SONOS Unveils New Era Series With Two New Models, Era 300 & Era 100

Both models are now currently ready for pre-order and will be available starting 28 March 2023.

SONOS has announced two new models, the Era 300 and Era 100 as the next generation of its smart speakers lineup that hedges its bets on spatial sound. Both models marks the first in the lineup to comply with the company’s new responsible design standards, which features long-term serviceability, energy-efficient technologies and the use or PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) materials.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The Era 300 packs a punch, quite literally: packing six drivers into a relatively small hourglass-inspired package, it can direct sound to left, right, forward and upward for wider soundstage (with the help of Dolby Atmos). It’s the first speaker of the company capable of delivering multi-channel surround sound, when paired with home cinema setup functioning as rear speakers. The speaker itself is fine-tuned with the help of SONOS Soundboard members.

The Era 100 is the successor to the popular SONOS One, with all-new hardware and stereo sound. It now comes with a pair of tweeters to act as left / right speaker channels, with a larger midwoofer that handles the bass duty. All that is packed in a design slightly larger than its predecessor, and listeners can pair it with existing soundbars to act as rear channels to create a surround sound system, or pair just the two Era 100s to act as a stereo sound system.
Both speakers share a few common traits: the chassis is built using PCR plastic with 100% sustainably sourced paper used in packaging, and engineers have reduced their idle power to <2W with a new ‘advanced sleep’ mode. Right-to-repair gets a win here, as the new designs aim to reduce the use of adhesives and are replaced with screws instead for easier repairs. Both speakers features a new control interface, including a capacitive volume slider, on top of the app control from SONOS apps.

These speakers now supports Bluetooth connectivity as well, on top of that, there’s Wi-Fi connectivity and for turntables, there’s auxiliary cables and the line-in adapter for direct connections. As part of the first-time setup, the speakers now comes with built-in microphones to scan the room and compensates the acoustic characteristics accordingly (you can physically turn off the microphone with a dedicated kill-switch on the back of the speaker).
The Era 300 (RM2,799) and Era 100 (RM1,599) will be available globally on March 28, 2023, with pre-orders starting on March 7 at tcacoustic.asia and at the SONOS Concept Store at The Starhill from March 8 onwards.
Pokdepinion: Great to see the direction towards repairability with these new models.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Apple iPhone 14 Revealed In Its Full Glory

Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Plus

Starting off with the standard models, the Mini is no more. Instead, we get the Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, giving you the option of going for the regular 6.1-inch size or a bigger 6.7-inch one similar to the Pro Max variants. Both devices generally retain the same design as the 13 and also comes powered with the same A15 Bionic chip.
One major highlight of the new devices is Emergency SOS, which will allow the iPhone 14 to connect to communication satellites when you’re out of signal range so you can send an emergency message. It’s calimed to take less than 15 seconds to send a message with this with a clear view of the sky. All you have to do is point the device towards the direction of a satellite, and there will be a guide for you to do so.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

As for cameras, you get a new 12MP f/1.5 wide-angle camera with sensor-based stabilization alongside an ultrawide camera. The selfie camera is a new 12MP TrueDepth camera with autofocus. To further improve imaging quality, the new Deep Fusion image processing uses the Photonic Engine technology for enhanced low-light and colour rendering. As for videos, you get a new Action Mode stabilization for a more gimbal-like experience.
The Apple iPhone 14 will be available starting 9th September 2022 whereas the 14 Plus will be coming later on 7th October 2022. They will be retailing from USD $799 (RM4,199) and USD $899 (RM4,699) starting from the 128GB option respectively. Both models in the US will not come with a physical SIM card slot, instead relying on eSIM.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max

Arguably the biggest highlight of the whole event, the new Apple iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max is powered by the new 4nm A16 Bionic chip which boasts 16 millions transistors, even better efficiency and performance that is “generations ahead” of the competition.
Apart from that, there is the Dynamic Island (pill-shaped) notch which can change shape depending on what is being shown, such as notifications and background activity. This also allows them to offer a redesigned TrueDepth camera array with new software integrations across the board.

The 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR displays is brighter and comes with always-on functionality. As for the camera system, you get an ultrawide camera, a 2x telephoto camera, and a 48MP quad-pixel wide angle camera with a 65% larger sensor. The Photonic Engine is present here as well for better all-around photos.
It also comes with other features from the standard models, such as Action Mode, autofocus for the selfie camera, crash detection, and Emergency SOS via satellite. The battery life is said to be better and can give you “all-day battery” but no exact figures were given.
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be available starting 16th September 2022. They will be retailing from USD $999 (RM5,299) and USD $1,099 (RM5,799) starting from the 128GB option respectively. Both models in the US will not come with a physical SIM card slot, instead relying on eSIM.
Source
Pokdepinion: This is the year I take the leap to a Pro Max model. Anything for that sweet sweet camera, I just got to have it.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


NVIDIA Ampere A100 GPU packs 6912 CUDA and 432 Tensor cores on 826mm² die

NVIDIA held their GPU Technology Conference (GTC) 2020 earlier, and they did launch the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, although you will probably have to wait a bit longer for them to unveil the gaming-oriented Ampere GPUs. This is the NVIDIA A100, a high-performance computing (HPC) GPU designed to accelerate AI and data analytics with unprecedented scalability.
The NVIDIA A100 GPU is a massive 826mm2 GPU packing 54.2 billion transistors. They have also stepped up from last-gen’s 12nm process to TSMC’s 7nm process, allowing for these gains in transistor density. The monstrous GPU is mated to 40GB of HBM2 via a 5120-bit memory bus, allowing for 1.6 TB/s of memory bandwidth.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

All that memory bandwidth will probably be very helpful to keep the cores on the NVIDIA A100 busy. NVIDIA packed a whopping 6912 CUDA cores and 432 3rd Gen Tensor cores onto the A100 GPU. Four of these 3rd Gen Tensor cores offer 2x the raw fused multiply–add (FMA) computational power of eight Tensor cores in the last-gen GV100 GPU, so you are looking at more than double the FP16 Tensor performance in the NVIDIA A100, despite having fewer Tensor cores than its predecessor. NVIDIA Ampere will also feature support for more formats, TF32, bfloat16 and FP64. NVIDIA also introduced support for sparsity acceleration where the dataset can be halved to double the performance, with virtually no loss in inferencing accuracy.
For inter-GPU communications, the NVIDIA A100 supports NVLink 3, which is the latest iteration of the NVIDIA NVLink interconnect technology. It supports 12 NVLinks for a total bandwidth of 600GB/s, and it allows for 8 GPU configurations where every GPU is directly communicating with each other.

NVIDIA also added Multi-Instance GPU (MIG) with the NVIDIA A100, allowing you to partition a GPU into up to seven parts, letting multiple users run on specific slices of the GPU on separate SMs with dedicated L2 cache and memory, allowing for higher predictability than previous implementations. These configurations are slated to benefit cloud computing providers as they can allow for higher utilization of the GPUs. If you are interested in a more in-depth look at the architecture of the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, you can head on to this blog post.
NVIDIA Ampere A100 Specs

A100, 108 SMs, TSMC 7nm
6912 CUDA cores
432 Tensor cores
Up to 1410 GHz Boost
40GB HBM2 @ 2.4 Gbps
5120-bit memory bus, 1.6 TB/s bandwidth
PCIe 4.0 x16
400W TDP

If you fancy yourself an NVIDIA Ampere GPU right now, you can already get them in the NVIDIA DGX A100 systems. Each of these pack eight NVIDIA A100 GPUs, two 64-core AMD Rome 7742 CPUs, 1TB RAM, 15TB of PCIe 4.0 storage and nine Mellanox ConnectX-6 200 Gbps network interfaces. Each of these cost a cool $199K (~RM864K), so have fun. These are already shipping.
Pokdepinion: I wonder if those Tensor improvements will come to the consumer segment to boost DLSS performance?
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Celcom is offering cashbacks via Boost for both prepaid and postpaid customers

In a bid to support the recently announced Economic Stimulus Package in reducing the financial burden of the people caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, Celcom is announcing cashbacks for reloads. In addition to that, they are also letting postpaid users trade in their unused Internet quota for cashbacks.
Starting from today until 30th June 2020, Celcom Xpax prepaid customers will enjoy 10% cashback when they purchase Celcom Xpax reloads and Internet Reloads worth RM10 or more via the Celcom Life App. To get the cashbacks, this is all you need to do:

Download and log in to Celcom Life App.
Link Boost e-Wallet via Celcom Life App (see image below)
Select “Reload” and choose “Credit Reload” or “Internet Reload”.
Select reload amount
Credit Reload (RM10, RM30, RM50 or RM100); or Internet Reload (RM10, RM12, RM19, RM30, RM38, RM50, RM79)
Enjoy 10% cashback in your Boost e-wallet up to RM20 per NRIC/Passport per month

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Meanwhile postpaid users can exchange their unused Internet quota, with 10GB equivalent to RM5 cashback. In addition to that, Celcom postpaid users can enjoy a one-time RM50 rebate by opting in on Celcom’s Auto Billing service. That’s not all though, as postpaid customers who opt for digital monthly bills can save up to RM10 a month.
Are you using Boost and Celcom Life? Well, you should!

Pokdepinion: Always nice to see companies caring for their customers with cashbacks!
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Phidisk now bundles AOMEI Backupper with their SSDs

If you have been watching our build videos recently, you will have noticed that we use SSDs from a brand called Phidisk. Now this brand is pretty new, but it is a new brand offering SSDs from Malaysia. To improve the value proposition of their products, they have recently started partnering with AOMEI to make it as seamless as possible to migrate over to a new Phidisk SSD.
Users who purchase a Phidisk SSD will be able to use AOMEI Backupper tool to backup and clone their old drives to a new Phidisk SSD. All you have to do is to register on Phidisk’s upcoming website, and they will receive a copy of AOMEI Backupper. The license will only be valid for 14 days only though, so they will have to be perform their migration quickly. Who waits more than two weeks to migrate their stuff to a new SSD though?
If you wish to use AOMEI Backupper after the 14-day window, you will have to purchase a license from AOMEI. Phidisk’s move to bundle a backup and clone solution with their SSDs is a smart one, as most reputable brands already offer that. A great step forward for a local brand!

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Pokdepinion: Always good to have a backup tool bundled, even if you end up using your own personal preference.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – Lengthy Name, Compact Size

Unboxing the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – Box

Kicking off our ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe review (oh god, that felt like a mouthful) with the unboxing, the box is pretty much the same as recent ROG peripherals. It’s black with red accents, and it’s jam packed with information on the features. Inside the box, you can find the following items:
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – Box content

ROG keycap puller
ROG switch puller
ROG sticker
Wireless dongle + extender
USB-C to USB-A cable
Quick start guide
Warranty booklet
Wrist rest
The ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe keyboard itself

Specifications

Body material
Aluminum with sandblasted finish

Keycap
Double-shot PBT keycaps

Connectivity

USB 2.0
RF 2.4GHz
Bluetooth 5.2

USB report rate
1000Hz

Switch type
ROG RX Red
ROG RX Blue

KRO
NKRO

Anti-ghosting
Yes

Microprocessor
N/A

Dimensions
356 x 136 x 39 mm

Weight
854g

Performance
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – Typing test
Typing on the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe is certainly a great experience. I get my usual typing speed here with minimal mistakes. As far as direct from manufacturer products go, this is the keyboard with the least rattle I’ve experienced thus far, which is great. A better set of keycaps would have elevated the experience even further but I suppose this is rather subjective as you might actually like this one.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – NKRO test
As for the key rollover, I managed to get 40 key presses registered simultaneously on Aqua’s Keytest. This is certainly more than enough keys for people to press at once without a single input missing out.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The Good
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – The keyboard itself
Starting off with the build quality, the ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe is certainly one of the top-tier ones for non-custom mechanical keyboards. You get aluminum alloy with a sandblasted finish, doubleshot PBT keycaps, X-stabilizers, and more. It certainly lives up to its “Premium” name.
Speaking of the stabilizers, it appears that the combination of it and how the keycaps are mounted on the switch gives it a very stable, non-wobbly typing experience. It has the least wobble among all of the recent ROG keyboards I’ve tried thus far, which is excellent. Together with how fast yet accurate the RX Red switches actuate and you have a recipe for success.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – Connectivity
For the ultimate convenience, this keyboard has three connectivity options; RF, Bluetooth, and wired via USB. This gives you more flexibility when moving from one device to another, and the fact that you can pair it with multiple Bluetooth devices make it even better.
From my own experience using this, it appears that the battery life is rather lengthy as I only need to charge it once a week. This is with RGB lighting on at about half brightness and approximately 12 hours of use everyday, with roughly close to 75 hours of use before I need to charge it. Light users could easily go two weeks without issues.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – RX switches
Lastly, and the hint is in the name, is the fact that it’s a TKL keyboard. Tenkeyless keyboards are known for being compact as it lacks the numberpad and this one is certainly a compact gaming peripheral. It’s not just about saving space but also the fact that you don’t feel like you’re sacrificing too much for it as the keys are cleverly laid out.
If you’re interested in a gaming smartphone, check out our review of the ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro by clicking right here.
The Bad
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – Keycaps
I may have mentioned about the overall build quality earlier but I’m personally not a fan of this specific doubleshot PBT keycaps. It feels a little hollow and is rather noisy. In my opinion, it’s the only thing that gives this keyboard a “cheap” feeling, but at least it’s doubleshot. Given the nature of the switches, you can’t just swap out to a new set of keycaps, so if you’re not a fan of it, you will have to learn to live with it.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – RGB
Speaking of keycaps, I noticed that it seemed to dampen the RGB lighting effects to a certain degree. If you’re not particular about having bright lights on your keyboard, this is fine but it would have been better if they hollowed out the letterings a bit more. Additionally, they should lighten up the letters / symbols of each key so it’s easier to see without lighting.
While the wrist rest is plush and comfortable, I only have one small issue with it and it’s rather subjective. I feel that the wrist rest is a bit too high for me to make full use of it. If it was a little shorter, I would use it more often but given the current height, I tend to remove it when I need to type fast. It still works well when I’m gaming.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review – Armoury Crate
Another point worth mentioning, which I feel is the case with most ROG peripherals these days, is the Armoury Crate software. Personally, I like the UI, it integrates well with other AURA Sync products, you can save up to 6 custom profiles with the built-in memory on the keyboard, but the fact that you need to update the firmware before you can change anything is annoying. This applies for every single time there is a new update, which can be frustrating.
Lastly, and this isn’t a dealbreaker for a lot of people but I feel like the lack of dedicated media controls and volume dial is a bit of a missed opportunity. It doesn’t have any fancy AniMe Matrix LEDs here so they should be able to implement it, especially given the price tag, but that’s not the case. Adding a volume dial alone would have sufficed but this is making me feel that it would be more convenient to get the ROG Claymore II if size isn’t a concern.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Verdict
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe Review
The ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe is a great keyboard that can serve you well if you know what you want in a wireless mechanical one. The solid build and compact size makes it an attractive product but just be sure it’s what you want given its hefty price of RM725.
At the end of our ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe review, I award this mechanical keyboard with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us this keyboard for the purpose of this review.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Outlaws Of the Old West — Wild West Open-World Survival Game Coming In March

Apart from Red Dead Redemption 2, you hardly see any wild west games on the market. Well there’s a new one in town which is called Outlaws of the Old West. It is set to come out on PC (early access) on March 12.

Outlaws of the Old West will come with up to 150 players and there will be PvP, PvE, and role-play servers with a player-driven economy and customizable settlements. There’s also a ‘morality-system’, which allows for players to create their own in-game narratives.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Being a survival game, you’ll need to gather resources and build your own house to survive the harsh climate. There’ll be NPCs roaming around that includes bandits and townsfolk. You can form up parties and create guilds. If playing it the honorable way isn’t your thing, you can go on to be a true outlaw and rob others but at a price; your standing in the world. Once you’ve caused enough chaos, other players can put a hefty bounty on you.
It is published by Wandering Wizard, where they’ve mentioned that “players decide the direction of the servers and the game”. They’ve continued by saying “with the morality system, players can build a reputation as a region defender, protecting other players and settlements from NPC or Player gangs, or become a cold-blooded outlaw terrorizing the locals”.
They expect that the game will be in Early Access for a period of a year. At the time of writing, the price for the Early Access hasn’t been revealed. According to them, the full retail release of the game will eventually make its way to PS4 and Xbox One consoles respectively. You can click on the link here to check it out on Steam.
Pokdepinion: This sounds like an interesting game to play. Hopefully the Early Access isn’t that pricey. I might even try it out.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Frog World Championship 2019 kicks off with $10 000 worth of prizes to be won

FrogAsia, the people behind FrogPlay, has just kicked off the Frog World Championship 2019. The goal of the competition is to motivate students to use FrogPlay to learn in a fun and interactive way through gamified learning. The competition will see 14 countries participating, including Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the USA.
In previous FrogPlay Championships, FrogAsia saw that the competition drove students to do more lesson revisions on FrogPlay on their own initiative, with quiz results improving as much as 46%! Aside from motivating students, the entire education ecosystem consisting of schools, teachers and students can be on equal footing with the rest of the world via FrogPlay.

To participate in the Frog World Championship 2019, all students have to do is access the content on Frog, complete as many quiz questions as they can from 11th February to 15th March, 7am to 10pm local time. Teachers can also help their schools by building on existing content with customized quizzes to motivate students to revise their studies.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The content on Frog has been mapped to the Malaysian curriculum, with the syllabus covering from Standard 1 to Form 5. FrogAsia is currently engaged in a collaboration with the Pelangi Publishing Group to bring quality content to students and teachers.

At the end of the competition, the Top 10 schools will be invited to submit a report and attend a virtual Q&A session. The list is then whittled down to just the Top 3 schools, which will be selected as winners in the World Category.
The 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be cash prizes of $3000, $2000 and $1000, respectively. Meanwhile the Top 3 students with the highest scores will receive World Championship certifications and trophies.

Malaysian schools are eligible for the World Category as well as the Malaysia category. In the latter category, schools and students will be split depending on whether they have access to Yes 4G or Frog Appliances. Winners will be determined based on their leaderboard points.
Pokdepinion: So… This is like an esports, but for studying?
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro With THX Certified Audio Revealed At RM949

Razer has announced today of their new Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro, which comes with THX Certified audio to offer high-fidelity audio and a hybrid Active Noise Cancellation to boast.
Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro coming soon
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro features touch controls and voice assistance compatibility as well as a customized low latency Bluetooth connection.
It uses a hybrid ANC to nullify both external and unwanted internal noise by generating inverse sound waves simultaneously. It also comes with premium memory foam Comply ear tips.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Aside from that, the TW earbuds comes with IPX4 rating for both sweat and splash protection. The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro is said to deliver a broad soundscape for mobile games, movies, and music thanks to its 10mm drivers and 20-20kHz frequency response.
As for battery, they say that the earbuds can offer up to 20 hours of battery life, where it can last 4 hours per charge and up to 4x recharges from the USB-C charging case.
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro is available at RM949 from Razer’s website starting from 25th of December 2020.
Pokdepinion: Seems a little bit expensive… but we’ll know for sure if it’s worth the price tag once we’ve tested it ourselves.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 is a 65W 12-core processor

The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X’s 105W TDP a bit too high for your taste? AMD has just announced their latest lineup of AMD Ryzen PRO 3000 series processors for desktops. While most of the parts are pretty similar to their non-PRO variants, the Ryzen 9 3900 is new.
The 2nd Generation AMD Ryzen PRO processors were only introduced back in April, so this is quite early for the PRO series to popup. Not really surprising though given how much of a performance leap that the Zen 2 architecture brings to the table.

For the Zen 2 processors, we will be looking at three models, the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900, the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 and Ryzen 5 PRO 3600. The Ryzen 7 part is similar to the non-PRO Ryzen 7 3700X, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3600 shares its specs with the Ryzen 5 3600.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Cores/ThreadsMax Boost / Base ClockCacheTDPRyzen 9 PRO 390012C/24T4.3 / 3.1 GHz70MB65WRyzen 7 PRO 37008C/16T4.4 / 3.6 GHz36MB65WRyzen 5 PRO 36006C/12T4.2 / 3.6 GHz35MB65W
 The advantage of the AMD Ryzen PRO processors lie in their implementation of AMD GuardMI, protecting users with AMD Memory Guard to maintain security with RAM encryption and AMD Secure Boot to prevent threats from sneaking in during the boot process.

AMD also updated the list of GPU-toting AMD Ryzen PRO and AMD Athlon PRO processors.
Cores/ThreadsGraphics Compute UnitsBoost / Base ClocksCache TDPRyzen 5 PRO 3400G4C/8T11 CUs4.2 / 3.7 GHz6MB65WRyzen 5 PRO 3400GE4C/8T11 CUs4.0 / 3.3 GHz6MB35WRyzen 3 PRO 3200G4C/4T8 CUs4.0 / 3.6 GHz6MB65WRyzen 3 PRO 3200GE4C/4T8 CUs3.8 / 3.3 GHz6MB35WAthlon PRO 300GE2C/4T3 CUs3.4 GHz5MB35W
The AMD Ryzen PRO and Athlon PRO desktop processors with Radeon Vega graphics are still based on the older 12nm manufacturing process, instead of the 7nm process used by the 3rd Generation AMD Ryzen processors.

AMD didn’t reveal any pricing yet, as these processors are probably intended for AMD’s OEM partners to deliver improved security. They have already listed a few HP EliteDesk designs and Lenovo ThinkCenter desktops which will feature the Ryzen PRO processors.
Meanwhile, we might see a Ryzen 9 3900 quietly sneak onto markets, probably along with the Ryzen 9 3950X which will launch later in November.
Pokdepinion: A 65W 12-core CPU? How?!
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Replace your iPhone battery for just RM121 — here’s where you can get it done in just 3 hours!

iPhones batteries do deteriorate, and Apple’s standard protocol of managing it is by throttling performance to deliver a more satisfactory user experience despite a weakening battery. You can replace the battery to enjoy the optimal performance you once had when your iPhone was new, but do you know where can you get the replacement done quickly and reliably? Well, we have a suggestion for you.

You can head over to the iTworld Apple Authorized Service Provider in Petaling Jaya, where you can get in on the promotion which allows you to replace your ailing battery for just RM121. And they can do it in just 3 hours! They are open on Saturdays too, so you can even head over on a weekend to have your phone fixed. iTworld also offers reserved customer parking to make it even more convenient for you. All you have to do beforehand is backup your data, and you are set!

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Aside from discounted battery replacements, they are also currently offering free display replacements for iPhone X with touch issues. Since iTworld is an an Apple Authorized Service Provider, they will fix any issues you have with your iPhones, and use completely original parts to give you peace of mind.
You can immediately navigate there via the link here, or call them up at +6011-1006-1188 to make a service appointment.
Pokdepinion: Batteries are something which I do not like to cheap out on, so it’s good that iTworld is offering replacements at a discounted rate!
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


OPPO R9s Plus launched, larger screen priced at RM 2498 – Min Chen not included

After the successful launch of the OPPO R9s, OPPO Malaysia today introduced a new smartphone, an upgraded version of the OPPO R9s with larger display and more powerful specifications. The new OPPO R9s Plus features a 6-inch AMOLED display, with a fullHD (1920 x 1080) resolution and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

Powered by the Qualcomm 653 SoC with Adreno 510 GPU, the OPPO R9s Plus packs significantly higher performance in its sleek aluminium body. The smartphone also comes with a whopping 6GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage which is expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card. The smartphone also features OPPO’s hybrid dual-sim which enable the use of TWO SIMs and a microSD card at the same time.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

For a better picture quality, OPPO R9s Plus uses a 16MP Sony IMX398 sensor with f/1.7 aperture, dual-PDAF technology, now with Optical Image Stabilization. Additionally, the front selfie shooter is also equipped with a 16MP camera with f/2.0 aperture.

For heavy users, the OPPO R9s Plus packs a 4000mAh battery and OPPO’s exclusive VOOC fast charging technology. With the fast charging technology, OPPO claims that the smartphones will offer up to 2 hours of talk time after just 5 minutes of charging.

OPPO R9s Plus will be running on the latest OPPO’s Color OS 3.0 on top of Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Available in two color options, the OPPO R9s Plus will be available in Gold and Rose Gold colors. Priced at RM2498 OPPO R9s Plus will be available at all OPPO online and concept stores, covered by OPPO Care from 1 March 2017.

In order to create yet another record-breaking sales for OPPO Malaysia, Min Chen and Ayda Jebat also participated the event to celebrate the OPPO R9s Plus launch event.
Specifications:

OPERATING SYSTEM
AndroidTM 6.0.1, Marshmallow with Color OS 3.0

DIMENSIONS
163.6 x 80.8 x 7.4 mm, 185g

PROCESSOR
Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 SoC

STORAGE (ROM)
64GB with microSD Card support (up to 128GB)

MEMORY (RAM)
6GB

DISPLAY
Super AMOLED 6.0-inch with Corning Gorilla Glass 5

BATTERY
5000 mAh with VOOC fast charging technology

REAR CAMERA
16MP (f/1.7), Dual-PDAF, OIS, Dual LED flash, Sony IMX398

FRONT CAMERA
16MP

SIM CARD
OPPO’s Hybrid dual-sim slot

BASE COLOR
Gold, Rose Gold

Price
RM 2498

Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


This is How You Can Get Tropico 4 For Free – PC Gamers Only

This is How You Can Get Tropico 4 For Free

They say that PC games are more affordable compared to its console counterparts. While that may be true for a lot of the games with digital marketplaces such as Steam and Epic Games Store offering the games at a competitive price, there’s also the occasional free games on PC. For today, we have yet another one and it’s Tropico 4.
Tropico 4 is a political-theme strategy game where you play as the President and you must ensure that your nations prospers. Check out the synopsis of the game right below here:
The world is changing and Tropico is moving with the times – geographical powers rise and fall and the world market is dominated by new players with new demands and offers – and you, as El Presidente, face a whole new set of challenges. If you are to triumph over your naysayers you will need to gain as much support from your people as possible. Your decisions will shape the future of your nation, and more importantly, the size of your off-shore bank account.
Tropico 4 expands on the gameplay of the previous game with new political additions, including more superpowers to negotiate with, along with the ability to elect ministers into power to help get your more controversial policies passed. But remember to keep your friends close and your enemies closer as everyone has an agenda! Your political mettle will be thoroughly tested, as new natural disasters will have the populace clamoring for you and your cabinet to help them recover from some of the worst Mother Nature can dish out.
All you have to do to get Tropico 4 free of charge is to first claim the game using your GameSessions account, play it for five minutes, and the game will be yours forever for free. However, keep in mind that this version will be limited to just the single player portions of the game. If you want to enjoy multiplayer, you will need to purchase the game from Steam, which GameSessions also has for a discounted offer.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

If you want to claim the game, click right here to head straight to the GameSessions page for Tropico 4. It will be available to claim until 28th February 2019, so be sure to get it as soon as you can.
Pokdepinion: I mean, even if you’re not gonna play it, might as well claim it anyway. You might find yourself wanting to play it someday.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Say Hello To Cooler Master’s Trooper SE And Stryker SE – What’s Wrong With A Little Bit Of Showboating?

Cooler Master has introduced to the market of their brand new Trooper SE as well as the Stryker SE, designed for gamers with a bit of flair, perfect for those who want to flaunt their PC build.
Cooler Master Trooper SE And Stryker SE
Cooler Master Stryker SE
As it is the case (pun intended) for gamers nowadays to flaunt their PC build by having tempered glass side panels, the new Stryker SE and Trooper SE is no different. They feature edge-to-edge light grey tinted tempered glass side panels, allowing you to well, flaunt of your build (duh). So some of you might ask, “then what’s so special about these cases then?”. For starters. it allows you to mount four SSDs vertically to display them, not surprisingly as there are SSDs in the market now with RGB.
Both of them come with an integrated fan speed controller with LED indicator on the I/O panel that lets you control your fans, where there are 6 stages of fan speed adjustments. There’s LED indicators that let you check your fan speed with ease and turn up the fans when you need more airflow performance for better cooling.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Cooler Master Trooper SE
As for space, it can fit in huge motherboards, long graphic cards, large air coolers or radiators, meaning a perfect fit for gamers anywhere. Both Trooper SE and Stryker SE offer support for XL-ATX and E-ATX motherboards, as well as 322mm long graphics cards. For air coolers, it supports up to 186mm tall air coolers and space for 360mm radiators. Besides that, it has storage for two 3.5″ HDDs, one 5.25″ drive, and five 2.5″ SSds, which includes one that can be swapped through the unique X-Dock bay.
To make it convenient for gamers, it comes with a top handle grip in both of the cases, making it easy to transport your setup wherever you want to go. So the next time there’s a LAN party, the Trooper SE and Stryker SE has got your back.
Both the Trooper SE and Stryker SE are now available for purchase here in Malaysia at a price tag of RM559.
Pokdepinion: I really fancy the Stryker SE, it just looks sleek to me. I would totally love to get that. What do you think? Which do you prefer? Let us know in the comments.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio discontinued in favor of Gaming Z Trio model

MSI has reportedly cancelled the pre-orders for the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio from Netherland retailers, as the GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio was going to be discontinued in favor of the GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming Z Trio.

While there are few differences between the two cards, it appears that the main issue is that the unfulfilled pre-orders aren’t honored with a free upgrade from the Gaming X Trio cards with the newer GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming Z Trio, and just outright cancelling them and refunding the customers.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

As you might have noticed, prices for graphics cards have gone up quite significantly over the past few months. Simply cancelling pre-orders and refunding orders would generally mean that customers would now be unable to purchase the same graphics card they pre-ordered at the current prices. We aren’t sure whether this is a move by the retailers themselves or MSI are also being irresponsible here, but it definitely sucks for those who pre-ordered.

The only difference between the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio and GeForce RTX GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming Z Trio is the backplate. Instead of the graphene backplate that felt like plastic on the Gaming X Trio version, the GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming Z Trio touts a metal one like other premium graphics cards in the market.
Source
Pokdepinion: Sounds kinda scummy… But I guess MSI could definitely reach back out to the pre-order customers to offer them a free upgrade to the GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming Z Trio as a goodwill gesture…
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Hideo Kojima Says Death Stranding Critics Are Those Who Don’t Appreciate Art

If you are a gamer you will probably know the name Hideo Kojima, the creator of the Metal Gear Solid series as well as the recently released game title, Death Stranding. The game has had its share of positive and negative reviews of which, he doesn’t sound too happy about.
If you hated the game, well that means that the game is simply too ‘deep’ for you, at least that’s what Kojima is trying to convey.
Recently in an interview session, it seems that he compared his Western fanbase to “brutes” who don’t appreciate good art.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Here’s what he had to say in the interview:
I must say that the game received rave reviews, especially in Europe and Japan. Here in the United States, however, we have had stronger criticism. Perhaps it is a difficult game to understand for a certain type of critic and audience.Hideo Kojima
He also states that the folks in America low first-person shooters and says that the game (Death Stranding) is not, which could be the explanation as to why for the criticisms.
Pokdepinion: Though he is a big figure in the gaming industry, I think he needs to accept some of the critics. If there were none of them, how would one progress and improve?
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is Quietly Launched on Android and iOS

Surprise! With Castlevania Season 3 dropping on @netflix we felt the world needed more #Castlevania & Alucard! #Castlevania Symphony of the Night is now available on mobile!
iOS: https://t.co/hlKxVeEeyF
Android: https://t.co/VCBxHXkVAo pic.twitter.com/jH3RLkaAuB
— Konami (@Konami) March 4, 2020

One of the best games to have ever been produced by Konami is Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. One would expect that any announcements related to the game would have quite a bit of attention but surprisingly, the port of the game to Android and iOS was done so very quietly.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Hype with Season 3 Netflix Debut

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The launch of the game is said to have come shortly before Castlevania Season 3 made its debut on Netflix. This makes sense for Konami as it allows them to capitalize on the branding and introduce the franchise to new gamers as well.
The port appears to be based on the updated PS4 version of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. You have an achievement system as well as controller support. For those of you using gaming smartphones with gamepad attachments, this would be a good time to use them.
Castlevania: Symphone of the Night is now available on Android and iOS for USD $3 / RM12.90. Alternatively, you can also get the game as part of the Castlevania Requiem Collection for the PlayStation 4, which also comes with Rondo of Blood.
Planning to buy the game but not too sure about it? Join the discussion right below here:

Source
Pokdepinion: This is a really great game. If you have never played this before, you should definitely buy it if you’re into this genre. You will not regret it.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


ASUS ROG Phone 5 Review — sexier than ever!

The ASUS ROG Phone series has been a rather prolific one. Starting with the ASUS ROG Phone, the series pretty much redefined the whole gaming smartphone scene by packing AirTriggers to provide a massive advantage in mobile FPS titles. Further refinements improved the ROG Phone lineup as the years went by, and now we are looking at the fourth generation ROG Phone, the ROG Phone 5. Does it have what it takes to not only live up to its predecessors, but also succeed in where they didn’t? Well, we will see.
Unboxing

The packaging of the ROG Phone 5 has been simplified for this generation, and you don’t get the hexagonal box unless you shell out extra for the ROG Phone 5 Pro and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. It is still quite unique, with the box unfurling to reveal its innards, and it also has the advantage of not risking the device falling out of the box by accident when unboxing the device, unlike the ROG Phone 3’s box.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The contents are pretty much everything you would expect to come with an ROG Phone, with the sole exception being the AeroActive Cooler 5. ASUS has decided to omit it from the box of the base ROG Phone 5, instead only bundling it with the ROG Phone 5 Pro and Ultimate. But you still get a charger, and a 65W USB-PD one at that, so I guess it is almost justified. And look at those stickers! You can also watch the unboxing video below to get a feel of the ROG Phone 5’s unboxing experience:

Appearance

The front of the ROG Phone 5 is dominated by the display, more so than its predecessors thanks to narrower bezels. Instead of the mesh that offered a more distinct visual indicator of where the stereo speakers are located, you now get a tiny inconspicuous slit between the frame and the glass.
With that said, the top and bottom bezels do make the ROG Phone 5 look somewhat dated compared to recent flagships, but the selfie camera’s position is justified by ASUS wanting to make it more practical for mobile gamers to stream directly from the ROG Phone 5 itself.

Meanwhile the back has been revamped with a more streamlined design than their previous generations, losing the cooling vents and accents that defined the previous gen ROG Phones, while gaining the Dot Matrix RGB that’s reminiscent of the wildly popular ROG Zephyrus G14’s AniMe Matrix panel.
The diagonal lines along the bottom edge further accentuates the whole design, making for a sleeker look overall along with the darker finish than its predecessors’. Last but not least, a sprinkle of Electro Punk pink to spice it up. The camera bump seems to be carried over directly from the ROG Phone 3, and the hardware does point towards that. More on that later.

Another “new” feature in the ROG Phone 5 is the return of the headphone jack, which disappeared in the ROG Phone 3 to the chagrin of many. The ROG Phone 5 still has the offset USB-C port on the bottom to allow users to charge it while you are gaming on it, despite the fact that it has another USB-C port on the side. You can see a little microphone hole drilled into the antenna line here, and it is one of the four microphones on the ROG Phone 5, with the other ones placed on the top edge, rear and also on the right edge.

The ROG Phone 5 also revamped the side port on the ROG Phone 5. Replacing the secondary port that flanks the USB-C port with pogo pins. This is a pretty interesting decision as well, and we will definitely have to talk more about it later.

Overall the ROG Phone 5 offers quite a few distinct visual changes coming from previous generations of the ROG Phone family. The all new Dot Matrix RGB is refreshing and is more inline with the design language used in recent ROG products. And it looks awesome, which is the most important part of all.
ROG Phone 5 Specifications

CPU
Snapdragon 888, 5nm FinFET
1 x Cortex-X1 @ 2.84 GHz + 3 x Cortex-A78 @ 2.42 GHz + 4 x Cortex-A55 @ 1.80 GHz

GPU
Adreno 660 @ 840MHz

Memory
16GB LPDDR5-3200

Storage
256GB UFS 3.1, non-expandable

Display
6.78″ FHD+ (2448 x 1080) AMOLED display, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, 300Hz touch response
Delta E < 1, HDR10+, 1200 nits peak brightness, 111% DCI-P3 gamut, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus

Camera
64MP f/1.8, Sony IMX686
13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide angle, 125° FoV
5MP f/2.0 macro camera, fixed-focus (4cm)
AI Camera, Auto HDR, Auto Night Mode, Night Mode, Motion Tracking, Portrait, Pro Video, Up to 720p480 / 4K120 slow-mo, Up to 4K60 / 8K30 video

Selfie camera
24MP f/2.0 selfie camera
1080p60 video recording, Portrait mode, Auto HDR

Connectivity
5G Band n41/77/78/79, n1, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40
LTE Band 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 7/ 8/ 18/ 19/ 20/ 26/ 28
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, WiFi 6E
Bluetooth 5.2
NFC
Dual-band GPS
USB 3.1 Gen2 (10Gbps), DisplayPort 1.4 (side-port)

Battery
6000mAh
65W HyperCharge, 65W charger in the box
65W QuickCharge 5.0, USB-PD 3.0, Direct Charge

Dimensions
173 x 77 x 9.9 mm

Weight
239g

Ingress protection
No

Performance
As this is the second Snapdragon 888 smartphone we have tested to date, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Of course, ASUS adds to the equation with X Mode and X Mode+, the latter which is only accessible when the AeroActive Cooler 5 is attached. We will be comparing the ROG Phone 5 against the other smartphones we have reviewed with the ROG Phone 5 running at default settings, and without the fan.

Antutu sees the ROG Phone 5 best all the other smartphones we have tested, although it barely ekes out a lead over Xiaomi Mi 11. Not too surprisingly though as they both feature the same Snapdragon 888 chipset, unlike previous generations of the ROG Phone which had the advantage of an overclocked chipset as compared to its contemporary peers.

The ROG Phone 5’s CPU performance quite literally trades punches with the Xiaomi Mi 11. The Mi 11 takes the lead in single-core performance, while the ROG Phone 5 takes over in multi-core performance.

We see a somewhat similar scenario in 3DMark. We did not get to test the ROG Phone 3 in the updated 3DMark Unlimited benchmarks, but you can expect it to deliver a nice leap forward here, given the gap between the ROG Phone 5 and the Snapdragon 865-class devices we have recently tested.

PCMark performance is quite abysmal, in fact underperforming even when compared against the ROG Phone 3. We aren’t exactly sure why, but PCMark scores have always been quite a mess. Usually PCMark prefers devices with more memory, but somehow the ROG Phone 5 doesn’t do too well here. Probably because ASUS tuned it towards excelling at gaming and not productivity?
X Mode & X Mode+

ASUS’ implementation of X Mode and X Mode+ doesn’t guarantee a performance increase, but when it does, the difference can be rather huge. It seems that it benefits longer benchmarks the most, which is what you would expect, considering that X Mode+ is only enabled when the fan is attached. Short benchmarks like Wild Life Unlimited and Geekbench sees virtually no benefit at all from enabling the higher performance profiles. The biggest gains are seen in PCMark, allowing the ROG Phone 5 to come from behind to outperform every other flagship we have tested previously.
Battery life

Battery life is good enough at 60Hz, but as we have seen, the Snapdragon 888 does result in the ROG Phone 5 looking a bit lackluster in this benchmark, especially when pitted against its predecessor with a similarly-sized battery. It does outlast the competition by having a significantly larger battery than pretty much any phone out there, so while efficiency isn’t in the ROG Phone 5’s favor, battery life is still good enough in the PCMark benchmark.

However it doesn’t exactly impress when I used it as my daily driver. Battery life in my normal usage with the Dynamic profile and the refresh rate set to Auto is pretty mediocre, with only five hours and 23 minutes away from the plug. Thankfully the recharging process is really quick, with the included 65W charger bringing the battery up from 10% to 68% in just 30 minutes.
Thermals

With the ROG Phone 5 I think a lot of you guys would also be interested in the thermal performance. In the Wild Life Stress Test, which runs 20 loops of the Wild Life benchmark, sees that the ROG Phone 5 gradually loses quite a bit of performance over time. This is actually expected behavior, as a mobile chipset is supposed to throttle to stay within its appropriate temperature limits.
Enabling X Mode allows for higher scores in the first few runs, before dropping sharply due to the more aggressive boost in the initial runs. If you plan on enjoying consistent performance, using the Dynamic profile might be the better choice versus X Mode that seems to target more bursty performance.
The situation changes once I attached the fan though, as the results with the X Mode+ profile are absolutely stellar, with the additional cooling from the AeroActive Cooler 5 allowing the ROG Phone 5 to deliver consistent scores across the 20 runs. It seems that the X Mode+ profile also doesn’t push for peak scores as much the X Mode profile in the initial runs, which somewhat explains the former’s weaker scores we saw in short benchmark runs versus those obtained with X Mode enabled.
While games like COD Mobile and PUBG Mobile aren’t taxing enough to cause the ROG Phone 5 to break a sweat, the story is quite different if you are pushing Genshin Impact at maximum graphics and at 60FPS. The center of the screen, which is right above (behind?) the chipset goes up to a toasty 45°C with the fan attached after about 10 minutes of gameplay. ASUS reports internal temperatures of up to 43°C. Unplugging the fan saw it creep up to around 48°C. There wasn’t any noticeable throttling though, so that’s nice to note.

I was testing in a 25°C air-conditioned environment, so the fan also helps move cold air around the back of the device a bit, which makes for a more comfortable holding experience. Not as much as the previous generations, but it does seem like this generation’s AeroActive Cooler 5 is quite a bit more effective at dropping system temperatures, most probably due to the internal layout of the ROG Phone 5. The new arrangement that sees the hot Snapdragon 888 placed along the middle of the device also means that you won’t be feeling the heat as much on the sides of the ROG Phone 5, allowing to game more comfortably.
User Experience
Display and Audio
The main draw of the first-gen gaming phone is a high refresh rate display, and the ROG Phone 5 comes with a 144Hz AMOLED display. I won’t get into how you can’t really enjoy that in most of the popular games today, but the ROG Phone 5 does offer a really smooth experience in pretty much everything you do. And it is also worth noting that the color shifting when switching between refresh rates isn’t as noticeable on the ROG Phone 5, as it was on previous ROG Phones.

However a high refresh rate doesn’t exactly stand out as much anymore unlike a few years back when high refresh rate displays were only available exclusively in gaming phones. Not to mention non-gaming flagships are now boasting of higher resolutions and narrower bezels than the ROG Phone 5, while also touting competitive 120Hz refresh rates which makes the display here seem even less exciting. It is still a great display for viewing content, but I want to see more from the Republic of Gamers than the same 144Hz refresh rate two generations in a row.

Moving on, let’s get to the good news. The ROG Phone 5 has a really impressive pair of stereo speakers hidden behind those tiny slits. It even has a little bit of bass, which was absolutely not expected. I do find it to offer just a tad too little bass, but I easily remedied it by bumping up the bass slider in AudioWizard. The fact that it could actually pump out more bass was also an impressive fact in itself. I guess I understand why DxOMark was gushing about the audio capabilities of the ROG Phone 5.
Software

ASUS’ custom UI has always touted a very aggressive theme, and the ROG Phone 5 is no different. Aside from the color theme and the Armoury Crate hub, much of it is pretty similar to Zen UI of yore. There are a lot of stock elements still left intact, like the way the notifications are presented as well as the overall layout of the UI. With that said, ASUS has had a rather clouded past when it comes to software updates, so I am not sure if we will see more of the same. The ROG Phone 3 has yet to receive an official update to Android 11, with ASUS rolling out the beta update just recently. Hopefully we will not see the same for the ROG Phone 5.

Let’s now check out Armoury Crate. ASUS baked in a lot of settings to play around with in the same Console tab. You can switch between the different power profiles, or even adjust the thermal limits to extract the most performance out of it. In our testing, X Mode+ was the most effective, so the Advanced performance profile was mostly moot, at least from a performance benchmarking perspective.

The Advanced mode offers more options than X Mode+ when it comes to the network settings, letting you toggle stuff like automatic regulation of the carrier aggregation and 5G capabilities. You can even adjust the sensitivity of the touch screen, lower the touch sampling and more. It essentially offers all the customizable performance and power saving features that’s available in the ROG Phone 5.

And now onto the coolest part of the ROG Phone 5, the RGB LEDs. While the ROG Phone 5 doesn’t have the ROG Vision, the Dot Matrix RGB used for the ROG emblem is still a joy to customize. With two LEDs, the iconic ROG logo can now more smoothly transition through the RGB range, in addition to supporting other lighting modes like Mixed Lights that allow you to mix two different colors for extra personalization.

While it was as simple as adding an LED, ASUS definitely offers a lot more freedom with the ROG Phone 5 to make it truly yours, as compared to its predecessors. It is also worth noting that the AeroActive Cooler 5 also sports a similar two LED setup, so the fancy lighting setups can also be carried over to cooler.

There’s also a list of titles that support the features on the ROG Phone 5 in the Featured tab, like the 144Hz and 120Hz refresh rates, Kunai 3 GamePad and Air Triggers. That’s an easy way to identify which games to try out, although there are surprisingly few popular titles that have updated to support the feature set offered by today’s high-end gaming phones like the ROG Phone 5.

Another key aspect of the ROG Phone 5’s gaming experience is GameGenie. Interestingly enough, the ability to stream directly from GameGenie has been quietly removed, and in its place you get a Record button. Here’s is where you get to assign the AirTriggers, AeroActive Cooler 5’s buttons and change a number of settings, all via a swipe from the left edge of the screen in landscape mode.
Gaming

Since we are on gaming, we definitely have to talk about the ROG Phone 5’s AirTriggers. ASUS claims to have added extra sensors to improve the sensitivity and precision. However I found even the original’s ROG Phone AirTriggers to be good enough for my use, so I am not really feeling the advantage here.

It can also be split into two customizable partitions, so you can essentially have a total of four triggers in games, although there’s no physical indicator for the partition so it will take some getting used to. If you prefer you can also use swiping or sliding gestures, but I didn’t exactly find them suitable for FPS gaming. You still can’t overlap the swiping gestures with taps, which is a slight bummer.

The ROG Phone 5’s triggers can also be augmented by the AeroActive Cooler 5’s triggers. While they do not come in the box, it is still a pretty affordable way to add two more buttons to the ROG Phone 5’s back. The triggers are sensitive with tactile actuations, so you will definitely know when you have triggered something. They work in the same way as the AirTriggers do, and you can assign the triggers to a virtual tap anywhere on the screen with GameGenie.

While ASUS improved the AeroActive Cooler 5 by adding more buttons, the change to the pogo pins is quite a bit more contentious. On top of ending backward compatibility with stuff like the ROG Mobile Desktop Dock and TwinView Dock, the AeroActive Cooler 5 now latches on like a clip, and is not nearly as secure as the mounting mechanism of the previous AeroActive Coolers.
Also, it runs the chance of scratching the frame if you aren’t careful. In my four weeks of use thus far, it has left small scratches the frame near the pogo pins as I had to slide it around a bit to get the pins to align into the slot, and that wouldn’t have happened if ASUS had allowed the AeroActive Cooler 5 to expand and clip onto the ROG Phone 5 like their previous AeroActive Coolers.
Camera

The camera appears to be carried over directly from the ROG Phone 3, which means a 64MP primary camera mated up with a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 5MP macro camera. The lack of autofocus in the macro camera was enough to make me dislike it right away, but let’s give it a whirl anyway.

The camera UI is pretty familiar from previous ZenFone and ROG Phones. It is quite unfortunate though as while the layout is pretty good, there’s a tangible lag between me tapping the shutter button and when the ROG Phone 5 actually snaps the photo, especially when the UI decides that HDR is necessary for a good shot. That has resulted in plenty of shots turning out blurry, when I had no issue taking them with my other devices.
          Ultra-wide            Main camera          Main camera              Macro camera            Main camera            Macro camera              Ultra-wide (Night Mode)          Main camera (Night Mode)            Main camera              Main camera            Main camera              Selfie camera            Ultra-wide          Main camera
With that said, the HDR does result in some really nice shots, in the right situations. I have noted it since the ASUS ZenFone 5z, that ASUS does some of the best HDR effects out there. However it can also cause some shots to look over-processed, so your mileage may vary. If you have steady hands, the ROG Phone 5 can take some great photos, but ASUS should definitely fix the slight delay. And also add autofocus to the macro camera too, as it is quite good, but the manual focusing by moving the phone forward and backwards is just too unacceptable in a flagship. You can view the full-sized photos here.
Conclusion
While building upon the best gaming phone can be a tall task, it seems that the guys at ROG still have quite a few cards up their sleeves. For RM3799, the ROG Phone 5 is a very strong option for ardent mobile gamers. It now boasts faster charging, better audio, an improved display, the return of the headphone jack and also a much more useful AeroActive Cooler 5.
I still don’t exactly like the fact that the AeroActive Cooler 5 is not included with the ROG Phone 5 though, especially when the ROG Phone 5 isn’t compatible with any of the previous AeroActive Coolers. Speaking of which, I think most ROG Phone 5 owners will end up buying one. The cooler seems to do a much better job of actually cooling the device instead of just blowing air towards your hands this time around.
There are much more noticeable differences in thermals, probably because the Snapdragon 888 just gets much hotter than its predecessors, and actually needs active cooling to fully stretch its legs. The new triggers on the AeroActive Cooler 5 also add value, making it almost a must-have if you want the best gaming experience possible on your ROG Phone 5.
But it’s not all great with the AeroActive Cooler 5. While I can foresee the change to pogo pins might be for the better, ASUS could definitely improve the ease of attaching it by either adding magnets to the back of the phone to make sure that you can always align it perfectly without having to slide it around on the frame, or just go back to the previous AeroActive Coolers’ clip design.
And while I have never used most of the ROG Phones’ extensive accessories lineup like the Mobile Desktop Dock and TwinView Dock, I do believe some might find it extremely annoying that they can no longer use them with the ROG Phone 5.

So yeah, if you are still reading, you will notice that most of my complaints about the ROG Phone 5 is its support for accessories. The ROG Phone 5 itself is one excellent gaming phone, but as with the ROG Phone 3’s missing headphone jack, it seems that ASUS just has to mess something up this generation, and that would be the new pogo pins.

Our thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us the ROG Phone 5 for review. Get your ROG Phone 5 here.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


POCOPHONE F1 MIUI 12 update is rolling out now

The POCOPHONE F1 is set to receive what might be its final update very soon, with the rollout of the MIUI 12 for the ultimate flagship killer now underway. The POCOPHONE F1 was released back in 2018 running MIUI 9.6 and Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, before receiving updates to MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie, MIUI 11 based on Android 10 and finally now, MIUI 12 based on Android 10.
The POCOPHONE F1 has received two major updates and numerous features over time, further enhancing what was already an amazing flagship killer. MIUI 12 might be the last update for this device though, as it has been left out of Xiaomi’s list of devices that will get updated to Android 11.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Considering that it is more than two years old by now, it is probably time for MIUI developers to focus on more recent devices. Xiaomi has always kept their older devices well abreast with the latest features via MIUI updates, so we can probably see more MIUI versions arrive on the POCOPHONE F1, albeit without the accompanying Android version upgrade.
It is worth mentioning that my own POCOPHONE F1 has yet to receive the update, but as usual, updates are rolled out in batches, and you should see the MIUI 12 V12.0.1.0.QEJMIXM update available for your POCO F1 pretty soon.

For those who want to experience MIUI 12 out of the box, there’s the POCO X3 NFC which deliver a massive upgrade in all areas except for CPU performance while being ridiculously affordable. The POCO F2 Pro also serves up massive upgrades in all areas, and now at the very same RM1499 price tag as the POCO F1 was introduced at too.
Source
Pokdepinion: Would love to see my POCOPHONE F1 running MIUI 12 beside my POCO F2 Pro and Mi 9…
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


One of the biggest rumours that surfaced recently is that Team Ninja is working with Square Enix on a new Final Fantasy game. Now, reports have surfaced on that game being a Souls-like action RPG called Final Fantasy Origin.
Final Fantasy Origin is a Souls-like Action RPG From Team Ninja

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

A new report surfaced recently which mentioned Team Ninja, the studio behind Nioh, working on a Souls-like action RPG known as Final Fantasy Origin. It’s a spin-off game that is said to be set around the time of the first Final Fantasy game. While it was described as Souls-like, it’s said to not be too difficult to play as they want to make it as widely accessible as possible.
If this sounds odd or unlikely to happen, keep in mind that Team Ninja has worked with Square Enix before, most notably on Dissidia Final Fantasy NT that launched for arcades first, and then later on the PlayStation 4 and PC.
As for the game’s release, it’s expected to be available exclusively on the PlayStation 5 for a limited time, followed by a PC release sometime later. Rumours suggest that this game will be announced at the upcoming E3 2021 show, with an alpha demo being launched under a name “Stranger in Paradise”.
At the moment, nothing has been officially confirmed yet. Until Square Enix makes the official announcement themselves, do take this information with a grain of salt. We will report more on this as soon as information becomes available, most likely around the week of 12th June 2021 as that’s when E3 2021 will commence.
Source
Pokdepinion: If this is true, I hope it ends up being something worth playing for a while. Dissidia turned out rather stale in my opinion, especially due to the lack of those flashy Limit Breaks. Perhaps this one will be different, especially since it’s a different genre.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Intel 16-core Alder Lake-S parts to bring big.LITTLE to desktops?

While Intel has yet to debut the 10th Gen Comet Lake-S series of desktop processors officially, there are leak floating around regarding the 12th Gen Intel Core desktop processors. it’s expected to be a pretty large processor with up to 16 cores, but what’s interesting is how the cores are configured. Intel is reportedly going to serve up a big.LITTLE arrangement for the 12th Gen Intel Core “Alder Lake-S” processors.
According to the leak, the Alder Lake S processors will require a new LGA1700 socket, and will come in various configurations including a six-core part with no small cores. The leak shows that Intel has targeted a TDP of 125W for the higher-end part while also exploring scaling up to 150W TDP, while the other two parts will sport 80W TDPs, pretty much in-line with what we have today.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Aside from this fancy new big-small core configuration, Alder Lake-S is also expected to be the first generation to bring support for PCIe 4.0 and also DDR5. It is also expected to be manufactured on Intel’s 10nm process too. None of these are confirmed though so you might want to take all this with a pinch of salt.
Arm’s big.LITTLE architecture has proven very effective for mobile implementations, allowing chipmakers to design processors that are capable of impressive single-core performance yet offer great efficiency by having “performance” and “efficiency” cores. I do believe such a configuration would probably make more sense in the laptop, but I won’t be too surprised when an Alder Lake-H or something along those lines appears online, using the same architecture, but for laptops.
Pokdepinion: Well if the cores can come together to deliver strong multi-core performance for taxing workloads while still offering great efficiency when puttering around the desktop, I don’t see why not.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Lenovo Introduces Two New Laptops With The Yoga Slim 7i Carbon And Yoga 9i

Lenovo has just launched two new premium laptops with the lightweight Yoga Slim 7i Carbon and transformative Yoga 9i. The two yoga laptops are for the always-on-the-go business leaders, entrepreneurs, and millennials who want a device that meet their lifestyle needs.
Yoga Slim 7i Carbon

The Yoga Slim 7i Carbon is an ultra-light,13.3-inch laptop with a 16:10 display that weighs just 966g with its design tapering towards the front for an incredibly sleek profile from just 14.25mm. It is powered by the Intel Evo platform, 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, up to 512GB PCIe SSD as well as Intel Iris Xe graphics. It also has a Moon White finish which is achieved through a unique process involving three layers of high heat, and six to nine hours of painting.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

The Yoga Slim 7i Carbon has a retail price starting from RM4,399. The Yoga Slim 7i Carbon is available now at all Lenovo exclusive stores (LES) nationwide and authorised online retailers on Lazada and Shopee. From now till 31 December, those who purchase the new Yoga Slim 7i Carbon will receive gifts worth up to RM1,445, which includes Microsoft Office Home and Student license, a Targus backpack, an HDMI cable, and a Fitbit Inspire 2.
Yoga 9i

The Yoga 9i is a 14-inch convertible laptop with an authentic black leather cover bonded with an aerospace-grade, aluminium chassis for more durability. It also features 11th Gen Intel Core processors, Intel Iris Xe graphics, up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 1TB SSD PCIe.
Also offered on the hand-tooled leather-covered in Shadow Black hue is an edge-to-edge Glass Palm Rest that looks super-premium and is smooth to the touch. An encased Smart Sensor Touchpad provides vibrations when pressed to recreate the familiar feeling of a real click; this shift to haptic feedback allowed users to increase the touchpad’s clickable active surface area by nearly half and it’s also coated with a fingerprint-resistant finish too.

The Yoga 9i will be available soon in January 2021 with a retail price that starts from RM6,399. It is now up for pre-order at Lenovo Malaysia’s Official Store starting from 12 December.
UPDATE: Lenovo has just provided us with updated pricing as well as its purchasing details. The Yoga 9i, with all-metal Mica case, will be available soon at all Lenovo exclusive stores (LES) nationwide and authorized online retailers on Lazada and Shopee. It retails starting from RM6,499. As for the Yoga 9i, with Shadow Black leather case, it will be available soon on Lenovo Malaysia’s Official Website with a starting price of RM6,909.
For more deals on Lenovo laptops and other products, you can also check out their Black Friday sale happening right now!
Pokdepinion: Both the Yoga Slim 7i Carbon and the Yoga 9i looks like pretty solid laptops. If I had the chance I would definitely get the Yoga 9i.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


ASUS ROG Phone 7 Launch Date Officially Confirmed

ASUS ROG Phone 7, the latest gaming smartphone in the ASUS Republic of Gamers lineup, is set to be unveiled at an event on April 13. Get a sneak peek at what to expect, including specs and features.
ASUS ROG Phone 7 to be Unveiled at Event on April 13

Stay tuned for the new legend. ROG Phone 7 is coming on April 13, 8AM EDT.
Watch it live 👉 https://t.co/CGZtFnsTOF#ROGPhone7#ForThoseWhoDare pic.twitter.com/iNbTUSD5cz
— ROG Global (@ASUS_ROG) March 23, 2023

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has announced that its latest gaming phones, the ROG Phone 7 series, will be unveiled at an event on April 13, breaking from the tradition of waiting until summer to make a big reveal. The announcement was made via the official ASUS ROG Twitter account, confirming that the event will be live streamed for fans to witness what’s new in the ROG-land.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

As we eagerly await the release, three versions of the upcoming phone(s) have already made their way as prototypes onto the Geekbench online database, all featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which comes as no surprise. All three prototypes had 16GB of RAM on board, but this does not necessarily mean that there won’t be at least one option with 18GB.
Rumours have suggested that the ROG Phone 7 will feature a 6.8″ FHD+ 165 Hz AMOLED touchscreen, a 6,000 mAh battery, and 65W charging support. These specifications, if true, would make the phone a powerhouse for gamers.
ASUS ROG has always been known for pushing the boundaries with its gaming technology, and the ROG Phone 7 series is expected to be no exception. With the company making the decision to hold an event earlier in the year, fans can expect that the phone(s) will come packed with even more impressive features and hardware.
The gaming phone market has been heating up in recent years, and the competition has been getting fiercer. Companies like ASUS ROG will need to continue to innovate and provide top-of-the-line specs to keep up with the demand of gamers. The ROG Phone 7 series will be one of the most anticipated releases of the year, and it will be exciting to see how it will compare to its competitors.
Source
Pokdepinion: It feels like the launches get faster and faster, feels like I just touched the 6 a few weeks back. Can’t wait to see what’s new in the phone.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Dell Releases New C1422H, S2422HZ, S2722DZ, S2722QC And S2722DC Monitors

Dell has just announced a range of new monitors that includes the Dell 14 portable monitor (C1422H), the Dell 24 (S2422HZ) and 27 Video Conferencing Monitor (S2722DZ), the Dell 27 4K UHD USB-C Monitor (S2722QC) and the Dell 27 USB-C Monitor (S2722DC).
Dell 14 Portable Monitor (C1422H)

The Dell 14 portable monitor (C1422H) is the company’s first-ever 14-inch portable monitor that delivers dual-screen productivity to work, present and collaborate anywhere. This monitor has an FHD resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, and IPS technology. It also has USB-C connectivity for convenient plug-and-play. To adjust brightness (up to 300 nits) and the ComfortView feature, which decreases harmful blue light emissions, simply press the quick access buttons.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

With a tiny continuous tilt stand that bends from 10 to 90 degrees, the sleek yet practical design of the C1422H fits different work styles and productivity demands. Energy Star and EPEAT GOLD certifications are also included.
The Dell 14 portable monitor (C1422H) will have a retail price of RM2,899 and will be available in early September this year at Dell’s official website.
Dell 24 and 27 Video Conferencing Monitors (S2422HZ and S2722DZ)
S2422HZ
The Dell 24 and 27 Video Conferencing Monitors (S2422HZ and S2722DZ) are 24-inch and 27-inch monitors are FHD and QHD monitors (respectively) made with video calls in mind. The monitors have a 5MP privacy pop-up camera, noise-cancelling microphones, and dual 5W speakers integrated into the monitor.
S2722DZ
Dell’s TÜV-certified ComfortView Plus – an always-on low blue light reduction technology that promotes eye comfort while maintaining colour accuracy – is included on these elegantly designed monitors. Other highlights include USB-C connectivity, AMD FreeSync technology, and a 75Hz refresh rate.
Both the Dell 24 and 27 Video Conferencing Monitors (S2422HZ and S2722DZ) will be available sometime in October this year. Dell has yet to reveal the retail prices for the two monitors.
Dell 27 4K UHD USB-C Monitor (S2722QC) and Dell 27 USB-C Monitor (S2722DC)
S2722QC
On the new Dell 27 4K UHD USB-C Monitor (S2722QC) and the Dell 27 USB-C Monitor (S2722DC), you can now experience the ease of a single cable solution with USB-C connectivity to provide video, audio, and data while charging your laptop with up to 65 watts of power through its USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port.
S2722DC
These USB-C monitors are both in both 4K UHD (3840×2160) and QHD (2560×1440) resolution. They both use IPS panels with 99% sRGB colour coverage as well as feature AMD FreeSync technology with a refresh rate of up to 75Hz. This TÜV-certified monitor offers a flicker-free screen with ComfortView, a feature that helps minimise eye fatigue by reducing harmful blue light emissions.
The Dell 27 4K UHD USB-C Monitor (S2722QC) and the Dell 27 USB-C Monitor (S2722DC) will retail for RM3,309 and RM2,459 respectively at Dell’s official website.
Pokdepinion: I actually want that Dell 14 portable monitor (C1422H). Would be very useful for work purposes.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


HONOR Pay Day Sale Is Back With More Promotions

HONOR Malaysia is back again with their HONOR Pay Day Sale, this time featuring value deals for the brand’s smartphones as well as accessories at their website, hihonor. The promotion, which starts tomorrow, 27th September 2019, will run until the 10th of October 2019.
During the promotion, you can grab deals on selected devices such as the HONOR 20 PRO, HONOR View20, HONOR 8X, and many more. In addition to that, you can get complimentary HONOR accessories for selected smartphone purchases.
Aside from that, you can get deals for their accessories such as the HONOR Band 5, HONOR FlyPods Lite, HONOR Watch Magic, HONOR Mini Speaker and more. For those who purchase the HONOR 20 Lite, HONOR 20, HONOR 20 PRO, or HONOR View20 before the 30th of September, you will get an extended 1-year warranty.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

There’s also a special bundle that offers you both the HONOR View20 and HONOR Watch Magic at only RM1,999 which also comes with a free casing that saves you a total of RM499.
Here are the offerings that they’ve prepared:

Model
Pay Day Price
Free Gift (while stocks last)

HONOR View20 (8GB+256GB)
RM1,799
HONOR View20 cover

HONOR View20 (6GB+128GB)
RM1,499
HONOR View20 cover

HONOR 20 (6GB+128GB)
RM1,549
Mini Speaker

HONOR 20 Lite
RM849
–

HONOR 8X
RM749
HONOR 8X Gift Box

HONOR 10 Lite (3GB+32GB)
RM599
HONOR Body Fat Scale

HONOR 8C
RM499
–

HONOR 20 PRO (8GB+256)
RM2,299
HONOR Band 5

HONOR 10
RM859
–

Accessories
Pay Day Price

HONOR Band 5 (Black)
RM139

HONOR Body Fat Scale
RM109

HONOR FlyPods Lite
RM329

HONOR Powerbank 10000mAh
RM119

HONOR View20 Cover (Black)
RM20

HONOR VIew20 Cover (Blue)
RM30

HONOR Watch Magic (Black)
RM529

HONOR Mini Speaker
RM79

So if you are interested on their offerings, you can head to hihonor starting from tomorrow.
Pokdepinion: Looking for an HONOR device? This might be the time to do so!
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


So you think you can selfies around the world?

Alex Chacon has been traveling around the world for 600 days. With his GoPro attached to a monopod, he has compiled the most epic compilation of selfies known to man; all while helping charities around the world. He traveled to 36 countries within 600 days with 5 motorcycles driven along 125,946 miles
For me this is the correct way using monopod (not like some Malaysian does) and that was my personal opinion. This video has inspired me a lot of thing and it is simply amazing. So do you think you can take selfies as epic as he did?
Not to mention it, but do you have read our article about ASUS PixelMaster technologies, that may help you take selfies better.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Bren Esports from the Philippines crowned champions in the GeForce Cup Pacific Grand Finals

The GeForce Cup Pacific Grand Finals kicked off in October 2019 with over 1900 teams from 13 countries competing to prove themselves in CS:GO. From all the teams, 10 teams made it to the grand finals, and Bren Esports from the Philippines emerged victorious on 12th January, bringing home $8000 (~RM32 576).
In second place is Team Maple from Thailand and Boom of Indonesia, each team taking home $5000 (~RM20360) and $3000 (~RM12216), respectively.
The GeForce Cup Pacific is sponsored by Colorful and supported by AOC, Kingston, NZXT and Thermaltake. We also got the opportunity to interview NVIDIA’s iCafe Program Manager, Alex Liao. Check out our interview video below!

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Pokdepinion: I haven’t played in a GeForce-certified iCafe yet… Maybe I should try one soon. Maybe I will discover some hidden esports talent in myself?
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


GIGABYTE lists GeForce RTX 3080 20GB, RTX 3070 16GB and RTX 3060 8GB

While rumors of a GeForce RTX 3080 with 20GB VRAM have been abuzz, I largely ignored them due to the fact that the GeForce RTX 3080 just arrived, and it is an absolute beast of a GPU. There was just little reason for a more powerful GPU to exist right now. Well, it seems NVIDIA doesn’t think so, and GIGABYTE accidentally revealed a few yet unannounced graphics cards for NVIDIA, namely the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB, GeForce RTX 3070 16GB and GeForce RTX 3080 20GB.

The list of unannounced GPUs can be found on the landing page that GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 30 series owners can claim their free copy of Watch Dogs Legion from. All the current GeForce RTX 30 series are all listed there, along with the aforementioned unreleased ones.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

It seems that we will be seeing SUPER or Ti editions of the GeForce RTX 3080, RTX 3070 and RTX 3060, as the RTX 3080 20GB and RTX 3070 16GB and RTX 3060 listed do sport an additional S in their model names. Assuming they carry the SUPER suffix, well we will probably be seeing the following cards from GIGABYTE soon:

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 SUPER Eagle OC 8GB
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3070 SUPER AORUS Master 16GB
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3070 SUPER Gaming OC 16GB
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 SUPER Turbo 20GB
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 SUPER AORUS MASTER 20GB
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 SUPER Gaming OC 20GB

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming OC
I would assume that NVIDIA will be waiting for the Big Navi launch happening next month to release these cards. NVIDIA preparing an even more powerful GPU than the GeForce RTX 3080 to counter AMD does seem a little farfetched, but it does seem to point to the AMD Navi 2X GPUs packing some serious firepower.
One thing worth noting is that the Watch Dog Legion promo is only valid from now until 29th October, so the fact that these cards are listed hints that the SUPER cards will be available even before AMD drops the Radeon RX 6000 series this 28th October.
Whether NVIDIA is really positioning the SUPER cards to compete against AMD or they just want to further flesh out their product stack remains to be seen, but we are definitely going to see some really powerful GPUs in these coming months.
Source
Pokdepinion: Well, I guess the GeForce RTX 3080 shortage won’t be an issue as everyone will start to wait for the GeForce RTX 3080 SUPER instead now?
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


MediaTek Helio G80 set to enable budget gaming smartphones

The MediaTek Helio G90 series were pretty good although it was only featured in one smartphone here in Malaysia. The Helio G80 just announced today might be more popular, considering it targets a more wallet-friendly price range than the Helio G90.
In terms of hardware, the MediaTek Helio G80 packs eight cores clocked at up to 2.0 GHz in a 2+6 big.LITTLE configuration. While the core count is similar, the Helio G80 uses Cortex-A75 cores, while the Helio G90 comes with Cortex-A76 cores. Meanwhile the GPU configuration is also very different, with the Helio G80’s Mali-G52MP2 GPU a far cry from the Helio G90’s Mali-G76MP4.
There’s also the rather unfortunate storage limitation, with the Helio G80 only supporting eMMC 5.1 storage. The photography chops here are pretty impressive too, with hardware support to capture 48MP images @ 30 fps. There’s no support for 4K video recording though, with it limited to 2K30 or 1080p60 videos.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

MediaTek Helio G80 Specs

2 x Cortex-A75 @ 2.0 GHz + 6 x Cortex-A55 @ 1.8 GHz
Mali-G52MP2 @ 950 MHz
Support up to 8GB LPDDR4x @ 1800 MHz
Support for eMMC 5.1 storage
Support 48MP / 16MP dual camera @ 30 fps capture
2K30 or 1080p60 video recording
Cat 7 DL, Cat 13 UL (300 Mbps down, 150 Mbps up)
12nm FinFET

Considering that the MediaTek Helio G80 will probably see itself in smartphones priced around the RM700~900 range, where I don’t think a lack of 4K video recording capabilities that will be a major issue. MediaTek now has a pretty nice lineup of chipsets in the Helio G-series, but whether OEMs would pick them over the more popular Snapdragon remains to be seen.

Thus far, the only major device we have seen pick MediaTek’s offering over Qualcomm’s is the Redmi Note 8 Pro, and that was a pretty impressive device in its own right. Meanwhile the lower-end Helio G70 will be featured in the realme C3. MediaTek is focusing on the growing mobile gaming segment, so we might see more designs sporting the Helio G-series chipsets in the coming months as the gaming smartphone market is seriously booming.
Pokdepinion: I would be quite interested if these smartphones
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


AMD Ryzen 7 available from 2nd March, starting from RM1599

Available worldwide from March 2nd, the much awaited AMD Ryzen CPUs has finally arrived, starting with the Ryzen 7 lineup. The AMD Ryzen 7 1800X has been proven to match the Intel Core i7 6900K, with a much lower price tag too.

After years in development, the Zen architecture has actually exceeded the 40% increase in instructions per clock (IPC) over the Excavator cores that they targeted, achieving 52% higher IPC than the older architecture. Against the competition, The Ryzen 7 1800X matches the i7 6900K in CineBench R15 single-threaded run, and actually beats it in multi-threaded performance.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

AMD has also designed a set of new coolers, based on the original AMD Wraith cooler, the new Wraith Spire, Wraith Stealth and also Wraith Max. The new coolers offers silent cooling performance, and will be bundled with the Ryzen 7 1700 CPU. The Ryzen 7 1800X and 1700X will not feature a cooler in the box, as they are intended for enthusiasts with high performance aftermarket cooling solutions. Noctua and Cooler Master have already announced their plans for the AM4 platform, so you are all set to push the CPUs to the limits.

The AMD Ryzen 7 1800X clocked at 3.6 GHz with boost clocks of 4.0 GHz and the Ryzen 7 1700X with 3.4 GHz base clock and 3.8 GHz boost clock will both feature 95W TDPs, and the the Ryzen 7 1700 clocked at 3.0 GHz with a 3.7 GHz boost features a lower 65W TDP, making it the most frugal 8-core desktop CPU. Pricing will be RM2599 for the Ryzen 7 1800X, RM1899 for the Ryzen 7 1700X and RM1599 for the Ryzen 7 1700.
Pokdepinion: The AMD Ryzen series look like a great deal for the money AMD is asking for, but I will wait for the lower end Ryzen CPUs to get a good budget rig for gaming.
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


Malaysian fixed broadband providers are supposed to deliver at least 90% of promised speed

For those of you who have been receiving less than 90% of the speed on your fixed broadband connection than you paid for, you can start picking up your phones to complain. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has published a tweet on their official Twitter account, mentioning this:
…customers should at least receive 90% of the speeds offered by telcos at 90% of the time.
These requirements are set in the Quality of Service standards by MCMC. So for those telcos offering fixed broadband connections that don’t achieve these standards, MCMC will take action against them.
There are more to these standards which MCMC have set, but whether ISPs will take heed is another matter altogether. Aside from the standards, MCMC has also announced that they are currently finalizing the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP).

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

Since the implementation of the Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP), entry-level high speed broadband package prices have dropped more than 30%, surpassing their initial targets. Also MCMC took the time to boast of Malaysia’s improvement in the Speedtest Global Index.
How do you find your fixed broadband subscription?
Pokdepinion: Well, I still have yet to experience either the 1 Gbps speeds nor the price reductions…
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related


New PS4 1TB Starter Pack Coming To Malaysia This 26th Of April 2019

The folks at Sony Interactive Entertainment announced today that they will be releasing a new Starter Pack for the Playstation 4 as well as the limited edition Alpine Green DS4 on the 26th of April 2019.
With the new Starter Pack, it will include a PS4 Slim 1TB edition and includes FIFA 19 and Overcooked! 2 games that’s bundled together with the set.
Aside from the games, you’ll also receive FIFA 19 FUT Voucher card that includes a Rare Gold Player Pack and 3 Icon Loan Items for 5 games for you to use in FIFA 19. There’s also the Too Many Cooks Pack DLC for Overcooked! 2 as well. Additionally, the bundle gets you a PS+ subscription for 1 month and also a one year extended warranty service for your new PS4.

 Join Pokde Telegram Channel

As for the DS4 Alpine Green edition, you can get it at RM259 from the 26th of April as well, while stocks last.
You can get the new Playstation 4 Starter Pack at RM1,449. It’s worth noting that a regular Jet Black DS4 is included in the bundle instead of the Alpine Green version.
Pokdepinion: Some pretty fun games to play with your friends and family at home. I’m really loving the Alpine Green’s looks compared to the DS4 I’m using right now to be honest..
Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related