MasterBox MB530P by Cooler Master review — going bling with flying colors!

Introduction

What do you want in computer case? Over the years, case manufacturers have been trying their utmost best to fulfill everyone’s needs and wants when it comes to computer cases. Heck, there was even a 100% acrylic PC case way back when RGB wasn’t even a thing. So yeah. Space, bling, airflow… You name it, there’s a case that’s just right for you. The case we will be looking at today will be the MasterBox MB530P by Cooler Master. It has plenty of bling, that’s for sure. Let’s take a closer look.
Unboxing

Well the packaging is just plain cardboard. Cooler Master apparently reserves the pretty color printing for their more premium cases. So we have on the front an outline of the MasterBox MB530P, while over on the side we find the specifications.

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The back here is where you will see the highlight features of this case, in a multitude of languages.

After working through the foam and getting a healthy dose of static electricity, we find the case, an installation guide and a warranty leaflet. Where are the screws?

In the MasterBox MB530P! Cooler Master stowed away several zip ties, some rubber grommets and all the necessary screws and standoffs inside the case itself. This might have been done so that Cooler Master could avoid packaging issues where they might have cases shipped without the screws slipped into the box.
Appearance

Cooler Master clearly wanted to offer a case that put aesthetics at the top of its priority list. So much so that they used three tempered glass panels for the MasterBox MB530P. The front features one in front of the fans, and two more make up the sides. As you can see here Cooler Master applied a mild tint to give it a subtler look. It doesn’t detract from the bling though.

The I/O panel here is pretty basic, nothing out of the ordinary. Cooler Master incorporated a ARGB controller here, for which there is a singular button to control. There are also your standard array of I/O ports, but you get no USB 3.1 Type-C port here.

Over on the left side of the MasterBox MB530P, the tempered glass side panel is held on by two screws. You will also see that there are large swaths of mesh along the front panel for ample airflow into the case. Peeking inside, we see a PSU shroud to help you cover up the mess that would be your power supply. Unfortunately, if you have a really premium PSU and you want to show off just its label, you can’t do that.

The right side is also tempered glass. Now you might be thinking that you will definitely be the joke of the town with your horrible cable management. Cooler Master already thought of that though, and added a honeycomb pattern along the lower edge. There’s also a massive cable management cover along the front edge to help you deal with the cables.

Here on the top of the MasterBox MB530P, we see mounting holes for up to 2 x 140mm fans. The MasterBox MB530P has the mounting holes slightly offset to the left, allowing you to mount radiators without running into clearance issues with your motherboard’s VRM heatsinks. Cooler Master also solved a major headache with a dust filter here. The filter is held on magnetically, so you won’t have about screws or what not when doing routine maintenance.

The power supply bay also features a similar dust filter, but it is held in place by tabs along the sides instead of magnets. It is actually quite hard to reattach once you take it off, as it is along the bottom of the case where you can’t see it. A sliding dust filter would have definitely been preferable here.
Specifications

Model Number
MCB-B530P-KHNN-S01

Available Color
Black

Materials
Steel, plastic, tempered glass

Dimensions (LxWxH)
All
489(L) x 229(W) x 469(H) mm

Motherboard Support
Up to ATX

Expansion Slots
7

Drive Bays
5.25″
N/A

Combo 3.5″ / 2.5″
2

2.5″
2

Front panel
USB 3.0 x 2, USB 2.0 x 2

Audio in / out, RGB button

Pre-installed Fan(s)
Front
120mm ARGB x 3 (1200 rpm)

Rear
120mm x 1 (1200 rpm)

Fan Support
Front
120mm x 3 / 140mm x 2

Rear
120mm x 1

Top
120mm x 2 / 140mm x 2

Liquid Cooling Support
Front
Up to 280mm/360mm radiators

Top
240mm radiators

Rear
120mm / 140mm radiators

Clearances
CPU Cooler
165mm

PSU
180mm

GPU
410mm

Cable Routing
Behind Motherboard Tray
18mm – 25mm

Dust Filters
Front, bottom, top

Power Supply Support
Bottom mount, ATX

This is a pretty solid mid-tower case with support for some serious cooling hardware. It does have some limitations when it comes to air cooler height and PSU length, but to be honest, you probably won’t run into them unless you are planning to use gigantic air coolers or 1200W PSUs for your build.
User Experience

Wonder how we realized that you can’t fit a 1200W PSU into this case? When we tried to build with a Cooler Master V1200 Platinum we have lying around the office. We managed to get the PSU right in, but then it was impossible to get the modular cables connected. Pre-connecting the cables and sliding it in won’t work either. So in the end we settled for a basic Cooler Master 700W PSU. This fit like a charm, but the horrible non-modular, multi-colored cables makes cable management all the more crucial. Perhaps this will be a good test for the cable management then? More on that later.

The reason why we couldn’t fit in a longer power supply was because of this HDD cage here. Unlike the MasterCase series which boasts the FreeForm modular system, the HDD cage in the MasterBox MB530P is non-removable.

Cooler Master has even made allowances for you to showcase your SSDs in the MasterBox MB530P. You need to screw in these thingies under your SSD, slide the provided rubber grommets into the holes on the back of the motherboard tray, and then mount the SSD in. It isn’t the most secure mounting mechanism, but your SSDs definitely won’t fall without some vigorous movement. If your SSDs sport RGB lighting, you will definitely appreciate this touch.

The large CPU backplate cutout makes it easier to mount your cooler’s backplate, aside from not getting in the way of more elaborate backplates. As we are building on the AM4 platform, we did not need a backplate for the MasterLiquid ML240R we are using. With all the hardware installed, there are nary a stray cable around. Despite me being an absolute slob when it comes to cable management, the MasterBox MB530P definitely looks presentable. The bottom part is quite ugly with all the yellow and red cables running around, but that will be hidden by the honeycomb pattern of the side panel.

The other side of the MasterBox MB530P is also very well managed with the perfectly aligned cutouts for the front panel headers. They are literally invisible as they pop out of the PSU shroud just to connect to the headers, with the rest of the cable hidden away. The rubber grommets beside the motherboard also helps keep unsightly cables from being visible.

Once you turn it on, the default mode has all the ARGB fans running. The reason why we used the MasterLiquid ML240R was to complement the case. It looks absolutely gorgeous with all the fans and even the pump featuring a cool rotating RGB effect.

Even the I/O panel features RGB for the status indicator around the power button. Cooler Master could have probably done better by incorporating the HDD activity LED there too, but perhaps the changing colors is a priority here.

And this is our complete build with the case. The only way I see how Cooler Master can improve on the MasterBox MB530P is by replacing the screws on the side panels with a tool-less mechanism like what the MasterCase MC500M has. On the other hand, I must say I am really tempted to replace my MasterCase MC500M with this. As a fan of RGB and by extension, ARGB, this case is looking like the perfect case for me.

And once you put on the right side’s glass panel, you can barely see any traces of my 15-minute cable management job. It’s a really impressive case that Cooler Master has obviously put some serious thought into, allowing for triple-tempered glass panels to show off the innards without compromising the general neatness of the build.
Conclusion
The MasterBox MB530P is a really beautiful case for just RM469. Cooler Master has put a lot of thought into making a triple-tempered glass build beautiful, and it clearly shows. The well-positioned cutouts for cable management, and that huge cable cover on the back of the motherboard tray makes hiding unsightly cables a breeze. And while they decided to use a lot of tempered glass, even slapping a panel up front, the huge array of vents along the sides largely make up for it. Cooler Master has gone all-out to make a beautiful case saturated with addressable RGB lighting with the MasterBox MB530P, and I love it! Now if only if it can support longer power supplies with a removable HDD cage…

Our thanks to Cooler Master Malaysia for providing us with the MasterBox MB530P for our review.
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HTC One M9+

Was the HTC One M9 underwhelming for you? Well, HTC has got your back with the HTC One M9+. With a 64-bit Mediatek Helio X10 octa-core (that is 8-freaking-cores) powering it, 3GB RAM and most interestingly, the return of an improved Duo Camera working in tandem with the new 20 megapixel sensor. There is also a fingerprint sensor which is located under the screen. It breaks up the symmetry produced by the BoomSound stereo speakers, which to me is a downside as I really liked the symmetry. A new 5.2″ 2K screen brings it up to par with its rivals although I really see no point in a 2K screen as I find 1080p on my 5″ phone to be more than adequate. But well, numbers sell. The rest of its specifications are shared with the One M9.
It will be interesting to see whether the Duo Camera technology is more than just a gimmick as it is no longer crippled by the 4MP Ultrapixel camera of the One M8. The new Mediatek Helio SoC also has much to prove against the now ubiquitous Qualcomms in the market. The change to Mediatek might also signify that the rumours of Qualcomm SD810s overheating in the M9 were true, and HTC had to find an alternative. Hm, what do you think?

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SOURCE: HTCblog
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This TV maker will start making face masks because they can

A lot of factories making our daily tech gadgets actually observe very high standards of hygiene and cleanliness. But perhaps they didn’t think of using that to their advantage like this. Sharp is reportedly planning to make face masks at its Kameyama plant in Japan.
The plant usually produces LCD panels and assembles their TVs, but they will transition to make face masks instead. Sharp plans to make 150 000 masks a day by the end of the month, with the goal being 500 000 masks a day.
Face masks are pretty in demand right now, especially with the recent COVID-19 outbreak. With masks sold out everywhere, having more companies making masks might actually improve the current situation where unscrupulous scalpers are charging ridiculous amounts for masks, and satisfy the demand for masks.

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With that said, face masks are commonly worn in Japan’s urban areas to prevent spreading illnesses anyway, so it’s not like Sharp is only banking on the COVID-19 epidemic to succeed in their face mask business.
Pricing and distribution has yet to be confirmed for Sharp’s mask, and also there’s no mention whether they will actually sell them under the Sharp brand.
What do you think of Sharp diversifying into the face mask-making business?

Pokdepinion: Yeah I have not seen face masks in stock anywhere since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.
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HUAWEI Mate X3 Officially Unveiled: A New Lightweight and Waterproof Foldable

HUAWEI’s Mate X3 is official, boasting impressive features such as being waterproof, lightweight, and with bigger displays, a bigger battery, and a periscope zoom camera. Read on for more details.
HUAWEI Mate X3 Officially Unveiled: Lightweight and Waterproof Foldable with Impressive Features

HUAWEI has officially launched its new foldable phone, the Mate X3, and it is nothing short of impressive. Weighing only 239g, the Mate X3 is 24g lighter than its closest competitor, the Galaxy Z Fold4. Despite the weight difference, HUAWEI’s new device boasts a bigger battery, bigger displays, and a periscope zoom camera. When unfolded, the Mate X3 measures only 5.3mm thick, making it incredibly slim.

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The Mate X3 comes in a book-style foldable design with two displays. The cover screen is a 6.4-inch panel with 2504x1080px resolution and a 20.9:9 aspect ratio. Inside, there is a 7.85-inch panel with 2496x2224px resolution and a near-square 8:7.1 aspect ratio. Both displays are capable of 120Hz refresh rates.
What sets the Mate X3 apart from its competitors is that it is water-proof to the IPX8 standard, making it the first non-Samsung folding phone to achieve water resistance. The device also offers two-way satellite communication, a new hinge design that allows it to close down flat, and a split-screen mode for video calls and video watching. It also has a new nightstand mode that shows the weather and time.

The Mate X3 features a triple camera on the back, consisting of a 50MP f/1.8wide camera, a 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide, and a 12MP f/3.4 5x telephoto. There are also two 8MP selfie cameras, one on each screen. The device runs on Harmony OS 3.1 and comes with 12GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip. The Mate X3 is limited to 4G connectivity, as HUAWEI is currently banned from purchasing 5G modems.
The phone features a large 4,800mAh battery with 66W wired and 50W wireless charging support. HUAWEI Mate X3 will only be available in China, with prices starting at CNY 12,999 ($1,999) for the 256GB model, CNY13,999 ($2,050) for the 512GB model, and CNY15,999 ($2,340) for the 1TB model. There is no word yet on global availability.
Source
Pokdepinion: It’s a very promising foldable and I don’t doubt the hardware. What I’m more worried about is the software side in terms of how optimized it is for a foldable and how stable it is.
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Comprehensive PlayStation 5 Specs Show an Amazing Machine

While we knew quite a bit about the upcoming PS5 console, there was still a bit of mystery left. Now, we have a more detailed breakdown of the PlayStation 5 specs, which shows that it’s quite the upgrade of the current generation console.
We’ve known for a while that it will be running a custom AMD Zen2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU. Games will certainly test the limits of the console, which may result in downclocking at times. System Architect, Mark Cerny, confirms this but also divulges on to what extent that will happen:

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When that worst case game arrives, it will run at a lower clock speed. But not too much lower, to reduce power by 10 percent it only takes a couple of percent reduction in frequency, so I’d expect any downclocking to be pretty minor. All things considered, the change to a variable frequency approach will show significant gains for PlayStation gamers.
Before we proceed further, take a look at the comprehensive PlayStation 5 specs right below here:
PlayStation 5 Specs

CPU
8x Cores @ 3.5 GHz (Variable Frequency) Custom Zen 2 CPU

RAM
16 GB GDDR6 w/ 320mb bus

GPU
Custom RDNA 2, 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency)

Storage
Custom 825GB SSD

Memory Bandwidth
448GB/s

I/O Throughput
5.5GB/s (Raw), Typical 8-9GB/s (Compressed)

Expandable Storage
NVMe SSD slot

External HDD Support
USB HDD Support

Optical Drive
4K UHD Blu-Ray Drive

Performance Target
4K @ 60 FPS, Up to 120 FPS

Ray-tracing is expected to play a big role in the next generation of gaming consoles, and the PS5 is no exception. Mark Cerny mentions that they want to see how far they can go with the technology.
How far can we go? I’m starting to get quite bullish. I’ve already seen a PS5 title that is successfully using ray-tracing-based reflections in complex animated scenes, with only modest costs.
While no specific release date has been mentioned, it’s still expected to be released sometime in Holiday 2020.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m getting more and more excited for the next generation of gaming. If there truly is a Pro model, I might not get that and opt for the base version instead, at least not at launch.
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Soon, You Can Use the Same WhatsApp Account on Multiple Devices

WhatsApp is arguably the most popular instant messaging platform that’s widely available today. Of course, there are notable alternatives around like Telegram for example. One feature that WhatsApp lacks compared to Telegram is the ability to use the same account on multiple devices. At most, you can use it on a single mobile device and also a single PC using WhatsApp Web. Soon, that may no longer be an issue.
According to a rumour posted by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is said to be working on a completely new system. This system will allow users to use one account on more than just one device, similar to Telegram. It will push sent and received messages to all devices configured for a specific account, so you can start chatting on one device and continue from where you left off on another. This will be supported on both Android and iOS, so messages will be synced across both platforms, making the migration from one to the other easier.

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Aside from that, WhatsApp is currently developing dedicated apps for Windows 10 that would enable PC users to chat on the messaging service without an active connection to the PC. This means that a new session on the same phone number would be activated on the computer, so even if your phone no longer has an Internet connection, you should still be able to send and receive messages on the desktop.
This makes WhatsApp Web and dedicated desktop apps a little bit redundant, albeit they could come in handy on devices where the new Windows 10 UWP app is not installed. WhatsApp Web works by syncing with the mobile phone, so it needs an active Internet connection on the mobile device.
There is no word yet on when this would be arriving. In fact, the details haven’t been made official so do take it with a grain of salt. We expect to hear more about this as we approach the end of the year. Stay tuned to Pokde.net for more details.
Source: softpedia
Pokdepinion: I prefer Telegram because of its versatility. It sure took Whatsapp a long time to add this feature.
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ASUS ZenPad C 7.0 (Z170CG) Review

The first ever Zen device was actually Asus’ Zenbook which happens to be an ultrabook.Since then, the “Zen” has spilled over to Zenfones and Zenwatches in which the former has built a solid identity for Asus. Today, let me introduce to you, yet another category for the Zen series – the ZenPad. Asus has decided to come up with a line up of ZenPads and I have the most affordable one in it’s class in my hand right now – the Asus ZenPad C 7.0 (Z170CG).
Asus has brought the Zenfone 2 package design to the Asus Zenpad Series
Appearance
Let me spoil this for you if you haven’t already spoil it for yourself, the price of this piece of gadget is only RM499. Hence, considering this, the materials used for this device is pretty handy. It has a plastic back which is not interchangeable like its other peers. The back has a grip like section that gives the device it’s, well, grip, as well as looks, similar to ladies’ handbag. The 2MPx camera decorates the top of the back. The front is a glass display filling up the whole area of the device. This is where things get a little edgy (pun intended). The sides of the display has a lifted edge that makes it a little uncomfortable to hold. The power button and the volume button is found on the right side of the device. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top of the device, while at the bottom, you will find the micro USB cable charging port and guess what? A microphone! Yes, there is a speaker on the front panel too and yes, you can actually use the device for making calls! Finally, there is a slot at the back that houses the SDCard (YES!) and both SIMs of yours (YES!).
Yep, IPS baby!
Specifications
If you are a power user and require a power churning tablet, then this one is definitely not for you. However, if you need a separate device with a larger display for reading or browsing, you may want to consider this. Let’s begin with the specs of this little toy:

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CPU:
Intel Atom X-3 Quad Core 1.04GHz

Display:
7″ LED Backlight WSVGA (1024 x 600) IPS

RAM:
1GB

Storage:
16GB Internal Storage + 5GB ASUS WebStorage free for life + microSD Card expansion slot

Camera:
Front: VGA
Rear: 2MPx

SIM:
Dual-SIM (micro)

OS:
Android 5.0.2 Lollipop

Battery:
13Wh Li-Po

Now, considering the specs vs the price tag, and the fact that it’s being carried by Asus, this can be one of the fine China tablet killers. I would say, if you are going buy a tablet and are short on funds, this is one good option for you.
Performance
Honestly, if this section concerns you, then you may want to refrain from purchasing this device. The Asus ZenPad C 7.0 was never made for intense graphics gaming, but it can definitely eat up all the resource from your Clash of Clans that you throw at it. Although we were able to push about 20 fps on some VERY graphically intense gaming – if you must! The Intel Atom X-3 Quad Core is no super-over-clocking processor, so let’s be decent with it.
Looking at the AnTuTu Benchmark scores, these are not bad really considering the price you pay for the device. Basically, you can
AnTuTu Benchmark ScoreWe are just behind Xiaomi Mi2 AnTuTu Benchmark ScoreWell, you didn't expect it to beat the high-end devices, did you?
The multi-tasking can get a little clunky after running about 5 applications, upon which you can run the memory cleaner to make things snappier again. The battery life, however, is in a different world altogether. It houses a non-removable 13Wh Li-Po battery which surprisingly is pretty decent, especially when the device is on standby. In fact, when the device is on standby, it literally “sips” the battery, bringing a whole new level of battery life. On usage, of course, you could push under one day on heavy usage – which is pretty much standard on most devices today. In fact, if you look at the battery chart below, when the device is not being used (even for several hours or days), the battery seems like totally untouched. Yes, that is a full charge from 29th July 2015 all the way to 12th August 2015. Then again, one disadvantage of Li-Po batteries is that you should NOT drain the battery to 0% as much as possible. This is a standard practice among radio-controlled hobbyists which is where this battery shines a lot.
Look at that battery on standby mode! @[email protected]
User Experience
The Asus Zenpad C 7.0 is really slim! Because it doesn’t carry all the fluff like interchangeable back cases and removable cover, the height is merely 8.4mm! If that doesn’t excite you enough, it also weighs only 265g in total, making it an excellent device for quick movers. It also fits just perfectly in palm, and has a pretty good single handed operation with enough room around the bezel for the thumb. Let’s not forget the grip at the back too. Although it is not interchangeable, the Asus Zenpad C 7.0 still does have the same grip texture as it’s pioneers on it’s back.
The Asus Zenpad C 7.0 still has he same grip at the back
As for the sound, Asus has brought in the DTS technology for it’s Zenpad’s audio environment. Well, that sounds nice on paper, of course. What I was rather disappointed with was that the tablet’s speaker and the earpiece are actually the same unit. You would be imagining answering a call on the Asus Zenpad C 7.0, and then for whatever reasons, the same speaker screams the alarm you might have set and forgotten earlier, right in your ear drums. I mean, I love front facing speakers really. In fact, I find it stupid to actually putting speakers at the back of any device – more of the reason I used to love HTC in their glory days. But the earpiece as the speaker is really not what I would like to have – especially if it’s the ONLY speaker available on the device.
The camera is not something that we were expecting in the first place anyway and we were not disappointed by our judgement (considering it being only 2MPx). The camera is pretty bad. We tried several counts to take some nicer images, but we were not able to capture one image worth sharing. The closest one that we could provide is below:
The Asus Zenpad C 7.0 camera results
Let’s not even go to the front facing camera if this is the output of the rear camera. What we discovered is that it seems like the images taken using the Asus Zenpad C 7.0 gets a “poster” effect after shutter.
The Asus Zenpad C 7.0 is shipped with Google Android 5.0.2 bundled with Asus’ signature ZenUI which is a blessing to this device really. It makes the device run pretty smooth and look pleasant to the eyes. Asus has also imported their 30+ native ZenApps to this device, giving it a solid functional breath. The TruVivid technology is also existant in this device, and it being an IPS means, for the price that you are paying, you actually get a pretty decent tablet.
The internal storage is 16GB, and you can expand it using your microSD card to store your personal files. On top of that, Asus is also giving a lifetime 5GB WebStorage free when you purchase this device. There is also an option in the “Settings” that says “Asus Cover” which means, this device does may have the flip cover detection embedded within. Classic Asus!
Conclusion
If you have a very limited budget, or if you are a student, or if you just need a personal assistant that is more than just a PIM, this tablet is worth a go. It’s the lowest in Asus’ Zenpad range, giving you the option to get some experience without spending too much money. It takes a little time to make friends with it if you have been using super-tablets, but it’s pretty humble and decent at the end of the day.
Pokdepinion: Need something more than this? Wait for our Asus Zenpad 7.0 review coming up soon!
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Don’t forget to check out Acer’s booth at KL Major 2018!

If you are at KL Major, make sure to head up to the 4th Floor to check out the exhibition floor. Aside from being one of the main sponsors of KL Major, Acer is hosting a booth here so you can get to experience the latest and greatest of Acer’s hardware, including the Acer Predator Thronos! Aside from the Predator Thronus, you can also check out the Acer Predator laptops which are also on showcase there.

They have put out their Predator Helios 500 and Helios 300 for you to try out, as well as their latest peripherals. There are some pre-installed games on them too, so you can test the gaming performance on the spot to help you decide on your next laptop.

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If you want some cool swag, Acer Predator is also doling it out at their booth. All you have to do is try out the Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset. Not only can you get some free stuff, you also get to experience the Acer WMR, which is one of the most affordable tickets to a VR experience. You should definitely try it!

Acer is also selling their exclusive merchandise at special prices throughout KL Major 2018, so if you want a nice T-shirt or a nice new laptop bag, you should definitely check them out soon. Also do not forget that they have recently partnered with Mortar and Pestle, so you can go check out their latest T-shirts here too.

So make sure to take a look at their booth during the intermissions, and have fun at KL Major 2018!
Pokdepinion: The Predator Thronus is definitely something you should experience for yourself!
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[MWC2018] Western Digital unveils two new NVMe SSDs — PC SN720 and PC SN520 SSDs designed for high performance applications

Western Digital latest NVMe SSDs were unveiled at MWC 2018. The Western Digital PC SN720 and SN520 are designed for those who need their data, and need it fast. Scalable for a wide range of implementations ranging from IoT and edge computing to your mainstream mobile computing systems, Western Digital’s NVMe SSDs are ready for anything.

Both drives feature Western Digital’s 64-layer 3D NAND flash. The Western Digital PC SN720 is currently sampling with select customers. It is available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities in the M.2 2280 form factor. Designed for class-leading performance, it offers speeds of up to 3400MB/s and 2800MB/s for sequential read and write, respectively. Meanwhile, the Western Digital PC SN520 is available in capacities up to 512GB and is offered in M.2 2280, M.2 2242 and M.2 2230 form factors. This enables greater design flexibility.

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WD PC SN520
WD PC SN720

Capacity
512GB
256GB
128GB
1TB
512GB
256GB

Sequential R/W (MB/s)
1700/1400
1700/1300
1500/800
3400/2800
3400/2500
3000/1600

Random R/W (IOPS)
270K/280K
220K/175K
95K/90K
500K/400K
440K/330K
225K/185K

Form factor
M.2 2280, 2242, 2230
M.2 2280

Interface
NVMe PCIe 3.0 X2
NVMe PCIe 3.0 X4

Endurance (TBW)
300
200
100
400
300
200

The PC SN520 and SN720 are the first of two drives built on Western Digital’s new vertically integrated SSD platform. The whole range will deliver a broad range of performance targets, form factors and power efficiency options to satisfy every niche.
Pokdepinion: The PCIe SSD space is really heating up with competition!
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Work From Anywhere With The New Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise

The Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise is Dell’s latest edition to their Latitude Chromebook lineup. It now comes with a more mainstream and premium option which should give companies more choice in devices without sacrificing enterprise-class scale, manageability and security.

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Engineered in collaboration with Intel as part of the Project Athena innovation program, the Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise is targetted more towards executives, mobile professionals and remote workers, especially those who seek to adopt Chrome OS at work. It features specifications of up to 10th Gen Intel processors, LTE mobile broadband 2 as well as Intel WiFi 6. Other features found on the Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise include:

4K panel with Low Blue Light display – A first for a Chromebook Enterprise, the 4K low blue light display gives users much better readability and eye comfort compared to other displays. It also has an expansive, four-sided narrow border display which makes for a bigger screen and acoustic noise reduction features that enhance video calls.
Long battery life – The Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise can withstand up to 21 hours of use, the longest battery life of any premium Chromebooks. It also features fast charging capabilities with the ExpressCharge Boost that charges the laptop from 0% up to 35% in just 20 minutes and ExpressCharge which gives you up to 80% charge in an hour.
Premium design – Professionals can choose between machined aluminium or carbon fibre on the world’s lightest 14-inch Chromebook Enterprise laptop. A new silver colour is also available on the Latitude 5400 Chromebook Enterprise.

Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise Price and Availability
The Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise comes in two different configurations, one with a 2-in-1 configuration that can double as a tablet, while the other is a more traditional laptop configuration.

The Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise 2-in-1 features a 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10310U processor, a 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) touch display with Anti-reflective and Anti-smudge technology, 8GB RAM, M.2 256GB PCIe NVMe Class 35 SSD and 4 Cell 52 WHr Battery. The 2-in-1 weighs in at 1.63kg and is made of aluminium. It is available to purchase now at a retail price of RM 5,859.

The Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise laptop, on the other hand, features the same specs as the 2-in-1 version with the same 4 Cell 52 WHr battery, a non-touch capable 14-inch screen and is lighter at 1.39kg. It is also made out of Carbon Fibre as opposed to aluminium. The laptop version will retail at RM 4,889 and is available now for purchase.
For more information on the Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook Enterprise and where to buy them do head to their official website right here.
Pokdepinion: The 2-in-1 version of the Latitude 7410 looks mighty tempting, if I had that kind of money to burn that is.
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MPL MY Season 9 Holds Offline Tournament For The First Time After Two Online Seasons

After two seasons of online tournaments, MPL MY Season 9 (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Malaysia Season 9) will finally see the popular Mobile Legends tournament open its doors to the Malaysian public. Fans can catch the tournament and their favourite esports athletes from 11th March (Regular Season, Week 4) onwards to the end of the Regular Season at EBN Esports City and Quill City Mall KL.
MPL MY Season 9 going offline

MPL MY Season 9 is being held in collaboration with the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports, Youth & Sports Ministry, and Esports Integrated (ESI). According to Esports Charts, it is one of the most-watched Malaysian esports tournaments, with a peak-concurrent viewership high of 137k.

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Fans who want to attend the MPL MY Season 9 games can do so by purchasing tickets here. The venue can accommodate up to 50 people, including regular ticket buyers and Team Season Pass (TSP) holders, and is priced at RM15 per match session. From RM80 onwards, TSP entitles viewers to watch all team-specific matches. Tickets can only be purchased online. TSP purchasers will not be required to pay an additional fee if their chosen team qualifies for the playoffs. The event will follow local government protocol and regulations, and safe distance measures will be in place.
Audiences attending the matches must submit to pre-COVID-19 testing. All participants must be fully vaccinated, and those with a body temperature of fewer than 37.5°C will be permitted to enter the venue. Participants must take a pre-match test and upload their MySejahtera vaccination status to the ticketing website before the game.
Full match schedule below:

For more information on MPL MY Season 9, check out their website here.
Pokdepinion: Here’s to seeing more public esports tournaments in the future. Nothing like watching a tourney live in my opinion. Of course, it has to adhere to existing SOPs first above anything.
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Leaked image of Redmi Note 9 Pro shows off a surprisingly premium finish

With the realme 6 series just launched, Redmi is definitely due to mount a response. And it seems like they are more than ready for it. While the launch date for the Redmi Note 9 series is still nearly a week away, what’s apparently the Redmi Note 9 Pro has posed for the camera and revealed a pretty impressive rear finish.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro in the picture sports a fancy reflective sheen on its back, which looks extremely premium. The quad-camera placement does look pretty similar to a certain other flagship’s, but hey, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Redmi Note 9 Pro is NOT Coming with a 108MP Camera. It may Feature a 108MP Mode just like the Reno 3 Pro. pic.twitter.com/IMKcPZeGKD
— TechDroider (@techdroider) March 4, 2020

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In addition to posing for the paparazzi, the Redmi Note 9 Pro was also recently spotted on Geekbench, sporting 6GB of RAM and an unspecified Qualcomm chipset, rumored to be the Snapdragon 720G. This would make the Redmi Note 9 Pro the first Redmi smartphone to sport the Snapdragon 720G, although it might represent a downgrade from the Redmi Note 8 Pro‘s Helio G90T chipset.

Well, the wait isn’t that much longer as the online-only launch event is happening in India on 12th March.
Pokdepinion: I wonder how will Redmi’s product stack stand against the rather impressive realme 6 series. Will they offer 90 Hz displays too?
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The GeForce RTX 2080 is more than 2x faster than a GTX 1080!

If you were irked by the eerie silence from NVIDIA regarding how the new NVIDIA Turing cards perform versus the older Pascal-based cards in current-gen games, you may breathe a little easier now. NVIDIA has just released new slides showing the GeForce RTX 2080 being more than 2x faster than a GeForce GTX 1080 in recent AAA titles.

In case you missed the big keynote, NVIDIA is bringing a slew of new features to gaming graphics cards. Among them is real-time ray tracing, which would greatly improve realism, but the key feature used here to enhance the GeForce RTX 2080’s performance is deep learning super-sampling, or DLSS. It harnesses the tensor cores in the Turing GPUs to use AI to learn how to render edges smoother and faster, thus the performance gains.

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Without the fancy DLSS technology, the GeForce RTX 2080 is still around 50% faster than the GeForce GTX 1080. Considering the GeForce RTX 2080 cards are priced about 50% more than what a GeForce GTX 1080 costs now, it seems rather justifiable.

The GeForce RTX 2080 also enables 4K HDR at 60 fps in games like Final Fantasy XV, Star Wars: Battlefront II and Destiny 2. They didn’t state what graphics settings were used to achieve those numbers, but 4K at 60 fps is a feat by itself. Maybe two GeForce RTX 2080 Tis will give SuperDaddy the 4K 144 Hz he needs to enjoy the ROG Swift PG27UQ fully?
What about you? Would you pre-order the cards now that you know the performance of these cards in current-gen games with ray tracing?
Pokdepinion: I wonder what kind of ludicrous fps numbers can we get in e-sport titles.
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Interested In Playing The New Gunbound On Mobile? Here’s How To Do So

You might remember previously where we’ve covered that there would be a mobile version of Gunbound that’s called New Gunbound. Now, it seems that they’ve opened up the Close Beta Test for the game itself on both Android and iOS devices.

In the game, you will experience the new look and feel of it, added with new features while still upholding the classic turn-based shooting concept that made the title ever popular back in the days.

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Aside from that, you will be introduced to the “Gacha” system, where you can earn avatar costumes, mobile skins, mobile puzzle skins, and different items. You can also create items at the workshop, provided that you have the right materials.
If you are interested in playing the close beta test, you can do so until the 22nd of January 2020. For Android users you can get the game here, while iOS devices can play the game here.
Pokdepinion: I might have a go at it… I mean it’s a classic title, I’ve got to try it at least, no?
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Persona 5 Scramble The Phantom Strikers is a Dynasty Warriors-style Spin-off Game

The folks over at Atlus and Sega have revealed Persona 5 Scramble The Phantom Strikers at the end of the second day of the Persona Super Live P-Sound Street 2019 concert. The game was first teased as “Persona 5 S” in early April.
Persona 5 Scramble The Phantom Strikers is described as the first action RPG of the Persona series. The game is a joint project between Atlus, Koei Tecmo, and Omega Force. The trailer shows Joker slashing through hordes of enemies. The elemental weaknesses system found in Persona games is present as well. The trailer’s narration mentions that Persona 5 Scramble‘s story is completely new. The trailer also shows a mysterious new character at the end. In short, the game is pretty much Persona 5 Musou / Persona 5 Warriors.
Persona 5 Scramble The Phantom Strikers will be coming to the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, but no release date estimate was published. There’s not much other information available so we expect to hear more about the game in the near future.

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You can check out the trailer for the game at the top of this post.
Pokdepinion: Seems like they’re making a Dynasty Warriors-style game for every IP out there right now. Not that it’s a bad thing though, but it can get rather repetitive, and also awkward depending on what IP is receiving the treatment.
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UniPin Appoints KK Super Mart As Official Gaming Payment Platform

We were present today at the partnership event between UniPin and KK SUPER MART in Kuala Lumpur as they’ve announced that the convenience store will act as the official retailer for UniPin.

Malaysia is the third country in the region that UniPin is venturing into. The CEO of the company, Ashadi Ang was present at the event where he talks about how big the industry is (online games). According to them, they’ve prepared every wallet possible. This means that you can topup for your PlayStation Network account, Steam, as well as your Play Store wallet.

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Aside from that announcement, they’ve also reveal the inaugural launch of local esport tournament, UniPin KK SUPER MART Cup 2019, where local Malaysian mobile gamers will compete and show off their skills in a bid to win a prize pool of RM600,000.
As part of the tournament, they’ve revealed that they are offering a special promotion that runs from 7th until 21st of September 2019 where every UniPin ewallet topup that you make will receive an additional 10% credit, which is quite an incentive.
Pokdepinion: Okay. I’m going to fully utilize that extra 10% credit gain!
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HONOR 30S launched with Kirin 820 5G in China

The HONOR 30S appeared in leaks last week, and today it has just launched in China with a price that makes it a pretty attractive proposition if you are looking for an affordable 5G smartphone. But 5G connectivity isn’t the only calling card for the HONOR 30S as it does look set to be a formidable mid-range offering from HONOR.

Under the hood is the previously leaked Kirin 820 5G, mated to 8GB LPDDR4x RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage. The Kirin 820 5G has previously been seen on Geekbench outperforming the Snapdragon 765G by quite a large margin, so I am quite interested to see what it has to offer.

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The HONOR 30S also offers an interesting camera setup, with it coming with the first 64MP camera ever in a HONOR smartphone. There’s a 8MP 3x telephoto camera, a 8MP ultra-wide angle camera as well as 2MP macro camera accompanying it on the back. Meanwhile in the punch hole in front lies a 16MP selfie camera.

HONOR also threw in 40W Super Charge, a feature which was absent even in their last-gen flagship, the HONOR 20 Pro. HONOR claims the fast charger will refill the 4000 mAh battery by 70% in just 30 minutes, and I do fully believe the claim as I have seen it in action in several HUAWEI flagships as well as the HONOR V30 Pro.
Here are the HONOR 30S’ full specifications:
HONOR 30S Specs

Kirin 820 5G, octa-core up to 2.36 GHz, 7nm
8GB LPDDR4x RAM
Up to 256GB UFS 2.1 storage
6.5″ FHD+ LTPS LCD display, HONOR FullView Display
64MP f/1.8 + 8MP f/2.4 3x telephoto + 8MP f/2.4 ultra-wide + 2MP macro
16MP f/2.0 selfie camera
4000 mAh, 40W Super Charge
8GB + 128GB: 2399 CNY (~RM1463)
8GB + 256GB: 2699 CNY (~RM1646)

The HONOR 30S is available in three colors, Black, Green and White, with some fancy Chinese names which translates to Midnight Black, Butterfly Wing Jade and Butterfly Wing White. Yes. I have no idea what will their official English names be when the HONOR 30S is launched in global markets.
It may never make it globally though, as HONOR has not released the HONOR 20S globally. But who knows, maybe the HONOR 30S will make its way out of China.
Pokdepinion: This is exactly what the market needs: more mid-range 5G smartphones to make it easier for everyone to get a 5G-ready device.
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Intel unleashes i9 9980XE for a low price of $1979 — runs faster, priced cheaper!

Intel didn’t just stop at the mainstream platform. Fans of the Intel HEDT platform will also have stuff to upgrade to. The best part is that you don’t have to get a new motherboard, as the new 9th Generation Intel Core X-series processors all work on the Intel X299 platform.
The new processors for the Intel Core X-series start from the 8C/16T Intel Core i7 9800X, which is somewhat of a bridge between the Intel Core i9 9900K and the HEDT platform. At least this is way better than the half-baked i5 7640X and i7 7740X which made the bottom of the list back then.

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The Skylake-X Refresh processors sees 10-core, 12-core, 14-core, 16-core, and of course, the Big Daddy of Skylake-X, the Intel Core i9 9980XE with 18 cores and 36 threads. Surprisingly it is $20 cheaper than the last generation 18C/36T i9 7980XE. All the new Skylake-X processors tout a 165W TDP, 44 PCIe lanes and quad-channel DDR4 RAM support.
Here’s a table to simplify all the specifications.

Cores / Threads
Base / Boost clocks
Cache
TDP
Price

i9 9980XE
18C/36T
3.0 / 4.5 GHz
24.75MB
165W
$1979

i9 9960X
16C/32T
3.1 / 4.5 GHz
22.00MB
165W
$1684

i9 9940X
14C/28T
3.3 / 4.5 GHz
19.25MB
165W
$1387

i9 9920X
12C/24T
3.5 / 4.5 GHz
19.25MB
165W
$1189

i9 9900X
10C/20T
3.5 / 4.5 GHz
19.25MB
165W
$989

i9 9820X
10C/20T
3.3 / 4.2 GHz
16.50MB
165W
$889

i7 9800X
8C/16T
3.8 / 4.5 GHz
16.50MB
165W
$589

All the new processors will also feature soldered TIM to maximize thermal transfer from the CPU dies to the IHS. If 18 cores aren’t enough, you can wait until the end of 2018, which is when the Intel Xeon W-3175X 28C/56T CPU will launch. It won’t work with your Intel X299 motherboard though.
Pokdepinion: Well it seems like Intel isn’t ready to move beyond 18C/36T in the HEDT platform for now. For those who run heavily multi-threaded applications, perhaps AMD Threadripper 2 is still a better choice?
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HUAWEI Establish Themselves In Worldwide Tablet Market

It has been revealed that HUAWEI has continued in making progress in the market and this time around in the tablet segment.

The news was revealed as IDC released their Worldwide Quarterly PCD Tracker, where it saw HUAWEI moved up to third place that sees the likes of Apple, Samsung, Amazon, and Lenovo also listed.

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Interestingly, the chart sees HUAWEI beating both Apple and Samsung who are first respectively, in terms of year-over-year growth. HUAWEI has shipped 14.5 million tablets in the last quarter, which is a rise of 15% as compared to the same quarter in 2017.
Their recent tablet, the HUAWEI MediaPad T5, comes with a 10.1-inch Full HD IPS display that supports a resolution of 1920×1200. It can connect with any HUAWEI smartphones, Windows PC and even Mac products. Aside from that, they have made it an emphasis on making the device child-friendly with the pre-installed Children’s Corner feature that you can control the time that your kids use it and select what content should be available for them.
The HUAWEI MediaPad T5 comes at a RM999 price tag and can be purchased at all HUAWEI Experience Stores, display zones, authorized dealers as well as major telco companies.
Pokdepinion: It’s been awhile actually since I’ve actually used a tablet. Great to see that people are still in the market for them.
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Battlefield 2042 Open Beta Announced — Here’s When You Can Play

The folks at EA has recently revealed on the open beta for the highly anticipated Battlefield 2042. Wish to take part of it? Well you’ve come to the right place.
Battlefield 2042 open beta date

They’ve revealed the news over at their official YouTube channel. As you can see from the video, the open beta will take place on the 8th of October 2021, which isn’t far away from now.
It will be available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. Should you pre-order the game or subscribed to EA Play, you may play the game slightly sooner on the 6th of October instead.

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You will be able to pre-load the game starting on the 5th of October, just in case you want to prepare for your download session. As for what will be available in the beta, there will only be the Conquest mode, which Battlefield fans would know is the core mode that makes the franchise special and iconic.
Unfortunately, there will only be one map and it’s called Orbital. In it, you can expect a big rocket as well as storms that you might want to be wary of. Aside from that, there’s four different class that you can choose for your character.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: I won’t say that I’m super pumped for the game.. but it does make me a little curious. The last Battlefield game that I played was Battlefield 1. The franchise didn’t attract me that much ever since. Hopefully this time around, it will be a banger.
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Qualcomm wins RM127 million lawsuit against Apple

Qualcomm and Apple have been engaged in legal battle for quite some time now. This latest victory in Qualcomm’s favor sees the jury award the chipmaker $1.41 (~RM5.77) per iPhone that violated Qualcomm patents, which comes up to around $31 million (~RM127 million).
The three patents involved are reportedly related to reducing battery consumption and improving battery life. Such an intellectual property (IP) would be quite valuable in the hands of any smartphone manufacturer, and we do understand why Qualcomm is intent on charging for it.
The patents involve the following technologies:

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“flashless booting” enabling the device to connect to the internet quickly after powering on
enabling applications to connect to the internet by mediating communications between the processor and modem
enabling high performance gaming while extending battery life

However this small $31 million win for Qualcomm is the first stepping stone to Qualcomm getting what they deserve from those who infringe on their patents. It sets to establish that Qualcomm’s patents do have a per-device cost. Apple has openly disagreed to Qualcomm’s practice of per-device royalty rates, but who are they to complain about patent trolling?
Apple and Qualcomm will still have many lawsuits to fight through, but as it stands, Qualcomm seems to be having the upper hand. With a Qualcomm victory in China resulting in the sales ban of certain iPhones, Apple may not be feeling so good…
Pokdepinion: Hope Qualcomm gets their well-deserved dues!
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ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Needs A Power Up

Unboxing the ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C)
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – What’s included

Our review unit of the ASUS ExpertBook B5 is a Taiwan variant, which means it will differ from the retail unit being sold in Malaysia to some degree. While we did receive a box for it, it’s not the official box for this laptop, especially since it only included a 65W USB-C charger. The final retail unit in Malaysia will definitely have more inside the box, that much we can guarantee. For now, we will just move on to the review.
Appearance
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Lid
The ASUS ExpertBook B5 is made up of magnesium-aluminum alloy. However, the top and bottom are both made of pure aluminum alloy, which you can somewhat see from the lid here. It’s not a glossy finish by any means but it’s rather susceptible to fingerprints, which I’m not a fan of. It does look clean, that much I can give for sure.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Open up the lid
Open up the lid and you’ll get a 13.3-inch Full HD anti-glare display with minimal bezels, a webcam with privacy shutter on the top bezel, chiclet keyboard sans numpad, and a trackpad. It’s quite the minimalist look, and I figured I would find the fingerprint scanner here but turns out it’s positioned elsewhere. It gets a bit of a lift when you open up the lid thanks to its ErgoLift hinge design.

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ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Ports
On the left side, you have two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a microHDMI port, and some LED indicators. As for the right side, you have the power button / fingerprint reader hybrid, a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-A port, a full-sized HDMI port, and a Kensington Lock. There’s nothing on the rear except for air vents and the hinges.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Bottom
Moving over to the bottom, you have a large rectangular air vent, a long rubberized stand on top, two short rubberized stands on each bottom corner, two speaker grilles, and some product stickers. It’s worth noting that the product stickers here will not be the same as the retail unit. There are about 10 exposed screws here, which need to be unscrewed to expose the inner workings of the laptop.
Overall, the ASUS ExpertBook B5 has a minimalist design that is fitting for an office and learning environment. The build is solid, yet allows for an ultra-lightweight body, making it far easier to bring around even when compared to other ultraportable laptops. Let’s hope it doesn’t end up sacrificing other areas just for this.
Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-1165G7 @ 2.8GHz (up to 4.7GHz Boost), 4C/8T, 15W TDP, 10nm SuperFin

RAM
8GB DDR-3200, single-channel

GPU
Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 96EU @ up to 1.3GHz

Storage
512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD (WD PC SN530)
2 x M.2 slots (2TB Max)

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Intel Graphics Command Center
MyASUS
DTS Audio Processing
McAfee Personal Security
Office Home and Student 2019

Connectivity
Intel WiFi 6 AX201 (2×2 WiFi 6 up to 2.4 Gbps)
Bluetooth 5.0
Intel I219-V Gigabit LAN (via micro HDMI dongle)
2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort, USB-PD charging)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 (10 Gbps)

Display
13.3″ FHD (1080p) Anti-glare Display, 100% sRGB, 300 nits brightness
USB-C supports DisplayPort Alt Mode
1 x HDMI 2.0b (up to [email protected] Hz)
1 x microHDMI (for LAN only)

Audio
Smart Amp Technology
Built-in speaker
Built-in array microphone
Cortana support
1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Power
65W power adapter, USB-PD support
66WHr 4-cell Li-ion battery

Dimensions
309 x 210.6 x 16.9 mm

Weight
1.1kg

Performance
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – CrystalDiskMark
In our review unit of the ASUS ExpertBook B5, it came equipped with the WD PC SN530 512GB NVMe SSD storage. The speeds are fast and it should certainly serve you well in most occasions. Just like the ExpertBook B9, it appears it doesn’t support M.2 PCIe 4.0 drives here, which is a little odd given that 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs have support for it.
By today’s standards, 512GB is just enough to get by, and is definitely far healthier to have than 256GB if it’s the only storage device inside. Just keep in mind that the retail unit may use a different SSD. If you need more storage, there is an extra M.2 slot inside, which supports up to 2TB max.

ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Cinebench R15
Moving on to Cinebench R15, the Intel Core i5-1135G7 powering the ASUS ExpertBook B5 performed adequately. I find it interesting that it performed pretty much on par with the 11th Gen Intel Core i7 variants here.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Cinebench R20

A similar pattern can be seen here in Cinebench R20, albeit the difference between this and i7 variants are more apparent. It’s still not a huge difference in both single and multi-core performance, but still worth taking note of regardless.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Unigine SuperPosition 4K Optimized
In Unigine SuperPosition’s 4K Optimized benchmark, it only managed a measly score of 393. I expected slightly higher given the use of Intel Iris Xe graphics but it may be due to our review unit using only a single stick 8GB 3200MHz DDR4 RAM. With a dual-channel 16GB DDR4 RAM, I would predict the score to be at 1,000 or close to that.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – 3DMark Time Spy
In 3DMark Time Spy, it scored a little higher than I expected, but it’s still quite low. Once again, an upgrade in RAM should see a notable boost in score as the Intel Iris Xe is pretty strong for an integrated graphics solution.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – PCMark 10
PCMark reveals that the ASUS ExpertBook B5 has plenty of performance for pretty much everything except Digital Content Creation. If you need to do some light video editing or picture editing, I would recommend upgrading the RAM to 16GB at least. It would make the task far more tolerable.

ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Battery life
With this type of laptop, I usually have high expectations when it comes to battery life. Unfortunately, it’s a major weak point for the ASUS ExpertBook B5 as the Modern Office endurance test revealed that it lasted slightly less than 5 hours. Based on my own usage, the standby time is certainly adequate but the battery life drains quite a bit when in use, giving me about 4 to 6 hours per full charge for light to medium workloads.
If you want to compare it to another enterprise laptop, check out our review of the ASUS ExpertBook B9 review by clicking right here.

User Experience
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review
The ASUS ExpertBook B5 is a very light laptop even within ultraportable standards. At just 1.1kg and 16.9mm thin, it takes up so little space in your bag, it feels like you’re just carrying around a tablet. This is made possible thanks to its magnesium-aluminum build. It doesn’t skimp out on build quality however, as it feels relatively solid and is built on the MIL-STD-810H rigidity standard.
The lid’s hinge is pretty light but it’s not that simple to open with one hand. It opens up about 45° and then the bottom portion somewhat follows it upwards. Once opened, the ErgoLift hinge does its magic to give you a more comfortable typing angle while also improving airflow on the bottom. There’s very little flex on the laptop, which is only apparent if you blatantly use excessive force when typing.
Display and Audio
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Display
Due to the limited time we had to play with the ASUS ExpertBook B5, we couldn’t do a thorough measurement of the display, but we can at least share our thoughts. The display is adequately bright, seemingly peaking out about 314.86 nits based on measurement. Other than that, it does produce vibrant, saturated colors, which is said to be 99% sRGB according to ASUS.
Together with the anti-glare feature, you should be able to use it outdoors just fine. The only downside here is that it doesn’t have touchscreen support. It’s worth noting the lid can open up to about 180° flat for added viewing versatility.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – DTS Audio

As for the stereo speaker setup, the ASUS ExpertBook B5 has some pretty satisfying mids and highs. However, the volume is certainly lacking and the bass is essentially non-existent. It does improve somewhat if you use the DTS Audio Processing software, but you’re better off using your favorite pair of headphones for a more immersive audio experience.

Keyboard and Trackpad
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Keyboard

The keyboard on the ASUS ExpertBook B5 has decent tactile feedback with a short travel distance, making it quite comfortable to type on. It’s also said to be spill-resistant, though it’s not something we managed to test given the short time we had with it. The only issue you might have with it is that if it’s anything other than plain water, it will end up feeling a little sticky after.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Numberpad 2.0
While the trackpad on its own works fine with nothing spectacular at first glance, it is the ASUS NumberPad 2.0, which allows it to double as a numpad. Since I would use a mouse with it most of the time, it’s great to have a comfortably-spaced keyboard and still have a fully working numpad in a compact chassis.
Security
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Webcam privacy shutter
The ASUS ExpertBook B5 has a number of neat features designed for enterprise users. For starters, we have a proximity sensor that will automatically lock the device down when it senses that you have left the laptop. This will prevent prying eyes and potential spies from getting ahold of private data.
Another important layer of security, which has grown increasingly important in the past couple of years is the webcam privacy shutter. This will effectively block out the webcam via a physical shutter so you have absolutely no worries of people spying on you through the webcam.
While the ASUS ExpertBook B5 does have a fingerprint reader integrated to the power button, we couldn’t test it out. The reason for this is because the version of Windows 10 on this laptop is not activated. As such, we will only be pointing it out but will not comment on how effective it is. It’s great that they integrated it to the power button so it saves up space, that much I can give.

I/O Ports
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – Ports
As we have mentioned previously, the ASUS ExpertBook B5 has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port, Kensington lock, 3.5mm audio jack, a full-sized HDMI 2.0b port, and a microHDMI port. It’s worth noting that for the latter, it’s meant to be used with a dongle for Ethernet connection, which is necessary given how slim the laptop is. Some of these are pretty self-explanatory at this point but allow me to elaborate on the more notable ones.
The USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A is capable of transfer speeds up to 10Gbps, and while the Thunderbolt 4 port is capable of even higher at 40Gbps, its true potential lies outside of speed. You can charge it via USB-C instead of a proprietary charging port, you can connect to Thunderbolt docks to widen its versatility, connect to external monitors, and more. The 3.5mm headphone jack is just adding cherry on top of an ice cream sundae at this point.
If there was any downside to this, it’s the lack of a memory card reader. I would prefer a full-sized card reader although given the size, it may only fit a microSD card reader. Regardless, it’s a small price to pay given what you’re getting here.
Pre-installed Software
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review – MyASUS
Like the previous ExpertBook laptops we reviewed, the ASUS ExpertBook B5 comes with MyASUS pre-installed. It essentially has everything you need in a single suite, from toggling performance modes to changing display modes and more. You can also use the Link to MyASUS feature to mirror your smartphone screen on it.
Apart from that, we also have the ASUS Business Manager. It’s designed for businesses to streamline their IT management. Unfortunately, ASUS has removed the My Logo feature that allowed users to change their boot logo, which would have been a nicely added touch of personalization for each company.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Verdict

ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5302C) Review
Based on our review unit, the ASUS ExpertBook B5 is a pretty good enterprise laptop. It’s powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core CPU, has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, good array of security features, good display, very lightweight, MIL-STD-810H build standard, Numberpad 2.0 is convenient to have, comfortable keyboard, and MyASUS being a very useful, user-friendly software suite.
It’s not the perfect laptop however as the speakers are subpar, the battery life is short, there is no touchscreen support, RAM is clearly lacking, performance could be a little better, and it doesn’t come with a memory card reader. For enterprise users, this should be capable of handling work well enough unless it’s particularly resource-intensive. For that, I award the ASUS ExpertBook B5 with our Bronze Pokdeward.

Big thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us this laptop for the purposes of this review.
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Some Gamers Are Getting Metroid Dread Earlier Than Expected

Metroid Dread will be launching very soon on the Nintendo Switch. However, some gamers have reportedly received a physical copy of the game earlier than expected. Here’s what went down.
Some Gamers Are Getting Metroid Dread Early

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Metroid Dread is a 2D side-scrolling game that will be coming exclusively to the Nintendo Switch on 8th October 2021. It will be the first 2D game in the franchise since Metroid Fusion in 2002, which means its been nearly 2 decades since.
With that being said, it appears that some gamers have received a physical copy of the game early. They would be able to play the game but there is expected to be a much-needed update that will launch as soon as the game is officially out. If you see people streaming / uploading gameplay of it, it’s likely to be legit at this point.
According to the official Nintendo website, Metroid Dread will be officially available in the eShop at 2PM BST for UK and Europe, and 12PM ET for North America. Depending on which region you are, you should expect to be officially available around this time.
Metroid Dread will be officially launched on 8th October 2021 for the Nintendo Switch. It will be retailing for $59.99 / £49.99.
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Pokdepinion: I’m personally looking forward to Metroid Prime 4, but I suppose this will do for now while I wait. More than anything else, I hope this, along with Dread, doesn’t come out as a buggy mess.
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Western Digital Introduces New Ultrastar DC ME200 Memory Extension Drive

Western Digital (WD) has today announced their new Ultrastar DC ME200 Memory Extension Drive, which is the brand’s first product that enables you to better optimize in-memory system capacity and performance for running demanding applications.
Western Digital Ultrastar DC ME200 Memory Extension Drive
WD has jumped into the in-memory computing segment with their latest product, the Ultrastar DC ME200 Memory Extension Drive. As today’s world grows in terms of demand for in-memory computing for analytics, data processing, cloud services and high performance, WD’s new solution comes in to offer extra DRAM.
The Ultrastar memory drive provides cost-efficient, with near-DRAM performance for companies to expand memory pools sizes up to 8X the DRAM capacity while also offering CAPEX and OPEX savings.

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With it, it is ideal for in-memory applications such as Redis, Memcached, Apache Spark, and large-scale databases, giving higher capacities over current storage-class memory products.
The Ultrastar DC ME200 is PCIe-device compatible with most Intel x86 servers and is available in 1TiB, 2TiB, and 4TiB options (TiB = Tebibyte). The new solution requires no modification to the OS, system hardware, firmware, or application stacks. For expandability, a 1U server can support up to 24TiB of system memory using the Ultrastar DC ME200 drive for in-memory compute clusters.
For more information on the new solution from Western Digital, you can look it up here.
Pokdepinion: I wonder if it’s going to make its way here to Malaysia. Another question is the price. They’ve mentioned that it will be affordable, but how ‘affordable’ is affordable?
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ROG Phone 2 Slated For Q3 2019 Release

The original ROG Phone made its way last year, being the dream gaming smartphone that gamers cried out for. Now it seems that the successor, the ROG Phone 2 is set to be released in Q3 of this year.
According to reports, the new gaming device will see them partner up with Tencent as their official advertising partner, where it seems that ASUS is looking to garner profits from the Chinese smartphone gaming market.
Besides the ZenFone 6, the ROG Phone 2 will be among the first smartphones to come out after ASUS’ announcement of their reworked strategy to focus on gaming and premium segment devices. We should probably see an upgrade in the ROG Phone 2 over the original’s specifications. Here’s the ROG Phone’s specifications:

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ROG Phone Specifications

Processor
2.96GHz specially-binned Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 845 Mobile Platform with 10nm, 64-bit Octa-core Processor

GPU
Qualcomm® Adreno™ 630

UI
ROG UI

Display
6.0” 18:9 2160×1080 AMOLED 90Hz with 1ms response time 550nits brightness 108.6% DCIP3; 10,000:1 contrast ratio. Front 2.5D Corning Gorilla 6 glass

Capacitive touch panel with 10 points multi-touch (support Glove touch) Gaming HDR and Mobile HDR supported

Memory
LPDDR4X 8GB RAM

Storage
UFS2.1 128GB / 512GB、Google Drive 100GB / 1 year

Sensor
Accelerator, E-Compass, Proximity, Hall sensor, Ambient light sensor, fingerprint sensor, Gyro, Ultrasonic sensor

Main Rear Camera
6.25x light sensitivity low light photos (compared with a typical camera with 16MP, F1.7 & 1.12µm pixel size) Sony flagship IMX363 12MP dual pixel image sensor – 1/2.55″ large sensor size, 1.4µm large pixel size F1.7 aperture 26.6mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera 6p lens 78.2° field of view Instant cameras switching 0.03 seconds phase-detection autofocus 4-axis, 4 stops optical image stabilization LED flash

Second Rear Camera
120° wide-angle camera 200% wider view for more friends and scenery in the frame 12mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera

Front Camera
8MP F2.0 aperture 24mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera 84° field of view

Video Recording
4K UHD (3840 by 2160) video at 30 / 60 fps for main rear camera 1080p FHD video recording at 30 / 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30 fps 3-axis electronic image stabilization for rear cameras Take still photo while recording video Slow Motion video (1080p at 240 fps / 720p at 240 fps) ZeniMoji

Speaker
Dual front-facing speakers 5-magnet speaker with dual NXP 9874 smart amplifier for louder, deeper and less distorted sound effect

Audio Output
Hi-Res audio 192kHz/24-bit standard that is 4 times better than CD quality DTS:X Ultra 1.0 delivers incredibly realistic 3D audio rendering for any kind of games or virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR), featuring immersive 7.1-channel surround-sound with enhanced bass response. AudioWizard with listening profile

Microphone
Triple internal microphones with ASUS Noise Reduction Technology

FM Receiver
FM radio

Wireless Technology
WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4 & 5GHz WLAN 802.11ad 60GHz (32 Antennas)Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi direct

Navigation
GPS/Glonass/Beidou/Galileo/QZSS

SIM Cards
Dual SIM dual standby Slot 1: 2G/3G/4G Nano SIM Card Slot 2: 2G/3G/4G Nano SIM Card

Data rate
LTE Cat13 UL up to 150Mbps / Cat18 DL up to 1.2Gbps DC-HSPA+: UL 5.76 / DL 42Mbps DL 5CA and UL 2CA supported 4×4 MIMO and CA w/4×4 MIMO supported 5CA 4×4 MIMO up to 1.2Gbps supported

B version
FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 32) TD-LTE (Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41,46) WCDMA (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 19) TD-SCDMA (Bands 34,39) CDMA (Band BC0) EDGE/GPRS/GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz)

Interface
Side: 48 pin Customized connector USB3.1 gen1/DP 1.4(4K)/Fast Charging (QC3.0+QC4.0/PD3.0) / Direct Charge Bottom: Type C connector USB2.0/Fast Charging (QC3.0/PD3.0)/Direct Charge

3.5mm Audio jack

NFC
Support

Operating System
Android™ Oreo 8.1

Battery
4,000mAh

Power Adapter
Output: 10V 3A, supports up to 30W QC4.0 / PD3.0 / Direct Charge adapter

Dimensions
158.83x 76.16x 8.3mm

Weight
200g

In case you’ve missed our review of the original ROG Phone, you can check our full thoughts on it right here.
Pokdepinion: I’m pretty sure fans of ROG simply can’t wait for it to come out! It’ll be interesting to see what they bring to the table this time around.
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Given the massive improvement the Exynos 2100 SoC brought to the table over its predecessor, the Exynos 990, many expected it to be the one powering the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. Turns out, that might not be the case after all.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 Will Not Be Powered by Exynos 2100

As my friend said, Galaxy Z Fold3 uses Snapdragon 888 processor.
It is about 13g lighter than Z Fold2.
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) April 20, 2021

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According to notable leakster Ice Universe, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 smartphone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC instead of the Exynos 2100. While the latter has seen some major improvements compared the previous generation, the former still has it beat in terms of GPU performance and energy efficiency.
Given that the upcoming foldable smartphone will be the company’s highest end smartphone yet, it’s understandable why Samsung is doing this. On a different note, this also means that we won’t be seeing the Exynos 2100 with AMD Mobile Radeon GPU inside.
From what we know thus far, the Korean giant plans on making their Galaxy Z Fold lineup thinner and lighter so it would be easier and more comfortable to use overall. As a result, the upcoming foldable is said to be 13g lighter than its predecessor. We’re also made aware that it will be coming with an IP rating for dust and water resistance, which is also shared with the Galaxy Z Flip 2.
Apart from that, it’s expected to have S Pen support similar to the Galaxy S21 Ultra, a thicker UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) protection, 256GB internal storage, Android 11 with One UI 3.5, and a 4,400mAh battery. The features that no one manage to get details on yet is higher refresh rate and the cover display size change.
For now, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip2 is expected to launch sometime in the second half of 2021. Online rumours suggest that we may see it as early as July 2021 but until we get an official confirmation, we’ll just have to wait and see. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: While I’m personally happy enough already with the Exynos 2100 given big of an improvement it is over the Exynos 990, there’s no denying the Snapdragon 888’s potential. This could make the camera on the Z Fold3 look better from optimizations and we can look forward to great battery efficiency.
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Watch Dogs Legion Review – Same Formula With A Fresh Coat of Paint

What is Watch Dogs Legion About?
Watch Dogs Legion review

Watch Dogs Legion is the 3rd installment of the Watch Dogs series which takes place in fictional, tech-savvy London. The game focuses on a hacker group known as DedSec, which has various branches across the world with the sole purpose of fighting against authorities and groups that misuse ctOS (Central Operating System) for their own benefit at the expense of ordinary citizens.
Unfortunately for DedSec, they were framed for a series of bombings across London. Now, they have to find a way to clear their names and liberate the citizens from Albion, a private military company that has transformed London into a surveillance state and taken over as law enforcement. It won’t be easy, as the Zero Day hacker group, Clan Kelley syndicate, and Signals Intelligence Response (SIRS) stand in their way.
Watch Dogs Legion review
It’s worth noting that if you play it on the PS4 / Xbox One, you can bring that over to their respective next gen console free of charge.

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Impressive, But Somewhat Pointless

At its core, Watch Dogs Legion is an action adventure game set in an open world environment. Unlike other similar games in the genre like Grand Theft Auto or Just Cause, Watch Dogs Legion follows the series’ the running theme of hackers. My only issue with this is that despite being a new entry in the franchise, especially one that is coming to next gen gaming systems, it doesn’t really do much to feel new.

For starters, the game lets you play as over 9 million of NPCs in fictional London. That is no exaggeration by the way as these are procedurally generated characters, each with their own mini backstory and set of skills. The idea behind it is that you can recruit essentially every single NPC you meet for DedSec. While that is an amazing feat, there’s not really much of a reason to play as anyone aside from the character you’re already playing as.
Watch Dogs Legion review
Don’t get me wrong, the game’s setting of London being a dystopian surveillance state is a reasonable motivation for most people to want join DedSec. It’s just that after a certain point, getting more people to join becomes a chore as you’ll have to complete a loyalty mission to get them in. This wouldn’t be too bad if the skills are mostly worth it but they rarely do impact the game, if ever.
Sure, sometimes you get some funny or interesting dialogue but apart from that, there’s little to no reason to continuously recruit members. You’d think with perma-death being enabled, the game could be a bit more tense but realistically, it wouldn’t affect your gameplay and you could easily replace the person if you need to. After all, every character plays essentially the same with access to the same weapons.
If you’re looking for another major open world game, check out our review of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla by clicking right here.
The Same Formula
Watch Dogs Legion review
As far as the main gameplay go outside of the playable character gimmick, it’s essentially the same as the previous games. Missions typically involve sneaking into enemy territory, steal something by hacking, and then leave. Combat is one of the more enjoyable aspects of the game, as it’s generally satisfying to shoot people and knock them right in their faces.
Watch Dogs Legion review
The story itself isn’t bad however, as it’s most likely going to be the only thing pushing you to complete the game. Some of the lesser portions of the game, such as controlling drones and Spiderbots remotely, can be fun but the novelty doesn’t last long. If you’ve played the previous games, it would be something you’re already familiar with.
Watch Dogs Legion review – Gadgets
Like other similar games in the genre as of late, you have a skill tree which is dependent on the character class you have chosen; the direct combat-based Enforcer, the stealth-focused Infiltrator, and the self-explanatory Hacker. There’s nothing that’s too complicated here as it’s mostly linear as far as progression goes, so just play through the game and you should get most, if not all of the skills you need by the end of the game.
As I play Watch Dogs Legion on PC and have it installed on my SSD, loading speed is never an issue. On the PS4 however, it can be quite a pain as it takes a while for you to enter the open world environment. It may not sound too bad if it’s just a matter of entering the game but it gets quite annoying when you’re switching characters or using fast travel. If you’re gonna play this on console, I recommend playing it on next gen systems for your own sanity.
Watch Dogs Legion Verdict
Watch Dogs Legion review
Watch Dogs Legion is a good game if you’re a fan of the series. If you’re just looking for an open world experience, it does have a nice view of London but it’s far from the best action-adventure game around. It feels like the older Watch Dogs game with a fresh coat of paint and a brand new setting. If you’re looking to play it solely for the story, I doubt you’d be disappointed but if you want a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience, you may want to give this game a pass.
At the end of our Watch Dogs Legion review, I award this game with our Bronze Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Ubisoft for sending us a game code for the purposes of this review.
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WhatsApp May Add Face Recognition In Future Update

WhatsApp has millions of users across the globe, and the developers are constantly figuring out new things to implement in the messaging app. Now, it appears that they may add face recognition to make the app more secure in a convenient way.
WhatsApp May Add Face Recognition

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According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp may include face recognition in the app, specifically for Android devices. Furthermore, they will be making improvements to fingerprint recognition and renaming it to Biometric Lock.
If and when it gets implemented, fingerprint and face recognition are expected to work together. For devices that lack a fingerprint scanner however, users will have no choice but to use face recognition on its own via the selfie camera.
In related news, WhatsApp is also working on a Join Call feature. This will allow people to jump into an ongoing call for as long as they have been invited into the call prior. If you’re worried about random people hopping into private calls, that would not be an issue.
For now, there is no word yet on when the new features will be out, if ever. We will be reporting more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: It’s a useful feature to have if you need to keep things secure. Just a matter of how reliable it is in application.
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PS5 Outsold Xbox Series X in Worldwide Hardware Estimates

The next generation of console gaming is here, and many gamers are wondering how well the companies are doing now with their respective platforms. It appears that the PS5 outsold the Xbox Series X in worldwide hardware estimates.
PS5 Outsold Xbox Series X

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As you may know by now, the PlayStation 5 was launched a little later than the Xbox Series X, starting on 12th November 2020 for selection countries and 19th November 2020 for the rest. In fact, there are still a number of countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, where it has not officially launched yet. Despite that, the PS5 outsold the Xbox Series X.
According to VGChartz, the PS5 sold 1,483,910 units while the Xbox Series X and S sold 1,345,386 units globally in the week that ends on 14th November 2020. It also appears that the PS5 sold better than its predecessor, the PS4, for its launch week in certain countries like US, Australia, and New Zealand.
For a breakdown of hardware estimates for the week which ends on 14th November 2020, check it out right below here:
Global Hardware Estimates

PlayStation 5 – 1,483,910 (1,483,910) – NEW
Xbox Series X|S – 1,345,386 (1,345,386) – NEW
Switch – 722,176 (69,260,049)
PlayStation 4 – 116,301 (113,896,240)
Xbox One – 45,288 (48,548,670)
3DS – 2,198 (75,826,987)

Americas (US, Canada, Latin America) Hardware Estimates

PlayStation 5 – 1,259,270 – NEW
Xbox Series X|S – 898,208 – NEW
Switch – 303,703
Xbox One – 34,706
PlayStation 4 – 32,946
3DS – 812

Europe Hardware Estimates

Xbox Series X|S – 349,697 – NEW
Nintendo Switch – 216,851
PlayStation 4 – 71,480
Xbox One – 8,340
3DS – 686

Asia (Japan, Mainland Asia, Middle East) Hardware Estimates

Switch – 172,632
PlayStation 5 – 152,516 – NEW
Xbox Series X|S – 28,230 – NEW
PlayStation 4 – 8,487
3DS – 617
Xbox One – 226

Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) Hardware Estimates

PlayStation 5 – 72,124 – NEW
Xbox Series X|S – 69,251 – NEW
Switch – 28,990
PlayStation 4 – 3,388
Xbox One – 1,882
3DS – 83

As the PS5 outsold the Xbox Series X, it’s worth pointing out that not every unit landed in the hands of actual customers. In fact, plenty of units fell into the hands of scumbags scalpers looking to make an easy profit. Some of them are even selling it for more than double of the retail price. We do expect the number of next gen consoles sold to be even higher soon as more stock comes in and more countries get their hands on them.
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Pokdepinion: I’m surprised by this not because I thought Sony couldn’t pull it off again but rather the limited units. One way to see the legitimate numbers would be to wait for the financial reports from both companies.
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Cooler Master Introduces New MasterBox MB520 RGB — Now Available At RM289

Cooler Master has finally launch their new MasterBox MB520 RGB casing, where this version comes with 3 pre-installed RGB fans, RGB lighting control, as well as a tempered-glass panel for you to further showcase your lighting system. —

As you can see, the new case from Cooler Master focuses on aesthethics and showmanship with a transparent DarkMirror front panel to view the RGB fans.

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With the aggressive intakes that’s available on each side of the front panel ensures airflow. There’s also ventilation on the top panel for the additional thermal support.
Coming included with the case is the three 120mm RGB fans that you can control the lighting through the I/O panel. The lighting control is also compatible with ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock motherboards, so you know options are there.

Additionally, there’s support for a total of six 120mm fans, where there’s front, top, and rear radiator placement, meaning you will never have to compromise on performance.

You don’t have to worry on whether your graphics card can fit the case or not as the MasterBox MB520 RGB offers support up to 410mm cards.
Your GFX cables can be routed directly through the PSU shroud rubber grommet. The storage trays, that’s hidden in the PSU shroud, can mount SSD and HDD simultaneously.
The MasterBox MB520 RGB is now available at a price of RM289.
Pokdepinion: Being at just RM289, what’s not to like? This certainly looks like a good case to flaunt off your build.
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Amp up productivity in your office with the JOI Smartboard and Intel NUCs

Workplaces nowadays thrive around collaborative efforts, and to allow for that, a different set of devices are required. Among these are devices such as smart displays which allow for teams to work on a project together directly on the display, without having to go back and forth via email communication. The JOI Smartboard might just be the perfect smart display for that.
JOI Smartboard

The JOI Smartboard is a smart display that allows you to collaborate on any project by supporting annotations right on the display itself. With support for up to 20 touch points, the display is ready for a literal all-hands-on-deck collaboration experience where everyone can provide their input directly on the JOI Smartboard. Once you have done everything, you can easily capture what’s displayed and save it for future references.

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Built into the JOI Smartboard is an Android system, but if you need more features and functionality, the JOI Smartboard also supports an OPS module. Configurable with up to 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, the JOI Smartboard is capable of handling any applications you might need.
Intel® NUC

When it comes the time to work individually, the Intel® NUCs are perfect for the task. With up to eight processing threads crammed into a system no bigger than the palm of your hand, you are getting a lot of performance in a very small footprint. Powered by 8th Generation Intel® Core™ processors, the Intel® NUCs are powerful enough for all your tasks yet highly efficient. With support for up to 4K displays, the Intel® NUC is all you need for your daily tasks, and more.
Do more with 9th Gen Intel Core processors

If you need even more processing power, you can opt for systems powered by the latest 9th Generation Intel® Core™ desktop processors. Available with up to 16 processing threads, the 9th Gen Intel® Core™ processors are designed to conquer the most demanding workloads. The 9th Generation Intel® Core™ desktop processors also support Intel Optane technology so you will spend less time waiting for your projects to load and start work on them immediately.

To experience the JOI Smartboard, Intel® NUC or the latest 9th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, do head over to the following link and fill out the form to sign up for a hands-on session.
Sign Up to Experience JOI Smart Education
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Intel Is Renaming Their CPU Names For The First Time In 15 Years

Goodbye Core i5, hello Core Ultra 5?

Intel’s Core i3/i5/i7 (and later Core i9) are just about the most ubiquitous names in the PC industry since its inception back in late 2008 with the first-generation “Nehalem” processors such as Core i7-920. Since then, there has been 13 generations that carries the same name, but that is set to end as Intel has confirmed a new naming system will replace the current one moving forward, starting with the Meteor Lake processors.

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The new naming is first discovered in the Ashes of the Singularity benchmark database with the CPU labeled as “Intel Core Ultra 5 1003H”. This chip is supposedly belonging to the upcoming Meteor Lake-P family of processors, and it contains an unusual number of cores – 14 cores and 18 threads to be exact. There’s a few possible pair of number combinations in theory, but given that E-cores so far comes exclusively in the form of 4-core clusters (meaning, they come multiples of 4 E-cores per chip), another theory is the inclusion of two new “SoC cores” aside from P and E-cores (which means 4P+8E+2SoC).
Meanwhile, Bernard Fernandes – Director of Global Communications at Intel Corporation has came forward and confirmed that Intel is indeed changing its product naming scheme starting with Meteor Lake. We know that Intel is likely refreshing current Raptor Lake chips – which could be using “14th Gen” naming and will be the final chips to use this decade-long naming convention.

Yes, we are making brand changes as we’re at an inflection point in our client roadmap in preparation for the upcoming launch of our #MeteorLake processors. We will provide more details regarding these exciting changes in the coming weeks! #Intel
— Bernard Fernandes (@Bernard_P) May 1, 2023

“We are making brand changes as we’re at an inflection point in our client roadmap in preparation for the upcoming launch of our Meteor Lake processors,” the Tweet wrote – noting that more information will be provided in the coming weeks. That being said, leakers has claimed that some upcoming chips will not stick to Ultra name and will instead remove the ‘i’ from its name forming a name such as below:

Note: not every SKU gets the "Ultra" naming, Refresh stuff like RPL-R U will be Intel Core x 1xxx https://t.co/Io8V9x5lCo
— Bionic_squash (@SquashBionic) May 1, 2023

Intel has confirmed its plans to release Meteor Lake in 2H 2023 from its Q1 earnings data, so we should be seeing more of these new names in the coming months.
Source: Videocardz (1, 2)
Pokdepinion: Bold move, given how ingrained Core i3/i5/i7 has been in people’s minds over the years.
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