malaysia is going to be bringing in a slew of their latest routers, some of which aren’t even available anywhere else yet.

For starters, we have the ASUS RT-AX88U. This Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) router delivers 6000 Mbps (5952 Mbps, to be exact) of total bandwidth over the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. It also supports ASUS Ai Mesh for a seamless whole-home coverage. If you are old school, the RT-AX88U comes with a whopping 8 Gigabit LAN ports.

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ASUS brings Amazon Alexa into the Lyra Voice, a AC 2200 Tri-Band Mesh WiFi Router. You now get a speaker with a smart assistant, and one that works as a mesh WiFi router too. Isn’t that incredible? And it comes with AiProtection powered by Trend Micro, so you are well protected from online threats.

The ASUS AiMesh AX6100 WiFi System is designed to create a mesh network over your entire house, and it comes with a total throughput of 6100 Mbps, thanks to the insane 4804 Mbps bandwidth on the 5 GHz 802.11ax band. While all of ASUS’ recent routers can do AiMesh, these are dedicated for it, and will come in a two-pack for a wider coverage of your home. If you want seamless, ridiculously fast WiFi everywhere in your house, this will be the product for you.

The ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is ASUS’ most over-the-top router. While the other WiFi 6 routers by ASUS only have one 5GHz 802.11ax band, the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 gives you TWO. I don’t know what are you going to do with a 10 Gbit WiFi router, but this router can give it to you. Keeping tabs on everything is a quad-core CPU that runs at up to 1.8 GHz. Another very overkill feature is the 2.5 Gigabit LAN ports. You will definitely have to attend several more elections before you get Internet speeds that this router cannot handle.
All of these routers are coming to Malaysia, but availability and pricing information is scarce. We will be sure to keep you updated, so stay tuned!
Pokdepinion: Waiting for the comments “if you are using 8 Mbps Streamyx, the fastest router won’t help you.” It really hits home because that’s what I am experiencing right now.
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Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Review — A Notch-less Monster That Packs A Punch

Introduction

Coming off as a successor to the Mi Max 3, the new Mi Max 3 presents itself as a phone / tablet or simply, a phablet. Thanks to its big size, it offers huge battery and display. Want to know if it is the device for you? Well, take a look at what we have to say.
Unboxing

So here’s what you get with the Xiaomi Mi Max 3. There’s the usual user guide of the device, a Type-C cable, power brick, as well as the SIM ejector tool. It would’ve been nice if they’ve included a protective case for the phone here though.

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Appearance

The Mi Max 3 doesn’t come with a notch, which is always a plus for me. Other than that, it’s pretty much straightforward on the front. No branding whatsoever on the front, with only the front camera and the IR scanner visible here.

Here you have the volume buttons as well as the power button located on the right hand side.

Switching over to the left side, there’s a microSD / SIM tray available.

You’ve got two grilles for the speakers (left) and the microphone (right). There’s also the Type-C port down below accompanying them.

Another plus for this phone is that it does indeed offer a port for your 3.5mm headphones at the top. There’s also the infrared sensor and the secondary microphone hole accompanying it.

At the back , you’ve got the dual camera setup that comes with an LED flash. There’s the fingerprint scanner positioned at the center and finally, the Mi logo down below.
Specifications

CPU/Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Octa-core 1.8 GHz Kryo 260 14nm FinFET

GPU:
Adreno 509

RAM:
4GB / 6GB

Display:
6.9″ (1080p) IPS LCD display, 18:9 ratio

Storage:
64GB/128GB (up to 256GB via microSD)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
Primary: 12MP f/1.9, Dual Pixel PDAF, 1/2.55″, 1.4μm pixel pitch
Secondary: 5MP f/2.0, 1/5″, 1.12µm, depth sensor
LED flash, AI HDR, portrait mode, AI scene recognition, AI Beauty, filters, Pro mode
Front Camera
8MP, f/2.0 1/4″, 1.12µm
Beauty mode, screen flash, HDR

OS:
MIUI 9.5 based on Android 8.1 Oreo

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz),
Bluetooth 5.0

SIM:
Hybrid Dual SIM

Battery:
Li-ion 5500 mAh (non-removable)

Dimensions:
176.2 x 87.4 x 8 mm

Weight:
221 g

Performance

We’ve pitted the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 with the other two Snapdragon 636 that we’ve reviewed recently, and the signs are bright here. It offers a huge improvement in terms of scores from the Nokia 6.1 Plus and Redmi Note 5 respectively in Antutu.

Its performance in Geekbench is very much in line of what is expected from a Snapdragon 636 SoC.

Again, the device shows scores that manages to beat the other two that uses the same chipset in graphical performance in 3DMark.

The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 lost to the Mi 2 by a small margin. In this case however, it is the Snapdragon 636 going against the Snapdragon 660 SoC. In this sense, the performance exhibited by the Mi Max 3 is indeed commendable.

Despite the Mi Max 3 packing a 5500mAh battery under the hood compared to the ZenFone Max Pro M2’s 5000mAh size, it failed in beating the latter when it comes to the battery life. The screen size of the Mi Max 3 could be the factor as a bigger display would normally drain more battery. Still, the score is still impressive for Xiaomi.
As for personal battery usage with the phone, I can safely say that it was a beast in terms of endurance. I started the day with 96% of battery at 9AM and ended up with 69% left at 9PM. Usage includes the some social media browsing, grinding on Asphalt 9 until I had no fuel left, two rounds of PUBG Mobile, as well as couple of videos both on Youtube and Netflix. I am not kidding when I say that the Mi Max 3 is a beast when it comes to battery life.
As I don’t usually game on my smartphone, it’s worth noting how the battery life would be without it. Exclude the gaming usage, the phone lasted me for almost 2 1/2 days without ever the need of charging.
User Experience

The moment I took the phone out of the box, I was in disbelief of how big it is. As for the looks, I would say that it looks just like simply looks like other standard Xiaomi smartphones. Despite it being big, the phone is actually thin. Gaming on it was a comfortable experience as it just fits perfectly.
As for charging the phone, I found out that with a 30-minute period of charging the device, I managed to gain 21% of battery life, which is not bad to say the least as the battery is an enormous 5500mAh after all.

While you won’t be getting the stock Android experience, it’s worth mentioning that MIUI 10 offers an appealing and smooth interface. The phone does come with some bloatware, but it isn’t really that much. There’s been some stuttering in certain occasions where I’ve opened too many apps, but it was still manageable.
On the back of the phone, it offers a dual rear-camera setup that’s quite similar to the one that they’ve opted for the Redmi Note 5.

Again, the Mi Max 3 took example of the Redmi Note 5’s camera user interface and put it to the device. It’s not complicated and you will have no troubles in playing around with it to take your shots.

Images turned out pretty decent from the main camera with it being more than capable for your social media uploads. I do have to say that I wasn’t satisfied with the quality of its front camera though. It only offers a 8MP sensor on the front, so if you are a person who loves to take selfies a lot, you might be disappointed.
Conclusion
The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 is nearly everything that you could ever ask for. It offers great battery life, huge display, and an efficient chipset. I pretty much like what it brought to the table, being priced at RM1,099 for the 4GB variant. If I had the choice, I would opt for the bigger 6GB version but sadly Xiaomi doesn’t offer that at their official store here in Malaysia.
The only true downside that I can see from the Mi Max 3 is that it didn’t come with a soft case out of the box and its aesthetics (I don’t take selfies). If you are looking for a device that looks nice on the eyes, this might not excite you much. But looks aside, this phone offers a big bargain for what you’re paying for.
It’s price range may be close to that of the POCO F1, but the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 is aimed at a different segment of the market. It’s for those who wants a large display, stable performance and lasting battery. The Mi Max 3 does the job perfectly, hence we are giving it our Silver Pokdeward.

We would like to give a big shot out to Mi Malaysia for providing the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 that was used in this review. To support us, check out the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 on Lazada through the following link:

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Newly Bought Over Wordle has Ad Tracking Courtesy of New York Times

If you are privy to yellow, green and grey boxes on your social media feeds, you have probably heard or played the viral game sensation, Wordle.
Image Credit: NY Times
Last month, The New York Times bought over Wordle for a “lowly sum of seven figures” and the corporate company has since added ad trackers all over the game. The purchase by NYT was part of their money-making strategy to grow their digital subscriptions to 10 million by 2025.
Wordle was Ad-Free Once Upon A Time

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As the game was developed by Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle in its original form did not have any ad tracker attached to it. The word game consists of six columns (for six tries) of five-letter words to be guessed daily. Players could only find a clean black or white background with the game in the center.
To keep the game free to play (for now), as the game is not behind NYT’s paywall (yet), the only way for the corporation to earn is by selling data to third-party advertisers which is how almost every online media outlet or independent blog keep their businesses afloat.
Additionally, NYT has also made changes to the gameplay, by cutting out words that is deemed obscure, insensitive or offensive from the solutions list.
Wordle can be played on any device with an internet connection, including PC and smartphone.
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Pokdepinion: Honestly I miss the old Wordle where you could just play the game for what it was. But anything even remotely good that appears on the internet will eventually be purchased, monetised and profited off of in this capitalistic society.
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CES 2021: ROG Flow X13 packs an AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS in a 1.3kg light 2-in-1 convertible chassis

While there are very portable gaming laptops out there, most of them will weigh close to 2kg. The most mobile gaming laptop I have tested is the ROG Zephyrus G14, and that was still a good 1.6kg. If you need something lighter, then maybe you might want to consider the ROG Flow X13, the Republic of Gamer’s first 2-in-1 convertible gaming laptop.
ROG Flow X13

In its deceptively thin and light chassis, lies an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS running at up to 4.8GHz. Similar to what they did for the ROG Zephyrus G14 and G15, ASUS worked with AMD to procure binned “HS” SKUs that run at a lower 35W TDP, instead of the regular variants’ 45W. With sufficient thermal and power headroom, the CPU in the ROG Flow X13 can scale up to 54W for even greater performance. Somehow, ASUS also managed to cram in a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 into the ROG Flow X13 for some light gaming when on the go.

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The ROG Flow X13 can be configured with up to 32GB of LPDDR4X-4266 memory, which is more efficient than regular DDR4 by up to 50%, while also taking up less room on the motherboard, allowing ASUS to cram all that onto the diminutive ROG Flow X13’s board. When you understand that there’s also a relatively huge 62WHr battery and a dual-fan, triple-heatsink cooling system in there as well, you can only imagine how challenging a task it must have been for the engineers.

Ensuring that the cooling system can work as efficiently as possible is the liquid metal applied on the AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor, which will improve thermal transfer between the processor die and the heatpipe. There’s also 0dB Technology here, which will shut off the fans during low load operation.
To fit its ultraportable ambitions, the ROG Flow X13 promises up to 10 hours of battery life from its 62WHr battery, and charges via USB-C. The included 100W Type-C charger measures just 75 x 75 x 28.8mm, and weighs 300g, making it very easy to carry around with you.

For display choices, you have an option of a FHD 120Hz panel or a 4K60 panel. Both options come in the taller 16:10 aspect ratio for more viewing space and are factory-calibrated to meet the PANTONE Validated standard for color accuracy. They also sport Adaptive-Sync to improve the fluidity of your gaming experience, be it at FHD 120Hz or 4K60. Oh and the displays are touch sensitive, with support for stylus input as well.
ROG Flow X13 Specs

Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS, 8C/16T @ up to 4.8GHz, 7nm /
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS, 8C/16T @ up to 4.6GHz, 7nm/
AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS. 8C/16T @ up to 4.4GHz, 7nm

RAM
16GB / 32GB LPDDR4X (on-board, dual channel)

Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6

Storage
1 x 512GB / 1TB M.2 2230 PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD

Display
13.4″ 16:10 4K (3840 x 2400) IPS display, 60Hz, 116% sRGB /
13.4″ 16:10 FHD (1920 x 1200) IPS display, 120Hz, 100% sRGB
Pantone Validated

Connectivity
1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) Type-A
2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) Type-C (DisplayPort 1.4 + USB-PD support)
1 x 3.5mm combo jack
1 x HDMI 2.0b
1 x ROG XG Mobile Interface (PCIe 3.0 x8)

Battery
62WHr battery
100W USB-PD power adapter

Dimensions
299 x 222 x 15.8 mm

Weight
1.3kg

ROG XG Mobile

Now you must be wondering how can the ROG Flow X13 be expected to deliver any semblance of a good gaming experience at 4K with that GeForce GTX 1650 as its GPU? Well, that’s what the ROG XG Mobile is here for. It is ASUS’ first mobile eGPU dock, allowing you to bring up to a GeForce RTX 3080 GPU with you anywhere you go. It weighs just 1kg, significantly less than your regular desktop eGPU enclosures.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU in the enclosure is clocked up to 1810MHz at 150W with ROG Boost. Keeping it cool is a vapor chamber cooling system, which allowed ASUS to cram more cooling surface area into the compact dimensions of the ROG XG Mobile. To ensure that the Ampere GPU is not starved of work, the ROG XG Mobile connects to the laptop via a custom PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, which is significantly faster than what Thunderbolt 4 is capable of.

On top of the custom PCIe 3.0 x8 interface that connects to the GPU, the ROG XG Mobile, there’s also a separate USB 3.2 Gen2 connection that drives the ROG XG Mobile’s multi-port hub, which has four USB 3.0 ports, a full-sized SD card slot and a Gigabit Ethernet. This adds on to the USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port and HDMI 2.0b that’s on the ROG Flow X13 itself. The ROG XG Mobile dock also outputs one HDMI 2.0a and DisplayPort 1.4 from the GPU itself. To add to the convenience, the ROG XG Mobile sports an integrated 280W power adapter inside to eliminate the need for additional power bricks: all you need is the ROG XG Mobile and the ROG Flow X13.
ROG XG Mobile Specs

Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Mobile), 16GB GDDR6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (Mobile), 8GB GDDR6

Input
ROG XG Mobile interface + USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C

Connectivity
Gigabit LAN
4 x USB 3.0
1 x HDMI 2.0a
1 x DiplayPort 1.4
1 x SD card reader

Power supply
Integrated 280W power adapter

Dimensions
208 x 155 x 29.6 mm

Weight
1kg

What ASUS plans on doing with the ROG Flow X13 and ROG XG Mobile is pretty novel. The ROG Flow series is expected to be an all-new lineup of ultraportable gaming laptops which will be compatible with the ROG XG Mobile for expanded gaming capabilities. As the ROG XG Mobile is non-upgradeable besides featuring a proprietary connector unlike your usual eGPU enclosures, this might be a concern, so hopefully we will see more choices on the laptop end as well as more ROG XG Mobile docks with different GPUs in the enclosure with support for the ROG XG Mobile interface!
The ROG Flow X13 and ROG XG Mobile dock will be sold separately, so stay tuned for pricing and availability info here in Malaysia!
Pokdepinion: This is like a wet dream for ultraportable gaming!
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ASUS’ GeForce GTX 1650 cards priced from RM699

ASUS will be offering two variants of the GeForce GTX 1650 cards in the Malaysian market, namely the ASUS Dual GeForce GTX 1650 and the ASUS Phoenix GeForce GTX 1650. Both variants do not require additional PCIe power connectors, making it the perfect drop-in upgrade for your ageing graphics card.
The GeForce GTX 1650 offers up to 70% better performance than the GeForce GTX 1050 at the same TDP, which is quite an impressive achievement for NVIDIA. ASUS takes it a tad further by overclocking the GeForce GTX 1650 for even higher performance. The ASUS GeForce GTX 1650 cards are also tuned for endurance, with dust-resistant fans and Auto-Extreme technology to deliver lasting performance.
Two fans, 144-hour validation program and Auto-Extreme Technology for a card that will probably outlive your rig.
The following are the specifications of the ASUS GeForce GTX 1650 cards:

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ASUS GeForce GTX 1650 Specifications

ASUS Dual GeForce GTX 1650 OC Edition
ASUS Phoenix GeForce GTX 1650 OC Edition

GPU
TU117 with 896 CUDA cores, 12nm FinFET

Boost clocks
OC Mode: 1755 MHz
Gaming Mode: 1725 MHz
OC Mode: 1710 MHz
Gaming Mode: 1680 MHz

Memory
4GB GDDR5 @ 8 Gbps

Display outputs
HDMI 2.0b
DisplayPort 1.4
DVI-D

Warranty
3 + 1 year Extended Warranty

Price
RM799
RM699

The single-fan design makes it really compact, perfect for smaller builds!
Both cards are already available for purchase now from your nearest ASUS Authorized Reseller.
Pokdepinion: The ASUS Phoenix GeForce GTX 1650 OC Edition is pretty well priced!
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HyperX Predator DDR4 memory now available in 256GB kits and 4800 MHz speeds

HyperX has just announced their refreshed HyperX Predator DDR4 and HyperX FURY DDR4 memory modules and kits. Designed for both Intel and AMD systems, these are ready to drop into any system. The refreshed lineup sees HyperX offering faster speeds and higher capacities, ranging all the way up to 4800 MHz CL19 and 256GB kits of 8 with 32GB modules.
HyperX Predator DDR4
HyperX Predator DDR4
You can’t get a 256GB kit of 4800 MHz CL19 memory just yet. The HyperX Predator DDR4 4800 MHz CL19 memory comes as a 16GB kit. Do note that there are two variants of the HyperX Predator DDR4 memory, the non-RGB version as well as the HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB. The non-RGB variant ranges up to 4800 MHz, while the HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB tops out at 4600 MHz CL19.
If you want to max out your memory capacity, you can get the HyperX Predator DDR4 3200 MHz CL16 in a kit of eight, maxing out your HEDT platform’s memory support. The HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB is also available in the same kit of eight at the same speeds.

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HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB
For those who aren’t looking to push the absolute limits of their platforms, you can get the HyperX Predator DDR4 in speeds ranging from 2400 MHz CL12 in 8GB single modules. Meanwhile the HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB will start from 8GB modules that run at 2933 MHz CL15.
HyperX FURY DDR4
HyperX FURY DDR4
The HyperX FURY DDR4 series is a more affordable option. Kingston offers the HyperX FURY DDR4 and HyperX FURY DDR4 in kits of four ranging up to 128GB. Speeds top out at 3733 CL19 for both the HyperX FURY DDR4 and HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB. You can get the HyperX FURY DDR4 RAM as 4GB modules too, but the HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB comes in 8GB modules and above only. Both options will offer up to 32GB modules, just like the HyperX Predator DDR4 series.
HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB
RGB enthusiasts should love the HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB and HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB memory kits as they both feature HyperX’s patented Infrared Sync to ensure that your memory lightning is always synchronized. HyperX NGENUITY software allows you to customize the RGB lighting too.
As you might expect, all HyperX memory are covered by lifetime warranty. You can head on over to HyperX’s website to find out more about the new HyperX Predator DDR4 and HyperX FURY DDR4 memory.
Pokdepinion: I kinda dig the HyperX Predator DDR4’s design. Let’s see which kits comes into Malaysia…
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nubia arrives in Malaysia with stunning design and camera prowess; say hello to the nubia M2, M2 Lite, N1 Lite and nubia Z11

nubia has finally officially set foot here in Malaysia, with the launch event earlier this morning at Lowyat Plaza. nubia Malaysia has brought in four devices which target different price points to satisfy everyone. Starting from the top, we have the nubia Z11, nubia M2, nubia M2 Lite and nubia N1 Lite, priced from RM1899 to a very affordable RM599.
nubia Z11

The flagship nubia Z11 priced at RM1899 features a 5.5″ bezel-less aRC 2.0 display. Aside from the outstanding edge-to-edge display panel, the nubia Z11 packs the Snapdragon 820 chipset mated to 6GB of RAM for stunning performance.

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The bezel-less display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, with a pretty standard resolution of 1920×1080 for 403 PPI. It’s actually nice seeing a smartphone with flat edge-to-edge displays, instead of the more common curved panels every smartphone manufacturer and their mother are using.

The back of the device is decidedly plainer, sharing a rather generic look shared with a lot of more affordable Chinese smartphones. The camera is a 16MP Sony IMX298 sensor, behind a f/2.0 aperture and 5P optics, complete with OIS. The software features of NeoVision 6.0 ensures that you get great images in any condition.
nubia M2

The nubia M2 is the Chinese brand’s first dual camera smartphone, packing dual 13MP Sony sensors. In an arrangement similar to Huawei’s dual lens setup, pairing a RGB CMOS sensor with a monochrome sensor. The 5.5″ Super AMOLED panel features a full HD resolution and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. The nubia M2 runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with nubia UI 4.0 overlay.

The nubia M2 features a large 3630 mAh battery packed within its slim 7.0mm metal frame based on the company’s nubiArc design concept. The antennae are well hidden for a seamless back. The efficient Snapdragon 625 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM ensures great performance and battery life. With the NeoCharge 18W fast charging technology, juicing your device is fast and safe.

The Black Gold variant here features nice golden chamfering details laid into the black surface of the device. While some may find it to be overdone, I actually think that it looks pretty decent.

The dual rear camera features f/2.2 aperture and is protected by sapphire glass for durability. The NeoVision 6.5 camera technology powered by a strong dual ISP imaging engine adds tonnes of features to the camera, including 3D Noise Reduction, star trail, RAW capture and real-time depth of field adjustments. With PDAF technology, the nubia M2 focuses in just 0.1 seconds. This photography-centric device is priced at RM1699. The nubia M2 will be available in Black Gold and Champagne Gold.
nubia M2 Lite

The nubia M2 Lite takes it down a notch with a more affordable price tag, packing a HD screen instead of the full HD panels used in the previous devices. It also runs nubia UI 4.0 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. The front camera here is no slouch though, sporting a 16MP sensor behind a f/2.0 aperture 5P lens and 79.8 degree field of view.

nubia didn’t skimp on the materials though, still offering a full metal body despite sporting a more affordable price tag. They did go for a lesser chipset and camera system too, opting for a Mediatek Helio P10 and a lone 13MP camera with f/2.2 aperture. The chipset is mated to 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.

The nubia M2 Lite retails for RM1099, and will be available in two colors, the Black Gold variant here and a Champagne Gold version. If you ask me, the Black Gold variant will be hard to beat, with an impressive combination of two very classy colors.
nubia N1 Lite

Last but not least, the nubia N1 Lite which features a 5.5″ HD display. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, with an interface that is a lot closer to stock Android than offered by nubia UI. The front camera is a 5MP one, with a f/2.8 aperture and soft light flash. It offers a wide 84 degree field of view, which should be great for group selfies.

The rear camera is a 8MP f/2.0 camera, supposed by a dual LED flash. Instead of metal, the nubia N1 Lite opts for a soft touch plastic on its back. The rear-mounted fingerprint sensor ensures your security. The device is powered by a Mediatek MTK 6737 chipset and 2GB of RAM, with 16GB of expandable storage. The 3000 mAh battery keeps the lights on in this affordable device. Speaking of which, the nubia N1 Lite is priced at just RM599, and is available in Black Gold as its only color option.
They did tease the upcoming nubia Z17 which will come with a Snapdragon 835 and a whopping 8GB of RAM, keeping us plenty excited for the future of this new contender in the very competitive smartphone market in Malaysia. For those who are interested in the devices nubia is currently offering here, head over to Plaza Low Yat Concourse this week from 10.00am to 10.00pm to experience the nubia smartphones!
Pokdepinion: I am looking forward to nubia taking a bite out of our smartphone market with their competitive offerings.
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Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 2 Launched; Has PS4 Pro & Xbox One X Support

Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 2 : Brave New World is now out. Interestingly, it will have support for PS4 Pro and Xbox One for 4K gaming.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 2 Launched

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Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 2 : Brave New World is a continuation to the 1st episode, Awake, where players met a young Chloe Price and found out some interesting things about her life before Max got her powers. However, Chloe is not alone, she also gets to learn more about Rachel Amber, who has more in common with her than most people might think.
Additionally, Deck Nine has updated the game to support 4K resolution for the PlayStation 4 Pro.
Vice President of Deck Nine Games Jeff Litchford says:
Although PC players have been able to enjoy the game in 4K resolution since the release of Episode 1, we are happy to announce that PlayStation Pro owners can now play all episodes in 4K by offering a ‘high resolution’ mode.
For those wondering, the game will also add support to Xbox One X when the console launches later this year.
Episode 2: Brave New World introduces new characters and environments that players will get to get explore. Chloe and Rachel will become closer as the world around them seemingly crumbles including their relationships with their families. However, their friends flourishes as they plan to get away from Arcadia Bay, but not before Frank Bowers requests Chloe does something for him.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 2: Brave New World is now available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

Pokdepinion: The first episode was so interesting so I honestly was getting kind of impatient for Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 2. Let’s hope this won’t turn into a disappointment. I would feel so betrayed if it did.
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There will be less programs to watch on TV soon as Disney plans to shut down most of their channels in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. This involves plenty of channels, some of which you might not even be aware of.
Disney Shutting Down Most Of Their Channels in Southeast Asia

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According to details stemming from a recent town hall meeting, Disney will be shutting down most of their TV channels in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong sometime this year. The reason for this move was said to be a change from their business models to target consumers directly with their streaming service, Disney+.
The streaming service is already being offered in Singapore and Indonesia, and it’s expected to make its way to Malaysia very soon. As for the channels that will be removed, we have the list right below:
Disney channels: Disney Channel, Disney Junior
Fox channels: Fox, Fox Crime, Fox Life, FX, Fox Movies, Fox Action Movies, Fox Family Movies, Fox Sports, Fox Sports 2, Fox Sports 3
National Geographics channels: Nat Geo People
Star channels: Star Movies China, SCM Legend, Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2
Others: Channel V

All of the channels above will be closed down starting 1st October 2021, with only four channels running, which are National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Wild, Star Chinese Channel, and Star Chinese Movies. This will heavily affect both Astro and Unifi TV as it’s a big part of their programming.
Locally, we have yet to hear an official announcement of any kind, at least not yet. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: This is quite a huge surprise given how long most of those programs have been around for decades now. I guess this is how they plan on getting more people to jump into the new streaming platform.
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ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED Unveiled: World’s Slimmest and Most Eco-Friendly Laptop

ASUS announces the new Zenbook S 13 OLED, the world’s slimmest OLED ultralight laptop and the most eco-friendly Zenbook model yet. Read on to learn more about its specs, design, and sustainability features.
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED

ASUS has just revealed the world’s slimmest OLED ultralight laptop, the Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304). This laptop takes the brand’s signature qualities of ultraportable design, sustainability, and on-the-go performance to a whole new level. With a super-slim profile of only 1cm and a weight of 1kg, the Zenbook S 13 OLED delivers no-compromise performance, connectivity, and battery life, making it the epitome of ultraportable design.

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The Zenbook S 13 OLED is finished in brand-new Basalt Gray or classic Ponder Blue and incorporates recycled metals and plastics in its construction, along with an FSCTM Mix-certified packaging. This makes it the most eco-friendly Zenbook model that ASUS has ever produced. The device is also EPEAT Gold registered, meaning it has a positive environmental impact across the entire product lifecycle, from material use and manufacturing, through to assembly, use, and end of life.

The Zenbook series is known for delivering unrivaled on-the-go performance, and the Zenbook S 13 OLED is no exception. It harnesses the power of up to 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processors with 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a 1TB PCIe® 4.0 x4 SSD, with a full set of I/O ports for on-the-go connections, and a long-lasting 63 Wh battery.
For immersive true-to-life visuals, the Zenbook S 13 OLED boasts a gorgeous 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) ASUS Lumina OLED display that’s Dolby Vision certified, with Pantone Validated color rendering and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification. This ensures incredible detail and the deepest black levels. The display is also certified for eye care by TÜV Rheinland and SGS with 70% lower blue-light emissions, making it comfortable for even long viewing sessions.

In terms of design and construction, the Zenbook S 13 OLED uses several advanced techniques and materials to reduce weight and dimensions compared to the previous generation, without compromising performance, connectivity, or battery life. This includes embedded thinner yet fully-featured FHD IR camera directly into the CNC-machined lid, circuit boards with fewer layers, and a higher wiring density, with many more transistors, resulting in a laptop that’s 25% slimmer than its predecessor.
In conclusion, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED is the perfect blend of performance and portability. It’s designed to meet the needs of professionals and students who are always on-the-go, seeking a laptop that’s easy to carry and can handle heavy workloads. The laptop will be available in Malaysia by mid-May, priced at RM4,999 for the Intel Core i5 variant and RM5,999 for the Intel Core i7 variant.
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Pokdepinion: I honestly thought it would come with a higher price tag, this is actually pretty good given what you’re getting, at least on paper. We’ll find out for sure if we get to review it so stay tuned for that.
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Leaked Render Of The Samsung Galaxy M20 Shows Off A Typical Notch

With Samsung soon to introduce their new Galaxy M series, it is said that they will go official as early as January of next year. The Galaxy M10 and M20 are said to be priced aggressively to take on the mid-range phones that Chinese brands offer.
Apparently there’s a render leak which shows off the Samsung Galaxy M20. It will be the first device from the company to sport on with the Infinity-U design, which looks like the waterdrop/dewdrop screen design that’s found on recent smartphones in the market.

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It is reported that the Galaxy M20 to feature an LCD panel at more than 6-icnhes and it might support a full HD+ resolution of 2340x1080p. Powering it up is said to be Exynos 7885 and it could come with 3GB of RAM with the option of 32GB and 64GB storage choices.
Other than that, it could come with a big 5000mAh battery and features a dual 13MP+5MP combo at the rear. For selfies, it should come with a 8MP shooter.
As it is, take the leak as a pinch of salt. We should learn more soon as 2019 isn’t that far away from now. Until then, watch this space.
Pokdepinion; One thing about entry-level and mid-range devices from Samsung is that they are usually priced at unattractive prices. Let’s just hope they prove consumers wrong with this phone.
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Microsoft Flight Simulator VR Is Now Out But You Might Need A PC Upgrade

If you’ve been waiting to play Microsoft Flight Simulator in VR, well you’re in luck. The update/support is now out and it takes the game to a whole new level. Unfortunately, there’s been reports that the game isn’t running smoothly, even on high-end PCs.
Microsoft Flight Simulator VR

There has been mixed feeling on the new VR support for the game. Some have said that they’re PCs are lacking the power to run the game smoothly while some had no issues with it whatsoever.

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In a blog post, they’ve said to make the game viable to as much VR players as possible where they’ve said:
Our goal is to make this update accessible to as many VR players as possible. To achieve this goal, we have worked to make this free update compatible across a wide range of supported devices, including most Windows Mixed Reality headsets (including the HP Reverb G2), Oculus, Valve, and HTC headsets. To access VR, make sure you have downloaded the latest update for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
That put aside, even players that’s using a high-end RTX 3080 card has even said that the game was “unplayable” despite utilizing one of the latest graphics card in the market.
Another user with the same graphics card and an overclocked Intel Core i7-9700K processor has said to be able to only get “a shaky 45fps on default settings so long as I’m not in a built-up area. Even on the minimum possible settings and render scaling to the point where I can barely read the instruments, I can’t get away from reprojection. The reproduction judder is really noticeable because most of the planes have window frames within a foot of your eyes that judder like crazy when you move your head around to look out the windows”.
What’s weird is that another player that’s using a RTX 2080 Ti had no issues, even when recording gameplay for it.
The game has listed a minimum of an Intel Core i5-8400 and a GTX 970 GPU to run the game but that’s definitely meant to run the base game and not for the virtual reality support itself.
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Pokdepinion: Hopefully they’ll make an official system requirement to run the game in virtual reality. That’ll make things clearer for everyone.
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Gamers Are Already Having Issues With Steam Deck According To Video

As we all know, the new Steam Deck is shipping out soon to gamers. That being said, it seems that there’s a major problem with the new console according to a video.
Steam Deck has issue before launch

some people are already experiencing Steam Deck drift https://t.co/iQjLeEFJewhttps://t.co/18PYesa4hn pic.twitter.com/vVe4MgFtJo
— Wario64 (@Wario64) March 1, 2022

Over at subreddit plus Twitter, it appears that many have reported that the console has an issue with its controllers, which is one of the known issues with the Nintendo Switch controllers: controller drift.

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If you have no clue of what it means, it’s basically the analog or controller keys-in movement without them actually being moved. You can imagine how annoying the issue can become to players.
While Nintendo’s current gen console allows you to swap out the controllers, the one on the Steam Deck is built-in and there’s no way that you can do so yourself. It’s not known on whether every unit of the PC console will come with this issue or if Valve will offer replacement units should one find this issue.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
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Pokdepinion: I wonder if this will deter people from buying the console, at least until a fix or a solution can be found. Would you get it knowing that it might have issues with the controller?
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