The Last of Us Part II Review — We’re Not Ready For This

As we’ve posted on our Facebook page previously, we got out hands on an early access for one of the most highly anticipated PS4 exclusive titles, The Last of Us Part II. After the huge success of its predecessor, can this live up to the expectations? Without further ado, let’s dive right into the review.
If you’re worried about spoilers, fret not. This review is spoiler-free, so we will not ruin the game’s story for you.
What is The Last of Us Part II about?

The Last of Us Part II is the sequel to the original game by Naughty Dog that was releaseed in 2013. The game is set five years after Joel and Ellie’s journey. They now live in a settlement in Jackson where survivors from the pandemic live and work together from the threat of the infected.

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Up to that point, everyone was living peacefully. However, a violent event sparks a huge change which led Ellie to start a new journey to carry out justice while also fighting her inner demons.
Attention to Detail
The Last of Us Part II review
One of the things that I like about the game is the attention to the tiniest of details. Naughty Dog did an excellent job on the game’s characters. It’s nice to see how they react to the world and people around them, especially the facial expressions.
The world in The Last of Us Part II is absolutely stunning. The original game lets you dive into a beautiful apocalyptic world, and you can expect the same here but in a much bigger scale.
The Last of Us Part II review
In terms of the game’s difficulty, well I feel that it provides a decent enough challenge (on normal). On the easiest of difficulty settings, the game offers you some aim assist but I find that it actually made it harder to aim for headshots for that insta-kill instead. Of course, you can expect a tougher time on the higher difficulties as a couple of shots can easily kill you and enemies can spot you easier.
The Art of Story-Telling
The Last of Us Part II review
Troy Baker, the voice actor for Joel previously stated that “you aren’t ready” for the game and after finishing it, I have to agree. I can’t say too much without spoiling the story but what is about to transpire will definitely rock you to your very core.
With that being said however, I feel that the game starts off a bit slow. Compared to the first title, the original Last of Us got me hooked into the story within that first 20 minute incident. In the sequel, it take a bit of time but overall, the story-telling is brilliant as it had me thinking “what’s going to happen next?”. As I am a fan of good story-telling, I really rate the game highly on that end.
After finishing the game, I find there are some important yet subtle parts found in the game. If you don’t pay full attention to it, you might miss a few small yet informative details, which is something that you wouldn’t want to miss out on.
Why Fix Something That Isn’t Broken?
The Last of Us Part II review
In terms of the gameplay, most of the mechanics are pretty similar to the original but with some minor tweaks here and there. Without revealing too much on it, I’d say that I was more worried about fighting humans in the first game than the infected. It’s completely different in this sequel. As for the close quarter combat system, I somehow felt a bit of a God of War style going on, with there being a hit and dodge method going on. By that, you know of the importance of timing your buttons.
The Last of Us Part II review
Other than that, the hearing system is a bit harder now so you won’t be able to see enemies as clear as before. Just be sure to be aware of your surroundings and you’ll thank me later. There is the option of upgrading the skill however where it’ll make your life much easier.
One thing that has changed entirely is the lack of factions, or in this case the multiplayer mode. I feel that it would’ve been nicer if they had it in the game as it would probably keep gamers still in the game, even after they’ve finished the campaign.
The Last of Us Part II Verdict
The Last of Us Part II review
 After feeling that the game was too slow in the beginning, boy was I wrong. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, the game slaps me right in the face and left me feeling shocked. This is definitely one of the games that PS4 gamers would be proud to have and play. With that, I am proud to award The Last of Us Part II with our coveted Gold Pokdeward.

A big shout out to PlayStation Asia for providing us with the copy of the game for this review!
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Top 3 Highlights of HUAWEI P30 Series Sales Launch

The HUAWEI P30 Series may be one of the most highly anticipated devices in the market, and I believe many of you guys are already preparing for the queue tomorrow to get their own HUAWEI P30 and also the early bird freebies. If you aren’t, well here’s why you should definitely go get your HUAWEI P30 Series tomorrow.
1. HUAWEI P30 Series Sales Launch in 11 Locations Nationwide!
While previously some might feel left out because there is no HUAWEI Experience Store in their vicinity, HUAWEI has expanded their network of stores. Now, the HUAWEI P30 Series Sales Launch will commence simultaneously in 11 locations across HUAWEI Experience Stores, authorized resellers and major telco companies. Everyone, including those in East Malaysia will be able to participate in the HUAWEI P30 Series Sales Launch!

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Early birds will get the HUAWEI Backup Storage worth RM599 that will be given away with every purchase of the HAUWEI P30 or HUAWEI P30 Pro on a first come first served basis. HUAWEI has even listed out the quantities of the freebies available in each location so you can plan ahead.

State
Address
Quantity

Johor Bahru
Lot S10, Aeon Bukit Indah Shopping Centre, Jalan Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor
400

Kedah
2-08&2-09,No.1 Aman Central, Lebuhraya Darul Aman, 05100 Alor Setar, Kedah.
100

Kelantan
S36,2nd Floor Aeon Mall, Lembah Sireh,15050 Kota Bharu, Kelantan
100

Kuala Lumpur
S-005 Second Floor Mid Valley City Lingkaran Syed Putra 59200 Kuala Lumpur
700

Kuala Lumpur
Lot 5.100.00, Level 5, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
800

Kuantan
B12, Ground Floor, Jalan Haji Ahmad 10,25300, Kuantan.
100

Melaka
G36, Ground Floor, Mahkota Parade,75000 Melaka.
200

Penang
2-11, Second Floor, First Avenue, No 182, Jalan Magazine, 10300 Penang.
500

Perak
Aeon Mall Kinta City, Lot F42, First Floor, No.2, Jalan Teh Lean Swee, Off Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah Utara, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
200

Sabah
Lot 2.33,2nd Floor, Imago Shopping Mall ,Kk Times Square Ph2a,Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
200

Sarawak
Lot 105, First Floor The Spring Shopping Mall, Persiaran Spring, Kuching, Sarawak.
200

2. They are ready for your questions!

Sometimes big smartphone launches are staffed by people who don’t really know that much about the devices itself. HUAWEI promises that all their personnel will be well equipped to answer any queries or questions you may have about the HUAWEI P30 Series or HUAWEI MateBook 13. If you are interested in some tips and tricks to better take advantage of your HUAWEI P30 smartphone, they also have plenty to share, especially when it comes to making full use of the features offered by the Leica Super Sensing camera.

Besides that, you will also get to experience the HUAWEI MateBook 13’s One Hop transfer for yourself. The HUAWEI Share OneHop technology is really quite interesting, as it is powered by NFC and WiFi to allow you to enjoy near-instantaneous transfer of your precious memories into your MateBook 13 for safekeeping.
3. Freebies and deals for every purchase of the HUAWEI P30 and HUAWEI P30 Pro!

HUAWEI is also giving away a free Wireless Charging Case worth RM268 for every purchase of the HUAWEI P30. Meanwhile every purchase of the HUAWEI P30 Pro will come with a HUAWEI Snorkeling Case worth RM428 for free. Both freebies allow you to upgrade your device in some way, making them freebies you really wouldn’t want to miss out on.

For those of you using HUAWEI’s earlier devices, there is also the HUAWEI Level UP Program which will let you trade in your HUAWEI smartphone at a fair price to upgrade to the new HUAWEI P30 Series, allowing you to lessen the pain on your wallet.
Now that you’ve read all of the above, what are you waiting for? Block your calendars, grab a friend and grab yourself a new HUAWEI P30 Series this Saturday! For more information, you can visit HUAWEI’s official website or HUAWEI’s official Facebook. Users can also discover more innovative features of the HUAWEI MateBook 13 here.
Pokdepinion: I believe HUAWEI’s Level Up Program is the fairest trade-in program hosted by the brands themselves so far.
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ASUS S500SA Review — clean and simple

ASUS makes great PC components, but they also offer pre-built desktops for the less technically inclined. Or maybe if you want something in a smaller form factor than a regular PC would be in. DIY SFF PCs are fun, but they are significantly more challenging to build, and it will probably cost you a fair bit as well. That’s where the ASUS S500SA comes in, a compact, no-frills desktop PC ready to go right out of the box.
Packaging

Speaking of the box, the ASUS S500SA comes in rather large packaging for its compact dimensions, and that’s because it comes with a full-sized keyboard and mouse. Aside from the fact that it has plenty of foam to keep it safe and sound in the box. This time around, there’s even the proprietary power and SATA cable to allow you to drop in a 2.5″ drive into the ASUS S500SA, unlike what we saw with the ASUS ExpertCenter D641MD. We will get to that in a bit, but yeah, you are getting quite a bit in the box with the ASUS S500SA.

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Appearance

Looking at the machine, the ASUS S500SA does share quite a resemblance to the ASUS ExpertCenter D641MD, except that the latter is close to being twice as wide. This machine is definitely a lot narrower and smaller than your average desktop PC, which is great as that means more desk space for your other stuff. The steel panel on the right side is solid, as the motherboard rests up against it, for a standard layout that has the motherboard components over on the left side of the case.

A large holey cutout here allows for good ventilation, and both the PSU and CPU cooler breathes through it. For those who prefer an all-black system, well, you will have to deal with the bare metal that ASUS used for the rear of the chassis here. It’s nothing out of the ordinary though.
Overall, the system is not meant to stand out in your office setup, with just a sprinkle of aesthetic elements to keep it from being an eyesore, but it clearly won’t be a showpiece.
ASUS S500SA Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i5 10400 @ 2.9GHz (up to 4.3GHz Boost), 6C/12T, 65W TDP, 14nm

RAM
1 x 8GB 3200MHz DDR4 U-DIMM (running at 2666MHz)
(upgradeable up to 64GB (32GB x 2))

GPU
Intel UHD Graphics 630 @ up to 1.1GHz

Storage
1TB 3.5″ Toshiba 7200RPM HDD
Slim type DVD-RW ODD
(upgradeable with 1 x 2.5″ drive, 2 x M.2 SSD (1 x SATA, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe/SATA)

Software
Windows 10 Home
MyASUS
ASUS Business Manager
AudioWizard

Connectivity
Intel Wireless-AC 8265 (WiFi 802.11ac 2×2)
Bluetooth 5.0
Intel I219-V Gigabit LAN
Front:
4 x USB 3.0
Rear:
1 x RJ45 LAN
4 x USB 2.0
1 x PS/2 (keyboard)
1 x PS/2 (mouse)
1 x HDMI
1 x DisplayPort
1 x D-sub (VGA port)

Audio
Front:
1 x 3.5mm Headphone
1 x 3.5mm Microphone
Rear:
1 x 3.5mm Line-in
1 x 3.5mm Line-out
1 x 3.5mm Mic-in

Power
1 x 180W (80+ Bronze)

Dimensions
95 x 292.8 x 340 mm

Weight
5.0 kg

Performance
Right off the bat, the specifications are pretty basic, and that gets reflected in the benchmark scores as well.

ASUS decided a 7200RPM HDD was enough, but it is definitely a lot slower than even the cheapest SSDs out there, so these are poor results. The random performance is probably the worst offender, as it means that apps and Windows itself loads slower.

Cinebench sees pretty good CPU performance out of the Intel Core i5-10400, although it does come up at an disadvantage against the higher-end laptops. Thanks to the higher TDP you do get to enjoy better all-core performance than any laptop though.

Without a dedicated GPU, the integrated UHD Graphics 630 doesn’t exactly perform well in Superposition. We would give it a pass considering that the ASUS S500SA is a home-office kind of PC. You might be able to get away with some light gaming, but we wouldn’t recommend it.

3DMark Time Spy also shows just how much of an improvement Intel made with Ice Lake’s Gen11 graphics. The outdated graphics architecture really shows its age here.

Fully embracing it’s ambitions as an office PC, the Essentials and Productivity scores are pretty high, with Digital Content Creation being pretty limited due to the lack of a GPU that will accelerate content creation.
CPU thermals are kept pretty reasonable, with a peak of just 70°C despite the rather basic cooling solution. Not too surprising, as we are only looking at a 65W TDP processor here.
User Experience
Sufficient I/O options

One thing that you might notice is that it has way more USB 3.0 ports on the front than your average desktop PC. That’s because ASUS is using a custom motherboard here. All the USB 2.0 ports are routed to the rear, and all the USB 3.0 ports are over on the front panel, so you can easily plug in your high-speed external storage without having to reach around to the back. There are no USB-C ports anywhere to be found, which is a bummer in 2020.

While ASUS decided that the future-ready USB-C port was unnecessary for the ASUS S500SA, they somehow thought that you would need two PS/2 ports on the back. There’s a VGA port for antique monitors too, but you also get more modern HDMI and DisplayPort outputs. Last but not least, you get four USB 2.0, the Gigabit LAN port and three audio jacks.
Easy upgradeability?

As mentioned earlier, ASUS did provide the necessary cables for a storage upgrade, but not the screws to mount a drive. The overall layout on the inside is pretty similar to the ASUS ExpertCenter D641MD, with a swinging door containing the optical drive, primary 3.5″ drive and also room for an additional 2.5″ SSD.

The power connectors are all proprietary, with the power from the PSU fed to the motherboard via a 5-pin power connector. The power is then split by the board out into the SATA power as well as the necessary power rails for the rest of the system. That’s quite unfortunate if the PSU or the board fails, but that’s what the warranty is for.
          M.2 expansion            2.5″ drive bay
So speaking of upgradeability, you can drop in a M.2 PCIe or SATA drive here, as well as a 2.5″ SATA drive to expand your storage options. Or to get a more responsive system, as ASUS decided that a 1TB HDD as the system drive was going to be good enough.

There actually another M.2 slot under the CPU fan shroud, but it only supports M.2 SATA SSDs. Meanwhile you only get one extra memory slot here, as ASUS didn’t mount the additional DIMM slots. You can still get dual-channel memory, and I think if you are shopping for a system like the ASUS S500SA, you probably won’t really care about going for 2 DIMMs per channel anyway. Still, I do wish ASUS populated both slots so you can get dual-channel memory from the get-go, as single-channel memory definitely bottlenecks the overall performance that you can get out of the Intel Core i5-10400.
The empty PCIe x16 slot does invite you to throw in a GPU for some additional graphics performance, but given that there’s only a 180W PSU here, on top of the fact that you will need a low-profile half-height card to fit under the storage door… I would probably recommend you to consider other pre-built systems if you are considering to go down that route.
Full suite of software features
          AudioWizard            MyASUS          ASUS Business Manager
ASUS made sure to bake in their full suite of management features, despite this being a more consumer-oriented offering. MyASUS, ASUS Business Manager and AudioWizard are all a part of the ASUS S500SA. The good thing is that none of the software are actually a part of the boot process, which is pretty slow already. It took 45 seconds from pressing the power button to reach the desktop, and of course, with it being a HDD, there’s still some more waiting for all the software to load. I can’t understand why ASUS didn’t go with a small SSD for boot, say 128GB, and throw in the HDD for other files, as that would have made the overall experience much snappier.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a simple desktop PC for non-demanding workloads, say your home productivity during this CMCO period, then yes, the ASUS S500SA does come in pretty handy. All you need is a monitor and you are set. However I do think it is slightly on the pricier side of things, with it coming in with no SSD and just single channel memory at RM2339. The first thing I would recommend you to do is to get an SSD to improve your overall user experience, but in all honesty, ASUS should have done it from the factory.

Still, I commend ASUS’ thoughtful design, placing all the fast USB 3.0 ports in front, as well as the compact chassis that will also look pretty good as a home office/media PC while not getting in the way. The Intel Core i5-10400 in our specific configuration is powerful enough to breeze through most productivity applications, and while the cooling solution is pretty basic, it does work well enough to keep the processor running optimally.

There’s sufficient upgradeability for those who want to drop in more storage as well, which is always good for a home PC that you might want to transition into a media PC down the line. Overall, it’s pretty decent as an office PC too, and if you don’t need the performance from the six-core Intel Core i5-10400, you might want to save a bit and get the more affordable Core i3-10110 options and spend the spare change on an SSD for a snappier user experience.
Our thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us the ASUS S500SA for review.

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Final Fantasy VII Remake Has No Plans for Release Outside of PS4

Recently, a post from Xbox Germany seemed to have teased the arrival of Final Fantasy VII Remake on the Xbox One. However, the post was deleted rather quickly, followed by an apology from one of the team members at XboxDACH. Regardless, it started a whirlwind of speculations on whether the game will be coming to platforms other than the PS4.
Well, now, Square Enix has once again spoken out following this event and has again clarified that Final Fantasy VII Remake will not be coming to any other platforms when it launches next March. The following is the official statement by Square Enix:
As previously announced, Final Fantasy VII Remake will be released for the PlayStation 4 on March 3rd 2020. We have no plans for other platforms.
That said, Square Enix has never said in the past that the game will be PS4-exclusive forever. In fact, when the game was first revealed all the way back in 2015, the wording around the announcement said that fans would be able to, “Play it first on PlayStation 4.” Because of this, it has seemed like only a matter of time until the company reveals the game for other platforms.

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Still, if Final Fantasy VII Remake is set to one day come to Xbox One and PC, it’ll likely happen months, if not over a year, after the title arrives on PS4 next March. Given the history of timed-exclusivity, which is what the game seems to be, most games typically arrive on other platforms a year or so after the initial launch. However, this is merely speculation based on past releases and not a confirmation.
Final Fantasy VII Remake will be coming to the PlayStation 4 on 3rd March 2020.
Source: MSPowerUser
Pokdepinion: Well, never say never. There is still a chance, just that nothing has been confirmed for other platforms at the moment.
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Maxis Offers Two HUAWEI P40 Series Smartphones From RM159/month

The folks at HUAWEI Malaysia has revealed that they’ve partnered up with Maxis in providing a deal that may capture your attention; two smartphones from their P40 series at just RM159 per month.
Maxis two HUAWEI P40 smartphone deal

With the deal, there’s zero upfront payment under the Maxis Zerolution plan. In addition to that, you can enjoy up to RM2,542 on the phone RRP as well get RM796 worth of free gifts that includes:
HUAWEI P40 Wireless Charging Case worth RM289 or a HUAWEI SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger worth RM2891-year extended warranty and 1-month screen crack protection worth RM2483-months HUAWEI Video Subscription worth RM113.4012-month 50GB HUAWEI Cloud storage worth RM46.803 months Maxis Safe Device subscription worth RM99
Fancy getting just one instead of two smartphones? Well you can opt to own the HUAWEI P40 series individually from RM99 per month or RM1,299 on normal contact.

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For more details on the package, you can head to the Maxis website here.
Interested in learning more about the series, especially the HUAWEI P40 Pro? Do read on our full hands-on review here.
Pokdepinion: Well? Are you looking to get two smartphones at the same time?
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The latest system software update for the PS5 and PS4 consoles brought some new features, and now we know when PS5 variable refresh rate feature is coming. Here’s what you need to know.
PS5 Variable Refresh Rate Feature Finally Coming Soon

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In the newest PS5 and PS4 system software update, PlayStation has added new features for the consoles. For starters, you can now create or join Open and Closed Parties for both generations of the console. This part of the feature has also been updated on the PlayStation app with new UI improvements.
Then, we have some UI changes to the PS5 Game Base and Trophy card features. For PlayStation gamers specifically within the US and UK region, you can enjoy a new Voice Command feature preview on the PS5. Basically, you can use your voice to navigate and find games, apps, settings, and more.
As for the PS Remote Play app, it has a UI change, now letting you enjoy Dark Mode. Furthermore, you now have new Screen Reader languages to make use of, which includes Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish, Turkish, Greek, Thai, and Chinese.
For those of you who are wondering, the PS5 Variable Refresh Rate feature is still coming to the next gen console. It’s expected to be available in the coming months, which means it’s coming relatively soon. In case you didn’t know, the feature will allow the console to sync up the refresh with the display to minimize visual glitches like screen tearing and other artifacts.
Source
Pokdepinion: It’s certainly a healthy update for both generations of the PlayStation console. It’s a bit of a shame that the PS5 Variable Refresh Rate feature still isn’t here, but at least now we know that it’s coming soon.
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[UNBOXING] ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501 Gaming Laptop

This is the official unboxing of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501 gaming laptop. It’s a pretty neat machine and the review is coming later today. Check it out.

Unboxing the ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501

We finally got our hands on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501, which was launched in Malaysia back in September 14th 2017 at 1 Utama Shopping Centre, which was also during the announcement of the ROG Masters tournament. This was one of the most sought after gaming laptops around due to its slim form factor and powerful performance, something which wasn’t exactly possible before.

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In fact, people will usually have to choose one and sacrifice the other. Thanks to NVIDIA’s Max-Q design, this was made possible. Of course, there are other Max-Q design laptops around but this was one of the earliest ones with said design that we knew about. If you’re looking for a powerful gaming laptop that’s easy to bring around, this would be a great choice…if you can afford its price tag of RM15,999.
Here are the specifications of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501 gaming laptop:
ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501 Specs

Intel Core i7-7700HQ @ 2.8GHz
NVIDIA GeForce GTX1080 8GB GDDR5 with Max-Q Design
24GB DDR4 2400MHz RAM
15.6″ (16:9) LED backlit FHD (1920×1080) 120Hz Anti-Glare Panel with 72% NTSC with G-Sync
1TB PCIE Gen3X4 SSD
Illuminated Chiclet Keyboard (Lighting Can Be Modified via ASUS Aura Core software)
Integrated 802.11 AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.1
1 x Microphone-in/Headphone-out jack
1 x Type C USB3.1 (GEN2) Thunderbolt
4 x USB 3.0 port(s) Type A
1 x HDMI, Support HDMI 2.0
4 Cells 50 Whrs Polymer Battery
37.9 x 26.2 x 1.69 ~1.79 cm (WxDxH)
2.25KG

If you like what you see, just wait a little bit longer. The review will be up later in the evening at Pokde.net so stay tuned. Especially with many people unfamiliar with how the NVIDIA Max-Q design works, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501 gaming laptop review is definitely something you want to check out.
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EMUI 5.0 beta on the Honor 8 — 5 reasons why this is one big step for Huawei and Honor

As you may know, Huawei and Honor has been pushing out beta versions of EMUI 5.0, which is their proprietary skin over Android 7.0 Nougat. I have just recently received the update to my device. If you have registered for the beta, you should also check whether you have an update available as you will receive it as an OTA update.
1. App drawer, HiBoard

Overall, one of the most anticipated changes to the user interface was the addition of an app drawer to the launcher. This is the very first time EMUI ever featured an app drawer, and also most probably one of very few Chinese manufacturers that gives you the option of having an app drawer in the stock launcher. The app drawer is basic, and sorts them in a pretty standard alphabetical way with no way of creating folders. However considering EMUI allows creating folders in it’s standard form without the app drawer, I believe this feature may come in an update pretty soon. Swiping to the left reveals the HiBoard, which offers a quick search bar, some app suggestions based on your frequently used apps, as well as news highlights powered by Flipboard.

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2. Carded notification shade and multitasking menu

Also new is the notification shade, which goes for a carded look much more similar to vanilla Android. The quick settings is also accessible above the notification cards, once again being similar to vanilla Android’s implementation. You even get to reply to Whatsapp messages directly from the notification popup, how cool is that? However the row of quick settings visible when you have notifications cannot be swiped to the sides for more, which was quite disappointing in my opinion. The blurring of the background and the trashcan icon for quickly clearing notifications could also take a little work to make them look a little more professional, but still I am very grateful that Huawei took this path. The multitasking menu also looks like vanilla Android’s offering, which is definitely a lot more intuitive than the one previous generations of EMUI featured. The cards also feature a nifty little lock icon, allowing you to prevent your critical apps from being killed when you tap the trashcan icon to quickly clearing your RAM. And yes, I wish Huawei would toss that trashcan icon for something more professional-looking soon.
3. New look, added functionality

Unlike certain manufacturers which give you no clear reason to use their built-in apps over third party offerings, Huawei packed EMUI 5.0 with ones that do have an advantage over most third party app: a bar of shortcuts. While they may seem insignificant at first, not having to stretch your thumb to tap the menu button in the corners every time you want to change some settings is really quite convenient. They are available in most of the built-in apps, and is really quite a blessing. The UI of most of the apps are also refreshed to suit the general white-blue theme the rest of the UI features.
4. Camera plug-ins

The camera also receives a makeover in EMUI 5.0, with some slightly newer icons as well as the ability to remove certain “modes” which are now known as plug-ins. This allows you to delete plug-ins which you do not use to make more space for apps which you do, and also opens up the possibility of upcoming plug-ins to take advantage of the camera. While I am kinda disappointed to find that the Honor 8 has yet to receive a “true” monochrome plug-in, I believe in the community to make it available soon enough as a downloadable plug-in. Performance wise there doesn’t seem to be any major changes, as the camera is already plenty decent as it is. An instant HDR shortcut would have been preferable here too, and seems like a really great replacement to the audio control shortcut which I have not used even once during the one month period which I have used the Honor 8.
5. Dual Facebook and Whatsapp

If you use the dual-SIM functionality with your Honor 8, you may also be pleased to find out that with EMUI 5.0, you can be able to use two Whatsapp accounts. You can also use two Facebook accounts if you want to add yourself for to have more friends. Currently only Facebook and Whatsapp are supported, but since Instagram and Twitter both natively support multiple accounts, you should be well covered on the social media front.
I really like what Huawei did with EMUI 5.0. Not only are they one of the fastest to the line with the Android 7.0 Nougat (user beta, at least), they also took a massive leap to give us an UI that is vaguely reminiscent of what EMUI used to be, but a lot more like vanilla Android. In my books, looking more like vanilla Android scored Huawei tonnes of brownie points. My only true grouse with Huawei and Honor devices were EMUI, and now, it seems like I really have nothing to complain about. My Honor 8 is perfect… Oh wait, maybe after they change the trashcan icon.
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Maxis Is Currently Down To Some Users

It seems that there’s been reports that Maxis and Hotlink users are having a problem with their connectivity.
The issue has affected some users, where some of them report that they have only been getting H+ or 3G speeds on their smartphones. Even worse, some are getting only 2G speeds.

Though the issue has been said to have started since morning today (7/10/2019), it seems that at the current moment that the issue is still going on.

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Hi, kindly be informed that we are experiencing technical issue at this moment and our team has acknowledged on this [1]— Maxis (@MaxisListens) October 7, 2019

Adding to that, Maxis has confirmed that there is a technical issue going on their end and has said that they are working for a fix to solve the matter.
Are you experiencing the issue? Let us know in the comments below.
Pokdepinion: It’s a hit or a miss thing. I’m actually using their line and have yet to experience the problem. It wasn’t the same case for Super Daddy himself though..
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Xbox Skips E3 2023, Will Go Ahead With The Xbox Showcase

That makes two of the three largest console makers in the world skipping the annual gaming event once again.

Xbox will not have a booth at this year’s E3 convention, joining Nintendo in the decision to opt-out of the in-person event. The company confirmed to IGN on Friday that while it will be hosting its annual Xbox showcase on June 11th, it will not be present on the E3 show floor. “We also look forward to co-streaming our event as part of E3 Digital and will not be on the E3 show floor,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

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Sony, which hasn’t attended E3 since 2019, has not yet confirmed whether it will participate in the event. In January, IGN reported that the company would be skipping the event again in 2023. E3 is scheduled to take place from June 13th to June 16th, with the digital week starting on June 11th with the Xbox showcase. Meanwhile, Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest is also set to return on June 8th – just a few days before E3 kicks off.
ReedPop owner Reed Exhibitions US (organizer of E3 2023) said in a statement that there will be more news on the lineup soon. “Alongside the upcoming announcements from other AAA companies regarding their own participation, we look forward to sharing more of the publishers that will be part of our digital showcase series and exhibiting on the show floor in the lead up to the return of E3,” said Kyle Marsden-Kish, the global VP of gaming at Reed Exhibitions US.
Source: The Verge
Pokdepinion: Pandemic has really made E3 struggle to get back on foot since companies seemingly has figured out they can do announcements online and still reap the same amounts of public attention.
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ASUS ROG is the exclusive sponsor of LoL 2017 Rift Rivals; 90 ASUS gaming PCs will be used by competitors in the tournament

ASUS Republic of Gamers is the exclusive hardware sponsor of the League of Legends 2017 Rift Rivals tournament to be held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Taiwanese hardware manufacturer is sponsoring 90 gaming PCs as part of the Powered by ASUS program which will be on display as well as used by the competitors during the Rift Rivals tournament.
The tournament will see fierce competition between teams from the LoL Champions Korea (LCK), LoL Pro League (LPL) and LoL Master Series (LMS) divisions as they strive to be the top dog at LoL 2017 Rift Rivals. ROG-sponsored teams like SK Telecom T1, ahq e-Sports Club and J Team will also be there to show off their prowess.
ASUS ROG will also be showcasing their latest ROG Zephyrus, the world’s slimmest gaming laptop, ROG Strix Hero Edition gaming notebook, designed for intense MOBA gaming and the ROG PG248Q, a competition-grade gaming monitor, designed for eSports.

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In the battle for glory, nothing can stand in the way, especially not hardware limitations. Which is why ASUS will be providing the gamers with the ASUS Prime Z270-AR motherboards and ASUS Dual Series GeForce GTX 1070 OC edition graphics card to ensure that the gamers cannot blame the hardware if they falter in their rush to the top.
To watch the teams duke it out LIVE on ASUS hardware, go to the Riot Games Twitch page.
Pokdepinion: With eSports being an increasingly big thing, gaining more exposure by sponsoring tournaments like this is definitely a great idea. The gamers will also get to use the best hardware for battling it out in the Summoner’s Rift. It’s a win-win, I guess?
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New Ryzen-powered HP OMEN 15 Laptop and HP OMEN Gaming PC Released

AMD will be officially making its debut on the newly release HP OMEN 15 laptop and HP OMEN 25L Desktop PC. Both of these new HP OMEN PCs will feature AMD RYZEN processors and
NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics.
HP OMEN 15 Laptop

The new HP OMEN 15 laptop comes equipped with up to an AMD Ryzen 4000 H-Series Mobile Processors and up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. You will also find a15.6-inch FHD display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The OMEN 15 also features Audio by Bang & Olufsen and equipped with Omen Tempest Cooling, so you can game for long hours with no worries.

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Other features include OMEN Gaming Hub where you can customise and optimise everything from performance controls to the 4 Zone keyboard. HP also says that the OMEN 15 is easy to upgrade.
HP OMEN 25L Gaming Desktop PC

The HP OMEN 25L gaming PC features up to AMD RYZEN 7 processor and latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics. The gaming desktop also comes with side tempered glass panels, a full-metal frame, and complete RGB control with OMEN Gaming Hub. Plus an advance thermal system and elevated feet for optimum air flow. The OMEN 25L also comes with easy tool-less access for industry-standard components as well as massive storage options, customisable filters, to ATX PSU.
HP also released OMEN-branded accessories to accompany the new OMEN desktop. The OMEN Vector Essential Mouse features the OMEN Radar 1 sensor, supports up to 7,200 dpi and weighs in at only 88g. Next OMEN accessory is the OMEN Blast Headset which features 7.1 surround sound.
Price and availability
The HP OMEN 15 laptop is available for purchase now for RM3,899 with 2 years Accidental Protection Damage coverage. The HP OMEN 25L gaming PC retails from RM6,899 with 3 years on-site warranty. Both of these devices can be purchased on the official HP store, official HP Lazada page or the official HP Shopee page.
As for the OMEN accessories, both the OMEN Vector Essential Mouse and OMEN Blast Headset are available now starting from RM159 and RM319 respectively.
Pokdepinion: The HP OMEN 15 laptop is pretty reasonably priced. Good for those who’re looking to get a gaming laptop but not willing to bust their wallets open.
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OPPO F1s hits 100,000 sales with less than 2 months’ time in Malaysia

OPPO is now among the strongest player in the mid-lower range (RM900 to RM1200) tier of the smartphone market in Malaysia. Seizing a 50% sales in the mid-lower range (RM900 to RM1200) market with mere 2 months of sales, OPPO F1s, the company’s “Selfie Expert”, is no doubt, the company’s star performer in year 2016.
OPPO grows healthily and sustainably around the world
According to independent market research firm Sino-MR, OPPO R9 (as known as OPPO F1 Plus in Malaysia), has continued to take over the first place of bestselling smartphone models in the second and third quarter. Besides the remarkable result in the mainland China, OPPO is bolstered by 136.6 percent year-on-year growth for the second quarter of 2016 globally.
With OPPO’s rapid growth in China, India, all South East Asian countries, the company is continuing to drive up the performance with its continued marketing investments to build solid brand equity for its Selfie Expert series. Successful global marketing campaigns like key associations and sponsorships across popular platforms like FC Barcelona, America’s Next Top Model and ICC have also driven the brand to gain higher recognition in the global and all other markets.

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OPPO’s 2-year Performance in Malaysia
Gaining more than 100,000 F1s users with less than 2 months’ time, OPPO grasps 50% sales in the mid-lower range market firmly and tightly. The company’s swift achievements contributed not only to the advance technology and the meticulous product, but also to its marketing strategy that is pushing the right button on its target consumers. With celebrities such as Nora Danish, Ayda Jebat, Min Chen, JC Chee on board, F1s has rapidly taking over the screens, internet, in-mall and outdoor billboard sever since its local launch in August 2016, firming the throne of its ‘Selfie Expert’.

OPPO’s success can be attributed to the aggressive expansion of offline channel and after service centres strategy along with their focus on product differentiation. In the Malaysian market, OPPO has been expanding its offline presence by targeting 4,000 Point of Sales by the end of year 2016 and improving its after sales service for giving its consumers a better experience. A strategic positioning and messaging on photography technology especially selfie has also helped the brand attain consumer acceptance in a crowded smartphone market.
Pokdepinion: Well, it seems we do have many selfie experts to look out for here in Malaysia.
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vivo V21 5G Exclusive Edition Launched At RM1,899

As you would recall, the livestream event for the vivo V21 5G Exclusive Edition happened yesterday and now the device is available for purchase.
vivo V21 5G Exclusive Edition

Powered by a Dimensity 800U chipset, the vivo V21 5G Exclusive Edition comes equipped with a 64MP OIS rear camera and a 44MP OIS selfie camera. For the front camera, it offers a Dual Selfie Spotlight and Screen Spotlight to help take better selfies in low-light situations.

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In addition to the 8+3GB Extended RAM technology that vivo has introduced, the phone is packed with 256GB internal storage. It sports a 6.64-inch FHD+ AMOLED display which comes with 90Hz refresh rate.
Under the hood is a 4000mAh battery which you can charge with its 33W FlashCharge charger. Available in Sunset Dazzle and Dusk Blue colour variants, you can get it for the price of RM1,899. Those who purchase the device from any vivo concept stores from now till the 13th of June 2021 will be able to get exclusive gifts with a total worth value of RM658. As for purchases from vivo’s official E-store or flagship stores on Shopee and Lazada will get gifts worth RM647 and RM548 respectively.
In addition to that, each purchase will get you a 1-year extended warranty and 1-year screen crack protection that’s worth RM399.
You can check out our previous review of the vivo V21 by heading to the link right here. For more of the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: The clear difference here between this model and the previous one is 5G capability and a bigger storage. Whether or not that’s worth it, it’s up to you to decide. For me personally, 128GB is definitely more than enough and as for 5G, I don’t see the need for it. At least for now..
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Cooler Master NR400 with ODD Review — a clown car of a case!

Introduction

mATX motherboards are often released as budget boards, which make them a great choice for anyone building a rig without spending a bomb. There isn’t much logic in spending a bomb on an expensive case to build in, right? If you agree, then you might be quite interested in the Cooler Master NR400, Cooler Master’s affordable mATX case that looks good and yet offers plenty of features that are found only in their higher end cases.
Unboxing

Well there isn’t much to talk about when it comes to the box. Unlike Cooler Master’s premium cases, the box here is just plain brown cardboard with the images printed onto it.

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In the box are the necessities. There are plenty of screws, but unlike in the Cooler Master MC500M, the screws are not individually sealed for freshness. Nothing too fancy here.
Appearance

Since we got the version of the Cooler Master NR400 with an ODD bay, there is a slight cutout marring the clean mesh front panel. Just to keep things interesting, there is a glossy strip down the right side, just so that your eyes have something else to look at aside from the unending mesh that makes up the front.

More mesh is found at the top, which bodes well for great airflow through the case. No fans here, but there’s support for 240mm radiators. The case I/O are at the top, and there are only two USB 3.0 ports to speak of. More would have definitely been welcome. Cooler Master also threw in a combo jack instead of the regular separate ports for mic-in and headphone-out. Maybe it’s optimized for Cooler Master’s recent range of audio peripherals like the MasterPulse MH751 and MH703.

The back is where the regular stuff are. A single 120mm exhaust with a sliding screw bracket thingy so you can adjust the position of the fan when you need to. There’s also some extra vents up above the fan, well above the motherboard tray, promising support for 240mm radiators as well.

On the left we have a PSU shroud of sorts, which is part of the case itself. The glass panel here on the Cooler Master NR400 is slightly tinted, so it will look a bit more mysterious before you fire up your system.

The other side is just a metal panel. Good for those who enjoy customizing their rigs with stickers, maybe?

Last but least, the bottom side. We have four nice rubber feet that raise the Cooler Master NR400 clear off the table. There is also a fan filter for the PSU intake, although it’s not attached magnetically but instead with little tabs at the edges to hold it in place. Not our favorite design, but it works.
Specifications

Model Number
MCB-NR400-KG5N-S00

Available Color
Black

Materials
Steel, plastic, tempered glass

Dimensions (LxWxH)
All
411(L) x 210(W) x 411(H) mm

Motherboard Support
Up to mATX

Expansion Slots
4

Drive Bays
5.25″
1

Combo 3.5″ / 2.5″
4

2.5″
4

Front panel
USB 3.0 x 2

3.5mm combo jack

Pre-installed Fan(s)
Front
120mm x 1 (1200±200 rpm)

Rear
120mm x 1 (1200±200 rpm)

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

Rear
120mm x 1

Top
120mm x 1 / 140mm x 1
(can use 2x fans if ODD cage removed)

Liquid Cooling Support
Front
Up to 280mm radiators

Top
Up to 140mm radiators
(240mm if ODD cage removed)

Rear
120mm radiators

Clearances
CPU Cooler
166mm

PSU
140mm (HDD cage in backmost position)
325mm (w/o front radiator and HDD cage)

GPU
346mm

Cable Routing
Behind Motherboard Tray
22mm

Dust Filters
Top, bottom

Power Supply Support
Bottom mount, ATX PS2

It’s a mini-tower case for those whose primary focus is airflow and little more. It also inherited quite a bit of features from Cooler Master’s more premium modular cases. For example, there’s the removable HDD cage and ODD cage.
User Experience

Having a removable HDD cage in the Cooler Master NR400 opens up plenty of avenue to build your dream rig. When I used a pretty regular MasterWatt 650W when building live, I didn’t realize that the HDD cage is actually removable with just one screw holding it in place. Or, if you still want to use 3.5″ drives, you can also move it around to fit larger power supplies. 1200W PSUs will fit just fine in the Cooler Master NR400, giving you more than enough power for HEDT builds in the mATX form factor.

Of course, you can also finally remove it if you want to use a longer PSU and a front-mounted radiator. Who uses HDDs anymore anyways? If you do want to use HDDs, you can fit up to three on the HDD cage.

Although this is the Cooler Master NR400 with ODD, you have the option to remove the ODD cage, which fits a 3.5″ drive on the underside as well. That brings the number of 3.5″ drives supported to a grand total of four drives. I really love that Cooler Master offered the option to keep it there or remove it, since the non-ODD version isn’t available in Malaysia. Maybe you can say the Cooler Master NR400 with the ODD bay makes it even more flexible than the one without it? In any case, removing it opens up space for either top-mounted radiators or perhaps slightly larger front mounted ones.

Interestingly there’s support for 2 x 140mm fans up top, after you remove the ODD cage. Larger ATX cases like the MasterBox MB530P doesn’t even offer that option, so to see it here in this affordable-ish case is pretty cool.

I appreciate the generous rubber grommets here, as there are more expensive cases that lack them. The fans included don’t have RGB, so those who don’t want a glitzy build would appreciate the Cooler Master NR400. They run very silently too, at around 1200 rpm. There’s also no PWM control, so you might be swapping them out pretty soon, as it stands, it works fine.

Moving on, installing SSDs in the Cooler Master NR400 is a 100% tool-less process. You only need to mount the standoffs onto your SSD, and jam the rubber grommets into the case cutouts. There’s room for four 2.5″ drives, two behind the motherboard tray, two on the PSU shroud.

Since we are building with an ITX board, we barely used the rubber grommets. Instead, the generous motherboard tray cutout which made it a piece of cake to install the Hyper 212+ also served as our cable routing channel. This huge mess of cables here didn’t really matter though as the right panel closed just fine, hiding it all away from sight.

This is the view from the front side. It looks amazingly clean and this is one roomy case with enough space for tall air coolers like the Hyper 212+ RGB Black Edition we have here. There’s also enough clearance for long GPUs, even triple-fan designs like the ROG Strix Radeon RX 480 we installed for this build.

The cable routing channels above the motherboard tray are also very generous, although you might run into a pretty tight situation if you install a 240mm rad up top as well, as you will then have to force the 8-pin CPU EPS cable to hide behind the radiator.

The tinted glass hides away more in the case when it’s powered down…

But it definitely doesn’t shy away from showcasing the beautiful RGB hardware you packed into the build.
Conclusion
For just RM249, the Cooler Master NR400 is one well thought out case. There’s more room for hardware than meets the eye, despite this being a mini-tower. And the flexibility is just top notch. Those who are focused on performance rather than looks will find the impressive airflow capabilities of the Cooler Master NR400 really enticing. This is a case that looks good without trying too hard, which will be a bonus for the aforementioned demographic. For those who want a touch more bling, you can throw up to five ARGB fans in this baby. Good looks and good airflow? Yep!

If I were to request anything, it would probably be to add support for vertical GPUs in the successor of this case. A vertical GPU would have been an amazing touch of style in this case. Other than that, it is like an amazing case for anyone who want a simple case for their mATX build. Oh and if Cooler Master would offer just the front panel from the Cooler Master NR400 without ODD as a separate purchase, that would be great. For those who want an ATX version, you can take a look at the Cooler Master NR600.

Our thanks to Cooler Master Malaysia for provisioning the Cooler Master NR400 with ODD for us to review. You can get the Cooler Master NR400 with ODD from Lazada via the following link:

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HONOR Confirms Return Of Google Services To Their Smartphones

HONOR has just confirmed that we will be seeing the long-awaited return of Google services to their smartphones. This comes from a tweet posted by the official HONOR Germany Twitter page showcasing their upcoming HONOR 50 series smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 778G.
Google services are coming back to HONOR smartphones
In the tweet, a fan asked whether the devices will come with Google services. The question was promptly replied to by HONOR Germany, confirming that the new smartphone will indeed feature Google services. The company also confirmed in another tweet that they will still be featuring their proprietary Magic UI as well. Below are screenshots of the tweet itself (translated from German).

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The HONOR 50 series will be the first HONOR smartphones to officially carry Google services since being sold off by HUAWEI last year to a consortium of companies in China. Now an independent brand, the company have introduced a new brand strategy which includes partnerships with several brands and companies during their recent HONOR View40 launch event. These companies and brands include AMD, Intel, MediaTek, Micron Technology, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Samsung, SK hynix, and Sony.

As per rumours, the upcoming HONOR 50 series will come with three devices and features the aforementioned Snapdragon 778G as well as the Snapdragon 888 chipset for the higher-end devices in the series. Furthermore, the series is said to feature a multi-module camera system with a 50MP main lens as well as a 6.79-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, and a dual selfie camera.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m personally thrilled at seeing Google services making a comeback on HONOR smartphones. I’ve been a fan of HONOR devices since the HONOR 8 and I really like how they constantly come out with attractive devices in terms of both looks and overall features.
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Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground 2018 – Kicking Off at The Pantheon

It would seem that there is yet another major development in the Southeast Asian eSports scene with the Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground 2018, which is said to be Malaysia’s largest intercollegiate eSports tournament to date.
Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground 2018

At a launch event at The Pantheon in One City, the Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground 2018 has been officially announced. It is said to be Malaysia’s biggest intercollegiate eSports tournament to date, featuring 10 contending champions from their respective qualifiers held with 6 different cities, with the ultimate goal of being crowned champion.

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With a prize pool of RM130,000, the top 10 participating teams from 10 different universities will be duking it out in a variety of games, with the 3 headlining titles being Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DotA 2, and League of Legends. There will be other games around as well, with the ones being mentioned are Asseto Corsa, Tekken 7, and Street Fighter V.

The universities that will be participating in the Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground 2018 are:
Participating Universities

KDU University College
INTI International University
HELP University
Taylor’s University
TARC
Multimedia University (MMU)
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
UCSI University
First City University College
Southern University College

The Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground 2018 will be having 10 qualifiers in 10 different locations with each qualifying champion being eligible to participate in the Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground 2018 main event. The grand finale will be happening sometime in October 2018. The main sponsors for the tournament are ASUS ROG, MSI, and Acer Predator.
To kick things off, TEIB is launching the tournament on May 3 at The Pantheon, Malaysia’s 1st e-Sports centre with the NVIDIA-certified Platinum iCafe. This launch will welcome gaming communities from all over Malaysia and introduce the Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground to the world.
For more information, visit their official website by clicking here.
Pokdepinion: Another major eSports event happening in Malaysia. Something to look forward to for many gamers. Wished I had this kind of thing happening while I was still studying. Where my Sunway University people at?
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Case Mod World Series 2019 winners announced — The creativity is above 9000!

Cooler Master has just announced the winners of the Case Mod World Series 2019. After evaluating over 80 mods, judges deemed these 10 mods to be the creme de la creme. And after you see them, I believe you will agree too.
Case Mod World Series 2019 – Master League Winners
AKMod – Minimalistic

Bagging 1st Place in the Tower Mod category, AKMod will bring home $10 000 (~RM41 555). His build is based on the the flagship Cooler Master C700M chassis, but he further amps up the premium appeal with wood and leather trim used throughout the case. The whole build should have cost more than the prize money, but the sheer elegance of the build is not something you can put a price tag on. Watch the following video of the build shaping up:

Timpelay – SL600Mi

In a weird twist, Timpelay chose to turn his SL600M into a mITX case. In case you guys didn’t know, the SL600M can fit E-ATX boards, so to just throw in a mITX board would be comical. Instead, Timpelay chose to cut up his SL600M, painstakingly weld them back to create the SL600Mi. Timpelay came 2nd Place in the Tower Mod category. Now, hopefully Cooler Master will take a few tips from Timpelay and mass produce a smaller SL600M for SFF enthusiasts.

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Explore Modding – Realgar Project

In 3rd Place is the Realgar Project, which is also based on the SL600M. This build sees Explore Modding explore a red crystalline theme, making the SL600M look less metal and more rock. Not the music, the materials.

RandomDesign – Star Wars T70 X Wing

Meanwhile over in the scratch build category, the 1st place winner is RandomDesign with his Star Wars T70 X Wing mod. For the Star Wars fans out there, you would probably know which movie(s) it’s from. RandomDesign managed to cram an Intel Core i9 9900K, Titan Xp Collectors Edition Jedi Order (naturally), and a full liquid cooling loop to cool the CPU. Oh and there’s a BB-8 up top for good measure.

Inony – Leviathan

An equally impressive scratch build is the Leviathan, which was inspired by sentient AI beasts. The entire design looks like the skeletal structure of a whale mated to a shark, with armor plating. It’s a sight to behold, although Inony admits that the hardware here isn’t a match for the beauty of the build as he used hardware donated by his friends. But who cares if it looks this amazing?

Case Mod World Series 2019 – Apprentice League Winners

Meanwhile over in the Apprentice League we see the following mods winning $1000 CM Store Vouchers each:
TPB Mods – Project MapleTermuda Square – Stealth 5 Yellow LabelMichael Holly Dulay – Agent 0More4mLester – SamuraiPrototoxin – Future Gadget XX
Which mod was your favorite?
Pokdepinion: Hands down, the SL600Mi was my favorite. A beautiful yet practical mod.
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Acer’s Swift Edge 16 Comes With Ryzen 7040 Processors And Wi-Fi 7

Acer has just announced a new model in the Swift family: the Swift Edge 16. This AMD-powered laptop will feature the chipmaker’s latest Ryzen 7040 series processors, with Radeon 780M iGPU and dedicated Ryzen AI hardware on select configurations.
The laptop itself features a 16-inch, 3.2K OLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut; it’s also compatible with the upcoming Wi-Fi 7 standard which promises ever greater transfer speeds and wireless reliability. The Microsoft Pluton security co-processor is also featured which helps with on-device security. The chassis is comprised of magnesium alloy which helps reduces the weight down to just 1.23kg and measures at just 12.95mm thin.

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Other specs include up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and PCIe 4.0 SSD configurable up to 2TB, QHD webcam with automatic framing and gaze correction as well as background blur. I/O options include two USB-A ports, two USB-C (USB4) ports with 65W Power Delivery and display output capabilities, HDMI 2.1 and a microSD card reader. Set for a July launch – no local pricing is available at the time of this writing (though it’ll cost $1,299 in US).
Pokdepinion: It’s still gonna be a while before Ryzen 7040 arrives in laptops. We’ll just have to keep waiting in the meantime.
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AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition rolls out

AMD’s latest Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition brings with it a slew of new features, and even offers up to 15% better performance in the latest titles versus an older version of Radeon Software Adrenalin.

The new features include a slew of Radeon Advisors to help you reap the most benefits from your AMD Radeon graphics card. Game Advisor helps you optimize your game settings, while Settings Advisor checks for unutilized system optimizations and guides you to take advantage of them. Meanwhile Upgrade Advisor keeps tabs on the system requirements for the latest games, and recommends upgrades if necessary.

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AMD also improved upon AMD Radeon WattMan in Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition, bringing about finer power adjustments for Radeon RX Vega as well as memory tuning to improve performance in memory-bound applications. You can also change the fan speeds more modularly now, with temperature dependent fan curves and zero RPM fan control as well.

For those who are more worried about their power consumption than the raw performance of their AMD Radeon GPUs, AMD’s improved Radeon Chill in Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition deliver up to 20% more power savings in popular esports titles like Overwatch and PUBG.

They have also improved upon FreeSync 2 HDR, now with auto-tone mapping. VSR also sees an upgrade to Virtual Super Resolution, now with support for ultra-wide 21:9 displays. Radeon Overlay in Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition has been updated to take advantage of the upgrades, with real-time adjustments to Enhanced Sync and Radeon FreeSync available via the overlay.

Radeon Overlay is now updated to offer more features from Radeon Wattman as well, with the ability to adjust various settings on the fly and even load and save custom profiles from the overlay itself. Performance metrics are also a lot more detailed now, with frame-time measurement added.

AMD Link has also been improved, now with more features to play around with. AMD has even added Game Streaming to AMD Link, so you can play PC games on your smartphone. VR streaming is also now possible with Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition for HTC Vive Focus and smartphones with Google Daydream support. This opens up a lot of possibilities for gamers who want to experience VR, but are not ready to invest in a dedicated VR headset. Now they can just use their Daydream-ready devices to get a taste of VR. It’s only available for Steam VR though, and does not support Oculus hardware/games.
With AMD renowned stability for their drivers, it makes it even cooler to see so many features added to AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition. Which one is your favorite feature?
Pokdepinion: Time to whip out the ASUS ZenFone AR!

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ASUS Malaysia unveils their ZenBook and VivoBook; From affordable to adorable, they have it ALL!

ASUS announced 5 beautiful, sleek and slim ultrabooks and notebooks today. Ranging from the most premium segment all the way to affordable machines, ASUS has them all now. Separated into two series, the ZenBook series and the Vivo series are all set to hit the Malaysian market.
Under the ZenBook Series, there are 3 models announced; ASUS ZenBook Pro, ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe and ASUS ZenBook Flip S. The ASUS ZenBook Pro focuses on performance delivery, the ASUS ZenBook Deluxe focuses on aesthetics and portability, while the ASUS ZenBook Flip S focuses on transformability. Running on Intel processors ranging up to Intel Core i7 processors, these Ultrabooks are all set to change the landscape of slim notebooks market.
On the other hand, the Vivo Series has two iterations, the ASUS VivBook Pro and ASUS VivoBook S. The ASUS VivoBook Pro packs a punch in terms of performance, while the ASUS VivoBook S brings better portability at an affordable price tag.

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Now, I’m pretty sure that you are very curious about the specifications of these beauties, so let me take a quick tour around each of them.
ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe (UX490)

Top of the line, The ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe is a very beautiful machine, claiming itself as the world’s thinnest 14” laptop at only 12.9mm and weighing 1.1kg. The display itself is remarkable, using a Full HD NanoEdge display that has 84% screen-to-body ratio with 100% sRGB perfection.
On the performance side, the ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe is running on 7th-Gen Intel Core i7-7500U, a U-series CPU, it also has 16GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 RAM, 1TB PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD and houses TWO Thunderbolt 3 ports for fast data transfers up to 40Gbps and connect to dual 4K UHD output displays. It also has a fingerprint sensor and is compatible with Windows Hello for quick login functionalities. For immersive sound, ASUS has thrown in the Harman Kardon certified audio with quad-speakers & Smart Amp. The keyboard is backlit and the touch pad is glass-covered.
The ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe is priced at RM8,299.
ASUS ZenBook Pro (UX550)

Next up in the ZenBook Series is the ASUS ZenBook Pro. This will be the thinnest ZenBook Pro ever made, having a dimension of 18.9mm and weighing only 1.8kg. You might think this is heavy for an ultrabook, but check out the specifications first.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro runs on 7th-Gen Intel Core i7-7700HQ, a H-series CPU, coupled with Nvidia GTX1050 GPU. Yep, you heard that right, GTX1050 right in the ultrabook is what the ASUS ZenBook Pro is all about! It also has 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB of PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD and a Thunderbolt 3 port for blazing fast transfers.
ASUS ZenBook Pro also has a 14hrs battery life with fast charge capabilities, bringing the battery up to 60% in 49 minutes. Like the Deluxe, the ASUS ZenBook Pro also has a fingerprint sensor with Windows Hello support and houses Harman Kardon certified audio with quad-speakers & Smart Amp.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro is priced at RM7,299.
ASUS ZenBook Flip S (UX370)

Moving on, we have the ASUS ZenBook Flip S which, like the name suggests, allows you to flip the display to convert it into various modes. This piece of hardware is a winner of Computex 2017 d&i Award and is the world’s thinnest convertible laptop, also being one of the lightest. The 360° flippable display lets you to use the ASUS ZenBook Flip S in notebook mode, tablet mode, or even tent mode.
The ASUS ZenBook Flip S is only 10.9mm thin and 1.1kg light. It is powered by 7th-Gen Intel Core i7-7500U, a U-series CPU and comes with a 512GB PCIe SSD. It also has a liquid-crystal-polymer fan impeller that’s just 0.3mm thin to provide the cooling it needs.
The display is touch-enabled and supports active stylus – much like the one in the previous ASUS Transformer 3 Pro. Another record breaking detail about the ASUS ZenBook Flip S is the smallest-ever fingerprint sensor; measuring at just 16mm x 3.6mm and of course, supports Windows Hello too~
The ASUS ZenBook Flip S is priced at RM6699
ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 (N580)

So, if you can’t afford the ZenBook (like myself), then VivoBook would look equally appealing to our eyes and our pockets. First up, we have the ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 which is a slim and lightweight 15.6-inch notebook powered by 7th-Gen Intel Core i7-7700HQ, a H-series CPU. It has 4GB DDR4 RAM and Nvidia GeForce GTX1050 graphics processor. It’s dual-fan cooling system with a dual-copper thermal module and heat pipes will make sure it remains cool even under heavy loads.
The ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 spots a Full HD display with wide-view technology and 100% sRGB color gamut. It also has Harman Kardon certified audio, including twin speakers with large 8cc audio chambers and smart-amplifier technology for 3.2X louder volume. Oh, the ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 also works fine with the ASUS Pen, but it’s sold separately.
The ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 is priced at RM4799
ASUS VivoBook S15 (S510)

Last in the list, we have the ASUS VivoBook S15 which is the latest model in the VivoBook Series. This 15.6-inch slim and lightweight Windows 10 laptop is designed for those constantly on the go, with a 17.9mm profile and weighing just 1.5 kg. It features an Icicle Gold finish for a quality feel, and a NanoEdge display with a slim 7.8mm bezel that provides a larger display area for more immersive viewing. This stylish laptop is powered by the latest 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7500U processor with 4GB DDR4 memory and NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics.
The ASUS VivoBook S15 is priced at RM3699 for the i7 version and RM2899 for the i5 version.
Pokdepinion: It seems like ultrabooks are approaching gaming capabilities, albeit ASUS announced that they don’t really have plans to close the gap yet. These machines are lightweight, powerful, and sleek.
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Why Your Instagram Stories Might Have Missing Audio Issues

A good number of users have reported to face missing audio issues particularly for Instagram Stories. If you’re facing it, highly likely you’re an iPhone user, and you might want to take note of this.
Instagram Stories Missing Audio Issues

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If you’re using an iPhone that’s running iOS 15, highly likely you’ve been on Instagram Stories and wondering why the audio is missing. It’s a rampant issues that’s plaguing plenty of similar devices but you might not have to wait for long as a fix is being worked on.
The reason why this issue is happening is because when an iPhone is set to silent mode via the ringer switch, audio for Instagram Stories get automatically muted. You can even mute a video in the middle of watching it using the ringer switch.
It’s not a major bug, but it is rather annoying for a number of users, especially, when we just want to check out what’s going on with our friends and family on social media. Facebook has confirmed that they are aware of the issue and are working on a fix for it.
Apparently, this bug was already brought to their attention during the iOS 15 beta period, which many thought would have been fixed by the time the public release happened. For now, no word yet on when the fix will launch, but do expect it to appear sooner rather than later.
Source
Pokdepinion: And here I thought my friends’ iPhones were broken when they told me about it. It sounded so weird but hey, on the plus side, no need to send it out for servicing.
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MOLPay Virtual Terminal – Offering Businesses Alternative Terminals

Recently MOLPay created the MOLPay virtual terminal app called MOLPay VT which acts as a payment processor and can be used anywhere as long as internet is available. Payment options includes credit card or debit card, online banking, invoicing, and Alipay Wallet.
It’s not all the time that a seller or a merchant can bring a payment machine around as it is inconvenient and heavy, so they are limited to do business in the vicinity of their shop. With this app, they can make deals anywhere they would like (with internet access,of course).
Here is how to setup the MOLPay VT;

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Go to the Google Playstore or Apple App Store and search for “MOLPay VT” and download it to your mobile device.
Insert the required information; user details,merchant ID,etc
Once your account is activated, you can start accepting payments and utilize the app.

For more details on the app itself, you can check out at their official site right here
Pokdepinion: Surely the app would help dealers to get around with their business. Definitely beneficial to everyone.
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PNY XLR8 Gaming MAKO RGB DDR5 (DDR5-6000 CL40) Review – Untapped Potential

PNY this time around gave us the XLR8 MAKO RGB DDR5 to check out – this particular unit features 6000MT/s memory clock with XMP or EXPO enabled. Though the CAS latency of 40 cycles seems a bit too loose on paper (given we’ve seen other 6000MT/s modules with much more aggressive timings), let’s see if there’s more performance that can be unlocked with a bit of overclocking magic.
Unboxing

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This is your standard run-of-the-mill packaging of PNY’s memory modules: a box packaging, a plastic tray and a set of MAKO modules themselves. Nothing else to be had here.
Appearance

Heatsinks are pretty much a must have for overclocked DDR5 modules these days – still, PNY didn’t go too wild with the design so it’s still a relatively clean looking piece of kit. The diagonal “ribs” does feature some protrusion, though it’s unlikely to aid passive cooling by much (it’s not a fin, remember).

The RGB strip on top shares similar design cues with angular cuts on both sides – by default it runs a rainbow preset but you can sync it with most RGB software including ASUS AURA SYNC, MSI Mystic Light Sync, GIGABYTE RGB Fusion and ASRock Polychrome Sync.
Specifications
PNY XLR8 Gaming MAKO RGB DDR5 (DDR5-6000 CL40)

Model Number
MD32GK2D5600040MXRGB

Frequency
6000MT/s

Primary Timings
CL40-40-40-77

Voltage
1.3V

Capacity
16GB x2

Dimensions (WxHxD)
133.4 x 34.8 mm

Test System

CPU
Intel Core i9-13900K

Cooling
ASUS ROG Ryujin II 360 AIO
Cooler Master MasterGel Maker

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 HERO

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition

Memory
PNY XLR8 Gaming MAKO RGB DDR5 (DDR5-6000 CL40)

Storage
Samsung SSD 980 PRO 256GB (Boot)
Kingston NV1 1TB

Power Supply
Cooler Master MWE Gold 1250 V2 Full Modular 1250W

Case
VECTOR Bench Case (Open-air chassis)

Operating System
Windows 11 Pro 22H2

Overclocking

Given that this module comes with 6000MT/s CL40 by default, with a default XMP/EXPO voltage of 1.3V – it’s almost certain that there’s more to give if you know where to look. As a reference, here’s a run with 30-minute OCCT stress test on the stock XMP/EXPO values with the aforementioned memory clocks and timings. At the end of 30 minute the modules peaked at 65°C with no active cooling involved (the screenshot above displays peak at 79.8°C on HWiNFO is sensor anomaly, as it occurs sometimes).
Instead of trying for higher memory clockspeeds, we opted to tighten the timings, targeting CL36 instead (and giving it extra voltage to do so, with VDD, VDDQ and Memory Controller all set to 1.4V in the next attempt). Active cooling in the form of external chassis fan is blown directly to the modules to give it more thermal headroom should it requires them.

The only successful overclock we got is this – with 36-36-36-74 cycles at 1.4V across VDD, VDDC and Memory. The active cooling given to the modules has cooled it down significantly to temperatures in the low 50s (though the fans are running quite aggressively as it is tied to heavy CPU workload). Seeing we got it right on the money on the first attempt, the next run will see the timing gets tightened even further, down to CL34 (and voltage slightly boosted to 1.42V on all three).
Turns out we got lucky on the first overclocked run. Windows isn’t playing nicely with the CL34 overclock at all – crashing immediately on boot in the first try, and subsequent boot attempts only managed to go far enough until the RAM gets stressed. Sticking back to CL36 while changing the memory clock itself to target 6400MT/s ended up not POSTing at all, with the system stuck in a RAM-induced bootloop despite many retries.
Warranty

This modules comes with limited lifetime warranty support (“lifetime” here means for as long as this product is available in the market) – for Malaysian markets, users can direct any warranty claims to Fusion Tech Supply Sdn Bhd, local distributor for PNY products; as well as PNY Malaysia’s Facebook page. Products will be eligible for warranty support from these two channels as long as it contains the sticker as seen above.
Conclusion

PNY is asking RM519 for the 32GB kits of two (2x16GB) – when you consider the last time we reviewed a DDR5 product it costed twice as much, DDR5 pricing sure has come a long way (having a massive oversupply situation from DRAM manufacturer helps too). As for the module themselves, how does it perform?
I’d give it a “fair” grade. Memory clocks seems to be hitting the wall already, but there’s some headroom in the timings which arguably are the more important aspects when it comes to overclocking RAM (and AMD platforms gets to benefit better this way too). PNY’s reasoning for slightly looser timings is down to stability and binning considerations – fair enough given the price. Heat management is solid, no issues here.

Let’s get back to the pricing for a bit. Looking at current market pricing on various brands, this particular kit is the cheapest we can get on the 6000MT/s class, and it’s not even close. Other models generally sit in between RM600 and go as high as RM800 on some more premium models – though some of that price may come down to just the overclocking potential given. For what it’s worth, PNY’s offering here is more than good enough for the price it’s asking for.

Thanks to PNY Malaysia for sending us XLR8 Gaming MAKO RGB DDR5 (DDR5-6000 CL40) for the purposes of this review.
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NVIDIA RTX SUPER lineup is SUPER EFFECTIVE — destroys the RTX series’ resale value and maybe the Radeon RX 5700 Series

If you have been holding out on getting the NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards, well lucky you. The GeForce RTX SUPER series has just been launched yesterday, and it quite literally staves off any threat the Radeon RX 5700 series had against the Turing-powered GeForce RTX cards. But, anyone who got an older GeForce RTX card would be cursing the wind.
For starters, remember how I was complaining that the Turing generation represented a smaller leap in raster performance from Pascal, as compared to Pascal from Maxwell? Well, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX SUPER lineup solves my grouse. The GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is faster than a GeForce GTX 1080, the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is faster than a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti… Exactly the same generational leap as Pascal vs Maxwell. The GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is currently unmatched, only bested by the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti.
Faster than the RTX 2060 by 22%, also faster than the GTX 1080.
I think the above information is best summed up in a table though:

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GeForce RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER
GeForce RTX 2070
GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER
GeForce RTX 2080
GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER
GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

CUDA Cores
1920
2176
2304
2560
2944
3072
4352

Boost Clocks (MHz)
1680
1650
1620
1770
1710
1815
1545

RTX-OPS
37T
41T
42T
52T
57T
63T
76T

Memory
6GB GDDR6
8GB GDDR6
8GB GDDR6
8GB GDDR6
8GB GDDR6
8GB GDDR6
11GB GDDR6

Memory speed
14 Gbps
14 Gbps
14 Gbps
14 Gbps
14 Gbps
15.5 Gbps
14 Gbps

Memory interface
192-bit
256-bit
256-bit
256-bit
256-bit
256-bit
352-bit

NVLink (SLI)
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Availability
Now
9th July
Now
9th July
Now
23rd July
Now

Price
$349 (~RM1445)
$399 (~RM1652)
$499 (~RM2066)
$499
(~RM2066)
$699
(~RM2894)
$699 (~RM2894)
$999 (~RM4136)

*italicized variants are discontinued

Obsolete so soon…
So yeah, the older cards just lost their value. Anyone holding on the a GeForce RTX card right now hoping to sell it, would probably better stick it back into a running system and just make the best of it. You aren’t going to be able to sell it at without making a huge loss. I wonder how are NVIDIA’s partners going to clear their inventory of old stock too, now with GeForce RTX SUPER out. How much is the difference? While we didn’t get any of the new cards to test, NVIDIA claims the following:
“The GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is up to 22% faster than the RTX 2060, on average 15% faster”
“GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is up to 24% faster (16% on average) than the RTX 2070
“GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is faster than the TITAN Xp“

Essentially they have just refreshed the GeForce RTX lineup. For better or worse. Better for people who have yet to upgrade to a Turing GPU, worse for people who have just gotten their GeForce RTX 2070 or GeForce RTX 2080. Aside from accidentally committing cannibalism, the GeForce RTX SUPER cards should also tide PC enthusiasts over theRadeon RX 5700 series hype.
A preemptive strike against an imminent Radeon RX 5800 series?
Overall, I consider it a win. But then again, that’s probably because I have yet to get a GeForce RTX GPU. :P
Pokdepinion: Well, I guess SuperDaddy made the right choice going for a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti rather than anything less… Also, I think I spoke ahead of time…
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Silent Hill is Coming Back with Two Games in Development

This is just a guess, but I’d say there’s a high chance one or both of those titles may be revealed this year, but we’ll see. I don’t actually know their plans or anything about these games other than their existence though, I don’t know much about the inner workings of Konami.
— AestheticGamer (@AestheticGamer1) January 21, 2020

After the cancellation of Hideo Kojima’s Silent Hills, the future of the franchise seemed bleak. However, Konami may still have hopes on it as reports have started to surface on return of Silent Hill.
According to reputable leaker AestheticGamer, there are a couple of Silent Hill games that are being worked on, and it’s said that the games have been in development for a couple of years now. It’s expected to be released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. A Nintendo Switch version may come at some point but this will highly depend on whether the hardware is capable of running the games.

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Apparently, Konami reached out to developers on creating a new Silent Hill game about two years ago. It is said that two games have been agreed on with one acting as a reboot and the other will complement the reboot in a similar fashion to Until Dawn.
In other news while I’m dropping this stuff, and I think I can talk about this, I’ll mention there is a couple new Silent Hill games in the works. Konami about two years ago reached out to various developers to pitch ideas for two Silent Hill games, one a soft-reboot of the. franchise, the other an episodic Telltale / Until Dawn-style game to go alongside the reboot.
I don’t know anything more than that though, but I sure do hope Konami’s given it the appropriate budget and found the right developer to make those games succeed.

It was also noted that there is a good chance at least one of these games will be revealed sometime this year. AestheticGamer has had accurate leaked information divulged in the past but given how the industry is like, anything can change at any moment. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Source: ComicBook
Pokdepinion: If it ends up being another pachinko game, then we know for a fact that Konami really doesn’t care about anyone.
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Intel announces latest members of their 5G infrastructure portfolio

Intel may have exited the consumer-oriented leg of the 5G race by selling off its mobile modem business to Apple, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t doing anything in the 5G scene. They have just announced a new lineup of products to tap into the growing industry surrounding 5G networks.
Intel Atom P5900 SoC

The Intel Atom P5900 is designed to deliver improved performance at 5G base stations. Intel makes pretty big claims about the chipset, including a 80% increase in integer throughput compared to the Atom C3000. It also features hardware-based packet balancing and cryptography for 3.7x and 5.6x packet balancing and packet security throughput compared to software-based solutions.

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Intel will be making the Atom P5900 on their 10nm process node, and will also make use of the Sunny Cove core architecture. This move might be propelled by the need of higher efficiency in this SoC.
*New* 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors

Intel also announced the new 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors to cater to the cloud, network and edge needs of their customers. The recent announcement was their newer SKUs which deliver 36% more performance and 42% better value than the previous generation. Intel was also quick to boast of the 6x higher AI performance than “competitive CPU platforms. In addition to that, there are the new Intel Xeon Scalable N-SKUs which are network-optimized to deliver up to 58% better virtualized network performance.
Intel “Diamond Mesa” structured ASIC

In addition to SoCs like the Atom P5900, Intel also has FPGA, structured ASIC and custom ASIC. Today Intel announced that they will be making the Intel “Diamond Mesa” structured ASIC available for “early access”, whatever that means. Intel promises various up to 2x higher performance and 50% lower power consumption as compared to earlier generations, in addition to being footprint compatible with Intel FPGAs.
Intel Ethernet 700 Series Network Adapter

The Intel Ethernet 700 Series is the first 5G network-optimized ethernet NIC with hardware-enhanced Precision Time Protocol, targeting 100ns base accuracy for time-sensitive applications. Intel calls this their “cost-effective” offering and is currently sampling with mass production expected to start by the 2nd quarter of 2020.
Pokdepinion: Oh Atom, how have you grown…
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realme 6i with Helio G80 spotted on Geekbench

Hot on the heels of what might be the Redmi Note 9, the realme RMX2040 was spotted on Geekbench featuring a Helio G80. Now unlike the unknown Xiaomi Merlin, the realme RMX2040 has already been identified as the realme 6i for quite some time now, with it even appearing in photos taken by the FCC.

The realme 6i will sport the MediaTek MT6769 which is the Helio G80, and the device tested comes with 4GB RAM. It will also run Android 10, so it will be realme UI 1.0 straight out of the box. Not too surprising, considering the realme C3 came with realme UI too. It’s worth noting that the realme 6i has already received SIRIM certification some time back, so its official Malaysian launch is also going to happen pretty soon.

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Highlights that realme fans can look forward to include a large screen and USB-C. The USB-C port will also support 18W fast-charging, which should satisfy those who struggled to juice up the 5000 mAh battery in the realme 5 series. There’s also going to be a 48MP camera on the back, a huge upgrade from the realme 5i‘s 12MP camera.

The realme 6i should slot in under the realme 6, which realme has touted as not just the successor of the realme 5, but also the realme 5 Pro. On paper, it definitely looks the part, but we will have to see how it actually performs in the real world after our experience with the realme C3.
It’s worth noting that the realme 5i was just launched here in Malaysia in January 2020, so the realme 6i is really a bit early. However I do believe realme considers the realme 6i to be the realme 5‘s true successor, so it is right on time, from a certain point of view.
Pokdepinion: Well… realme definitely needs something below the realme 6 now with it leaping so far ahead in terms of specs and also price. And is it just me or are there just way too many Geekbench leaks recently?
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Razer Merchant Services Now Supports Apple Pay Nationwide

Starting today all merchants in Malaysia using Razer’s payment platform will be able to pay using Apple devices.

Razer Merchant Services – the B2B division of Razer Fintech – has announced that Apple Pay is supported across online and offline payment channels for ‘a more seamless and secure checkout experience’. Users simply pay using their Apple devices and authenticate using biometrics, device passcodes and OTPs.

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Razer stated in the press release that ASEAN is currently the fastest-growing mobile wallet region in the world, with an increase of 41.4% CAGR by 2025 per study by Boku. “RMS’ merchants can now offer Apple Pay as a checkout option for customers for purchases online, in-app and in-store across Malaysia. Our merchants’ customers can now use Apple Pay to seamlessly pay, vastly improving convenience, while transacting securely,” said Lee Li Meng, CEO of Razer Fintech.
Pokdepinion: As an Android user it’s unrelated to me but, hey – that’s one more option for everyone to choose from.
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[E3 2019] EA Shows Off Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Gameplay And It Looks Amazing

Many gamers were excited when they first got to know about the upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order game. It seemed like the game that we should’ve gotten years ago of being a lightsaber-wielding menace. Now, we have gameplay footage of it that will surely excite you.
During EA Play 2019 at E3, developer Respawn Entertainment shared a new gameplay video in the midst of its livestream devoted to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, its upcoming third-person action-adventure game set within the Star Wars universe.
The demo itself gives us not only a good indication of what to expect from the game’s story, but delves deeper into the actual mechanics and gameplay of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which takes things into a more action-adventure-driven direction complete with lightsaber combat.

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According to game director Stig Asmussen, the gameplay takes place on the Wookie planet of Kashyyyk and is set about three hours into the game, as Cal comes to hone his powers as a Jedi in training and try to assist the enslaved Wookie population. In the beginning of the gameplay segment, we also get to see some familiar faces, such as Saw Gerrera from Rogue One.
As we’ve previously known for some time, Fallen Order will be set after the events of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and follows the story of a padawan named Cal Kestis, who is among the remaining survivors of Order 66 and trying to outrun the Empire as they eliminate the Jedi Order.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on 15th November 2019.
Pokdepinion: This looks like something I’ll be sinking in quite a lot of hours in. Can’t wait for the game to be out.
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Official Genshin Impact Discord Accidentally Leaked Raiden Shogun Kit

If you were active on the official Genshin Impact Discord server, you may have noticed some information being released that shouldn’t be out yet. It’s the Raiden Shogun kit. Here’s what happened and what it could mean.
Official Genshin Impact Discord Leaked the Raiden Shogun Kit?

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On the official Genshin Impact Discord server, the Paimon bot listed parts of the Raiden Shogun kit. She was listed as a Sword character with Electro element, though her rarity and Constellation weren’t listed as well. It’s pretty obvious given the focus on her character that she will be a 5-star.
Given the quick removal, we’re pretty sure there is something going behind the scenes and they didn’t want the public to know about it, at least not yet. It is possible that the details were simply wrong and they needed to fix it. There were also talks on social media about how the moderation in the Discord server were using unofficial information from the Wiki, but it’s merely speculation.
Speaking of speculation, there are some gamers who theorized the Raiden Shogun as not being a Sword user, as the sword seen in the trailer may just be a key item, like a Sacred Treasure of Inazuma and nothing more. If not a sword, people are leaning towards the possibility of her being a Polearm of Catalyst user, possibly with inspiration drawn from Naginata-fighting styles.
We don’t have to wait too long to find out ourselves as Genshin Impact 2.0 will be launching on 21st July 2021 for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, and PC. A Nintendo Switch port is currently in the works and is expected to launch sometime soon.
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Pokdepinion: This kind of blunder happens often, in almost every Discord server. Sometimes, bots do things you don’t intend to and I can understand since I manage a few servers myself. I’m partly hoping for more of this as the result could be interesting.
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