vivo V27 Unboxing and First Impressions

vivo V27 Unboxing

The vivo V27 comes in a gray box, something you don’t often see nowadays with smartphones. You have the model number being seen clearly while the brand’s logo, albeit bigger in size, appearing in a more stealthy manner. Inside the box, you can find the following items:

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Inside the box, you can find the following items:

Quick start guide
Warranty card
66W FlashCharge brick
USB-C to USB-C cable
SIM ejector tool
Clear TPU case
The vivo V27 smartphone itself

vivo V27 First Impressions

The vivo V27 is an interesting smartphone as it’s a midranger with the looks and feels of a more premium device. We got our hands on the Emerald Green variant, which is also the one where the rear’s look can be changed thanks to the Colour Changing design element. Essentially, if you put some objects on the rear and shine it with UV light, either artificial or under the sun, the pattern of said object will be shown in the rear. Without any objects, it will turn from a lighter shade to a darker one.
It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200, which is expected to give you quite a bit of performance as long as you don’t expect it to be the same as the modern flagships of today. It’s also on the more efficient side in terms of energy thanks to its 4nm build. For our review unit, we got the 12GB RAM / 256GB storage variant.

Apart from that, it sports a 6.78-inch Full HD+ OLED 3D curved display with up to 120Hz refrsh rate, and it’s said to be the thinnest 3D curved display in the company’s history. All of this is juiced up by an admirable 4,600mAh battery with support for up to 66W charging speed via the included 66W FlashCharge charging brick. For the rest of the specifications, check it out right below here:
vivo V27 Specifications

SoC
MediaTek Dimensity 7200, 4nm
2 x Cortex-A715 @ 2.8 GHz + 6 x Cortex-A510
Mali-G610 MC4 GPU

RAM
8GB / 12GB

Storage
256GB

Display
6.78″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) OLED 3D Curved Display
1,300 nits peak brightness
HDR10+
120Hz Refresh Rate
1.07 billion colours, P3 wide colour gamut

Rear Camera
50MP main camera
8MP wide camera
2MP macro camera
Aura flash, HDR, panorama
[email protected]/60fps, [email protected], gyro-EIS

Selfie Camera
50MP f/2.5 wide-angle selfie cam, AF
Dual LED flash, HDR, panorama
[email protected]/60fps, [email protected], gyro-EIS

Battery
4600mAh
66W FlashCharge

Dimensions
164.1 x 74.8 x 7.4 mm
180g

Ingress Protection
No

Software
Funtouch 13 based on Android 13

Colours
Noble Black, Emerald Green, and Flowing Gold

For now, the vivo V27 is in the middle of benchmark tests among other tests. I’ll be publishing my review of this smartphone soon so stay tuned to Pokde.net for the review.
If you want to know more about the new vivo V27, click right here.
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Alienware Aurora R9 Gaming Desktop Review – Power You Can Rely On

Unboxing the Alienware Aurora R9

The Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop comes in a rather large box. Inside it, you will find:
Power cableHDMI CableUser guideWarranty cardAlienware Aurora R9 Gaming Desktop itself
Appearance

If you’re seeing the Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop on photos, it does look rather small. However, keep in mind that this is a mid-tower desktop so it is bigger in person. The rather elegant design choice for a gaming desktop is in accordance with the company’s Legend design language, as seen on the m15 and m17 gaming laptops.
For our review, we have the Lunar Light colour option, but there’s also the choice of Dark Side of the Moon.

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Looking at the front, you have a vertical column with the Alienware logo (power button), three USB-A ports, a USB-C port, and two audio jacks for headphone and microphone. The column itself is surrounded by RGB lighting so you shouldn’t have trouble seeing the ports in the dark. Outside of the column, this area serves as an air intake for bringing air in to cool the machine.

On both the top and left side of the desktop, you can see air vents. There’s nothing much on the right aside. It’s hard to notice from the front but if you view it from the rear, you can see that the bottom is slightly elevated from the internals. This is to optimize air flow.

As for the rear, you have the vast majority of ports (which we’ve included in the specifications table in the next section), extra PCI-e slots, power port, service tag label, PSU diagnostics, security cable slot, PSU cage release latch, and side panel release latch. The latches allow for tool-less entry, so you don’t need to a screwdriver if you to open it up.
Overall, the Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop is an elegant machine that stands out with its power rather than the overdone gamer bling. You can place it on the table, or on the floor if you’d like. The mid-tower size should make it relatively easy to position the machine without taking up much space.
Specifications
CPUIntel Core i7-9700K (8C / 16T @ 4.6GHz, 12M SmartCache)RAM16GB (2 x 8GB SODIMM) 2666 MHz DDR4GPUNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8GB GDDR6Storage512GB NVMe PCIe SSD1TB 7200RPM HDDSoftwareMicrosoft Windows 10 HomeAlienware Command CenterKILLER WirelessGeForce ExperienceConnectivityWirelessKILLER 1650 Wi-Fi cardAX1650 802.11ax Wi-FiBluetooth 5.0Wired5 x USB 2.0 ports5 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 port1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 port with PowerShare Audio1 x 3.5mm headphone-out (analog/SPDIF)1 x 3.5mm mic-in1 x Coaxial1 x SPDIF1 x Side surround output1 x Line out1 x Rear surround output1 x Center / subwoofer output1 x Line inPower850W Power SupplyDimensions481 x 222.8 x 431.9 mm, 33.8 L volumeWeight17.8 kg
Performance

The Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop has two storage devices; a 512GB PC601 SK Hynix NVMe PCIe SSD as the primary drive and a 1TB 7200RPM Seagate Barracude HDD as the secondary drive.
The SSD performed really well so you can expect some really fast bootup / loading times. The HDD performed decently, and should be used to just store data rather than installing anything on it.

On Cinebench R15, the Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop did unsurprisingly well. The only machine that managed to beat it is the ASUS ROG Mothership, which is powered by the Intel Core i9-9980HK.

As for Unigine SuperPosition, the performance gap has closed in between the Alienware Aurora R9 and the ROG Mothership. This isn’t a surprise given that it’s a desktop compared to a laptop, and that it has an RTX 2080 SUPER instead.

While that bar may make it look like the difference is kinda large, it’s a difference of about 800 points in 3DMark’s Time Spy benchmark. It’s still a beastly gaming desktop nonetheless.

Now the difference gets interesting in 3DMark’s Port Royal benchmark. The Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktops comes out on top. Once again, keep in mind that it’s using the RTX 2080 SUPER instead of the regular version, and that this benchmark is for ray-tracing.

On the subject of gaming, we tested it in an array of games running in 4K at the highest settings possible. The numbers seen in the chart is the average FPS that we got with the desktop. It did pretty well for its specifications and for the games that it didn’t get at least 60 FPS, it’s not a surprise as those are some of the most resource-intensive games running at 4K resolution.
Running temperature is good, with the CPU running typically below 70°C whereas the GPU is around the low 80s. This machine would definitely be overkill for Full HD, so I believe the sweet spot would be at 1440p unless you simply want to maximize frame rates, such as for competitive gaming.
User Experience
The latch to open up the case
The Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop looks pretty small in pictures but it is actually bigger in real life. It’s not gigantic by any means however, as it’s a mid-tower size desktop PC. Upgrading is rather easy given the toolless entry case, so you simply need to pull the latch at the back to open it up.

While we did mention that it both an SSD and HDD as storage options, you can always swap it out / upgrade it whenever you like. There are both 3.5″ and 2.5″ SATA bays here, Changing it out is easy as you don’t need screwdrivers. You just need to make use of the tabs inside the PC.
The GPU itself is also easy to change but you will have to play around with the PSU cage first before you can swap it. There is enough space and slots for you to do a dual-graphics card setup as well, just make sure you use the case’s tabs to ensure that it is installed securely.

There are a ton of ports here, as expected from a gaming desktop of this size, which includes USB 2.0, USB 3.1, and Type-C ports. For display output, you have three DisplayPorts, one HDMI port, and a USB-C port that you’d expect from a typical GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER.

Speaking of the RTX 2080 SUPER, the GPU uses the blower-style fan, so if you ever want to upgrade in the future, you should keep in mind to find the blower-type as well, especially with the PSU cage hovering right above it. Depending on which option you pick, it may come with a 460W PSU, which severely limits upgradability even more.

The best part about the Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop is that it works right out of the box. Just plug in your favourite peripherals, power it up and you’re ready to go. With the amount of power this thing is packing, it’s definitely a joy to use. While it should be powerful enough to game in 4K, the sweet spot with high framerates would be at 1440p.

I personally don’t see any need to upgrade it any further than it is right now, and probably not for a number of years. If there’s anything that could use a change soon, it would be the storage and RAM capacity. Even then, it would be dependent on what you plan on using this for.

From my own use of gaming, Netflix, YouTube, web surfing and work (Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and word processing), it does the job wonderfully with good running temperature. Given the power it has, it’s no surprise that it works smoothly for my needs. In the case of video editing, doubling the RAM would be nice but it’s not necessary unless my workload gets more complicated.
Left is home screen, middle is my gallery, and right is my notifications.
On the software side, it’s a hit and a miss. In the case of the Alienware Mobile Connect, it’s super helpful. It allows me to interact with my Android smartphone using the PC. Anything from calls, texts, notifications, using apps, and more. While I don’t see everyone using it, it’s very helpful if you need to mirror your smartphone’s display and transfer files easily.
As seen at CES 2020, the Dell / Alienware Mobile Connect software will be adding support for Apple iPhones soon. Click right here to read about it.

When it came to the Alienware Command Center however, it was a definite miss. For those of you who aren’t aware, this software lets your personalize and tweak your Alienware PC / laptop. From tailoring game settings to adjusting RGB lighting to even simple overclocking. All can be done in single application. It may differ slightly from product to product.
The issue here is that it doesn’t work here at first. The software was stuck on “Upgrading AWCC components” and I had to reinstall it. Afterwards, it managed to work but at a limited capacity. The FUSION section didn’t load up at all.
After learning that I had to download extra modules to get it working, I installed the necessary files, but only the power options managed to load. This is something Dell needs to fix as many users have reported similar issues as well with their Alienware PC.
Alienware Aurora R9 Verdict

The Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop is a powerful machine that will certainly satisfy any gamers. It’s easy to use and I doubt anyone would have trouble with it. Would it be better than a custom gaming desktop? Not exactly as it’s a lot easier to upgrade the PC as a whole, and you might be able to save some money while you’re at it.
That being said, it isn’t a bad idea to get this desktop if you like the Alienware “Legend” aesthetic, support from Dell, or you just want something you can get up and running quickly. Personally, I wished it was smaller but size is subjective. With that being said, I award the Alienware Aurora R9 gaming desktop with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Dell Malaysia for letting us use this for review. If you wanna check out all the available configurations, click right here.
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[E3 2019] Platforms for Marvel’s Avengers Game Revealed

Square Enix seems ready by showing off their banner at E3! And if you look closely, the available platforms seem to read PS4, Xbox One, Google Stadia and PC! #REASSEMBLE pic.twitter.com/fbmndwsKbT
— Have We Heard Anything About Marvel’s Avengers? (@AvengersSE) June 9, 2019

One of the most highly anticipated games teased in recent times is Marvel’s Avengers by Square Enix. We expected to hear about this during the Square Enix press conference at E3 2019 but it looks like we got some early details pop up.
Square Enix has showed their banner for the game at E3 2019 which included the platforms that the game will be released on. The ones listed are PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the Nintendo Switch is included for this one. Looks like the game may require quite a bit of power from the hardware if that’s the case.

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News comes from a Marvel’s Avengers fan Twitter account, that posted a picture of promotional art outside of the Los Angeles Convention Center to celebrate E3. You can see a big version of the Avengers logo with the brand information for Marvel, Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix, and Eidos Montreal. Below the big Avengers logo we see “Embrace Your Powers” next to prospective console logos.
What’s interesting here is that this is the first Square Enix game confirmed to be coming to Google Stadia. Those who pre-ordered the Founder’s Edition will be happy to know about any game that they can play immediately when they can access the platform. We might just see more Square Enix games make its way to Google Stadia, perhaps even the Final Fantasy VII Remake or a port of Kingdom Hearts 3.
For now, there’s still plenty of details that we don’t know yet but we expect it to be revealed very soon.
Pokdepinion: I’m hoping something like the Spider-Man game we got from Insomniac Games but something tells me it’s gonna be quite different. Gotta wait just a bit longer to see.
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PS Plus Asia April 2019 Free Games Lineup

If you’re a PS Plus member then chances that this is the time that you look forward to every month. The time to know what free games will be coming your way. Well, let’s not delay this any further and get right down to all the juicy details you need.
This is the PS Plus free games lineup for the Asia region.
First up, we have What Remains of Edith Finch. The game is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington state. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she’s the last one in her family left alive.

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The other big highlight for PS Plus Asia April 2019 is The Surge, a 3rd-person, sci-fi RPG. In the game, players utilize an upgradable exoskeleton to take down a variety of different enemies. During your time in the world, you’ll be able to craft and equip new weapons to help you on your way. Right now, it’s not exactly clear if the version that’ll be free is the standard edition, or the augmented edition, however, chances are it’s just the former.
Interestingly, PlayStation Asia did list down Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2, but this is a free game to begin with. Perhaps it was listed as a way to let people in the Asia region know that you can play the game now. With the PS3 and PS Vita games no longer being a part of the lineup, these are the only games that you’ll be getting.
Pokdepinion: Just like the US lineup, its a pretty solid lineup. Though I kinda wished there would be more games included.
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Cooler Master Introduces GA241 & GA271 Monitors, Touts Cheapest 2K Offering

Cooler Master’s latest introduction is the pair of GA series monitors: the GA241 and GA271, 23.8-inch and 27-inch respectively, both feature VA panel with 100Hz refresh rate and 4000:1 contrast ratio that comes with VA-type panels. As far as specs go, it’s a fairly basic gaming monitor but it checks all the boxes. The monitors come with FreeSync / G-SYNC compatible certification, 1ms MPRT response time which is calibrated for “optimal overdrive performance”.
There are some specs difference between the two models, however. The 27-inch features a 10-bit QHD panel which supports HDR10 signals, but in practice you won’t be consuming any HDR content, as the brightness maxes out at a very pedestrian 250 nits. Meanwhile, the 24-inch model gets a standard 8-bit FHD panel with the same 250 nits of peak brightness, but both covers 95% sRGB color space only.

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I/O wise, the 27-inch features two HDMI inputs and a single DisplayPort; whereas the 24-inch gets a single HDMI and the analog VGA input. Both monitors feature basic tilt adjustments (-5° to +20°), and supports 100x100mm VESA mounts.
The recommended retail price (RRP) for the GA241 and GA271 is RM399 and RM649 respectively, the latter of which Cooler Master claims is the “most affordable 2K monitor in town”. We can at least know the value it offers should be very hard to beat, though. They’re now available in Cooler Master Shopee and Lazada stores, as well as authorized resellers nationwide.
Pokdepinion: 2K monitor for only that price? Wow.
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Samsung Unveils CJ791 – World’s First Thunderbolt 3 QLED Monitor!

At this year’s CES 2018, Samsung Electronics will debut their new C7791 monitor, which is the first curved monitor to feature Intel’s Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.
Samsung CJ791
Designed for entertainment and business audiences, the 34-inmch model offers power and processing speed with an exceptional picture quality for a comfortable and better experience.
Through the Thunderbolt 3 cable, users can link and dock their monitor and laptop without excessive wiring. It can give processing speeds of up to 40 Gigabits per second, a rate which is four times faster than USB alternatives. Rest assured, it is compatible to docks, displays, and peripheral devices including Macs, USB Type-C laptops, and other desktop accessories like storage drives or external graphics cards. With the cable, it also allows up to 85 watts of laptop charging power.

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Featuring a 21:9 aspect ratio, it provides more screen for multitasking. With its 3440×1440 ultra-wide QHD resolution, it improves content and imagery with nearly 2.5 times the pixel density of full HD atlernatives.
The monitor isn’t just for working only. Gamers can take delight with the display’s QLED reflects color across a 125% sRGB spectrum, creating visual intruge through deeper blacks, brighter whites and pristine shades.
There is also a host of integrated features that gives gamers an ‘edge’ such as Game Mode, which contains a dynamic gamma setting that intuitively adjust color and contrast of each scene to produce a true-to-life environment. Response time in the monitor is 4ms, ensuring smoother transition as well.
In addition, it features 1,500R curvature and ultra-wide 178-degree viewing angle, giving users a complete view of their surroundings and ensuring immersion throughout. With the display’s height-adjustable stand  and tilt functionality, it gives users the option to customize positioning and work from their most comfortable viewing arrangement.
Pokdepinion: Wow, Samsung has really stepped it up this time with the introduction of the CJ791. Will it budget friendly? We’ll know more when it officially releases in our shores.
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Huawei Mate 9 BLACK Limited Edition arriving 3rd March

The Huawei Mate 9 is an impressive piece of kit. But perhaps you may have found it launched here in Malaysia with a rather limited choice of colors? While it may be rather late with the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus set to be revealed in Malaysia on 8th March, the Huawei Mate 9 BLACK Limited Edition is available.
Finished entirely in black, it exudes timeless elegance which can never be matched by any other color. Combining the best of technology and design, the new variant offers elites an unprecedented style and performance, right in the palm of their hands.
The rest of the specifications are shared with the standard Huawei Mate 9 which are available in Champagne Gold and Mocha Brown. You get the same nippy Kirin 960 chipset, ample 4000 mAh battery with SuperCharge technology, 5.9″ 1080p display, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. Of course, let’s not forget the second generation Leica dual-lens camera system.

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If you are interested to get the Huawei Mate 9 BLACK, check out for the limited units that will be made available at all Huawei Experience Stores nationwide from 3rd March onwards. The devices will also be available via Maxis Zerolution or Lazada Malaysia. The Huawei Mate 9 BLACK is priced at RM2699.
Pokdepinion: The Huawei Mate 9 does stand out in terms of its screen size, which will definitely be a boon for those who need more screen real estate. But with a newer device with an even more impressive camera system looming close, I would be holding on to my moolah until the P10 and P10 Plus’ pricing are announced.
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New Google Chrome Feature Is Scaring Users Away for Privacy Issues

Google Chrome is arguably the most popular web browser in the world right now. Things may soon change drastically however with the latest Chrome 80 update. The update introduces a new feature called ScrollToTextFragment, which is a deep linking technology tied to website text. According to multiple sources however, it may have a few privacy concerns that won’t sit well with a good number of users.
The ScrollToTextFragment feature works by allowing Google to index websites and share links down to a single word of text and its position on the page. This is made possible by creating its own anchors to text (using the format: #:~:text=[prefix-,]textStart[,textEnd][,-suffix]), and they wouldn’t permission from the web page author to do so. While this may sound useful for sharing very specific links, the potential for it to be exploited is equally great, if not worse.

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Peter Snyder, Brave Browser Privacy Researcher, said:
Consider a situation where I can view DNS traffic (e.g. company network), and I send a link to the company health portal, with [the anchor] #:~:text=cancer. On certain page layouts, I might be able [to] tell if the employee has cancer by looking for lower-on-the-page resources being requested. Imposing privacy and security leaks to existing sites (many of which will never be updated) really shouldn’t be a ‘don’t break the web’, never-cross, redline. This spec does that.
It’s worth noting that Peter Snyder is the person who initially realized the new feature running on the new Google Chrome 80. To add to the matter, Mozilla principal engineer David Baron warned against the use / development of ScrollToTextFragment by stating “My high-level opinion here is that this a really valuable feature, but it might also be one where all of the possible solutions have major issues/problems.”
Google Chrome Engineers Explains Further on ScrollToTextFragment
Since then, Google’s own engineers have released a document that explains the pros and cons of the deep linking technology used in ScrollToTextFragment. What sounds a bit scary here is that Chromium engineer David Bokan mentioned about how they’ve discussed this matter and other issues with their security team, but they disagree on the severity of the matter and will be proceeding this without requiring an opt-in.
With that being said however, Bokan added on by saying that they will be working on an opt-out option. With the immense power that Google is holding, they can essentially decide what is or isn’t acceptable. There is a good chance most users will not even realize the existence of ScrollToTextFragment and just have it running in secret. Now that you know about this potential issue, it’s still ultimately your choice if you’d like to use Google Chrome or not.google

Source: Forbes
Pokdepinion: Well, I recently switched over to Opera GX and never looked back. If you’re worried, there are plenty of good alternatives out there.
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You Can Now Link Your Discord To PlayStation Account

Recently Discord has allowed you to link up your PlayStation account to the software, where it is rolling out to users in phases.
Discord now available to link with PlayStation account
If you are interested in linking up your Discord to your PlayStation Network account, all you need to do is head to your Settings then click on Connections. If the feature is already available for you, you will see the PSN logo from the list.
Click on it and you will then be prompted to enter your PSN login details. You can also do it through the Discord app where you’ll need to go to User Settings, Connections, and then Add to link the platform.

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Once you have connected your account, you will be able to share your profile as well as share your PlayStation Network as your status, which shows your PlayStation activity and the games that you are playing.
Unfortunately, that’s pretty much all you can do by linking to the app. You still can’t have voice chats in it. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: It’s a shame really. When I saw the news, the first thing that came to mind is that you’ll be able to talk with your PlayStation friends on Discord. It would be handy for games that have cross-play. Oh well, maybe it’s coming soon.

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Ever Wondered Why Steam Game Refunds Take Awhile? Here’s Why

Well, at least Steam game refunds is still a thing. Even if it’s slow at times, it still works.
Usually when we buy games, we take a risk in terms of having a crappy or buggy game. Especially when it’s a digital copy of a game, the idea of a refund seems tough to get without resorting to tense confrontation…or at least, that’s what plenty of people think.
As of 2015, Valve has offered Steam game refunds. This works only if the refund request for the purchased title is fewer than two hours and request for the refund has been made within fourteen days of the purchase. Is it taking long for them to process your Steam game refund? This may be why.

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Ever Wondered Why Steam Game Refunds Take Awhile?

Since the introduction of Steam game refunds, plenty of gamers have taken advantage of this. Whether it’s for legit purposes or not is of no matter. Gamesindustry.biz has reported that as of May 4th 2017, there have been 49,119 refund requests within a 24-hour period.
The Steam support page says that all of these requests are dealt with between 1.35 hours and 1.53 days. In truth, that’s very efficient considering the fact that they’re dealing with a huge number within a short span of time but some unlucky consumers may have to wait a bit longer.
Refund requests outnumber all other requests that Steam receives combined, which total at 16,535. Of this number, 12,366 are listed as requests regarding account security and recovery, 2,211 are filed under technical support, and 1,776 are attributed to purchase and billing support. It’s pretty insane that refund requests alone triple the combined number of requests that Steam receives in all other areas.
In simpler terms, they’re usually very efficient when it comes to dealing with Steam game refunds but if yours is taking awhile, do not fret. Just remember that there are tons of other refund requests happening as well, so it can take quite a bit of time to process yours. Patience is key. On that note, be sure to take advantage of the refund feature if you bought a crappy game.
If you’re curious as to how the numbers actually look like, feel free to head over to the Steam support page. They’ve laid out every detail nicely with some handy charts. It’s interesting to see how Steam users utilize the many services that Valve offers.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz

Pokdepinion: Well, some people have been complaining about their refunds so I believe this would provide an adequate amount of explanation. Just be patient and your refund will come, don’t worry.

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Sportify app officially launched in Malaysia — sport made easy

Sportify, not to be mistaken for Spotify, is a new app specially designed for sportspeople to connect with enjoy the same sports, organize or join a game, and make court bookings in just a few taps through the app.
At the launch event, we learned that with this app it could solve typical sportsperson problems, especially when trying to book a court for badminton. The app is only available for iOS at the time of writing, but they said it will be available for Android by the end of this year or latest by early 2017.

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The Sportify is pretty easy to use. First, you select the venue where you want to play, then you are able to view some photos of the venue and fees before you book. After picking the venue, you can book it and pay using your credit card (only credit card payment is accepted currently). If you happen to not have anyone to play with, you can start to invite your friends on Sportify to join you. Currently only badminton and futsal are supported for Malaysia region and they said it will soon be available for golf, basketball, tennis and table tennis players.

At the event, they also introduced the Sportify partner program which gives the opportunity to sport centers to become listed in the app. The main highlight is to help the partner’s operation be more efficient.

Currently only available for iOS users, you can download the app from the link here.
At the event, we actually found a flaw within the app. Users might find their privacy to be an issue, especially if golfers start using the app. Usually people who play golf are high profile or VIPs. By randomly inviting another player to join them, it could not be an ideal scenario for them. Of course, we talked about this matter to Sportify representative, and they did agree with us and will try to solve the matter ASAP.
Also, this Nov 30 (Wednesday), Sportify will be holding a friendly badminton game at EnerZ Subang from 8PM to 9PM. It’s free to enter and there are free gifts for participants.

Pokdepinion: We also talked on how much important for them to release Android version as possible so they can and start to target college and university students. This is because most student are using Android smartphones and it can help students become more active in sports.
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Samsung Galaxy S23 Series Receives Update: Enhanced Camera Features and System Improvements

Samsung has initiated the rollout of the latest software update, version S91xBXXU2AWF1, for its Galaxy S23 series smartphones. This update, weighing in at approximately 2.2GB, brings several enhancements and notable improvements to the devices. Alongside the June security patch, users can expect upgrades to the camera features, including a new 2x portrait mode option, as well as fixes for autofocus and HDR performance issues. Furthermore, improvements in haptics, UI animations, and system stability contribute to an overall enhanced user experience. Currently available in select Southeast Asian countries, the update is expected to expand to more regions in the coming days.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Series Gets A Pretty Solid Update

One of the significant highlights of the S91xBXXU2AWF1 update for the Samsung Galaxy S23 series is the introduction of a 2x portrait mode option in the native camera app. This new feature empowers users to capture stunning portraits with enhanced depth and background blur. With this update, Samsung aims to elevate the photography capabilities of its flagship smartphones and provide users with more creative options to express their artistic vision.

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Samsung has diligently addressed autofocus and HDR performance issues in the latest update. Users can expect improved autofocus accuracy and speed, ensuring sharper and more precise images. Additionally, the update includes an overhauled Night mode processing, which enhances low-light photography by capturing more details and reducing noise. These improvements aim to enhance the overall camera experience and enable users to capture breathtaking photos in various lighting conditions.

The S91xBXXU2AWF1 update not only focuses on camera enhancements but also brings significant improvements to the overall system functionality of the Galaxy S23 series. Samsung has refined the haptic feedback, enhancing the tactile response of the device and providing a more immersive user experience. Moreover, UI animations have been optimized, resulting in smoother transitions and more fluid interactions with the phone’s interface. Alongside these visual enhancements, Samsung has also worked on system stability, ensuring a reliable and glitch-free performance for users.
The S91xBXXU2AWF1 update is currently available for Galaxy S23 series users in select Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. However, Samsung has plans to expand the rollout to additional regions in the coming days, allowing more users to benefit from these improvements. As Samsung continues its commitment to providing regular updates and addressing user feedback, Galaxy S23 owners can look forward to an optimized and refined user experience.
Source
Pokdepinion: Samsung’s latest software update, S91xBXXU2AWF1, for the Galaxy S23 series brings a host of enhancements, particularly in the camera department. With the addition of a 2x portrait mode option, improvements in autofocus, HDR performance, and Night mode processing, users can expect an elevated photography experience. Furthermore, system enhancements such as refined haptics, smoother UI animations, and improved stability contribute to an overall enhanced user experience. While currently available in select Southeast Asian countries, Samsung’s commitment to providing regular updates ensures that these improvements will soon reach users in other regions as well.
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First glance of ASUS PixelMaster

Not only ZenUI that make ASUS ZenFone amazing but new technology PixelMaster will blown your mind, this entry I would like to talk a little bit about ASUS PixelMaster, for a note PixelMaster is a technology develop by ASUS team by combining cunning software, hardware and optical design to make sure the user get the most stunning and beautiful image capture.
One feature of PixelMaster that make me interested is the Low Light Mode its very amazing when you capturing image at almost dark surround and for those who loved to selfie (superdaddy really hate it) it is now to capture it on HD resolution, your selfie never be better than this.
A Youtube video below which upload by ASUS channel today shows us on how PixelMaster working, simple and easy understanding explanation, this video might get you enlighten and interested to get one of this ZenFone.

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Samsung’s top notch trolling bites them in the behind — Galaxy smartphones to feature notches soon

Samsung might be revolutionizing the mobile display on one end, but they are actually taking a step backwards on another. After frequently poking fun at Apple’s notched iPhone X, they themselves are planning to add notches to their display. And they have planned for not just one, but three kinds of notches.

Samsung has designed new Infinity-U, Infinity-V and Infinity-O notches, all of which cut out a bit of the display to make way for a selfie camera. The Infinity-O design is probably the most unique one, with a hole in the screen. That design hasn’t seen a lot of fans, so hopefully few devices will feature it.

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They also teased a New Infinity, which should mean a bezel-less and notch-less device is coming up from Samsung. Considering everyone from vivo to Xiaomi has already unveiled their own truly bezel-less designs, it is high time for Samsung to do so too.

What do you think about Samsung’s notched plans?
Pokdepinion: I guess their plans to forgo the notch is botched. Yes I purposely use rhymes. Sue me.
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[CES 2023] ASUS Introduces Updated ROG Laptops

ASUS Introduces Updated ROG Laptops

Following the “Maxed Out” launch event, ASUS formally announces its updated lineup of ROG laptops featuring all the latest hardware from three major chipmakers and various chassis upgrades.
Updated ROG STRIX SCAR (left) and ROG STRIX G (right) models.
First off is the gaming-focused STRIX series – once again powered by Intel’s latest-and-greatest in the form of Core i9-13980HX, a 24-core (8P+16E), 55W-class CPUs; plus NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU with 16GB VRAM – Team Green’s first-ever 90-class mobile GPU, in its full-bore configuration.
These new parts will land on newly-designed STRIX SCAR 16 and SCAR 18, plus G16 and G18 – which features 16-inch and 18-inch 16:10 displays at QHD resolution, with “at least” 500 nits brightness, 100% DCI-P3 coverage and refresh rate up to 240Hz. The SCAR 16 in particular will receive ASUS’s most advanced displays on offer – dubbed Nebula HDR Display, this panel in particular contains a 1,024-zone Mini-LED panel that can drive peak brightness up to 1100 nits.

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ROG STRIX SCAR 17 (left) and STRIX G17 (right).
AMD CPUs are to remain on 17-inch designs (SCAR 17 and G17), with minor facelift based on existing chassis. The 17-inch models will run on the combination of AMD’s Ryzen 9 “Zen 4” processor up to 16 performance cores plus the same RTX 4090 Laptop GPU found on Team Blue’s models. ASUS didn’t explicitly mention the model number of CPU for these models, but we’d make an educated guess which is likely a Ryzen 9 7945HX – also a 55W-class CPU based on what’s known so far.
All models will support NVIDIA Advanced Optimus with MUX switch, plus Dynamic Boost which allows up to 175W TGP (except G17 at 140W TGP) to be allocated to the GPU. On the cooling side, the new designs on Intel models features full-length exhaust on the rear (which relocates I/O to both sides like Zephyrus models), and a triple-fan setup (based on Flow X16’s design) for managing increased amounts of power and heat of the new parts. With iterative chassis, AMD models will retain its general cooling layout based from previous models, but webcams make a return to all STRIX models.
ROG Zephyrus lineup.
Moving on to Zehpyrus – with four models that is M16, G16, G14 and Duo 16. Oddly enough, alongside the M16, the G16 (which is based on G15) is now converted into Intel-powered machine, leaving the latter two of four sporting AMD Zen 4 CPUs that are so far unspecified.
Both Intel models will feature Core i9-13900H, with the premium M16 model sporting the same ROG Nebula HDR Display featured on the aforementioned STRIX SCAR 16. GPU features up to RTX 4090 (145W TGP); the laptop also features ASUS’s AniMe Matrix LED array on the back side of the display. New triple-fan, full-width cooling system enables 25 watts higher combined power targets for the CPU and GPU compared to the outgoing chassis.
For the Zephyrus G16 – which was previously a G15, now with 16:10 displays, is now converted into an Intel-based laptop with the aforementioned Core i9-13900H, with GPUs available up to RTX 4070 (120W TGP). ASUS also has given this model a non-HDR “Nebula Display” which otherwise features the same QHD 240Hz spec as the other models.
Moving to the AMD-based laptops, the Zephyrus G14 now comes with further upgraded internals with an unspecified ‘Zen 4’ Ryzen 9 CPU, plus RTX 4090 (125W TGP) onboard. Talk about pocket rocket. ASUS notes that this model comes with the first-ever 14-inch Nebula HDR Display, with slightly different specs to the 16-inch: 504 zones, 600 nits peak and 100% DCI-P3 coverage. Based on the wording, it looks like this feature comes at the cost of AniMe Matrix – so you’ll have to pick either one of two.
Finally, the big one: Zephyrus Duo 16 gets updated internals while largely retains the same design. Powering it is RTX 4090 Laptop GPU (165W TGP) and the most powerful Zen 4 mobile CPU on offer – this yet-to-be-revealed CPU comes with full-fat 16 cores at disposal, with the signature dual-display design that features the same Nebula HDR Display up top, and a 4K touchscreen panel down below.
ROG Flow series & XG Mobile.
The ultra-lightweight ROG Flow series also gets a hardware refresh. X13, X16 and Z13 returns – alongside a new XG Mobile module that contains RTX 4090 Laptop GPU at 150 watts TGP. The Flow X13 now features Zen 4 CPUs, plus up to RTX 4070 (60W TGP) at disposal and a maximum of 32GB LPDDR5 RAM. The newly-designed chassis features slightly smaller footprint while increasing battery capacity from 62Wh to 75Wh; new intake layout for better cooling; and increased touchpad size. Gone is the 4K or 1080p touch panel – and in comes a QHD 165Hz touch panel.
The detachable Z13 meanwhile has the option for RTX 4060 (65W TGP), with Core i9-13900H handling the compute duty. Display is courtesy of the same QHD 165Hz touch panel as the X13 model. The bigger Flow X16 now features Core i9-13900H as well as RTX 4070 (120W TGP) at disposal, with the same QHD 240Hz Nebula HDR Display that’s seen on other contemporary models. All Flow models features Corning Gorilla Glass DXC, which claims to increase hardness while reducing glare.
No pricing or launch information has been released so far – so stay tuned for updates.
Pokdepinion: Not sure if the Intel STRIX’s design choice would be a popular one given that rear-facing ports used to be one of the positive points of the laptop. Also, the sheer amount of different TDP ratings for these “RTX 4090” GPUs…
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[Computex 2019] Predator Thronos snags Gold at Computex d&i Awards 2019

Acer’s Predator Thronos gaming chair is really quite groundbreaking. It not only looks cool, but it offers a slew of features that enhances your gaming experience. It seems like we aren’t the only ones who are crazy about the chair though, as it won Gold at Computex d&i Awards 2019. Aside from the Predator Thronos’ win, Acer took home another 6 awards.

The Predator Thronos prides itself in the way that it is essentially a gamer’s cave when paired with Predator desktop PC and gaming monitors. The comfortable seat can recline with the entire cabin up to 140°, and increase immersion with vibrations linked to in-game sounds.

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Aside from the Predator Thronos, Acer also took home awards for its Smart Parking Meter System, Predator Triton 900, ConceptD 500, Swift 7, Acer OJO 500 WMR Headset and aiSage.
Pokdepinion: Bossku, can we replace all the desks in our office with Predator Thronos(es)?
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NVIDIA confirms Arm acquisition for $40 billion

Over the weekend, NVIDIA was reportedly close to sealing the deal on acquiring Arm from SoftBank. Now it is confirmed that both NVIDIA and SoftBank have agreed to the terms that the former will be taking over Arm for $40 billion, with a mix of NVIDIA shares and cash.
NVIDIA’s acquisition of Arm is to expand NVIDIA’s capabilities in GPU and AI technologies. NVIDIA does make the NVIDIA DGX A100 with AMD EPYC processors inside, but after this acquisition, we might see NVIDIA opt to use Arm processors instead. NVIDIA has hinted at this by mentioning that they will be building a state-of-the-art AI supercomputer powered by Arm CPUs.

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On top of enhancing their current product stack, NVIDIA has committed to turbocharge Arm’s R&D capacity, while also expanding its IP portfolio with NVIDIA’s technologies. As Arm is involved in various segments including smartphones, PCs, autonomous vehicles and robotics, this might also indicate NVIDIA’s re-entry into the mobile SoC market with their GPUs.
Arm’s headquarters in Cambridge, UK will remain, and the current business model that Arm operates will also continue. That means that they will continue developing CPU and GPU architectures and license them to chip designers like Apple and Qualcomm.
While both NVIDIA and SoftBank have agreed to this transaction, it is currently subject to the approval from the U.K., China, EU and US’ regulatory bodies.
Pokdepinion: An Ampere-powered smartphone? I am amped up!
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Blizzard Announces Hearthstone Balance Changes; Lots Of Nerfs Coming Your Way

Blizzard has officially announced some balance changes coming to their popular card game, Hearthstone. Spoiler alert, quite a bit of nerfs are coming your way.
Blizzard Announces Hearthstone Balance Changes
Blizzard announced in a blog post that balance changes will occur to a number of cards when Hearthstone‘s 10.2 update is live; all of which will be nerfed.

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Firstly, Corridor Creeper’s attack will be reduced from 5 to 2. At this moment, this neutral card is a very strong, especially if it is in-hand at the beginning of the game. Due to its mana reduction ability, you can get some big hits shortly after the game begins.

Bonemare’s mana cost will be increased from 7 to 8. Another strong neutral card that has found its way to a variety of decks, the change will allow opponents more time to prepare to counter its ability.

Although it is on its way out of Standard, Patches the Pirate will no longer have the Charge ability. At its current state, Patches is a great card to pull in the early game alongside another Pirate. Due to how effective it is, almost every class has a few Pirates in their deck. The lack of Charge will make him less prevalent in-game and in player’s decks.

Lastly, Raza the Chained’s Battlecry ability will be altered. It will read “Battlecry: If your deck has no duplicates, your Hero Power costs (1) this game.” As commonly combined with Shadowreaper Anduin, the change will negatively impact its power level in both Standard and Wild play.
When the update goes live next month, players will have 2weeks to disenchant the altered cards for their full Arcane Dust value.
Hearthstone originally released back in March 2014, and is currently available on PC, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. The latest Kobolds & Catacombs expansion released last month adding 135 new cards.
Source: Blizzard’s Blog Post

Pokdepinion: Something to freshen up the game, perhaps?
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We met Noctua at Computex 2017 And what they had on display was jaw-dropping

We conducted plenty of reviews on Noctua products here at Pokde.net and the results have never fall short of excitement. Noctua is one brand that has proven to us that air cooling definitely has its own forte in fighting against liquid cooling on desktop CPUs. Hence, of course, we could not have missed out on Noctua’s booth during our visit to Computex 2017 in Taipei, Taiwan.

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Now, they had a slew of products combining their existing proprietary technology along with new findings. Here’s a list of what was showcased, if you are a fan (pun intended) of Noctua, you would know which one is new and which one is not.

Next generation A-Series fans (140, 120, 80, 70, 60, 50mm)
New 5V fans
AEC-Q100 compliant 24V industrialPPC fans
140 and 120mm redux fans with NA-AVP1 support
chromax fans and cables
chromax design heatsink covers
Next-generation 140mm and 120mm single tower heatsinks
TR4/SP3 heatsinks
L-type 120mm low profile cooler
NH-L9a for AM4
LGA2066 ready!

This post is dedicated to Noctua’s enthusiasts because if you are one of them, then you would definitely want to check this out. I am only going to highlight the one product that is worth getting all the limelight – Noctua’s Next generation 120mm A-series Sterrox LCP fans. You would be surprised what something as simple as a desktop fan could revolutionize.

This has been Noctua’s most intricate fan development project EVER! It was initiated back in 2012 and it has been 4.5 years since the inception of the idea. The fans’ project volume exceeds those of Noctua’s NF-F12 and NF-S12A – COMBINED! This project has taken countless hours of CFD simulations, testing and optimisations. Noctua even invested in numerous R&D tools such as laser Doppler vibrometer, acoustic imaging and applied new testing protocols in achieving the most remarkable results. For this project alone, there were more than 200 CNC milled prototypes created.

The result? Noctua’s A-series fans. The most important highlight of this fan is its record-tight 0.5mm tip clearance, which means, between the blade and the encasing, there is only 0.5mm gap. Sounds too basic? If you’re running your computer endlessly, the centrifugal force of the fan’s blade, combined with the heat from the heatsink and machine’s environment, the fan’s blades are bound to be expanded beyond their original sizes. So, if you have 0.5mm clearance, you might end up someday with a static immobilized fan which would burn your CPU through sky temperatures. Well, at least these are the challenges that were put ahead of Noctua for stepping into this territory.

Noctua finally resorted to Novel Sterrox Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) material that allowed them to overcome the challenges. LCPs are well known in high-end medical and military applications such as bulletproof vests, combat helmets, and other body armor due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratio. When in order, LCP’s rod-like molecular alignment in the melt phase solidifies into a highly oriented, rigid chain structure. This results in extremely tensile strength, exceptionally low thermal expansion coefficient, high-environmental inertia, minimal shrinkage and long-term creep. It’s elasticity and dampening properties are ideal for reducing resonance and vibration phenomena.

Pokdepinion: I saw it live at the demo booth, the airflow of this thing is just AMAZING! We are now waiting for Noctua to send this piece of marvelous device to us so we can run our very own tests and prove it to you guys with facts and figures.
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Valorant Mobile Game May Be In Development

If you have been on Twitch for a while, then I’m sure you’ve realized that Riot Games has been domination the streaming service for the past weeks. This is most notably because of the Valorant closed beta that’s going on for PC. New details have surfaced which reveals that Valorant Mobile may be in the works.
According to Reddit user Spacixr, who attempted to play the game on their laptop in tablet mode. It showed the game having tablet / mobile controls designed for a touchscreen device. It’s said that the touchscreen controls work just as it was intended to.

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Mobile Icons That Point Towards Valorant Mobile

Icons relating to the game having Mobile support are in the game files, this doesn’t confirm Valorant will be playable on Mobile but does confirm they have icons for it if they ever want to go that route. pic.twitter.com/2JZEYEgI1N
— 🎄 Santa Ricky 🎄 (@FireMonkey__) April 4, 2020

Furthermore, it appears that mobile icons were discovered through assets which suggests that the game will have mobile support. For now, the game is supposed to be available exclusively on PC with considerations for a console release in the future. Valorant Mobile was never mentioned.
Riot Games is best known for PC games but they’re no stranger to the mobile gaming space anymore. Some of the more notable mobile games by them include League of Legends: Wild Rift, Legends of Runeterra, and Teamfight Tactics Mobile.
This isn’t necessarily evidence that Valorant Mobile is indeed in the works. However, it does show that they will be more than ready if they ever decide to go down that route. Given the free-to-play scheme, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the game pop up on Android and iOS in the future.
Source
Pokdepinion: If you can get more gamers to hop into your game, I don’t see why a mobile game wouldn’t be possible. Just hoping that it’s a level playing field for everyone.
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Compile Heart Teases 8 New Games – 5 of Them Are JRPGs

Forget MCU after-credits scene, even Compile Heart had something interesting to show after the Death End Re;Quest behind the scenes video, as they tease 8 new games currently in development.
Compile Heart Teases 8 New Games Including 5 JRPGs

At the end of a Death End Re;Quest behind-the-scenes video recently released by Compile Heart, President Norihisa Kochiwa had an interesting reveal to make.
He showcased 9 different files belonging to 9 different projects planned at the Japanese development studio. 5 of those projects are JRPGs, the first of which has a specific theme, “desert.” Kochiwa-san even went as far as showing artwork created for the game.

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Here is the full list of projects as they were presented (about some he provided a few details, while some were just mentioned).

Death End Re;Quest.
New RPG with “desert” theme. Development is already in progress.
New RPG.
New RPG with a new creator involved.
New RPG.
New RPG Involving the whole company.
New app.
????? (this isn’t a game).
New Eshishin No Kizuna mobile game with a new character.

No further information about these games was provided, including platforms or release window, but many appear to be still in the planning phase for now, and only the first JRPG has been explicitly mentioned as being already in active development.

For now, we’ll have to be content with the new art, and with Death End Re;Quest, of which you can enjoy a video detailing some of the things you can expect from the game right above here. It would certainly seem that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this game, and we hope to see more of it in the near future.
Pokdepinion: Well, I’ve been a huge fan of JRPGs for a while now and if you’re like me, I’m sure you’re pretty excited for this. I’m just hoping that the game doesn’t end up as a flop.
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The Italia Brothers – SuperDaddy’s LaFerrari Desktop

This is my worklog, so the eye candy (pictures) will be at the end of the article.
Some people like to wear Armani shirts, I wear Ferrari shirts. Some people like to wear Clarks shoes, I wear Ferrari shoes. Some people like to carry Braun Buffel messenger bags (and boy are they beautiful), I carry a Ferrari messenger bag. Some people boast about their MontBlanc pens, I carry two Ferrari pens all the time. From mobile phone’s wallpaper to it’s USB cable, from towels to leather belts, from car baby seat to the clothes the baby in it wears, from desk management to drinking mug, watches, sunglasses, perfumes (ALL OF THEM), limited edition collectible hot wheels, headphones, you name it, chances are, I would have it’s Ferrari counterpart. This makes buying birthday gifts for me a very easy task. But of course, if there is one thing that is missing, it’s the Ferrari car itself because everyone knows this piece of exotic is really not affordable and I am miles and miles away from owning my very own Ferrari. You might call me materialistic in this sense, but I call myself “responsibly materialistic”.
Anyway, with that said, it wasn’t tough at all for me to decide what custom mod my desktop would have ended up with. Now, you might have seen some seriously crazy mods around with people cutting, twisting and turning materials into beautiful masterpieces. It’s not like I did not have access to materials and tools or experts (Hi Irie! :P) who could have done this, but as you might have heard, the toughest things are sometimes the simplest things. Because this build was going to include Ferrari into it, the only way to make it unique was to include elements that only a Ferrari enthusiast would identify immediately.

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I’ve planned this for a very long time and every single part of this desktop is self-funded. Because LaFerrari is my favorite Ferrari now, project “LaFerrari” officially kicked off in 2015. Any desktop enthusiast could agree that this hobby is not cheap so I took my sweet time in building this beast. I’m sure the first thing that you really want to know about, are the specs. I decided to go with the Intel Core i7-5820K Haswell-E 6-Cores, 12-Threads with basic clock of 3.3GHz TurboBoost-able up to 3.6GHz with 15MB cache. This raw power is as raw as you could get from the LaFerrari’s power plant.
The 5820K had to be married to it’s best counterpart. Because we are running an LGA2011 socket CPU, the best motherboard for this would be the ASUS Rampage 5 Extreme that would provide all the tools needed to overclock this beast beyond it’s limits. If you study the LaFerrari carefully, the engine’s capacity is insane, but the way Ferrari has integrated it’s aerodynamics allows it to churn out power beyond imagination. This is how the Rampage 5 Extreme complements the CPU to bring out the best of it. To make sure the CPU instructions are carefully and efficiently delivered, I added the Avexir Blitz 8 x 4GB DDR4 = 32GB RAMs particularly for it’s “bling-bling”.
Of course, the most important component in the project LaFerrari (like most other desktop projects), would be the GPU. I picked the Asus GTX Titan X for it’s 12GB GDDR5 VRAM with 384-bit interface yumminess. The Titan X needs no introduction if you are a geek. The name Titan basically defines “craziness” flagship in the world of nVidia GPU lovers. So, naturally, it would be downright insanity if we SLI the Titan X – which is what I did. But I have my own reasons. You see, when you do an SLI, you don’t really multiple the VRAMs fo the GPU. That’s because your GPUs are actually “mirroring” each other in what we shall call “Alternate Frame Rendering”. One GPU renders the first frame, while the other renders the next. But you have the SAME total dedicated VRAM for the system.
Okay, then why Titan X, you ask?
The LaFerrari has a V-12 engine which means it has 12 pistons aligned in a V-shape that work alternately to churn out it’s power to it’s power-train. Sound’s familiar? Now, if only we were able to push the i7 5820K CPU to 6.3GHz, that would match the LaFerrari’s 6.3L powerplant but for such capabilities, we are looking at Liquid Nitrogen cooling territory. I haven’t pushed this CPU yet, partly because the 5820K is supposed to be replaced with the i7 5960X (when the funds permits, that is). The 5820K is a 28-lane CPU which means it can support a maximum of 28 PCI Express Lanes but the 5960X is a 40-lane CPU so it’s capable of satisfying up to 40 PCI Express Lanes. Since we are using a Titan X 2-way SLI on a Rampage 5 Extreme motherboard, this allows us to use BOTH GPUs at 16X each that equals to 32X – which is more than 28X and lesser than 40X. Until then, we shall clock down the second GPU to 8X instead. Like I said, this is an expensive hobby :)
Of course these specs are not going to be useful if our disk I/O isn’t quick enough to spin our wheels. I picked three units of the 250GB Samsung 850 Evo SSD drive and one unit of Western Digital Black 2TB 7200rpm with 64MB Cache for backups. The first SSD is mounting our OS, while the other two SSDs will be handling our game data. The WD Black is our boot storage for luggage, if you know what I mean.
So after removing all bottlenecks (other than the CPU which will do just fine for now), the display had to be quick enough to deliver the renders. For this, the obvious choice was the Asus ROG Swift PG278Q for it’s G-Sync capabilities, 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. Gaming on this beast would definitely be a bliss already and we don’t even have to overclock it to enjoy the best games at their highest resolutions. As for the powere, I added the Cooler Master V1000 Power Supply Unit which should be enough even for the future upgrade (yep, there’s more to this still). The V1000 has a fully modular cable design that incorporates a single 1000W +12V output and delivers up to 83A current. More importantly, it’s 80 PLUS Gold certified delivering efficiencies up to 93% @ 50% load and the price is perfect!
With so much raw power, you need plenty of cooling to soothe down this monster. You would have thought that I might have used custom Liquid Cooling loops for this, but I didn’t. This rig will move around a lot, and custom Liquid Cooling is definitely not going to be practical. Besides, for now, the only thing that I see that needs liquid cooling is the CPU. So I opted for the Cooler Master Nepton 240M AiO liquid cooler for the CPU. To make it even more effective, I added two extra fans to give it the push + pull wind flow at the radiator. For the rest of the components, they shall enjoy the wind flow from Cooler Master Jetflo fans with two intakes and three exhausts (including the radiator’s fans that doubles as the secondary function – or hybrid your might want to call it). Speaking of which, the LaFerrari uses a hybrid (electric motor + conventional) drive train. They are NOT interested fuel saving or forest protection. The electric motor delivers quicker response while the conventional engine completes it.
To fit in all of this, I needed one case that is modular enough to shift things around, yet able to maintain it’s aesthetics and allow me to deliver the simple mods. I opted for the Cooler Master Mastercase 5 PRO. This is where things get a lot more interesting. The first thing that we did was to strip out every single component of the Mastercase 5 PRO and sand it down to remove the matte black coating of the case. The main idea is to add a huge Cavallino Rampante on the side panel and it cannot be just a sticker. So we give it a first layer of Nero Mica (black) color that will become the base of the Cavallino Rampante. Then we carefully add a vector cut stencil of the Cavallino Rampante which is followed by Ferrari’s signature Rosso Corsa (red). Then, we add some bursh finishing of white to detail out the Cavallino Rampante silhouette. At the top of this, we give a hard solid clear coat so our paint job will last for years.
You may be thinking that this is just another paint job, but the amount of details and the tools that were used are not typical. For starters, this is definitely not an aerosol spray can job. With the help of Poon Auto workshop, the paint was mixed using PPG’s strict color codes mixing Nexa Autocolor 2K paint, finished with Nexa Autocolor Premium High Solid Clearcoat to get the real Ferrari finishing. The paint job itself was done using a special spray gun – Sata JET RP 4000 that was purchased from Germany. The whole job was done in a full sized baking oven spray booth. At the top of the grille, because it’s a PRO Mastercase 5, we did something that we call the “Yonex” effect by adding another Cavallino Rampante to it. And I won’t lie to you, this part was repeated a few times to achieve it’s perfection :P
Next we added red, white and green extenders to signify Italia flag. Thanks to Iren Modz from Mod’n’Go for the wonderful piece of PSU shroud with LED backlit that projects the LaFerrari insignia next to the glass Cavallino Rampante mixed with carbon fiber touch. Mod’n’Go also assisted in re-framing our MasterCase 5 PRO’s motherboard base by cutting it out to enable better EATX compatibility. And to add a little more fluff, what could be better than the ASUS ROG Front Base Dual-Bay Gaming Panel to get a little tachometer? Additionally, some little Cavallino Rampante are donned around the case to give it a premium feeling.
Special Thanks to:

My parents, siblings, wife and daughter who have been very patient with me while delivering this project
Joel Poon and Mr. Poon himself from Poon Auto workshop for the space, gears and paint excellence.
Iren Modz and the whole Mod’n’Go team for the PSU cover and the transparent lid along with case modding.
Juan Chong from Cooler Master Malaysia for the on-going spirit boosting.
ASUS Malaysia for never-ending encouragement and endless support.
Anyone else who I missed out. I can guarantee, I could have NEVER done this alone!

And that, my friends, is the journal of my very own LaFerrari. It has been an insanely fun journey building a machine in the spirit of something that I desire so much, it’s worth looking at EVERYDAY! Now, for the eye candy as promised. Click any of these images for their larger versions.
Stripped down the Cooler Master Mastercase 5 PRO

Sand down the matte finishing of the Mastercase 5 PRO and apply the first primary layer
Mr. Poon from Poon Auto Workshop refining out detailed edges for spraying
All covered up, ready for some spraying action!
Yep, we’re baking this case in an actual de-pressurized automotive spray room!
The Rosso Corsa, mixed to accurate specifications by PPG
Sata JET RP 4000 spray guns because accuracy matters!
Rosso Corsa layer sprayed
Another baking session. The waiting time is the most painful part.
Each color requires separate process and doubles the time
A little experimenting as well. Should we keep the honeycomb red or black? Why not try both out?
The glossy finishing on top of the Cavallino Rampante
All dried up!!
Hooking up the honeycomb grill filter
It’s starting to take it’s form!
The “Yonex” effect.
Isn’t this satisfying?!
The black (Nero Mica) and red (Rosso Corsa)
That window will don our RPM Tachometer
Hand-made..nuff said..
A little Modelling Wouldn’t Harm~
I like to preach, you can never go wrong with black, red and white combo
The Cavallino Rampante. And no, that is NOT a sticker.

HUGE KUDOS to Iren Modz for the transparent cover and the LaFerrari PSU cover! Love you baby!
All Powerd Up!
That Tachometer!
Our “V12” interconnected with ASUS ROG SLi Bridge
Till we meet again next time! Goodbye from LaFerrari!
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Sony’s 13 Days Special Gives You RM250 Discount for PlayStation 4 Hardware

The folks over at Sony Interactive Entertainment Singapore has officially announced a brand new campaign called the 13 Days Special. In this special period, you can get a bunch of PlayStation 4 hardware for a lower price with RM250 discount. This includes the console itself, the PSVR, and the PlayStation Camera.
For a clearer idea of what you’ll be able to get with the RM250 discount, all of it is listed right below here:

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PlayStation 4 Party Bundle – RM 1,199 (standard retail price: RM 1,449), includes additional free Dualshock 4 Wireless Controller
PlayStation 4 HITS Bundle – RM 1,099 (standard retail price: RM 1,349)
PlayStation 4 Pro (1 TB) – RM 1,549 (standard retail price: RM 1,799), includes additional free Dualshock 4 Wireless Controller
PlayStation VR with PlayStation Camera – RM 1,129 (standard retail price: RM 1,379)

You can purchase the above with their new discounted price from 21st December 2018 to 2nd January 2019. It will be available at all PlayStation Authorized Dealers, Sony Store, and Sony Centre nationwide. It sure is a good time for some holiday shopping.
Pokdepinion: RM250 discount is no small thing. If you haven’t gotten yourself a PlayStation 4 or perhaps recently lost it for whatever reason, this would be a good time to get one for yourself, brand new.
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Leaks point to the Intel i7 8700K beating the AMD Ryzen 7 1700; Intel is back and they want blood!

The Intel Core i7 8700K is Intel’s first mainstream 6-core CPU, but it may also be Intel’s fastest yet, if these leaks are to be trusted. While previously we have shared leaks of it trading blows with AMD’s Ryzen 5 1600X, we did note that the i7 8700K was running at unusually low clocks for an Intel CPU. Now, we have leaks of it benched at 4.7 GHz, and it beats the AMD Ryzen 7 1700 running at it’s stock 3.7 GHz with a sizeable lead.

The benchmark didn’t reveal the RAM frequency and timings, and neither did they overclock the Ryzen 7 1700 CPU despite deciding to test the i7 8700K overclocked to 4.7 GHz. With the above caveats, take these results with a pinch of salt as we even see the i7 8700K potentially cannibalizing sales of their HEDT CPU, the i7 7800X on the X299 platform.

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The 6-core Intel Core i7 8700K literally wipes the floor with the Ryzen 7 1700, while matching it in Cinebench’s multi-threaded benchmark despite featuring two cores and four threads less. The older i7 7800X and i7 7700K running at stock had no chance at all against the overclocked Intel Core i7 8700K, which really leaves me wondering is Intel really going to make their hexa-core Skylake-X CPU irrelevant so quickly?
Still, it would boil down to pricing in the end. Given the recent Kaby Lake Refresh launches where prices remained the same while core counts doubled, we might see Intel do the same here for the Intel i7 8700K. If the Intel Core i7 8700K is priced at the same RM1600-ish price point of the i7 7700K, Intel would dominate the CPU market once again.
Pokdepinion: Intel’s product lines have been upgraded really drastically in this 8th Generation. Can’t help to think that Intel has been holding out on us, milking consumers with products that offered no real gain just because they can, considering they had a long monopoly of the market. Suddenly, in this 8th Generation we see more cores across the board.
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Razer BlackWidow Elite Tournament-Grade Mechanical Keyboard Review — the elite keyboard for elite gamers?

Introduction
The Razer BlackWidow is probably the one that introduced most gamers to the concept of gaming mechanical keyboards. While mechanical keyboards aren’t exactly a new thing, Razer made it sort of a matter-of-fact for gamers to own mechanical keyboards. There has been various iterations of it, and the latest one to date is the Razer BlackWidow Elite. This keyboard brings the BlackWidow X’s aesthetics, and slaps on the amazing media controls from the Razer Huntsman Elite. You get clicky Razer Green mechanical switches, and the great media controls from the Razer Huntsman Elite. Interesting enough?
Unboxing

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As customary of Razer products, it comes in a black-green packaging. The packaging is huge, just like the Razer Huntsman Elite. Inside lies the keyboard, the plush palm rests, some stickers, a user guide and of course Min Liang Tan’s love letter.

Appearance

As mentioned previously, the Razer BlackWidow Elite features a look similar to the BlackWidow X, which means an exposed metal top plate instead of an embedded metal plate like on conventional keyboards.

Unfortunately that’s the only metal you will see on the exterior of the Razer BlackWidow Elite. The rest of the body is plastic. I find it somewhat weird that Razer didn’t curve the metal over the sides or at least raise the plastic around the edges, but instead goes for a design where it looks like Razer just slapped on a metal plate onto a plastic base and called it a day.

Over on the other side you will find the pass-through ports. Unfortunately they aren’t USB 3.0, so they are pretty much useless unless you have a very short USB cable for your USB headphones, or you want to route your mouse cord  from the left side of the Razer BlackWidow Elite. USB 3.0 would have made it more useful for storage devices which you will want to have quick access to.

Under the keyboard we see generous rubber feet, and the sticker stuck the wrong way. I have no idea why Razer doesn’t think the cable exit point is where “up” is. There are two single-stage flip out feet to raise the Razer BlackWidow Elite if you prefer a more tilted keyboard. They are wide and offer a sturdy click when locked in position.

The plush palm rest does not feature any Razer Chroma lighting, so there are no contacts along the lower edge of the keyboard.Unfortunately the Razer logo on the edge here features RGB lighting, but once the palm rest magnetically attaches onto the keyboard, it will be all for naught.

Here’s what the Razer BlackWidow Elite looks like with the palm rest attached. The entire setup takes up a much larger footprint though, so make sure you have the space for it before considering the Razer BlackWidow Elite.

The Razer Chroma lighting effects are still one of the best, and the huge LEDs are definitely helping it along. My one grouse with the keyboard is that the indicator LEDs on the Razer BlackWidow Elite don’t feature RGB lighting, and only glow in blinding white. At the very least, the Gaming mode indicator should be in RGB, right?
Specifications

Body material
Aluminium top plate, plastic case

Keycap
Laser-etched ABS keycaps

USB report rate
1000 Hz

Switch type
New Razer Green Switches

KRO
10KRO

Anti-ghosting
Yes

Microprocessor
N/A

Cable
Braided cable, non-detachable, requires two USB ports and 3.5mm combo jack

Included accessories
User guide, love letter from Min-Liang Tan, Razer stickers

The new Razer Green Switches are reminiscent of the Kailh BOX switches whereby the switches feature additional support on the sides to overcome wobble. Razer also claims an extremely long lifespan of 80 million keystrokes, longer than any other switch manufacturer dares to claim. We won’t be able to test that for ourselves, so we will have to take it at face value. The LEDs here are massive, and unlike most switches which feature a translucent case to let light out from the SMD LED under the switches, Razer just went ahead and slapped massive LEDs above the slider. That makes them brighter and more vivid than even the best SMD-mounted LEDs simply because of how close they are to the keycaps.
User Experience

Remember the passthroughs for the USB 2.0 and 3.5mm combo jack? Well they don’t come free. You actually need additional connectors to your PC to use the extra USB 2.0 port. Most PCs nowadays have very limited USB 2.0 ports, so you will most probably be wasting a USB 3.0 port for this. At the very least, Razer should offer 2 ports on the side of the Razer BlackWidow Elite, and we would have called it even.
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Razer has designed their peripherals that as soon as you plug them in to your PC, the first thing they do is download Razer Synapse on it. I already have Razer Synapse 3 installed, so all it needed was to download an update to offer support for the Razer BlackWidow Elite’s features. The macro programming and key reassignment features are really well thought-out, so far as to you can actually reprogram the volume dial to do just about anything you want. And as always, Razer Chroma is as intuitive as always to manage your RGB effects.

Speaking of the volume dial, the button in the dial works as a mute key by default. Great for the office when you might want to avoid being caught doing some research during office hours, but no idea why would a gamer need to mute his game in an instant. In any case, when that button is actuated, the LED ring turns red to indicate that audio has been muted. A really nifty feature to have.
The keyboard doesn’t slip around with the generous grips Razer put under the keyboard and palm rest. The palm rest is a truly optional addition to the keyboard, as I actually found that I preferred typing on the Razer BlackWidow Elite without the palm rest attached. And since that I love RGB, I can now show off the Razer logo on the lower edge of the keyboard without the palm rest.

Moving on to the typing experience, the Razer BlackWidow Elite sounds a bit less clicky as compared to your usual Cherry Blue keyboards. Depending on your preference, it could be a good thing or a deal-breaker. I actually like it being less clicky, while being just as tactile. It is great to have audible and tactile feedback when typing, but if you are gaming, it can actually get distracting, both for yourself and also your teammates who can hear you tapping furiously away on the Razer BlackWidow Elite over the microphone. What’s great about this keyboard is that the noise you get from the Razer BlackWidow Elite is mostly from the switches, with the chassis being pretty solid to minimize the dreaded hollow resonant sounds.
Conclusion
I loved that the Razer Synapse 3 is an extremely mature suite for customizing the Razer BlackWidow Elite, and also the RGB lights are really amazing. The dedicated volume wheel on the right edge of the keyboard also left me touching the sides of my keyboard in reflex when I wanted to adjust the volume, only to realize that I have to resort to hotkeys now on my daily driver.
What I didn’t really like was that you needed two USB ports to take full advantage of this keyboard, as well as the design which reeks of cost-cutting with the metal plate just slapped onto a plastic body. The fact that the pass-through was only USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.0 was also quite disappointing. Another issue with the audio pass-through was that few desktops offer 3.5mm combo jacks, but that’s what Razer uses with the Razer BlackWidow Elite.
Priced at RM669, the Razer BlackWidow Elite is priced a lot more reasonably than the Razer Huntsman Elite, while offering similar features aside from the Razer Opto-Mechanical Switches used in the latter. Depending on how much value you put onto customizability, the Razer BlackWidow Elite’s might just entice you. If you want a clicky keyboard with the most advanced RGB illumination out there, and a software suite that offers all the customization options in an intuitive manner, this might be a great keyboard for you. If you don’t like the clicky Razer Green switches, you can opt for the Razer Orange and Razer Yellow switches, as both variants are also available here in Malaysia.
Our thanks to Razer for providing the Razer BlackWidow Elite for our review purposes! To support us, please check out the Razer BlackWidow Elite on Lazada via the following link:

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PlayStation Asia Summer Deals: Discounts on Games and Peripherals

Looking to buy some gaming gear and games but don’t want to overspend? PlayStation Asia is having a Summer Deals promotion, so you can get discounts on a number of games and peripherals.
PlayStation Asia Summer Deals

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From 23rd August to 5th September 2021, you can get your hands on some PlayStation peripherals and games at a discounted price. This includes the DualShock 4 controller, PS VR set with PlayStation Camera, Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales, and more.
For the full list of items on discount, check it out right below here:

PlayStation VR with PlayStation Camera = RM979
DualShock 4 Wireless Controllers (selected colors only) = RM179
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS4) = RM169
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5) = RM169
God of War PlayStation Hits (PS4) = RM39
The Last of Us Remastered PlayStation Hits (PS4) = RM39
Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition PlayStation Hits (PS4) = RM39
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… (PS4) = RM189
Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) = RM139
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (PS4) = RM79

Once again, it will be happening from 23rd August 2021 to 5th September 2021 so mark your calendars if you plan on getting any of these. You can learn more about the PlayStation Asia Summer Deals by clicking right here.
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Pokdepinion: Pretty much all those games are worth playing through and if you haven’t played it yet, you should get it then. This is especially the case for the Miles Morales game.
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AMD’s next APU will feature Zen 2 CPU cores and Vega 10 GPU

If you have been hoping that AMD combines their latest Zen 2 CPU architecture with the Navi GPU architecture, you might have to wait quite a bit longer. The next APU from AMD, codenamed AMD Renoir, will apparently sport the Zen 2 microarchitecture but still continue to make use of the Vega GPU architecture.
This leak has cropped up via AMD’s AMDGPU open-source drivers, which featured lines referring to GFX9 and also Vega 10:

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The AMD Renoir APUs do have a slight twist though. While the current crop of AMD Picasso APUs (AMD Ryzen 3000 APUs) sport VCN (Video Core Next) 1.0, AMD Renoir (AMD Ryzen 4000 APUs?) will make use of the newer VCN 2.0. It should bring higher video encode/decode performance, although there doesn’t seem to be any resources on what exactly.

With the higher performance CPU cores, AMD Renoir APUs will be much better options for consumers who need the processing grunt but have no use for a beefy dedicated GPU. Also, with the increased efficiency thanks to the 7nm process node, AMD Renoir might be fairly formidable in the mobile space as well.
AMD Renoir is expected to launch in 2020, so stay tuned for more updates about this upcoming APU.
Pokdepinion: I would love it if AMD can bring more cores to laptops. 16 threads of Zen 2 goodness at a 45W TDP does seem pretty enticing!
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The Outer Worlds And The Outer Worlds: Peril On Gorgon Now Out On Steam

The Outer Worlds was released back in October 2019. It has then made its way to Steam, which includes the introduction to its first DLC, Peril On Gorgon.
The Outer Worlds: Period On Gorgon Now On Steam

In case you didn’t know, The Outer Worlds was created by co-game directors Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, the folks who created Fallout. Obsidian, who is the developers for games such as Fallout New Vegas and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, is also the developers for the title.
Here’s what the game is about, courtesy of Steam:

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Lost in transit while on a colonist ship bound for the furthest edge of the galaxy, you awake decades later only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the Halcyon colony. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable.

The game is on promotion on Steam where you can get the base game for just RM89.50 (originally RM179) and RM174 for the bundle that includes the Expansion Pass that offers you Period On Gorgon content too. You can find the promo price to be available until 6th of November 2020.
Pokdepinion: Looks kinda fun.. maybe I should try it out myself and find what the hype is all about.
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HUAWEI Is Getting Sued By Sony Over HUAWEI GT Trademark

It appears that Sony Interactive Entertainment is filing a lawsuit at HUAWEI due to the branding of their GT watch series.
HUAWEI getting sued by Sony

It has been quite some time since HUAWEI has been making their GT watch series, which uses the term Gran Turismo for short. Of course, that would mean that it’s the same title as Sony PlayStation’s iconic racing title, Gran Turismo as well.

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Sony has lodged several appeals against the trademarks for the watch series. In addition to that, they’ve also appealed GT racing but was shoved aside by EU courts.
With HUAWEI already filed trademarks for GT3 and GT5 for their upcoming wearables, Sony looks to go against the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) once again to make their concerns known and stop HUAWEI from being able to use the name.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
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Pokdepinion: Seeing how they lost previously, it’s hard to see Sony winning the case over a term that’s commonly used.. It would blow my mind if they manage to succeed though. What do you think will be the outcome?
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Smartphone Batteries Must Be User-Replaceable by 2027, Says EU
Image: iFixit

Good news for right-to-repair: EU’s European Parliament has approved new ruling that “portable batteries”, of which includes smartphones, tablets and cameras, must provides a means for users to “easily remove and replace”, mandating all smartphones manufactured beyond 2027 must contain user-replaceable batteries.
User replaceable batteries were very much a thing among smartphones – but the design slowly faded out of relevance as smartphone makers preferred ingress protection over ease-of-access of internal components, and some has gone with drastic measures to prevent users or even 3rd party repair shops from accessing it (Apple is particularly notorious for this).
The new rule meant that all the methods used to prevent user repairs, such as specialized screws and glues, will no longer be allowed in the design of the device. While there is a valid rationale gluing the chassis shut for better water resistance, phones had achieved water resistance while still keeping the battery removable – Samsung’s Galaxy S5 used to be IP67-rated and still retained removable battery designs. Still, this meant that smartphone makers, including Samsung themselves, will have to rethink on smartphone designs. EU will allow manufacturers more time should the design proved to be difficult, however.

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Galaxy S5. Image: Samsung
The rule has received overwhelming support in the European Parliament, with 587 seats voted in favor, leaving just 9 against the ruling and 20 abstentions. While this rule applies only within the EU region, it’s unlikely that smartphone makers would create a different design specifically for different markets, as this may cost more to develop with the extra tooling involved. Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 should demonstrate such transition in design – which also happened to be the result of another EU ruling mandating the use of USB-C, making the proprietary Lighting port obsolete.
Pokdepinion: Big win for consumers. Took a whole continent just to make this happen huh?
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Steam Winter Sale 2018 Date Confirmed – Get Your Wallets Ready

Steam Winter Sale 2018 Date Confirmed

If you have been planning to buy some new games for your PC this holiday season but decided to wait it out in order to save that precious money, then this is definitely the one you’ve been waiting for. We now know when the Steam Winter Sale will officially commence.
The Steam Winter Sale will officially begin on 20th December 2018. Depending on your region, there may be a slight delay, up to 1 day, before you finally get to see it up and running.

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This is done in conjunction with the 2018 Steam Awards, where it was mentioned that voting will begin “along with the launch of the 12th Annual Winter Sale.” You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what that means.
For those of you who are interesting, the voting for the 2018 Steam Awards across a number of categories will be open until 3rd January 2019. There will be Steam Trading Cards given to those who participate in the voting process. If this is something you don’t really care about, then just keep 20th December 2018 in mind as that is the Steam Winter Sale date.
Happy shopping, and happy holidays, everyone.
Pokdepinion: Honestly, I’m not even sure what games to buy this time around. Probably going to hunt for some new multiplayer games to play with friends. Kinda wished Spyro Reignited Trilogy would pop up on PC already but oh well. Guess that’s just something we’ll have to wait a little longer for.
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Upcoming AnTuTu Update Will Make Smartphone Brands Hard To Cheat In Scores

It seems that Antutu has released a new 7.2.6 update which will make life difficult for smartphone brands to exploit and get a better score for their devices.
If you’ve never heard of Antutu, well we’ve got you covered. Antutu is one of the famous smartphone benchmarks that’s tests several aspects and performance of a device. We here at Pokde.net have also been using it in our reviews to compare devices against each other.
The new patch states that it will “fix the issue of an abnormal running score of UX caused by malicious exploitation of system permissions by some manufacturers”.

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The issue of manufacturers tweaking their devices to score better than others in the market has been known down the years. They usually tweak their devices to detect when the benchmark app is running and then only will they their full CPU power, without regarding for efficiency.
At the time of writing, the 7.2.6 version of Antutu is only available at their Chinese website.
Pokdepinion: Hopefully this will change things.. but then again, they always find a way to get pass updates such as this..
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