PUBG MOBILE Version 1.6 Introduces New Flora Menace Mode And Brings Back Vikendi

The PUBG MOBILE Version 1.6 update has come, bringing with it the all-new Flora Menace gaming mode as well as the return of some of the best PUBG MOBILE game types. New and exciting collaborations with KartRider Rush+ and the impending star-studded movie DUNE are included in Version 1.6.
Flora Menace makes debut in PUBG MOBILE Version 1.6

Alien Yarilo plants have invaded the Erangel terrain in Flora Menace, forming Rejuvenation Barriers that increase and regenerate player health. The Cell Matrix, an alien spaceship soaring high above the map, will also be based on Erangel. Players can board the ship by discovering Cells scattered across the battlefield, then battle other players while onboard for spectacular random weapon drops and Nacore Chips.

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Players can use Nacore Chips to send combat supplies to a specific place. The Cell Matrix has a limited number of respawns, therefore players that run out will be ejected back to the ground. The Cell Matrix will begin docking once a set period of time has passed. Those who have survived will continue to fight alongside others in multiple spaceships.
The Flora Menace invasion will begin on the Erangel map, then move on to Sanhok on September 18th, and eventually Livik on September 22nd. Only Erangel will have the Cell Matrix.

The game’s version 1.6 upgrade will also see the return of seven classic game types! Starting with the icy landscape of the Vikendi map, which will be available starting October 8th. Continued in Metro Royale: Reunion, you must navigate through dangerous underground tunnels, survive, and gain rewards. Titans: Last Stand follows, with players joining the Monarch Expeditionary team and using heavy weaponry to aid in the defeat of Mechagodzilla. From September 28th, both will be available.
Other modes will be accessible starting October 15th, including Survive Till Dawn (a Zombie onslaught mode), Payload 2.0 (an explosive combat style), Runic Power (an ancient runes mode with element power), and the Infection Mode, which allows players to choose between being a Defender or a Zombie.

PUBG MOBILE also announced partnerships with mobile kart racing game, KartRider Rush+ as well as the upcoming sci-fi blockbuster DUNE, directed by Denis Villeneuve. With great new themed products, fresh details on Royale Pass Month 3: Chef’s Special and Royale Pass Month 4: Temporal Warriors have been unveiled. These passes go on sale in mid-September and mid-October. Players that purchase RP during these Royale Passes will be entered into the RP Server Golden Chicken event, where three lucky winners will receive a free Royale Pass Month and a unique title.
Experience Flora Menace and other game modes in PUBG MOBILE Version 1.6 which can be downloaded now from the App Store and Google Play Store. Stay tuned to the official PUBG MOBILE social channels for more information on PUBG MOBILE partnerships and forthcoming content.
Pokdepinion: Wow Vikendi is back! Can’t wait to jump back in that snowy pit of doom…
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Epic Games Acquire Psyonix — The Makers Of Rocket League

It looks like the folks from Epic Games has settled in acquiring the developer of Rocket League, Psyonix. The news was revealed just recently, where the acquisition will take place at the end of month (May 2019) or early June.

On PC, the game can be found on Steam. Once the deal takes place, Rocket League will make its way to the Epic Games Store. For those who have purchased the game, well you can still play the game and it will still be supported on the platform. The bad news is that the game will no longer be available for purchase on Steam after its transition.
From Psyonix’s point of view, they are expecting things for the game to grow with “frequent updates that have new features, new content, and new ways to play the game. We believe that bringing Rocket League to new audiences with more support is a win for everybody”.

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Rocket League takes a twist in football (soccer in some parts of the world), but by playing with vehicles instead. The game is available to play on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Pokdepinion: I wonder how will Steam respond to the news..
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Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and Nokia 6 Coming to Malaysia; New Nokia 3310 Also Included

Not only is Nokia bringing the Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and Nokia 6, the reborn Nokia 3310 is coming as well!
Nokia is arguably one of the most iconic mobile phone brands in Malaysia. Virtually everyone had a Nokia phone at some point in their life, but it faded into obscurity once the Android and iOS era came about.
As some of you may know, Nokia is making a comeback but many were left wondering if it would make its way to Malaysia. Well, worry not, as we got the scoop for you.

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Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and Nokia 6 Coming to Malaysia

Nokia’s new home, HMD Global, announced at a launch event in Subang Jaya, that they are bringing their first smartphone range; the Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and Nokia 6. All 3 Nokia smartphones will have a pure Android experience, meaning that there will be no bloatware whatsoever. Here’s everything you need to know about all 3 devices.
Nokia 3

The Android 7.0-based Nokia 3 features a precision machined aluminium frame forged out of a single piece of aluminium, which gives it a solid feel in your hands and protects the phone in case you ever drop it.
It has a fully laminated 5-inch HD 2.5D IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass, and is powered by the Mediatek MTK 6737 chipset (quad-core 1.3Ghz). It has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 128GB via MicroSD.
As far as the camera is concerned, it’s primary camera is an 8 megapixel shooter with f/2 aperture and autofocus. The front-facing camera is the same, save for the 84 degree field of view.
The Nokia 3 is priced at RM599, and will be available in Silver White, Matte Black, Tempered Blue, and Copper White. It will be available starting mid-June 2017.

Nokia 5

The slightly bigger brother to the Nokia 3, the Nokia 5 is created out of a single block of 6000 series aluminium. It has a 5.2-inch HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 430 chipset, with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD.
The Nokia 5 uses Android 7.1.1 Nougat instead, and has a non-removable 3,000 mAH battery. The main camera is a 13 megapixel f/2 aperture shooter with phase detection autofocus (PDAF). The front-facing camera is an 8 megapixel f/2 aperture shooter with autofocus.
The Nokia 5 will be retailing for RM799, and will be available in Matte Black, Silver, and Tempered Blue. It will be available by end of June 2017.

Nokia 6

Then comes Nokia’s most solid offering, the Nokia 6. It is what they dub as the combination of superior craftsmanship and distinctive design with an immersive audio experience. It has a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS LCD display and is powered by the Snapdragon 430 chipset. For the Arte Black variant, it has 4GB of RAM while every other variant will have 3GB instead.
Just like Nokia 5, the Nokia 6 is crafted from a single block of 6000 series aluminium. It has a smart audio amplifier with dual speakers for added bass and clarity, while Dolby Atmos gives a more immersive entertainment experience.
The Nokia 6 uses Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and has a 3,000 mAH non-removable battery. For its main camera, it’s a 16 megapixel PDAF shooter with f/2 aperture. The front-facing camera is an 8 megapixel f/2 aperture shooter with autofocus.
The Nokia 6 will be available in Arte Black, Matte Black, Tempered Blue, Silver, and Copper, and will be retailing for RM999. It will be available by end of June 2017.

But wait, there’s more!

Nokia 3310, Reborn

That’s right, the legendary Nokia 3310 has been reborn and is coming to Malaysia. This new version boasts a 22-hour talk time and a month long standby time, much like the phones of the old days. Unlike the old 3310, this one had a colour screen, and a 2 megapixel camera.
Furthermore, it has a headphone jack, uses MicroSIM, and is able to expand its storage up to 32GB via MicroSD. Best thing is, it will come pre-loaded with Snake.
The new Nokia 3310 will be available in Warm Red, Yellow, Dark Blue, and Grey, and will be retailing for RM239. It will be available from 1st week of June 2017 onwards.

Pokdepinion: Well, we thought Nokia wouldn’t be coming to Malaysia but we were wrong. They’re making their presence felt, and we’re glad to see them around in Malaysia again. Wonder how it survive through our Pokde stress tests :)
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What’s deleted is not really gone — here’s how to recover lost files

I have accidentally formatted my SD cards in cameras before when switching between cameras. Apparently shooting in PAL and NTSC modes require differently formatted memory cards. Oh well. Or when after I am done with my review of a specific storage drive, I decide to format it. But what I formatted wasn’t the review drive, but a storage drive containing some important data. I done eff-ed up now, right? Well, apparently not. You can recover most of the data you deleted with software like EaseUS Recovery Wizard.
How does it work?
Some of the drives seem “empty”… but they actually aren’t.
There’s a reason why people need to do zero filling to properly sanitize their storage drives if it contained sensitive data. Or some go even further and  physically destroy their storage drives. That’s because the data is still in the drive, but only invisible to your OS. The space taken up by the data is seen by the OS as empty, but the data there is still there until you overwrite it with other data.
This process can take a very long time
That data is what EaseUS Recovery Wizard scans for and recovers for you. This is the suspenseful part, where the result of the scan will directly determine if you can recover the files or not. Depending on the amount of data that was previously in your drive, it can take quite some time. For a 960GB Phidisk WrathKeeper SATA SSD connected over USB 3.0, it takes around 2 hours 32 minutes to complete the scanning. In it was my anime collection, about 700GB of it. My memory card, which had about 9GB in it, took around 5 minutes.

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These photos were accidentally deleted when my camera formatted my SD card. Now they are back!
Once it has done scanning, you can start recovering the files. You can even preview the files before recovering them, just in case you want to be sure about what you are getting back from the abyss. If you have lost important files and successfully recovered them, you would know how much of a relief that is. I definitely knew as I managed to recover my Computex 2019 photos which were accidentally deleted when I absentmindedly tapped on “Format” instead of “Cancel” when the Sony a7 prompted me to format my SD card.
Should you get it?

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Professional costs RM317.03 (USD 69.95) now, which means that you probably won’t be buying it to recover anime in your stash. But if you have lost some mission critical data, like photos taken at an event, you would know how important is the ability to recover lost data, and RM317 is a small price to pay for that. But, we have one more thing to tell you guys.
If you purchase it via the following link, you can get 50% off the price of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Professional. From the SRP of RM407.67 (USD 89.95), you can get it for just RM203.83 (USD 44.97)!
Get 50% off EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Professional!
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Gaya Raya Bersama ROG gives you a chance to win a ROG Phone 5!

ASUS has announced the Gaya Raya Bersama ROG campaign which gives you a chance to own some awesome Republic of Gamers apparel, or even a chance to win the ROG Phone 5! It is also very simple to join, as this is all you need to do to participate:

Buy an ROG or TUF Gaming laptop
Register your new purchase here

Yep. That’s all there is to it. ROG or TUF Gaming laptops priced above RM5000 will net you a ROG Reflective Bomber Jacket, while laptops that costs less than RM5000 will come with a ROG Reflective T-shirt. As you would expect, the promotion is while stocks last, and sizes for the bomber jacket and T-shirt are offered on a first-come-first-serve basis.

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And every two weeks, there will be one lucky winner of the ROG Phone 5, worth RM2999. There will be a total of three ROG Phone 5s that will be given out across the Gaya Raya Bersama ROG Campaign that’s running until 15th June 2021, so if you are considering a new ROG or TUF Gaming laptop, this is your chance! You might even get a free phone upgrade, if you are lucky!
The following are the laptops that are eligible for the Gaya Raya Bersama ROG campaign:

ROG Series
ROG Zephyrus Series
ROG Strix Series
ASUS TUF Gaming Series

ROG Flow X13 (GV301Q-HK6306T)
ROG Flow X13 (GV301Q-HK6225T)
ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE (GX551Q-SHB133RS)
ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE (GX551Q-SHF173TS)
ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE (GX551Q-RHF055T)
ROG Zephyrus G15 (GA503Q-SHQ042T)
ROG Zephyrus G15 (GA503Q-RHQ068T)
ROG Zephyrus G15 (GA503Q-MHQ077T)
ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA401Q-MK2164TS)
ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA401Q-MK2237TS)
ROG STRIX SCAR 17 (G733Q-SHG131T)
ROG STRIX SCAR 17 (G733Q-RHG062T)
ROG STRIX SCAR 15 (G533Q-SHF060T)
ROG STRIX SCAR 15 (G533Q-RHF079T)
ROG STRIX G17 (G713Q-RHG075T)
ROG STRIX G17 (G713Q-MHX132T)
ROG STRIX G17 (G713Q-MHX087T)
ROG STRIX G15 (G513Q-RHF158T)
ROG STRIX G15 (G513Q-RHF104T)
ROG STRIX G15 (G513Q-MHN266T)
ROG STRIX G15 (G513Q-MHN173T)
ASUS TUF DASH F15 (FX516P-RAZ054T)
ASUS TUF DASH F15 (FX516P-MHN074T)
ASUS TUF DASH F15 (FX516P-MHN085T)
ASUS TUF GAMING A15 (FA506Q-RAZ030T)
ASUS TUF GAMING A15 (FA506Q-MHN063T)

The list pretty much includes every recent gaming laptop under the ROG and TUF Gaming lineups. Good luck!
Pokdepinion: If I had RM7699 to spare right now, I would so get the ROG Zephyrus G14…
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As we reported before during CES 2021, Razer unveiled an N95 respirator concept called Project Hazel that certainly attracted quite a bit of attention. After all, it’s an RGB face mask. If you wanted to get your hands on one, it might just be a possibility as it has been confirmed to enter mass production.
Razer Will Be Mass Producing Project Hazel RGB Face Masks

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According to an interview with Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan on Yahoo Finance, the Project Hazel RGB face masks as first introduced in CES 2021 will be mass produced. This means soon, anyone can get their hands on these colourful N95 respiratiors.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, we’re still expected to wear masks for a while even with the vaccine making its rounds in various countries. This is part of the reason why Razer is bringing Project Hazel from just a concept into reality.
For those of you who aren’t aware, these Project Hazel face masks will have rechargeable ventilators that also functions as voice amplifiers via built-in microphones, and it is detachable. The build is said to be made from waterproof, scratch-resistant recycled plastic with a glossy finish. One of the highlights of this is that it has Razer Chroma RGB, which will see the two ventilators illuminate in glorious RGB lighting. There are also adjustable ear loops for added comfort.
At the moment, there’s no word yet on exactly when it will be launched for the public and also where it will be sold. After all, there will be tests and approvals that it has to go through first before it can be sold. For now, we will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m gonna say this right now, if they make it officially available here in Malaysia, my name will be the first one on that list. Fight me.
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[TGS 2019] Final Fantasy VII Remake Gameplay Footage Shows Aps Boss Battle, Minigame, and More

On the 3rd day of Tokyo Game Show 2019 today, Square Enix held a stage event focusing on the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake. Producer Yoshinori Kitase played Final Fantasy 7 Remake live, showing the Mako reactor infiltration and the boss battle against the Guard Scorpion.
He most notably explained the game has a Classic Mode. When activated, the player-controlled character will automatically attack enemies and dodge. The only thing the player needs to do is pick an action when the ATB gauge fills, just like in the original game, hence the name “Classic”. Limit Breaks are selected and executed when their gauge fill as well.
Next, Kitase also showed the squatting minigame in action, along with a new special gameplay video. The video, which wasn’t live and was recorded beforehand, shows Cloud, Tifa and Aerith fight again Aps, the boss in the sewers below Don Corneo’s mansion.

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We got to see Aerith’s Holy Circle ability. It makes a magic circle appear on the ground, and any character casting magic within this area will see their magic getting repeated, dealing more damage.
The video most notably features Cloud summoning Ifrit. Kitase explained you can equip one summon Materia to each character’s weapon. When a summon appears, they’ll stay on the field and fight alongside your party, until the summon gauge runs out. You can make the summon use certain skills by spending the ATB bar. For example, Ifrit can use skills such as like Flame Burst and Crimson Dive by spending Cloud’s ATB bar. When the summon gauge runs out, the summon unleash a powerful attack before disappearing. In Ifrit’s case, it’s his iconic Hellfire attack.
Kitase also mentioned the summon gauge “appears when fighting strong enemies and bosses, as that’s when Summon Materia can enter a state of “resonance””, hinting that you can’t use summoning whenever. The gauge fills as you attack enemies.

You can check out all the gameplay footage for the game that was shown at TGS 2019 throughout this post. Final Fantasy VII Remake will be coming exclusively to the PlayStation 4 on 3rd March 2020.
Pokdepinion: It is shaping up to be more and more interesting, but I hope the new episodes don’t take too long to release.
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Warner Bros Expected to Release Their Own Game Console

The folks over at Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment has officially announced their partnership with indie game developer IO Interactive. This will be for a worldwide publishing and distribution agreement to bring a new game console and PC game experience to players across the globe.
We’re very pleased to continue our relationship with the talented team at IO Interactive. IO Interactive has a longstanding legacy of creating iconic games, and we’re looking forward to partnering on this next endeavour to bring a new console and PC gaming experience to players globally. David Haddad, President of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Game studio IO Interactive has two development studios in the Scandinavian region. There’s IOI Copenhagen in Denmark and their newest opening at IOI Malmo in Sweden. Both studios will play an integral role in games development under the new partnership
Over the past few years, Warner Bros. has shown us first-hand that they understand and respect our creative vision, and we’re looking forward to continuing this relationship. IO Interactive has a proud history of creating compelling characters and universes for our players to enjoy, it’s in our DNA. As we embark on this exciting project to create a new universe for IOI Interactive together with Warner Bros., we’re currently looking for ambitious talent to join our team in our Copenhagen and Malmö studios for this extraordinary journey. Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive
This isn’t the first time that both companies have worked together. Previously, they’ve collaborated on a number of games, most notably the Hitman series with Hitman 2, Hitman: Definitive Edition, and Hitman HD Enhanced Collection.

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At the moment, IO Interactive is looking to hire talents in various areas of game development for their studios in Denmark and Sweden. If you’re interested, you can check it out and give it a try by clicking right here.
Source: Invision Community
Pokdepinion: I’m personally not confident as to how a game console by them would work. I’m at least open to new experiences so let’s wait and see how it goes.
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Get exclusive PWP offers from RM12 with every purchase of a JOI 11 Pro

The JOI 11 Pro is a versatile tablet that’s also very affordable. It comes with an efficient Intel Atom x5-Z8350, 4GB RAM and 64GB of expandable storage for some light computing chops, and runs Windows 10 Pro for the full suite of security and management features on offer in Windows 10.
If you are planning to use the JOI 11 Pro in an enterprise environment, it’s more than ready for it with full support for Remote Desktop, Hyper-V, Bitlocker, Group Policy Management, Device Guard and more. If none of them make any sense to you, it’s probably because you haven’t needed it, but the JOI 11 Pro is prepared for it with Windows 10 Pro out of the box.
You can find out more about the JOI 11 Pro in our extensive tests of its stylus capabilities, but today the highlight is the PWP promotions that you can get with the JOI 11 Pro from now until 15th December.

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You can get the JOI 11 Pro for just RM988 during the promotion instead of the regular price of RM999. On top of that, you will get a Soft Leather Keyboard and F-Secure Anti-Virus for free. Aside from the discounted price and bundled freebies, JOI is offering users a choice of ONE of the following for just RM12 with every purchase of the JOI 11 Pro:
HP 1112 DeskJet Printer (SRP: RM99)Shield Care – 1 Year Extended Warranty (SRP: RM184.90)Abodos AS-WH01 Bluetooth Headphone + Abodos AS-BS06 Wireless Speaker (SRP: RM218)APC Essential SurgeArrest 5 outlets 230V UK (SRP: RM119)

In addition to this, you can also get various accessories to complement your JOI 11 Pro at discounted prices:
JOI 11 Metal Keyboard @ RM129 (SRP: RM234.90)JOI 11 Leather Keyboard @ RM88 (SRP: RM187.70)JOI Active Pen Pro 110 @ RM88 (SRP: RM129)

The promotion is valid from now until 14th December on GLOO’s online channels:
GLOO WebstoreGLOO @ Shopee (JOI Active Pen Pro bundle)GLOO @ Shopee (Soft Leather Keyboard + F-Secure bundle)GLOO @ Lazada
Meanwhile GLOO physical outlets, SNS HQ Ipoh and iTworld Express will offer this promotion until 15th December.
Pokdepinion: If you are looking for a tablet to unleash your creativity, this might your most inexpensive choice. And those PWP promos are just the icing on the cake!
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These Four Telcos Are Now Available For You To Utilize On HUAWEI AppGallery

If you are a user of HUAWEI’s very own Android application platform, the AppGallery, well you can now purchase digital content with ease as the company has announced direct carrier billing partnerships with Digi, Hotlink, Maxis, and U Mobile respectively.
From now onwards, HUAWEI smartphone users can experience an easy and quick payment process on the app to purchase a wide range of in-app products such as games and customized themes through their postpaid accounts and pay through their monthly phone bill.
The new addition enables telco companies and app merchants an all-in-one mobile system that provides a seamless and secure option for users.

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In addition to that, HUAWEI smartphone users can also enjoy rewards using the payment method. Any in-app purchase of games on AppGallery Carnival Collection or any themes of Carnival Themes collection on the app will allow them to enjoy rewards, discounts, and offers from Lazada, Starbucks, and more.
For more information, you can head down here.
Pokdepinion: Though it is not something new, it’s nice to see that they are giving options to their users. Plus there’s the added rewards waiting for users when they spend there.
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At a launch event in Sentul Depot today, Samsung Malaysia has officially launched their newest premium smartphone offering, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series. This includes the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, Note 20 5G and Note 20 Ultra 5G.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Series Officially Launched in Malaysia

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series aims to stand above the others, claiming the title of “master of all” as a clear step up from the jack of all trades. As such, the new devices see notable improvements in various areas that will make it suitable for both work and play.
For starters, the S Pen now gives a more realistic feel when writing on the screen. Moreover, whatever you write on Samsung Notes will be automatically synced to other Galaxy tablets and Windows PCs, so you can access your notes on those machines just as you had left it on the smartphone. They’ve taken productivity potential a step further with improved integration with Microsoft devices. “Link to Windows” will let you respond to texts, receive notifications, and answer calls thru your PC instead while “Your Phone Apps” lets you launch and run apps on Windows 10 PCs.

Apart from that, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series is powered by the Exynos 990 chipset and brings a 120Hz refresh rate display. If you want to game and watch Netflix on a bigger screen, you can easily do that with the new Wireless DeX feature, mirroring the display on Smart TVs.

If you’re in touch with your creative side, there’s quite a bit you can do with this. The camera on the Galaxy Note 20 series lets you take great photos and 8K videos so you have a viable alternative if your primary camera suddenly dies out. The improved S Pen also lets artists sketch out their work with ease, with the experience made even better with its more realistic pen-to-paper feel. You can also use the PENUP app and see various artwork made using the S Pen for inspiration.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series will be available in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Green, Mystic Black, Mystic White, and Mystic Grey with matching S Pen colours. As for the price, we’ve listed them right below here:

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 = RM3,899
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G = RM4,299
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G = RM5,199

But wait, there’s more.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Celebratory Launch Promo

From 21st August to 31st October 2020, anyone who purchase any Samsung Galaxy Note 20 smartphone will be getting a UV Sterilizer with Wireless Charger and a Wireless Charger Convertible (worth RM508) for free. Additionally, there’s a special trade-up program where you can trade-in your smartphone up to RM4,005 for a new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series smartphone. This offer will only be available at all Samsung Experience Stores nationwide and Samsung e-store.
For more details on the trade-up program and the freebies, click right here.
Pokdepinion: If you’ve been waiting for a time to get yourself a new smartphone, you should give this one a try at a nearby store.
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[MWC2019] Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G announced with a larger battery and a higher price point

The Mi MIX 3 is one beautiful device, but it faces competition from newer flagships coming in with the Snapdragon 855. With the Mi MIX 5G, you get the beautiful ceramic slider design with all the latest hardware. Even a 5G modem.

To let you have your cake and eat it, Xiaomi shoehorned a Snapdragon 855 and a Qualcomm X50 5G modem into the Mi MIX 3 5G. They also managed to cram it with a bigger 3800 mAh battery. Why in the world didn’t Xiaomi do it with the original Mi MIX 3 beats me.

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Aside from the newer chipset, modem and larger battery, the Mi MIX 3 5G is identical to the Mi MIX 3. You get a dual 12MP rear camera, a 6.39″ bezel-less display, a 24MP + 2MP selfie camera setup under the display and of course, the ceramic back.
Key Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G Specifications

Snapdragon 855, octa-core at up to 2.84 GHz, 7nm FinFET
Qualcomm X50 5G modem
6.39″ FHD+ AMOLED display, 93.4% screen-to-body ratio
12MP f/1.8 + 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens
24MP f/2.2 + 2MP selfie camera
MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie
599 euro (~RM2769)

Would you be interested in a 5G version of the Mi MIX 3? Or would you wait for the next iteration of the Mi MIX series?
Pokdepinion: Well as a Malaysian I doubt we will be seeing 5G that soon, so I don’t really mind the 5G. But why didn’t Xiaomi put the 3800 mAh battery into the Mi MIX 3 in the first place?
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PS5 Price Will Be Dropping Very Soon According To Analysts

You may want to wait a bit before getting a PS5

By now you probably already know the price and launch details of Sony’s new PS5 and you’re really excited to get on for yourself. While most people will see the PS5 prices (USD499.99 (RM2,065~) for the Standard Edition and USD399.99 (RM1,652~) for the Digital Edition) as reasonable, there are some who consider it a little out of their reach particularly of the younger demographic.

According to analysts from iPrice Group however, you might not have to wait very long for prices for the PS5 to begin dropping. They predict that by May 2021 or 6 months after the official release, you will be able to get the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition for USD375.99 (RM1,555~) or the Standard Edition for USD469.99 (RM1950~). Which means that you will be potentially saving up to RM100.

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They also added that PS5 prices will likely drop even further to USD432.99 (RM1,790~) for the Standard Edition and USD345.99 (RM1,430~) for the Digital Edition, which means that you will be saving nearly USD70 (RM288~) from the PS5’s original price.
Credit: iPrice
iPrice says they based their predictions from their examinations of the price history of PlayStation 4 Pro. They collected and compared the selling prices of the console throughout the years from over 150 online shopping websites. They added that through their research they noticed that the average online selling price for Sony consoles tend to drop by 6% six months after release and then by another 8% a year after release.
Lastly, iPrice added that these prices come mostly from seasonal discounts from online retailers or deals from third-party sellers. This is due to the fact that Sony officially dropped the price of the PS4 only two years after its release.
So if you’re looking to get the PS5 at a cheaper price then you will definitely have to keep an eye out for any discounts online.
Pokdepinion: Good tips for those looking to get the PS5 but not willing or unable to pay the full launch price.
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Valorant Episode 3 Agent Buffs and Nerfs Listed

Valorant Episode 3 is coming soon and some players already managed to try it out before it was officially launched. Now, we have the full list of buffs and nerfs for every agent in this game right here.
Valorant Episode 3 Agent Buffs and Nerfs

Jett Changes | #VALORANT pic.twitter.com/RbTmheI0hj
— Mike – Valorant Leaks & Info (@ValorLeaks) June 18, 2021

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We’re expected to see some huge changes, especially on game balance, in Valorant Episode 3. Plenty of weapon prices have changed, and so will agent abilities. Furthermore, Riot Games is adjusting how a number of abilities work as well.
For instance, they are making Omen’s Paranoia skill cheaper from 400 credits to 300. Personally, this is a good change as I believe 400 is too pricey for it, and it doesn’t encourage new players to give it much of a try. Jett on the other hand sees her Cloudburst getting more expensive from 100 credits to 200, and her dash can no longer penetrate Cypher’s Tripwire.
If you want to see the full list of changes, check it out right below here:

Jett

Cloudburst: 100 to 200 creds
Updraft: 100 to 150 creds
Tailwind: Can no longer dash through Cypher’s tripwires
Bladestorm: Six to seven ult points

Astra

Astral Form Price: 200 to 150 creds/Starting stars decreased from two to one

Breach

Aftershock: 100 to 200 creds/One large shock to three small burst shocks
Flashpoint: 200 to 250 creds/Three to two charges

Sova

Owl Drone: 300 to 400 creds
Shock Bolt: 100 to 150 creds
Hunter’s Fury: Seven to eight ultimate points

Viper

Snakebike: 100 to 200 creds

Brimstone

Incendiary: 200 to 250 creds

Raze

Boom Bot: 200 to 400 creds
Showstopper: Seven to eight ultimate cost

Reyna

Leer: 200 to 250 creds

Yoru

Blideside: 200 to 250 creds

Cypher

Neutral Theft: Seven to six ultimate points

Phoenix

Curveball: 200 to 250 creds

Sage

Slow Orb: 100 to 200 creds
Resurrection: Seven to eight ultimate points

Skye

Trailblazer: 200 to 250 creds
Guiding Light: 100 to 150 creds/Three to two charges/Flashes regenerate after 40 seconds

Omen

Shrouded Step: 100 to 150 creds
Paranoia: 400 to 300 creds
Dark Cover: One free smoke (Previously there were two)/Second smoke cost – 100 credits/ Smokes regenerate after 40 seconds

Some players will be happier than others but don’t worry, these changes aren’t necessarily permanent. If it ends up changing the game for the worse, Riot Games will release a new patch to help re-balance the game. For now, we will just have to try it out first. Valorant is currently available for free exclusively on PC.
Source
Pokdepinion: I feel like a lot of these changes are needed, but the most painful one would probably be Sage. It’s not so much that the Sage players will have a tough time, but it will certainly discourage a good number of them from selecting the agent when they need to.
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ASUS Republic of Gamers unveils their latest gaming line-up at Computex 2017

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) hosted the Join the Republic press event at Computex 2017 today to unveil the latest line-up of gaming innovation.
I’m very proud to witness how ROG’s dedication to superior design and engineering has been recognized and celebrated by the gaming community worldwide for more than a decade. Today’s announcement and demonstration show how ROG products reach out to every gamer, empowering players of all skill levels and from all over the world to enjoy the best gaming experiences — and to win more battles! Jonney Shih, ASUS Chairman
Unveiled for the first time was the long-awaited ROG Zephyrus, the world’s slimmest gaming laptop powered by a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 (Kaby Lake) processor and the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics. Zephyrus features the Windows 10 Creators Update, which improves the performance of PC games via the all-new Windows Game Mode, and makes it easier to perform native game-streaming with Beam, Microsoft’s streaming service. Other products revealed include: ROG Strix SCAR Edition, a brand-new gaming laptop engineered to give FPS players a vital edge, with Intel Core i7 processors, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10 Series graphics, and an ultrafast 120Hz, 5ms display; and ROG Strix Hero Edition, a new gaming laptop made for MOBA heroes, with Intel Core i7 processors, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10 Series graphics and a 120Hz wide-view display with rich color fidelity.

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Also shown for the first time were:

Rampage VI Extreme, a flagship motherboard for dream X299 systems with custom liquid cooling and next-level customization;
ROG Rampage VI Apex, an all-new X299 motherboard designed for record-breaking overclocking and sub-zero cooling;
ROG Swift PG35VQ, a 35-inch 3440×1440 HDR curved panel monitor with a 200MHz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-SYNC technology;
ROG Strix Fusion, the world’s first gaming headset with exclusive headset-to-headset RGB-lighting sync and mobile app control.

The latest ROG gaming laptops have been carefully designed to delight two distinct types of gamer: those who crave the best performance from the latest resource-intensive AAA titles; and those who need certain performance and control-enhancing features to succeed at online eSports games and events.

ROG also officially launched the ASUS Aura SDK beta program, an evolving developer toolkit based on the most comprehensive full-system-lighting solution, furthers the capabilities and benefits of our Aura illumination technology. Aura SDK enables developers to fully exploit the capabilities of the vast eco-system of ASUS Aura Sync-capable gear, including the ability to display an array of system stats and alerts via RGB illumination, and brilliantly portray in-game action with real-time synchronized lighting — unleashing infinite lighting possibilities.
The latest ROG announcements also highlight the continuing strong relationship between ASUS and Microsoft and their commitment to providing the best gaming experiences.
Microsoft and ASUS continue to bring together the most advanced gaming software and hardware – Windows 10 and Republic of Gamers – to deliver unprecedented, immersive experiences to gamers all over the world. At Microsoft, we are continuing to bring the biggest lineup of games to Windows 10 PCs, and with Xbox Play Anywhere gamers can experience the freedom to play their games wherever they want. Peter Han, vice president, Partner Devices and Solutions, Microsoft
Join the Republic: A celebration of gaming innovation in five themed chambers
Following the on-stage presentation, attendees were invited through the specially-erected ROG tunnel to experience the Join the Republic showcase. This thrilling experience has been arranged into five distinct themes, each with its own dedicated design and demonstration equipment.
ROG excels in case modifications
ROG gaming products are massively popular with the case-modding community. This chamber demonstrates how some of the world’s best modders have used ROG products for the basis of some incredible mods.

The area is arranged as a ‘modding laboratory’, with a live demonstration and media interaction as two well-known modders — China’s Wei Zheng, also known as Ai-Mask; and Australia’s Stephen Hoad, aka Oz Modz — demonstrate their own gaming rigs, which leverage various ROG gaming products. Ai-Mark’s ROG Moto-Mod is reminiscent of his dream Ducati motorcycle, with Strix Z270-E Gaming as its powerful engine; while Oz Modz’ Maximus IX Formula-based Halo Master Chief draws its inspiration from the lead character in the famous Microsoft game.
ROG products to be seen here include: Strix Z270-E Gaming; Strix GTX 1080Ti; Maximus IX Formula; Strix GTX 1080; Swift PG 348Q; and Pugio.
ROG leads the esports industry
The esports industry is burgeoning globally, with ROG leading the way — creating products especially tailored for all types of esports games. This chamber is designed like a ‘fight club’ arena for gamers to test their skills using the latest ROG Strix Series gaming laptops.
Taking center stage in this chamber is Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP), one of the world’s most revered esports teams who exert their gaming skills on a live-stream using the most advanced gaming laptops.

The brand-new Strix SCAR Edition and Strix Hero Edition gaming laptops are respectively targeting FPS gamers and MOBA gamers. The models are infused with FPS shooters’ and MOBA warriors’ spirits of pursuing achievement and honor in their appearance. In both cases, the core functionality has been meticulously designed to fulfill the needs of fast-paced and fierce gaming sessions.
ROG products to be seen here include: Strix SCAR Edition and Strix Hero Edition.
ROG gaming desktops and monitors create the best customized gaming experience
This chamber demonstrates how ROG desktops enable gamers to experience both the very best gaming performance and customization options — with stunning lighting projections around the room to highlight the products. Visitors experience in-game virtual worlds with lifelike images and true-to-life colors displayed on ROG Swift Series gaming monitors: these are built for both gaming enthusiasts and pro-gamers, and take gaming visuals to a whole new level through HDR gameplay and surround setups.
The ROG Swift PG35VQ curved monitor and PG27UQ HDR gaming monitor are the very first to offer stunning resolution of up to 4K UHD with an ultrafast refresh rate of up to 200Hz at the same time, to deliver the ultimate gaming experience.

ROG Strix GD30CI’s intricate design detailing and ROG GT51CH’s extremely powerful performance are presented through a fascinating projection-mapping special effect. This interactive setup highlights the design concepts behind ROG desktops, leading audience to imagine the possibilities of the future.
ROG products to be seen here include: GD30CI; GT51CH; Swift PG35; PG27UQ; PG27AQ; and PG27VQ.
ROG outshines the competition with ASUS Aura Sync
This chamber immerses visitors in the colorful world of ASUS Aura. ASUS Aura Sync takes RGB lighting beyond the checkbox, combining and controlling the LEDs of all Aura-enabled products from a single application to achieve perfect, synchronized harmony — and it’s now a key feature of loads of ROG gaming products. Visitors can explore nine control schemes throughout all ROG products on display in this chamber, including: Static; Breathing; Strobing; Color Cycle; Rainbow; Comet; Flash & Dash; Music Effect; and Temperature modes. Wall-mounted RGB LED strips are synchronized with the displayed mods, so their illumination responds to visitor interactions.

Headlining the products on display in this area are ROG Rampage VI Extreme and Strix X299-E Gaming, a new ATX motherboard that’s geared to dominate, with bold aesthetics that are easily personalized, thrilling performance that’s readily accessible, and captivating audio that draws gamers deeper into the action.
All ROG products on display in this chamber benefit from Aura Sync illumination. ROG products to be seen here include: Rampage VI Extreme; Strix X299-E Gaming; Pugio; Strix Fusion; Poseidon GTX 1080 Ti; Swift PG27VQ; SLI HB Bridge; and GR8 II.
ROG redefines AAA gaming experiences
This chamber shows a glimpse of the future of gaming, and allows visitors to witness the redefinition of performance barriers. Like a secret arms depot inside an underground military facility, the dark environment of this chamber, bathed in atmospheric ROG-red light, serves the sole purpose of displaying the ultimate power of its arsenal. It showcases ROG’s most powerful laptops running the latest triple-A games at unbelievable frame rates, demonstrating how gamers who also demand portability no longer need to compromise when it comes to graphical fidelity and extreme performance — delivering desktop-like gaming experiences anywhere.
ROG products to be seen here include: Zephyrus and GX800.

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Razer Junglecat Mobile Game Controller Unveiled – 100+ Hours of Battery Life

Razer Junglecat Mobile Game Controller Unveiled

If you’re an avid mobile gamer, then I’m sure you’ve been looking for a mobile game peripheral that can bring your experience to the next level. The new Razer Junglecat mobile game controller could just be what you need for that edge over your opponents.
The Razer Junglecat mobile game controller features twin analog thumbsticks and bumper buttons on each side. The left side has a 4-way D-pad while the right has 4 action buttons, similar to a modern day gamepad.

You can use it in two different modes; Mobile Play and Desktop Play. For Mobile Play, you simply attach one or both pieces of the Razer Junglecat to the included smartphone case and you can simply game away. You can also attach it to the controller grip and use it as a handheld controller. For Desktop Play, simply pair with your Bluetooth-enabled Windows PC.

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Both modes will utilize Bluetooth Low Energy with a low latency connection. This will be crucial for competitive gamers as every millisecond counts. It is said to have a battery life of over 100 hours per full charge via USB-C. However, that’s something we at Pokde.net would like to test ourselves.

Gamers can take advantage of the Razer Gamepad app which can tune your personal preferences for specific mobile games. It will give you access to a library of controller-compatible games and allow you to tweak the settings for each game. This includes button remapping, thumbstick sensitivity, and more.
The Razer Junglecat mobile game controller is now available in selected countries with a retail price of USD $99.99. It is expected to arrive in Malaysia in the near future, but no specific release date and pricing is available yet. We will be reporting on it as soon as information becomes available.
Pokdepinion: I can see myself gaming with it, even on PC. The modular design does make it easier to bring around. I just hope the buttons and build quality aren’t as flimsy as the Nintendo Joy-Cons.
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League Of Legends Animated Series Arcane Has Been Renewed For A Second Season By Netflix

Netflix and Riot Games’ Arcane animated series based on the popular League of Legends video game has just been given a second season. Seeing how it’s been getting a lot of rave reviews from both fans and critics alike, it’s not really a surprise that the show has been renewed for a second by the streaming service.
Arcane is getting a second season

Stars Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell and Katie Leung have been confirmed by Netflix to reprise their roles in season 2 as Vi, Jinx and Caitlyn Kiramman respectively. The streaming service, as well as Riot Games, also revealed a short teaser for the show’s second season. You can check it out below.

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Here’s a brief description of the show:
The delicate balance between the rich city of Piltover and the seedy underbelly of Zaun. Tensions between these city-states boil over with the creation of hextech a way for any person to control magical energy in Piltover, and in Zaun, a new drug called shimmer transforms humans into monsters. The rivalry between the cities splits families and friends as Arcane brings life to the relationships that shape some of League of Legends’ famous champions including Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, Jayce and Viktor.

Arcane season two is coming soon on Netflix.
Pokdepinion: I enjoyed Arcane particularly the animation, story and characters. The music was also very well done. I’m not by any means a fan of League of Legends as I don’t play MOBA games but I do love their animated short films as well as their music. I always look forward to whatever new content Riot Games comes out for their Worlds championships.
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Series Renders Leaked Ahead of Launch

Renders of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro have leaked online ahead of the company’s rumoured smartwatch launches. The renderings, courtesy of 91mobiles, show both smartwatches and a total of five distinct colours: Black, Green, Pink, Purple, and Grey.
Samsung has yet to confirm the specifications of the wearables. The claimed renderings also show the round dial design seen in prior versions.

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Furthermore, early reports stated that the Pro model will have a battery that could last at least three days. Both smartwatches are also likely to run WearOS 3.5, which is built on One UI Watch 4.5.

The company has officially revealed that the Galaxy Unpacked event will take place on 10 August. The Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, as well as the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, are scheduled to be unveiled at the same event.
According to rumours, the 40mm Bluetooth model is likely to cost EUR300, while the LTE model will cost EUR350.
The 44mm Galaxy Watch 5 with Bluetooth might be priced at EUR350 whereas the LTE model is at EUR400.
The 45mm Galaxy 5 Pro with Bluetooth is estimated to cost EUR490, with the LTE model costing EUR 540.
Source , Source , Source
Pokdepinion: The additional purple colour added to their line of smartwatches makes me happy. The colour selections are actually really pretty. Can’t wait to see their official specifications!
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Did Gigabyte Malaysia Screw Up? Refuses to Honour AORUS K9 Warranty Claim

A loyal supporter’s mechanical keyboard purchase has gone completely wrong as Gigabyte Malaysia refuses to honour the warranty for the AORUS K9.
Did Gigabyte Malaysia Screw Up?

Whenever you purchase electronics, gadgets and alike, there will always be a warranty for it. With a specific period in mind, consumers can claim warranty if they find some issues with their purchase. This is done in case there might manufacturing defects, issues during transportation, and more.

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But what if your item, which is still within the warranty period, cannot be claimed for warranty? That’s what happened recently with Gigabyte Malaysia on their AORUS K9 mechanical keyboard.

John (not his actual name) is a loyal Gigabyte supporter who recently purchased an AORUS K9 mechanical keyboard which utilizes the optical Flaretech switches. After a month of using it, he wanted to get his keyboard cleaned up so he proceeded to take out the keycaps. He then found out that 5 switches from the keyboard had its stem broken during the process of pulling out the keycaps.
John’s conversation with Gigabyte Malaysia customer service representative
He then proceeded to contact the person whom he purchases the AORUS K9 from, who then relayed the issue to Gigabyte Malaysia. Their representative refused to honour the keyboard’s warranty, citing that the damage is caused by the user itself and that the warranty only covers defects such as PCB board, wiring issues, and software-related issues.
With no choice left in the matter, John went to a local keyboard expert to fix his AORUS K9. The expert went public on Facebook with the issue that John faced, citing that the optical Flaretech switches were rather fragile / problematic. This garnered quite a response from the public, which soon led to Gigabyte’s customer service contacting John about the issue.
John’s conversation with Gigabyte Malaysia customer service representative
According to the representative, Gigabyte has changed their mind but now they are simply evaluating whether they will be sending replacement Flaretech switches or not. John isn’t looking for a refund nor is he trying to swindle Gigabyte. He simply wants his keyboard fixed and nothing more.
From the expert’s evaluation, he simply needs to replace the 5 switches (the ones with the broken stem). The replacement switches will amount to about RM70 – RM80, and possibly another RM70 for replacement keycaps, which should total up to about RM150. Seems like a small amount, don’t you think so?
It’s absolutely strange to see the keyboard’s warranty allegedly only covering a few things, and the mechanical switch itself isn’t one of them. It’s arguably the most vital part of any mechanical keyboard. Moreover, the AORUS K9 itself costs about RM600, which is rather steep, and yet Gigabyte Malaysia itself refuses to budge for replacement switches which costs about RM70 – RM80.

Not to mention, this is not the first time the AORUS K9 keyboard has such issues. YouTuber Jason Constantine made a video, which you can check out above here, demonstrating the flaws / issues with the optical Flaretech switches. With the stems broken as well, it seems that this the same issue that John is facing.
Another thing worth pointing out is how the customer service representative communicates with John. When you think of customer service, you think of someone who can communicate in a clear, concise, and polite manner but it doesn’t seem to be the case for Gigabyte. Instead, we have all sorts of typos / grammatical errors / communication errors present.

I was confused when I read “unfortunately, we are able to honor this warranty as this was a user-caused damage”. Does that mean John can actually claim for warranty? Turns out no as the representative meant to say “unable” instead.
What sort of message does Gigabyte Malaysia want to relay to their consumers? That all they want is people to buy them with zero care on after-sales support? That seems to be the case now at least. And it appears that they have lost a loyal follower today as John had this to say after the grueling ordeal:
Damage has been done. This is how John feels about Gigabyte now.
We certainly hope Gigabyte Malaysia will do right by the consumers instead of simply looking at making a profit. Businesses can have good products but if they have terrible after-sales support, no one’s going to bother supporting them. Perhaps they need a wake up call, and we’re hoping this might just do the trick.
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Is It Still Worth Buying or Keeping a HUAWEI Smartphone?

I’m sure many of you have been wondering about the state of HUAWEI smartphones. The ones who own one, I’m sure you’re probably thinking of selling it off due to the whole ban issue with the US government. Today, we’re going to discuss whether it’s still worth buying, or keeping for those who already own one, a HUAWEI smartphone.
Up until the latest HUAWEI smartphone out there, which is the P30 series, you will still get to use Android OS and still receive support for it. While the ban was expected to start immediately, there was a temporary 90-day lifted which allowed for further software updates and security fixes. While this is temporary, it’s still something for current owners and potential buyers.

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To further add on to that matter, US President Donald Trump is now open to talk things over with China, despite still labeling HUAWEI as “something that is very dangerous.” You can read more about that by clicking right here. While that isn’t a clear indication that the ban will be lifted permanently, there is still a good chance that the ban won’t actually happen. If it doesn’t happen, then we can enjoy proper support for the devices for the foreseeable future.

Now what if the ban ends up taking place for real? For the current devices, we will most likely not see anymore Android updates, which can severely limit the devices longevity. If you’re on a midrange device, that might not be so bad but if you purchased a flagship, it can be a real bummer. This is especially so if you tend to purchase flagships as you only change them once every two years or so rather than a yearly change.
For future HUAWEI smartphones, that will be tricky. The company’s own Hongmeng OS will need to garner support from app developers in order to populate their own app store. Given how long Android has been around and the sheer number of apps on Play Store, this will be seen as a huge setback. This is something that will require a lot of time in order to grow. There were talks of making Android apps capable of running on the new OS but no official details on that just yet.

Furthermore, the loss of component suppliers and ejection from key standards groups will cause even more issues with future devices, and it’s something that needs to be remedied quickly. Licensing issues with ARM will cause problems when it comes to manufacturing their Kirin chipsets and the loss of Bluetooth will be a huge blow for consumers who use Bluetooth-based peripherals such as wireless earphones. Not being able to use the SD card isn’t as big of a blow since they now have their own NM cards for storage.
Is the situation a complete loss for HUAWEI? Definitely not. Even if the worst happens, I’m sure they will be able to figure out the necessary actions to spring back to the market. If the ban ends up being lifted completely, even better. It’s all a matter of time and how swiftly the company is able to deal with the issues.

Now to get back to the question; is it still worth buying or keeping a HUAWEI smartphone? If we’re looking at what’s available right now, yes. You’ll still be able to enjoy Android OS and the Google ecosystem. Not to mention, the flagships do have pretty good cameras which I’m sure is an enticing factor for many. If you already own one, just keep using it. If you’re looking to buy one, you might be able to find brand new ones for cheaper than retail online, and you might be able to find used devices for an even cheaper price than usual.
As for whether it’s worth buying upcoming smartphones from the company that will be powered by Hongmeng OS, it would be best to wait and see. Allow experts such as ourselves here in Pokde.net to give it a try, and we’ll tell you everything that you need to know. It’s hard to outright say yes or no in this case as we’ve no experience with this new mobile OS.
The titan-class Mate 20 X.
Important disclaimer, this post is not sponsored by HUAWEI or any companies related to them. This is simply my own opinion which I feel is worth stating as I am currently using the HUAWEI Mate 20 X as my daily driver. If the ban does indeed take place, you can look forward to hearing from me again on my usage of the smartphone in the “dark ages” as I have no plans on changing to a new device anytime soon.
If you have your own views / thoughts on the matter, share it with us by commenting on this post or on the Facebook post. We’d love to hear from you. Until then, stay tuned to Pokde.net for further updates.
If you want to check out our review of the P30, click right here. If you want to check out our review of the Mate 20 X, click here instead.
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Xiaomi 13 Pro Leak Reveals Groundbreaking 1-Inch Sony IMX 989 Sensor

A purported Xiaomi 13 Pro leak reveals that it’s making a huge jump in the camera department as it allegedly uses the 1-inch Sony IMX 989 sensor.
Xiaomi 13 Pro Leak

Xiaomi 13 Pro
– 6.7″ E6 2K LTPO
– Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
– 8/12GB RAM
– 128/256/512GB storage
– Rear Cam: 50MP (1″ IMX989) + 50MP (UW) + 50MP (Tele)
– Front Cam: 32MP
– Android 13, MIUI 14*
– 4,800mAh battery, 120W fast charging
– Surge C2, P2 chip
– Leica color science
— Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) October 31, 2022

The specifications for the Xiaomi 13 Pro have leaked online courtesy of Twitter user and 91mobiles contributor Yogesh Brar. From what we can see, it’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and sports a 6.7-inch 2K LTPO curved display with up to 120Hz refresh rate.

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Apart from that, it’s said to come with up to 12GB RAM and up to 512GB internal storage, similar to the Xiaomi 12 Pro. It will be powered by MIUI 14 based on Android 13 and will be juiced up by a healthy 4,800mAh battery with 120W fast charging support thanks to the Surge P2 chip.

The most interesting part here is the camera as it has a triple camera setup powered by the Xiaomi Surge C2 chip and enhanced with Leica technology. The main camera is a 1-inch 50MP Sony IMX 989 wide angle camera, similar to the one on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, along with a 50MP ultra-wide camera and a 50MP telephoto camera. The selfie camera on the other hand is said to be a 32MP wide angle camera.
It may not be the first smartphone to have a 1-inch camera, with Sony have their one in the Xperia Pro-I and even Xiaomi having the 12S Ultra. However, the latter is exclusive to China so if this is accurate, it will be the first time many consumers will be able to enjoy a 1-inch sensor camera in a smartphone by them.
Since there have been no official mentions of the Xiaomi 13 Pro, it’s hard to say whether it is indeed real. If it is, we expect it to launch sometime in either December 2022 or within the first quarter of 2023. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: This is going to be the biggest development for smartphone cameras as it shows that this is the standard moving forward for flagships, and it effectively kills compact cameras since it uses the same sensor size as the Sony RX100 and Canon G7X. As it evolves, it’s going to render M43 cameras irrelevant as well.
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iPhone 15 Pro CAD Renders Reveal Redesigned Titanium Frame and Enhanced Camera Protrusions

The latest CAD-based renders of the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro reveal a redesigned titanium frame, thicker camera bumps, and haptic volume and mute buttons. The device is also rumored to have an all-new sensor technology and USB-C charging.
iPhone 15 Pro CAD Renders Show New Frame and Enhanced Camera Protrusions

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 Pro is reportedly launching in September, and new high-quality renders show off some of its features. These renders depict the device in a deep red “hero color,” with a titanium frame and rounder edges. One of the most noticeable changes from previous models is the thicker camera bump, which will house larger individual camera protrusions. The iPhone 15 Pro Max will have a smaller camera bump that will reportedly contain a periscope zoom lens.

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The new model will also have USB-C ports, but the fastest charging will only be available with USB-C cables certified by Apple. The volume and mute buttons will be haptic, not real, and will have two haptic engines dedicated to emulating a button press. The mute toggle will be a haptic button rather than a sliding switch.

The iPhone 15 Pro will feature thinner bezels that measure just 1.55mm all over on all sides, and the screen glass will have a subtle curvature that blends into the titanium frame. The new model will be slightly narrower than its predecessor, measuring 146.47 x 70.46 x 8.24 mm, compared to 147.46 x 71.45 x 7.84 mm for the iPhone 14 Pro. The device will be available in white, Space Black, gold, and a deep red “hero color.”
The cameras in the iPhone 15 Pro will feature new sensor technology that captures more light and reduces overexposure or underexposure in certain settings. With its sleek design and improved camera capabilities, the iPhone 15 Pro is poised to be a highly anticipated release for Apple fans.
Source
Pokdepinion: For a moment there, I thought it would be a huge departure from the original design but I suppose that’s not the case. It’s more of a healthy upgrade while maintaining its signature look sans the Lightning port.
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PSA: Scammers Are Trying to Steal Your Money and Crypto Using Search Engine Ads

Being on the internet means you are potentially a target of a scam. Here’s one more that you need to keep an eye out for as scammers are making use of search engine ads to steal your money and cryptocurrency.
Scammers Using Search Engine Ads to Steal Money and Crypto

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According to a report by The Record, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has recently discovered a new scheme that scammers have developed. It will extract a victim’s bank account information via phishing sites disguised as banks to give out out their personal banking information.
They way they do it by using ads to attract unsuspecting users to fake websites, but there are also ways implemented to make users find the website organically. The scammers will then use a set of tactics to get the necessary banking information and immediately make transfers using it.

In both versions of the scheme, the spoofed portal prompted customers to enter account credentials and telephone numbers, and to answer security questions. These actions failed to grant access, at which point the account holder would receive a telephone call from the cyber actor who falsely claimed to represent the financial institution.
While this individual occupied the customer in a lengthy process purported to restore account access, an associate would access the financial institution’s legitimate portal using the customer’s stolen credentials and initiate wire transfers from the account. Victims subsequently learned about the illicit transfers from the financial institution or when they eventually logged into the correct portal.
FBI
It appears that this scheme has been happening since March 2021 but it’s not the first of its kind. There have been similar phishing sites around for years, but this time they are targeting cryptocurrency investors. These phishing websites are easy to delete which makes it hard to track down these scammers. The most we can do is be aware of what’s happening and be extra careful while on the internet.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m not surprised that scammers have the money to pay for putting up ads, and it would ultimately get them more money if they succeed anyway. It’s something for everyone to be extra careful of as they surf the web.
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vivo Malaysia Is Offering You The Chance To Win Prizes Worth Up To RM188,000

Chinese New Year is inbound and the folks at vivo Malaysia is hosting their HUAT COW COW Chinese New Year Sale, where it starts on the 30th of January till 14th of February 2021. In the period, you stand a chance to win lucky draw prizes with a total worth of up to RM188,000.
vivo Malaysia HUAT COW COW Chinese New Year Sale
vivo Malaysia HUAT COW COW promo
In the promo period, all you need to do is purchase any vivo smartphones that’s priced above RM500 and you’ll be in the running to win a Dyson Family Bundle worth RM8,327. In addition to that, the winners will also get to enjoy cashback up to 100% for the purchased smartphone and receive RM8 Huat Ang Pao in cash.
To register for the campaign, you will need to scan a dedicated vivo HUAT COW COW QR code and fill in your details including the smartphone’s IMEI 1 number. Once you’ve done that, you are given one chance to make your draw. These steps must be completed at any vivo stores.

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Aside from that, they’ve announced that they will be offering the vivo X50 Pro and vivo V20 SE at a promo price at RM2,899 and RM1,099 in the period.
Pokdepinion: I simply have one question; why would you host an offer like this and make customers to go to their stores when there’s clearly a pandemic going on? It would’ve been responsible and safer if they’d just do the mechanics through online.
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ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming Preview — unboxing and a peek at the VRMs

We were given the opportunity to check out ASUS’ Z490 motherboards before they were launched, and here we are looking at the ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming, the flagship of the ROG Strix Z490 family. It offers quite a bit of features that you might not have expected from a ROG Strix motherboard, as ASUS seems to have went out of their way to make the best motherboard to grace the ROG Strix family.

Unboxing the ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming

The packaging is pretty typical for an ROG Strix motherboard. Striking colors with the ROG logo featured heavily, the packaging shouts “GAMER” without any restraint.

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Over on the back we see more of the highlighted features of this motherboard. You can see that the design of the board doesn’t deviate far from the ROG Strix aesthetic we have seen on previous boards, which is good.

And in the box we get a whole set of ROG Strix paraphernalia, as well as the usual ARGB and RGB extension cables. What’s not so common is the inclusion of a thermistor and a VRM fan, but those are standard for the previous generation’s ROG Strix Z390-E Gaming too.
ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming Design

The ROG Strix boards put quite a bit of focus on the design, but as you can see this time around performance isn’t going to be compromised either. The VRM heatsink extends all around the CPU socket, even to where a Northbridge would traditionally be located. The little “spoiler” you see near the two CPU power connectors is where you would mount the VRM fan, but with the beefiness of the heatsinks here, I somewhat doubt you would need to use them in most usage scenarios.
Meanwhile the lower half of the board is dominated by the PCH cooler’s shroud which extends to meet the “Northbridge” heatsink as well as the first M.2 SSD heatsink. You might also spot the Q-Code LED readout on the bottom edge of the board, a feature which is extremely helpful when trying to debug any boot issues.

ROG’s signature cybertext is also featured heavily on the back of the ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming, but unfortunately it will most probably be wasted here as no one will get to see it. Unless you have a case which for some reason has a transparent motherboard tray, this will only be seen before you install the board into your case, and after you remove it for whatever reason.

The array of I/O ports here on the rear of the ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming are pretty nice too, with four USB 3.1 (10 Gbps) ports, one of which is a USB-C port, two USB 3.0 ports and four USB 2.0 ports. There’s also both HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, in case you want to make use of the integrated graphics on the 10th Gen Intel Core processors. For connectivity you get an Intel I225-V 2.5G LAN along with Intel WiFi 6 AX201, ensuring you get the best of both worlds. Last but not least, you also get BIOS Flashback, which is a very nifty feature to update your BIOS even when you don’t have a CPU or RAM installed on the board.

There’s quite little RGB on this board, but I guess it’s somewhat expected given ASUS’ theme of distancing itself from flashy RGB-laden motherboards in recent times.
ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming Specifications

CPU support
Intel LGA 1200
10th Gen Intel Core desktop processors (Comet Lake-S)
Pentium Gold & Celeron processors

Power
1 x 24-pin ATX
1 x 8-pin EATX 12V (ProCool II)
1 x 4-pin EATX 12V
ASUS ASP1900B PWM controller (7+1 phase)
14 x Vishay SiC639 (50A) powerstage for CPU
2 x Vishay SiC639 (50A) powerstage for iGPU

Chipset
Intel Z490

Memory
4 x DDR4 DIMM, max. 128GB un-buffered memory

Multi-GPU Support
2-way NVIDIA SLI
3-way AMD CrossFireX

Expansion slots
PCIe 3.0 x1
PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16 electrically)
PCIe 3.0 x1
PCIe 3.0 x16 (x8 electrically)
PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4 electrically)

Storage
6 x SATA 6 Gb/s, supports RAID 0,1,5,10
1 x M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4/SATA (disables SATA_2 when M.2 SATA SSD is used)
1 x M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 (disables SATA_5 & SATA_6 when M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD is used)

Network
Intel WiFi 6 AX201 (2×2 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.1)
Intel I225-V 2.5G LAN

USB
Rear I/O:
3 x USB 3.1 (10 Gbps)
1 x USB 3.1 Type-C (10 Gbps)
2 x USB 3.0 (5 Gbps)
4 x USB 2.0
On-board headers:
1 x USB 3.1 (10 Gbps)
1 x USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) (2 ports each)
2 x USB 2.0 (2 ports each)

Audio
SupremeFX S1220A CODEC
5 x gold-plated audio jacks (rear)
1 x Optical S/PDIF out
1 x front panel audio connector

Display output
1 x HDMI 1.4
1 x DisplayPort 1.4

Other onboard connectors
1 x CPU fan header
1 x CPU_OPT fan header
1 x AIO_PUMP header
1 x VRM_HS_FAN header (VRM fan)
1 x W_PUMP+ header
2 x Chassis fan headers
1 x Temperature sensor connector
2 x AURA RGB headers
2 x ARGB Gen 2 headers
1 x Thunderbolt 3 header

Overclocking features
BIOS Flashback
Q-CODE readout
Q-LED debug LEDs
CPU_OV jumper

Included accessories
User’s manual
4 x SATA 6Gb/s cable
1 x M.2 Screw Packages
1 x M.2 rubber package
1 x 40mm assistant fan (VRM fan)
1 x Wi-Fi Antenna
1 x ARGB extension cable
1 x RGB extension cable
1 x Thermistor
1 x Driver disk
1 x ROG Strix stickers
1 x ROG Strix thank you card

Form factor
ATX (12″ x 9.6″)

A Closer Look

One of the main highlights of the latest LGA 1200 boards is the VRM. As Intel is now offering up to ten cores with the 10th Gen Intel Core processors, motherboards will have to be ready to tackle the increased power draw that these new CPUs will have. As such, ASUS has went over the top with the heatsink design, and actually cut a lot of slits into the aluminium to make for more surface area, besides adding another block of aluminium in the center of the motherboard.

Lifting off the elaborate heatsink we find 16 Vishay SiC639 50A VRPower Integrated Power Stages, which should be more than enough to power any 10th Gen Intel Core processor. It is configured in ASUS’ Teamed Power Architecture, so there are seven phases each connected to two power stages each for the Vcore, and one phase handling the integrated graphics. The ASUS ASP1900B PWM controller is somewhat new, as I have not seen it on previous ASUS motherboards, nor is there any mention of it in any online resources.

The PCH heatsink shroud is made of plastic, and unfortunately covers quite a bit of the area around it. While it looks good, installing an SSD into the first slot is not going to be a pleasant experience, with you needing to undo three screws to remove it, before unscrewing the two holding down the M.2 SSD heatsink. But hey, it looks damn good with all the cybertext running across it. The two reinforced PCIe x16 slots are connected to the CPU, and allow you to run SLI configurations, while the regular ones are connected to the PCH.
That’s it for our preview of the ASUS ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming. We will be taking a closer look at the ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming motherboard in our in-depth review of it soon, so stay tuned!
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It looks like things aren’t going great for Sega as of late as they have recently requested 650 of their employees in Japan to voluntarily retire.
Sega Japan is Asking 650 Employees to Voluntarily Retire

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According to Sega Sammy Holdings, COVID-19 has had a severe impact to their business and they are expecting “an extraordinary loss” in the current fiscal year. As such, they are asking their 650 employees in Japan to voluntarily retire. Previously, the company has sold off their arcade business due to the pandemic.

In order to recover earnings at an early stage and achieve sustainable growth in the future, we consider that it is necessary to promote cost-reduction centered on fixed expenses and build an even more efficient system and decided to call for voluntary retirement of employees.
Sega Sammy Holdings
For those who choose to voluntarily retire, they will be getting “payment of extraordinary retirement allowances and reemployment support for applicants.” They are also cutting down the salaries of their executives.
This includes the Representative Director getting a 30% pay cut, Senior Executive Vice President getting a 20% pay cut, and the Senior Vice President getting a 10% pay cut. Within their group companies, there is an expectation for more pay cuts in top management, and the company will not be paying performance bonuses for the directors based on current year’s financial forecast.
At the moment, Sega Sammy Holdings, which was formed after the merger of Sega and Sammy in 2004, expects a ¥10 billion / USD $96.6 million loss in the current fiscal year which ends on March 2021.
Source
Pokdepinion: We’re facing tough times and it’s affecting the whole world. It still surprises me that a company like Sega has to do this but understandably, they need to figure out how to keep the business going.
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ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Power with Ease

Unboxing the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Box

The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 comes in a dark gray box with some lines strewn across it, resembling the lid of the laptop itself. Inside it, I didn’t find much but that’s likely because this is a review unit and not a standard retail unit. Regardless, this is what I found:
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Box content

Power cable
90W Charger
The ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED laptop itself

Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-13700H, 14C(6P+8E)/20T @ 2.4GHz (up to 5GHz Turbo), 45W TDP, Intel 7

RAM
16GB LPDDR5-4800 (on-board, dual-channel)

Graphics
Intel Iris Xe Graphic, 96EU @ up to 1.4GHz

Storage
1TB Micron 2400 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

Software
Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
Intel Graphics Command Center
MyASUS
Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 (included)
McAfee Personal Security

Connectivity
Wireless
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (WiFi 6E + Bluetooth 5.2)
Wired
2 x Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps, supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, USB-PD
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A), 10Gbps
1 x 3.5mm audio jack

Display
14.5″ 2.8K (2880 x 1800) 16:10 120Hz OLED four-sided NanoEdge display, touchscreen
600 nits, 100% DCI-P3, DisplayHDR 600 True Black
2 x DisplayPort Alt Mode over Thunderbolt 4
1 x HDMI 2.1

Audio
Stereo speakers, tuned by harman/kardon (premium)
Array microphone, Cortana voice-recognition support
AI Noise-Cancelling Mic + AI Noise-Cancelling Speaker

Power
70WHrs Li-polymer battery
100W power adapter

Dimensions
321.8 x 225.6 x 16.9 mm

Weight
1.5kg

Performance
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – CrystalDiskMark
Starting off our benchmark suite with CrystalDiskMark, the SSD inside the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 managed to show admirable speeds. While we’ve seen faster SSDs for this type of laptop even from ASUS themselves, it’s still more than enough for most consumers anyway and the difference won’t really be felt in real world use. In case you’re wondering, it’s the 1TB Micron 2400 NVMe SSD.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Cinebench R20
Moving on to Cinebench R20, the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 showed some interesting figures. Typically, you’d see these figured on a more performance-oriented laptop rather than an ultraportable. This is because of the H in the Intel Core i7-13700H, and it’s a pretty strong CPU.

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ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Unigine SuperPosition
In Unigine SuperPosition’s 4K Optimized benchmark, the strong CPU couldn’t really do much here since this test is very GPU-focused. As such, there’s only so much the Intel Iris Xe can do. Even a laptop running an older CPU can do a lot better if it had a decent discrete GPU, as seen in graphs above with a simple GTX 1650.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – 3DMark Time Spy
A similar pattern can be seen in 3DMark’s Time Spy benchmark. Based on all the laptops I’ve included, I believe this is the highest point laptops can reach without a discrete GPU; just a few points shy of breaking the 2,000 mark. Can it be possible to surpass that mark? Sure, but barely if anything.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Novabench
As for Novabench, it’s interesting to see that it had a higher CPU score than the latest MacBook Pro 16-inch, with the M2 Pro chip supposedly being of the strongest around. However, the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 lost in the overall score as the GPU was the one holding back its true potential. Sure, memory plays a role here as well but that can still be changed, at least prior to ordering this laptop yourself.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – PCMark 10
Lastly on PCMark 10, the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 had a strong showing across the board. This came off as a bit of a surprise to me, especially in the Digital Content Creation part, but it seems to be the norm with the 12th and 13th Gen Intel Core machines. I do foresee a notable boost overall with the inclusion of the RTX 3050, in which there is a variant that comes with it, just not for our review unit.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Modern Office endurance test
In case you’re wondering about its battery life, the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 didn’t last as long as other similar laptops, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise given the performance-oriented CPU. In PCMark’s Modern Office endurance test, it lasted 9 hours and 27 minutes (567 minutes) before the battery died. It’s still a good figure nonetheless and you should be able to use this for an entire work day without a charger provided you’re not doing overtime.
Looking for a gaming laptop instead? Check out our ROG review by clicking right here.
The Good
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review
There are a number of good reasons that will make you consider getting the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404. For starters, it’s light and portable at just 1.5kg at 16.9mm thin, which makes it easy to carry around with you. Having a performance-oriented CPU in a laptop this light is like a dream, but that’s possible now. Of course, there are some sacrifices but we’ll get to that in the next section.
Then you have its build quality, which is military-grade MIL-STD-810H as it underwent a 26-test procedure, one of the strictest in the industry. While I wouldn’t take it out for a drop test, you shouldn’t worry too much if it accidentally knocked the table, got hot coffee spilt on it or any potentially, yet realistic daily mishap.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Display
Next up, you have yet another eye-candy of a display just like recent Zenbooks. It’s a 14.5-inch 2.8K resolution OLED display with paper-thin bezels which gives bright, punchy colours for you to easily immerse yourself with. Furthermore, the 16:10 aspect ratio gives you a bit more screen real estate to see more on the display. And the last icing on the cake which gives it a notable step up from other similar laptops; 120Hz refresh rate. To finally see this on a non-gaming laptop is great as it certainly sets a standard on what an ultraportable can and should have moving forward.
This shouldn’t be a surprise at this point but in case you might be new to Zenbooks, then it’s still worth noting; the ASUS Numberpad 2.0. In shorts, it doubles the trackpad as a numberpad whenever you enable it, which is great as it’s hard to include that in a compact laptop without cramming up the keyboard. Furthermore, the Ergosense feature lets you use gestures to make actions on the touchpad, like switcing between apps using three fingers. There’s a bit of a learning curve but if you’re used to navigation gestures and the sort on your smartphone, this will be easy to adapt to, and a worthwhile effort too.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Most of the ports
While one might not expect much from a laptop this thin, it does have a good array of ports. You get two Thunderbolt 4 ports which supports PD charging and DisplayPort Alt Mode, a USB-A port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and HDMI 2.1. It may not have a memory card reader but you essentially have everything you need to get the laptop up and running without feeling like you’re going to run short of ports. At most, you might need a USB-C to USB-A adapter in case you need to plug something in without sacrificing the existing USB-A port for mouse, but that’s a small matter.
One thing I was surprised with, albeit it’s not the biggest surprise, is the built-in speakers. It’s bottom-firing but it doesn’t sound even the least bit muffled as the clarity is one of the best in any ultraportables I’ve experienced thus far. Volume is more than adequate too, which is a plus. I wouldn’t use this to listen to music unless I have no other choice, but it is definitely great for conference calls and the sort.

https://pokde.net/assets/uploads/2023/04/Recording.mp3
Speaking of conference calls, in comes the biggest surprise for me with the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404; the built-in microphone. While not on par with your standalone condenser microphones (even the cheaper ones), it manages to capture relatively clear vocals, albeit with a bit of echo, instead of sounding like a traditional mobile phone call. I’ve included a microphone sample right above here for you to listen. Just a fair warning, it is rather sensitive to sounds in the environment, so you will need to be in a quieter room for a better conference call experience.
The Bad
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – Lid
As much as there are good things, there are also bad things of varying degrees on the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404. For starters, it’s a fingerprint magnet. Almost immediately out of the box, I can already see my fingerprints in various parts of the laptop’s lid, and I’ve already washed and dried my hands prior. Make sure to have a microfiber cloth around this laptop to keep it looking good.
Next up, while I’m happy with the performance of the laptop, the CPU does run relatively hot. During the benchmarking process, thermal throttling does occur, but not often. For general use like web browsing and office application, it will not be a worry but if it requires a bit more power, do be extra careful. Ideally, use it in a cooler place and not outdoors right under the sun, especially in weathers like Malaysia.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review – One USB-A port
While I did praise the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 for having a good array of ports, the placement is a bit odd. You have a single USB-A port on the left side, which makes sense as a mouse can be connected from here and have the wire run around the back of the laptop to reduce clutter. Having everything else on the right side is what I find weird as it feels to cramped on this side if you make use of most of the ports. If they at least moved one of the two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left side, it would be significantly tidier.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 has all the makings of a productivity laptop that can last you a long time but one crutch in its longevity is the inability to upgrade the RAM yourself. After all, it’s onboard RAM so if any issues arise from it, you will need to take it a service center. This also means that if you plan on using this laptop for a long time, you wouldn’t want to skimp out on RAM upon purchase as once you get that, you will be stuck with it until the end of its lifespan.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Verdict
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 Review
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 is a solid ultraportable productivity laptop, thanks to its vibrant OLED display and performance-oriented CPU. It has its ups and downs but for the best experience possible in the long run, don’t skimp out on the RAM and get the one with touchscreen support. If you can stomach its asking price of RM5,999, I’m sure it will serve you well.
At the end of our ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED UX3404 review, I award this laptop with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us this laptop for the purpose of this review.
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AMD Athlon 3000G Review

AMD has been on a roll recently with their slew of 3rd Generation AMD Ryzen processors, but their relatively low key budget processors are also pretty impressive. The AMD Athlon processors based on the Zen core architecture have proven to be pretty good, but this year they refreshed it with AMD Athlon 3000G, which adds overclocking to its already impressive feature set at just RM209. Yes, this processor is actually cheaper than what you would pay for RAM, or a AAA title.
Specifications
AMD Athlon 3000G

CPU
Architecture
Zen

Core(s)
2

Thread(s)
4

Base clock
3.5 GHz

Boost clock
N/A

Unlocked
Yes

Cache
L1
192KB

L2
1MB

L3
4MB

Integrated Graphics
Architecture
Radeon Vega 3 Graphics (3 CU, 192 SM)

Frequency
1100 MHz

Memory support
Dual channel DDR4 2666 MHz, Up to 64GB

PCIe support
12 PCIe 3.0 lanes (PCIe 3.0 x8 for graphics + PCIe 3.0 x4 for NVMe SSD)

Process node
GloFo 14nm

TDP
35W

Socket
AMD AM4

The AMD Athlon 3000G is based on the Zen architecture, which is the same as the first generation of Ryzen processors. There’s little to differentiate it from the AMD Athlon 200GE and the other Zen-based Athlon parts, aside from the fact that it is now unlocked, allowing users to squeeze out a bit more performance if they so wish.
Test Machine

Motherboard
ASUS PRIME B450M-A

CPU Cooler
Cooler Master Hyper T200

RAM
16GB (2 x 8GB) TEAM T-Force Delta TUF Gaming Alliance RGB DDR4 3200 MHz @ 2667 MHz

GPU
None

Storage
240GB Phidisk WrathKeeper SATA

PSU
Cooler Master MWE 500

Case
Cooler Master MasterBox Q500L

For the benchmarking of the Athlon 3000G, we were unable to use our premium ROG Crosshair VIII Hero for benchmarking, because of the lack of display outputs on the board. Also, it just doesn’t make much sense to test the CPU on a board that’s around 8x more expensive than the CPU itself. Thus we sourced an affordable ASUS Prime B450M-A, which should also be the kind of board one would reasonably pair with the Athlon 3000G. Also, we didn’t receive the AMD Athlon 3000G with its stock cooler, so we will be testing it with an inexpensive Cooler Master T200. It’s pretty run-of-the-mill, and we don’t expect it to bottleneck a 35W TDP part anyway.

Performance
As you might expect, the AMD Athlon 3000G will not blow anyone’s mind away with its performance. But once again, be reminded of the price and you would definitely be a lot more forgiving.

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CPU Workloads

In Cinebench R20, we do see that it isn’t exactly the fastest CPU out there, but you are getting solid, two-core performance out of the little chip. And while we were surprisingly unable to overclock it manually, letting ASUS EZ Tuning take the reins saw it go all the way up to 3.7 GHz.

PCMark scores are also similarly low scores but from these scores, we can see that it is actually more than good enough for basic computing tasks and productivity. You would want to avoid using this for content creation though as it is just not made for the job.

Last but not least, it does a decent job in 7zip’s benchmark too. Taking full advantage of the SMT available, going all out on the available threads nets a good 3.02x higher score.
GPU Workloads

Now the main draw of the Athlon 3000G is probably its Vega graphics. It definitely will allow casual users to save on a GPU. You might even be able to pull off some gaming on it.

While we tested at 1080p, you might enjoy more playable frame rates at 720p. Of course, do not even try playing at higher graphics settings than the lowest available because while AMD may offer better integrated graphics than the competition, it’s still not going to be powerful enough for that.
Since we didn’t get the included heatsink that comes with it, we cooled it with a Cooler Master Hyper T200. Priced at just RM65, we saw the Athlon 3000G running at just around 51°C in Realbench, before we slapped on the overclock.
Conclusion

Would we recommend the AMD Athlon 3000G? Well, most probably not to any gamer who might be into AAA titles. Even throwing a dedicated GPU into the system Instead, it’s a nice little CPU to power HTPCs and that sort of thing. It will probably not be an upgrade to any recent mid-range processors, but if you are looking to get a cheap processor for any light workloads like internet browsing and that sort of thing, the AMD Athlon 3000G should be the perfect little processor for you. With a price tag of RM209, there’s little competition if you want something with a bit more grunt in its GPU at this price point.

Our thanks to AMD Malaysia for sending us the AMD Athlon 3000G for review.
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