HMD Global Introduces Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus

HMD, the home of Nokia smartphones has today unveiled the new Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus, with the former now available in Malaysia.
Nokia 6.1 Plus & Nokia 5.1 Plus

Starting with the 6.1 Plus, it offers a 5.8-inch Full HD+ 19:9 ratio display. The phone is encased in glass both front and back. Under the hood is packs a Snapdragon 636 chipset and is powered by a 3060mAh battery. For its camera, it sports a dual 16MP+5MP combo as its main camera and comes with a 16MP selfie shooter on the front. The phone also offers AI photography, which helps you in your shots.

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Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 6.1 Plus rear (right) comparison
For storage, it offers 4GB RAM that’s paired with 64GB, which you can expand up to 400GB through a microSD card. The phone comes with Android Oreo out of the box and comes with 3 color variants; Gloss Midnight Blue, Gloss Black, and Gloss White.
The Nokia 6.1 Plus is now available here in Malaysia which you can purchase at a RM1,149. There’s also the launch bundle that you can get where it comes with an action camera, tempered glass screen protector and silicon case that’s worth RM300 (while stocks last).

Over to the Nokia 5.1 Plus, it is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60 SoC. It also comes with dual cameras at the back (13MP+5MP) that comes with electronic video stabilization.

Other than that, it comes with a 5.8-inch HD+ display and comes with a 2.5D curved front and rear glass design. It will also come in the same color variants as the Nokia 6.1 Plus. Despite that, pricing of the device is yet to be announced by the company.
Both phones are a part of Android One, which means each device will stay fresh over time with three years of monthly security patches and two years of guaranteed OS updates after launch. Both phones are also ready for Android 9 Pie, where it will let users get the best experience of Android.
Pokdepinion: I wish they could’ve kept the Nokia 6.1 design (which I like) but upgrade it with what the 6.1 Plus offers. The smartphone is a beauty actually, but only god knows how much I despise notches… I’m still waiting for the next flagship from Nokia, with the last one that they made was the Nokia 8 which was launched last year.. Hopefully they will soon.
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Samsung Galaxy S10+ will be priced at up to RM7023?

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S10 series are expected to come with a number of new features, including a pretty hefty price tag, it seems. The European pricing of the new Samsung Galaxy flagships has just been leaked by MySmartPrice.
There will reportedly be three variants of the Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. The Galaxy S10e will probably be something like the Galaxy S Lite of yore, but then again it’s not really an affordable device at all. The Galaxy S10+ is self-explanatory. We have seen a Plus version since the Galaxy S8 generation.
Image source: Forbes
So the leaked prices are as follows:

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Galaxy S10e (6GB + 128GB) – €749 (~RM3509)
Galaxy S10 (6GB + 128GB) – €899 (~RM4212)
Galaxy S10 (8GB + 512GB) – €1149 (~RM5383)
Galaxy S10+ (6GB + 128GB) – €999 (~RM4680)
Galaxy S10+ (8GB + 512GB) – €1249 (~RM5852)
Galaxy S10+ (12GB + 1TB) – €1499 (~RM7023)

The three different Galaxy S10 devices are expected to be differentiated by the camera, display size and battery size. These are also Samsung’s most colorful flagships yet, with colors like Canary Yellow, Green and Blue making the cut.
Rumored Specifications

Exynos 9820 / Snapdragon 855 chipset
Up to 12GB RAM
Up to 1TB storage
Up to 6.4″ SuperAMOLED Infinity-O display, in-screen fingerprint scanner
Up to triple-camera setup
One UI based on Android 9 Pie
Up to 4000 mAh battery

Would you consider picking up a Galaxy S10 device when it launches this 21st February?
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Transcend announces availability of DrivePro Body on-body cameras

July 14, 2016, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend®), a leading manufacturer of storage and multimedia products, is proud to announce the release of its DrivePro Body 20 and DrivePro Body 52 body cameras. Both cameras feature 1080P Full HD video recording, a built-in Wi-Fi function, a snapshot button, long battery life, and non-removable 32GB internal storage with high-quality MLC flash chips. Transcend’s DrivePro Body 20 and DrivePro Body 52 body cameras are both shock and IPX4 water resistant, ideal for military, government, law enforcement, and private security. In addition, Transcend is also releasing a 6-port docking station to streamline multi-camera management, file upload, and charging.

DrivePro Body 20 and DrivePro Body 52

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Designed for military, law enforcement, and private security applications, Transcend’s DrivePro Body 20 and DrivePro Body 52 body cameras are the clear choice for rugged, secure, and dependable evidence collection with exceptional picture quality. Both cameras feature 1080P Full HD video recording, large aperture, wide-angle lens, and a convenient snapshot button. In addition, both cameras boast built-in Wi-Fi for live-streaming on mobile devices via Transcend’s exclusive DrivePro Body app, available for both Android and iOS devices. The Transcend DrivePro Body 52 features a compact camera unit attached via a flexible 1.2 meter cable to the main unit, allowing for a wide variety of wearing options. A 360° rotating clip mount and a Velcro mount are bundled to accommodate multiple camera mounting requirements, and a high-quality belt holster is also included to hold the DrivePro Body 52’s main unit.
Multifunctional Docking Station
For users with multiple DrivePro Body 20 and DrivePro Body 52 body cameras, Transcend’s 6-port docking station offers an optimized camera management solution. The dock is equipped with an auto upload function*, capable of automatically uploading recorded files while charging. Users can also daisy chain up to 3 docking stations in series using just one USB port on a workstation, allowing up to 18 cameras to charge and upload at the same time, increasing efficiency and reducing downtime.
*DrivePro Body Toolbox is required to use this function.
Exclusive DrivePro Body Toolbox
Transcend’s DrivePro Body Toolbox is exclusively designed for the DrivePro Body series, featuring a user-friendly interface to manage recorded videos and snapshots on Windows OS. In addition, Transcend’s P-model body cameras—DrivePro Body 20P and DrivePro Body 52P—are advanced security models for applications that require stringent data security. For P-model body cameras, DrivePro Body Toolbox provides additional data security to prevent unauthorized access to or tampering of video recordings.
Transcend’s DrivePro Body 20A/ 20P, DrivePro Body 52A/ 52P, and 6-port Docking Stations are all backed by Transcend’s Two-year Limited Warranty. The DrivePro Body 20 is priced at RM1099, while the DrivePro Body 52 is a tad costlier at RM1299.

Pokdepinion: With Pokemon GO coming to Malaysia soon, it might be helpful to get some of these cameras, especially as criminals may start using the game to lure people to them.

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Google Announce Doodle 4 Google Malaysia 2017 Winner – Celebrating Malaysia’s diversity

Winning entry will feature on Google’s homepage on Malaysia Day

Google Malaysia has finally announced the finalists for each category and the overall grand winner of the Doodle 4 Google 2017 art competition. A single overall grand winner selected from four finalists, who had the winning Doodle from each age group, will have his/her Doodle featured on the Google Malaysia homepage this coming Malaysia day for millions of Malaysians to see.
This is the second Doodle 4 Google competition in Malaysia with the first one held 3 years ago back in 2014. The Doodles submitted were judged based on the Doodle’s overall artistry, creativity, and hoe relevant the Doodle is with the Doodle 4 Google’s given theme. The theme of this year’s Doodle 4 Google is “Celebrating Malaysia’s Diversity”.

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The winning entries are determined from an online vote by the general public who voted via the official website with the grand winner selected by Google’s own official Doodle team (yes, The Google Doodle Team is a thing) in the United States.
Here are the four Doodle 4 Google finalists:

Category age 7 to 9 years old: Wan Muhammad Fahyim bin Wan Mohd Nazdi from Sekolah Kebangsaan Kerteh, Terengganu
Category age 10 to 12 years old: Cheng Jun Kai from SJK(C) Kong Min, Kuantan, Pahang
Category age 13 to 15 years old: Ch’ng Kai Wei from Nexus International School Malaysia, Putrajaya
Category age 16 to 17 years old: Muhammad Khairul Aiman bin Mohamad Zaidi from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar                                                      Baru Sentul, Kuala Lumpur

The grand winner of this year’s Doodle 4 Google competition is Ch’ng Kai Wei from Nexus International School Malaysia, Putrajaya. Her Doodle, which she named “United, We Stand” was chosen due to the way she chose to represent Malaysia’s multi ethnic and multi cultural society.
Ch’ng Kai Wei, Doodle 4 Google grand winner
United, We Stand
Her description of her winning Doodle reads,
In my doodle, I demonstrated my understanding of Malaysia’s diversity by including people from different ethnicities unique to Malaysia. However, I believe that Malaysia became the vibrant country that it is today because we are united as one regardless of race or colour or our ethnicity. To imply my idea, I drew 6 people (carefully arranged to also imply each alphabet in the word ‘Google’), representing each main ethnicity, with a banner featuring the main colours of the Malaysian flag to show that they are all ‘united’.
Beautiful.
You can also check out the other shortlisted entries right here.
Pokdepinion: I was floored by how good the entries were. The talent displayed by these kids sure took my breath away.
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ASUS Zenbook S 13 UX5304 Now Open For Preorders, With Exclusive Gifts

In case you missed it – ASUS last month unveiled the Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304), or the “world’s slimmest OLED ultralight laptop” as they call it. At a razor-thin 10mm chassis Z-height, it weighs just 1kg and still packs some fairly comprehensive hardware with minimal compromise.
For the incoming configuration, the hardware features up to Intel’s 13th-gen Core i7-1355U processor (with TDP boosted up to 20W), paired with 16GB of LPDDR5-5200 RAM plus up to 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. Display is of the more prominent part of the laptop, with a 13-inch, 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) Lumina OLED display with certification for Dolby Vision, PANTONE and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500.

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I/O-wise, the Zenbook S managed to cram HDMI 2.1, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB-A 10Gbps (3.2 Gen 2) and a headphone jack despite its extremely slim chassis; with Wi-Fi 6E responsible for network connectivity. The battery is a 63Wh unit, and the chassis is tested under the MIL-STD-810H standard to ensure it can take quite a beating in real-world use. The laptop will be available in two colors: Basalt Gray and Ponder Blue.
There will be exclusive gifts for the first 20 customers who pre-order the RM5,999 unit (UX5304V-ANQ195WS or UX5304V-ANQ197WS) – who will be eligible for a free ASUS ZenScreen MB16ACE 15.6-inch portable monitor worth RM1,099. Eligible customers can submit their order details here to claim the free gift.
Pokdepinion: Thin as a book, literally.
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[WWDC 2021] iOS 15 Adds New Features To Help Users Do More With On-device Intelligence

Apple recently revealed iOS 15, which includes big upgrades to apps like FaceTime, new Focus capabilities to limit distraction, increased on-device intelligence to discover information, and more ways to explore the world via Maps, Weather, and Wallet during the recent WWDC 2021 event.
What’s new with iOS 15?

FaceTime now uses spatial audio for a more natural sound and new microphone modes separate the user’s voice from background noise. FaceTime now supports Portrait mode so users can blur their background and put themselves in focus. Group FaceTime now features a new grid view so users can see more faces at the same time.

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FaceTime calls also extend beyond Apple devices with the ability to create a link from iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and share it through Messages, Calendar, Mail, or third-party apps, so anyone can join a FaceTime call from their web browser on Android and Windows devices.

Additionally, users can now share experiences with SharePlay while connecting with friends on FaceTime. This enables users to do other things like listening to songs together with Apple Music, watching a TV show or movie in sync, or sharing their screen to view apps together. SharePlay works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and offers shared playback controls with anyone in the same session.
SharePlay even extends to Apple TV, so users can watch shows or movies on a big screen while connecting over FaceTime, and SharePlay will keep everyone’s playback in sync. Apple says that third-party apps like Disney+, ESPN+, HBO Max, Hulu, MasterClass, Paramount+, Pluto TV, TikTok, Twitch, and many others will integrate this feature soon.

Furthermore, iOS 15 also introduces Focus, a new feature that uses on-device intelligence to suggest which people and apps are allowed to notify them which helps users focus and reduce distraction. Focus suggestions are based on the user’s context, such as whether they’re at work or getting ready for bed, and once Focus is set on one Apple device, it’s applied to all of their other Apple devices.

Notifications on iOS 15 have also been redesigned to include contact photos for people and larger icons for apps. Notifications are now arranged based on priority based on the user’s interactions with apps, with urgent messages rising to the top.
Live Text recognises text in a photo and allows users to take action using on-device intelligence. The Camera app can now instantly recognise and copy text in the moment, like the Wi-Fi password shown at a local coffee shop, thanks to the Apple Neural Engine. Users can discover more about popular art and places across the world, as well as plants and flowers found in nature, pet breeds, and even books, using Visual Look Up.
In addition to this, Spotlight in iOS 15 now offers web image search and all-new rich results for actors, musicians, TV shows, and movies. Enhanced results for contacts show recent conversations, shared photos, and even their location if shared through Find My. Photos includes the biggest update ever to Memories, with a fresh new look, an interactive interface, and integration with Apple Music, which uses on-device intelligence to personalise song suggestions.

iOS 15 also brings new updates and features to Apple Maps including significantly enhanced details in cities for neighbourhoods, commercial districts, elevation, and buildings, new road colours and labels, custom-designed landmarks, and a new night-time mode with a moonlit glow.
Apple Maps provides a three-dimensional city-driving experience with additional road elements that enable users better view and understand critical aspects like turn lanes, medians, bike lanes, and pedestrian crosswalks while navigating using iPhone or CarPlay. Riders can more quickly locate nearby stations and save their favourite lines.

Maps will automatically follow a set transit route, alerting users when it’s almost time to disembark, and riders can even watch their progress on their Apple Watch. Users can just hold up their iPhone to have Maps create a very precise position and offer precise walking directions in augmented reality with iOS 15.
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Other features and enhancements coming with the new iOS 15 update includes:

Apple Wallet gets new keys and state IDs – Apple Wallet adds support for additional types of keys including digital car keys get even better with support for Ultra Wideband technology, so users can securely unlock and start their supported vehicle without removing their iPhone from a pocket or bag. It can also be used to unlock a user’s home, office, or even a hotel room.
New privacy features – With on-device speech recognition, audio of Siri requests is now processed entirely on iPhone by default, while Mail Privacy Protection stops senders from learning whether an email has been opened, and hides IP addresses. App Privacy Report offers an overview of how apps use the access that has been granted to location, photos, camera, microphone, and contacts in the last seven days, and which other domains are contacted.
Redesigned Weather and Notes app – Weather includes more graphical displays of weather data, full-screen maps, and dynamic layouts that change based on conditions. Also, the redesigned animated backgrounds now accurately reflect the sun’s position and precipitation, and notifications highlight when rain or snow starts and stops. Notes has user-created tags that make it simple to categorise notes, as well as mentions, which allow users of shared notes to communicate important updates to one another. A brand-new Activity view displays a shared note’s recent history.

iOS 15 is now available to Apple Developer Program members here starting today, while the public beta version will be available next month here. For more information on what’s coming with iOS 15, check out the official website here.
Pokdepinion: Quite a lot of things introduced with iOS 15. Looks good on paper but I wonder how it will perform when it finally releases.
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HUAWEI Is Offering Huge Discounts During Their Wearable And Audio Day This 25th September

Have you been working out but haven’t been keeping track of your progress? So, if you’ve been considering purchasing a fitness device, now is the time! Set your alarm clocks and mark your calendars for HUAWEI’s Wearables and Audio Day on September 25th to take advantage of up to 42% off and free gifts on select HUAWEI wearable and audio items.
HUAWEI Wearable and Audio Day

HUAWEI is offering you its greatest Wearable and Audio Day with numerous smart bands and wireless earbuds to assist you to meet your exercise goals and ensure you enjoy muscle-building and fat-burning sessions. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to choose your favourite wearable from the HUAWEI Band 6 to the HUAWEI WATCH GT Series, as well as the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i to the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro.

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Check out the products below and save up to 42% on select HUAWEI products exclusively during the HUAWEI Wearable and Audio Day on September 25:
Huawei Wearables

HUAWEI Band 4e at RM69 (RRP RM119)
HUAWEI Band 6 at RM169 ( RRP RM219)
HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 (Rose Gold) at RM559 (RRP RM899)
HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm (Black) at RM698 (RRP RM799) free gift Eco Drinking Straw
HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 46mm (Leather Strap) at RM798 (RRP RM899) free gift HUAWEI EasyFit 2 (Gray Blue, Nylon Strap)
HUAWEI WATCH Fit at RM398 (RRP RM499) free gift Multipurpose spray and wipe
HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro at RM999 (RRP RM1,099)
HUAWEI WATCH GT 2e at RM419 (RRP RM599)

HUAWEI Audio Products

HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 at RM549 (RRP RM599) free gift HUAWEI Band 4
HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i at RM249 (RRP RM349) free gift HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i cover
HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro at RM629 (RRP RM699) free gift HUAWEI CM510 Mini Speaker (Emerald Green)
HUAWEI FreeBuds Studio at RM799 (RRP RM1,199)
HUAWEI x GENTLE MONSTER Eyewear II (Black) at RM799 (RRP RM1,799)

Bundle Products

HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 + WATCH GT 2 (Leather Strap) at RM888 (RRP RM1,499)
HUAWEI FreeBuds 4i + Band 4e at RM288 (RRP RM498)
HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro + WATCH 3 Pro at RM1,888 RRP RM2,898)
HUAWEI Band 6 + FreeBuds 4i at RM419 (RRP RM598)
HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 (Rose Gold) + FreeBuds 4 at RM1,049 (RRP RM1,498)

Find out more about HUAWEI Wearable and Audio Day on HUAWEI Store Online, HUAWEI Official Store on Shopee or HUAWEI Flagship Store on Lazada.
Pokdepinion: So many good deals this time around. I still want that HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 which I might just get during this HUAWEI Wearable and Audio Day.
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Tencent Lost Defamation Lawsuit Against Mobile Legends Dev Moonton

Looks like the legal case has finally ended as Mobile Legends developer Moonton has won the defamation suit against Tencent Games.
Defamation Lawsuit: Tencent VS Moonton

Previously, there has been a court case involving corporate slander, where Tencent is said to have attempted to discredit Moonton in order to weaken the company’s position in Indonesia. From what we understand, they hired lawyers to approach Moonton’s partners in Indonesia, RevivalTV, prior to the MPL Esports tournament.

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During this confrontation, Tencent allegedly used intimidating language and claimed that they have already won the ongoing plagiarism court case between them and Riot Games with regards to League of Legends, although no verdict has been given yet at the time.
Tencent is claiming that Moonton CEO, Xu Zhenhua, had violated no-compete agreements by forming the company after his termination. Unfortunately, the court has ruled that informing business partners about winning a lawsuit that they didn’t is out of line. As a result, Tencent has to pay ¥220,000 (RM143,000) to Moonton for damages.
This is the result in the Appeal courts, which is upholding a previous verdict against them in favour of Moonton. At the moment, neither company has made any public comments regarding the decision but we will report more on this when information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: Well, there you go folks. Don’t count your chicken before they hatch, you never know what sort of misfortunate might land on you for being too gung-ho about things.
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Sony Launches Their New Xperia 1 II Flagship In Malaysia

Sony has just introduced a brand new addition to its Xperia lineup with the Xperia 1 II (pronounced Mark Two). The main highlight for the Sony Xperia 1 II is in its camera as it features a triple camera setup with three focal lengths: 16mm/24mm/70mm and is designed with Sony’s Alpha autofocus technology, which offers continuous autofocus that performs AF/AE 3 calculations at 60 times per second.

The use of this technology enables continuous tracking for high-speed shooting at a maximum of 20 fps. This makes the Xperia 1 II especially capable of capturing videos of moving subjects such as children or animals and fast-moving sports. In addition to that, Sony’s new phone has the Real-time Eye AF feature found on Sony’s Alpha cameras which focuses directly onto the subjects eye for better portrait shots.

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The device’s camera also features ZEISS optics which is specifically calibrated for the Xperia 1 II and ZEISS T Coating contributes to exquisite rendering and contrast by reducing reflections. Furthermore, the Xperia 1 II comes with a new Photography Pro mode that features a user interface that is aligned to Alpha photographers, with manual controls to set ISO, shutter speed and more. In the video department, the Xperia 1 II features a Cinematography Pro mode which has support for 2K 120fps 10-bit HDR cinematic high frame rate shooting and Cinematic 21:9 4K HDR recording at 24/25/30/60fps.

Other features found on the device are the Snapdragon 865 SoC and a 4,000mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging support. There is also a 6.5 inch 4K OLED display with 90hz refresh rate on the Xperia 1 II with speakers powered with Dolby Atmos and surprisingly, a headphone jack. It also features IP65/68 water resistance and Gorilla Glass 6 on both sides.
Sony Xperia 1 II Specifications

CPU
Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 585 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 585)

GPU
Adreno 650

RAM
8GB

Display
6.5″ 21:9 CinemaWide display, 4K HDR OLED (3840×1644)

Storage
256GB, microSDXC support (up to 1TB)

Camera
Main Camera(s)
12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7″, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.4″, 1.0µm, PDAF, 3x optical zoom, OIS
12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55″, Dual Pixel PDAF
0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)
Front Camera
8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4″, 1.12µm

OS
Android 10

Connectivity
IEEE802.11a/b/g/n(2.4GHz)/n(5GHz)/ac/ax / Wi-Fi MIMO 2×2
Bluetooth 5.1
Type-C Ver. 3.1

SIM
Dual SIM hybrid (Nano-SIM)

Battery
4000 mAh

Dimensions
165.1 x 71.1 x 7.6 mm (6.5 x 2.80 x 0.30 in)

Weight
181 g

Ingress Protection
Water resistant (IP65/68)

Sony Xperia 1 II Availability
The Sony Xperia 1 II will come in three colours, Black, Purple and White. It will be available for purchase in Malaysia from November 2020 at official Sony Stores in KLCC and The Curve, Sony Store Online, and the Sony flagship store on Lazada. The price is unavailable as of now and will be revealed in the future.
We also reviewed the Sony Xperia 10 II recently which was pretty great though not without its flaws. You can check out the full review here.
Pokdepinion: The Xperia 1 II seems like a great smartphone for those who love to take pictures and videos. It’s packing some pretty serious hardware there.
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Genshin Impact Nintendo Switch Port Delayed But For A Good Reason

As many of you may know by now, we are expected to see a Genshin Impact Nintendo Switch port sometime soon. It’s already available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, and iOS. It looks like the port will have to be delayed but for a good reason.
Genshin Impact Nintendo Switch Port Delayed

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For those of you who have been patiently waiting, the Genshin Impact Nintendo Switch port will be delayed. According to Genshin Report, the reason for the delay is because of the weaker hardware. While there is the argument that the game is able to run on mobile, usually the flagships are the ones that can run it well.
The good news here is that the Genshin Impact Nintendo Switch port will still be coming sometime later this year. This means that you won’t have to wait too long despite the sudden news of the delay.
Previously, there were speculations of the port facing numerous issues, from microtransactions to Nintendo eShop compatibility. However, nothing has been confirmed and it might just be nothing more than rumours.
Genshin Impact is currently available for free on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, and PC.
Source
Pokdepinion: While Genshin Impact isn’t exactly too heavy of a game to run, I’m not surprised to see it struggle to run efficiently on the Nintendo Switch. Perhaps when the Pro version is out, that wouldn’t be a problem but they certainly need to optimize the game some more.
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NVIDIA Grace CPU-Powered System Designs Approved by Taiwan’s Tech Companies

NVIDIA today announced that the first wave of systems powered by the NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip and Grace Hopper Superchip for a wide range of tasks, including digital twins, AI, high-performance computing, cloud graphics, and gaming, will be released by Taiwan’s leading computer manufacturers.

Starting in the first half of 2023, ASUS, Foxconn Industrial Internet, GIGABYTE, QCT, Supermicro, and Wiwynn will release plenty of server models. Grace-powered servers will be available alongside x86 and other Arm-based servers, giving customers a wide range of options for attaining greater performance and efficiency in their data centres.

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The new servers are built on four new system architectures that include the Grace CPU Superchip and Grace Hopper Superchip, which were revealed at the company’s two previous GTC conferences. Original design manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers can use the 2U form factor designs as blueprints and server baseboards to swiftly deliver to market systems for the NVIDIA CGX cloud gaming, OVX digital twin, HGX AI, and HPC platforms.
NVIDIA Grace Superchip Boosting Workloads in Today’s Era
The two Grace Superchip technologies support a wide range of compute-intensive tasks and are compatible with a wide range of system architectures.
The Grace CPU Superchip has two CPU chips with up to 144 high-performance Arm V9 cores with scalable vector extensions and a 1 terabyte-per-second memory subsystem that are coupled coherently by an NVLink-C2C interconnect. To handle the most demanding HPC, data analytics, digital twin, cloud gaming, and hyperscale computing applications, the innovative design provides double the memory bandwidth and energy efficiency of today’s leading server processors.
Additionally, the Grace Hopper Superchip is an integrated module that combines a Hopper GPU with a Grace CPU through NVLink-C2C to handle HPC and giant-scale AI applications. The Grace CPU delivers data to the Hopper GPU 15 times faster than standard CPUs thanks to the NVLink-C2C interface.
AI, HPC, Digital Twins, and Cloud Gaming Supported by Grace Server Platform
Grace CPU Superchip and Grace Hopper Superchip server design portfolio feature single baseboards with one-, two-, and four-way configurations, as well as four workload-specific architectures that can be adjusted by server manufacturers to meet customer needs.
The Grace Hopper Superchip and NVIDIA BlueField-3 DPUs are available in HGX Grace Hopper systems for AI training, inference, and HPC. With Grace CPU Superchip and BlueField-3, HGX Grace systems for HPC and supercomputing utilize a CPU-only design. The Grace CPU Superchip, BlueField-3, and NVIDIA GPUs are used in the OVX systems for digital twins and collaboration applications. Furthermore, the Grace CPU Superchip, BlueField3, and NVIDIA A16 GPUs are used in the CGX systems for cloud graphics and gaming.
In addition to x86 CPUs, NVIDIA is expanding its NVIDIA-Certified SystemsTM programme to include servers using the NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip and Grace Hopper Superchip. The first OEM server certifications are expected soon after partner systems are delivered.
For more information about Grace CPU Superchip, feel free to visit NVIDIA’s official website by clicking on the link here.
Pokdepinion: NVIDIA finally pushing their CPUs. Can’t wait to see what they come up with in a practical sense.
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Get Into The Mood For The Final Season Of Game of Thrones With Spotify’s House-themed Playlist

In just a few days, the 8th and final season of Game of Thrones will come out and to welcome in the show, Spotify has released 7 different house-themed playlists as curated by HBO. These playlist include:

House Baratheon
House Targaryen
House Stark
House Lannister
The White Walkers
The Night’s Watch
The Great Houses

This is not the first time that Spotify has prepared something special for the series, where there has been more than 380 million streams of all Game of Thrones soundtracks and related playlists on Spotify since 1st of January 2016, where it simply means that fans don’t only love the show, but also the music itself. There’s more than 250,000 of Spotify users that have created their own Game of Thrones-themed playlists and many more have created character playlists.
Fun fact, Tyrion Lannister has made the most appearance in fan-made playlists, where it appeared in more than 7,700 created playlists.

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Aside from that, Spotify has revealed that they’re unveiling a refresh of Spotify’s rock-influenced playlist Game of Thrones: The End Is Coming (formerly Game of Thrones: Songs of Ice and Fire). If you’re a fan of the show, you should definitely check out the playlists that are available.
Pokdepinion: I had a look at some of the playlists and I’ve got to say they’ve included some pretty awesome songs. Check it out, who knows, you might just find something new to add to your very own playlist.

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The Outer Worlds To Be Exclusive for Epic Games Store, Not Steam

Our partners at @EpicGames have announced that #TheOuterWorlds will be coming to the Epic Games Store at launch, alongside the Windows Store. It will be released on other digital platforms 12 months later.
The Outer Worlds will still release on XBOX and PS4 on launch.
— The Outer Worlds (@OuterWorlds) March 20, 2019

With the war for dominance in the PC games digital marketplace growing ever fiercer, Epic Games Store appears to have yet another upper hand against Steam. This time, it’s the upcoming game, The Outer Worlds.
Based on the tweet from the official account as listed at the top of this post, The Outer Worlds will be a timed-exclusive game on Epic Games Store and the Windows Store. While it doesn’t mean that the game will never come to Steam, we won’t be seeing it there for at least 12 months from its release.

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It’s not really a big surprise to see the game being a timed-exclusive for Epic Games Store. Like many other developers as of late, they most likely saw it as a way to earn more with every creation, and possibly with better support as well. This can be a bit annoying for gamers who want their everything on a single launcher but hey, we’re talking about people being able to make a better living after all.
The Outer Worlds will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC sometime later this year.
Pokdepinion: And the competition for the PC games digital storefront gets even more fierce. I am enjoying the show so far.
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Team Group adds new T-FORCE gaming RAM and storage

Team Group has just added a number of new products to their T-FORCE gaming series. The new T-FORCE VULCAN SSD, T-FORCE T1 and T-FORCE VULCAN Z gaming RAM are designed with the unique design of the T-FORCE gaming series without succumbing to the RGBae trend.
T-FORCE T1 DDR4 RAM

The T-FORCE T1 gaming RAM is designed for entry level gamers. Its design is minimalist, with the racing-style label printed directly upon the PCB with a special patented color printing process. Available in kits of up to 2666 MHz CL18, the T-FORCE T1 supports XMP 2.0 for one-click overclocking.

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T-FORCE VULCAN Z DDR4 RAM

For gamers who want a little more oomph, the T-FORCE VULCAN Z DDR4 is offered in kits running at up to 3200 MHz CL16 1.35V. Team Group will offer the T-FORCE VULCAN Z DDR4 in 16GBx2 kits as well, so if you have a Need for RAM, these will satisfy it. Each DIMM will come with a single-piece aluminium heat speader to improve heat dissipation. There will be a choice of red or gray, so you can pick the color you want depending on your rig’s theme.
T-FORCE VULCAN SSD

Offered in capacities of up to 1TB, the T-FORCE VULCAN is a premium 2.5″ SATA SSD with a read speed of up to 560MB/s. It packs 3D NAND flash for better endurance and performance in its aluminium chassis, giving it a simple yet exclusive appearance, especially with the T-FORCE logo featured prominently on the drive. For your peace of mind, the T-FORCE VULCAN SSD is covered by a 3-year warranty.
The new RAM and storage from Team Group will be available at this list of authorized resellers.
Pokdepinion: I wouldn’t mind that SSD… But that warranty is kinda short for a 3D NAND SSD though.
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Astro Launches Astro Ulti Box HD From RM49

The folks at Astro has launched the new Ulti Box HD, following the success of their 4K UHD Ultra Box where over 200,000 units have been installed in the country.
Astro Ulti Box HD launched

With the Astro Ulti Box HD, it comes with HD (duh) and Wi-Fi capabilities and features a brand new remote control that makes navigating easy.

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You can expect the same features that’s available on the Ultra Box when it’s connected to home Wi-Fi, such as streaming videos on demand, playing shows from start to overcome rain-fade issues, and cloud recording.
For existing customers, you can opt to swap to the Ulti Box HD at a lower installation price of RM49 instead of RM99 for new Astro customers.
You can also get your hands on Astro & Broadband bundles for greater savings and the convenience of paying an all-in-one bill from as low as RM6/day for 100Mbps and up to 102 channels.
If you are interested in learning more, you can head to Astro’s website right here. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: I guess it’s a decent offering if your area is always having issues with rain/connectivity or simply busy when your shows are playing. Will you be getting the Astro Ulti Box HD?
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PS Plus Asia April 2020 Free Games Lineup

You might’ve remembered the leak of this month’s PS Plus games. It turns out that they were indeed true. Well if you haven’t looked at it yet, here are the free games that PS Plus subscribers can enjoy for the month of April 2020.
PS Plus Asia April 2020 Free Games

First up is Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, one of the biggest exclusive title that the PlayStation 4 has to offer. In the game you play as Nathan in his journey to find the long lost treasure of Henry Avery.
As you might recall, January 2020’s free PS Plus games included Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection as part of the deal. With the fourth installment being offered this month, what a great way to finish them all off huh?

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Finishing up the list is DiRT Rally 2.0. Carve your way through a selection of iconic rally locations across the world. This is definitely a game for those who enjoys the adrenaline-pumping experience in off-road racing.
What do you think about this month’s PS Plus Asia free games lineup? Let us know in the comments below.
Pokdepinion: UC4 is definitely a great game, especially for those who haven’t played it just yet. I might consider playing DiRT Rally 2.0…
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ASUS ROG Strix B550-E Gaming Review — a premium affordable board…

The AMD Ryzen 3000 series processors bring with them some impressive features, and one of them is PCIe 4.0 connectivity. Unfortunately, AMD doesn’t allow the previous generation of boards to offer PCIe 4.0, even though some of their board partners are confident that their AMD X470 and AMD B450 boards can handle PCIe 4.0’s more stringent demands. This meant you had to shell out for the AMD X570 boards to get PCIe 4.0 support. But hey, let’s not dwell in the past. The AMD B550 chipset brings PCIe 4.0 to a more affordable price point, and we are going to take a look at ASUS’ most premium AMD B550 board, the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming.
Unboxing

ASUS threw in a pretty good set of accessories into the box, which is pretty much what you expect from a ROG Strix board. However unlike the ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming, the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming does not come with a thermistor, nor does it have a VRM fan.

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A huge assortment of cables come in the box, including a ROG audio USB Type-C cable. That is probably the most interesting bit of equipment to come along with a motherboard in recent times. The less interesting one is the driver CD. I haven’t touched an optical disk drive in so long, and I doubt many people have seen one recently.
Appearance

The ROG Strix B550-E Gaming sure looks like a member of the ROG Strix family. There are some aggressive designs overlaid across the entire PCB along with beautiful designs on the I/O cover and PCH heatsink. Unlike the ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming though, it does not have a heatpipe running through its heatsinks. Because it doesn’t need it.

They do have pretty substantial surface area, and weigh a fair bit too, 186 grams to be exact. Slits cut into the heatsinks allow for increased airflow in the area while also adding more surface area, allowing heat to be dissipated away from the heatsinks better.

On the PCH, you get a rather small heatsink, which might not be surprising to anyone coming from an Intel board, but as you guys know, the AMD X570 boards had active cooling for the PCH. Since the AMD B550 chipset doesn’t put out nearly as much heat, the passive heatsink will come as a relief for those who want to use PCIe 4.0 but also want a silent build. Each of the M.2 slots also come with their own heatspreaders, and this time around you only need to undo the screws for the heatspreaders themselves, without any unnecessary shroud over them.

An integrated I/O shield is pretty much expected at this price range nowadays. You might notice an excess of USB 2.0 ports too, which is a bummer. There is absolutely no USB 3.0 ports here, but instead you get two USB 3.1 Type-A ports along with a USB Type-C port supporting the 10 Gbps speeds. You also get an audio USB Type-C port, which we will get into later. And you will find display outputs here as well, which will be great for those planning on taking advantage of the upcoming Ryzen 4000 series APUs.

On the rear end of the board is some nice silk-screened graphics, for whatever reason. Unfortunately you won’t get to see them that much, so make sure to ogle them and take pictures before you install the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming into your case.
          PCH heatsink lighting            I/O shroud lighting
RGB lighting is very light on this board. You only get one ROG emblem that glows on the I/O shroud and another small strip on the PCH heatsink, highlighting the STRIX branding. ASUS seems to have gone with a different ROG emblem this time around, with it featuring a more dynamic “shattered” look.

Whether you like the aesthetics of this board will largely hinge on whether you fancy the hot-pink accents that ASUS went with on the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming. The overall design is quite simple, and is definitely much easier to work with than the recent ROG Strix Z490-E Gaming we reviewed.
Specifications
ASUS ROG Strix B550-E Gaming

CPU support
AMD AM4
3rd Gen AMD Ryzen Processors

Power
1 x 24-pin ATX
1 x 8-pin EATX 12V
1 x 4-pin EATX 12V
ASUS ASP2006 PWM controller (7+1 phase)
14 x MPS MP86992 (70A) powerstage for CPU
2 x MPS MP86992 (70A) powerstage for SoC

Chipset
AMD B550

Memory
4 x DDR4 DIMM, max. 128GB un-buffered memory
Up to 5100 MHz (OC)

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

Expansion slots
PCIe 4.0 x16 (x16 electrically)
PCIe 3.0 x1
PCIe 4.0 x16 (x8 electrically)
PCIe 3.0 x1
PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4 electrically)

Storage
6 x SATA 6 Gb/s, supports RAID 0,1,10
1 x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4/SATA
1 x M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 (disables SATA6G_5/6)

Network
Intel WiFi 6 AX200 (2×2 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.1)
Intel I225-V 2.5G LAN

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

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

Display output
1 x HDMI 2.1
1 x DisplayPort 1.2

Other onboard connectors
1 x CPU fan header
1 x CPU_OPT fan header
1 x AIO_PUMP header
3 x Chassis fan headers
1 x Temperature sensor connector
2 x AURA RGB headers
2 x ARGB Gen 2 headers
1 x Thunderbolt 3 header

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

Included accessories
User’s manual
4 x SATA 6Gb/s cable
1 x M.2 Screw Packages
1 x M.2 rubber package
1 x Wi-Fi Antenna
1 x ARGB extension cable
1 x RGB extension cable
1 x ROG audio USB Type-C cable
1 x Driver disk
1 x ROG Strix stickers
1 x ROG Strix thank you card

Form factor
ATX (12″ x 9.6″)

System

CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT, 8C/16T @ up to 4.7 GHz, 7nm

RAM
2 x 8GB TEAMGROUP T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR4-3600

Motherboard
ASUS ROG Strix B550-E Gaming (BIOS ver. 0805)

GPU
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Advanced Edition 8GB GDDR6

Storage
120GB Kingston A400 SSD
960GB Kingston UV500 SSD
1TB Seagate FireCuda SSHD

CPU Cooling
Cooler Master ML240R

Case
Vector Benchcase

PSU
Cooler Master V850 Gold

Monitor
BenQ EL2870U

Taking a Closer Look
The ROG Strix B550-E Gaming sports a relatively simple construction, and the plus side for that is that it is extremely easy to tear down completely. The plastic PCH cover, VRM heatsinks are all individual pieces and aren’t interconnected, making it much easier to take the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming apart.
The VRMs

ASUS is using some new MPS MP86992 which are rated for up to 70A. On paper, this is actually more impressive than the ROG Crosshair VIII Hero (WiFi)’s power stages which are rated for 60A each, but there are more to MOSFETs than what I can ever claim to understand. With that said, the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming should be more than capable of handling anything AMD will release on AM4.

The PWM controller also seems to be new. It is the ASUS ASP2006, and it is running in a 7+1 configuration, 7 phases for the Vcore and 1 phase for the SoC. While this is great for any of the AMD Ryzen 3000 CPUs, the APUs might not be so happy with the single phase for the iGPU.

Power handling capabilities won’t be an issue here either, with each phase sent through two of the beefy power stages. With 14 power stages feeding the CPU and two feeding the SoC/iGPU, you should have no issue with power deliver at all.
The Audio

ASUS is using the SupremeFX S1220A codec here, which is similar to many of ASUS’ higher-end ROG Strix offerings. But what sets the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming, and the other ASUS B550 boards apart is the USB-C audio capability.

Interestingly, ASUS actually threw in a USB-C port that actually carries an analog audio signal, similar to what most smartphones without a headphone jack offer. If you aren’t using one of those dummy dongles, you can also plug in a DAC here, as it does have USB 2.0 wired up too. The software for the audio on the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming is also quite interesting, as we will see in a bit.

As the USB-C port takes up the S/PDIF’s space on the rear I/O, ASUS went with a S/PDIF header in case you do still want to use optical audio. The port is not included in the box though, so you will have to shell out money for that.
Storage

Like most decent boards today, you get six SATA 6 Gbps ports on top of the two M.2 slots. Storage hoarders may want to look elsewhere though as the last two SATA slots will be disabled if you max out the M.2 slots. This is a limitation of the AMD B550 chipset instead of ASUS’ design though.
Networking

ASUS with an all-Intel networking solution with Intel I225-V 2.5 GbE LAN and also the Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 chip which can handle up to 2.4 Gbps over a WiFi 6 2×2 connection. While there’s only one LAN port, this is arguably better than what ASUS threw into the ROG Crosshair VIII Hero (WiFi), which came with a 2.5 GbE controller from Realtek.
User Experience
Build
The ROG Strix B550-E Gaming is an ATX board that fits into any regular ATX case, and the I/O shield will make the installation process as seamless as possible.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming does not sport an unnecessary ornamental shroud over the M.2 SSD heatspreaders, unlike most of the ASUS boards we checked out since the ROG Crosshair VIII Hero (WiFi). So this makes it much easier to drop in an SSD and call it a day. The first slot is wired up to the CPU for PCIe 4.0 goodness, while the lower slot is connected to the PCH, and thus will only get up to PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth.

Each of the heatspreaders sport pre-applied thermal pads for more optimal heat transfer from the M.2 SSDs to the metal. While PCIe 3.0 SSDs are pretty much fine running without the heatspreader on them, the current crop PCIe 4.0 SSDs would definitely need something to wick the heat away from the toasty controllers.
BIOS
          EZ Mode            Ai Tweaker          PCIe configurations              Digi+ Power          Flex Key            Memory timings              Monitoring            Q-Fan            Voltage adjustments
With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the BIOS of the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming. ASUS threw in ASUS Performance Enhancement (APE) that raises the power limit, but that’s about it. ASUS has always included a Performance Enhancement toggle in their boards, so this just seems like a renamed option. ASUS’ BIOS looks very similar across their lineup and the important features are all where they need to be.

ASUS also dropped in USB BIOS Flashback, which will let you update the BIOS easily on the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming, even without a CPU installed in the socket.
Overclocking
So we mentioned ASUS Performance Enhancement earlier, but it doesn’t seem to add anything to our AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT’s performance from stock. On the other hand, manual overclocking yielded some good results with our Ryzen 7 3800XT averaging 4.55 GHz on all cores.
Now manual overclocking on the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming is far from the best experience because there’s no ReTry button, which makes coming back from a failed overclock a bit more frustrating. The lack of onboard power buttons are much less of a concern to people who intend to use it in a case, but if you are using it on a bench rig, you will have to hook up the case switches for it to work.

The Q-CODE and Q-LEDs helps with identifying the issues that is causing you to fail the POST process, but the position of the Q-CODE way at the bottom of the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming means it will be quite easily obscured by a vertical GPU, or possibly a bottom-mounted radiator. Still, it is nice to have, if you can still see it after you put it into your build.
And thanks to the rather beefy VRMs and heatsinks, the maximum recorded temperature was just 50°C, which is well below the limits of the power stages. This was with the CPU drawing an average of 113W in Realbench over an hour.

Enthusiasts may also find joy in the hole in the socket, as it allows for a K-type thermistor to monitor the socket temps when the CPU’s built in temperature sensor readings cannot be trusted. However that is only necessary in extreme overclocking scenarios. The ROG Strix B550-E Gaming’s power delivery might be more than ready for it, but the lack of on-board power buttons and a ReTry switch can make it frustrating to push the limits of AMD CPUs on this board.
Software
          AI Noise Cancelling            AI Suite 3, Digi+            AI Suite 3, monitoring              Armoury Crate, Aura Sync            GameFirst VI            RamCache III            Realtek Audio Console
The ROG Strix B550-E Gaming comes with a full set of software, and while most of them are pretty familiar to anyone who has used a recent ROG board, the AMD B550 series from ASUS come with AI Noise Cancellation. And it’s exclusive to the ROG Strix and TUF Gaming B550 boards, so of course we had to test it out.

So as mentioned earlier, the ROG audio USB Type-C cable that ASUS provided is an analog adapter. You know, the kind you use with smartphones without a headphone jack. ASUS provided that to allow for people with 4-pole 3.5mm jacks to use it without hunting down a 3.5mm splitter. Quite thoughtful of them.

https://pokde.net/assets/uploads/2020/07/ROG-Strix-B550-E-Gaming-AI-Noise-Cancellation.mp3
The results are above, and you can give it a listen. The noise reduction is very effective, which is extremely important as nobody wants to hear you mashing away on your Cherry MX Blue switches.
On the downside, there is a small but tangible latency between the time you say the words and when the “AI Noise Cancellation” microphone actually recording it as input, so if you are very particular about timing, you should probably avoid using it. It is a software solution, so I guess the latency is unavoidable, but kudos to ASUS for concocting a way to separate their offerings like the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming from the competition.
Conclusion
For RM1548, the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming offers a nice spread of features. The AI noise cancellation was honestly surprisingly good, and the power delivery system is definitely more than capable of handling all the Ryzen 3000 processors. You also get niceties like WiFi 6, 2.5G Ethernet, SLI support and a beefy 14+2 power stage power delivery system, all of which are stuff which you won’t usually find on more affordable boards.

But I would personally still recommend checking out some of the more affordable AMD X570 boards. Even the relatively high-end AMD X570 boards have gone down in pricing recently, which makes them come really close to the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming in terms of pricing. Stocks might be quite limited though, so your mileage may vary. With that said, there are plenty of AMD X570 boards that are cheaper than ROG Strix B550-E Gaming, so it really boils down to what do you need.
The ROG Strix B550-E Gaming offers you features on par with higher-end AMD X570 boards, and the only reason why it is priced like it is is because the cheaper chipset allows it to be offered at a more affordable price point. But if you want the features that the AMD X570 chipset offers like more PCIe 4.0 lanes, more USB 3.0 ports, well… The choice is pretty clear.
Our thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us the ASUS ROG Strix B550-E Gaming for review.

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Valorant Release Date Officially Confirmed – It’s Very Soon

It’s @RiotSuperCakes and @RiotZiegler back with an important update on the future of VALORANT. pic.twitter.com/qGZfv3DWEb
— VALORANT (@PlayVALORANT) May 21, 2020

One of the most popular games recently that took Twitch by storm is Riot Games’ Valorant. Not everyone was able to play it as it was in closed beta since April but now, we know exactly when the Valorant release date will be, and it’s coming very soon.
Announced via the official Twitter account, the Valorant release date is set on 2nd June 2020. On that date, it will be fully available for PC gamers everywhere, so you no longer need an invite to enjoy the game. The devs behind the game mentioned that they have been working hard so gamers can enjoy it as soon as possible, especially given the ongoing pandemic.

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Aside From the Valorant Release Date, Is There Other Things Coming to the Game?
Apart from the release date, the official launch of Valorant will see a number of updates. The biggest update is the addition of a new agent to the game’s playable character roster. Also, there will be a new map and a new game mode.
Unfortunately for now, there are no exact details on the new content so we will have to wait and see when it’s finally out. Once again, the Valorant release date is set for 2nd June 2020 for PC.
Source
Pokdepinion: Can’t wait to finally give the game a try. Not sure if I would play for long but it’s at least worth a try.
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Nothing Reveals Upcoming Product in New YouTube Video

In their most recent YouTube video, Nothing has recently hinted at what is to come.

Now, the video mainly depicts some of the groups involved in the release of Phone (1). However, at the beginning and conclusion of the video, Tom Howard, the company’s head of design, implies that the company’s next gadget will be a new pair of earbuds.
Howard doesn’t mention it exactly, but while holding a gadget obscured in the video, he stated that it was not the Ear (1). When questioned why he can’t reveal the device at the conclusion of the video, Howard responds that he can’t because the company will launch it soon.

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The company’s latest video verifies the rumours that the company is working on new genuine true earphones. The company is currently working on, according to tipster Mukul Sharma, not one but two new true wireless earphone models that are now being tested internally in several European and Asian locations.
Sharma further mentioned that two wireless earbuds with model numbers B155 and B157 have gained SGS Fimko certification and that B157 has already gotten an Indian BIS certification. One of these might be the Ear (1) Stick, which the tipster leaked back in June, and the other could be the Ear (2), the sequel to the Ear (1).

[Exclusive] Nothing is working on not one, but two wireless earphones. Both models have started undergoing internal testing in various European and Asian regions.
While one could be the Nothing Ear (1) Stick which I leaked earlier, the other could be the Ear (2).#Nothing
— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) August 4, 2022

Sharma further mentioned that two wireless earbuds with model numbers B155 and B157 have gained SGS Fimko certification and that B157 has already gotten an Indian BIS certification. One of these might be the Ear (1) Stick, which the tipster leaked back in June, and the other could be the Ear (2), the sequel to the Ear (1).

Nothing B155 and Nothing B157 wireless earphones receive the SGS Fimko certification. The Nothing B157 have already cleared the Indian BIS certification.#Nothing #NothingEar1Stick #NothingEar2 pic.twitter.com/p0LbxBSIlv
— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) August 4, 2022

Source , Source
Pokepinion: Can’t wait to see what the company can bring to the table. Was stoked about the Ear (1) and the Phone (1), and now I’m excited about the new earbuds.
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Samsung Addresses Fix for Galaxy S22 Ultra Screen Flickering Problem

Earlier this month, Samsung debuted the Galaxy S22 Ultra and promised that the product will begin shipping on February 25. However, users who have gotten their units earlier have stumbled on an unexpected problem, which is the screen flickers in certain situations.
An official forum moderator on Reddit has since replied to concerned users on the platform and has assured them that a fix will be happening soon.

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How does the issue occur on the Galaxy S22 Ultra?

If you have an Exynos #GalaxyS22Ultra pls check if your device is affected by this bug, too.
(Notice the graphic glitches/artifacts on lock screen clock.)
Seems to be a widespread issue now.
Reproduce steps in comments. pic.twitter.com/gjznCHTTX2
— Golden Reviewer (@Golden_Reviewer) February 22, 2022

The screen flickers when the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s resolution is set at WQHD and Screen mode is set to Natural. When these options are enabled, the flicker appears when users play Youtube videos or when unlocking the device.
There is a glimmer of hope as the moderator has confirmed that Samsung has already developed a fix for the problem and will have it implemented soon. Until that happens, you can avoid using the WQHD resolution in Natural colour mode to save yourself a headache.
Source
Pokdepinion: Although no one likes having problems on their brand new phones, I like how Samsung already has a solution in mind to solve the issue.
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Job Listing Reveals Interesting Detail About BioShock 4

While it’s been quite some time since we’ve heard about Cloud Chamber’s latest Bioshock title (let’s just call it BioShock 4, shall we?), a job listing for the company has seemingly revealed something interesting on how they plan on creating the game.
BioShock 4 job listing

In the job description, it says that they are looking for “Someone who can weave impactful, character-driven stories in an open world setting”. Considering that this is the first time in the franchise that they would be looking to create such world, it’s quite exciting to see how the game would fare.

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Aside from being an open world title, the game should be similar to what the other three past games has been, so you can rest assured that they are sticking to their roots.
Unfortunately there’s nothing much to go on besides the fact that they will be aiming to create an open world game. There’s no specific release date as well as platforms that the game will be available on but we do expect that it will be arriving on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: When I see a game tries to go to the open-world route, it’s usually a hit or a miss for me. Of course it’s nice to see developers offering you the ability to explore around but I don’t see the point if the world’s “empty”, if you know what I mean.
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Samsung Unveils New UHD Samsung Business TV Line Aimed For Small Businesses

Samsung Business TV: Perfect for small businesses

Samsung Malaysia has revealed a new line of UHD displays called Samsung Business TV which are specifically made for small and medium-sized businesses. Available in four different sizes, 43, 50, 65 and 75-inch, Samsung Business TV is a marriage of Samsung’s expertise in commercial signage with its advanced TV technology. It features a sleek, bezel-less design and provides users with an easy and convenient solution to show personalised content alongside TV programming.

Samsung Business TV comes with more than 100 pre-loaded and pre-designed ad templates which makes it easier and cost saving for business owners to create their own promotional content right on the display for everything from seasonal offers to special deals.  In addition to this, Samsung also released the Samsung Business TV app, which is available on both Android and iOS platforms. The app allows users to remotely manage and control content on connected Business TVs using their own smartphone.

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The Samsung Business TV line features a top notch visual experience typical of Samsung with UHD resolution and a Crystal Display, which ensures optimised colour expression and High-Dynamic Range. This also helps improve brightness levels to better catch the attention of potential customers.
Samsung also mentions that the Business TVs are capable of running 16 hours a day at 7 days a week. It also has a security lock feature along with a panel button lock and USB Port lock to ensure that all information on the display is kept safe. The Business TV App also has a six-digit pin code requirement for added privacy and protection when connecting to the TV. Not only that, it also features an extended warranty guaranteeing that users are always getting the most from their TV.
Samsung Business TV line is available to purchase this month, July 2020. Here are all the variants for sale:

Model No.
RRP

LH75BETHLGKXXM (75” Signage TV)
RM7,720

LH65BETHLGKXXM (65” Signage TV)
RM3,575

LH50BETHLGKXXM (50” Signage TV)
RM2,188

LH43BETHLGKXXM (43” Signage TV)
RM1,875

For more information, do check out Samsung Malaysia’s official website right here.
Pokdepinion: Best feature for me is the Samsung Business TV app and its pre-loaded ad templates. Saves business owners the hassle of designing their own ads. Smart move by Samsung.
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POCO F2 to arrive as true successor of the POCO F1?

The POCO F1 was hugely successful thanks to its grand specifications at an extremely affordable price point. The POCO F2 Pro tried to emulate the recipe, but it is significantly pricier, alienating many budget-conscious POCO fans, despite it ultimately offering even better value for money. To satiate that segment of consumers, POCO is expected to launch the POCO F2 in India.

The stage is set! The fun has begun! Let us get ready to take it to the next level!
Excited? You should be, coz the next year is going to be even crazier.
While we enjoy, let us look back at everything we’ve achieved together! Thank you ❤ pic.twitter.com/K0432jSj8B
— POCO India (@IndiaPOCO) December 31, 2020

POCO India has tweeted a rather elaborate teaser video, before revealing the POCO F2 name several times after the 0:40 mark. It is worth mentioning that the POCO F2 Pro was never released in India officially, so it might be that India will be getting the POCO F2 Pro renamed as the POCO F2 there, or it might be an entirely different device.

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According to rumors, the latter will be the case. I do have mixed feelings, as according to the leaks, it won’t sport the same “flagship specifications at a mid-range price” formula that made both the POCO F1 and POCO F2 Pro great. Instead, it will be a mid-range device featuring a Snapdragon 732G. That’s a huge downgrade from the POCO F1’s flagship Snapdragon 845, as the Snapdragon 732G isn’t even Qualcomm’s top mid-range chipset.
Other leaked specifications include a quad-camera setup and a 4250mAh battery. Do take these rumors with a pinch of salt though, as it appears to be too close to the mid-range POCO X3 to even deserve its own launch, much less as a member of the POCO F-series.
POCO India Director, Anuj Sharma, has previously said that the POCO F2 Pro isn’t a true successor to the POCO F1, and that they are working to develop one. If the POCO F2 powered by a Snapdragon 732G is all they can muster, I am pretty sure many POCO fans will be quite disappointed with POCO India.

Personally, I think if POCO India plans on making a true successor to the POCO F1, they can probably go along the route of throwing a Snapdragon 865 into the POCO X3’s body. The POCO X3 sports a 120Hz LCD display, which is perfect to satisfy the gamers who might want an upgrade to the ageing POCO F1.
Source
Pokdepinion: I think the POCO X3 NFC is a great enough device with the Snapdragon 732G to cover all the bases… Hopefully the rumors are false…
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Malaysia will get ROG Thor 850W and 1200W — the most over-engineered power supplies you will ever find!

Power supplies are one the most underrated components in your build. You need it to deliver power to the rest of your fancy hardware, and yet most people hide it behind shrouds. Here’s one you don’t want to though. The ROG Thor PSU.
These power supplies look great with ROG motifs all over the power supply. RGB lighting is a given in 2018, and ROG has equipped the ROG Thor with addressable RGB lighting. ROG then goes a step further with an OLED display. This display shows the power draw from the wall socket. But that’s not all.

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It comes with everything you would expect of a premium power supply, like fully modular cables, 80+ Platinum efficiency and a long list of protection features. ASUS has made sure that the ROG Thor is worthy of the ROG brand, and they are backing the ROG Thor comes with a whopping 12 year warranty for the ROG Thor 1200W and a still impressive 10-year warranty for the ROG Thor 850W. This alone shows ASUS’ confidence in their product!
Malaysia will be getting both variants, so you can pick the power supply to suit your needs and your budget. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but we are sure that it will not be cheap. Stay tuned for more information!
Pokdepinion: Now that’s a power supply I want to show off. Still have to work on my cable management skills though…
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PS5 Price May Have Been Leaked By Retailer And It’s Surprisingly Affordable

As we start to learn more and more about the PlayStation 5, the one thing that still evades us is the retail price. A Canadian retailer may have accidentally leaked the PS5 price and if it’s legit, it is surprisingly affordable.
The retailer in question is Canadian games store Play N Trade Vancouver Island, who opened up pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 at CAD $559.99. This roughly translates to roughly USD $394 / RM1,715. Due to currency exchange, that may not be the exact figure but we can safely estimate the PS5 price in North America to be USD $399, which translates to about RM1,739.

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This puts the next-gen console at the same launch price as the PlayStation 4, which is pretty affordable considering the parts that you’re getting. There are two possibilities with this pricing.
Why the PS5 Price is Listed Quite Affordably By the Retailer?

The first is that Sony purposely priced it that way to gain an advantage over the Xbox Series X. A lower price would definitely make it more attractive to a wide number of consumers. The PS4 itself was priced USD $100 cheaper than the Xbox One at launch and we expect them to take a similar approach this time around.
The other possibility is that the retailer isn’t actually aware of the PS5 price, and customers will have to fork out the balance if the retail price is higher than what they have stated.
Either way, with both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X expected to launch in Holiday 2020, possibly in November, we do expect there to be an official announcement for the price sooner or later.
Source
Pokdepinion: If that price is real, then it’s line with my predictions and I will most likely buy it at launch. That’s a pretty good price if you ask me.
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Logitech announces new RGB gaming keyboard — Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum

Today Logitech has expanded its gaming peripherals lineup with the new Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum gaming keyboard, featuring Logitech’s exclusive Romer-G mechanical switches as well as customizable RGB lighting and dedicated media controls.
Compared to the rest of Logitech’s mechanical keyboard, the G810 Orion Spectrum is focused on delivering performance, which is why it sports a clean and simple design, compared to the more striking designs of the previous models. Despite its looks, the G810 Orion Spectrum comes with RGB LED lighting with 16.8 million colors.

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The Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum features the Romer-G switches which are said to have near-instant responsiveness, registering key presses up to 25 percent faster than standard mechanical switches. It also tested to have an actuation point of 1.5mm and up to 70 million keystrokes durability.
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It features dedicated media controls that can be used to play, pause and mute. Use the roller to adjust the volume, or skip to the next song with the touch of a button. The G810 Orion Spark weighs 1.18KG and measures 153×443.5x343mm. It also comes with rubber feet with three-step angle adjustment, 26-key rollover, braided cable, matte surface texture and more gamer-oriented features.

The Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning February 2016 for a suggested retail price of $159 (approximately MYR 665).
Product information: Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum

Pokdepinion: The Logitech G810 is lacks the Facet Keycap and goes with a more conservative design. At the end it remain a question whether it supports custom keycaps for more customizability.
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Transcend’s Best Product Award Highlights of 2016

Transcend is proud to present its best product award highlights in the year of 2016 from the prestigious UK’s No.1 Digital Camera Magazine, Apple Mobile Poland, Good Design Award Japan, and APC Magazine Australia.
StoreJet 25M3: Hi-Speed, Military Grade Shock Resistant External Storage

Packed with Military Grade shock-resistant qualities and SuperSpeed 5Gb/s interface bandwidth of USB 3.0, the StoreJet 25M3 allow users to shrug off the knocks from the daily city life with the highest level of anti-shock protection while still able to enjoy ultra-fast data transfers.

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Check out our review of the StoreJet 25M3 here.
JetDrive Go 500: The Storage Expansion Solution for Your iPhone, iPad and iPod

Specifically designed for iPhone, iPad and iPod, the JetDrive Go 500 features external storage expansion for your iDevice by up to 128GB, JetDrive Go App with intuitive interface to take full advantage of the JetDrive Go 500, and a sleek Zinc Alloy enclosure that comes available in gold and silver color to match the color scheme of your iDevice.
DrivePro 50 Car Video Recorder: Compact Dashcam for Ultimate Protection on the Road

Featuring an extremely compact size, the DrivePro 50 can be well hidden behind the rearview mirror without blocking the driver’s view. The DrivePro 50 also boasts a large F/1.8 aperture, a 130° viewing angle and a Full HD imaging sensor for clear and smooth 1080p video recording to capture all details of an incident during either daytime or night-time. The DrivePro 50 also comes with a built-in Wi-Fi and the free DrivePro New App, which allows users to stream, download, and share videos on their smartphones and tablets. Besides, the built-in G-Sensor in DrivePro 50 will detect the impact and instantly trigger emergency recording mode. This prevents overwriting of the recording made of the critical moments leading up to the accident.
SSD220S: Entry Level Solid-State Drive with Uncompromising Performance

Transcend’s SSD220 SATA III 6Gb/s SSD boasts uncompromising transfer speeds of up to 550MB/s to accelerate system boot-up and loading times at an economic price point. By using only high-quality flash chips and enhanced firmware algorithms, Transcend’s SSD220 is guaranteed to deliver greater reliability. With full support of SATA Device Sleep Mode (DevSleep), the Transcend SSD220 can prolong notebook battery life by consuming up to 90% less power.
Check out our review of the Transcend SSD220S here.
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Cooler Master Officially Launch MasterBox NR400 And NR600 Cases

Today marks the launch of Cooler Master’s new NR series, the MasterBox NR400 and the MasterBox NR600, which comes with form and function with a minimalist design and bold performance.

The smaller MasterBox NR400 supports up to mATX motherboards, while its larger sibling, NR600 supports up to standard ATX motherboards. The NR series signify airflow performance in its purest, simplest form.

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Their tempered glass side panel is fastened by thumbscrews on the rear panel, keeping the surface completely flushed. As you can see, the new NR series cases comes with a full mesh front panel. On top is a ventilated panel, providing for even better thermal performance.

For cable management, it features high quality, longer length rubber grommets paired with generous clearance behind the motherboard that offers ample room for settle your cables. Coming with an Optical Disc Drive (ODD), you can get both MasterBox NR400 and NR600 now in Malaysia for the price of RM249 and RM299 respectively.
We’ve actually reviewed the MasterBox NR400 just recently. You can read more on our thoughts here and find out what we think of the case.
Pokdepinion: Be sure to check out our review, in case you haven’t already!
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12V2x6 Is Yet Another GPU Connector Looking To Fix 12VHPWR’s Problems
Image: Igor’sLAB

The 12VHPWR connector has gained notoriety due to its tendency to melt GPUs and power supplies, and investigations eventually concluded that it was largely a user error due to incorrectly seated connectors. However, it has been demonstrated that even when the connector is seated, it’s still possible to unseat it ever so slightly to induce loose contacts and thus triggers a meltdown.
Igor’sLAB has reported that NVIDIA is currently designing a new pin-compatible GPU connector to supersede the 12VHPWR, this time named 12V2x6 (pronounced “twelve volt two by six”). This will be the third 12-pin GPU connector in recent years, starting from the proprietary 12-pin in RTX 30 series Founders Edition GPUs. The 12V2x6 will feature the same 12+4-pin design, though it’s now modified to reduce the chances of meltdown incidents.
          12VHPWR Schematics (Image: Igor’sLAB)            12V2x6 Schematics (Image: Igor’sLAB)

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The connector will feature more standardized testing which should keep the quality consistent from different connector makers and providers; and the most important change is the reduction in length of the pins – which is now placed further back to make sure the connection will only occur when the connector is fully seated. However, this connector will use a different specification which likely mandates a firmware update for GPUs or PSUs should compatibility be maintained in these products.
NVIDIA and PCI-SIG (organization body behind PCI and connector standards) are currently evaluating two options for the final design, though the current draft is said to be in advanced stage and should enter market as early as next year with the new GPU launches, likely as part of NVIDIA’s mid-cycle refresh.
Source: Videocardz
Pokdepinion: Hopefully this would be the end of 12VHPWR saga.
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Realme Set For Malaysia With Three Smartphones — A Contender For The Market?

Previously we’ve reported on the company Realme, which is set to enter the Southeast Asia market. It seems that they will be bringing in three devices in the form of the Realme 2, Realme 2 Pro, as well as the Realme C1.
Realme 2, Realme 2 Pro, & Realme C1
First up is the Realme 2. Featuring a 6.2-inch display that comes with a screen-to-body-ratio of 88.8%, it is sports a 2.5D nanoscale composite material. Under the hood, it packs a big 4230mAh battery and the phone comes with an AI Power Manager, which they claimed can help on providing an exceptionally long battery life.
Running on it is Color OS 5.1 (based on Android 8.1 Oreo) and it utilizes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset. Storage wise, it comes in two variants; 3GB/32GB or 4GB/64GB.

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For cameras, it sports a dual camera setup at the back with 13MP+2MP lens, while for selfies, it comes with a 8MP shooter.

With the Realme 2Pro, it comes in a smaller 5.5-inch display with a 16:9 ratio. It is packed with a Snapdragon 660 chipset and comes with AI. The Realme 2Pro is equipped with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. If that is not enough for you, you can expand it up to 256GB through microSD.
Battery is 3500mAh big and it comes with an AI sleep mode, which they’ve said can smartly sense circumstances in which users are using the phone, employing different power saving strategies, thus prolonging usage.
The phone comes with 16MP rear dual cameras, with the primary lens is equipped with an IMX398 sensor that supports dual-core focusing, f1.7 aperture and 6P lens. As for the front camera, it sports a 16MP shooter.
Last on the list is the Realme C1. Coming in as an entry-level device, it offers a Snapdragon 450 and packs 2GB RAM which is paired with 16GB of internal storage. Display wise, it offers a 6.2-inch which comes with Full HD 1080p.
Battery of the device is quite big at 4230mAh and the phone also offers a dual rear camera setup (13MP+2MP). It’s front shooter is just a 5MP camera and the Realme C1 runs on Color OS 5.1.
Pricing and availability of these phones are yet to be announced, but we expect it to be coming real soon.
Pokdepinion: It would be interesting to see how they will fare in the smartphone market, since they competition is rather tough these days. The most important part is for them to get their price right. Overprice them by just a little bit, and no one will choose to buy.
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Acer Aspire S13 review — affordable ultrabook

Portability is increasingly important, especially as you age. I have heard of Alienware users who decided that they love their backs too much to lug around few kilos of computer around with them. While there may be those who in turn splurge on portable beasts like the MSI GS63VR 6RF Stealth Pro that we just recently reviewed, most will be willing to sacrifice some performance for even more portability, and of course, lesser damage to the wallet. That’s where ultrabooks come in, and while most are quite pricey, today we have the Acer Aspire S13, one of the few that won’t break your back, nor your bank.

Unboxing

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The Acer Aspire S13 comes in a standard black cardboard carton.

Opening up the box reveals the Acer Aspire S13 wrapped in a thin foam material. Doesn’t seem as reusable as fabric sleeves, but it does its job of protecting the Acer Aspire S13 during shipping.

Here are all the contents that came with our unit. Quite a sparse spread, but it covers the basics. You get some documentation, the power adapter, and that’s it. It would have been nice to see a sleeve in the box like what the ASUS ZenBook Flip had, but third party sleeves are quite cheap anyway.

Appearance

The Acer Aspire S13 we received is the Pearl White variant. White is quite a poor choice for me, and obviously for the one who reviewed the Acer Aspire S13 before me. It gets dirty easily, and with the matte finishing of the lid, removing it may not be that easy. It also features a ridged texture , probably for a better grip, and definitely for better looks. The gold trim along the edge offers a splash of contrast, but the silver trim that is paired with the black finishing on the Obsidian Black variant is definitely more attractive to me.

Tell me this doesn’t look good?

Opening up the laptop reveals the 13.3″ display and the chiclet keyboard surrounded by the aluminium palm rest. The bezels surrounding the display are decent, but they could definitely take it a step further like Dell did with their ultrabooks sporting InfintyEdge displays.

Let’s take a closer look at the keyboard. As usual for 13.3″ models, the numpad is tossed out. The keys are standard sized, with an unsurprisingly layout. The power button in the upper right corner may have a tendency of being accidentally pressed, but I had no issues with it during my review. The palm rests are made of aluminium, and this all the metal you get in the design of the Acer Aspire S13.

Along the edges, you get a chamfered edge which seamless meshes with the lower half which is made of plastic.

The underside of the Acer Aspire S13 is plastic, finished in a soft-touch pearl white coat. It is nice to hold, and offers a decent grip when carrying it around. Vents along the rear edge handle the cooling of the Acer Aspire S13. I wonder why didn’t Acer throw in a fanless system, like they did so successfully with the Acer Switch Alpha 12?

Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i5-6200U @ 2.3 GHz (up to 2.8 GHz Turbo Boost)

RAM
8GB (dual-channel, soldered) 1600 MHz DDR3L

GPU
Intel HD Graphics 520

Storage
256GB Kingston M.2 SATA3 SSD

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Acer Care Center
Acer Quick Access
Acer Power Button
Dolby Audio
HD Audio Manager

Connectivity
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174 820.11ac 2×2 MU-MIMO Wireless Network Adapter
Bluetooth 4.1
2 x USB 3.0
1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C (5 Gbps)
SD card reader

Display
13.3″ FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) anti-glare display
1 x HDMI

Audio
2 x stereo speakers
1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Power
45W AC adapter, 3-cell battery (non-removable)

Dimensions
327 x 228 mm x 14.6 mm

Weight
1.3kg

Performance

The 256GB SSD in the Acer Aspire S13 is acceptably fast, and offers decent space for most of the software you need. Booting up is quick, and apps also load quickly, which is excellent.

Intel’s Core i5 6200U is mated to 8GB of RAM running at 1600 MHz, which is soldered onto the board itself. You will not get to upgrade the RAM on the Acer Aspire S13. Performance is decent, but we would have preferred upgradable RAM. But perhaps sacrifices are to be made when it’s so thin.

Integrated graphics performance from Intel has increased a lot, but still have a long way to go to match dedicated solutions from NVIDIA or AMD. Still, light gaming on this is definitely possible, as we have proven with the Acer Switch Alpha 12. During Heaven benchmark, the Acer Aspire S13’s CPU hit around 71°C, which caused the cooling fan to go full blast in bursts. The sound was quite high pitched, but you will most probably miss it in any normal environment with some background noise.
The battery life of the Acer Aspire S13 is its main selling point, and it does deliver. 5 hours plus of surfing, editing blogs and streaming a whole movie. Brightness was at 50%, with the keyboard at its highest brightness. I believe this is quite a good showing, and if you turn off WiFi you might get even longer battery life.

User Experience
As expected of an ultrabook, it is really light, weighing in at 1.3kg only. It is also very thin at 14.6mm, making for a really portable computer. Since it has a decently long battery life, you can pretty much leave the charger behind when carrying it around for a day’s work. Build quality is decent with no creaking or unwanted noises anywhere, but the keyboard and lid does suffers from some flexing when pressed hard.

The keyboard is backlit, with decent tactile feedback. Travel is a bit short, but it is still comfortable to type on.I usually type on a mechanical keyboard, but switching over to the Acer Aspire S13 was quite seamless. The standard layout and key sizes are great and do not need much getting used to.

The touchpad is inlaid into the palm rests, with chamfered edges surrounding it. There are no markings where the left and right click buttons are, and you just kinda guess where they are and press the lower left and right corners. Clicks are tactile, with decent audible feedback. Tracking can get annoying especially when trying to click on really small objects.

I/O on the Acer Aspire S13 is limited. On the left, we have a USB 3.0 port, the 3.5mm audio jack and the card reader. The card reader has a dummy slotted in it. I am not sure if this is to prevent dust entry or just to offer a more seamless look, but either way it is yet another bit that is bound to get lost soon.

Over on the left we have the charging connector, HDMI port, the second USB 3.0 port and the USB Type-C port. You must note that this Type-C port here complies to the USB 3.1 Gen1 standard, which means a max transfer speed of 5 Gbps, not the 10 Gbps true USB 3.1 is capable of. It doesn’t support the Thunderbolt 3 standard either, which means no external GPUs or extra displays over the Type-C port.

Display wise, the 13.3″ 1080p IPS panel is solid. As I am used to 1080p on 15.6″ and 23″ displays, the display here is extra sharp. A glossy panel would have been better to show off the sharpness, but that would sacrifice outdoor usability. Colors are vivid, with deep black levels, making this a good display for media consumption. However when compared to higher-end ultrabooks, you may find the 1080p resolution to be a little dated.

Acer Quick Access offers blue light filtering, as well as a display-optimizing “Color Intelligence” mode which doesn’t work on battery mode.

Sound is pumped out of two speakers placed under the Acer Aspire S13 on each side. The speakers are loud , with decent quality to it. Don’t expect bass to make a strong presence here, but it does suffice to enjoy some music or movies with friends. The best preset to use in Dolby Audio is Music, which makes the Acer Aspire S13’s sound profile more solid.

If you prefer to personalize the sound signature, the Dolby Audio app also allows you to do just that with an equalizer and 3 toggles to tune the sound just to your liking.

Conclusion
The Acer Aspire S13 does its job pretty well, and for a quite affordable price. Despite it being built nearly entirely from plastic, it still manages to look attractive. The white one here may not look like much, but the black one is really good looking. Do check out the Acer Aspire S13 if you are in the market for an ultrabook costing around RM3399. It has almost everything you want from an ultrabook, and if you don’t mind the plastic build, it is a great buy for the money. For that, I believe the Acer Aspire S13 is worthy of our Silver Pokdeward.

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EA CEO Reveals Why They Could Remove FIFA Branding

As you may recall from our previous coverage, EA is looking to ditch the FIFA branding from their football franchise. It seems that a new leaked comments within the company, the company’s CEO Andrew Wilson has unveiled why they are doing so, at least if it does indeed happens.
EA to remove FIFA branding?
According to sources, it seems that the CEO has said that the company is being restricted by FIFA and are not getting enough value where he has said:
Basically, what we get from FIFA in a non-World Cup year is the four letters on the front of the box. FIFA is just the name on the box, but they’ve precluded our ability to be able to branch into the areas that players want.
Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA
It appears that the company hasn’t had the freedom to experiment with the franchise where they are limited to 11v11 matches. As we’ve reported before, FIFA is looking for over $1 billion in the course of 4 years for their license.

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Wilson has go on and said that the company doesn’t want to pay more money that what’s been asked of them.
The license of using FIFA in their branding is set to expire after this year’s World Cup, which is scheduled to end on the 18th of December 2022. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: Like I mentioned in the previous article, it will be weird not seeing “FIFA” in the title. That being said, if it indeed does offer them freedom to innovate the franchise, I’m all in for it. Let’s see where it goes from here.
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GIGABYTE AMD 500 series boards get BIOS updates to fully support AMD Ryzen 5000 processors

The current AMD BIOS AGESA 1.0.8.0 is will allow you to boot with your spanking new Zen 3 processors, but to experience the best performance out of them, you will need the AMD BIOS AGESA 1.1.0.0. GIGABYTE will be giving you just that on their lineup of AMD 500 series motherboards, from the AMD X570 boards down to the budget AMD A520 options.

AMD’s new Ryzen 5000 series processors promise an amazing 19% IPC uplift, which should be sufficient to entice any enthusiast to upgrade. Understanding that, GIGABYTE has already released the latest BIOS based on the newest AGESA code to ensure that you will be ready to experience the full performance of the AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors on 5th November.

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Depending on your motherboard, you can either update the BIOS via the @BIOS utility, or Q-Flash Plus. The latest BIOS versions for GIGABYTE’s AMD 500 series motherboards are as follows:

AMD X570 – F31
AMD B550 – F11
AMD A520 – F11

GIGABYTE is also working on the BIOS updates for their AMD X470 and B450 motherboards to support the Ryzen 5000 series processors. Those are expected to arrive sometime next year, although GIGABYTE promises to release them ASAP. Do stay tuned for them if you are using one GIGABYTE’s 400 series boards!
Pokdepinion: It’s always great to be able to use older boards with the latest processors…
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