New ASUS ZenFone To Come With A Pop-up Camera?

According to reports, ASUS has patented new designs for their smartphones where they might come with a pop-up camera.

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Back in August, ASUS filed in several design patents with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, or simply EUIPO. Just recently on the 22nd of December, those patents was revealed, and they showcase the designs that ASUS might use for their future smartphones.
Though a pop-up camera isn’t new to the market, it will be interesting if ASUS does indeed come up with it in their future ZenFone which offers a true full screen experience.
It seems that the company has three different options in mind, with different sizes of the pop up camera.

Now the pop up camera isn’t the only design that they are pondering on. They might even opt for the camera hole in display design, which looks like to be the trend with both HUAWEI and Samsung opting for it in their upcoming devices.
The company is expected to announce the ZenFone 6 family at next year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) which is around February. We will find out more once we’re closer to that date. Till then, watch this space.
Pokdepinion: Of the two, I would rather have the pop up camera. I don’t know, the thought of seeing a hole in the display just bothers me. Well maybe that’s just me.
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[E3 2019] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition Announced

In the older console wars, the Nintendo Gamecube had an array of stellar games to entice people to come over to their side. One of them is Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. For those of you who have never gotten to try the game, you have the opportunity now as during the Square Enix E3 2019 Press Conference, the remastered edition of the game was officially announced.
Together with the announcement, we received a new trailer for the game. In it, we got to learn about what we can expect from the game. For the smartphone version of the game, it will have a four-person multiplayer, which will be much better than your usual local multiplayer.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition will be coming to Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 in Winter 2019. Be sure to check out the trailer for the game at the top of this post.

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Pokdepinion: I remember playing this on my friend’s Gamecube and it was pretty fun. Personally, I’m tempted to get this for my smartphone or Nintendo Switch so I can play on-the-go. But first, I gotta convince a few people to play it with me because playing this with friends is the best.
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Satellite Reign Is Free On Humble Bundle Now – Limited time only

Take down Dracogenics with your friends

Another day, another free game to download (legitimately of course). Satellite Reign is free to download right now on Humble Bundle and will be free for the next 24 hours or so.
Satellite Reign is a real-time strategy based game set in an open world cyberpunk setting and is a co-op multiplayer game which you can play with up to four of your buddies or other online players. Satellite Reign was developed by Brisbane based developer 5 Lives Studio and is made as a spiritual successor to the Syndicate series which were popular in the 90’s as the studio’s co-founder also worked on one of the Syndicate games.

Check out what Satellite Reign is all about down below (via Steam):

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Co-Op Multiplayer
Play the entirety of Satellite Reign with your friends in co-op multiplayer. Up to four players can each control their own agent, opening up a whole new level of strategic and co-ordinated play.
With full drop-in/drop-out support, LAN and Internet play, and customisable agent assignment, get ready to experience Satellite Reign like never before.
Strategic Cyberpunk Action
Satellite Reign is a real-time, class-based strategy game, set in an open-world cyberpunk city. You command a group of 4 agents through rain-soaked, neon-lit streets, where the law is the will of mega-corporations. Use your agents to sneak, shoot, steal, and sabotage your way up the corporate ladder, and take control of the most powerful monopoly of all time.
Each of your agents can be tailored toward your favoured play-style, while still maintaining their own unique specialisations. Shape your team into an offensive war machine, or an elite covert spec-ops outfit, and take the open-world city as your own.
Open World
The city of Satellite Reign is one big, open playground. No individual levels to pick between, the whole world can be explored seamlessly. Uncover new missions while you explore, and pick and choose which objectives you want to tackle.
Customise your Team
Each of your four agents can be tailored to suit your play style. Choose their skills, weapons, gear, augmentations, and even their genetic base by cloning exceptional individuals from the general population.
Multiple Strategies
There’s no ‘right-way’ to complete your objectives. The world has been designed to facilitate emergent gameplay, allowing you to choose from and combine a wide range of strategic options. Sneak in through ventilation shafts, hack doors, take out power generators, hijack the minds of guards, or just blow the front door down. Countless opportunities await.

Remember, it’s free for a limited time only on Humble Bundle and once you download it, it’s yours forever. You can download Satellite Reign via the link below.
Click here to download Satellite Reign
Pokdepinion: God, I love Humble Bundle. I’m not proud to say that this is the first time I’ve heard of this game and looking at a few videos of the game online I’m kinda digging the look of it. It reminds me a lot of Blade Runner mixed with a little Tron. Definitely gonna give Satellite Reign a try.
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Maybank is the first to offers Samsung Pay in Malaysia — Secure, Simple, Almost Everywhere

Samsung Malaysia today announced a partnership Maybank, to introduce its first mobile payment service – Samsung Pay. Simple, secure and accepted almost anywhere, Samsung Pay is the only mobile wallet that allows users to pay with their compatible Samsung smartphones at terminals that accept either NFC or MST payments, making shopping and dining more convenient than ever before.
Vice President of Mobile and IT Business Unit, Samsung Malaysia Electronics, Mr. Lee Jui Siang said:

“We are excited to be working with Maybank to accelerate the adoption of mobile payments and bring greater innovation into the marketplace, starting with Maybank’s customers. As one of the largest banks with the widest customer base in Malaysia, this partnership will offer the hundreds of thousands of Maybank customers access to one of the most convenient mobile payment systems in the world.”

Maybank is the first bank to join the Samsung Pay ecosystem in Malaysia. Maybank is exclusively offering its customers a firsthand experience of unparalleled access, choice and flexibility when it comes to payment. More banks and merchants are expected to join Samsung’s partnership upon the official launch in the coming weeks.

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More Than a Payment Service
A secure and easy-to-use mobile payment service, Samsung Pay can be used to make purchases almost anywhere that credit, debit and prepaid cards are accepted.

Simple: To make a payment on Samsung Pay, users can simply swipe up on their eligible Galaxy smartphone, scan their fingerprint and pay.
Secure: Samsung Pay uses three levels of security to enable secure payments – fingerprint authentication, tokenization and Samsung KNOX, Samsung’s defense-grade mobile security platform.
Almost Anywhere: Samsung Pay is compatible with the majority of existing and new terminals, allowing users to pay almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your card.

Compatible with Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, S6 edge+, Note5, Galaxy A5 (2017 and 2016) and A7 (2017 and 2016), Samsung Pay can currently be accessed by Maybank Visa cardholders as part of an exclusive early access programme until 11th February 2017. Be one of 500 users to win RM100 cashback for every RM500 cumulatively spent via Samsung Pay – only available for Maybank customers.

About Samsung Pay
Samsung Pay, a mobile payment service from Samsung Electronics, is simple, safe and available almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your card. Combining NFC (Near Field Communication) with Samsung’s proprietary MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) technologies, Samsung Pay provides consumers a way to pay almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card at merchant locations. Samsung continues to strategically expand its partnership ecosystem for Samsung Pay to provide greater flexibility, access, and choice for customers while enabling an easy and safe payment experience.
For more information, please visit Samsung Pay.
 Pokdepinion: A new way to deplete your money with the mobile payment.
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Disney Content Now Accesible On iflix! – Content For All Ages!

Today iflix has announce that Disney content will now be available on their Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) service. The new titles will be available to stream in HD format with upgraded audio.
Disney on iflix!

Users will be available to access contents from Marvel Studios, Disney-Pixar Animation Studios, and Disney. So expect movies such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, Monster Inc, Frozen, Wreck it Ralph and loads more to be available for your viewing pleasure. Not to forget Star Wars: The Force Awakens and several classics such as Finding Nemo, Lilo and Stich, The Jungle Book and many more. So there’s sure to be content for everyone regardless of what age. Surely, there’s some out there would want to watch the classic for that nostalgia feeling.

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We are pleased to partner with iflix to bring Disney content even closer to fans in southeast Asia. Through the extensive library of content available on the new Channels feature, fans of all ages will have a unique access to their favorite stories and characters anytime they want. Amit Malhotra, General Manager, Media Networks, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia
Besides that, iflix will also have many of Disney’s most iconic and beloved children’s content made available for young children and families to enjoy. This includes Disney Junior’s Sofia the First, Disney Channel’s Star Wars Rebels and Disney XD’s Guardian of the Galaxy.
Disney and iflix will also extend their existing distribution deal for ABC shows such as Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and many more.
Tempted to subscribe to iflix but not sure whether you want to? Don’t worry. iflix is giving a complimentary one-month trial with full access to service, features, and contents. To check that out, you can do so by clicking here.
Pokdepinion: Not really a fan of the Disney content nowadays, but the classics were definitely good!
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Logitech G HERO 25K Sensor announced — but you don’t have to buy a new mouse to use it

It isn’t everyday you see brands doling out free upgrades, but today we are looking at one. Logitech G has just announced the new HERO 25K sensor, but instead of releasing a whole new lineup of mice with the sensor, they will be giving it out as a free upgrade for their existing mice featuring the current-gen HERO 16K sensors.
The Logitech HERO sensors were released as an accurate, high performance sensor that is extremely efficient too, and this upgrade makes it one of the most sensitive sensors in the market right now. Even Logitech G themselves admits that the 25 600 DPI sensitivity will be impractical for most users. Instead the increased sensitivity is essentially Logitech’s way of telling everyone that their sensors are over-engineered.

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The insane sensitivity also makes the Logitech HERO 25K sensors the world’s first sensor that can track movement at a sub-micron level accurately. Just for reference, a micron is 0.001mm. And even at that level of precision, the Logitech HERO 25K is still operating at 10x the power efficiency of prior Logitech G sensors, which is crucial for a usable battery life in Logitech’s lineup of wireless gaming mice.
The Logitech HERO 25K sensor will be available as a firmware update for the following mice via G HUB:

Logitech G903 HERO
Logitech G502 LIGHTSPEED
Logitech G PRO Wireless
Logitech G703 HERO
Logitech G604
Logitech G502 HERO
Logitech G403 HERO
Logitech G PRO

Pokdepinion: BRB going to upgrade my G703 HERO.
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TREVO Offers RM100 Off During CMCO Period

We’re in the Conditional Movement Control Order phase period which allows Malaysians to travel interstate from the 7th to 10th of May, which they’d need to make an application however. TREVO has decided to make things easier by offering a RM100 off on bookings on their platform.
TREVO RM100 off discount
You might already know that only private cars and hired cars are allowed to travel in the period. With that in mind, TREVO aims to help you by offering their platform for you to choose private cars from.
Users will be able to choose from two promo options:

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RM50 off for a 2-day bookingRM100 off for a 3-day booking
Should you wish to apply for their cars, you can follow the steps below:
Click on Apply Now on their websiteFill in the Google FormOnce approved, you will immediately receive the promo code via emailEnter the promo code in your TREVO app under PROMO in the Account tab
You will have the option to get your TREVO car delivered right at your doorstep. Regarding their cars, TREVO has said that they will disinfect all of them, giving owners and guests of the cars a peace of mind.
To find out more on the TREVO app, do check out our previous coverage here.
Pokdepinion: Hmm I’d rather have people stay at the safety of their homes… but hey, if you do need to travel between states, at least there’s an option.
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Digi Offers RM656 Worth Of Freebies When You Preorder The All New HUAWEI Mate 30 Series

If you’ve been eyeing to get the latest HUAWEI Mate 30 or Mate 30 Pro and happen to be a Digi subscriber, well the telco company has opened up their pre-orders for them where you can enjoy free gifts worth up to RM656.
The pre-order period is already up and running, and will last until 13th of November 2019, so you might want to act fast. Additionally, only the first 250 customers to pre-order will be entitled for the freebies, which includes a HUAWEI PU Back Casing, HUAWEI SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger, and HUAWEI Care that includes a one-year extended warranty and 6-month screen crack warranty.
Those who pre-order during the period can collect their phones and free gifts from the same store (from where you ordered) from the 15th to 17th of November 2019.

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Scared that you may not make it for the pre-order? Well all sign-ups from the official launch day itself (15 November) will also be receiving a HUAWEI PU Back Casing and HUAWEI SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger as a free gift.
You can own both models of the HUAWEI Mate 30 series through Digi’s PhoneFreedom365 plan. For more details, do check out Digi’s website.
Pokdepinion: So will you be getting the HUAWEI Mate 30 series? Let us know in the comments below.
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Stand A Chance To Win $50,000 With Xiaomi’s Photography Challenge

Do you own a Xiaomi device and pretty much like to take pictures? Well Xiaomi is offering you a chance to win $50,000 with their photography challenge.
Xiaomi Photography Challenge
While the contest has already begun since October 25th 2018, there’s still time for you to have a shot at that $50,000 (RM208,950) cash. This year’s theme is “Ordinary | Extraordinary”. You have roughly 23 days left (by the time of writing) to submit your photos.
The contest allows you to take creative photos using any Xiaomi devices for four categories: Natural look (portraits), Piece of the World (landscapes and “big” scenes), Dreamscape (light in the darkness) and Why So Serious? (creative photos).

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This year’s contest will see a panel of judges which includes Gueorgui Pinkhassov and Jerome Sessini who are both members of Magnum Photos, Wang Xiang, the Xiaomi Senior Vice President as well as Manu Jain, the Vice President of Xiaomi. They will be the ones who will pick the top 100 challengers of the competition.
For the final winners, they will be selected by Mi Fans, who will get a chance to vote for their favorite photos from the top 100. From the 27th of November 2018 to December 6th, you can log into mi.com to cast your votes.
If you’d like to checkout the contest, you can click on the link here to directly go there.
Pokdepinion: I’ve always look forward to watching the submission to these types of contest. It’s amazing of what you can do with just your smartphone. If you own a Xiaomi device, why not try your skills? Who knows, you might be getting that $50,000 ;)
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Adobe Firefly AI Can Generate Content On The Fly For Content Creation

The generative AI can take the heavy lifting away from content creators.

This isn’t the first time Adobe has delved into AI to help with workflows – their Sensei AI has been laying the groundwork for the company’s AI targets for a few years by now. But now, Firefly AI will take things to the next level and create things from scratch instead of merely assisting the user.

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“Generative AI is the next evolution of AI-driven creativity and productivity, transforming the conversation between creator and computer into something more natural, intuitive and powerful,” said David Wadhwani, president, Digital Media Business, Adobe. “With Firefly, Adobe will bring generative AI-powered ‘creative ingredients’ directly into customers’ workflows, increasing productivity and creative expression for all creators from high-end creative professionals to the long tail of the creator economy.”

Adobe Firefly is said to be capable of generating content, including images, audio, vectors, video and 3D; and creative elements such as brushes, color gradients and video effects for the user “regardless of their experience or skill”. The AI is the combination of multiple models – it can even follow the style of the original user to maintain similar design language or looks.

Firefly is currently in Beta through select Adobe apps, including Adobe Express, Adobe Experience Manager, Photoshop and Illustrator. Adobe has noted all content generated through Firefly is safe to use commercially, as the model is trained on Adobe Stock platform with only the public domain content used for training.
Adobe stressed that no copyrighted content is used for AI training, and to help with preventing such use, the company is developing a universal “Do Not Train” tag on any content to opt out from any image training AIs. On the contrary, any AI-generated content will be tagged accordingly as well.
Pokdepinion: That’s a lot of grounds to cover for the AI. Wonder if Adobe has been silently working behind the scenes for all this time?
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Hitbox Gaming Host Local Fighting Mini-Tournament – Ready To Fight?

Local gaming store Hitbox Gaming play host to a two-day Mini Raya Tournament. The tournament consists of fighting games Tekken 7, Guilty Gear XR2 and Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3, where Tekken takes place in the first day. The shop which is situated in Subang Jaya, SS15, seek to further the local fighting genre scene.
Tekken 7 Tournament

Many gathered today for the Tekken 7 tournament, with several pro players and spectators on hand. The tournament is co-organized by Malaysia Tekken Society, Infinite Carnage and Guilty Gears Malaysia.

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Fighting scene in general it’s blooming so expect it to bring in new players. I’m hoping of one day that it will become even more prominent here in Malaysia. Hopefully there would be more tournaments like this in the future to promote the fighting scene. Kamarul Omar , founder of the Malaysia Tekken Society.

The shop’s founders also see it as a chance to promote competitive play and reach out to the community.
At first, I didn’t know the existence of the fighting community. I was surprised at how big the community is. I even thought that fighting games are mostly for casuals, but knowing that there are professionals who even reach out to the international stage. I hope with events like this, one day it will reach out to bigger heights in terms of participants and players. One can hope that it can be big or even bigger than the FIFA community. Mohd Rezwan, Co-Founder of Hitbox Gaming
Although the Tekken tournament ends today, you can still enter for the Guilty Gear and Marvel Vs Capcom tournament tomorrow. The entry fee is RM5.If you would like to simply just come and watch the event, you can. Who knows, you might even learn something from the pros. For more details, you can check out Hitbox Gaming’s Facebook.

Pokdepinion: It’s great to see local communities like this being active. Who wouldn’t like for locals to make it to the big stage?

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Final Fantasy XV Multiplayer DLC Delayed; Xbox One X Support Coming Soon

In an unsurprising twist, the Final Fantasy XV Multiplayer DLC titled “Comrades” has been delayed. On the plus side, it’s not a major delay.
Final Fantasy XV Multiplayer DLC Delayed

【 #戦友 は 11/15】
『戦友』の配信日が、 11月15日 に決定いたしました。
これまで長らくお待ちいただいた方に、心より感謝いたします。
詳細は公式HPよりご確認ください ⇒ https://t.co/qLEW8kRx10#FFXV #FF15
— FINAL FANTASY XV (@FFXVJP) November 6, 2017

Today Square Enix made multiple announcements about Final Fantasy XV on the official Japanese Twitter account. First of all, we learn that the “Comrades” multiplayer expansion, that was initially scheduled for October 31st, will now launch on November 15th.

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On top of that, we also learn that the the update that will add support for Xbox One X will happen today at approximately 8PM Japan time / 7PM for Malaysians and those staying in the GMT +8 timezone. It’s most likely that by the time I’ve published this article, the update will already be out so do check it out.
The update will also include the ability to accept multiple hunts at the same time, and is scheduled to arrive on the PlayStation 4 on November 10th 2017.
The Xbox One X’s support for Final Fantasy XV includes 4K output and HDR, and comes just in time for the release of the console, which will happen tomorrow, November 7th.
A few weeks ago, information surfaced mentioning that the main Final Fantasy XV game will keep receiving new content next year, past the original plan to end in 2017. The upcoming Episode Ignis story DLC will also come on December 13th 2017, and it recently received a new trailer at Paris Games Week.
Final Fantasy XV is currently available for PS4 and Xbox One, and will release for PC in early 2018.

Pokdepinion: I kind of gave up on Final Fantasy XV already though I’m somewhat excited to give the Final Fantasy XV Multiplayer DLC. Of course, this is only assuming I’m actually able to play it with other people. Time to wait for the DLC to release.
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ASUS ROG unveils new lineup at IFA 2015

ASUS Republic of Gamers is very renowned among gamers and PC enthusiasts alike. When ROG is mentioned, images of motherboards chockful of features aimed at overclocking enthusiasts come to mind. At IFA 2015, ASUS unveiled a range of products, including a watercooled laptop. Oh and they seem to have traded in the red-black color scheme for an all-new design theme that offers gamers a range of exciting new colors, including Plasma Copper, Armor Titanium, and Lava Red.

First off, let’s take a look at the ASUS ROG G752 laptop.

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The ROG G752 is the latest generation of ROG gaming laptops. G752 features backlit anti-ghosting 30-key rollover, and also has an innovative dust-release thermal solution that that efficiently captures dust and channels it out of G752, eliminating dust buildup for increased system stability and longevity. It has a 6th-generation Intel® CPU and the latest NVIDIA® GTX 900M Series graphics for supreme gaming performance. The display will be a 4K panel with NVIDIA G-Sync technology. The G752 features the new ROG color scheme with Armor Titanium and Plasma Copper accents.

Next up, the ASUS ROG GX700. On the front it looks like a normal laptop… until you go round the back and notice the massive watercooling dock.

The first time any OEM has brought water-cooling to a laptop, the ROG GX700 promises stable, super-fast performance. Like the G752, GX700 features the new ROG color scheme with Armor Titanium and Plasma Copper accents. It is powered by a superior overclockable 6th-generation Intel® K-SKU processor, with the latest NVIDIA graphics processing unit (GPU) for incredible gaming performance. Gamers can enjoy real 4K/UHD laptop gaming in exceptional quality on the 17-inch 4K/UHD in-plane switching (IPS) display.

For the desktop PC enthusiasts, ROG has not left you guys out of all the fun. Say hello to the ROG Maximus VIII Extreme/Assembly.It sports the new Plasma Copper ROG color scheme and is based on the Intel Z170 Express chipset. It features several exclusive technologies to maximize the overclocking potential of the Intel 6th-generation processors and DDR4 memory. Maximus VIII Extreme/Assembly includes the ROG 10Gb/s Ethernet card. With its low-latency design, this Ethernet card is backwards-compatible with all Ethernet standards and supports speeds of 100Mbit/s, 1Gbit/s, 2.5Gbit/s, 5Gbit/s, and 10Gbit/s. It is suitable for any PCIe® 2.0 x4 connection.
ROG Maximus VIII Extreme/Assembly also features the ROG SupremeFX Hi-Fi headphone amplifier. This uses an ESS® ES9018K2M digital-to-audio converter (DAC) for lower audio jitter, with two Texas Instruments LM4562 operational amplifiers for superior audio signal amplification, plus a TPA6120A2 headphone amplifier to drive high-fidelity headphones. And no, I do not know why it is known as the ROG M8E/Assembly.

With such a great looking motherboard, you surely will want to throw an equally sexy graphics card into your rig, and the ASUS ROG Matrix GTX 980 Ti is just that.
It is not all looks only, by the way. The ROG Matrix GTX 980Ti Platinum gaming graphics card features DirectCU II with 10mm heat pipes for 25% cooler performance and three-times (3X) less noise than reference cards. Patented Wing-blade Fan technology maximizes airflow by delivering 105% more air pressure for more efficient cooling.
Auto-Extreme technology with Super Alloy Power II components ensures that each ROG Matrix GTX 980Ti Platinum graphics card is of the highest quality and is able to withstand the graphical demands of today’s gamers.
Memory Defroster is an ASUS-exclusive technology that takes overclocking to extremes – it defrosts the Matrix card’s memory during subzero overclocking to ensure sustained stability. ROG Matrix GTX 980Ti Platinum has a one-click Safe Mode that restores VBIOS to its original settings; while the color-coded ROG load indicator lets users check GPU load levels at a glance. It features GPU Tweak II, an intuitive user interface, which makes gaming and overclocking easier and more visual than ever. It also comes with a 1‑year XSplit Gamecaster premium license — a $99 value — so gamers can easily stream or record their gameplay via a convenient, in-game overlay.

For those who have less spaces on their desks and feel reluctant to forfeit a large portion of it to a full sized desktop rig, there is also the ROG G20 Special Edition for you guys.

ROG G20 Special Edition is designed to dominate the field of small-form-factor gaming desktops. ROG G20 features a 9.5-liter chassis and is has a 6th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan X packed into its tiny chassis. It has a bold design with a matte-black finish, aggressive lines, and Mayan-inspired markings. The chassis takes advantage of natural convection for efficient heat management, and utilizes hidden airflow channels and two internal fans to cool its internal components. The chassis has customizable LED effects that showcase up to 8 million colors which can be tailored to suit the feel of the game currently being played, or configured to light up in tempo with the currently-playing audio.

The ROG 7.1 surround gaming headset also features the same copper highlights as the rest of the new ROG lineup, as well as a whopping 10 discrete neodymium-magnet drivers.

It promises to offer an audio experience more immersive and engaging than almost any dedicated stereo headset with virtual surround on the market. An audiophile-grade headphone amplifier ensures richly detailed and dynamic sound for all channels. A dedicated plug-and-play USB audio station works as a USB soundcard and provides useful in-game audio controls. The audio station provides up to 90% cancellation of environmental noise, so gamers can enjoy clear in-game communication free from distracting background noises such as keyboard clicking and nearby conversations. It also features Sonic Studio, a tuning suite that gives users full control over audio settings, including Reverb, Bass Boost, Equalizer, Voice Clarity and Smart EQ settings, for truly amazing sound.

Last but not least we have the ROG Swift PG348Q.

ROG Swift PG348Q is a 34-inch gaming display with a curved 3440 x 1440 resolution IPS panel for immersive gaming visuals. This 21:9 aspect display has built-in NVIDIA G-SYNC technology and a 100Hz rapid refresh rate for ultra-smooth gaming visuals with no screen tearing or lag. ASUS GamePlus gives users four different crosshair options, an in-game timer and an FPS counter for an added advantage in first-person-shooter and real-time-strategy games; while ASUS GameVisual technology provides six preset display modes for optimized gaming visuals. ROG Swift has a frameless curved design that is perfect for an immersive gaming experience, and is ergonomically-designed with tilt, swivel, and height adjustments.
In addition to ROG Swift PG348Q, the exciting new 165Hz ROG PG279Q with built-in NVIDIA G-SYNC technology was shown in the product demonstration area.

SOURCE: ROG ASUS

Pokdepinion: I still can’t get over the watercooled laptop. Wait, what?
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Edifier R1280DB bookshelf speaker review

Introduction

The Edifier R1280T was a likeable pair of bookshelf speakers which had some limitations where it doesn’t really have sub-bass or great treble extension. It also accepts any inputs as long as it’s RCA, which isn’t really flexible at all. Today we have here the Edifier R1280DB which touts better internal amps and drivers. We also get more inputs including optical and Bluetooth! Sounds good? Let’s listen to what it has.
Unboxing
FrontBackSide
Since the Edifier R1280DB is a rather old model from Edifier, the packaging is in Edifier’s classic white and maroon color scheme. We get a nice look at the speakers in the box on the front and some infographics which are repeated on every face of the package. Looking at the back we see the specifications as well as some highlighted areas of the Edifier R1280DB. The left panel touts a SPL vs Freq graph as well as what happens to the response as you tweak the bass and treble dials.

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Opening the box reveals the speakers held in place by molded pulp trays, before being wrapped in foam and a plastic wrapper.

Here are all the contents of the box. Aside from the usual RCA-RCA and RCA-3.5mm cables, we also get a TOSLINK optical audio cable. Then there’s the smattering of documentation, speakers and speaker interconnecting wires.
Appearance

These speakers are exact twins with the Edifier R1280T. We are talking the same finishing and positioning of the drivers on the Edifier R1280DB, even the protective mesh is the exact same one I got with the Edifier R1280T. Not to say it looks bad, as the smooth curves of the wood panels on the sides and the grey centerline come together for a look that’s elegant enough to fit in with any furniture. As I had commented with the Edifier R1280T, it would have been preferable to have a more “wooden” finishing across the entire speakers.

The back is where you will naturally find the inputs, and Edifier definitely did not hold any punches here. Despite actually being ranked lower than the Edifier R1700BT in the Edifier’s bookshelf speaker hierarchy, you get 2 RCA inputs, optical, coaxial and even Bluetooth 4.0.
Generally, the Edifier R1280DB look quite tame, without the use of premium veneer finishings to boost its appeal. For those who want speakers that will not draw attention to itself can definitely consider the Edifier R1280DB. I do wish Edifier paid a little more attention to its aethetics though.
Specifications

Power output:
 RMS 21W x 2 (42W total)

Signal to noise ratio:
≥ 85 dbA

Frequency response:
55 Hz – 20 KHz (+/- 6dB)

Input Sensitivity:
Line in 1: 450 mV ± 50 mV
Line in 2: 550 mV ± 50 mV
OPT/COA: 550 ± 50 mFFS
Bluetooth: 700 ± 50 mFFS

Input type:
RCA stereo input (2 sets), Optical, Coaxial, Bluetooth V4.0

Dimensions:
146 x 234 x 196 mm (per speaker)

Source: Zorloo ZuperDAC connected to a Lenovo Y50-70
User Experience
Setting up the speaker was simple, and with the myriad of input options offered by the Edifier R1280DB, there really isn’t an issue of having an output that won’t be able to work with the speaker. As usual, I will be using the Zorloo ZuperDAC as the source, fed to the Line in 1 input jacks.

The controls are placed in a cutout on the right panel of the right speaker. We get the treble, bass and volume dials here. The volume dial doubles as a input switch. Also due to its multiple input options, there is a well-placed status LED to indicate which input is active. This LED may be slightly harder to spot depending on how you place your speakers, but you only need to see it once since you most probably won’t be switching between them that often. At least it isn’t glaring into your eyes like the Edifier R1010BT.

Another option to switch inputs is with the infrared remote control. The remote control here is even more advanced than the Edifier R1700BT’s, with the ability to control the Bluetooth source’s playback, aside from being able to toggle between more inputs. You can even switch between the two Line in inputs, something which the higher end model failed to offer. Once again, we are surprised to see it having an advantage over what is supposed to be a higher end model. I didn’t really like the remote for its glossy finishing but this is a standard design for most of Edifier’s remote controls in the lower end.

The Edifier R1280DB comes with a 13mm silk-dome tweeter and 4″ bass driver. So how do these sound? This isn’t the “Eagle Eye” tweeter found in the Edifier B1 Soundbar and the Edifier R1700BT nor the bass driver made of fancy materials, but I would say they sound really good. The clarity and bass are improved over the Edifier R1280T. While the Edifier R1280T rather noticeably rolls off the sub-bass and lacks a bit of resolution in the highs, the Edifier R1280DB performed well in these areas. In fact so well, that I thought my new DAC was the reason of this improved sound quality. But nope, even after switching to my older source, the Edifier R1280DB is definitely the better speaker, with punchy bass that reaches sufficient far down and good detail reproduction in the mids and highs as well. Vocals are clear even on busier tracks with heavy bass notes pounding in the background. The smoother upper mids from the Edifier R1280DB are also a bit easier to listen to than the Edifier R1700BT that had a tendency to sound harsh with poorer quality music files. The RMS 42W output also ensures that it is plenty loud for most usage scenarios for a pair of bookshelf speakers, but it pales in comparison with the RMS 66W output the Edifier R1700BT is capable of.
Bluetooth connectivity is very seamless, just switch the input by pressing the Bluetooth button on the remote and pair your smart device and you are set to go. The audio quality is good by Bluetooth standards but there is a slight audio delay when watching videos or gaming. It lacks AptX support, which could deliver better audio quality over Bluetooth when paired with supported devices.
Conclusion
The Edifier R1280DB is priced at just RM359 on Lazada, quite a sum more than the Edifier R1280T. Considering the array of inputs it offers and the much improved sound, I would be more than happy to pay the difference. It even compares favorably against the Edifier R1700BT, with it being more forgiving of poorer audio samples while offering more input options than the latter. It seems like I have a new recommended speaker in this price range. If the person in question doesn’t mind the basic design, that is.

Our thanks to Edifier Malaysia for the Edifier R1280DB in this review.

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Malaysian Game Studio Reveals “Star Symphony”, A Rhythm Game Powered By Blockchain

The game is expected to launch sometime in 2H 2023.

Isekai Studio has unveiled its upcoming competitive rhythm game with integrated blockchain technology, “Star Symphony,” at the “New Frontier of Rhythm Games” event held at DADI Cinema – Pavilion KL. The game offers unique features such as powerful spell systems and strategic gameplay, with a key highlight being its blockchain-based gaming ecosystem. Players are expected to trade in-game items through card trading.

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Star Symphony plans to support a content creator economy that empowers indie musicians of all genres, and with its collaborative “Discovery Platform” for innovation and community building, it provides a unique creator platform that celebrates creativity, talent, and hidden gems within the indie music community. The game is set to launch in the next half of 2023, and prior to the event, Star Symphony had successfully sold out its presale Elder Pass NFTs, which were oversubscribed by 56%.

Shas Fung, CEO and Co-Founder of Star Symphony: “Our team is thrilled to introduce Star Symphony to the world. With its innovative game design, powerful mechanics, captivating in-game story and blockchain-friendly features, we believe it will revolutionize the rhythm game genre.” Stephanie Wong, COO and Co-Founder of Star Symphony, added that the game sprouts potential for greater transparency and fairness to gamers, with decentralized marketplaces that empower gamers to take control of their virtual assets and even monetize them.
Industry experts such as Kai Huang, Co-Founder of Guitar Hero, John Yao, CEO of Team Secret, Rachid Belrhiti, Head of Marketing at Sandbox, and Harpreet Singh Maan, CEO & Co-Founder of Blocklime are amongst its trusted advisors for the development of this title.
Pokdepinion: Quite surprising this comes from a local game studio, guess we’ll see what’s next.
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Apple Expected to Limit iPhone USB-C Functionality

While the news of Apple iPhone finally adopting USB-C, it might not exactly be straightforward as they might be using a custom integrated circuit (IC) for it.
Apple iPhone USB-C to Have Deliberate Limitations?

Due to upcoming EU regulations, Apple will be forced to switch to the USB-C port for its iPhones. However, as per the latest rumor from China, Apple may have a unique approach to the transition. The company is reportedly planning to use a custom integrated circuit (IC) interface for the USB-C port that would allow it to authenticate the components involved in the connection.

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This method is similar to what Apple has been using with its Lightning port, where the authentication process in the Lightning interface shows “This accessory is not supported” warnings when using non-Apple products or products not part of the “Made for iPhone” licensing program, which is a significant source of income for the company.

Keep in mind that this is just a rumor, so take it with a grain of caution. It’s also worth mentioning that none of Apple’s existing USB-C equipped devices have this custom IC feature. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if Apple were to adopt this as it’s in line with their past practices.
The impact of the custom IC chip on non-Apple, non-MFi accessories is uncertain. It’s possible that some features like fast charging and high-speed data transfer may be restricted on unauthenticated accessories. However, the EU would likely step in if this were to completely block the use of these accessories, as the purpose of mandating USB-C as a universal interface would be defeated.
Earlier rumors about the limitations of USB-C on the iPhone suggest that only the Pro models will have fast charging and data speeds, while the standard models will be limited to USB 2.0 speeds, which are equivalent to the Lightning port.
Source
Pokdepinion; Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised by it. Personally, it wouldn’t really be any different from before except that it uses USB-C, and it might be one way to ensure some level of quality control.
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Street Fighter V Champion Edition Announced – Gill is Making His Return

Street Fighter V Champion Edition Announced

It looks like the highly teased announcement by Capcom has been revealed as the official Street Fighter Twitter account has announced that Street Fighter V Champion Edition will be coming. It will be bringing over 40 characters, 34 stages, 200 costumes, and all the game modes available.
Street Fighter V Champion Edition will include new mechanic called V-Skill (V-Skill II), a first for the game. The announcement came with a trailer as well, showcasing all the new content,

Furthermore, the boss that gave everyone nightmares in the past,Gill, will be added to the roster. It will be done either through the Champion Edition in February 2020 or as DLC starting this December 2019. He has two V-Skills called Primal Fire and Ice of Doom.

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Gill, a master of both pyrokinesis and cryokinesis, is able to control fire and ice with perfect elemental balance (hence his outward appearance). Typically plotting behind the scenes, he is now ready to reveal himself to the world, as he sets out to fulfill the prophecy that the Secret Society has coveted since ancient times.
With the exception of the Fighting Chance costumes, brand collaboration costumes and Capcom Pro Tour DLC, Street Fighter V Champion Edition will include all content from previous Street Fighter V games. The game will be priced at USD $29.99, with no Malaysian pricing on Steam available yet.
The single and multiplayer modes that will be available include Story Mode, Arcade Mode, Team Battle, Ranked Match, and Casual Match. In addition to the main game and the included characters, there will also be new stages and costumes. The new V-Skills for each character as well as the balance update will both be released in December.
Street Fighter V Champion Edition will be coming to the PlayStation 4 and PC on 14th February 2020. Pre-orders are now open.
Source: Twitter
Pokdepinion: I’m genuinely wondering how well this will do in terms of sales. It’s rather pricey for what I would consider a “new season pass”.
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First Malaysia internet provider, JARING is out of business.

Founded in 1992, Joint Advanced Research Integrated Networking or known as JARING, is the first Internet service provider in the country and was formerly owned by MIMOS Berhad. On 28th July 2015 they announced that they will be closing their doors today, 22nd August 2015.

As a pioneer in providing Internet access in Malaysia, JARING was committed in exploring new technologies and setting standards for others to follow in order to facilitate the creation of a knowledge-based society.

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JARING Communications Sdn. Bhd. was later established as a spin-off company under MIMOS Berhad on 1 April 2005 and by December 2006, the Ministry of Finance, Malaysia, officially took over JARING from MIMOS Berhad.

On January 1, 2013, JARING becomes a private entity under Utusan Printcorp Sdn. Bhd. (UPSB) when the latter took over 100% of the withholding of the company from Ministry of Finance.
The real reason of why JARING is closing down remains unclear. It’s sad to see this scenario as they are known as the father of Malaysia internet.
Pokdepinion : I hope we know the exact reason why JARING out of business. But still the real reason is remain unknown and I do hope other ISPs will not follow their steps.
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PS Plus February 2023 FREE Games Lineup

In the official PS Plus February 2023 free games lineup for US, EU and other non-Asia regions, there will be a total of four free games to enjoy. All of them will be available for PS Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium members starting 7th February 2023 until 6th March 2023 so if you haven’t claimed January’s lineup yet, you still have a bit of time (at the time of this writing). Now let’s dive right into the lineup.
PS Plus February 2023
Evil Dead: The Game | PS4, PS5

Kicking off the PS Plus February 2023 free games lineup, we have Evil Dead: The Game. Embark on a thrilling journey as Ash Williams or his friends from the classic Evil Dead franchise in a game packed with outrageous co-op and PvP multiplayer action. Join forces with three other survivors as you explore, scavenge, face your fears, and search for crucial items to close the portal between worlds.

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This game draws inspiration from the three original Evil Dead movies and the Ash vs Evil Dead TV series. Choose to fight for good or control the Kandarian Demon and hunt down Ash and his allies, possessing Deadites, objects in the environment, and more, all in the pursuit of capturing their souls.
OlliOlliWorld | PS4, PS5

Embark on a journey to reach Gnarvana and discover the mystical skate gods in this vibrant and entertaining skateboarding action-platformer. Explore a quirky world as you undertake missions, face challenges, and make new friends. Enjoy a seamless blend of accessibility, depth, and player freedom as you immerse yourself in Roll7’s critically-acclaimed and award-winning flow state gameplay, making OlliOlli World the third entry in the OlliOlli series from the BAFTA-winning indie studio.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light | PS4, PS5

Dive into the world of Destiny 2 and embark on a new adventure with this multiplayer action shooter expansion. Explore the icy moon of Europa, wield the power of the new elemental force known as Stasis, and gather powerful Exotic gear as you face off against the Kell of Darkness, Eramis and her army of Fallen.

Mafia: The Definitive Edition | PS4

Venture into a 1930’s urban environment filled with interwar architecture, automobiles, and culture, along with a criminal-ridden underworld in this full remake of the 2002 classic. As you climb the ranks of the Mafia during the Prohibition era of organized crime, Tommy Angelo, a cab driver, is thrust into a dangerous criminal world. Despite his initial reluctance to join the Salieri crime family, Tommy soon realizes that the rewards are too tempting to ignore.
Source
Pokdepinion: Honestly, it’s a pretty decent lineup, though I’m certain that a good number of games out there have yet to touch half of the games in the lineup. Time to wait for the PS Plus February 2023 lineup to actually be out and give it a shot then.
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MyMy Reveals New Card And App Features Set To Enter Beta Testing This January 2022

MyMy is an upcoming homegrown e-wallet that has just unveiled a slew of cutting-edge card and app capabilities as it prepares for targeted Beta Testing in January 2022. MyMy has been in development since 2018, with the brand mandate of empowering Malaysians to reclaim financial control, with a focus on high security, worldwide accessibility, and transparent pricing. The e-wallet is slated to officially launch in March 2022.
MyMy to enter Beta Testing Phase this January 2022

MyMy’s frontline solutions include a numberless prepaid card that improves the security of physical payment transactions, which is supported by market research. In terms of online transactions, the e-wallet provider introduces a seamless biometric feature to authenticate transactions – a layer of security that substitutes the dangers associated with other time-consuming authentication techniques.

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MyMy’s numberless prepaid card is not only a less expensive alternative to debit and credit cards, but it is also universally accepted at over 80 million shops and ATMs worldwide – unlike QR codes, which are only accepted in Malaysia. Its app features include card lock, pin reset, on and off control for abroad, online, and contactless transactions, as well as allowance and limit setting for ATM withdrawals.

The e-wallet provider obtained an RM10 million capital injection from Koperasi Tentera (KT) in September 2020 and received conditional permission for an e-money licence from BNM earlier this April. Recently, in October, MyMy became one of the first Malaysian businesses to receive a primary membership from Mastercard.
MyMy is kicking off the Christmas season by giving away RM100 credit with their 10-Day Christmas Countdown Challenge from the 15th to the 25th of December 2021. This is a special 10-day seasonal promotion open only to candidates who successfully accumulate winning points by recommending at least 10 friends to register at the official website and by following the e-wallet provider’s social media platforms on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Pokdepinion: Another e-wallet enters the ring! Interesting to see what MyMy can offer that’s overly different from any other of the many e-wallets in Malaysia right now. So far the only e-wallets I use are just Maybank and Touch ‘n Go, doubt this will convince me to use another though.
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Celcom Game Hero Launched; The Biggest Mobile Game Tournament in Malaysia

Celcom Game Hero; the biggest mobile game tournament in Malaysia with a prize pool of RM1,000,000.
When we think of eSports, chances are that you’re thinking of tournaments surrounding games like DotA 2, League of Legends, CS:GO, or other familiar games. But what about mobile games?
You know, the games that you play on your own smartphone. Well, it looks like there will be a big change in the local eSports scene as Celcom launches the Celcom Game Hero, the biggest mobile game tournament in Malaysia.

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Celcom Game Hero Launch

Today, Celcom launched the all-new Celcom Game Hero, the biggest mobile game tournament in Malaysia where everyone can be a hero and win cash prizes. It will be organized by Celcom Axiata, in collaboration with Techninier, and it begins with a tournament on ‘Sky Invasion 3D’.
Sky Invasion 3D is a game made by Techninier and it’s an arcade-based shoot ‘em up mobile game, similar to the likes of Ikaruga. You use an aircraft to shoot down enemies and obstacles as you progress through the stage vertically, with occasional boss battles occurring from time to time. By today’s standard of gaming, this game is suitable for both casual and hardcore gamers as it’s quite easy to pick up and it really tests your skills when it comes to obtaining the highest score possible.
The Celcom Game Hero launch event was graced by the presence of YB Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, Minister of Communication and Multimedia, and Norman H’ng, Advisor of Content to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
Michael Kuehner, CEO of Celcom Axiata
Michael Kuehner, CEO of Celcom Axiata, talked about how Celcom Game Hero is the first of many initiatives that will further enhance and meet the digital needs of the mobile gaming community:
As customers today love playing games on their mobile phone, there is a high demand for the best seamless network for a gaming experience without any interruptions. With customer experience as Celcom’s top priority, both casual and expert mobile gamers can look forward to many more exciting initiatives that will deliver the best mobile-gaming experience.
The Celcom Game Hero is open to everyone as long as you are a Celcom customer with an Android or iOS smartphone. Click here to join the tournament. There is a total prize pool of RM1 million, with mobile gamers eligible to win anywhere from RM1,000 to RM250,000 in cash. Along the way, participants can obtain daily war chests, where you can win free Celcom Xpax reload cards.

Pokdepinion: Celcom is also gearing towards mobile gaming and plan to make it a viable platform for eSports. They have the support of the Malaysian government so I hope that this is a step towards a good direction for the local gaming industry.
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Alienware m15 R3 Allegedly Runs 30°C Cooler Than Previous Generation

Previously, we reported on the newest iteration of the Alienware compact gaming laptop, the Alienware m15 R3. Now, it appears that the gaming laptop has a huge upgrade in thermals as it’s said to run up to 30°C cooler.
Alienware m15 R3 Allegedly Runs 30°C Cooler
Alienware m15 R3 Witcher 3Picture credits: Notebookcheck
From what we understand thus far, there have been some notable upgrades to the Alienware Cryo-Tech cooling thermal technology with vapor chamber cooling. According to notebookcheck, the Alienware m15 R3 gaming laptop is able to run up to 30°C cooler for the CPU, and 5°C for the GPU compared to the previous generation.

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This is said to be thanks to the twin fans have 25% more blades, 39% heavier copper pipes, and a vapor chamber cooler for the CPU for the ones running NVIDIA-based GPU. This is a huge leap as the previous iteration is known to be a very hot machine (literally, not figuratively), which is something we also experienced in our own review of the bigger variant, the m17 R2.
Alienware m15 R2 Witcher 3Picture credits: Notebookcheck
The only downside here is that the Alienware m15 R3 gaming laptop weighs 100g heavier compared to the previous generation. However, that is a very small price to pay for the huge change in cooling performance. Fan noise is said to be about the same so if you’re worried about it being noisier, that will not be a problem.
It’s great to see that the engineers over at Dell acknowledging these issues and worked to fix it. Moreover, the solution is so effective, it made a huge difference. For now, we are still waiting to review the newest lineup of Alienware gaming laptops and we would like to see if it truly runs that much cooler for us or not. Stay tuned for our review right here on Pokde.net.
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Pokdepinion: I always felt that the thermals is what is holding back the beast. Can’t wait to try it out myself and see how much better it is over the previous generation.
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HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020) Review — the result of lofty ambitions

For a smartphone manufacturer, HUAWEI is definitely pushing pretty hard on the laptop front as well. While their laptops feature one main advantage which is the HUAWEI Share feature that allows them to sync easily with supported HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones, that didn’t stop them from putting out some really impressive looking laptops. The HUAWEI MateBook X Pro is one of them.
This is the latest iteration of the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, with the earlier models offered with the 8th Gen Intel Core processors. This time around we get the 10th Gen Intel Core processors. While the hardware has changed under the hood, on the outside, it is still just as thin and light. It also touts a 3:2 aspect ratio for its display, setting it apart from the average 14″ laptop in the market. But is the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020) any good? Well, read on to find out.
Unboxing

HUAWEI went with a rather interesting combination for the packaging. You get a brown cardboard box on the outside, but inside comes the laptop in a premium white box. We have already done an unboxing video of the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020), but if you want a closer look at the items you get in the box, you can check out the image below.

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Our package here is short of the MateDock 2 dongle which is a hub to expand a USB-C port into HDMI, VGA, USB-C and USB-A ports, as well as some documentation. The charger here outputs 65W via USB-PD to the laptop, but you can also use it to charge your smartphones via USB-C, letting you carry just one power adapter for both your laptop and smartphone during your travels. Pretty nifty.
Appearance

We received the Emerald Green variant of the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro. It’s a pretty subtle shade of green, and you might even mistake it for a dark blue hue at a glance. Gone is the HUAWEI flower emblem, as HUAWEI has decided to adopt a more minimal-looking text-only logo on the lid. I do like it, as it looks quite a bit more premium than its predecessors.

Lifting the lid, you can see that the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020) sports very minimal bezels. HUAWEI claims a screen-to-body ratio of 91%, which isn’t too hard to believe one you look at this. HUAWEI went with a very minimalistic design, opting for smooth sandblasted metal all over, befitting its status as a premium ultraportable laptop. The screen is covered with a sheet of glass, and support touch input too, which is a nice touch.
One issue I have with this design is that there aren’t any rubber protection to prevent the glass from directly contacting the metal palm rests. That might lead to scratches on the display when particles gets trapped between the glass and palm rest, as there’s no gap between the glass and metal body. On the plus side, HUAWEI used magnets to allow for a solid closing experience, with a nice “tap” sound when you close the lid. They also tuned the resistance of the hinge to allow you to easily open the laptop with one hand, and yet doesn’t flop around when in use. Great job here.

Over on the bottom we get no vents, unlike most mainstream laptops. HUAWEI went with a rather unique cooling design which we will get into later. There’s a NOT FOR SALE sticker on the bottom of our unit, as it is a review sample after all. You can also see the Windows and NVIDIA stickers placed on an easily removable sticker, just in case you want a cleaner looking laptop.
HUAWEI MateBook X Pro Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-10510U @ 1.8 GHz (up to 4.9 GHz Boost), 4C/8T, 15W TDP, 14nm

RAM
16GB LPDDR3-2133, dual-channel (on-board)

GPU
Intel UHD Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce MX 250 2GB GDDR5

Storage
1TB Samsung PM981a 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
GeForce Game Ready Driver 441.20
PC Manager

Connectivity
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (2×2 WiFi 5 up to 1.73 Gbps)
Bluetooth 5.0
1 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort, charging)
1 x USB-C (USB 3.1, DisplayPort, charging)
1 x USB 3.0 (5 Gbps)

Display
13.9″ 3K (3000 x 2000) LTPS panel, JDI LPM139M422, 100% sRGB, 450-nit brightness
USB-C supports DisplayPort Alt Mode

Audio
Quad speaker
Quad microphone
1 x 3.5mm combo jack

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

Dimensions
304 x 217 x 14.6 mm

Weight
1.33 kg

Performance
Synthetic Benchmarks

The SSD in the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro serves up some really impressive numbers, with it being the OEM-variant of the pretty impressive Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSDs which are among the fastest PCIe 3.0 x4 SSDs you can find in the market. There’s also 1TB of it, so you aren’t going to run out of space any time soon. The partitioning is really dumb though, with the C: drive limited to just 80GB, and the remainder in the D: partition. I have no idea why are they doing this, but it’s really annoying as you will have to consciously set every program to install in the D: drive or else you will fill up the C: drive before you finish installing your software.

CPU performance is a pretty curious case, as the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020) does show some impressive single-core performance, but multi-core performance is very poor even when compared to the last-gen Intel Core i5-8265U.
          3DMark Time Spy            Superposition
With a GeForce MX250 under the hood, you can pull off some light gaming, or use the CUDA acceleration for video editing. However as you will see, you will not be able to enjoy the hardware much at all, as thermal throttling will kick the CPU down to really low clocks.

PCMark’s benchmark corroborates this information too, with the score for the Digital Content Creation section of the benchmark being substantially lower than the Productivity and Essential scores. Productivity and Essential tests are relatively lightweight, and thus do not tax the CPU as much. Once you put a heavy load, you will see temps spike up quite a bit.
Thermals Performance

Even without a GPU adding heat to the system, the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro’s cooling system is incapable of properly taming the Intel Core i7-10510U’s heat output. In Cinebench R20, the temperatures quickly rose to 90°C and stayed there for a few seconds. Only when the power draw dropped to around 15W did the temperatures look more reasonable at around 72°C. At this point, clocks were hovering around 2.3 GHz.
As the power draw went even further down to around 12W which is where it stayed until the end of the Cinebench run, clocks were pretty low at around 2 GHz. After the multi-core run was over, single-core load allowed clocks to rise while the power draw remained the same, but we definitely never saw anything in excess of 4.0 GHz with temperatures in the mid-80s.

Interestingly, the GPU’s heat output handled pretty well. With the GPU running at full tilt in 3DMark, we are seeing maximum temps of 77°C. The CPU has several spikes beyond 90°C, but they quickly drop down as the load isn’t taxing the CPU continuously. After the run, the bottom side heats up to an uncomfortable 42°C, while the keyboard gets quite toasty with 44.3°C measured in the center. If you are going to run any taxing tasks on the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020), make sure to not have it on your lap.
Don’t get me wrong, going by Intel’s definition of bursty workloads, I do think that HUAWEI definitely meets the cut with the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro. So if you are planning to use it for photo editing or gaming, performance would still be rather acceptable, as long as you don’t use it on your lap. But if you are looking at sustained workloads like video rendering, then you will run into the limitations of the rather unique cooling system in this laptop.

Part of the reason why the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro runs so hot is because of this rather unconventional cooling system. Instead of forcing air through a fin stack, HUAWEI instead went with an elaborate system that pulls air in from the left vent, allow the air to wick away the heat from the network of heatpipes, before exiting the chassis through the fan. This is the first time I have seen such a unique cooling apparatus, but sadly it isn’t all that interesting because it doesn’t perform that well in practice.
While the surface area seems pretty significant, a simple heatsink would probably have worked better, while also making it easier to upgrade the one and only component that can be replaced: the SSD. The SSD is currently quite inaccessible with this huge cooling system running all over it, and you can see it sticking out from the left corner.
Battery Life
With the screen brightness dialed down to 200 nits and the power mode set to Better Battery Life, the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020) ran the PCMark Productivity battery life test for 10 hours and 20 minutes before shutting down. That’s one of the best showings we have seen, thanks to a rather large 56 WHr battery crammed into the sleek chassis here. Plugging it the the charger refills the tank by 42% in just 30 minutes, which is pretty good considering the battery life offered.
User Experience

One of the main attraction of the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro is its high resolution display. It’s an excellent specimen, with higher-than-average brightness and gamut coverage. The taller-than-usual aspect ratio also allows for more usable screen area, and the 91% screen-to-body ratio helps in that. HUAWEI built the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro with very narrow bezels around the screen, allowing for a larger screen in a smaller footprint than conventional laptops.
          95.9% sRGB coverage            68.4% DCI-P3 coverage            66.2% Adobe RGB coverage
The JDI LPM139M422A display here is very bright, measuring in at 480.10 nits, with a default whitepoint of 6944K. It offers 95.9% sRGB, 68.4% DCI-P3 and 66.2% Adobe RGB gamut coverage, respectively. Professionals can definitely take advantage of this display when editing photos on the go.

Part of the reason why HUAWEI managed to achieve such a high screen-to-body ratio was the way they hid the webcam in the keyboard instead of putting it in the bezel above the screen. While it bodes well for privacy as you can hide it away when you don’t need it, the angle isn’t exactly ideal.

The rest of the keyboard is pretty interesting too. There’s little travel, but the keyboard offers a very nice tactility that I enjoyed. On the other hand, the trackpad is really finicky, with poor palm rejection and a tendency to totally fail when you try to put a finger on the clicker and one to navigate around. It’s made of glass though, so you aren’t losing out in terms of premiumness, just usability. Hopefully driver updates will improve the experience of the trackpad. You can choose to ignore the trackpad though as the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020) also sports a touchscreen.

For sound, you get a quad-speaker configuration that allows the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro to deliver some nice sounds with the down-firing speakers handling the low frequencies while the speakers which flank the keyboard deliver the highs directly to your ears. The system works quite well with plenty of details, although bass was still a bit lacking. Usually bigger speakers are more capable of pumping out the bass tunes, and given the size of the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, you might be inclined to forgive its shortcomings in that area.
          Right: Lone USB-A port            Left: 3.5mm headphone jack, two USB-C ports
While the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020) is a rather compact device, HUAWEI managed to cram in quite a few ports. You get two USB-C ports on the left, with both of them supporting DisplayPort Alt Mode, USB-PD charging and USB 3.1 speeds. One of them even supports Thunderbolt 3, so you can connect high-speed peripherals too, including external GPUs. Meanwhile over on the right flank you get a USB-A port, just so you can use older USB peripherals without having to whip out the MateDock 2 dongle. I really like this design decision, and I believe more ultra-portables should go down this route instead of forcing you to use dongles and adapters with only USB-C ports. I do wish HUAWEI offered a SD card slot though, as that would make it a lot more convenient to use for photo editing, especially when you have such a splendid screen here on the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro.
And of course as part of the HUAWEI ecosystem, the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro comes with HUAWEI Share. It allows you to synchronize your HUAWEI or HONOR smartphone with the laptop in a single tap, enabling seamless file transfers or even multi-screen collaboration. It’s a pretty cool feature but one which you will need to have a HUAWEI smartphone with NFC to take advantage of.
Conclusion
HUAWEI got a lot of things right with the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020). A premium build, excellent display, long battery life and good audio are definitely some of the things that you would expect in a laptop that costs a cool RM7999. However with a poor cooling system, you aren’t exactly able to enjoy the full brunt of the performance that the hardware in the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro packs. Which is quite unfortunate considering that you are paying quite a lot for it.
Aside from the cooling, there’s also the rather wonky trackpad. Sure, there’s a touchscreen, but a touchscreen isn’t exactly a part of the usual laptop user experience. It’s also somewhat inconvenient to move your hand up from the keyboard to touch the screen. Perhaps if HUAWEI is planning a refresh of the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020) down the line, this is what I would recommend: drop the fancy (but ineffective) cooling and go with a standard heatpipe-to-fin array cooling system, lose the touchscreen and put in a better trackpad. And while we are at that, maybe give us an AMD Ryzen 4000 version?
If you are willing to overlook the pitfalls of the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro (2020), you can get it now with a set of free gifts worth RM1954.50, consisting of the HUAWEI Bluetooth Mouse, HUAWEI Backpack, HUAWEI Sound X speaker and HUAWEI Band 4 smartband via the following link:
HUAWEI MateBook X Pro on HUAWEI’s Official Online Store
Our thanks to HUAWEI Malaysia for sending us the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro for review.
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U Mobile Comes Out With Their #UnlimitedSalam Challenge

U Mobile has introduced a new challenge on Instagram that’s called #UnlimitedSalam that aims to unite all and ‘salam’ each other as part of the Hari Raya festivities. The best part? They are rewarding winners with some treats.
U Mobile #UnlimitedSalam challenge
The contest is already up running and last until the 26th of May 2020. It already features Malaysian artists such as Yuna, Airliftz, Bil Musa, Pa’din Musa and more.
Participants stand a chance in winning U Mobile x Tiffin Samplers which are meals that’s prepared by culinary talents as well as pints of Inside Scoop ice-cream. Interested in participating? You can follow the steps below:

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#UnlimitedSalam Step 1

Record an Instagram Story video of yourself using your front camera by doing a ‘salam’ to your left.
#UnlimitedSalam Step 2

Follow that with a creative move in step 2 (seriously, it’s up to you).
#UnlimitedSalam Step 3

Record an Instagram Story video of yourself using your front camera by doing a ‘salam’ to your right.
Once you’re done with all the steps above, tag @myumobile and hashtag #UnlimitedSalam and you’ve basically entered the contest. Don’t forge to also tag a friend in your stories to pass the challenge to and follow U Mobile’s Instagram account. There will be 20 winners that they will pick from and remember to set your profile to Public.
 For more details, do check out U Mobile’s Instagram account.
Pokdepinion: Well? What are you waiting for?
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Superdata: 2.4 Million Nintendo Switch Units Sold; Nintendo To Report Official Numbers Soon

2.4 million units sold in such a short span of time is no joke. Nintendo Switch is really killing it.
We all knew that the Nintendo Wii U did not do well. You can see a huge contrast in sales between the Wii U and the original Wii, with the latter sitting at a high seat in the top 5 video game consoles sold of all time.
As such, a lot of people became skeptical of the Nintendo’s newest console, thinking it would never go back to its glory days of success. Well today, we’ve received some good numbers from Superdata, showing how well the Nintendo Switch is doing worldwide.

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Superdata: 2.4 Million Nintendo Switch Units Sold
This is when the Nintendo Switch launched.
According to tracking firm Superdata, the Nintendo Switch has sold 2.4 million units worldwide since its launch back on March 3rd 2017. Now keep in mind, this is merely data from a tracking firm and should not be taken as official data. However, the firm is quite reliable so you can have a good estimate from here.
Furthermore, Superdata has increased the 2017 sales forecast for the Nintendo Switch. The reason behind the move is because the console has performed above their expectations and as such, the numbers should reflect that. Previously, the tracking firm predicted that the Nintendo Switch would sell 5 million units in 2017. Now, it has been increased to 7.2 million units.
Superdata CEO Joost Van Dreunen added the following statement:
“Nintendo is performing above expectations, which suggests that, at least for now, it is well on its way to restore investor confidence. The current slate of upcoming titles is also looking strong, and we expect Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (late April) and Splatoon 2 (July) to do well over the summer period.”
If you want to hear the numbers directly from Nintendo, don’t worry about it. They’re expected to disclose the information as Nintendo is expected to report their earnings for the fiscal year, which happens to end on March 31st, some time next week.
However, because the fiscal year ended on March 31st, they will not be able to include sales of the console past March. Either way, we’ll still be able to get an indication how the console performed in the market so far.
Source: Superdata via Games Industry

Pokdepinion: Well, Nintendo is doing well with their brand new console. If you keep hearing all this hate on the console by people, don’t worry and just shake it off. If it gets too annoying, just shove this article down their throats. That should get them to shut up about it.
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