Intel Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X coming in Q3 2017?

AMD may be hogging all the news channels with the upcoming public demo in just a few hours time of the AMD Zen “Summit Ridge” or what we know will be named Ryzen, but Intel is rumored to be preparing its high-end desktop processors for the X299 platform, the Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X series for launch in Q3 2017.

The new CPUs will succeed the current Broadwell-E series, with a prices ranging from $468 to $1780, according to reports. Both Kaby Lake-X and Skylake-X series should launch in Q3 2017, or just in time for Gamescom 2017, which should start on the 22nd of August 2017. Both line-ups will support Intel’s new X299 chipset with the new LGA2066 socket, which means your current motherboards will have to replaced to use these new CPUs.

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The Kaby Lake-X, which will represent the lower end of the new platform, will come in a quad-core configuration, with 8MB of cache, 112W TDP and a pretty basic 16 PCIe Gen3 lanes. Skylake-X will be available in 6, 8and 10 core configurations with 13.75MB cache and up to 44 PCIe Gen3 lanes for the deca-core part.

Pokdepinion: I hope that the leak for the Kaby Lake-X’s specifications is wrong, as the 16 PCIe Gen3 lanes and quad-core configuration doesn’t give anyone a reason to pick it over a i7-7700K.
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Visionox to supply HONOR And HUAWEI’s display panels starting March 2020

Visionox may not ring as many bells as say BOE or Samsung when it comes to OLED displays, but they are a pretty big display maker in China. Visionox is the manufacturer for the OLED displays in the Xiaomi Mi Note 10, the nubia Red Magic 3 and also the unique Mi MIX Alpha with its all-around curved display. Soon, HUAWEI and HONOR will be joining the list of brands that Visionox supplies OLED displays to too.
Visionox has reportedly received an official supplier code from HUAWEI, and the smartphone giant will be evaluating samples by February 2020 and start using Visionox OLED panels in their products starting March 2020. According to the report, Visionox’s OLED panels will be used in HONOR’s and HUAWEI nova smartphones.

Visionox is expected to deliver around five to ten million display panels to HUAWEI this year.

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On the other hand, this development may finally result in mass-marketed HONOR smartphones with OLED displays, which has largely stayed away from OLED displays aside from the HONOR Magic 2.

We might also see some fancy new screen designs, as Visionox doesn’t shy away from the quirky. The Mi MIX Alpha is testament to that, and Visionox has already showcased their foldable OLED panels previously. A HONOR foldable smartphone soon?
Pokdepinion: Can’t wait for HONOR’s flagships to finally tout OLED displays!
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WhatsApp Launches PiP Support and Caption Feature for iPhone Video Calls

The WhatsApp picture-in-picture support in video calls for iPhone users will be leaving beta and rolling out for users worldwide.
WhatsApp Picture-in-Picture Video Call Support for iPhones

WhatsApp introduces Picture-in-Picture (PiP) support for iPhone video calls, as announced last December. Initially, the feature was only available to beta users, but it is now rolling out to all users across the globe who are using an iPhone running iOS 12.0 or later.

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The latest WhatsApp version 23.3.77 for iPhone offers users the convenience of multitasking during a WhatsApp video call by minimizing the app. With the support for iOS Picture in Picture (PiP), the video call will not be paused while you use other apps. Furthermore, the new update also lets users add captions when sending documents. This new feature is now available to all WhatsApp users, making it easier to understand and categorize documents shared through the platform.
The update’s changelog also mentions that longer group subjects and descriptions are now supported, which can help describe groups more accurately. Users can now create personalized avatars and use them as stickers and profile photos.
Simply go to Settings > Avatar to get started. With the latest update for iPhone, users can enjoy a more productive experience during video calls, as well as added convenience in managing and sharing documents. The extended group description length is also a helpful addition for creating a more organized group environment. Upgrade your WhatsApp to version 23.3.77 today to access these features.
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Pokdepinion: This will make it much easier when you need to go check something for reference while still on video call. It’s kind of awkward to be in a video call but not being able to see their face while you’re looking stuff up.
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HONOR 9X details surfaces on Weibo — Kirin 810, next-gen AllView display, Ark compiler?

The HONOR 8X was one of HONOR’s most successful smartphones, with an affordable price tag for an impressive feature set. The upcoming HONOR 9X looks set to continue the HONOR 8X’s legacy, with an impressive set of new technologies crammed into the mid-range device.
The first of which is the Kirin 810, which has been benchmarked to deliver better AI performance than even the Snapdragon 855, while overall performance is higher than the Snapdragon 730. Given that this is going to be HUAWEI’s current upper-mid range chipset, its inclusion isn’t all that surprising. What’s surprising is that HONOR is going to implement graphene cooling to improve sustained performance. Currently HONOR and HUAWEI only implement graphene in their higher range devices.

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In addition to the new chipset, the HONOR 9X will also sport a new “Hongyan” Super Signal technology for better connectivity. It will also tout the Super Bluetooth technology introduced with the HONOR 20 series, intelligently extending Bluetooth range to above 200 meters. The display on the device is going to be a next-gen AllView display, along with an under-display fingerprint scanner, although there aren’t any details about what’s next-gen about it.

On the software end, the HONOR 9X will offer the new EROFS file system and the Ark compiler borrowed from Hongmeng OS. There’s also something which is directly translated as “all stage resources distribution centre”, which we believe will be an intelligent resource allocation system. Probably powered by their AI.
Last but not least, there is going to be a 48MP AI camera, which isn’t all that surprising in the mid-range segment now. The HONOR 9X is expected to launch on 23rd July, so we will probably see more leaks roll out over the coming weeks.
Pokdepinion: Software optimizations are just as important as powerful hardware, and the HONOR 9X looks quite promising in that aspect…
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HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Good, But Even Better for Some

Unboxing the HONOR MagicBook X 16
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Box

The HONOR MagicBook X 16 came in a standard brown cardboard box with the brand’s logo in the center. We’re not sure if this was done intentionally for recyclability or not but it is something. Inside the box, you will find the following items:
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Box content

Power cable
65W Charging brick
User guide
Warranty card
The HONOR MagicBook X 16 laptop itself

Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i5-1235U @ 1.3GHz (up to 4.4 GHz Boost), 12M, 10C/12T, Intel 7 (10nm), 15W TDP

RAM
8GB LPDDR4X 4266MHz

GPU
Intel Iris Xe Graphics

Storage
512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD (Kioxia BG5 Series)

Software
Microsoft Windows 11 Home

Connectivity
Wireless
Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.1
HONOR Magic-link
Wired
1 x USB-C
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
1 x HDMI 1.4b
1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack

Display
16″ Full HD (1920 x 1200) 60Hz IPS display (16:10), 300 nits, 89% screen-to-body ratio
TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light and TÜV Rheinland Flicker Free certification

Audio
2 x speakers
2 x microphones

Power
65W power adapter (USB-C)
60 WHr Li-polymer battery

Dimensions
356.2 x 250.1 x 17.9 mm

Weight
1.75 kg

Performance
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – CrystalDiskMark
Starting off our benchmark suite with CrystalDiskMark, the HONOR MagicBook X 16 uses a 512GB NVMe SSD that is decent at best. We’ve definitely seen much better storage devices around but realistically speaking, this is more than enough for most people as it still gives you very quick boot ups and load times.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Cinebench R20
Moving on to Cinebench R20, the HONOR MagicBook X 16 has rather good numbers considering it’s not an i7 CPU. I find it interesting that its Intel Core i5-1235U actually managed to beat an i7-1255U, which is one tier above it, in multi-core performance.

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HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Unigine SuperPosition
Then on Unigine SuperPosition in the 4K Optimized test, it barely managed to pass the 1,000 mark, which isn’t surprising given the lack of a discrete GPU. Sure, the Intel Iris Xe is good, but it can only do so much.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – 3DMark Time Spy
A similar pattern can be seen on 3DMark Time Spy, with the score being relatively low for the same reason as before. If you plan on buying a laptop for gaming, 3D rendering, or anything similar, this is not the one for you.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – PCMark 10
Lastly on PCMark 10, it shows the HONOR MagicBook X 16 being a solid choice for productivity, web browsing, and similar lighter tasks. Digital content creation will require a decent dGPU to be scored higher. Editing pictures should be perfectly fine still but definitely not a good idea to edit videos on this.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Battery endurance test
If you’re wondering about the battery life, the HONOR MagicBook X 16 is decent but I expected it to be a little bit better. It managed to last 7 hours and 59 minutes (479 minutes) in PCMark’s Modern Office endurance test before it died. I theorize that this is due to the slightly larger display as it’s 16 inches with a 16:10 aspect ratio compared to the standard 15.6-inch 16:9 display. This isn’t a bad thing however as I prefer it this way.
The Good
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review
The first good thing about the HONOR MagicBook X 16 is the most obvious one, which is the display. The colours have that punchy, saturated look which is always pleasing to the eyes but not only that, it’s larger than your average laptop. After all, it’s a 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, so it’s slightly taller and you can see more without making it bulky.
Other than that, it has a clean, classy look which makes it perfect for work, be it at the office or for students pursuing their diploma / degree. Admittedly, it does look similar to a MacBook but if you put that aside, it’s an attractive design for sure, and it manages to keep that and its size while still retaining a lightweight body, weighing in just a mere 1.75kg. Anything lighter and you’d be press to find a smaller laptop, around 13 to 14 inches.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Keyboard
What isn’t like a MacBook however is the keyboard, as it’s certainly comfortable to use. The keys are spaced out well, you get a good tactile feedback while still being relatively quiet, and it has a travel distance of just 1.5mm. Furthermore, the power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner, which means you can keep this laptop secure while also making it convenient for you to login. From my experience, it didn’t have trouble reading my fingerprint at all.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Ports
You also get a good array of ports with the HONOR MagicBook X 16 as it comes with a USB-C port, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, an HDMI 1.4b port, and a combo audio jack. There was no mention of Thunderbolt anywhere but considering the whole package, especially since you’re charging with USB-C, it’s certainly more than enough for most consumers.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Powered by 12th Gen Intel Core
From a performance standpoint, the HONOR MagicBook X 16 certainly could do better, but it’s not a bad laptop. When you take into account its retail price of RM3,499, it has a pretty solid value proposition. To get a 12th Gen Intel Core laptop with 512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD (which can be expanded as it has two SSD slots) on top of the freebies (wireless mouse, backpack, and Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019), it’s hard to find a deal this good elsewhere, especially if you want a 16-inch laptop which already has very few choices in the market now.
Lastly, one of the best things about the HONOR MagicBook X 16 is the HONOR Magic-link. Essentially, it’s a means of connecting your smartphone with the laptop via NFC to transfer files, share clipboards, record the laptop screen, and manage files wirelessly. If you’re one of the people who can make use of the feature, it will certainly make your life easier and gives you more reason to buy this laptop. I do have more to say about this but you will have to read it in the next section.
The Bad
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Lid
Going back to the HONOR Magic-link, it’s a great feature but it’s not one that everyone can make use of. This is because it’s only compatible with selected HONOR and HUAWEI devices with NFC capabilities. If you’re using an iPhone or any other Android smartphone, you’re out of luck, which is a shame since this can actually make your life more convenient. It’s certainly one way for them to encourage people to adopt their ecosystem, that’s for sure.
NOTE: At the time of this writing, the page that lists the full compatibility of smartphones for this feature is down, so all I can say for sure is that it works with HONOR and HUAWEI smartphones with NFC capabilities.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – Display
While the display of the HONOR MagicBook X 16 is one of the better ones around, there’s a missed opportunity here as it lacks touchscreen support. It’s pretty light and easy to bring around, especially given its size, but having touchscreen would add a lot more versatility to the laptop as it makes using it without a mouse a viable option.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review – More portsm no card reader
This drawback is far from a dealbreaker but given the size of the laptop, a number of users might be expecting otherwise, and that is the lack of an SD card reader. One would think it would be easy to add it in for that added bit of convenience but unfortunately, there is none here. You will need to get a USB card reader if you need the feature.
Lastly, the speakers on this laptop is certainly lacking. The quality it produces sound rather tinny and hollow, but the volume is also only decent at best. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s soft but it would have been nicer if it was a little bit louder at maximum volume. Best to use this with your favourite pair of earphones / headphones.
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Verdict
HONOR MagicBook X 16 Review
The HONOR MagicBook X 16 is a pretty solid laptop for productivity, regardless of whether you’re a student or you’re using this for work. It’s hard to find one with such a high value proposition, especially for a 16-inch laptop, and it gets even more attractive if you’re an HONOR or HUAWEI smartphone user with the Magic-link feature.
At the end of our HONOR MagicBook X 16 review, I award this laptop with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to HONOR Malaysia for sending us this laptop for the purpose of this review.
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Cooler Master CK550 RGB Mechanical Keyboard Review — smooth strokes and pretty colors

Introduction
Cooler Master is quite seasoned in the mechanical keyboard area. Anyone remember CM Storm? It was Cooler Master’s gaming-oriented brand back then, and there were quite a few notable boards like the QuickFire TK, Rapid-i and QuickFire XT, which actually lived on in the MasterKeys family — after the transition to Cherry MX RGB switches and some other tweaks — as the MasterKeys Pro M, MasterKeys Pro S and MasterKeys Pro L, respectively. So as a brand that isn’t too afraid to look back and give some old stuff a new breath, the Cooler Master CK550 RGB is something really quite different. It is not under the MasterKeys series, comes with a new design, and features Gateron switches, while all of Cooler Master’s previous mechanical keyboards used Cherry MX switches exclusively. Can Cooler Master come up with a decent product with so much new? Let’s take a look.
Unboxing

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The packaging isn’t all that new, with the signature purple used in the packaging of most recent Cooler Master products. Interestingly, Cooler Master refrained from mentioning which switches they are using, despite Gateron being a rather reputable brand as compared to Oetemu or God forbid, Content. Purists will probably say that anything other than Cherry MX is inferior, which is probably what Cooler Master is trying to avoid here.

On the back we find a list of highlighted features.

Instead of the fabric pouch the previous mechanical keyboards from Cooler Master came in, this time we get a hard plastic cover. This is actually pretty nice as it can double as a case to protect the keyboard from dust when not in use. Not nearly as useful for transporting around though.

The included keycap puller features a nice round hole to grip it with, a nice inclusion with what is a budget keyboard that most probably won’t see much in the way of customization. However Cooler Master seems intent on pushing their Make It Yours agenda, and has included the keycap puller.
Appearance

The top of the keyboard is pretty standard, with the cable exiting the keyboard case in the middle. I do like the RGB status LEDs too. Those with limited space may find the flared sides makes the Cooler Master CK550 take up a larger footprint than is necessary.

Here’s a closer look at the sides of the keyboard. The flared sides actually look amazing, and feature nice angled corners. The fit and finish of the aluminium plate into the plastic body is also flawless, without any noticeable difference in gap size across the entire breadth of the keyboard. The switches are mounted onto the plate directly, which makes for the “floating keycap” look that quite a few keyboard manufacturers have emulated.

Under the keyboard we find the Cooler Master logo, some pretty broad feet that can flip out to tilt the keyboard, and tiny little feet on the front edge to keep it from sliding around. There is also no cable routing channels here, which would have been impractical anyway given the central exit point of the cable. As you can see, there is also no sleeving on the cable, nor a gold-plated connector. We can forgo the gold-plating, but sleeving is definitely something we want to protect the cable better.
Specifications

Body material
Aluminium plate, plastic case

Keycap
Laser-etched ABS keycaps

USB report rate
1000 Hz

Switch type
Gateron RGB Red

KRO
NKRO

Anti-ghosting
Yes

Microprocessor
32-bit ARM Cortex M3

Cable
1.8m rubber coated, non-detachable

Included accessories
User guide, keycap puller

User Experience
After using Cherry MX Browns switches in my main keyboard for about as long as I can remember, switching over to the Cooler Master CK550 does feel a little jarring. The Gateron RGB Red switches actually feel smoother and lighter than the Cherry MX RGB Red. Specifications wise, they are supposed to be the same, but it does feel smoother and easier to press than Cherry MX RGB Red switches. I like that the Cooler Master CK550 doesn’t suffer from the flex that certain cheaper keyboards suffer with their poor build qualities. The keyboard could stand to sound more solid though, as bottoming out on the Cooler Master CK550 is a very noisy affair.

Anti-ghosting and NKRO is applied to this keyboard, as no keys we did not press were detected, and no keys we pressed went undetected. Basically you will not encounter any issues with this keyboard when gaming, aside from your own lack of skill.

This is probably the brightest keyboard I have ever used. The through-hole LEDs are right up there on top of the switches’ casing, allowing them to shine brighter through the keycaps than SMD LEDs. It’s a good thing that Cooler Master improved on their driver software too, offering a lot more lighting options than they previously did for the MasterKeys Pro series.

There is a total of 21 modes, in which there are some sub-modes, making for a lot of customization options in this keyboard. The options are also very easy to configure, which adds even more value to the extra-bright RGB LEDs on the Cooler Master CK550. You can also do the RGB customization the hard way; directly on the keyboard via the hotkeys. You can also configure macros via hotkeys, or just use the driver software for that.
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Not only did Cooler Master add more RGB options, they also added the macro and key reassignment features to the latest driver software! After much complaining about their previous iterations, this addition is definitely welcome. The ability to record macros, assign them to keys and even completely mess up your keyboard layout manually is definitely welcome. But it still isn’t perfect. You can’t assign macros to a combination of keys, or into the additional Fn layer. Your assigned macro key will lose its original function and solely be capable of performing the macro. Not ideal when the Cooler Master CK550 lacks dedicated macro keys.
Conclusion
The Cooler Master CK550 offers commendable build quality for the price point it commands, as is the brightness of the LEDs. Cooler Master could add some dampening material below the metal plate for a more solid sound upon bottoming out. Or perhaps improve on the macro assignment feature. As it stands, the Cooler Master CK550 is a great keyboard for the RM249 Cooler Master is asking for it, with the smoothest linear switches I have ever used. For its price, I have literally no complaints.

Our thanks to Cooler Master Malaysia for providing us with the Cooler Master CK550 in this review. To support us, click on the button below to check out the Cooler Master CK550 on Lazada:

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Intel, TSMC and Samsung are working on UCIe packaging standards

Multi-chip module (MCM), is widely regarded as one of the ways that we can continue packing more and more transistors in our CPUs and GPUs without having to deal with huge, expensive monolithic dies. To create a new ecosystem for collaboration in packaging technologies, Intel, TSMC and Samsung announced that they will be forming a consortium to collaborate on a next-gen UCIe chip packaging and stacking.
Intel, TSMC and Samsung to collaborate on new UCIe chip packaging standard
This is indeed a very unique move, considering that the three biggest chipmakers are going to work together to bring a new standard to the industry. The new packaging standard is reportedly going to be dubbed UCIe, short for Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express. This can probably open up the industry to designs which mix and match dies manufactured at Intel, TSMC or Samsung, leveraging on the advantages that each foundry has to offer.
For a good example of the benefits of MCM, you can just take a look at AMD’s CPUs. By leveraging MCM packaging, AMD is able to use TSMC’s manufacturing to churn out a lot of smaller dies, and putting them into everything from the consumer AMD Ryzen processors, all the way up to the AMD EPYC processors that power servers.

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For a higher core count, all AMD has to do is to package more dies, while for lower-end SKUs, they can use binned dies, like the Ryzen 5 5600X or Ryzen 9 5900X, for example, which uses binned dies with two cores fused off. Or for a more advanced application, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which has additional L3 cache tacked onto the CPU die via 3D packaging technologies.
Aside from the trio of chipmakers, AMD, Qualcomm, Arm, Google Cloud, Meta, Microsoft and even ASE Technology Holding, are expected to participate in the consortium. The consortium is also welcoming more members to join. UCIe might be the stepping stone to a new spurt in new chips from all vendors, and it will definitely be interesting to see, especially as process node upgrades are growing increasingly difficult.
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Pokdepinion: I definitely look forward to more product of collaborations between these tech giants.
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GIGABYTE caters to Malaysian gamers and creators with AORUS and AERO laptops

GIGABYTE is finally here in Malaysia in full force with their notebook lineup. They are introducing both the creator-oriented GIGABYTE AERO laptops as well as the AORUS series of gaming laptops. GIGABYTE is proud to boast of All-Intel Inside configurations, from the processor down to the WiFi adapter.
GIGABYTE AERO 15

For starters, let’s take a look at the AERO 15 Classic models. The AERO 15 Classic can be configured with either regular 144 Hz IPS panels, 240 Hz IGZO panels as well as 4K 100% Adobe RGB displays. GIGABYTE also shared that unlike laptops that carry the “PANTONE Validated” badge, AERO laptops carry the X-Rite PANTONE Color Calibration Certification, which means each and every GIGABYTE AERO laptop’s display comes factory calibrated.

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In addition to featuring PANTONE’s blessing, the GIGABYTE AERO 15 Classic laptops powered by GeForce RTX GPUs are also NVIDIA Studio Ready, meaning they are certified to support the creative apps that content creators rely on. Here are full list of configurations of GIGABYTE AERO 15 Classic available in Malaysia:

AERO 15 Classic SA FHD 144 Hz
AERO 15 Classic WA FHD 144 Hz
AERO 15 Classic WA UHD
AERO 15 Classic XA FHD 240 Hz
AERO 15 Classic XA UHD
AERO 15 Classic YA FHD 240 Hz
AERO 15 Classic YA UHD

Processor
Intel Core i7 9750H, 6C/12T, up to 4.6 GHz
Intel Core i9 9980HK, 8C/16T, up to 5.0 GHz

GPU
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6
GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6
GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6
GeForce RTX 2080 8GB GDDR6

RAM
16GB (8GB*2) DDR4 2666 MHz (Samsung), max 64GB
32GB (16GB*2) DDR4 2666 MHz (Samsung), max 64GB

Storage
512GB Intel 760p M.2 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD

Display
15.6″, 1080p, 144 Hz LG IPS
15.6″, 4K, 60 Hz, Adobe RGB 100%, AUO AHVA
15.6″, 1080p, 240 Hz Sharp 240 Hz IGZO
15.6″, 4K, 60 Hz, Adobe RGB 100%, AUO AHVA
15.6″, 1080p, 240 Hz Sharp 240 Hz IGZO
15.6″, 4K, 60 Hz, Adobe RGB 100%, AUO AHVA

Connectivity
Killer Doubleshot Pro LAN
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 (Intel Wireless-AC 9560)
Bluetooth 5.0
2 x USB 3.0
1 x USB 3.1 (Type-A)
1 x Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C)
1 x DisplayPort 1.4 (Type-C)
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack
1 x SD card reader (UHS-II)

Battery
94.24 WHr battery, 230W power adapter

Weight
2.0 kg

Price
RM6999
RM8299
RM8899
RM9699
RM11699
RM13999
RM17999

Overall, the GeForce RTX 2070 and GeForce RTX 2060 models are priced pretty reasonably, while the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is a bit on the pricier side of things. I guess opting for premium hardware and also factory calibrated displays does put quite a big toll on pricing? Meanwhile, for those who are waiting for the GIGABYTE AERO 15 OLED, they are only going to bring that in August.
It’s really quite light!
GIGABYTE AORUS 15, AORUS 5 and AORUS 7

Today’s highlighted gaming laptop was the GIGABYTE AORUS 15, but they are also bringing in the AORUS 5 and AORUS 7 just to fully flesh out their gaming laptop lineup. The former is introduced as the best performance laptop under 1″ thick, with 3DMark scores well above the competition. This is enabled by implementing the WINDFORCE Technology, a technology borrowed from their AORUS graphics cards.

The AORUS 15 can be configured with a 240 Hz display, while the AORUS 5 and AORUS 7 top out at 144 Hz. GIGABYTE’s All-Intel Inside configurations also extends to the AORUS lineup, with all of the AORUS laptops sporting Intel’s processors, M.2 PCIe storage and WiFi adapters.
Here are the AORUS 15’s configurations:

AORUS 15 SA FHD 144 Hz
AORUS 15 WA FHD 144 Hz
AORUS 15 XA FHD 240 Hz

Processor
Intel Core i7 9750H, 6C/12T, 4.6 GHz

GPU
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6
GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6
GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6

RAM
16GB (8GB*2) DDR4 2666 MHz (Samsung), max. 64GB

Storage
512GB Intel 760p M.2 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD
512GB Intel 760p M.2 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD
2TB HDD

Display
15.6″, 1080p, 144 Hz LG IPS
15.6″, 1080p, 240 Hz Sharp IGZO

Connectivity
Killer LAN
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 (Intel Wireless-AC 9560)
Bluetooth 5.0
3x USB 3.0
1x USB 3.1 Type-C (support DP 1.3)
1x miniDP 1.3
1x HDMI 2.0
1x microSD reader
1x combo audio jack

Battery
62 WHr
180W power adapter
62WHr
230W power adapter

Weight
2.4kg

Price
RM6399
RM6899
RM8899

For more budget-conscious users, you can opt for the AORUS 5 and AORUS 7 laptops, detailed in the following table:

AORUS 5 NA FHD 144 Hz
AORUS 7 NA FHD 144 Hz
AORUS 7 SA FHD 144 Hz

Processor
Intel Core i7 9750H, 6C/12T, up to 4.6 GHz

GPU
GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6

RAM
8GB (8GB*1) DDR4 2666 MHz (Samsung), Max. 32GB
16GB (8GB*2) DDR4 2666 MHz (Samsung), Max. 32GB

Storage
256GB Intel 760p M.2 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD
1TB HDD
512GB Intel 760p M.2 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD

Display
15.6″, 1080p, 144 Hz LG IPS
17.3″, 1080p, 144 Hz LG IPS

Connectivity
Killer LAN
Killer Wireless -AC 1550 (Intel Wireless-AC 9560)
Bluetooth 5.0
2x USB 3.0
1x USB 3.1 Type-C (support for HDMI 1.4 and DP 1.2)
1x HDMI 2.0
1x SD card reader
1x combo audio jack
Gigabit LAN
Killer Wireless -AC 1550 (Intel Wireless-AC 9560)
Bluetooth 5.0
2x USB 3.0
1 x USB 3.1 Type-A
1x USB 3.1 Type-C (support DP 1.3)
1x HDMI 2.0
1x MiniDP 1.2
1x SD card reader
1x combo audio jack

Battery
51.28 WHr
180W power adapter
48.96 WHr
180W power adapter

Weight
2.15kg
2.5kg

Price
RM4999
RM5199
RM6199

There are no GeForce RTX options for the AORUS 5 and AORUS 7, given the lower price point. The AORUS 5 is probably one of the best options if you want a portable gaming laptop without having to shell out more than RM5000.
What do you think? Which of the new GIGABYTE laptops entice you the most?
Pokdepinion: I am looking forward to putting the AERO 15 through its paces!
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GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC Review — lighter, faster, quieter… Better?

The last-gen GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XB with was a great machine, good enough to qualify as one of the best laptops of 2020. However it did have a few faults marring it, which hopefully this machine here solves it. While it looks largely similar in terms of design, there are some major updates that we think makes the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC a much better laptop than its predecessor. There are also a few downgrades here and there, but we will get to that in a bit. Without further ado, let’s get into the review of the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC.
Unboxing

Starting with the box, GIGABYTE didn’t change much. Even the contents are kept largely similar, as that’s pretty much what you would expect to come with a laptop. For the unboxing experience, you can check out the video above. In the box, you get the usual documentation, the 230W power adapter and the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC itself, as well as a little strip of thermal pad to help improve the cooling of the second M.2 SSD that you can upgrade the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC with.

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Appearance

The GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC sports a mildly refreshed design that now comes in black instead of the gunmetal grey of the previous generation. It is also worth mentioning that instead of an all-metal build, the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC is constructed of some sturdy plastic. The vent area also appears to be less restrictive with wide open holes to facilitate good airflow out of the system.

On the other underside, nearly half of it is made of mesh. This should make those who are worried about the airflow into the laptop quite happy. There’s a wing-shaped motif going on here, presumably to evoke imagery of the AORUS mascot. GIGABYTE was also rather generous with the rubber feet, ensuring that the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC has sufficient clearance to breathe in fresh air for cooling.

Opening up the laptop reveals a full-sized keyboard, complete with a numpad array. The display sports narrow bezels, which makes for a slightly more compact machine. You might also notice the webcam just above the keyboard, a necessary move to ensure that you still get a webcam without having to settle for larger bezels.
GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-10870H @ 2.2GHz (up to 5.0GHz Boost), 8C/16T, 45W TDP, 14nm

RAM
32GB DDR4 2933MHz (2 x 8GB DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM), dual-channel

GPU
Intel UHD Graphics 630
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6, 1410MHz boost clock, max. 105W with Dynamic Boost 2.0

Storage
512GB ESR512GTLCG-EAC-4 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD
1 x M.2 SATA/PCIe slot vacant

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
GeForce Game Ready Driver v461.40
Control Center
Nahimic
AI Gaming & Professional

Connectivity
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (WiFi 6, up to 2.4Gbps)
Bluetooth 5.0 + LE
Realtek RTL8125 2.5GbE LAN
1 x USB 3.0 (Type-C)
3 x USB 3.0 (Type-A)
1 x UHS-II SD card reader

Display
15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) Sharp LQ156M1JW03 IGZO LCD panel, 240Hz refresh rate, 72% NTSC, Pantone Certified
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x miniDP 1.4

Audio
2 x 2W speakers
1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Power
230W power adapter
99WHr Li-po battery

Dimensions
357 × 244 x 23 mm

Weight
2.0kg

Performance
The GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC also offers the same performance profiles as its predecessor, but we will be benchmarking everything with the CPU and GPU set to the Turbo performance profile. The fan profile is set to the Gaming fan profile.
Synthetic

The Phison PS5012-based SSD delivers good performance, but it is definitely not up there with the best SSDs we have seen previously. It is faster in terms of write speeds versus the Intel SSD 760p that was in its predecessor though. With that said, the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC is still quite limited, as 512GB is too little for a thoroughbred gaming laptop considering the size of the games today.

It is interesting that GIGABYTE has introduced a slightly lower-end CPU here in the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC, with the Intel Core i7-10870H replacing the Core i7-10875H. While multi-core performance has went up quite significantly for no obvious reason, the single-core performance suffers slightly due to the 100MHz lower maximum boost clocks on the newer CPU.

Meanwhile the GPU posts some impressive scores, delivering a nice advantage over the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER-powered laptops. Given the newer architecture, the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC is not only more powerful, but also more efficient, evident when seeing the lead it enjoys even when pitted against the last-gen GPUs with a higher TGP limit.

3DMark Time Spy sees a similar difference between the GeForce RTX 3070 and GeForce RTX 2070 laptops. The GeForce RTX 3080 still performs significantly better, but that’s to be expected as the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE’s GeForce RTX 3080 is configured for a higher power limit on top of being a larger GPU.

3DMark Port Royal is where the Ampere-based GeForce RTX 3070 in the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC is able to leave the GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER laptops in the dust. Here it trades punches with the GeForce RTX 2080 laptops, but given the much heftier designs that the last-gen flagship laptop GPU came in, I decided to exclude them from the comparison.

PCMark sees good performance in all categories, included digital content creation. Given how this laptop comes with 32GB of RAM, I do think that GIGABYTE definitely intended the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC to deliver a good experience to content creators as well.
Gaming

While the AORUS 15G with the RTX 2070 Max-Q struggled to deliver above 60FPS in most of the titles we tested, the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC here easily breaks the 60FPS threshold in most titles. However more taxing titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Metro Exodus still see the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC being unable to deliver above the 60FPS mark. Esports titles like Rainbow Six Siege sees frame rates of 230FPS on average, which are ideal to take advantage of the high refresh rate panel we have in the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC.
Thermals

In Realbench, we are taxing both the Core i7-10870H and GeForce RTX 3070 at the same time. And yet the temperatures are very well managed, with the CPU peaking at 91°C and averaging 87°C. Meanwhile the GPU peaks at 82°C and averages 80°C. Clocks are pretty high, with 3.0GHz on average on the CPU, and 1187MHz on the GPU.
Aside from the rather impressive thermals, we can also see the NVIDIA Dynamic Boost 2.0 in action here. In the initial stage of the stress test, we see the CPU boosting to its limits before dropping down to 45W, which lets it run at around 2.7GHz. The GPU is drawing around 90W while running at around 1328MHz consistently throughout this period.
At around the 5 minute mark, we can see the power shift towards the CPU to allow the CPU to draw up to 62W, while the GPU draws around 75W instead. This shift lets the CPU run faster at 3.1GHz, while the GPU drops down to 1118MHz on average. While Realbench does use the GPU for OpenCL, the CPU is dealing with a lot more on its plate, and this shift will be beneficial for performance. Meanwhile in a benchmark like Superposition which sees very minimal CPU load, we can see the GPU draw up to nearly 110W to deliver the maximum performance available from the GeForce RTX 3070 in the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC.

While Dynamic Boost 2.0 is pretty exciting, GIGABYTE also deserves credit for not only implementing the technology in the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC, but also designing a cooling system capable of handling both the CPU and GPU boosting above their standard limits. And since we aren’t using the maximum fan speed yet, the temperatures do stand to go further down if we forced the fans to run full throttle.
Speaking of the cooling system, not much has changed under the hood, there are still five heatpipes wicking heat away from the components to the four heatsinks surrounding the fans. GIGABYTE used rather thick heatspreaders to help cool the less critical components like the VRAM and VRM modules. Another thing that I noticed was the whiny noise of the fans at lower fan speeds is gone, resulting in more tolerable noise levels when doing simple tasks on the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC.
Battery Life

Performance is very good but unfortunately battery life isn’t a strong suit of the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC, despite its massive 99WHr battery. It seems that the overall sum of the hardware does take a toll on the battery life. However it isn’t particularly bad for a gaming laptop of this caliber, posting battery life numbers well in line with its predecessor and other laptops at around this performance level.
User Experience

Moving on, I think some of you out there might be worried about the plastic build that GIGABYTE went with for the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC, but I am pretty confident in its durability. The plastic feels very sturdy, and does seem to have allowed GIGABYTE to shave off 200 grams off its weight. Another advantage is that fingerprints are surprisingly easy to wipe off the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC, which I really appreciate.
Display and Audio

One of the highlights of the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC is its 240Hz display that’s not only fast, but also accurate, with Pantone calibration out of the box. Each one of the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G is individually calibrated before leaving the factory, which is a nice touch for a gaming laptop.
          Adobe RGB: 67.4% coverage / 68.0% volume            DCI-P3: 69.9% coverage / 69.9% volume            sRGB: 97.3% coverage / 98.8% volume
This is the same panel as the one in the previous generation GIGABYTE AORUS 15G, which means that it does the same 300 nits max brightness and can display nearly 100% of the sRGB gamut. Color accuracy is excellent with the average Delta E value of just 0.45. Overall it is a great panel, and the 240Hz refresh rate does make everything look smoother. There’s no adaptive sync capability here though, which gaming at lower frame rates not as enjoyable as on laptops that do offer the feature.
The built-in audio is quite limited on this machine, as the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC only touts two downward firing speakers on its underside. And even then, they are only capable of 2W of output each, which is half of what most laptops in this caliber can pump out. A pair of headphones is definitely recommended if you want to really immerse yourself in gaming on the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC.

Another thing that I appreciate is the webcam just above the keyboard. While its position doesn’t exactly capture a flattering angle of your mug, at least GIGABYTE still found a place for it, given that there’s none above the display. There’s even a nice little physical shutter, perfect if you are particular about your privacy. The camera is flanked by two microphones, making the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC ready for conducting video calls without the need of any additional hardware at all.
Keyboard and Trackpad

Aside from the slight redesign, the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC is also differentiated from its predecessor by returning to a more traditional keyboard mechanism. The key layout is still maintained, which makes the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC one of the few 15″ laptops to still offer a numpad. I would say that the overall typing experience has been improved. Not only because I prefer the switches here, but also because the palm rest no longer has a sharp edge that irritated my wrists.
The keys themselves offers enough travel and are just mildly tactile. While the last-gen AORUS 15G had mechanical switches which were excellent for tactility, I did not particularly fancy the clicky noise they made. One thing worth noting is that GIGABYTE still designed the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC to pull air through the keyboard, which makes for a cool WASD cluster even during extended gaming sessions. The center area of the keyboard still warms up, but I guess that’s unavoidable when you have the beefy CPU and GPU directly under it.

Another change coming from the previous generation is the trackpad. While I do believe the size is still the same, GIGABYTE has removed the fingerprint scanner. This meant that more of the trackpad can be used for navigating around, but it also mean that there’s no longer a convenient way to log in without keying in your PIN or password. I guess there are pros and cons to it, but I do prefer having a fingerprint scanner. The lack of discrete clickers was also rather annoying as the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC occasionally got confused, and thinks that I was trying to perform multi-finger gestures when all I wanted to do was to click with another finger on the trackpad.
I/O Ports

GIGABYTE did a great job with the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC when it comes to ports. There’s a HDMI 2.1 port along with a miniDP 1.4 output for additional displays here on the left side of the machine. There’s also a USB 3.0 and 2.5GbE LAN port, the latter an upgrade over the previous generation’s Gigabit LAN port.
It is not powered by a Killer Ethernet controller though, as GIGABYTE seems to have decided that it wasn’t worth paying the additional premium for Killer hardware this time around. Even the WiFi 6 module has been swapped out for a standard Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 adapter in place of the Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650.

Two more USB 3.0 ports are found here on the right, bringing the total to three USB 3.0 ports which is about par for the course for a laptop in this class. Unfortunately, GIGABYTE seems to have downgraded the USB-C port here on the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC to just support USB 3.0 speeds, instead of the Thunderbolt 3.0 that its predecessor was capable of. Thankfully the UHS-II SD card reader is still present to allow content creators to transfer files from their memory cards faster.
Pre-installed Software
                 Manager            RGB Fusion            Fan Curve
GIGABYTE’s Control Center packs a lot of features, and it also allows you to change your RGB settings, CPU and GPU power profiles, the fan curve and even the display’s color profiles. If you want, you can use also use the NVIDIA Advanced Optimus feature here to switch to the GeForce RTX 3070, bypassing the Intel iGPU. Control Center is a really feature-rich suite I really like the fact that GIGABYTE crammed everything here and everything works flawlessly.

If you feel like you want to leave the management to AI, GIGABYTE also baked in Azure AI to help you switch between the performance profiles and fan curves on the fly without any user intervention. I am not a fan of it, as I prefer a more manual approach, but for those who want to leave the menial tasks for the AI to handle, you have the option with the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC.

There’s also Nahimic to allow you to tweak the audio output of the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC. Once again, this is a very feature-rich software, with various options to play around with. As mentioned earlier, you would be better served by a pair of headphones though, as the speakers are on the weaker side of things on the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC.
Conclusion

I must say that the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC is a pretty decent gaming laptop for RM8299. It is now more refined overall, despite losing a few feature on the way. While the previous generation had the advantage of a more premium all-aluminum build, a mechanical keyboard and also Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, I still think that the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC is a better laptop after using it for about two weeks.
The huge performance gains with the newer GPU are nice to have, and while I would have preferred a metal chassis, the plastic build here is still more than sturdy enough for normal use, and it is also lighter, which is surely a win. I also prefer the new black color option, but that’s subjective.

The sharp edge on the palm rest is also fixed, which makes the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC much better to use for typing and gaming. And since the keyboard is a lot quieter, I can see myself using it during my outdoor assignments, unlike its predecessor which was a bit too loud to use in quiet events. So yeah, the only main loss is the Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, which to be entirely honest, I don’t really mind because I have yet to own a peripheral that uses the interface.
Unfortunately, while things have pretty much improved across the board, the limited storage of its predecessor is still an issue with the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC. GIGABYTE upgraded the memory to 32GB, which is more than necessary for a gaming laptop, but they left the storage at a stiflingly limited 512GB.
I would have preferred a configuration with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage over this, but I guess GIGABYTE thinks that people appreciate more RAM over storage. With that said, you can always drop in another M.2 SSD into the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC to upgrade the storage, versus having to dispose of two sticks of memory because you had to upgrade the memory..

Our thanks to GIGABYTE for sending us the GIGABYTE AORUS 15G XC for review.
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How To Clean Your Gadgets

If you’re stuck at home with not much to do, it’s usually a good time for some spring cleaning. With that being said, when was the last time you’ve cleaned your gadgets? If you’re interested in doing so but not sure how, we have some tips for you. Let’s get started.
How to clean your smartphone

Smartphones, let’s face it, we all have one today. If it’s been awhile since your device got some caring attention, you can start off by using some disinfecting wipes or damp cloths. Oh, and please remember to switch your device off first before you begin.
To give it a thorough cleaning, mix in a small amount of water as well as some low quantity alcohol and gently wipe your phone with a cloth, starting from top to bottom. In other words, you can use common household disinfecting wipes or wipes that are based on 70% isopropyl alcohol. Prevent any liquid from entering the openings however, such as the charging port or microphone hole.

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Once you’re done with that, use the part of the cloth that’s not dampened by the mixture and wipe the device to remove any excess moisture that may have been left.

You can also choose to sanitize your smartphone by using UV light. Don’t have one? Well you can find one online for about RM75+. You can simply put your device in it and let the UV light do its job.
How to clean your earphones

Earphones get dirty over time and the audio quality from it can get muffled. To clean them, you can follow the steps below:

Dry brush the mesh that’s covering the earphones of all the dirt, debris, and earwax
If yours come with removable ear tips, remove them and wipe them with soap water
Slowly wipe down the outside of the earphones with damp cloth and soap water. Be sure to prevent any bit of water from entering the earphone
Wipe your cable as well to thoroughly clean it
Take a clean, dry towel and dry the earphone

How to clean your laptop

Before you start cleaning your laptop, unplug the charger and turn the laptop off first.
Take a microfibre cloth and mix it with soap water and slowly wipe the display. Once you’ve done that, wipe it again but this time with a dry cloth to wipe off any excess.
As for the keyboard, you don’t want it to get wet. In this case, you can use a compressed air can to remove any dirt, crumbs, or hair (I’ve seen a few cases) from beneath the keys.
You can wipe the keys with isopropyl rubbing alcohol to get rid of the oily residue that your fingers leave behind.
Other than that, you can get cleaning products such as Cyber Clean (refer picture) where you can easily rub it against the keyboard and it will pull out any residue that’s stuck and give it a proper cleaning.
Hopefully by following all these tips, you’ll get your gadgets as good as new. Just be sure to take real care when you’re cleaning them.
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Zelda Breath Of The Wild Voted As Best Game Of All-Time

We’ve been lucky to have witness a plethora of awesome games down the years but have you ever thought about which is the best one? Kind of hard, isn’t it? That being said, it seems that over in Japan there has been a poll conducted where they feel that The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is simply the best of all time.
Zelda Breath of the Wild best game of all-time?
The poll was conducted by TV Asahi where it was voted by 50,000 people in total. It appears that a majority of the games in the top 10 are classic games, which you can see below:

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Dragon Quest V
Final Fantasy VII
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Splatoon 2
Dragon Quest III
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy X
Super Mario Bros. 3

As you can see, it is quite a list. Of course, it is a rather subjective topic but we can probably tell by the list that the people in Japan are a big fan of the Nintendo Switch console, which has been out for 6 years now.

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In case you’ve missed the news, there will be a sequel to Breath of the Wild, you can read more on that in our previous article right here.
What do you make of the list? Think of any games that deserves to be there? Let us know. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: When I see the top 10 games there, there is some that I like but then again, would I make Breath of the Wild the best game of all-time? Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good game but I don’t think I would.. It all comes down to personal preference doesn’t it?
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ASUS VivoBook S15 S530 now available from RM2999 — trendy laptops weighing just 1.6kg!

The ASUS VivoBook S15 S530 introduced at Computex 2018 has arrived! The latest laptops are designed with a bold color-blocking designs. Available with the efficient 8th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and the GeForce MX150 2GB GPU, the new ASUS VivoBook S15 S530 is ready for work, and a little play on the side too.

The ASUS VivoBook S15 S530 breaks up the boring convention of single colored laptops with colors like Firmament Green and Grey Red, as well as your standard Gun Metal and Gold color options too. Everyone has something for them with the ASUS VivoBook S15.  The Ergo Lift hinge also makes typing even more comfortable, with the laptop designed to tilt the laptop when you open it up.

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Slim bezels around the display also allow the ASUS VivoBook S15 S530 to achieve a screen-to-body ratio of 86%. The compact dimensions are accompanied by a very portable weight of just 1.6 kg, for extra portability. The laptops are also equipped with up to 256GB SSDs and 1TB hard drives to enable you to start working as soon as possible.
ASUS promises all-day battery life and a more durable, lasting up to 3x longer than standard lithium-ion batteries. Priced from RM2999 for the i5 8250U variant, and ranging up to RM3899 for the version with an i7 8550U inside, these are pretty affordable yet fancy laptops.
Pokdepinion: Seems like a great buy for students and people who need to work on the go! The attractive colors are cool too!
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 SUPER Laptop GPUs to arrive early 2022?

NVIDIA has already fleshed out most of their GeForce RTX 30 series product stack, especially with the recent arrival of the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3070 Ti. But we are apparently going to see to see GeForce RTX 30 SUPER Laptop GPUs, if these rumors are to be trusted.

It appears that Lenovo revealed the GeForce RTX 3070 SUPER and GeForce RTX 3080 SUPER in their product roadmap, along with a GeForce RTX 3060 8GB. None of those GPUs exist yet, so we aren’t sure if Lenovo made some typos or if they are upcoming products. Then, a more recent “leak” on Twitter alludes to a early 2022 launch for the GeForce RTX 30 SUPER laptops GPUs.

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The laptop version of RTX Super series will be available early next year.
— Greymon55 (@greymon55) July 7, 2021

According to rumors, NVIDIA has a GA103 GPU in the works, which will slot in between the GA104 and GA102 GPUs. The current GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is based on the full GA104 chip, so if NVIDIA wanted to make a GeForce RTX 3080 SUPER, they will need a bigger GPU. The GA103 will reportedly be mobile-exclusive, so we won’t be seeing a GeForce RTX 3070 SUPER in the desktop segment.

Or will we? Well, I guess as with all rumors, we can all take it with a healthy dose of salt, and wait and see to see if they are real.
Source
Pokdepinion: Even with the current crop of GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPUs, most of them aren’t used to the full 150W potential…
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Samsung finally lets you disable Bixby button; Keyword is “Disable”

We reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S8 earlier this year and one of the biggest bummer we had was the fact that the Bixby button on the side was not tweak-able. This has been a nuisance to the flagship device users considering the fact that it was not even fully functional when the device was launched in our country. Good news is? Our friends at SamMobile got a rather interesting update that lets you disable the Bixby button.
Following the Bixby Voice global roll out last month, the Bixby button has now an added feature where you can disable it. While there were 3rd party apps that allowed you to customise the functionality, those apps were hit hard by Samsung and denied their functionality. With this new update rolling out, you can disable the Bixby button but not customise it to run something else – which is still not what we wanted, but at least it’s something.
This, however is only available to the devices that have gotten the latest update. You will now see a toggle button at the top of Bixby Home page which upon tapping, will disable the Bixby button functionality altogether.

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Right on top of the Bixby Home, lies the toggle button that will make you happy now. Image credits: SamMobile
Take note of the Bixby version that gets this update. Image credits: SamMobile
That’s about it. Disable or Enable. No customisation yet. Image credits: SamMobile
It is also indicated that while you can disable the Bixby Home button to disable opening Bixby Home, long pressing it will still trigger the Bixby Voice anyway, but this functionality is untested on our side.
Source: SamMobile
Pokdepinion: Glass half full for me. Samsung should give more flexibility to this button, at least perhaps enabling some of the official Samsung apps instead of just the Bixby Home.
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MSI Concept Store In Bukit Bintang Set For Relocation

If you’ve been to BB Park, you’d surely have noticed the MSI Concept Store. Well it seems that the iconic building’s last day of business is this 15th of June 2021.
MSI Concept Store in BB Park to relocate

The news was revealed following Plaza Low Yat’s redevelopment plans which means that the MSI Concept Store at BB Park will be relocated. Despite that, it is yet to be confirmed on where exactly the new location will be at.

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MSI has said that the new store location will be opened in the second half of this year however and will still be located in downtown.
Established back in 2017, the two-story concept store was a place where visitors could experience MSI’s full range of gaming products from laptops, desktops, to gaming accessories.
While they’ve said that the store will still be running until the 15th of June, the current COVID-19 situation has forced the Malaysian government to enforce a total lockdown, so you might want to think twice about going out anyways.
In other news, MSI Malaysia is hosting a Facebook Giveaway campaign where you can submit your ideas to the new concept store. How exactly do you join the giveaway? Well you will need to join the MSI Malaysia Dragon Army Facebook group and comment your idea in the campaign post. Winners will be revealed in the group after the contest ends.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: Though it doesn’t mean the shutdown of the store completely, it’s still sad to see what I consider to be an iconic place to be removed.. Be sure to checkout their Facebook page to join that contest too by the way!
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Ragnarok Mobile Game Ragnarok M: Eternal Love Launched for Southeast Asia

If you’re a fan of the popular MMORPG game Ragnarok Online, then this is something that will certainly get you excited. There is a new Ragnarok mobile game that is out for Android in Southeast Asia, and it’s called Ragnarok M: Eternal Love.
From what we know thus far, Ragnarok M: Eternal Love is currently in an open beta phase, and is available in selected countries, namely Philippines and Malaysia. The game is said to be a faithful recreation of the original game on PC, which means that it is also an MMORPG.
Players will have access to a myriad of character classes, exploring the open world, and more awesome stuff like the original game. The new 3D visuals give it a needed breath of fresh air while not straying too far from its source material.

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Here’s the synopsis of the game as listed on the Play Store:
Ragnarok M: Eternal Love is an open world mobile MMORPG based on the ever famous Ragnarok Online from 2003, and inherits the Ragnarok legacy that drew the attention of millions of fans around the world.
Ragnarok M: Eternal Love brings Rune Midgard to life, reinterpreting the art style that has been beloved by players for over 15 years. Classic gameplay features return with a modern touch!
For now, you can download Ragnarok M: Eternal Love on the Google Play Store. However, if you can’t download it or find it on your smartphone, chances are that it is not available in your country yet. In which case, be patient as I’m sure they’ll be looking to expand the game as fast as they can.
Pokdepinion: I’m about pretty sure this is the kinda thing that will get people glued to their smartphones, assuming the game runs fine of course. Let us know what you think of the game and if it is / isn’t available in your country.
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Grab These Digi 11.11 Online Offers While They Still Last

If you’re not aware, today is 11.11 and the folks at Digi has prepped up several online sale offers for their subscribers to enjoy from the Digi Store Online and MyDigi App.
Digi 11.11 online offer

Digi subscribers can easily grab these offers from the comforts of their homes. These deals include RM1 million worth of Digi Store Online vouchers with Mastercard auto billing. The first 20,000 customers who activated their auto billing with Mastercard credit/debit card through Digi Store Online will be entitled to receive a voucher worth RM50 and 5% rebate off their bill for 6 months.
For postpaid customers, you can get a RM110 rebate when you upgrade your devices through the Digi PhoneFreedom 365 program for selected models such as the Samsung Galaxy Note20, vivo X50 Pro, and HUAWEI P40. Adding to that, you stand a chance in winning over RM199,000 worth of freebies such as Samsung Galaxy Buds+, HUAWEI Wireless Charging Case, SuperCharger Wireless Car Charger and many more with each device purchase.

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Aside from that, a RM11 rebate is also offered to those who sign up for the new Digi Prepaid NEXT with Internet Plan worth RM28 and above via the Digi Store Online. There’s also exclusive deals of up to 70% on MyDigi Rewards for several brands such as Inside Scoop, Texas Chicken, Tealive, and more.
Not to forget, you can also get exclusive offers for subscriptions through EasyAdd by Digi. These deals include a subscription of Dengue Cover+, insurance coverage for COVID-19, dengue and Zika virus from RM5 per month, 7-day free trial for Digi Music Play and Ibadat, an Islamic lifestyle app.
You can head to the link right here to find out more on the deals.
Pokdepinion: If you’re a Digi subscriber or planning to be one, you might as well check out their offerings before they run out!
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Lenovo Launches Next-Gen ThinkStation P620 Workstation in Malaysia

Lenovo today announces the availability of its next-generation ThinkStation P620 desktop workstation in Malaysia. Starting at RM9,999 – customers can purchase the models on Lenovo.com beginning later this month.

The ThinkStation P620 remains the only tier 1 professional workstation available on the market powered by the latest AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO processors, now with updated models to feature latest 5000WX-Series processors with up 25% gen-on-gen improvement. CPU configurations are available with the flagship 64-core, 128-thread 5995WX, among others, as well as the new 24-core, 48-thread 5965WX model, providing massive expansion and configuration options amongst professional users.

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Designed with key IR 4.0 sectors in mind, the ThinkStation P620 supports up to 2x NVIDIA RTX™ A6000 workstation GPUs, up to 1TB of DDR4 ECC RAM and 20TB of storage. Also offered are:

PCIe 4.0 for increased speed across storage, GPUs and other expansion cards
2x L3 cache size directly accessible per-core compared to previous gen CPUs for reduced latency
Increased clock frequencies to 4.5GHz
up to 64-core, 128-thread CPU
10GbE built-in ethernet
Windows 11 support

In addition to enhanced performance and latest technologies, the P620 features full ISV certification, ThinkStation Diagnostic 2.0, ThinkShield support. Lenovo also offers Premier Support and 3-year warranty to customers for their peace of mind to work securely and reliably.
To learn more, click here.
Pokdepinion: The new 24-core option is great for those who don’t need as much CPU compute power but needs all the expansion options – AMD’s 128-lane PCIe 4.0 is still unmatched to this day.
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Sony Xperia could be no more — next Sony smartphone might lose the Xperia branding for something new

Sony’s smartphone wing, Sony Xperia, has been plagued by internal rivalry, resulting in severe financial losses due to their underperforming smartphones. Sony will be combining its mobile, TV, audio and camera division under the umbrella of Sony Electronics Products and Solutions, and it appears that the Sony Xperia branding will be dropped in favor of something new.

Hi everyone, our Twitter feed will have a new home from 1st June 2019, so please be sure to follow our @SonyMobileNews account to continue getting all the latest exciting news and updates from #Xperia.
— Sony Xperia (@sonyxperia) March 19, 2019

This rumor is backed by the fact that Sony Xperia tweeted that upcoming news regarding Sony’s smartphones will be from @SonyMobileNews‘ account. They didn’t leave out the #Xperia hashtag though so there is still a glimmer of hope for the Sony Xperia branding to continue living on.
There has also been talk of Sony’s plans to retrench half the workforce in its smartphone division by 2020, as it aims to reduce costs to bring the mobile division back into profit. Sony is also reportedly going to shut down its phone factory in China and moving its smartphone production to Thailand.

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Sony is no stranger to throwing in new branding for their smartphones. Their flagships has transitioned from Xperia Z to Xperia XZ and now the latest Xperia 1 drops all the letters in favor of a simpler naming scheme. What do you think will be Sony’s next naming convention for their smartphone lineup?
Pokdepinion: Regardless, we will most probably not see Sony’s smartphones here in Malaysia for quite some time.
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The POCO F2 Pro is literally the best bang for buck Snapdragon 865 device in Malaysia now

The POCO brand has always been associated with bringing great value for money. Some brands aim to compete in the same segment, but they have largely become bloated with self-confidence and are now throwing down some of the most overpriced smartphones we have seen thus far. So, why do we say that the POCO F2 Pro is literally the best bang for buck Snapdragon 865 device? Well, here we go.
A blast from the past?
When was the last time you saw a headphone jack on a flagship smartphone? In an era when even gaming phones are dropping the headphone jack, the POCO F2 Pro still offers the legacy audio connector. Many flagship devices today are just losing the headphone jack to keep up with the current trend. There is literally no reason why you can’t get a headphone jack in today’s flagships.

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What about the overused reasoning that there just isn’t enough room in a smartphone to pack a headphone jack? Well, the POCO F2 Pro offers both a popup camera and a headphone jack, both really space-consuming items on the top edge of the device. There’s also an IR blaster thrown in for good measure, and I absolutely love that.
Of course, it surely wasn’t easy for POCO to cram in so much hardware when the Snapdragon 865 and the Snapdragon X55 5G modem already takes up more room on the PCB than the last-gen Snapdragon 855 and its integrated modem, but POCO made it work by using a stacked PCB and not just taking the cheap way out to squeeze the maximum profit margin they can out of their clientele.
A Unique Camera System
Further increasing the difficulty is the POCO F2 Pro’s camera placement. The four camera sensors are arranged along the center line of the device. This also contributed to the difficulty of designing the smartphone, as the centralized camera means there’s less free space on the motherboard, as a huge chunk is taken up by the camera modules. This was actually yet another challenge for the engineers to cram in all the hardware in the POCO F2 Pro.

You might notice most of the recent flagships have their cameras crammed into the upper left corner. That’s because that frees up the most space for the other components in a smartphone. The POCO F2 Pro’s PCB is so jampacked with components that it has a density of 61 components per centimeter square.

But all of that is pointless if the cameras don’t take good photos. It does, but before we get into that, I would like to mention that the POCO F2 Pro definitely is the most unique smartphone camera in the market.
Instead of following the trend and offering a pointless telephoto camera with a tiny aperture that will more often than not relegate its duty to the main camera less-than-perfect lighting conditions, the POCO F2 Pro offers a fresh new take with a telephoto macro camera. It gives you an all new perspective, in addition to giving you a much closer look at your subject. I mean, that’s what macro is about right? I will let the results speak for themselves:

The rest of the quad-camera ensemble on the back of the POCO F2 Pro are equally competent. You get a great 64MP Sony IMX686 here instead of the more popular Samsung GW1, and while it is probably hard to compare them directly, the Sony sensor does seem to exhibit less noise in low-light photos.
          Selfie            Night Mode          Auto              Night Mode          Auto          Auto            Auto            Auto          Auto          Auto              Auto            Portrait Mode          64MP Mode          Night Mode              Night Mode            Night Mode            Night Mode              Ultra-wide            Ultra-wide              Ultra-wide            Ultra-wide          Ultra-wide              Ultra-wide
If you are into video instead, the main 64MP Sony IMX686 camera is also capable of 8K30 video recording, unlike most of its competition with a Snapdragon 865 which top out at 4K60, or some exceptionally weak offerings that only offer 4K30 video recording.
Snapdragon 865 and more for this little money?!

Speaking of the chipset, at this price range, there’s just no competition. The closest competition is priced at least RM600 more. With the recent price creep that smartphone manufacturers are all partaking in, a flagship can easily cost nearly RM3000, especially if they make use of the Snapdragon 865, which is reportedly so costly that many smartphone makers are shying away from using it to avoid it cutting into their profit margin. But yet somehow, the POCO F2 Pro is here for just RM2199.
Well, maybe some say that the Snapdragon 865 and its accompanying Snapdragon X55 5G modem are a bit too power hungry for certain designs. Well, just throw in a bigger battery, silly. The POCO F2 Pro offers a huge 4700mAh battery to eliminate the issue. Personally I prefer a larger battery than faster charging, but that might just be me.

To make sure that you can actually enjoy the full performance of the Snapdragon 865 without it throttling whenever you run something that will allow it to flex its muscle, there’s a massive 3435mm2 vapor chamber to quickly wick heat away from the chipset and allow it to run optimally. I have used it for COD Mobile and the POCO F2 Pro didn’t even warm up significantly over an hour of gameplay.
And as if that’s not enough, it is also the first smartphone in Malaysia with UFS 3.1. That’s ahead of many much bigger brands, and even brands that have their own semiconductor manufacturing, which by the way, also makes UFS 3.1 chips.
#BaikBeliPOCO is real
You might think that I might be slightly biased when discussing the POCO brand. After all, I did sing nothing but praises for the POCO F1. But it was because of that love for the POCO F1 that I was actually quite afraid that the POCO F2 Pro could not live up to the legacy of its predecessor. I mean, good sequels are hard to come by. Just look at the Star Wars franchise.

It’s not without its fair share of compromises though. A glaring one would be its display, which does offer some impressive features like HDR 10+ support and a notch-less view, but loses out when it comes to its refresh rate. But if you ask me, I would rather get a sweet AMOLED panel that runs at only 60 Hz like the one we get with the POCO F2 Pro, rather than pay extra for a display that offers a higher refresh rate but gets locked down to the same 60 Hz in games anyway. Or worse, a high refresh rate LCD display. Not to mention that you will be spending significantly less money than what you would have to pay for the competition.
With that, I can safely say that POCO has once again delivered a flagship killer in 2020 with the arrival of the POCO F2 Pro, with the latest chipset and some nice upgrades that just raises the bar for its price segment.
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Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition Now Available At RM199

You can now get your hands on the Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition, an upgraded version from the previous models that offers an improved installation process but still gives the same best in class performance.

Compared to the original, the aluminum top cover, nickel plated jet black fins and metallic heat pipe caps gives the Hyper 212 Black Edition an upgraded premium aesthetic appeal. It is also equipped with the new SF120R RGB fan.

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The air cooler offers Direct Contact technology where it comes with 4 heatpipes, providing effected and good heat dissipation.
Its SF120R RGB fan is able to sync with Motherboard RGB software and even controlled with Cooler Master’s wired RGB controller. You can also fine-tuned the speed range, for maximum cooling performance or a silent operation.
If you are interested in getting the new Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition, it is now available in Malaysia for a price of RM199.
Pokdepinion: Well it definitely looks sleeker than the previous model!
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Corsair ML series fan is now available in Malaysia market

The new Corsair ML series fan has been a hot topic since last week. Its revolutionary Magnetic Levitation Bearing and custom rotor design, redefines fan performance to deliver higher airflow, lower noise and better cooling, whatever the requirement.

The unique features of this fan is when powered, the magnetic levitation bearing completely suspends the fan blades from the motor housing, delivering almost friction-less operation. Thus it allows the Corsair ML series to offer lower noise at higher RPMs.

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Today we just received some good news from Corsair Malaysia; the new Corsair ML series fan is coming soon to all major retail and online store, exclusively distributed by CUDO Technologies. All Corsair ML series fans are backed by a comprehensive five-year warranty, available in ten variants in both 120mm and 140mm sizes.

Specifications:

Magnetic Levitation Bearing: Harnesses Magnetic Levitation technology to provide lower noise, higher performance, and a longer lifespan.

Custom Rotor Design: Delivers the perfect balance between high static pressure and high airflow, operating flawlessly in the most challenging environments.

Extensive Control Range: A 2,000 RPM control range gives you total control between low noise and absolute performance. At 400 RPM ML Series 120mm fans provide 12 CFM of airflow at just 16 dBA for near silent running. At 2,400 RPM, the same fans offer a huge 75 CFM of airflow, at an un-intrusive 37dBa. You choose the balance between silence and performance, and the ML Series delivers.

Color Customization: Replaceable corners mounted to anti-vibration rubber dampers allow you to match your fans with the rest of your build while delivering quiet operation at higher speeds.

Bold LED’s: ML120 PRO LED and ML140 PRO LED are available in Red, White or Blue, with ultra-bright LEDs mounted to the center rotor, outputting a vivid blast of light and color.

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Redmi Note 11 Series Launched In Malaysia From RM749

Today marks the launch of the the recently announced Redmi Note 11 Series in Malaysia, where it starts from the price of RM and here’s everything that you should know about them.
Redmi Note 11 Series launch Malaysia

The Redmi Note 11 series comes with up to 120Hz refresh rate, up to 108MP main camera, as well as up to 67W fast charger from out of the box. You can check out the table below for the full specifications.

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Model
Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
Redmi Note 11 Pro
Redmi Note 11S
Redmi Note 11

Display
120Hz
6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED DotDisplay
90Hz
6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED DotDisplay

Rear camera
108MP main camera
8MP ultra-wide
2MP macro
108MP main camera
8MP ultra-wide
2MP macro
2MP depth sensor
50MP main camera
8MP ultra-wide
2MP macro
2MP depth sensor

Front camera
16MP
13MP

Processor
Snapdragon 695
MediaTek Helio G96
Snapdragon 680

RAM
LPDDR4X

Audio
Dual speakers
3.5mm headphone jack

Battery
5000mAh
67W wired fast charger
5000mAh
33W wired fast charger

Connectivity
SIM 1 + Hybrid (SIM or MicroSD)
NFC
IR blaster
Dual SIM + MicroSD
NFC
IR blaster

Variant
6GB+64GB
8GB+128GB
4GB+64GB
6GB+128GB

For the price, you can get the Redmi Note 11 starting from the price of RM749 for the Redmi Note 11, from RM899 for the Redmi Note 11S, from RM999 for the Redmi Note 11 Pro and finally from RM1,199 for the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G.
From February 11 to 18, the Redmi Note 11 Series will be available for pre-orders at authorized Xiaomi stores and online from official Xiaomi stores on Lazada and Shopee.

By doing so, you will get freebies worth RM328 when you purchase at physical stores. As for online purchases, you will get free gift (depending on the smartphone of your choice) that includes a Redmi Buds 3, Mi Smart Band 6, and Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2. As you’d expect, these freebies are on a first-come-first-served basis, so you might want to be quick to get them.
On top of the new series from the company, they’ve also announced of the new Mi 2K Gaming Monitor plus Redmi Buds 3 Lite for the price of RM1,699 and RM99 respectively.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: What can I say, the prices look attractive. The only problem that I see here is that since they are closely priced to each other, it’s sure to make it hard for some to choose which version they’d want!
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Apple Responds to Issues of iPhone Tracking Location Data Despite Being Disabled

Previously, there were reports of the iPhone 11 Pro constantly collecting and transferring location data despite it being manually blocked / disabled. Understandably, this caused some concern for a many users. Now, Apple has responded to the matter and it’s a bit surprising.
According to Apple, this happens because of their ultra wide-band technology which:
…offers spatial awareness permitting iPhone to understand its position relative to other ultra wide-band authorized devices (i.e. all-new iPhone 11s, including the Pro and Pro Max).So users can do things like share a file with someone utilizing AirDrop easily by pointing at another user’s iPhone. Apple
For those of you who aren’t aware, ultra wide-band technology is a radio technology that uses a very low energy level for short-range, high-bandwidth communications of a big part of the radio spectrum. It is done so without interfering with more standard communications.

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Apple clarified that the location data is stored because the iPhone occasionally checks on whether it’s being utilized or not. It is an industry-standard technology which is subjected to international law that requires it to be turned off in certain locations.
Furthermore, iOS will use Location Services to check if your iPhone is in locations where Ultra Wide-Band must be disabled to comply with the law. The management of the technology as well as the use of location data is done and stored within the iPhone itself. It isn’t being fetched by Apple.
Source: TechAcrobat
Pokdepinion: Having the data still being stored and potentially sent to whoever is really scary, especially when it’s already disabled. I can understand why it can be unsettling for a lot of people.
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Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition Review — Gotta Go Fast!

Introduction

The Razer Huntsman series is focused on providing the fastest experience when it comes to Razer’s keyboards. With the Tournament Edition, it has a bigger focus on Esports / competitive gaming. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the new Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition, which comes in a TKL form factor.
Unboxing

Open the box and you get… another box. Though the design is quite simple, it still looks nice with the signature triple-headed snake logo there. Also the box comes in handy when you’re travelling.

Here are all the items that’s included with it. You get the:

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Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition keyboard Razer stickersBraided USB Type-C cableUser guide A special letter from CEO Min-Liang Tan
Appearance

The Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition differs from the previous Huntsman in that it comes in a TKL form factor. It’s a pretty standard design, where the Razer Logo just sits above the cursor keys.
If you’re not sure about the other Huntsman keyboard, we reviewed the keyboard as well. You can check it out by clicking right here.

You’ll find the USB Type-C port at the top, closer to the Esc key area.

Flip it to the back, we see the text “For Gamers By Gamers” filling majority of the space. Similar to the Huntsman Elite, they seem to be sticking the stickers at the opposite direction (we have no idea why). The rubber feet on each side isn’t as big as the Elite here.
Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition Specifications
Body MaterialAluminum top plate, plastic caseKeycapRazer Double Shot PBTUSB report rate1000 HzSwitch typeRazer Linear Optical SwitchKRON-key roll overAnti-ghostingYesMicroprocessorN/ACableBraided cable, detachable, one USB port, Type-CIncluded accessoriesUser guide, Razer stickers, certificate of approval from Min-Liang Tan
User Experience

The previous Huntsman Elite needed two USB ports to power it up. With the Tournament Edition however, they provided a simple port that you can connect with the provided braided USB Type-C cable.

When it comes to RGB lighting, Razer is one of the companies around that excels in that department. There’s a whole lot of customizations that you can do with the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition via Razer Synapse. You can also have up to 5 different custom profiles ready anytime thanks to the onboard memory. This really adds to the portability factor.
Aside from offering 16.8 million colors to choose from, you can also get it to show in-game status like your health and how critical it is through Razer Chroma’s API. One thing that I’ve noticed is that the lights on the keyboard isn’t the brightest ones around. How I wish they were brighter.

Razer has claimed that the keyboard comes with “faster actuation” and I can’t deny that. With the Huntsman Tournament Edition, I feel that you don’t need much pressure to get a response.
In terms of the typing experience, this is a solid option if you like linear switches and a low actuation force. Compared to the Razer Huntsman Elite’s 45g of actuation force, the Huntsman Tournament Edition requires only 40g. Though that may not seem like much, the difference is actually noticeable.

As the keyboard is geared towards Esports players, I’d say that the keyboard is definitely an attractive option, seeing how portable it is and the fact that the cable is detachable. It may not be suitable if you’re the kind who needs a Numpad or plenty of macro keys to go along with your keyboard.
For games that require a lot of key movements, the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is really nice and with it, gameplay feels really smooth. For other purposes such as typing and writing things down, you may need to get used to the sensitivity of the keys as resting your fingers on the keys may register the input. It’s actually that sensitive.
Conclusion

So is the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition worth the RM529 asking price? I would say yes. For what it offers, it is actually worth the money. It takes some time getting used to the keys but Razer released something that they’ve promised, a speedy keyboard.
The Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is definitely a good option if you’re looking for something that’s fast and travel around with. It’s more suitable for gaming but it works well for typing as well. Thanks to its reasonable price (and also the 2-years warranty), it receives our Silver Pokdeward.

Our thanks to Razer for providing the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition for review!
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AMD Ryzen 7000X3D Series Allegedly Comes With Three Models, Coming CES 2023

After the impressive showing of AM4’s last-hurrah CPU, the 5800X3D – gamers has been holding out for 3D V-Cache versions of Ryzen 7000 series CPUs.

The team at QuasarZone has posted a video coverage on Ryzen 7000X3D series, confirming that AMD will launch three variants: 7950X3D (16-core), 7900X3D (12-core) and a yet-to-be-named 8-core CPU. However, unlike the preceding 5800X3D, these chips will not get clockspeed reductions, meaning all base and boost clocks will remain identical to their standard counterparts.
So far, there has been three sources claiming the same information – and there is, reportedly, no 6-core variants of X3D lineup. Per Twitter user @harukaze5719, the video claims AMD will announce these CPUs on the CES 2023:

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They shared 3 exclusive Zen 4 3D info.
1) Three Ryzen 7000X3D model is confirmed. 16/12/8C. But about 8C model, it isn't determined model name whether7700X3D or 7800X3D
2) Unlike Zen 3 3D, clock speed will be same or at least almost same.
3) It is expect Jan 23. So CES.
1/n
— 포시포시 (@harukaze5719) December 2, 2022

The 12-core and 16-core models, which sports two CCDs will feature 192MB of L3 cache as opposed to 96MB on the 8-core (single CCD) model. Wccftech reports that all three will have the same 170W TDP, new to Ryzen 7000 CPUs:

Let me add one more exclusive info:
All X3D parts are 170W 👀
— Hassan Mujtaba (@hms1193) December 2, 2022

That means, while both Ryzen 9 models will retain same power envelope – the 8-core X3D variant will get increased power budget from the original 105W. No word on overclocking – for reference, AMD locked overclocking feature for 5800X3D due to the 3D V-Cache’s specific voltage requirements.
AMD’s X3D-versions of CPUs was first debuted early this year as a response to Intel’s Alder Lake offerings, providing huge amounts of L3 cache that greatly improves gaming performance. Only a single model is offered, that is Ryzen 7 5800X3D. It receives critical acclaim for class-leading gaming performance at much lower prices compared to Intel’s best gaming CPUs.
Finally, the reports claim the CPU will launch on January 2023 – which points to announcement likely landing on CES 2023 next month. The previous-generation 5800X3D was also first revealed in 2022’s event.
Source
Pokdepinion: I imagine the performance out of these CPUs will make Intel sweat…
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AMD Combo PI Bios Updates Now Ready For MSI 500-series Motherboards

The folks at MSI has recently revealed that they’ve released optimized BIOS updates for their 500-series motherboards which includes the X570, B550 and A520 series motherboards.
MSI 500-series AMD BIOS update

As you can see from their release schedule above, BIOS for all 500-series motherboards will be ready in the month of September. You can download and install the latest BIOS using M-Flash or BIOS Flashback to update the listed models.
Wondering on what exactly the new BIOS update will bring? You can expect the following:

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Optimized memory compatibilityOptimized overclocking ability of memoryMitigate S3 resume issueSolved RAID issue of B550 platformNow supports UMA setting for Ryzen 4000 G-Series (Renoir) processors
Pokdepinion: Well if you’re using one of their 500-series motherboards, be on the lookout for the update.
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[UNBOXING] MSI GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF Gaming Laptop – The REAL slim gaming machine!

We have been extremely serious about slim gaming laptops as you can see in our past reviews. So, when MSI announced the GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF, we knew we were definitely going to get our hands on it. I have been using it very extensively trying to get the best out of this wild dragon and trust me, THIS machine is totally capable of blowing your mind! Here’s the unboxing, as we finalize our review.
Unboxing the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF Gaming Laptop

MSI makes some serious gaming laptop and most of the time, they are inspired by sports car designs with aerodynamics and its flair. Some people would dig it, but truth be told, I like to keep limelight away when I am in the public myself. Which makes the GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF a clear definition of what I want to be. I’m honing the worlds most simple looking laptop, but it’s probably the most powerful among any machines I can see here in Starbucks right now.
You might be thinking that I’m kidding, right? Well, what you see in the video above, here’s what under the hood:

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MSI GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF Gaming Laptop Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-8750H (6C/12T) 2.2GHz (Turbo Boost at 4.1GHz)

RAM
16GB DDR4 2400MHz RAM

GPU
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (MaxQ) 8GB GDDR5

Storage
512GB Samsung M.2 NVME PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD

Display
15.6″ FullHD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz, 7ms, IPS-Level

Keyboard
Steelseries Per-Key RGB Backlit Keyboard

Connectivity
Wireless:
Killer ac Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 5.0
I/O:
1 x Type-C USB3.1 Gen 2 (DP + Thunderbolt 3)
1 x RJ45 Killer Gb LAN
1 x HDMI 2.0 (4K @ 60Hz)
1 x Mini-DP
3 x Type-A USB3.1

Audio
2 x 2W Stereo Speakers with Hi-Res Audio
1 x Mic-in
1 x Headphone-out (HiFi)

Power
82WHr 4-cell Li-Polymer
180W Slim Adapter

Dimensions
357.7 x 247.7 x 17.9 mm (W x D x H)

Weight
1.88kg

I know, right? That looks sleek and cool! I can’t stress enough, how much I have enjoyed using this machine but you will be able to find it in our review. Watch this space.

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