PS Plus Deluxe Review: Is It Worth the Upgrade?

What is PS Plus Deluxe?
PS Plus Deluxe Review – All the perks

PS Plus Deluxe is the highest tier available for the popular PlayStation subscription service in selected countries. The reason for that is because countries that have access to the PlayStation Now service instead gets a PS Plus Premium tier, which is basically the same thing as Deluxe but with the cloud gaming service included.
For the exact benefits of PS Plus Deluxe, we’ve listed them right below here:

Monthly free games
Online multiplayer access
Exclusive discount
Exclusive content
Cloud storage
Share Play
PS Plus Collection
Game Help
Game catalog
Classics catalog
Game trials

If you simply wanted access to online multiplayer and the monthly free games, you could always opt for the more affordable PS Plus Essential instead, which is basically the same PS Plus subscription we’ve known from before. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth paying extra for the Deluxe plan, then read on further.

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The Good
PS Plus Deluxe Review – Upgrade
There are two ways for you to get PS Plus Deluxe. The first is just purchasing the subscription outright and the other is to upgrade your existing plan and pay a pro-rated fee instead. I had my PS Plus subscription still active for slightly under 300 days and to my surprise, upgrading it costs a mere RM120, which means I get to enjoy almost a whole year of Deluxe for that additional price. For new subscribers, this will be the price:

1 month = RM50
3 months = RM130
1 year = RM309

One good thing about PS Plus Deluxe, which is also shared with the Extra tier, is the game catalog. With it, you get access to a library of PS4 and PS5 games without having to purchase them separately. It may not be the entire library of games, but it’s still a good amount nonetheless.
As for what makes the Deluxe tier special is the PlayStation Classics Catalog, where you get access to a number of PS1 and PS2 games on top of all the other games. Furthermore, there are game trials and time-limited game demos of the latest blockbuster games like Horizon Forbidden West, so you can really give it a try before buying it.
The Bad
PS Plus Deluxe Review
Going from the base Essential plan to PS Plus Deluxe is quite a hefty sum to consider, especially if you consider doing so for a whole year. A year of Essential is RM159, which means those looking to get the Deluxe will have to pay almost double the amount at RM309. The price isn’t too bad when reading it on paper but when you consider what you’re getting at the moment, it’s hard to justify.
PS Plus Deluxe Review – PS Classics Catalog
For instance, the PlayStation Classics Catalog may include a number of PS1 and PS2 games but the number of games include is rather disappointing. Furthermore, PS3 games aren’t included as that is exclusive to the Premium tier that isn’t available in our region due to the lack of the cloud streaming service. If this ever does come here, expect the highest tier to be even pricier as a result.
As for the standard game catalog, sure, it does flaunt over 200+ games but keep in mind that this includes both PS4 and PS5 versions of the game. In comparison to a renowned competitor, the Xbox Game Pass, you get easily over 400+ games, and this includes even the latest releases. PlayStation will need to amp up their game if they want to stand a chance against the competition.
In case you missed it, click right here to learn about the PS Plus Asia June 2022 free games lineup.
PS Plus Deluxe Verdict

Is the PS Plus Deluxe plan worth it? At its current state, no. Somewhere down the road when they add more games into the library, then my answer will change. For now, you might be better off with the more affordable Essential plan, or even the Extra plan if you don’t have much games in your PSN account. But if you want the best that they have to offer immediately, then by all means.
At the end of our PS Plus Deluxe review, I award this subscription service with our Bronze Pokdeward.

Big thanks to PlayStation Asia for sending us the subscription for the purpose of this review.
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vivo foldable smartphone patent shows a very interesting stylus stowage

If you have a particular knack for literally writing on your smartphone, you have very limited choices today. You would probably be forced to get the Samsung Galaxy Note smartphones. But the next vivo foldable phone might be an alternative, if you go by their latest patent. And it also goes about solving the age old issue of making room for the stylus with a rather interesting stowage for the stylus.

The vivo foldable smartphone is supposed to store the stylus in the most fragile area of the foldable screen: at the hinge. While it does help to increase the radius of the fold, having the screen press up against hard surfaces on both ends doesn’t sound that great. But hey, that’s a challenge for the engineers to solve.

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While current-gen foldable displays might not really endure the prodding of a stylus too well, it seems that vivo is counting on a future solution that’s more durable. The stylus itself is also supposed to have a soft rubbery material as its tip to prevent damaging the soft foldable display. Overall, it does seem quite interesting, as the size of the larger foldable display is really quite the ideal canvas for some serious penmanship.

The patent has been filed with the World Intellectual Property Office in February this year, so it means that vivo has been working on it for quite some time. But as usual, patents don’t always turn into marketable products as they might not be financially or practically feasible to mass produce, but we do have our fingers crossed that vivo actually manages to pull off a foldable phone with a stylus!
Source
Pokdepinion: Will we finally see some competition to the Galaxy Note series?
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New Microsoft Surface Pro Launched in Malaysia; It’s Slim, Light, and Powerful

Slim, light and incredibly powerful, the Microsoft Surface Pro gives you a best-in-class laptop, plus the versatility of a studio and tablet. Now available via authorized dealers.

New Microsoft Surface Pro Launched in Malaysia
Microsoft Surface Pro
Microsoft’s new Surface Pro and Surface Pro Signature Type Covers are now officially available in Malaysia. These can be ordered from local Surface authorized retailers which include retailers and Microsoft store-in-store in Lazada.

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Starting from RM3,699, the new Surface Pro has been redesigned from the inside out to give people more performance with improved battery life. Everything has been streamlined and refined, from softer, rounded edges to cameras built to fade into the bezel. It’s 8.5mm thin and weight 767g at the lightest, but the new Surface Pro manages to pack a 7th generation Intel Core processor into a new fanless, whisper-quiet design.
The Microsoft Surface Pro is said to feature up to 13.5 hours of battery life. Compared to its predecessors, Surface Pro boasts 50% longer battery life than Surface Pro 4 and delivers performance 2.5 times more than Surface Pro 3. Of course, we at Pokde will have to test it ourselves to see whether this claim is true or not.
Michal Golebiewski, Chief Marketing and Operations Officer at Microsoft Malaysia, said:
With Surface Pro, we created a new category and challenged the status quo of the laptop. With every release since we have continued to push boundaries — redefining the ultimate laptop with Surface Book and making the classic laptop feel fresh again with Surface Laptop. With the introduction of the new Surface Pro we are once again advancing the category by delivering the versatility of a powerhouse laptop and a mobile creative studio in one thin, lightweight device.
Inking comes to life in Microsoft Office 365 and the new Microsoft Whiteboard

The Microsoft Surface Pro is not only a powerhouse laptop, but also a mobile creative studio with a high-resolution 12.3-inch PixelSense touch display that supports the new Surface Pen. The Surface Pro takes the immersive experience of creating on Surface Studio and brings it to life in a highly portable form factor.
With a new hinge that adjusts to 165 degrees, people can now put Surface Pro into Studio Mode, which is said to create the optimal position to write or sketch. Inking in applications across Windows 10 and Microsoft Office 365, including the new Microsoft Whiteboard app, will unlock ways for people to use digital ink to be more creative, collaborative and productive.
The new Surface Pro Signature Type Cover delivers a high-quality scissor mechanism and 1.3 mm of key travel for faster and more accurate typing. A full-size glass trackpad with 5-finger multi-touch capabilities allows for improved precision, and the entire keyboard is wrapped in soft, yet durable Alcantara material. The Signature Type Cover will be available in Platinum, Burgundy and Cobalt Blue to match your personal style.

For more information the new machines, click here.

Pokdepinion: Well, it’s finally reached Malaysia. I’m honestly curious as to how powerful it is despite being such a light, slim machine. If you want to see us review the new Microsoft Surface Pro, let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page.
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Here’s How You Can Win A Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 Worth RM9,499

Samsung Malaysia is calling out everyone to their #DefyReality challenge where you stand a chance in winning a Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor for yourself.
Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 up for grabs

Interested in winning it? Well all you have to do is take a 30 seconds video and show how you prepare “to level up for an ultimate gaming battle”. You will then have to upload the video to your Facebook page with a caption of “how do you think the Odyssey Neo G9 will raise your gaming experience to the next level”. Finally, you will need to tag Samsung Malaysia and include the hashtags #SamsungOdysseyMY and #SamsungDefyReality. Be sure to make your profile as public too.

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It’s worth noting that each participant is eligible to submit only one entry throughout the contest period. It is open to all Malaysians aged 18 years old and above and lasts until the 10th of December. The winner will be announced on Samsung Malaysia’s Facebook page.
For more details on the contest, you may head to the link right here. You can also check out previous article to find out what the monitor is all about. Do stay tuned to Pokde.net for the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
Pokdepinion: Seems like an easy enough contest.. but will you be the lucky one to win it though?
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JOI offers a whole new experience with 9th Gen Intel® Core™-powered Medusa PCs

The 9th Gen Intel® Core™ processors are still very potent CPUs, especially when it comes to gaming. Higher core counts than previous generations of Intel processors and yet still capable of offering high clock speeds, the 9th Gen Intel® Core™ processors are ready to tackle any workloads you can throw at it, and then some.
Be it live streaming, productivity, 3D designs, media creation or just plain ol’ gaming, the 9th Gen Intel® Core™ processors will help get you to the next level. Whatever you do, the 9th Gen Intel® Core™ processors will help you do it faster. They are probably the best investments you can make to improve your computing experience.

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The best part is that it isn’t even that huge of an investment. From just RM1649, you can get the JOI Medusa PC powered by the latest 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 9400F processor. Configurable with specifications that include the latest GeForce® RTX graphics cards, the Medusa PC target a range of price points to offer you what you need.
These prices are exclusive promotional prices that will be available from now until 27th September 2019, and only at GLOO @ Plaza LowYat, 2nd Floor. JOI will also be throwing in a free passport holder with each purchase, so don’t miss out on this chance to upgrade to the latest 9th Gen Intel® Core™ processors!
Pokdepinion: Not a bad promo to get yourself the latest hardware.
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New PS4 Greatest Hits Titles; Get These Games At a Lower Price

Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore has officially announced the new lineup of PS4 Greatest Hits. Get these awesome games for RM109 / RM99 (digital).

New PS4 Greatest Hits Titles Announced

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The folks over at Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore has officially announced the new lineup of PS4 Greatest Hits that will be available at every PlayStation Authorized Dealers, as well as the PlayStation Store, starting 14th December 2017. The physical copy will be available at a retail price of RM109 whereas the digital version will be available at a retail price of RM99.
When a game is selected as part of the PS4 Greatest Hits, it means that the game has gained a reputation across the globe as a must-have for the PlayStation 4 console. Simply put, these games will not disappoint most gamers out there. Think of it as recommendations from Sony Interactive Entertainment themselves.
The games that have been selected as part of the latest PS4 Greatest Hits lineup are the following:
Latest PS4 Greatest Hits Lineup

The Last Guardian (English / Traditional Chinese)
Gravity Rush Remastered (English / Traditional Chinese / Korean)
Gravity Rush 2 (English / Traditional Chinese)
The Evil Within (English / Traditional Chinese / Korean)

Of course, there are plenty of other games under the PS4 Greatest Hits list. Most of them are games that I’m personally fond with, like Ratchet & Clank, Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, and more. If you want to check out the full list of games under the PS4 Greatest Hits, click here to find out.
If any of those games piqued your interest, it’s already available right now. As long as you know what game genre you’re into, you shouldn’t be disappointed by it.

Pokdepinion: Not really surprised to see Gravity Rush and The Evil Within in that list, given  how plenty of people talked about how good the games were. If you haven’t played it yet, you should.
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Lumia Denim Software Update Hit Malaysia

Most Nokia user in Malaysia who using Lumia Device already start received latest software update, the Windows Phone 8.1 Denim. Almost all Lumia devices in Malaysia region are available to received this new update. With the new update, you may find it getting more interesting to own a Lumia device.

What news in this Denim update? Well of course Cortana, also live folder for application and not forgot the Glance feature which now pack with more option. You can watch the Lumia Denim update hands-on demo here or read it from here.

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Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro Is Set To Feature 120W Fast Charging

Xiaomi’s upcoming Mi 11 flagship series is set to be unveiled this 28 December and already leaks of the devices have been slowly trickling in. Apart from the obvious fact that they will feature the latest Snapdragon 888 chipset, the latest leak seems to indicate the charging speeds of the Xiaomi Mi 11 and Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro as well.
120W fast charging on the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro
Image credit: @Priyanshu3000 on Twitter
According to a conversation on Weibo between known leakers Lecter-MI and Digital Chat Station that was posted on Twitter, the XIaomi Mi 11 Pro will support 120W fast charging while the normal Xiaomi Mi 11 will support 55W fast charging. The conversation further revealed that while both the Xiaomi Mi 11 and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro will feature a 120W fast charger (which was first introduced with Mi 10 Ultra), only the Pro will support the full 120W charge.

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Lecter-Mi further added that another Xiaomi device, a Mi X4 will feature 120W+80W which would indicate 120W wired fast charging and a new wireless charging speed. As for the model itself, we think the Mi X4 might be the new Mi MIX 4 or an entirely new Xiaomi phone model altogether.
Pokdepinion: Only a few days away till the Xiaomi Mi 11 series launch!
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Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Well-Rounded for the Price

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy A52
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Box

Let’s start our Samsung Galaxy A52 with the unboxing. Unlike the recent Samsung Galaxy S21 series, this one follows a more traditional box design as they didn’t omit the charger, among other items. Inside the box, you get a complete set of accessories. This includes the:
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Box content

15W power brick
USB-C to USB-C cable
User guide
Warranty card
Samsung Pay leaflet
SIM Ejector tool

Appearance
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Front
The Samsung Galaxy A52 is one of the three new midrange smartphones by the Korean giant. The design looks kind of like a cross between the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 in various areas, although it doesn’t use the contour-cut camera look. Looking at the front, you have a 6.5-inch display with a dot notch otherwise known as the Infinity-O display. The earpiece is located discreetly above the notch. Bezels are noticeable but they’re still very thin on all four sides.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Sides
There’s nothing that can be found on the left side but on the right side, you have the power button and volume rocker. Over on the top, you have the SIM tray slot and a microphone hole. Lastly on the bottom, you have a 3.5mm headphone jack, another microphone hole, the USB-C port, and a speaker grille.

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Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Rear
Moving over to the back, you get a feel of the plastic build with a matte black finish. In case you’re wondering, this is the Awesome Black colour variant. You have the Samsung logo towards the bottom and the quad-camera setup on the top-left corner. It’s worth noting that there is a slight bump where the camera modules are, but it’s not as apparent as their flagship devices.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A52 looks like a flagship device and feels pretty good when held as well. It’s not a premium build quality by any means, but it’s definitely adequate given the price tag. If this colour doesn’t strike your fancy, you still do have 3 other colour options; Awesome White, Awesome Blue, and Awesome Violet. Personally, Awesome Violet is my favourite colour for this smartphone, but nothing wrong with picking the other colours.
Specifications

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G
2 x Kryo 470 @ 2.3GHz + 6 x Kryo 470 @1.8GHz
8nm

GPU
Adreno 618 + 15% boost

RAM
8GB

Connectivity
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C
GPS, Glonass, BeiDou, Galileo
NFC
4G LTE

Storage
256GB UFS 2.1
Up to 1TB expandable storage (MicroSD)

Display
6.5″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) Super AMOLED Display
Eye Comfort Shield
Corning Gorilla Glass
Up to 90Hz Refresh Rate

Rear Camera
64MP f/1.8 wide angle camera, OIS AF
12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera, 123°
5MP f/2.4 macro
5MP f/2.4 depth
4K Video Snap, Tetra Binning, Night, LED flash, HDR, panorama
[email protected], [email protected]/120fps, gyro-EIS

Selfie Camera
32MP f/2.2 wide-angle selfie cam, HDR
[email protected], [email protected]

Battery
4500mAh
25W Fast Charging

OS
One UI 3.1
Android 11

Ingress Protection
IP67

Dimensions
75.1 x 159.9 x 8.4 mm
189g

Performance
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Antutu v8
Starting off with Antutu v8, the Samsung Galaxy A52 performed well enough. The Snapdragon 732G is better than the Snapdragon 678 and 720G and noticeably lower than the flagship-level Snapdragon 855. This shouldn’t be a surprise given the chipset’s target market.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Geekbench 5
In Geekbench 5 on the other hand, I find it interesting that the multi-core score is the same as Exynos 990, although the single core score is lower. It’s the reverse if you compare it to the Snapdragon 845 OC powering the POCO F1. Nonetheless, it’s a good showing by the Samsung Galaxy A52.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – 3DMark
Moving on to 3DMark, you can see that the scores are noticeably lower compared to most of the other devices but that’s because most of the devices listed are flagship-level SoCs. Comparing it to a midrange Snapdragon 678, the Samsung Galaxy A52 performed better in all three tests. The performance is pretty much what we expected so if you’re not looking to run anything graphically intensive, it should be perfectly fine.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – PCMark Work 2.0
Then on PCMark’s Work 2.0 benchmark, the Snapdragon 732G powering the Samsung Galaxy A52 performed well. The difference in performance compared to Snapdragon 865 devices isn’t far, which is a good sign that it can perform more than adequately for daily use.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Battery life
As for battery life, the 4500mAh battery capacity juicing up the Samsung Galaxy A52 definitely has a great showing. It lasted 12 hours and 33 minutes (753 minutes) when its set to 60Hz but on 90Hz, it lasts 11 hours (660 minutes). With my typical use of light phone calls, social media, semi-heavy texting and a little bit of YouTube videos, I find myself needing to charge it at least once a day, but it can easily last a full day’s worth of use. Some days, I only charge it once every two days.
If you want a flagship device with all the latest technology instead, click right here.
User Experience
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review
The Samsung Galaxy A52 uses a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display at Full HD+ resolution. While it may not look as good as the Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays used in their flagships, you still get great colours with good contrast. Brightness is also more than adequate which means viewing it under direct sunlight is pretty okay. What’s great here is that it does have a high refresh rate option, 90Hz, and it looks great. It’s not adaptive so it will be running at a constant 90Hz but it doesn’t affect the battery life too much, which is a plus. It also comes with Eye Comfort Shield to reduce strain and fatigue.
One thing I really like about the design of this smartphone is the matte finish. This means its a lot less susceptible to fingerprints and, in my opinion, makes it look better on its own. Moreover, it’s easier to hold, which is a plus if you don’t plan on using a protective case. I would still recommend getting a protective case anyway just for that added bit of reassurance.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – One UI 3.1
The Samsung Galaxy A52 is one of the first to use One UI 3.1 based on Android 11. It does look slightly different from One UI 2.5 based on Android 10 but for the most part, navigating around is about the same. Some of the most notable changes is how notifications are displayed as they are grouped together, like Conversations for messages across multiple apps, so it can show all of them to you in a more simplified manner.
In case you didn’t know about it before, Samsung Free is a new aggregator that differs from Samsung Daily and Bixby Home. In this iteration, it focuses more on news and app suggestions that cater to you. There a number of categories for you to choose from for the news section, and I personally see it as a more streamlined interface for accessing the latest news and apps.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Fingerprint reader
The Samsung Galaxy A52 uses an under-display fingerprint scanner. It doesn’t work as fast as the recent Galaxy S21 series which I personally reviewed, but it does work reliably. I personally don’t have any complaints about it as it only takes half a second at most anyway.
While using the smartphone, I’ve only had it heat up on me during the initial setup and when I play mobile games on it. For the most part, it works pretty cool and even when it does heat up, it’s just lukewarm at best.
Camera
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review – Camera UI
The camera UI on the Samsung Galaxy A52 is nothing different from the usual. It’s user-friendly so most consumers won’t have trouble with it, and it’s more viable for mobile photographers and videographers who want more control of what they capture with the Pro mode. There’s a new Fun mode, which essentially adds Snapchat filters automatically based on what the AI detects from what you’re shooting. It’s interesting if you want to capture something out of the usual without editing it yourself.
The Single Take feature is here and is improved. For those of you who aren’t aware, you simply move the device around and it will take take photos, record a short video, and even edit the footage for you. This time, you can adjust the duration of Single Take from anywhere between 5 seconds to 15 seconds, which makes it even more handy. Just like before however, the results can vary so for a more consistent experience, it’s still best to capture it yourself. At least you have a quick and hassle-free tool if you ever need it.

As you can see above here, the Samsung Galaxy A52 can take some pretty good photos, better with lighting and decent in low lights. I’m sure many underestimated it given its midrange status but it did pretty good so far with good details, vivid colours and Auto HDR being rather reliable. It’s worth noting that the selfie camera is a little aggressive on beautification. The other cameras within the system may not be as good but they can still produce great results nonetheless.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Verdict
Samsung Galaxy A52 Review
The Samsung Galaxy A52 is quite an interesting smartphone. For RM1,499, you get 4 years of guaranteed software support, an experience that is typically reserved for their more premium smartphones. You get decent build quality, punchy colours on the display, 90Hz refresh rate, a good camera system, IP67, stereo speakers, headphone jack is included, and a pretty solid battery life.
If there was anything it could truly improve on, is to have thinner bezels, the stereo speakers could be more balanced, and the fingerprint scanner could be faster. Sure, you can find smartphones with better performance or better cameras around the price range but to get both, you will need to spend a premium. At RM1,499, it’s hard to find a relatively complete package like this. At the end of our Samsung Galaxy A52 review, I award this smartphone with our coveted Gold Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Samsung Malaysia for sending us this smartphone for the purposes of this review.
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AMD Vega chips to come with HBM2 this year?

When AMD fans realized that Polaris will not come with HBM2 after all, they started patiently waiting for AMD’s next architecture, AMD Vega. Polaris targeted the mid-range, despite having performance matching last-gen’s top cards, leaving AMD without a proper enthusiast-class GPU. While NVIDIA has already blown their load with the GP102-packing NVIDIA Titan X Pascal, which still isn’t equipped with HBM2 memory, it seems AMD may finally be prepping to bring out its big guns.

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In this innocuous-looking image by Chris Hook, Senior Director, Global Marketing and Public Relations, Radeon Technology Group at AMD, he made a comment that this would be the Vega launch venue. While we seriously doubt they would do a launch at a rundown place like this, it does hint at the nearing launch of Vega cards, finally filling up AMD’s 2016 lineup with proper high-end cards.
SOURCE: Tech Critter

Pokdepinion: We can’t wait for AMD to finally have proper high end cards for their hardcore fans.
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Transcend introduces new USB Type-C product line-up

USB Type-C devices are increasingly prevalent, and it is just natural to want native USB Type-C storage and accessories. No one wants to carry around adapters and docks all day, and Transcend understands this. Transcend Malaysia has just announced their line-up of Type-C products, ranging from tiny USB flash drives to external hard drives and card readers.

The smallest products in the range, the Transcend JetFlash 850S and JetFlash 890S USB Type-C flash drives are capable of delivering transfer speeds of up to 130MB/s. The JetFlash 890S features dual connectors, to work with standard USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type-A ports. Both USB flash drives use innovative Chip On Board (COB) technology and sport a metallic casing, for great dust and splash resistance. The JetFlash 850S and 890S come in a range of capacities, with the largest being 64GB. Pricing wise, the JetFlash 850S starts from RM75 for the 16GB variant, while the JetFlash 890S starts from RM79. Both USB flash drives are covered by Transcend’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

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Transcend external drives are some of the toughest we have ever seen, and now the StoreJet 25MC receives a USB Type-C update. Equipped with a reversible USB Type-C to work natively with USB Type-C devices. The StoreJet 25MC also meets U.S. military drop test standards, so you can rest assured that your data is well protected. The Transcend StoreJet 25MC 1TB is pricred at RM339, and will be backed by a 3-year Limited Warranty.
Last but not least, the Transcend RDC8K and RDC2K are USB Type-C card readers. The RDC2K is designed to work with Android devices with a standard USB Type-A port to function as an USB OTG adapter as well as SD card and microSD card slots. The RDC8K supports a wide variety of flash card standards, including the common SD and microSD cards, up to CF cards and MemoryStick (MS) cards. Both card readers are equipped with a fast USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface for quick data transfers. The RDC8K will be priced at RM109, while the RDC2K will be priced at RM99. Both card readers are backed by a 3-year Limited Warranty.

Pokdepinion: USB Type-C is definitely here to stay due to the physical size of the port as well as the speeds that the connector can support. More accessories that work natively with USB Type-C may one day alleviate all issues of needing an adapter to use USB Type-C ports.
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Rainbow Six Siege gets Vulkan update for improved performance

If you play Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege on an ageing system, this might just be the perfect update for you. The tactical shooter which was released in December 2015 has gotten a pretty impressive update to add support for the Vulkan API, promising better performance especially on CPU-limited systems and AMD GPUs.
The support for Vulkan was added in Patch 4.3 late last month. For gamers who are got the game Steam, you will be able to select whether you want to run Rainbow Six Siege on the classic DirectX 11 API, or Vulkan. For those who got it on Uplay, you will have to select which version you want before firing up the game.

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In my work PC with a Core i7 4770K and GeForce GTX 1070 Ti, we managed to observe a decent performance gain by switching to Vulkan, as seen in the graph above. The minimum FPS gains were very welcome, considering that it is almost right at the limit of my 144 Hz monitor.

Gamers who are using high refresh rate monitors can also take advantage of the adaptive render scaling target FPS feature, which lets you set an FPS target and the render scaling will automatically adjust to deliver consistent performance at the target FPS.
Ubisoft has apparently tested Vulkan and DirectX 12, but internal testing revealed the former to deliver better CPU performance. The Vulkan API was initially released in 2016, while DirectX 11 is more than a decade old with it being released as part of Windows 7, which is no longer officially supported by Microsoft. The update is indeed a pretty big deal as few game publishers ever add support for newer APIs for their existing titles.
Pokdepinion: Free performance!
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Honor Malaysia opens its first Concept Store

Honor Malaysia has officially opened its first Concept Store at Plaza Lowyat today, further showing its commitment to making its products accessible to consumers. Malaysia has been a key region for the company and the launch of its Concept Store will provide better customer service and product offering experience for the Malaysian consumers.
In collaboration with TF Mobile Enterprise, Honor Malaysia’s first Concept Store will be strategically located at Plaza Lowyat, at the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Honor Malaysia, a brand created for millennials, have mainly focused on its e-commerce strategy to drive growth and to reach its target market. However, the opening of the Concept Store marks the company’s gradual step into the retail market. This move also reflects Honor Malaysia’s plans in meeting consumer habits today, providing Honor fans a first-hand experience of using Honor products before purchase.

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At the Grand Opening ceremony held this morning, Allen An, E-Commerce Director of Honor Malaysia explained how the launch of the Concept Store will enable the company to better meet consumers’ demands. “Honor is a brand that believes in maintaining close relationships with its Honor fans. We are proud to announce that the Concept Store will be another one of our strong initiatives in providing a one-of-a-kind customer service and in strengthening our interactions with consumers,” said Allen. “We believe that by complementing our e-commerce presence with retail stores, we will be able to reach our customers better and provide an enhanced shopping experience for them.”

The Concept Store will offer various Honor devices such as the Honor 8, Honor 5A, Honor 5C, Honor 5X, Honor 6 Plus, Honor 7, and the Honor 7 Enhanced. Not only is Honor Malaysia gracing us with its first Concept Store, the company is also holding a promotion period from November 15th to November 21st. During this promotion, customers are entitled to receive free gifts with a purchase of the above-mentioned devices. Additionally, customers that purchase an Honor smartphone have the opportunity to enter into a lucky draw to win the Honor Band Z1, Honor Band SS, Bluetooth Speaker, and other valuable gifts.

Honor Malaysia’s first concept store is located at:
TF Mobile Concept Store
UG Lot-039 & 040, Upper Ground Floor
Plaza Lowyat
No. 7, Jalan Bintang Off Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur

Pokdepinion: Honor’s move to start a concept store is a great one, as it will allow prospective buyers to try the amazing devices Honor makes. However it does seem like a step away from the aim of the brand, which is to cut costs incurred in retail to give consumers the best smartphones in the price range.
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HUAWEI P40 and P40 Pro designs leaked

I have not been a big fan of the rectangular camera bumps these smartphone makers are using recently. First the HONOR V30, then Samsung’s latest Galaxy A devices and the upcoming Galaxy S20 series. Not a big fan. But the HUAWEI P40 Pro’s camera bump may change my opinion, as they seem to have made a pretty decent looking rectangular camera bump.
I think the main reason why I find the HUAWEI P40 Pro’s camera hump much more appealing is because of the mix of materials. Unlike those that came before, the HUAWEI P40 Pro’s camera hump appears to have contrasting textures. Then there’s also the optimal use of space which sees five cameras including a periscopic one packed in the HUAWEI P40 Pro. The HUAWEI P40 sports a similar camera hump although we see two less cameras, but HUAWEI looks set to fill up that space with all that Leica branding. There’s also rumors that point to HUAWEI using ceramic in the HUAWEI P40 Pro as well, which would be a first for HUAWEI.
The HUAWEI P40 Pro
Over on the front HUAWEI will be using a curved display for the HUAWEI P40 Pro. HUAWEI skipped the sharply curved Horizon Display used in the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro though, giving it a gentle curve that’s more akin to their earlier devices. That also gave HUAWEI the space for volume buttons on the sides. Meanwhile the HUAWEI P40 gets a standard flat display panel. They will be adopting a dual selfie camera setup for both devices set in a punch hole, a first for HUAWEI’s flagships.

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HUAWEI P40
What’s under the hood is still up for contention, but we can pretty much be sure of a Kirin 990 5G chipset and probably some UFS 3.0 storage. While the HUAWEI Mate 30 series made its way to Malaysia with the Kirin 990 sans 5G, the HUAWEI P40 series should be coming with 5G support since the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G has already passed SIRIM.
The HUAWEI P40 and P40 Pro are expected to arrive in a slew of colors.
We can probably expect to find out more about the HUAWEI P40 series during MWC 2020. They will however most probably do a separate launch event, as they have done for the HUAWEI P30 series.
Source: evleaks, 91mobiles
Pokdepinion: With a custom sensor expected to debut in the HUAWEI P40 series yet again, I am quite intrigued to see what they will bring to the table.
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Edifier X5 And Edifier M601DB Now Available In Malaysia

If you’ve followed our Facebook page, you might have noticed of a handful of Edifier’s latest audio products. Well if you’ve been waiting for the Edifier X5 and Edifier M601DB, you’re in luck as they are now both available in the country.
Edifier X5 and Edifier M601DB now available in Malaysia

The Edifier X5 comes equipped with Qualcomm aptX as well as Qualcomm cVc dual mic noise cancellation. It appears that the earbuds have been upgraded from their previous alterations where they now offer up to 8 hours of battery life. For the case itself, it offers another 32 hours so you can be assured of endurance.

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The company has said that they come with a new Smart touch control, where you can easily control your music and call without the need to take your phone out. Aside from that, the outer casing is IP55 rated. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can get it from Lazada for the price of RM169.

On the other hand is the Edifier M601DB home theatre system that combines the brand’s knowledge in balanced bookshelf speakers and bass-heavy multimedia speakers. It comes with a pair of 20W bookshelf speakers and a 70W subwoofer.
The 2.0 speakers houses a 19mm tweeter, 92mm mid-range driver and they are capable of delivering up to 20KHz of frequency. As for the subwoofer, it is 210mm and can deliver as low as 50Hz, giving it the ability to deliver powerful punches of bass.
On top of that, it comes with an infrared remote control that allows you to control it with ease and a top-mounted 3-color indicator to show you which audio source it’s drawing from. Adding to that, the indicator also allows you to fine-tune the audio volume, bass, and treble.
The price? Well it’s available for the price of RM999 and similar to the Edifier X5, you can also find it on Lazada. Oh not to forget, they are actually having their Featured Brand Day Sale Sale today on Shopee, 19th of April 2021, where they are offering up to 60% discounts. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: I was definitely more than happy with the previous Edifier X3. I am actually in the midst of checking out the Edifier X5 itself. Hopefully it won’t let me down!
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MCMC Orders Telcos to Solve Issues Within 10 Business Days Under New Fast Track Process

In Malaysia, I’m sure you’ve heard of plenty of issues with regards to every telco around. Now, MCMC is looking to improve the situation one step further with the new fast track process.
MCMC Fast Track Process for Malaysian Telcos

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As part of the new fast track process, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has ordered all Malaysian telcos to resolve issues within a period of 10 business days. The idea here is to resolve access issues in high priority areas after a number of complaints from consumers about communication service delays due to prolonged commercial negotiations among service providers.
In the event that the issue isn’t settled within 10 business days, the service provider will have to escalate the issue to MCMC, and they will then make an assessment of the situation. This will be followed by a direction for the telcos to comply with.

The list of high impact areas are listed below:

Federal and State government administration centres
Transportation hubs
Transportation lines
High economic impact areas such as industrial parks
Identified government projects under RMK-12
JENDELA projects
High priority areas identified for 5G deployment
Areas where there are exclusive providers

The new fast track process will be applicable immediately, and MCMC highlighted that issues that require their attention can be emailed to fast.track (@) mcmc.gov.my. For consumers however, you can file a report with them instead if they didn’t get a satisfactory response from the service providers, and they promise that they will respond within 24 hours. They have a team in each state to ensure that.
Source
Pokdepinion: If it actually solves problems faster, then it’s a good change for me and everyone else in the country.
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Transcend Offers New Solutions – Especially For Your Mac!

Transcend recently released several solutions for upgrading Apple’s Mac computers which includes new products from the JetDrive, StoreJet, and Jetmemory series.
Transcend New Mac Solutions

First up is the JetDrive Solid State Drive which comes in SATA and PCIe form factors, which are tailor-made for use for all Mac models that can be replaced with a new SSD. A JetDrive will upgrade your performance and storage as well up to 960GB. It comes with an installation guide and tools for an easy replacement on your own. It also comes with an additional enclosure so that you can repurpose your old SSD.

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Transcend’s StoreJet for Mac series gives you portable storage featuring a streamlined exterior and storage capacity of up to 2TB. It offers fast speeds by using SSD as a storage media while featuring USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt interface. Performance aside, it goes well and complements your Mac with its metallic design.

Now if you are looking for an easy and fast solution to go with, take a look at JetDrive Lite Expansion Card. It is tailored for different card slots and sit seamlessly with your Macbook. Easily insert it in and poof, instantly you will get up to 256GB worth of new storage. A simple way to upgrade your Mac’s capacity.

Last but not least is the Transcend JetMemory modules. Fully compatible with Mac, it offers up to 128GB of expended capacity. This is for those who wants a real speed boost for their Macs. Coming with a built-in ECC (Error Correcting Code), it lets you to perform all kinds of computationally-intensive projects while while having stability. A solution to spark up a sluggish Mac performance.
Pokdepinion: Have a look at these products for your Mac if you’re looking for an upgrade. Definitely will make your experience of usage better.

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Ghostwire: Tokyo on PC – A 20GB Space-Saving Special

Image credit: Bethesda

Big PC games usually take up an enormous amount of space, even before any major patches are implemented. However, you’d be surprised to know that the Ghostwire: Tokyo only takes up 20GB on PC hard drives on the initial download.
For a game that was the last game to debut on PS5 in Bethesday’s roster of up-and-coming games, the amount of space it is slated for download is astonishing. To further cushion the impact for fans, here is the full minimum and recommended requirements necessary for PC downloads as recommended on Steam:
Ghostwire: Tokyo Minimum Requirements:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: 64-bit Windows 10 version 1909 or higher
Processor: Core I7 4770K @ 3.5GHZ or AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1060 or AMD RX 5500 XT (VRAM 6 GB or higher)
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 20 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD storage recommended

Ghostwire: Tokyo Recommended System Requirements:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: 64-bit Windows 10 version 1909 or higher
Processor: Core I7 6700 @ 3.4GHZ or AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1080 or AMD RX 5600 XT (VRAM 6 GB or higher)
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 20 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD storage

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While Ghostwire: Tokyo remains a PS5 console exclusive, it is confirmed that we will get to see protagonist Akito combat and explore his way through Tokyo on PC. However, it is interesting to note that the game will only launch on Xbox consoles after March 2023. So, if you are still unsure as to which console version you’d go for, you have plenty of time (a year, to be exact) to decide.
This could be the last game to debut on PS5 in Bethesda’s roster of up-and-coming games, following Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Zenimax, Bethesda’s parent company. Microsoft has suggested repeatedly that future titles such as Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 may be exclusively launched on Xbox consoles.
Source
Pokdepinion: 20GB on PC?! That’s not bad, why can’t all the other games be like this…
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Samsung wafer prices are going up: higher GPU and smartphone prices incoming?

Samsung wafer prices are going up, in a bid to cover some of the costs of expanding their S5 Line. This foundry produces the latest chips on the cutting edge 5nm and 4nm nodes, so I guess Samsung is expecting bigger orders from their customers on their latest nodes soon.

Aside from producing their in-house Samsung Exynos chipsets, Samsung is also manufacturing chips for NVIDIA and Qualcomm. The latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chipsets are made on Samsung’s 8nm and 5nm nodes, respectively.

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As you might expect, the costs resulting from the increased Samsung wafer prices that chipmakers will be looking at will most probably be transferred to the end user, so we might see more expensive GPUs and smartphones in the near future. However most chipmakers sign agreements to procure their chips at a certain fixed price, so we might not see an immediate price hike just yet.
While a price hike during these difficult times might not be what you want to hear, but I guess an expansion of Samsung’s facilities will avoid further shortages in the future. It is worth mentioning that Samsung isn’t the only one jacking up prices. TSMC has reportedly looked at raising prices by up to 25% to cope with the demand they are facing.

Samsung’s foundry business enjoys a 17% market share, to TSMC’s 55%. If Samsung is able to churn out more chips, and offer them at competitive prices, we might see more chipmakers go with Samsung’s fabs instead of TSMC. Samsung’s process nodes do seem to be inferior to TSMC’s, but if the price is right, I am sure chipmakers will find a way around it.
Source
Pokdepinion: We couldn’t have expected Samsung to want to settle for lower profit margins when TSMC is just raking it in, right?
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Raspberry Pi 2 is out and hit Malaysia market.

Raspberry Pi 2 Model B rolling out with major improvement from the predecessors up to 6 times performance increases. The most obvious upgrade we can see is the processor, ramp up from single core to quad-core Broadcom BCM2836 processors (Cortex A7) each run at 800Mhz. The Raspberry Pi 2  now also features 1GB of RAM memory double from other models.

Some of you might think why we would get this? Just not long ago Windows Dev team announce that they expanding Windows Developer Program for IoT by delivering a version of Windows 10 that supports Raspberry Pi 2. This release of Windows 10 will be free for the Maker community through the Windows Developer Program for IoT.

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Malaysian user just can get one of this Raspberry Pi 2 from rs-online only at RM128.
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Latest ASUS ROG Laptops Landing in Malaysia This Month, Preorder Opens Today

First batch of ROG laptops are expected to arrive in mid-February.

Recently announced in CES, the new ROG laptops will be available in Malaysia soon under STRIX and Zephyrus series. It is expected that Intel-powered variants will be the first to arrive and AMD counterparts will begin limited rollout in the end of February.

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Among the first models to arrive will be Intel-powered STRIX SCAR 18 and SCAR 16, though no specific dates as ASUS only mentioned “Mid Feb” for its launch window. Both machines are powered by Intel’s flagship Core i9-13980HX CPU, paired with NVIDIA’s RTX 4090 for the 18-inch and 4080 for the 16-inch model. Pricing is set at RM18,999 and RM13,999 respectively. On the Team Red side, both 17-inch models will have the Ryzen 9 7945HX 16-core CPU paired with 4090 and 4080; but pricing is not known so far. Both models are expected to launch by the end of February.
STRIX G series on the other hand is led by Intel’s finest once again, with the STRIX G18 featuring Core i9-13980HX paired with RTX 4070 for the price of RM10,499. The smaller STRIX G16 meanwhile will have two configurations both powered by Core i7-13650HX with two different GPUs: RTX 4050 and RTX 3050. Both are priced at RM6,699 and RM5,999 respectively – and all three aforementioned models will launch by end of February. The sole AMD model, with updated STRIX G17 chassis is a Ryzen 9 7945HX + RTX 4070 pairing, but will only be available from April onwards.

The ROG Zephyrus Pro continues to be powered by AMD chips – with Ryzen 9 7945HX paired with the choice of RTX 4090 and RTX 4080. No pricing is known yet – and availability is set to April onwards as well. Over at Intel-exclusive Zephyrus M16, three configurations ranging from RTX 4090, 4080 and 4070 will be paired with Intel’s Core i9-13900H, priced at RM17,999, RM14,999 and RM10,999 respectively and will be available by the end of this month.
Zephyrus G16 meanwhile features one of the previous generation Intel chips, but also will be among the first to go on sale. The Core i7-12700H + RTX 4050 combo will set you back for RM6,999; two other models with Core i9-13900H + RTX 4060 and Core i7-13620H + RTX 4050 will only be available from April onwards. Finally the AMD-exclusive Zephyrus G14 will see three models, with the Ryzen 7 7735HS + RTX 3050 pair set to release mid-March at RM6,499. Two other models featuring RTX 4050 with Ryzen 9 7940HS and Ryzen 7 7735HS (with AniMe Matrix display) will be released from April onwards.

Preorder for ROG laptops start today and will end by 21st Feb 2023 – first 5 customers preordering STRIX SCAR 18 will get a free ROG Chariot Core gaming chair (worth RM1,888) while first 15 customers preordering any of the Zephyrus M16 models will get both the ROG SLASH hip bag and ROG Cetra TWS headphones (totaling worth RM1,029). Click here to preorder!
Pokdepinion: Should I be glad that laptops at least haven’t broke into RM20k territory just yet? Given the tendency of chipmakers to upsell things, you know…
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Samsung Galaxy Z Tab Expected to Launch Alongside Galaxy Tab S9 This Year

Samsung might finally be launching a foldable tablet later this year, the Galaxy Z Tab, alongside the Galaxy Tab S9. Get more information on what we can expect from this new device right here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Tab: The Foldable Tablet We’ve Been Waiting For

Samsung has been long rumoured to be working on a new foldable tablet, and recent leaks suggest that the South Korean tech giant might finally unveil the much-anticipated device later this year. According to a well-known tipster Revegnus, Samsung is reportedly developing a new foldable tablet called Galaxy Z Tab, which could launch alongside the Galaxy Tab S9 later this year.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Tab is rumoured to have a 10 or 12-inch foldable display, which makes it a perfect option for those looking for a big screen but don’t want to carry around a large device. While there’s no official word on the Galaxy Z Tab’s design or specifications, Samsung has been known to introduce new features with each iteration of its foldable devices. So, we can expect some cool features in the upcoming device.

Exclusive: Z Tab, foldable tablet to launch alongside Galaxy Tab S9 this year
— Revegnus (@Tech_Reve) April 9, 2023

The rumoured Galaxy Z Tab is said to be Samsung’s third foldable device, joining the Galaxy Z Flip and the Galaxy Z Fold series. While the company has not confirmed any details about the device yet, many tech enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting its release to see what Samsung has in store for them.
The Galaxy Z Tab was originally expected to launch in the first half of 2022, but that never happened. With the device rumoured to debut alongside the Galaxy Tab S9, we can expect Samsung to unveil it during its annual Galaxy Unpacked event, which usually takes place in August or September.
The Galaxy Z Tab is an exciting prospect for Samsung fans who have been eagerly waiting for a foldable tablet from the company. While we don’t have much information about the device yet, it is expected to offer a unique form factor that can create a new market for those looking for something different. With Samsung’s proven track record in introducing innovative features in its foldable devices, we can expect the Galaxy Z Tab to offer a lot of exciting features and capabilities that will set it apart from other tablets on the market.
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Pokdepinion: I am honestly not sure if I would have rather something compact that can be folded out to something much bigger, or a regular tablet that can be folded out to something even bigger.
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vivo V11 and V11i launched in Malaysia — comes with a new Halo FullView display

Fancy tiny notches? Well then you might want to check out the vivo V11 and the slightly toned down vivo V11i. The new devices feature a new Halo FullView Display with just a minimal notch above the display.

The new Halo FullView display with its tiny notch allowed vivo to bring the screen-to-body-ratio on the vivo V11 up to a whopping 91.27%, which is actually higher than the notchless vivo NEX which clocks in at 91.24%. vivo also managed to cram an impressive 25MP f/2.0 camera in the tiny notch.

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The vivo V11’s display is a 6.41″ Super AMOLED display with support for DCI-P3 color gamut. That’s not all though, as vivo also managed to cram an under-display fingerprint scanner beneath the display, bringing it up to parity with their recent flagship. The vivo V11i doesn’t get a under-display fingerprint scanner and the screen is a 6.3″ FHD+ LCD.

The back panel is a little more disappointing though. It’s made of plastic, and will invariably pick up scratches and scuffs that will mar the pretty finishing vivo used. The cameras is a little more interesting, with the vivo V11 sporting a 12MP Dual Pixel + 5MP rear camera setup, while the vivo V11i has 16MP + 5MP cameras.

Under the hood of the vivo V11 is a Snapdragon 660 AIE, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. There is also a 3400 mAh battery to keep things running.The vivo V11i has a MediaTek Helio P60, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage and a 3315 mAh battery.

Pricing for the vivo V11i is RM1299, while the vivo V11 is priced at RM1699. The latter will be available starting 15th September, while the vivo V11i is available starting 21st September.

Pokdepinion: The plastic back though. Why?
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Complimentary OPPO Watch Free at OPPO Reno7 Series 5G First Sale Roadshow

What to expect at the OPPO Reno7 Series 5G First Sale Roadshow?
Image Credit: OPPO

In celebration of OPPO debuting its latest Portrait Expert, the Reno7 Series 5G, that was officially launched in Malaysia, OPPO will be having its First Sale Roadshow held at Sunway Pyramid’s Blue Atrium (LG2) this Monday from February 28 to March 6 2022.
At the roadshow, OPPO will be handing out the new OPPO Watch Free (worth RM499) to the first 100 customers to purchase the OPPO Reno7 Series 5G at the event on March 5th and 6th. This promotion is also applicable to customers who have pre-ordered and selected to pick up their order at the roadshow, so do be sure to head there early, like 10am, to grab a chance at the new stylish smartwatch, a companion accessory to your new portrait expert smartphone.

OPPO Reno7 5G will be available for purchase for RM1,999.
OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G will be priced at RM2,999.

What is the OPPO Reno7 Series 5G?
Image Credit: OPPO
The OPPO Reno7 Series 5G has outstanding camera configuration and AI-enhanced imaging features. It is the mobile portrait expert that is capable of capturing content as you would a DSLR camera through camera features like Portrait Mode, Bokeh Flare Portrait Video and more.

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Image Credit: OPPO
The Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G, on the other hand, takes it one step further with its new Flagship Portrait Camera System that is built around two flagship imaging sensors – the IMX709 and IMX706.
Other than possessing professional camera capabilities, the OPPO Reno7 Series 5G features OPPO’s iconic Glow design with the Laser Direct Imaging (LDI) effect, giving the smartphone a refined, eye-catching design.
Source
Pokdepinion: If you were tempted by the new OPPO smartphones, but was hesitant due to the price points of these babies, I urge you to stop by the roadshow to check them out as you could walk away with a free smartwatch.
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Storage shortage imminent with new Chia cryptocurrency

When you think cryptomining, you would probably be thinking of energy-intensive processes and large GPU farms. Well, Chia is different in a big way. Instead, Chia miners trade their storage space in exchange for chia, which is the name of the cryptocurrency. As such, it will most probably lead to a SSD and HDD storage as Chia miners scramble to get started on the new platform.
According to reports, Hong Kong retailers are already seeing a large portion of their stocks being snapped up, and prices for 4TB to 18TB HDDs are expected to inflate by HK$200 to HK$600 (~RM106 to RM319). Apparently SSDs aren’t exactly ideal to mine chia, as it involves a lot of read/write cycles which is detrimental to the health of SSDs, but miners are fine with that, considering the profits that they are planning to make.
With that said, chia isn’t currently traded on any major cryptocurrency exchange yet, therefore it can technically be considered to be worthless at this point. However given how pretty much the entire cryptocurrency market is based on speculation anyway, I can’t say I am too surprised by this.

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Storage maker Jiahe Jinwei, the company behind the Asgard and Gloway brands, has already announced that most of their SSDs are already out of stock or in short supply now. They have also announced that they are working on dedicated mining SSDs to prevent Chia miners from buying up all the drives intended for consumers. Now, where have we heard that line before?
Source
Pokdepinion: Cryptocurrency was supposed to be the future… Seems like all it is doing now is holding us back from embracing a future where PC gaming is accessible. Or maybe custom built PCs just aren’t going to be a part of the future?
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HUAWEI P30 Showcases Zoom Capabilities At Fasha Sandha & Aidil Aziz’ Wedding

March 2019 is the month that the HUAWEI P30 series will be introduced to the market and definitely it has gotten people’s attention thanks to rumors regarding of its zooming capabilities. Just recently, local celebrity couple, Fasha Sandha and Aidil Aziz have shared an image on Instragram from their wedding-themed photoshoot that seems to be taken from the HUAWEI P30.
While it contains the usual shots that highlights the couple, the range of photos also take a closer look into the finer details and textures, all from afar to a very close distance.

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Based on the Instagram post that she has posted, the detailing on her dress can be seen clearly when captured even from a distance. This year marks the 4th consecutive year that HUAWEI has collaborated with Leica. The HUAWEI P30 series will be unveiled in Paris on the 26th of March 2019.

Pokdepinion: The shots look really impressive! Now I just can’t wait to test the camera out for myself. I guess we’ll just have to play the waiting game for now…
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Nintendo Direct Presentation Delayed – Earthquake in Hokkaido, Japan

With Hokkaido, Japan being struck by a 6.7 magnitude earthquake, Nintendo has decided to delay their Nintendo Direct presentation / livestream.
Nintendo Direct Presentation Delayed

Due to the powerful earthquake in Hokkaido, Japan, we have decided to delay this week’s planned Nintendo Direct. We will provide a new time and date in the near future. Thank you for your understanding. pic.twitter.com/IITgJFtzub
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 6, 2018

For those of you looking forward to the Nintendo Direct presentation, we have some bad news for you. Earlier today, an earthquake with a 6.7 magnitude struck the Japanese northern island of Hokkaido. According to NHK, the quake caused four deaths while dozens are still missing at the time of this writing.

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The case was severe enough for Nintendo delay the Nintendo Direct presentation / livestream. They have yet to announce a new date for it, but it is said that it will be given sometime in the near future.
As of right now, we have no clue exactly what the presentation will show. Most likely, it was to introduce a number of new games for the Nintendo Switch and 3DS.
Pokdepinion: We hope the casualty was minimum, and we pray for the safety of the people missing due to the earthquake.
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Netflix might limit password sharing in the future

Netflix is going to be a bit stricter on how you can use your Netflix account. In Netflix’s Q3 2019 Earnings Interview video published last week, the password sharing issue was discussed, although there still isn’t a concrete plan on how they will be approaching it.
 We continue to monitor it so we’re looking at the situation. We’ll see those consumer-friendly ways to push on the edges of that.We got no big plans to announce at this point of time, in terms of doing something differently there.– Greg Peters, Chief Product Officer, Netflix
Currently, Netflix’s business model sees them limiting the number of concurrent devices that are allowed to use a single account, depending on your subscription tier. That has led to some users sharing it with their friends to spread out the subscription fee’s burden.

Hopefully to tackle this issue, Netflix will offer more affordable plans that offer UHD or HD quality. As of now, the Basic plan that only supports one device at a time, only offers SD quality streaming. And it’s RM33/month, while the Standard plan gives you HD quality streaming and allow for two concurrent devices which is priced at RM42/month. The next step up is the Premium plan at RM51/month, which enables UHD streaming and four devices to stream concurrently.

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Discerning users will most probably opt for the Premium plan and share with their friends, given that everyone will get to enjoy better quality movies, while paying less than the Basic plan. Banning password sharing outright without changing the plan structure will be pretty dumb on Netflix’s end, and hopefully that won’t be what’s going down in the future.

How much are you willing to pay for your movie streaming service?
Pokdepinion: I would love to pay about RM30/month if it means I can stream in 4K.
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5G Coverage in Malaysia to Exceed 40% By End of 2022

DNB’s 5G expansion plan is going so well, it’s ahead of their schedule, exceeding 40% coverage in Malaysia by end of 2022.
5G Coverage in Malaysia

DNB (Digital Nasional Berhad) stated that it will achieve the 40% coverage using 3,500 sites, roughly reaching 14 million users, instead of the originally planned 4,018 sites, due to supply chain issues and delays in securing local council approvals in Selangor and Sarawak. DNB assured that these issues have been resolved and that the network will be deployed next year as planned.

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To overcome the issues, the company redirected its network deployment efforts to states initially intended for deployment in 2023 and beyond. The company still plans to reach its 80% coverage target by 2024 or earlier, with the 5G network reaching over 30 million people within the next two years.
5G is currently available in KL, Putrajaya, and Selangor, as well as parts of Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, Perak, Kelantan, Perlis, Pahang, Sabah, and Sarawak. A recent report by Opensignal showed that Malaysian 5G speeds are now almost 17 times faster than 4G.
Five major telcos in Malaysia have adopted and launched commercial 5G plans, including Digi, Celcom, unifi, U Mobile, and Yes. Maxis is the only exception and is waiting for shareholder approval before signing a 5G access agreement. The carrier is expected to complete the approval process by January 2023.
It’s worth pointing out that earlier this month, newly minted Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that his administration will review the RM11 billion contract awarded to Ericsson by DNB as it was apparently not done in a transparent manner, and this could affect 5G deployment rate somewhere down the road.
Source
Pokdepinion: If it’s fast and stable, I wouldn’t be surprised if home internet plans get cancelled in droves eventually. Sure, I’m sure quota will be limited but I’m sure paying extra for it in exchange for the freedom would be worth it for a lot of people.
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Get 50% off Roborock vacuum robots from 4th to 6th April!

Roborock is offering a huge promotion of up to 50% on their lineup of intelligent home robots this 4th April to 6th April 2022. These deals are available on Shopee and Lazada, so you can use any vouchers that you have collected on either platform. There’s also a flash sale happening later today that will see the newly launched Roborock S7 MaxV available for just RM3099.
Roborock 4.4 Sales sees 50% off on their latest vacuum robots!

You get options across Roborock’s lineup of smart home robots, from the affordable Roborock S6 Pure at RM1599, all the way to the flagship Roborock S7 MaxV. The latter is an amazing vacuum robot, packing all the latest innovations that Roborock has to offer like ReactiveAI 2.0 Obstacle Avoidance System, VibraRise technology and more to ensure that you have an effortlessly clean home at all times.

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To get down and dirty yourself to clean up your own mess, the Roborock H7 and Roborock Dyad are also available with massive discounts. During this promotion, you can get them for just RM1499 and RM1899, respectively, instead of their regular price of RM1699 and RM5999.

Model
RRP
7.7 Sale

Roborock S7 MaxV
RM6,799
RM3099

Roborock S7
RM2,399
RM2099

Roborock S7+
RM9,599
RM3899

Roborock DYAD
RM5,999
RM1899

Roborock Auto Empty Dock
RM2,399
RM2099

Roborock S6 MaxV
RM2,299
RM1999

Roborock S5 Max (only white colour)
RM1,699
RM1499

Roborock S6 Pure
RM1,799
RM1599

Roborock H7
RM1,699
RM1499

Pokdepinion: The Roborock S7 MaxV definitely helps to take cleaning off your mind. Quite a worthwhile investment, if you ask me.
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What you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Well the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was just announced at the Samsung Unpacked 2016, and definitely the Internet is abuzz with news of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Well here is the low down on what you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

This image pretty much sums up all you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Tech enthusiasts who are always engrossed with MORE THIS and MORE THAT might be disappointed that this time as Samsung didn’t give the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 6GB of RAM. While competitors like vivo and ASUS have upped the bar to 6GB, Samsung seems content with 4GB of RAM. The 12MP Dual Pixel camera first seen in the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge is back here again, but I believe few if any will be disappointed about that. Battery life should be great with a big 3500 mAh one supporting Fast Charging, both over wireless and wired charging. Surprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will support both Qi and PMA wireless charging standards too.

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Security on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is upgraded with the presence of an iris scanner as well as the biometric fingerprint sensor. In combination with the Samsung Knox security platform, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 should be one of the most secure smartphones out there.

As usual for the Note series, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will feature the S Pen, this time back with the click release that was first introduced in the Galaxy Note 5. The S Pen in the Galaxy Note 5 caused some problems to some users who weren’t smart enough to put it the right way in, but that issue should have been fixed. Thanks to the IP68 water resistance rating that the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 features, you can even write or draw on that nice 5.7″ QHD curved display under the pouring rain when inspiration strikes.
While we hoped to see Samsung’s new UFS 1.0 removable card supported here, especially after they developed a solution to support both UFS and microSD cards, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 only supports the older standard of removable storage. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will be available for pre-orders starting 8th to 10th August in Malaysia, with stocks arriving on the 19th of August. It will be priced at RM3,199, and come in a choice of 3 colours – Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium, and Black Onyx.

Pokdepinion: Not sure what to think of this phone. It is great, sure, but that price is definitely a damper to my excitement. The very minor increase in specifications also mean that Samsung users may no longer need to wait out for the Note series in the future, if all they want is a superb flagship device but have no use for the S Pen.

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Get the most powerful gaming smartphone yet — Xiaomi’s Black Shark is available now, and priced from just RM2499!

Xiaomi recently introduced the Black Shark gaming smartphone, a flagship-class gaming smartphone that is designed to go head-to-head against the Razer Phone. Except that it is more powerful. And now you can get it for less than you would have to shell out for the Razer Phone.

The liquid-cooled gaming smartphone is priced from just RM2499 here in Malaysia. You are getting a top-spec gaming smartphone with a liquid-cooled Snapdragon 845, a 5.99″ FHD+ display, dual cameras and a large 4000 mAh battery to keep you gaming through the day. It is available in two variants, one with 6GB RAM + 64GB storage variant and another offering 8GB RAM + 128GB storage.

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Mobile 2 Go posted the above status earlier yesterday, with the pricing hidden in the comments. They are offering the 6GB RAM variant for RM2599, and the 8GB RAM version for RM2999. These come with the original Black Shark Gaming Analog Controller too, for a true mobile gaming experience. And they also promised an ETA of 26th April.

Hours later, DirectD announced that they too have the Black Shark, for RM100 less at RM2499 and RM2899, and also an earlier ETA of 25th April. This too comes with the analog controller.

Black Shark Specifications

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

GPU:
Adreno 630 @ 710 MHz

RAM:
6GB / 8GB

Display:
5.99″, FHD+ (2160 x 1080), 97% DCI-P3 coverage, MEMC technology

Storage:
64GB / 128GB UFS 2.1

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
12MP f/1.75, 1.25µm pixel pitch, 6P optics
20MP f/1.75, 1.0µm pixel pitch, 6P optics
Dual LED flash, portrait mode, HDR, PDAF, enhanced low light
Front Camera
20MP f/2.2, 1.0µm pixel pitch, 5P optics, Smart Beautify

OS:
Joy UI based on Android 8.0 Oreo

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/ac (2×2 MIMO)
Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX and aptX HD
FDD-LTE (Band 1/3/4/5/7/8/12)
TDD-LTE (Band 34/38/39/40/41)

SIM:
Dual nanoSIM

Battery:
Li-ion 4000 mAh (non-removable)

Dimensions:
161.6 x 75.4 x 9.25 mm (5.1mm at thinnest point)

Weight:
190 g

Pokdepinion: RM2899 still seems like a great deal if you want a powerful gaming smartphone with the latest chipset. I would still wait and see if Xiaomi would ever bring this in officially though.
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Winner For The Cooler Master MM711 Design Challenge Revealed And It’s A Beauty!

Cooler Master has recently announced the winner for their MM711 Challenge for COVID-19 Relief, a competition aimed for fundraising for the global pandemic.

The contest saw fans submit colorway designs for the Cooler Master MM711 mouse, with them gathering over 300 submissions. A total of five of them were put up to a vote and in the end Aleksandar Cvorovic from Serbia won thanks to his design titled ‘Retro’.
He received a 1k product package for his effort. His design will be produced as a limited-edition MM711 lightweight gaming mouse which the proceeds will go to a coronavirus relief fund.

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The donation drive started recently through Tiltify, where Cooler Master is welcoming everyone to donate. In return, the donation amount will be entered into a raffle for the winning mouse design.
Donors will also receive raffle tickets based on the amount they donated that they can put towards the prize pool. Should you donate $30 (~RM130), in addition to 30 raffle tickets, you will also get $30 store credit on Cooler Master’s online store to purchase the mouse for $30 when it is ready to sell towards the end of the year.
Here’s what they had to say about the initiative:
It’s a fluid situation right now and we really don’t know what will happen a few months down the line. By setting up donations that completely bypass the selling of the mouse and go straight to the charity organization, we’re ensuring that any amount we help collect will be made immediately for COVID-19 relief.Bryant Nguyen, General Manager for Peripherals in Cooler Master
The donation drive is split into two tiers:
20$ and below – Donors in this category automatically enters a raffle to win a copy of the limited edition mouse design, as well as being able to apply raffle tickets to multiple prize pools30$ and above – Donors will receive an individualized store credit code for 30$ that can be redeemed at the CM Store when the mouse launches
Wondering what the prize pool include? Up for grabs is the COSMOS C700M, MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage, MK850 keyboard, and MWE 650 Gold power supply.
The Limited-Edition MM711 Retro mouse will be available in Q3 2020 retails at $59.99 (~RM260).
For more information and to donate, you can head to link right here.
Pokdepinion: That design looks awesome! Pretty sure collectors wouldn’t mind getting hands on it.
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Acer 12.12 Sales Sees GTX 1650 Gaming Laptop At Just RM2,999!

Seems that Acer Malaysia is joining on the fun with them hosting their 12.12 sales, offering a host of their products on discounted prices.

Starting from today until the 12th of December 2019, you can get a Nitro 5 powered by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 for only RM2,699. To top that off, they are also offering a special price of Acer Nitro 5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 variant from RM4,499 to RM4,099.
If you think that’s all, well think again. 5 units of the gaming laptop will be available at the low price of RM2,999 on Shopee Shocking Deals on the 12th of December 2019, 12am to 2am.

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The Predator Helios 300 and Predator Triton 500 also sees RM1000 off each. Even their own Predator accessories and merchandise like gaming mousepad, keyboard, Hybrid backpack, bomber jacket, jersey cap, and waterproof bag from RM39.
Need a monitor? Well the Predator XB273K 27-inch 4UHD monitor is going for a big RM1,200 off.
For more details on their offers, you can check out Acer Malaysia’s Facebook page or check out their official store on Shopee or Lazada.
Pokdepinion: That is one crazy price for a GTX 1650 gaming laptop.. If you are interested in it, you definitely to have fast fingers to purchase it.
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MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Promising on Paper But…

Unboxing the MSI Pulse GL76
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Box

Let’s kick off the MSI Pulse GL76 review with the unboxing. For our review unit, it will reflect the final retail package so what you see here is what you’ll get if you purchase this gaming laptop. Inside the box, you will find the following items:
MSI Pulse GL76 Review- Box content

User guide
2-year Warranty Service Book
F3 Hotkey Recovery Function Booklet
180W Power brick
Power cable
Backpack
The MSI Pulse GL76 gaming laptop itself

Appearance
MSI Pulse GL76 Review- Lid
At first glance, the MSI Pulse GL76 has a rather muted look. Looking at the lid, you have a gray metallic lid with some lines to give it a more aggressive look. As usual, the MSI logo is present here but they don’t make it unnecessarily big, which is a plus point for me. Towards the hinges, it’s black in color, giving it more of a two-toned appearance.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Open up the lid
Opening up the lid, which surprisingly can be easily done with just one hand, you will see its 17.3-inch Full HD IPS-level display, full-sized RGB chiclet keyboard, trackpad, and some stickers highlighting the features of the gaming laptop. The bezels are relatively thin on the sides, but noticeable for the top and bottom. The top bezel is where the webcam can be found, and you have the MSI logo for the bottom one.

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MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Ports
On the left side, you have the proprietary charging port, an air vent, and two USB-A ports. As for the right side, you have a 3.5mm combo audio jack, a USB-A port, a USB-C port, an HDMI port, and the RJ45 LAN port. There’s nothing on the rear except for exhaust vents.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Bottom
Flipping it over to the bottom, you have four rubberized stands, one on each corner. There are also a total of 11 screws here, with one hidden under the Factory Seal sticker, if you want to open this laptop up for maintenance or upgrades. The air vent here has a honeycomb-esque design which is most likely done for both aesthetics and to maximize airflow as it takes up a good chunk of the space here.
Overall, the MSI Pulse GL76 is a neatly designed gaming laptop for those who don’t want one to stand out too much with the typical gamer bling. It is built with a mixture of aluminum and plastic, with the former for the lid and the latter for everything else. Don’t you worry about the plastic part though as it’s still built rather solidly.
Specifications

CPU:
Intel Core i7-11800H @ 2.3GHz (up to 4.6 GHz Boost), 8C/16T, 45W TDP, 10nm SuperFIN

RAM:
16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200MHz DDR4

GPU:
GeForce NVIDIA RTX 3060 GDDR6 6GB

Storage:
1TB NVMe PCIe SSD1 x M.2 SSD slot (unused)

Software:
Microsoft Windows 10 Home MSI Center

Connectivity:
Wireless 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.2 Wired 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A 1 x USB 2.0 Type A1 x RJ45 LAN

Display:
17.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS-level, 144Hz 1 x HDMI 2.0 ([email protected])

Audio:
1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack Array microphone

Power:
180W power adapter 53Whr battery

Dimensions:
398 x 273 x 24.2 mm

Weight:
2.6kg

Performance
[UPDATED 1ST OCTOBER 2021] We realized that there were some discrepancies with our previous benchmark attempts so we decided to rerun most of it to ensure a more accurate score. As such, we’ve updated it with new benchmark scores.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – CrystalDiskMark
Before we jump ahead with the test, it’s worth noting that we’ve set the MSI Pulse GL76 on Extreme Performance for our benchmarks.
Starting off with CrystalDiskMark, you can see that the 1TB NVMe PCIe SSD has some really fast read and write speeds. This means that boot up times and loading speeds will be pretty quick no matter how you look at it, and the capacity should be more than enough enough for most people. In case you’re wondering, it’s the 1TB Kingston OM8PCP31024F-AI1 SSD.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Cinebench R15
In Cinebench R15, the Intel Core i7-11800H powering the MSI Pulse GL76 performed well enough, though we expected it to break the 2,000 mark for multi-core. This seemed a little odd until the next part.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Cinebench R20
In Cinebench R20, we see a score that’s more in line with expectations as the multi-core score is noticeably high, easily beating out its 10th Gen counterpart. While the Ryzen 9 5900HX does show better performance, it doesn’t mean the Intel Core i7-11800H is weak by any means and it should serve most people adequately.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Unigine SuperPosition
Moving on to Unigine Superposition’s 4K Optimized test, it did relatively well, mostly beaten out by laptops with stronger GPUs. The RTX 3060 is definitely solid in the value perspective, but be reasonable on expectations for its performance.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – 3DMark Time Spy
Likewise in 3DMark’s Time Spy benchmark, the MSI Pulse GL76 showed relatively strong performance. This is shaping up to be a reliable gaming laptop.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – 3DMark Port Royal
In 3DMark’s Port Royal benchmark which tests out the ray tracing capabilities, the score may seem somewhat underwhelming but do keep in mind that real-time ray tracing is very resource-intensive. If you want better performance there, you will definitely to target something like an RTX 3080.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – PCMark 10
Moving on to PCMark, the MSI Pulse GL76 is shown to be a pretty solid laptop in all areas. If you require versatility in a laptop, this would definitely have the necessary firepower for it.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Gaming benchmark
You can’t test out a gaming laptop without the gaming benchmark and based on the data we’ve collected, the RTX 3060 GPU is a good performer. All of the games shown above are tested on Full HD resolution at the highest settings possible, and you only need to dial down the settings a little bit for some games to be running as smooth as butter. I do believe the performance can be higher if the power brick is capable of higher wattage.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Battery life
This is the area where the MSI Pulse GL76 shows its biggest flaw. With its 53Whr battery capacity, it lasted 1 hour and 48 minute (108 minutes) on PCMark’s Modern Office endurance test. As for the gaming benchmark, it lasted 48 minutes. From my own personal use of word processing, web browsing, office work, and light YouTube videos at 50% brightness, I get 2 hours of use at best, which is rather poor even for a gaming laptop.
If you want to compare it to the previous GE66 Raider we reviewed, click right here.
User Experience
MSI Pulse GL76 Review
The MSI Pulse GL76 is a pretty formidable gaming laptop. It’s powered by the Intel Core i7-11800H CPU and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. On the memory side of things, you have a dual-channel 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 RAM and 1TB NVMe PCIe SSD. The configuration is optimized well and I don’t really see a need to upgrade anything unless you need extra storage space or stronger graphical capabilities. Cooling performance is adequate but do keep in mind that it gets noisy at max speed.
It uses a 17.3-inch Full HD IPS-level display with 144Hz refresh rate. Personally, the viewing angle is good as it’s still clear when seeing from a 45° angle and with minor reflections at close to a 90° angle. The colours are certainly adequate for gaming and movies, but it’s not one to be used for colour-accurate work. I’m no longer a fan of laptop screens of this size and I would prefer smaller, but if you’re certain about the size, I’m sure it will serve you just fine.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Keyboard
The keyboard feels a little mushy but it’s comfortable enough for gaming and general use. You can feel a little bit of heat on the upper side of the keyboard but it’s nothing much to worry about. I’m surprised they didn’t go for per-key RGB lighting and instead stuck to a zone one, but at least you still get RGB lighting. The trackpad itself works fine but there’s nothing to shout out about as I would recommend using a proper mouse with this.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – Ports
Given the size of the laptop, I expected more from the ports. You have one USB-C port, 3 USB-A ports, an RJ45 LAN port, an HDMI port, and a combo audio jack. Personally, would have loved to see the addition of a DisplayPort and SD card reader for added versatility. If they could another USB-C port, perhaps a Thunderbolt 4, that would make it even better, but I’d say that’s optional given we already have a USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C port here. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 here are a major plus here.
MSI Pulse GL76 Review – MSI Center
To my surprise, the MSI Pulse GL76 didn’t come with the MSI Dragon Center. Instead, you get the MSI Center, which will allow you to customize the keyboard lighting, set performance profiles, check on the laptop’s health status, and more. This particular UI is more mainstream and I don’t have any complaints. However, not coming with the MSI App Player is a bit of a shame as that would certainly add more value to the machine.
In the audio department, the MSI Pulse GL76 is subpar. The volume of the built-in speakers is relatively adequate but it sounds very flat. Personally, I would stick to using headphones / earphones for a better, more immersive audio experience.
MSI Pulse GL76 Verdict
MSI Pulse GL76 Review
The MSI Pulse GL76 is a formidable gaming laptop but whether you should get this or not depends on your needs. You get reliable performance, solid build quality, good display, 144Hz refresh rate, ample memory, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity, and good thermals.
The downside here is that the battery life is poor, speakers are subpar, could use more ports, it’s pricey, and it’s a little on the heavier side. At RM6,999, there are plenty of choices in the market for you to consider, even within MSI itself. At the end of our MSI Pulse GL76 review, I award this gaming laptop with our Bronze Pokdeward.

Big thanks to MSI Malaysia for providing this gaming laptop for the purpose of this review.

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Android’s Version Of Apple AirDrop Is Called Nearby Share And It’s Coming Soon

It appears that Google has finally created a feature that lets Android users to quickly send files to the people around them, similar to Apple’s AirDrop. What’s it called? Nearby Share is the name.
Android Nearby Share

Google has been working on the feature for years and finally Android users will be getting it. With it, you can transfer files by either Bluetooth or having both devices connected to the same Wi-Fi.
The company has said that Nearby Share will be coming to “thousands” of Android smartphone models. It seems that devices that’s running on Android Marshmallow (Android 6) and above will be getting it.

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They’ve said that the first to get the feature will be selected Samsung and Google Pixel smartphones in the early stages.
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Pokdepinion: I don’t see myself using it too much… Despite that, it’s still something nice to be offered to Android users all around.
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