God Of War To PC? The Game’s Director Would “Love” That To Happen

Just recently it was announced that Death Stranding was on its way to the PC platform despite being originally a PS4 exclusive title, now it seems that PC gamers want more and it’s none other than for God of War to follow suit.
You know, I would love that. It is, sadly, a decision far above my paygrade. As is proven on a daily basis, I am no Kojima.— Cory Barlog 🎮 🎃🦇🕸 (@corybarlog) October 29, 2019
God of War’s director, Cory Barlog even took the time to write a little bit on the topic at his Twitter account, where he fancies the idea of bringing God of War to PC. Regardless, he mentions that he is no Kojimo and states that he is in no position to be the one to decide.
There’s a lot of people that supports the idea of having the game on PC. Despite that, there are several responses that didn’t see eye to eye with it. One Twitter user even commented “pretty dangerous opinion coming from a first party developer, maybe Sony needs a new developer”.

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What do you think? What console exclusive title that you’d want to be made available on PC? Let us know.
Pokdepinion: I play on both PS4 and PC… I wouldn’t mind for it to happen but realistically speaking, it will most probably not happen. If every games gets on to PC, what’s the point of getting a console then?
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x64 emulation in Windows 10 on ARM now available for Windows Insiders

Microsoft has finally added x64 emulation for Windows 10 on ARM PCs. Previously, aside from the native ARM64 apps, you could run x86 apps, but x64 apps were a no go. It severely limits the usability of ARM-based Windows PCs, as it meant that you had to be on the lookout for specific x86 versions of your usual software.
The new x64 emulation capability isn’t pushed out onto the public channel just yet though. For now, it is only available for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. It does mean that they are still on the lookout for any bugs and issues, so you might have to wait a bit if you aren’t in the Windows Insider Program.
Microsoft brags about being able to run your usual productivity software like Autodesk Sketchbook and even games like Rocket League. Being able to support x64 also means 64-bit software can now take advantage of being able to address more memory, and the example of this that Microsoft provided was none other than Chrome. Real classy, Microsoft.

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Hopefully with x64 emulation coming to Windows 10 on ARM, we will see something close to what Apple has already managed to pull off with their M1-powered Macs.
Pokdepinion: It seems like Arm truly is the future!
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New Trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of War; Showcases the Terror Tribe

A new trailer has popped up for Middle-earth: Shadow of War. It looks awesome…or gruesome, depending on how you view it.
Are you a fan of the Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor game? Or perhaps, you’re just a Lord of the Rings fan looking for some games to sink your teeth in? Either way, there might be something worth checking here for you.
A new trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor has surfaced online, and it showcases the aptly-named Terror Tribe.

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New Trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of War
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Today, Monolith Productions released a new trailer of its upcoming game Middle-earth: Shadow of War. The trailer features one of the seven orc tribes that will populate Mordor with the launch of the game, the terrifying Terror Tribe.
The name isn’t random, as the orcs belonging to this extremely violent tribe are all about terrorizing their enemies, and the best way they have found to do that, is to display their tortured corpses on the walls and spires of the fortress they control, Cirith Ungol. Of course, were they to take control of other fortress during the game, they’d decorate it in the same way.
For those of you who are more data-conscious, the trailer is just 1-minute long so it shouldn’t eat up too much of your data. Of course, you can always bookmark this and check it out when you are on Wi-Fi connection.
If you want to know more about the game, check out DualShockers’ hands-on preview. Middle-earth: Shadow of War will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC on October 10th 2017.

Pokdepinion: I loved the combat system for Shadow of Mordor but hated the cliffhanger ending. Story was okay I suppose. I’m hoping Middle-earth: Shadow of War won’t end up as a disappointment for me. Are you looking forward to the game?
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Sony Expands its 4K HDR TV Line-up with New X Series and A Series

Something hot is cooking in Sony’s TV department and it’s definitely worth checking out. They just announced their new 4K HDR television series that is designed to deliver even wider brightness range and higher contrast. The new Sony BRAVIA TVs combine their unique image processor and display device technologies to deliver the best 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range) content.
HDR has been getting a lot more love lately with the advent of video streaming services, 4K UHD Blu-ray and recently the Playstation 4 gaming. Now, the importance of accurate image processing is playing a crucial role in delivering dazzling images to the end users. The 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme from Sony’s flagship Z series has been widely acclaimed for its ability to produce lifelike picture with superb texture, depth, colour and contracts, bringing a significant leap forward in the space of HDR.
Alongside the X1 Extreme processor, the new A1 series features the Acoustic Surface technology that lends to cutting-edge design by doing away with conventional speakers usually located around the TV. The result is unique stand-less form factor with no distraction from the picture.

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Sony will introduce 4K HDR OLED TV as “BRAVIA OLED” – the A1 series offers a totally new visual experience with a combination of superior picture quality of OLED, X1 Extreme – the world’s first sound system in large screen TV, and its unique cutting edge form factor.
Thanks to OLED’s over 8 million self-illuminating pixels, the A1 series brings a significantly enriched visual experience with unprecedented black, authentic colour, blur-less image and a wide viewing angle. The X1 Extreme precisely controls the tremendous number of pixels and extends the capability of OLED to deliver and exquisite 4K HDR picture.
The A1 series is the world’s first large screen TV that can emit its great sound from the screen itself using it’s new Acoustic Surface technology. This allows a perfect unification of picture and sound unattainable by conventional TVs. It produces wide sound and image synchronisation even off to the sides.
Sony will also introduce the new X93E series featuring the Slim Backlight Drive+, an improved LED backlight technology allowing more precise and accurate local diming control compared to Slim Backlight Drive. With its quad-edge LED structure and X-tended Dynamic Range PRO local dimming and boosting technology, it brings superior brightness and exceptional contrast.
Both X93E and A1 series will support Dolby Vision, the HDR format from Dolby Laboratories, which when paired with Sony’s unique technologies further enriches the visual experience.
Sony Bravia A1 Series (65″ and 55″ Class model) 4K HDR OLED TV

The first thing that you could notice here is the fact that the A1 is just so slim, you could confuse it with an oversized picture frame. The colors are seriously vivid, utilising 8-million pixels to render 4K at HDR. The acoustic surface uses actuators to resonate behind the screen to produce sound that is, while magical, incredibly awesome! It uses the 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme which is one step above the X1 processor, so you kinda like have GSync type of experience in this TV. It’s also powered by Android TV and Sony has not left any room in terms of providing excellent user-experience on top of the beautiful looks. Words are just not enough to describe this, you should really check it out yourself.
Sony X94E Series (75″ Class model) and Sony X93E Series (55″ Class model)

These models also use the 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme, providing the ultimate 4K HDR viewing experience by incorporating 3 new technologies: Object-based HDR remaster, Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR and Dual database processing. It has Chromecast built-in so you can easily send content from your smartphone or tablet to the TV without having the dongle attached to it. For some countries, the wall mount bracket with swivel will be included, so you might want to check on this before buying one.
Sony X85E Series (75″ and 65″ Class models) 4K HDR TV

Now this one uses the 4K HDR Processor X1 (the non-Extreme version), so you probably want to check this one out first before testing out the BRAVIA A1 really. Don’t underestimate it, it’s still a very good TV, but take it this way – Sony gave you a chance to burn less of your pockets with this one ;)
Sony X80E (55″, 49″ and 43″ Class models) 4K HDR TV

The X80E uses 4K X-Reality PRO in conjunction with Sony’s unique algorithm of reality creation database for any content, such as TV broadcasts, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Internet video and digital photos.
Sony X70E Series (65″, 55″, 49″ and 43″ Class models) 4K HDR TV

The X70E uses Motionflow XR enrusing smooth and sharp details even in fast-moving sequences. This innovative technology creates and inserts extra frames between the original ones. Kinda like how your G-Sync gaming monitor does.
Sony W75E Series (49″ and 43″ Class models) Full HD HDR TV

If 4K is not something that you are not inclined to use yet, probably due to not so fast internet or other reasons, then there’s FHD option for you to consider too.
Sony W66E Series (49″ and 40″ Class models) Full HD HDR TV

This one is for the clumsy ones, I suppose. It comes with X-Protection PRO that enhances Sony TV’s durability with four protection features to guard against dust, lightning, surge and humidity.
Sony Z9D Series (100″, 75″ and 65″ Class models) BRAVIA 4K HDR TV

Now, if you have enough cash to spend and you like it bigger and better, then this one is for you. 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme, Backlight Master Drive, X-tended Dynamic Range PRO, Android TV, it has it all. I mean, if bringing back cinema to home is your idea, this is your weapon. If it was any lighter, I’d probably have stolen it from the display booth. :P
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ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – The Ultimate Versatile Gaming Laptop

Unboxing the ASUS ROG Flow X16
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Box

Starting off the ASUS ROG Flow X16 review with the unboxing, the packaging is a bit out of the usual, clad in black with some lines strewn across it, essentially giving a teaser as to what the laptop looks like. It kind of reminds me of the older Zephyrus boxes. Inside the box, you can find the following items:
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Box content

ASUS Pen 2.0
User guide
Safety and regulatory information
MyASUS leaflet
ASUS ROG Chakram Core gaming mouse
Charger
Power cable
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 itself

Specifications

GV601R-WM5100W
GV601R-MM6110W

Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS

Graphics
RTX 3070 Ti 8GB GDDR6
RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6

Display
16″ Mini LED QHD (2560 x 1600) 16:10 165Hz
16″ IPS QHD (2560 x 1600) 16:10 165Hz

RAM
16GB DDR5-4800
16GB DDR5-4800

Storage
1TB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 4.0 SSD
 1TB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 4.0 SSD

Connectivity
WIFI 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth 5.2
1x XG Mobile interface
1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4  and Power Delivery
1x USB 3.2 Type-C with support for DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery
2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
1x HDMI 2.0b
1x 3.5 mm combo audio jack
1x MicroSD card reader

Power
90WHrs Battery
240W AC Adapter
90WHrs Battery
200W AC

Dimensions
355 x 243 x 19.4 mm

Weight
2.0 ~ 2.1kg

Bundle
ROG Backpack
ASUS Pen
ROG Chakram Core Gaming Mouse
ROG Backpack
ASUS Pen

Price
RM11,999
RM9,499

Performance

ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – CrystalDiskMark
Starting off our benchmark suite with CrystalDiskMark as per usual, the 1TB SSD inside the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has plenty of speed going for it. In simpler terms, you can generally expect fast transfer speeds with minimal loading times, on top of a healthy 1TB of storage. In case you’re wondering, it is the Micron 3400 NVMe SSD.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Cinebench R20
On Cinebench R20, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS powering the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a pretty strong showing. While the single core performance could be better, the multi-core score is pretty high up there. Generally, you can expect great CPU performance in general and it should be more than enough for most users for a long time.

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ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Unigine SuperPosition
Moving on to Unigine SuperPosition in the 4K Optimized benchmark, it had a pretty decent showing but I’m not surprised to see it being under the 10K mark. As you can see from the other results, you will need a stronger GPU for that, likely in the realms of the RTX 3080 or higher, especially since 4K resolution is very graphically-intensive.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – 3DMark Time Spy
As for 3DMark Time Spy, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 seems to have a better showing here, generally only losing out to laptops running a stronger GPU or with a more optimized CPU/GPU combination. From what I can see, if you’re not running the laptop in 4K resolution (via external monitors as the laptop display is set 2560 x 1600), you should have more than enough power.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – 3DMark Port Royal
With 3DMark Port Royal on the other hand, you can see that ray tracing is a bit too hard still for the RTX 3070 Ti as the ASUS ROG Flow X16 only managed a score of 6,047. It’s not bad if you compare it to other laptops but generally speaking, it’s best to not enable ray tracing as your performance will really tank from there.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – PCMark 10
Then on PCMark 10, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 had an overall impressive score as it managed to get a relatively high score on the most intensive part of the test; Digital Content Creation. Safe to say, this is a well-rounded machine that will suit both gamers and non-gamers, which is great if you need a strong machine for work and play games on the side.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Gaming benchmark
Of course, you can’t complete the benchmark suite for a gaming laptop without the games. Generally speaking, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a very strong showing overall in its native resolution of 2560 x 1600, generally able to give at least 60FPS on average at the highest settings, and really only dipping with ray tracing enabled. For the games with slightly lower than 60FPS, tweaking the settings a little bit should solve the problem so you don’t have to go a step down and game on Full HD instead.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Battery endurance test
Lastly for battery life, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a decent showing as it managed to last exactly 6 hours (360 minutes) in PCMark’s Modern Office endurance test. As for the Gaming endurance test, it lasted 71 minutes before it died out, which isn’t a surprise since gaming takes a lot of energy. Essentially, it’s above average for a gaming laptop, but definitely nowhere close to productivity laptops these days which can easily last the whole day, if not close to it.

The Good

ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – 360° hinge
The first and most major positive point about the ASUS ROG Flow X16 is its overall design. Personally, the colours and its general look is seems rather standard still for an ROG laptop but where it shines is its 360° hinge. This turns a proper gaming laptop and turns it into a convertible, letting you use only the display like a tablet as it does have touchscreen functionality, or like a standalone display by connecting an external keyboard and mouse to it.
Considering that it has a magnesium alloy build, it’s relatively light for its size while still having a solid build overall. If you ran an Android emulator on it, you can pretty much consider it doubling as a larger Android tablet. That’s a lot of versatility for a gaming laptop, something you don’t normally see.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Display
Speaking of touchscreen, the display itself is far from low quality. You get a Mini LED QHD display which means you get the contrast and blacks comparable to OLED, on top of excellent colour reproduction. Furthermore, it’s 16:10 aspect ratio gives you extra screen real estate so you can see more, and 165Hz refresh rate, which gives you extra smooth visuals along with fast response times. Sure, there are laptops with higher refresh rate but given the CPU / GPU combination, 165Hz is the ideal figure. Lastly, the brightness makes is definitely enough to use in both indoor and outdoor scenarios.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Single-zone RGB keyboard
One thing I’m genuinely surprised by is the keyboard. The 1.7mm travel distance makes typing fast and easy, which I’m sure most people will have no issues with it unless the single-zone RGB or the lack of a numpad is a pain. Getting a keyboard at this point would require one to move on to mechanical keyboard territory, something that is still not common among laptops.
Lastly, I’m pleasantly surprised by the built-in speakers on the ASUS ROG Flow X16. It’s not the kind that will blow you away but you get good volume, decent mids and highs along with a touch of bass. It’s actually a viable option to use this laptop without headphones / earphones, if it wasn’t for the fans but I’ll leave that for the next section.
Looking for a better gaming mouse to go along with the laptop? Check out our ASUS ROG Gladius III Wireless Aimpoint review by clicking right here.

The Bad

ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review
While the ASUS ROG Flow X16 performs admirably given its specifications, the CPU does run rather hot. Based on my data during the benchmarking process, thermal throttling is present even in Turbo, so you will see some performance drops from time to time depending on what you’re running. Furthermore, the fans can get rather loud so you will need to wear headphones / earphones to avoid that annoyance. Using an external cooler would ruin its versatility so only resort to that if you’re using it like a standard gaming laptop. The GPU rans noticeably cooler so there’s nothing to worry there.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review – Ports
One area of improvement I would like to see with this laptop is its connectivity. While the ports are decent, I personally feel that it missed out a bit when it’s using HDMI 2.0b instead of the newer HDMI 2.1 standard. Furthermore, I would have expected a laptop of this size to come with RJ45 LAN but at least it’s still possible to get this via an adapter. Lastly, given that it did have touchscreen, I was hoping to see a fingerprint scanner for convenient security but this last part is still forgivable since it’s still uncommon among gaming laptops.
Lastly, at RM11,999, it can be hard to consider when there are other gaming laptops with stronger CPU or GPU at around the same price range. However, I would like to emphasize that you’re paying the premium for its design and versatility. It’s still a solid performer overall, but it’s only really worth considering other options if you need something stronger or a more traditional gaming laptop.

ASUS ROG Flow X16 Verdict
ASUS ROG Flow X16 Review
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 isn’t one that has mainstream appeal but its relatively unique design would attract a lot of people to it. The biggest question is whether you’d rather have the versatility or focus on maximizing performance given its price. If you do get it, I’m sure it will serve you well as it’s a well-rounded machine.
At the end of our ASUS ROG Flow X16 review, I award this laptop with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to ASUS Malaysia for sending us this laptop for the purpose of this review.

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HUAWEI nova 5T will be showcased at the KLFW 2019

There will apparently be a new HUAWEI nova smartphone, dubbed the HUAWEI nova 5T, making an appearance at the upcoming KL Fashion Week (KLFW) 2019, happening this 25th August. There has been no previous details about the upcoming smartphone, and apparently Malaysia will be the first country to see the device.
In addition to inviting us over to check out the device, HUAWEI is also opening up the opportunity for everyone to catch the first appearance of the HUAWEI nova 5T at KLFW 2019 as well as gain access to KLFW’s backstage!
Here’s all you need to do:

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Step 1: Dress up in your best Outfit of The Day and take a picture showcasing your OOTD. Make sure you capture your best pose!
Step 2: Share the photo to Instagram or Facebook (or both!), including the hashtag #novaOOTD and tag @HuaweiMobileMY
The contest will run from now until 22nd August, with the winners’ announcement happening on 23rd August on HUAWEI’s official Facebook page. As mentioned, winners will be among the first to get to see the HUAWEI nova 5T first hand at the #WeAreNova Fashion Showcase, aside from being able to experience KLFW 2019.
For more information, check out HUAWEI Malaysia’s Facebook post here.
Pokdepinion: I wonder if it will come with that new Kirin 810 chipset…
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ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q review – Dude, it’s the best!

Back in the day, buying a monitor was easy. Just find a monitor with the resolution you want and if it fits your budget, there you go. Your new display. Nowadays it’s getting difficult in searching for the ideal monitor for you since there are lots of new technologies and features popping up in displays. That said, we aren’t complaining. ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q is a 27-inch IPS gaming monitor with a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, with support for NVIDIA G-SYNC technology. Dubbed as the best gaming display in the market, let’s see what it has to offer.

Unboxing

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The Swift PG279Q comes in a pretty big box, with most of the specification and details about the monitor are printed on the box. From the top we see that Swift PG279Q is a 27-inch gaming monitor with 2560 x 1440p resolution. It also uses an IPS panel instead of the TN one in its predecessor, the Swift PG278Q, and natively offers a 144Hz refresh rate that can be overclocked up to 165Hz. The monitor also features NVIDIA’s proprietary Ultra Low Motion Blur (ULMB) and G-SYNC technologies.

In the box, we have the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q itself along with its accessories. As for the accessories, we have the necessary cables such as the power cable, Displayport cable, power adapter, a driver CD and also a ASUS VIP member notice documentation.

Appearance

At the front look of one of the best gaming monitors out there, we have the ASUS logo. Also on the thin bezel, we have the Displayport and HDMI logos at the bottom left and also the legends for the buttons along the right edge.  At the base, we have a G-SYNC logo and of course the legendary ASUS ROG eye.

When the monitor is turned on we have the ASUS ROG logo glowing in red along with a ring around the stand. A nice touch from ASUS to further enhance the aesthetics of this monitor.

Here are the legends for the monitor’s buttons.

At the back of monitor we have the ASUS ROG emblem and big ASUS logo. On the left (when we are looking at its rear), we have the monitor control buttons and there is also a Kensington lock slot over on the right side.

The panel display can be adjusted in height by up to 120mm, swivel +/- 60 degree and tilt at +28/-5 degree.

The control buttons consist of four buttons with one red joystick for more intuitive navigation of the built-in menu on the Swift PG279Q.

There is a cable routing channel in the monitor stand to help you manage your cables neatly.

Last but not least, the panel can also be rotated 180° to a portrait orientation.

Specification

User Experience
Although the Swift PG279Q comes with the Ultra-Low Motion Blur (ULMB) feature, but G-SYNC gets the most attention here. This is the absolute reason why a NVIDIA’s graphics card is necessary in order to enjoy the Swift PG279Q. So, get a good graphics card worthy of the Swift PG279Q like a GeForce GTX 1070 or GTX 1080. I do think that 4K is overkill for a 27-inch display, so I am kinda glad that ASUS went with 1440p, which I consider to be somewhat of a “sweet spot” for monitors of this size.

The monitor was painless to setup. Just plug in the Displayport cable and power cable, and you are set. With an IPS panel (actually it is an AHVA panel from AU Optronics), the viewing angle of the monitor is great. From the images above you can see there’s no washed out colors at any angle.

With a robust on screen display and the joystick controller it was easy to navigate and overclock the monitor to 165Hz. The image quality is superb out of the box for me and colors look accurate enough to my naked eyes that I did not find it necessary to calibrate it.

In order to reduces glares and diffuses reflection, the Swift PG279Q is coated with an Anti-Glare (AG) coating, similar to most monitor in the market. This gives it a matte appearance.
The monitor has built-in speakers, two watts each. Audio quality wise, it is average at best. However I really do not think anyone with this monitor will be using the speakers. If ASUS really want to improve the audio quality, they might want to consider throwing in the awesome speakers found in the ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra for its next generation gaming monitor.
Using the Swift PG279Q for media consumption is a poor test of a gaming display like this. With most videos only at 25fps, and some of it at 60fps, the only thing I can appreciate when watching movies is the color reproduction. This monitor is meant for gaming after all, so with G-SYNC turned on and the panel overclocked to 165Hz, I played games numerous times to get a feel of how does G-SYNC enhances my gaming experience. In terms of hardware I’m using the dual NVIDIA GTX 980 in SLI configuration, as found in the ASUS ROG GT51. I do believe to get frame rates worthy of the 165Hz refresh rate, you need at least two NVIDIA GTX Titan X Pascal for AAA titles. But irregardless of the frame rate, G-SYNC enhances your gaming experience in ways that is difficult to describe but is definitely noticeable when you experience it.
I tried the Swift PG279Q in several scenarios, with and without G-SYNC, and the panel underclocked to 120Hz so ULMB is enabled and more. The results I got was varied, and as expected, the Swift PG279Q is best used with G-SYNC turned on. The gameplay was very smooth with no screen tearing occur. The experience is very different when compared to my standard 60Hz monitor. While V-sync can somewhat eliminate screen tearing, that does not happen with G-SYNC, and the higher frame rates at which the monitor can synchronize with the frame rate output of the SLI GTX 980s I have here is just heavenly. When playing game with a G-SYNC monitors, frame rates do not matter in terms of the smoothness of the visuals, but a higher frame rate does still translate to a better gaming experience. And with G-SYNC, the higher frame rate will not cause annoying screen tearing, but fluidly smooth graphics.

Last part that I would like to touch on is the connectivity ports available on this monitor. Other reviewers have found the Swift PG278Q to be lacking in input connectivity options. For me even with only a single DisplayPort and HDMI connector, it’s more than enough, since who the heck is going to connect a NVIDIA G-SYNC capable monitor to a console. For me, the issue I had with the ports is the USB 3.0 hub, which I found quite difficult to access. So, I would suggest to connect devices that are rarely unplugged like your mouse and keyboard.

Conclusion
The Swift PG279Q definitely wins in term of specifications over its predecessor, the Swift PG278Q. For me the Swift PG279Q is the best display I have ever used. ASUS has succeeded in putting the Swift PG29Q as the world’s best gaming monitor available in market but in order to take full advantage it you must fulfill some conditions. A good graphics cards that is at least capable of running most games at 1440p with a decent frame rate, and of course, must be NVIDIA G-SYNC ready. It’s quite a pricey monitor, with an asking price of around RM4000 but I dare say it’s a good investment over the long-term. If I had extra money to spend, the Swift PG279Q will definitely be in my shopping list. I award the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q with our Gold Pokdeward!

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[CES 2023] Acer Expands Aspire Lineup With New AIOs And Laptops

Acer Expands Aspire Lineup With New AIOs And Laptops

Three model series featured here: Aspire S AIO, Aspire 5 and Aspire 3.
Acer Aspire S32
First is the Aspire S AIO PC which comes in two sizes: 32-inch (Aspire S32) and 27-inch (Aspire S27). The bigger model will get the latest Intel CPUs on offer – in this case a Core i7-13700 paired with Intel Arc A-Series GPUs. The 27-inch model will use previous generation hardware on both fronts, namely a 12th-gen Core i5 or Core i7, paired with Intel Iris Xe Graphics.
The display is a QHD panel capable of 75Hz refresh rate, with the I/O placed within the AIO stand itself. Acer also listed a detachable OceanGlass touchpad though the company didn’t elaborate much on its specifics. The webcam comes standard with 1080p resolution; alternatively, an optional QHD webcam with ring light is offered – with both supporting Windows Hello features.

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Acer Aspire 5 15
The new Aspire 5 models receives Intel’s 13th-gen Core upgrade, plus GPU options up to RTX 2050 (a level below RTX 3050, same architecture), up to 32GB DDR4 and up to 1TB M.2 SSD as its available configurations. 15-inch models will use the 16:9 QHD display while the smaller 14-inch models gets a 16:10 FHD+ display, both using IPS-type panels. Acer touts its Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) technology and PurifiedVoice can improve quality on conference calls.
The cooling system branded as TwinAir Cooling (our guess is it’s a dual-fan setup) and a keyboard that also functions as the air intake/exhaust to improve airflow. Ports-wise, it gets the latest Thunderbolt 4 port, Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI 2.1, to name a few.
Acer Aspire 3 14
The budget-focused Aspire 3 lineup is powered by Intel Core i3-N series (with exclusively E-cores) with TDPs rated at 15 watts or below – although Acer have also made some cooling upgrades for more efficiency. It uses standard FHD panels with blue light reduction, with ports ranging from USB-C to HDMI 2.1 and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
General availability will begin this month starting in EMEA region with Aspire 3, with other models soon to follow. Stay tuned for local pricing updates and availability information.
Pokdepinion: Curious how would that Core i3-N series CPU works out. That’s running on purely E-cores…
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vivo V21 Review — One For The Selfie Lovers

We’ve taken a look at the vivo X60 Pro previously and this time around, we are testing out the company’s latest device in this vivo V21 review. Powered by the Dimensity 800U chipset, this smartphone has an emphasis on selfies. Will it impress us? Let’s begin, shall we?
Unboxing
vivo V21 Review – Unboxing
You can expect the following items to be included inside the box:

vivo V21
Documentation
SIM ejector
Soft case
Charging brick
USB-C cable
Earphone (3.5mm)
USB-C to 3.5mm dongle

Appearance
vivo V21 Review – Front
The vivo V21 comes with a 6.44-inch AMOLED display where, as you can see above, it sports a waterdrop notch that houses its 44MP selfie camera. The bezels around the display isn’t that noticeable and that’s good.

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vivo V21 Review – Right
If you look at the right hand side of the device, you’ll find the usual volume rockers and power button, in which the latter has a nice textured finish to it. Move over to the left side and you’ll find that it’s completely naked with nothing to see.
vivo V21 Review – Bottom
Moving to the bottom, you will find the SIM tray, a microphone hole, USB-C port, and the phone’s speaker grille.
vivo V21 Review – Top
Heading over to the top, you’ll find that there’s nothing except for its secondary microphone hole. From this angle, we can see some of the camera bump behind.
vivo V21 Review – Back
Finally, we switch to the rear and as you can see here, we’ve got our hands on the Sunset Dazzle color variant, which comes in an iridescent finish. Other than that, the triple camera setup can be found on the top left as well as the vivo branding towards the bottom.
vivo V21 Specifications

CPU
MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G Octa-core (2×2.4GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0GHz Cortex-A55) 7nm

GPU
Mali-G57 MC3

Memory
8GB

Storage
128GB

Display
6.44-inch (2404×1080) FHD+ AMOLED 90Hz refresh rate

Camera
64MP OIS + AF
8MP wide-angle
2MP macro
Night mode, Portrait, HDR, Flash, Panorama, Live Photo, AR Stickers

Selfie camera
44MP OIS
Portrait mode, HDR, AI camera, Dual flash

Connectivity
LTE Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28/38/39/40/41
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.1
USB Type-C

Battery
4000mAh
33W fast charging

Dimensions
159.68 x 73.9 x 7.39mm

Weight
177g

Ingress protection
No

Performance

This is actually the first time we’ve tested MediaTek’s Dimensity-series chipset and as we can see here from Antutu’s test, the Dimensity 800U’s score is what we’d expect from a mid-range device. It even beat the Snapdragon 732G in the form of the Galaxy A52.

In Geekbench 5, we find that the single-core performance to be quite decent. It’s multi-core score shows a similar result, not too high and not too bad for a mid-range smartphone.

Though the V21 manage to outscore both in Sling Shot and Sling Shot Extreme tests compared to the SD732G on the POCO X3 NFC, it seems that it lacks behind when it comes to the Ice Storm Unlimited scores.

Over at PCMark Work 2.0’s test, the phone doesn’t score too well as it’s last on the list, where we can see that both Snapdragon 720G and Snapdragon 732G has an advantage over the device.

Coming to the battery test, you might think that the vivo V21 doesn’t last very long with it lasting 11 hours and 30 minutes. It is actually a decent performance considering the battery capacity that it comes with.
When it comes to real-life battery life, I find that with my normal usage, the vivo V21 would end up with around 60% to 65%. Usage would include social media browsing on Instagram and Facebook, messaging apps, as well as watching videos. Expect the power to be lower however if you use intensive power consuming apps such as Waze and the likes. You could get a longer battery life by switching to the 60Hz refresh rate but when you have a higher option, I don’t see why wouldn’t you want it turned on, right?
If you’re wondering on how fast the 33W fast charger is, well I’ve managed to get the device to juice up from 19% to 69% in a 30-minute charging period, just to let you know how long that you need to fully charge the phone.
User Experience
vivo V21 Review – User Experience
Though the vivo V21 looks quite similar to the vivo X60 Pro that I’ve reviewed before at first glance, the former uses a rather traditional waterdrop notch. For me, it’s better than the conventional punch-hole notch right in the middle as at least there’s no lit up space in between, which for me is a distraction.
120Hz refresh rate is higher than 90Hz, it’s simple calculation. Despite that, I feel that the one on this device is just good enough as it could be smoother. I’d say the bare minimum refresh rate that phones should have these days is 90Hz as it makes everything seem smoother which is essentially what you would want from a display.
Despite the fact that the speaker on the device is loud enough, it would’ve been nicer to have come with stereo speakers instead. That would’ve improved on the experience significantly.
vivo V21 Review – UI
The vivo V21 runs on Funtouch OS 11.1, which is based on Android 11. I don’t have anything that’s worthy to criticize about it. UI wise, I didn’t find any issues such as lag or sluggishness when using the device, so that’s a good thing. Considering on how big the RAM is, I am not surprised.
vivo V21 Review – Camera UI
To my surprise, the camera UI is slightly different from the one found in the vivo X60 Pro. While the former shows the lens option at the middle, the vivo V21’s three camera lens can be selected at the ‘Lens’ option located at the bottom right. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same.
vivo V21 Review – Dual Flash
The vivo V21 focuses on low-light selfies and as you can see here, it comes with a dual flash system on the front in case you need to brighten up your environment. With that being said, let’s see how the cameras perform.

While we know that vivo is focusing on the selfie capabilities of the device, let’s start off with the main rear cameras first. Overall, the quality is average. I find that using the High Resolution mode, which uses the 64MP camera, offers better tone and realistic colors. Otherwise, the colors on all three cameras comes out a bit washed out. I wasn’t too happy with the macro lens as the color representation seemed more dull than what it’s supposed to be in real life.
Moving over to the selfie camera, I’m not one who loves to take selfies but I’m actually impressed with the results. In conditions where even light source is scarce, it does a mighty fine job and they end up pretty clear. It’s worth noting that this applies even without the dual flash feature enabled. In fact, I feel that selfies taken without it comes out nicer. All the selfies were taken in extreme low-light condition except for one, which you can tell from the lighting. There are also plenty of filters that are available in your hands, should you want to play around with it.
Check out the full sized images right here.
Conclusion
vivo V21 Review – Verdict
The key specifications of this smartphone seems rather average on paper. I for one am not a huge fan of taking selfies but if you do, this seems like the device for you. The OIS helps in shooting them and the results in low light is pretty impressive. Plus, there’s quite the number of settings and filters on hand for you to play around with.
If you fit the category above and don’t mind spending RM1,599, the vivo V21 is a good smartphone for you. If they could change the look of it, tweak the color variant so that it doesn’t look much like the vivo X60 series, and reduce the price just a little bit, it would likely attract more users to the device.
We would like to thank vivo Malaysia for providing the vivo V21 that was used in this review.
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NVIDIA Driver Bug Causes Increased CPU Usage

If you’re among the affected – you may see CPU usage hovering around 10% persistently once exiting a game.
Image: NVIDIA
The latest GeForce driver from NVIDIA (version 531.18, which introduced features like RTX Video Super Resolution) has been misbehaving, which will cause increased CPU usage after exiting a game. The culprit is NVIDIA’s Display Container Service – and it can be seen occupying around 10% of CPU persistently. Some Reddit users believe this may be caused by a part of the driver called Game Session Telemetry Plugin (NvGSTPlugin.dll).
Not all users face this bug, including Hardwareluxx Editor Andreas Schilling. He can’t reproduce the bug despite having the problematic version of the driver; meanwhile NVIDIA has confirmed and zeroed in on the issue, with a hotfix on the way. (Editor’s note: my own personal PC has seen this bug – though in my particular case, selecting ‘End Task’ on the Display Container Service – which may cause the display to briefly flash – seems to have worked around the issue until the next system restart. Your mileage may vary.)

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Over at Reddit, some users suggested blocking or removing the DLL file in question should fix the issue, however it’s not recommended as this may introduce stability issues. If you need a more persistent workaround, simply revert back GPU driver to the version before (528.49) and all will be back in order, though be aware that you’ll have to wait until the driver is fixed if you intend to use features like RTX Video Super Resolution.
Source: Videocardz | Tom’s Hardware
Pokdepinion: I think I can live with this minor annoyance for now (with my own workaround), since I don’t reboot my system as much.
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Meta Is Working On A Twitter Rival, Launching In Late June

The company is working on what looks to be the most direct competition to Twitter to date.

Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter last October, it has triggered a mass exodus of users jumping to rivaling platforms such as Mastodon and Bluesky (which in itself is created by Jack Dorsey, the very person who founded Twitter). Now, a new report from Lia Haberman, a digital marketing expert, may shine some light on Meta’s equivalent that can put serious pressure against Elon’s platform.

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As she noted, Meta has contacted with some creators on the platform for discussions, and one of them told Haberman the new app is essentially “Instagram for your thoughts”. The key part that this Meta-built app separates between Mastodon and Bluesky however, is the integration. It’s said that existing settings from the Instagram app will directly carry over to the new app, from usernames, passwords, blocking lists and even all the existing followers’ lists.

Based on a (somewhat blurry) example I got, Meta's new app looks a lot like Twitter.
So, could this take over all the Twitter screenshots we've been seeing on the Feed lately? Maybe.
It’s impossible to predict how audiences will respond but this could be an alternative. pic.twitter.com/xgQa1kUjCl
— Lia Haberman (@liahaberman) May 19, 2023

It also comes with a character limit – at 500 words maximum – which mimics the pre-Elon Twitter that maxed out at 280 before the new Blue subscription increased that limit 10,000 characters. Users can also attach links, photos and videos up to 5 minutes long. Various aspects of the new app is pointing to a heavily copied version of what Twitter looks like right now (or at least, the pre-Elon Twitter), albeit with IG’s design language attached to it.
Granted, Meta has historically had a habit of making near carbon copies of various platforms in the past as they broke out into sudden popularity. The Stories feature originated from Snapchat – which has since had its popularity greatly reduced; and the Reels features are made as a response to TikTok’s short video formats.
Source: Engadget
Pokdepinion: This might be the crucial one that topples Twitter as we know it – Meta just simply have significantly more resources to throw at it to snuff out the competition.
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OPPO A95 Review — A High-End Entry-Level Device?

OPPO Malaysia has recently introduced ta brand new device and we decided to take a closer look in this OPPO A95 review. Should you get the smartphone? What exactly does it have to offer? Let’s find out, shall we?
Unboxing
Unfortunately, the review unit that we received didn’t come with a box. That being said, we expect the usual to be included inside such as the phone itself, charging brick, USB-C charger, soft case, and the usual documentation.
Appearance

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The OPPO A95 sports a 6.43-inch AMOLED display and as you can see here, there’s a slight chin down below but nothing excessive. The punch-hole camera is located on the top-left corner.

On the right hand side is where you’ll find the power button. As for the opposite side, there’s the standard volume rockers and SIM tray.

Moving to the bottom, you can find a 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB-C port, and the speaker grille. As for the top of the device, it’s completely naked.

In case you haven’t realized it yet, we got the silver colour variant of the smartphone, where you can see the OPPO Glow design. The top-left corner is where the triple camera cut out can be found.

OPPO A95 Specifications

CPU
Snapdragon 662 Octa-core (4 x 2.3GHz Kryo 260 Gold + 4 x 1.8GHz Kryo 260 Silver) 11nm

GPU
Adreno 610

Memory
8GB (+5GB via RAM Expansion)

Storage
128GB

Display
6.43″ FHD+ (2400x 1080) AMOLED display

Audio
Dual speakers

Camera
48MP f/1.7 main camera, PDAF
8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide
2MP f/2.4 macro camera
AI Camera, Auto HDR, Pro Mode, Portrait, Beauty

Selfie camera
16MP f/2.4 selfie camera

Connectivity
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.1

Software
MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11

Battery
5000mAh
33W fast charging

Dimensions
160.1 x 73.4 x 7.8 mm

Weight
173g

Ingress protection
IPX4

Performance

We start off with Antutu V9 for our synthetic test and as you can see from the chart, the phone doesn’t score really well. It did score slightly higher than the previous OPPO A74 that we reviewed earlier in the year, but that’s pretty much about it.

A similar result can be seen on Geekbench 5’s test. We can see that it’s far from the scores of several smartphones that we’ve checked out in recent time.
Heading to graphical performance, it’s a similar story again. But this time around, the OPPO A74 even outscores the A95, albeit not by much.
Next up is PCMark’s Work 3.0 test, which shows that it’s not far behind the company’s recent mid-range smartphone series. The difference in performance based on their SoC can really be seen right here.

Coming to battery life, we see on PCMark’s battery test here that it lasts a decent amount of time. What we’re curious is how the difference between it and the OPPO A74 managed to be so huge, which the latter tops the list right here.
As for real life usage, I find that the device shows a different result. It’d take nearly two days before I would find the need to charge the device back again. Usage would include the usual social media browsing, chats, and video binging on YouTube.
The 33W charging brick comes in handy when you need to quickly juice up your smartphone. For me personally, anything above 18W is good enough, so that’s good. The company has claimed that the charger can get 54% of battery in just 30 minutes, an experience that I can vouch for.
User Experience

If you like thin smartphones, the OPPO A95 certainly fits the bill. It has a nice matte finish for the back which gives a nice feel to it. Personally, I’d usually use a case to avoid fingerprints staining the back of a device but I don’t find the need right here, which is a plus for me.
Despite the phone only having a single speaker, I’d say that it’s loud enough. It’d definitely be better with dual speakers but I’m still fine with it. Should you not be satisfied by that, I’d suggest you to use headphones or earbuds. That’s what I’d do anyways, regardless of the smartphone.
For the screen, it’s definitely a satisfying one with its AMOLED panel. Colours are vibrant and has better contrast compared to your usual LCD displays and makes everything look better.

Going forward to gaming on the device itself, it’s pretty much what you’d expect from a device like this. You will be able to play most of the games albeit at lower graphics settings. That should be okay, if you’re not a person who cares about having the best, most crisp visuals.
The phone does get rather warm after about 15-20 minutes of gaming on games like COD Mobile and PUBG Mobile but it’s nothing alarming.
While my experience with ColorOS 11 (check out ColorOS 12 here) has been decent with previous smartphones, I can’t say the same with the A95. While the looks are there, the user experience was hampered. There is sluggish-ness when I’m swiping around with the device. It’s not helped by the fact that it only runs on 60Hz instead of a higher refresh rate.

The same could be said when it comes to the camera UI. When capturing shots, you’d need to wait a couple of seconds for them to get processed most of the time, so you might want to keep steady when you do so. While I’m fine with the layout for the camera menu, if you don’t fancy it, well there’s no customization for you to find here. What you see is what you get.

Photo results in good lighting came out rather decent and they’re definitely worthy for your social media uploads. That being said, the macro camera is a hit or miss for me as it has trouble focusing on subjects from time to time.
I’d say the downer for the camera is in low-light conditions. You can see certain areas on shots to be ‘smudged up’ and lacking in clarity. There’s definitely a need for improvement on that end.
Check out the full-sized images by heading to the link right here.
OPPO A95 Verdict

Is it a good enough device? In some ways, yes. Is the price justified for it? Well, that’s a hard one since the price tag is RM1,099. I’m still fine by the fact that it lacks a high refresh rate but I’d definitely expect a newer chipset instead of the Snapdragon 662 that’s being offered here. If you look at it, the majority of what’s provided is the same as their OPPO A74, and even that is cheaper.
That being said, the OPPO A95 does look good and the finish on the back is nice. If you don’t mind some of the cons that I’ve mentioned, I’d definitely suggest you to get the phone for the promo that they’re having, where it’s on pre-order and you get several free gifts including an OPPO Enco Earbuds.
We would like to thank OPPO Malaysia for providing the OPPO A95 that was used in this review.
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Xiaomi 13 Ultra’s Four Cameras Revealed Ahead of Launch, And It’s A Notable Upgrade

Xiaomi has revealed the camera specifications for its upcoming Xiaomi 13 Ultra model, featuring three 50MP Sony IMX858 sensors in addition to the 1-inch 50MP Sony IMX989 sensor for the main shooter. The device will be announced on April 18.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra to Feature Four Cameras, Official Post Reveals

Xiaomi’s upcoming flagship smartphone, the Mi 13 Ultra, is expected to launch on April 18, and the company has been dropping hints about its camera setup on social media. The latest official post on Weibo revealed that the device will feature three 50MP Sony IMX858 sensors, in addition to the 1-inch 50MP Sony IMX989 sensor used in the 12S Ultra.

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The three sensors will be used for the ultrawide, 3x telephoto, and 5x telephoto cameras, respectively. Xiaomi claims that the advanced noise-reduction features and better HDR capabilities of the camera setup will result in a more versatile and high-performing camera system.

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra has been kept under wraps by Xiaomi, with only a few leaks revealing some basic specs for the past couple of months. However, the official reveal of the camera specs has generated excitement among fans and industry experts alike.
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or 2 processor and come with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. The device is also expected to feature a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 5000mAh battery with 67W fast charging support. The official launch is just around the corner, so we won’t have to wait much longer to see how the Mi 13 Ultra stacks up against its competitors.
Source
Pokdepinion: This could either set a new standard for smartphone photography, or end up a massive flop. All eyes will be on Xiaomi later today as many people, myself included, will be keeping a close eye on it.
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Missed Out On The PS5? Here’s Another Chance For You To Get One For Yourself

The PS5 is one of the most wanted pieces of gaming hardware (and one of the most difficult to get) in Malaysia right now. Stocks are so low that whenever pre-orders are open, they sell out as quickly as they go on sale. This leaves the door open for unscrupulous scalpers to take advantage of gamers desperate to own Sony’s latest console by selling them at ridiculously high prices.
PS5 pre-orders opening again next week?
Gamers everywhere don’t have to worry further as it seems that pre-orders for the console will be opening again pretty soon, at least according to Najmi The Kampung Nerd on Twitter. According to his tweet in which he referenced a now-deleted Facebook post from Sony Centre Sunway Pyramid, the PS5 will be available for pre-order again starting from 3 March next week. The pre-order will be available via Sony’s Shopee page.

Siap sedia. Minggu depan (3 March 2021) Pre-Order #PS5 untuk Gamers Malaysia akan buka sekali lagi. Link Shopee: https://t.co/4KaHdGTG1T
PS5 Standard: RM2299
PS5 Digital: RM1869 pic.twitter.com/IgF6AfT0nX
— Najmi The Kampung Nerd (@najmi) February 25, 2021

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We’re not entirely sure why the original Facebook post was removed. It may be due to Sony not being quite ready to announce the pre-orders and that Sony Centre Sunway Pyramid may have jumped the gun a little. In the events that this pre-order may be true, gamers will have to be ready to press the pre-order button come next week.
The now-deleted Facebook post
As you may know, the PlayStation 5 comes in two variants; a standard one with a disc drive which retails for RM2,299 while the other is an all-digital variant that retails for RM1,869.
Pokdepinion: Gonna try my luck with the pre-order next week. Hopefully, I get it this time.
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The free PS Plus Asia August 2021 games list has just been revealed which includes Hunter’s Arena: Legends, Tennis World Tour 2 and Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville.
PS Plus Asia August 2021 FREE Games Lineup

Compete for glory as Hunter’s Arena: Legends, Tennis World Tour 2 and Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville are your PlayStation Plus games for August! pic.twitter.com/oiFrW6xw4d
— PlayStation Asia (@PlayStationAsia) July 29, 2021

First up on the free PS Plus Asia August 2021 games list is Hunter’s Arena: Legends. Experience extreme close-range combat where you’ll have to improve your fighting skills if you are to be the sole survivor. Boasting a dynamic combat system featuring parry and counter moves, aerial combos and martial arts, Hunter’s Arena: Legends delivers intensive battle experiences.

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Combining RPG, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) and battle royale mechanics, you’ll be able to define your own play style and strategies to fight off the competition. Hunter’s Arena: Legends offers intense 1v1 matches, as well as solo and trio battle royale modes.

Next is a game for all tennis fans out there, Tennis World Tour 2. Play as the world’s top players or create your own player to try and dominate the world rankings. Faster paced, with more animations and more realism: experience the true sensations of tennis, in singles or doubles games, and challenge your friends locally or online.
Last on the free PS Plus Asia August 2021 games list is Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, a spin-off of EA’s popular Plants vs. Zombies franchise. Ready your peashooters for the next over-the-top instalment in the Plants vs. Zombies franchise; as the tension expands beyond Neighborville into new social and free-roam regions on the outer reaches of gaming’s most contested township.
Choose one of 20 fully-customisable character classes, and perfect your play-style as you earn new rewards for each victory on the battlefield. Team up with friends, either on couch co-op or online, and take on a cavalcade of new challenges, tackling enemy hordes in PvE, going up against others online, or braving all-out mayhem in the new Battle Arena.
That’s it for the free PS Plus Asia August 2021 games list. If you’d like to check out the PS Plus Asia July 2021 free games (in case you haven’t) then you can do so here.
Pokdepinion: I’m pretty excited to play Tennis World Tour 2. My dad loves to play sports games so this would be a perfect game for us to play together.
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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Reaches New Milestone; Beats GTA V and Just Behind CS:GO

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has managed to reach a new milestone, just after reaching an amazing number a couple of weeks back. Talk about huge growth.
Just like it was a few months ago: PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is a big, big deal. It’s so big that recently, according to SteamSpy, the game surpassed 6 million copies sold on Steam. If you thought that’s all that the game managed to achieve,  now it holds the record for the highest peak player count of any non-Valve game on Steam.

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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Reaches New Milestone

As some of you may know, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds passed Grand Theft Auto V in terms of concurrent players but still had to beat Bethesda’s Fallout 4 before becoming the top non-Valve dog on Steam’s overall peak players ranking.

We now hold the record for the highest peak player count of any non-Valve game! GG WP everyone <3 pic.twitter.com/cHjXPeSE8p
— PLAYERUNKNOWN (@PLAYERUNKNOWN) July 30, 2017

Looking more carefully at the above provided screenshot provided by the game’s official Twitter account, not only do we see the game closing in on 500,000 peak players (all while still being an Early Access title), but after Fallout 4 and GTA V, it is destroying the rest of the non-Valve competition: surpassing Payday 2 and No Man’s Sky combined.
But that’s non-Valve games. As you can see, if PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds seeks to make its way to either the No.2 or No.1 spot, replacing either CounterStrike :Global Offensive or DotA 2, it has quite a road ahead of itself.
In case this is your first time hearing about PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds: all you need to know is players start on a giant island with nothing and must fight in Battle-royale-style gameplay to locate weapons and supplies in a struggle to be the lone survivor, similar to H1ZI’s King of the Kill.
It is currently available via Steam Early Access for RM74.99 / USD $29.99, with a full-release scheduled to hit PC and Xbox One later this year. The game will eventually be released on the PlayStation 4 as well.

Pokdepinion: It seems that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds truly is growing, and at an exponential rate at that. If you enjoyed H1ZI’s King of the Kill, this game is definitely right up your alley.
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ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482) First Impressions — the next level in content creation on the go

ASUS released the new and updated ASUS ZenBook Duo series, with the larger and more powerful ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 and the more portable ASUS ZenBook Duo 14. The duo offers content creators a choice of whether they want heavier, more powerful machine or a lighter more portable device that they can carry around easier. Today we will be checking out the latter in our first impressions of the machine. And I must say, it is truly quite impressive.
ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 Unboxing

ASUS decided to change up their packaging again, with the charger crammed into the same box. It also comes with a nice soft sleeve that protects the laptop when you carry it around with you.

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There’s the laptop itself, some basic documentation, a foldable laptop stand that we will get into a bit later, the 65W USB-C power adapter and a stylus. Yes, a stylus now comes in the box of the ASUS ZenBook Duo 14, which is pretty neat to enhance the overall functionality of the laptop for digital artists from the get go. We do have a Taiwanese sample here, so the plug is not our local UK plug, but you should be getting a UK plug with the local sets.
Huge improvements from the ASUS ZenBook Duo (UX481)
A touch panel for its main display!

ASUS did attempt to provide content creators with a more portable machine than their ZenBook Pro Duo, but it was gimped by a peculiar decision to not offer touch sensitivity on the primary display. That’s fixed with the ASUS ZenBook Duo 14, and its really nice to see ASUS even decide to use a matte finish to keep the main display free from smudges, which are inevitable when you use a touch screen. It also makes using it outdoors a bit easier, but it does take away a bit of the display panel’s “punch”, which can be a bummer.

Above the display is a webcam and the IR facial recognition system, allowing for unlocks with just a glance. Considering the lack of a palm rest, this is literally a necessity on the ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 to offer any form of biometric security.
Active Aerodynamic System Plus + ErgoLift

Another highlight is the new ScreenPad Plus with a tilting mechanism. While the original ASUS ZenBook Duo had ErgoLift, the screen was flush with the keyboard, which didn’t exactly put it at a great angle. Now the tilt improves the visibility of the second display. I still think that the secondary display is quite a bit dimmer than the main one, which doesn’t allow for a truly seamless viewing experience, but at least it is better than what we had on the first generation.

Aside from the improved angle, this tilt also opens up extra room for the fans to intake fresh air. ASUS claims that this allows the fans to draw in up to 49% more air, but we haven’t gotten to benchmarks and thermal testing, so that will have to wait. Considering that the ScreenPad Plus is lifted, and the keyboard is shifted downwards to the lower edge of the device, you won’t actually be able to feel how hot this laptop gets in use, unless you use it on your lap. Even then, the ErgoLift hinge should prevent the hottest parts of the bottom lid from touching you.
Now let’s take a look at the awesome mechanism that powers the whole ScreenPad Plus lifting and also the ErgoLift hinge. I think the latter needs no introduction, but the new ScreenPad Plus mechanism is definitely worth a look. It is different from the one in the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15, streamlined to fit into a thinner design like the ASUS ZenBook Duo 14.

Included laptop stand in the box!

We have a friend in the industry who goes around carrying an IKEA ISBERGET with him for a more ergonomic experience when writing on his laptop. We always laughed at him. So when ASUS told us they are bundling a laptop stand in the box, we were kinda curious as to how it will look. Fortunately, it is a lot sleeker, and folds out of the way when not in use. It raises the laptop even higher than the ErgoLift hinge can, affording an even better tilt for comfortable use.
Watch the below video to see the folding in action:

ASUS Control Panel

Now one of the key highlights of the ASUS ZenBook Duo series this year is the release of the ASUS Control Panel feature to take full advantage of the ScreenPad Plus. It is very customizable and supports a few of the popular Adobe creativity apps. Content creators can take full advantage of it, but I do find that the dials do not feel “analog” enough, if you get what I mean.
It moves in steps instead of being more linear, which kinda sucks if you are a stickler. I mean, even when it comes to volume control, I am quite particular, so this is actually annoying to me. But I guess it definitely beats trying to zoom in by scrolling with the trackpad gestures, as that is just disgusting to use. I will definitely have to spend more time with it to see if I will get used to it and fall in love with it.
Conclusion

ASUS’ rework of the ASUS ZenBook Duo family is really quite amazing. They not only improved on the hardware end of things with the new tilting ScreenPad Plus, but they also managed to add more functionality to the ScreenPad Plus so it can be used more efficiently by content creators. There are quite a lot of changes to this machine, but I will reserve the more in-depth look for my full review on the ASUS ZenBook Duo 14. Stay tuned!
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Epic Games Store Black Friday Sale Has a Number of Great Discounts on Games

Looking to get your hands on some new games but you’re looking to save as much money as possible? The Epic Games Store Black Friday sale has come to bless you with a good variety of discounts on almost every game they have on their digital games store.
Available from now until 2nd December 2019 at 11AM ET / 3rd December 2019 12AM Malaysia time, there will be discounts up to 75% on games. Given the rather limited time frame, it can be hard to see what good deals are available. We’ve included some notable ones right below here.
Epic Games Store Black Friday Sale Highlights
Borderlands 3 – 33% Off

A Psycho cult threatens to tear the galaxy a new one. They’ll have to get through you first. Scour the Borderlands, join other Vault Hunters and snatch up all the best loot to take down the Calypso Twins. Link
If you’re not sure whether the game is worth buying, check out our review by clicking right here.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 – Up to 25% off

America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. Link
Outer Worlds – 25% Off

It’s time for you to decide. Will you be Halcyon’s shining beacon of hope? Explore Halcyon, a colony at the edge of the galaxy and the verge of disaster. Suit up for an incredible RPG adventure where the stakes are high and every decision matters.Link
Metro Exodus – Up to 55% Off

Flee the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in the greatest Metro adventure yet.Link
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint – 50% Off

It’s time to take back Auroa and face your toughest enemies yet. This military shooter puts you in a diverse and hostile open world as you try to take down the Wolves, a group of ex-brothers-in-arms. Survive your breakpoint.Link
If you’re not sure whether the game is worth buying, check out our review by clicking right here.
Keep in mind that unlike Steam, you will need to pay in US currency so convert them to your local currency to know exactly how much it will cost you. You can pay using credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover), debit card, prepaid cards, and Paypal. For a list of alternative payment methods available in your country, click right here.
For the full list of Epic Games Store Black Friday sales discount, click here instead to check it out. The discounts will be available from now until 2nd December 2019 at 11AM ET / 3rd December 2019 12AM Malaysia time (GMT+8).
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Malaysia: Water and Electricity Tariffs to Remain As Is in 2022
Picture credits: The Star

Despite earlier reports with coal burning costs going up, the government of Malaysia has announced that the water and electricity tariffs will remain. This announcement came from Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who mentions that the 2 sen per kWh rebate will remain with no surcharges while the 3.7 sen per kWh surcharge for non-domestic users will also remain.
It was specifically mentioned that the government will continue the subsidy despite rising fuel prices, and it will cost them RM5.8 billion. This will be the case from now until 31st December 2022, in which case a price increase may happen afterwards. Originally, the surcharge was supposed to be implemented in July 2022 after reviewing the Imbalance Cost Pass-Through (ICPT) formula.
This ICPT is reviewed twice a year, after which they will decide if there is a need for a price hike. Given that they pushed back their original plan, it will likely be happening next year. If / when this does happen, it will result in a chain reaction with plenty of other costs going up as well as it affects several industries.

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Source
Pokdepinion: Well, at least we can rest easy knowing that’s not happening for now. But next year however…is a problem I’m leaving to my future self.
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AMD Ryzen 5000 series announced with 19% IPC uplift and 26% better gaming performance

AMD has just announced the AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors, based on the Zen 3 architecture. For this generation, AMD has done quite a lot to improve the overall performance by revamping the overall architecture and layout. This also has a knock-on effect to enhance performance in gaming, which has been a sore point for AMD, up until now.

To deliver improved core-to-core communication and reduce latency, you get a core structure that now hosts eight cores instead of four cores per CCX like previous generations. All eight cores in the core structure core have direct access to 32MB L3 cache, instead of having to deal with inter-CCX cache latencies with the Zen up to Zen 2 architectures to access the full 32MB available per CCD.

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This coupled with other improvements in Zen 3 provides an immense 19% IPC increase over Zen 2, while also providing up to 20% higher efficiency. Single-threaded performance sees a massive boost thanks to architectural gains in addition to higher boost clocks, with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X capable of a whopping 631 points in Cinebench R20. It is currently the only desktop CPU to achieve in excess of 600 points in said benchmark. Now, onto gaming performance.

AMD claims an average 26% improvement in games with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X over the 3900XT, with deltas ranging from +5% to +50%. Against the current king of gaming performance, the Intel Core i9-10900K, the AMD chip offers a range of -3% to +21% performance versus its Intel counterpart, or an average of +7% better performance at 1080p. Of course, Intel has just made the Intel Core i9-10900K effectively last-gen by announcing the Rocket Lake generation earlier today, but we will have to see what Intel can bring to the table in Q1 2021.

AMD has announced four AMD Ryzen 5000 processors today. Instead of keeping the full-fat 16C/32T flagship under wraps until a later date, AMD decided to release it all in one shot. Here goes:
AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Specs

Cores / Threads
Base / Boost Clocks
L2+L3 Cache
TDP
Price

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
16C/32T
3.4 / 4.9 GHz
72MB
105W
$799 (~RM3318)

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12C/24T
3.7 / 4.8 GHz
70MB
105W
$549 (~RM2280)

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
8C/16T
3.8 / 4.7 GHz
36MB
105W
$449 (~RM1865)

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
6C/12T
3.7 / 4.6 GHz
35MB
65W
$299 (~RM1242)

AMD will be making all the AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors available starting 5th November 2020. Interestingly enough, only the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X will come with a cooler included. Not too much of a concern, to be honest, as enthusiasts looking at the higher SKUs will probably be looking at a third-party cooler to be able to extract more performance out of their CPUs. These fit into the AMD AM4 socket too, so you might not even need a new motherboard.
Pokdepinion: I wonder how will stock availability be like… Will it be limited like NVIDIA?
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 To Have Significantly Larger Cover Display, Says Leaker

Reliable tipster IceUniverse has shared some preliminary specs details for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5 foldable phones. Read on to find out what to expect from these devices.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and Fold5 Specs Revealed by Reliable Leaker

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Flip series have become one of the most anticipated smartphone launches every year. And with the Galaxy S23 series already launched, Samsung fans are eagerly waiting for the unveiling of the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5. In a recent development, reliable tipster IceUniverse shared some preliminary specifications for the upcoming foldables.

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According to IceUniverse, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 will come with a much larger external display. The external display is expected to be 3.4 inches in diagonal, which is larger than the Oppo N2 Flip’s 3.26-inch panel. The aspect ratio of the screen is expected to be 1:1.038, making it nearly a perfect square. The device will also come with a new waterdrop-style hinge to help hide the crease, and the inner screen will have narrower bezels.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 Review – Cover display
As for the Galaxy Z Fold5, IceUniverse confirms that the device will retain the 6.2-inch cover screen from its predecessor. However, the device will be 0.2mm narrower than the previous model and will utilize a droplet-style hinge like the Z Flip5 to help hide the crease and eliminate the gap when closed. The device will also be thinner than its predecessor, measuring 13.x mm in its folded state compared to 15.8mm on the Z Fold4. Additionally, the Fold5 will weigh 254 grams, making it lighter than the previous model.
Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 will be equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen2 for Galaxy chipset and will have IPX8 waterproofing. These new features show that Samsung is taking the foldable phone market seriously and is continuously working towards improving its products.
While these preliminary specifications are exciting for Samsung fans, it’s important to note that these are not official and may change before the final release of the devices. Nevertheless, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 remain one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year, and Samsung enthusiasts are eagerly waiting for the official launch.
Source
Pokdepinion: While the Fold will still be the main act, my eyes will always be drawn to the Flip and what it will bring to the table. It looks like I will finally get what I want with this type of smartphone; a huge cover display.
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Xiaomi joining the 821 SoC bandwagon with its latest Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Pro

Look like it’s not only ASUS that equipped their latest ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe with the Snapdragon 821 SoC. The “Xiaomi Phone Pro” has been rumored to feature a Snapdragon 821 under the hood too. It is suggested to be the higher end version of the yet-to-announced Xiaomi Mi Note 2. It is most probably going to be launched as the Mi Note 2 Pro, following last year’s convention of a Mi Note and a Mi Note Pro.

The rumor has also mentioned that the “Xiaomi Phone Pro” will sport a 5.5-inch full HD OLED display by AUO, instead of the more common Samsung AMOLED panels. The device will come with an option of 4GB or 6GB of LPDDR4 RAM and up to 128GB of UFS 2.0 internal storage.

The “Xiaomi Phone Pro” or “Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Pro” is also slated to pack a 12MP rear shooter camera, using Sony’s IMX260 or Samsung’s ISOCELL S5K2L1 sensors. The battery is rumored to be a huge 3,700 mAh one. Like the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Note 2, the Xiaomi Phone Pro will also include the same front fingerprint scanner.

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Source: Anzhuo.cn
Pokdepinion: China smartphone manufacturers have been pushing towards AMOLED displays lately. Will it favor the consumers and change the way we judge common Chinese smartphone in the future?

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AMD Ryzen 5000G desktop APUs now available in Malaysia priced from RM1239

If you are in the market to setup a gaming CPU, you might want to check the AMD Ryzen 5000G desktop APUs out. While you most probably can’t game on the Ryzen 7 5700G or Ryzen 5 5600G without adding a dedicated GPU, at least you will be able to run your PC without having to get a graphics card right away. And we all know how difficult it is to get one.

In any case, you can now get these APUs at retail here in Malaysia. You do get the same AMD Zen 3 cores that you would with the AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors, but with less cache. Another major difference is the fact that the AMD Ryzen 5000G APUs do not come with PCIe 4.0 support, and instead still rely on PCIe 3.0 lanes.

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AMD Ryzen 5000G Series APU Specs and Price in Malaysia

Cores / Threads
Base / Boost Clocks
Cache
Graphics
TDP
Retail Price

AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
8C/16T
3.8 / 4.6 GHz
20MB
Radeon Vega 8 @ 2000MHz
65W
RM1639

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
6C/12T
3.9 / 4.4 GHz
19MB
Radeon Vega 7 @ 1900MHz
65W
RM1239

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G might not be the best of deals if you can already get a dedicated graphics solution, as the Ryzen 5 5600X is only RM110 more expensive. But the Ryzen 7 5700G might make sense to those who want an 8-core Zen 3 CPU, as the Ryzen 7 5800X is significantly pricier, with an SRP of RM2099.

Still, I think the best way to put the AMD Ryzen 5000G APUs to work is in an SFF build, where you might not have the space for a dedicated graphics solution. The AMD Radeon Vega 8 (or Vega 7) graphics is still capable of driving light games, especially if you enable FidelityFX Super Resolution, despite being really outdated now.
Pokdepinion: Maybe I should have waited for the Ryzen 7 5700G instead of getting the Ryzen 7 5800X.
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Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB surround sound headset review — lots of features at an affordable price

What do you need from a gaming headset? Good positional audio, a clear microphone and RGB, of course. What’s a “gaming” peripheral nowadays without RGB illumination? Well, the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB surround sound headset we have here today features RGB, a microphone, and virtual 7.1 surround sound, which it will deliver through some pretty large 50mm drivers. Sounds good to you? Well, let’s find out if they really sound good.
Unboxing

The Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB comes in a black simple hard paper package, with a window for you to peek at the headset on the front.

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Over on the back you get a list of features and a image of the product.

The specifications are over on the left side, with all the numbers that you need to consider before getting a headphone.

After opening the box, you will only need to slide out the plastic tray in which the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB is placed in. And voila, this is all you get with the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB. There is no user manual included in the package, and also the cable is fixed so you won’t get loose cables in the package.
Appearance

If size matters, well then the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB will score really highly here. The earcups are absolutely massive, as are the pleather earpads. A metal frame running above the leather wrapped headband that will automatically adjust to your head’s size. The metal here is plain brushed metal, which can look better if it was anodized in a darker color to suit the rest of the otherwise entirely black headset. Portability is out of the question as the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB doesn’t fold flat, nor does it fold at all.

The Gamdias emblem is embossed onto the pleather-wrapped headband. Also, the wires that connect the two earcups run through the headband, and stick out from the sides. This is necessary for this design, but Gamdias could have done better with flat cables or braided ones for better durability, as the ones used here look quite cheap.

The earpads are as deep as they are huge, offering plenty of space for everyone. There is a fabric mesh covering the drivers in the center. The padding is very thick, so they should offer a good seal and comfort over extended periods of gaming.

I have previously mentioned that I am not a fan of inline controls, and I prefer them on the headset. You get buttons for the RGB illumination, microphone switch, volume controls and also the vibration toggle. We will get to the vibrator soon. The cables here are pretty unique too, with a clear plastic sleeve over the fabric sleeve. The USB connector is not gold plated, which is surprising as the specifications mentioned a gold plated plug.
Specifications

User Experience

The Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB works right out of the box as a headset, but there is the Hera driver software to make full use of the virtual 7.1 surround and other rather cool features available. Without the driver software, you can toggle the vibration, adjust the volume and even enable the RGB, all via the inline controller. Actually, all you need is the inline controller to play around with the RGB lighting, as you only get the option of it off, or cycling through its colors. Not that I mind, since I don’t get to see the colors anyway. Speaking of the inline controller, the one here doesn’t feature a clip, but is quite smoothly shaped preventing it from getting snagged on everything.
Comfort was not that great, due to the oversized earcups over-reaching and actually pressing down on my jaw. With the clamping force exerted, my jaws were sore pretty quickly. Yeah, quite a weird place to have soreness from a headphone, but that’s what I experienced. Repositioning the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB helped, but the clamping force is considerably strong. Stretching the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB out might make it more comfortable. I wish Gamdias had designed the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB with swiveling cups, so it could exert the clamping force more evenly over the surface of the earpads, instead of most of the force focused onto the lower edge of the earpads, which can get uncomfortable pretty quickly. The weight is pretty acceptable, and the wide headband helps to spread the pressure over a larger area.

There are really a lot of options available to play around with in the Gamdias Hera software. It looks very gamer-ish, but the yellow-on-black accents look decent. The icons are easy to understand, and most of the options are self-explanatory. It is actually a one-stop shop for all your Gamdias peripherals, which is really convenient if you have a full set of Gamdias stuff. Here, you get to toggle the 7.1 surround mode, even adjust the position of the virtual sound sources. An equalizer allows you to tune the sound output and you can even simulate a certain environment. Padded cell and carpeted hallway are acceptable to use, but they don’t change much of the sound, with the rest being just plain gimmicky. You can adjust the size of the simulated space too, if you enjoy that kind of thing.
Now, on to the listening experience. The sound quality of the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB is actually not bad, but can be a little overbearing with its emphasis on bass. Which is why I tuned the equalizer as seen in the screenshot above. Pushing the mids and highs up, the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB actually sound pretty good. It works great for my music needs as well as when I was gaming. Turning  on the 7.1 virtual surround yielded a seemingly wider soundstage, but it really didn’t make much of a difference in Overwatch. Volume wise, the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB is very loud. I set them to around 10/100 in Windows in stereo mode, and around 26/100 with the 7.1 virtual surround enabled. This goes to say that you can easily damage your hearing if you turn them all the way up. If you want an added kick, turn on the vibration mode. This adds a subtle vibration to your music, simulating heavy bass. It is a fun thing to have, and does wonders to enhance immersion in action movies. I wouldn’t recommend it for long sessions of music listening though.

The flexible boom microphone can be bent as you wish to offer your teammates a quieter experience gaming with you. The length was sufficient for me, but I do worry about its durability as it can wobble around quite a bit. The quality is pretty decent, with my teammates understanding my excited yelling. None of them noted excessive background noise, which is a definite no-no when it comes to gaming headsets.

You also get to tweak your voice output. It annoyed my friend to no end as he preferred my naturally manly voice which is too sexy to share here on this blog, for fear of too much traffic coming in to listen to me speak. Microphone echo does what it says, adding echo to anything the microphone picks up. Quite useless, I must say. Key shifting adjusts the key of the output, which could be really helpful for those who enjoy karaoke sessions. Well, not me. Vocal cancellation attempts to block the vocals so you get an instrumental track to sing along to, but from my experience, it failed with every song I tried. Perhaps Gamdias has to work on that a little more.
Conclusion
The Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB is actually a pretty decent pair of headphones that offers a rather comprehensive feature set, albeit a large part of which are plain gimmicks. The 7.1 surround sound helps to enhance the sensation of a wider sound stage, and with it being customizable is indeed very interesting. We have the vibration motor offering bass you can feel, which, believe it or not, was pretty enjoyable to watch movies with. The microphone is decent, and I really liked talking in a high pitched voice to everyone in my Overwatch party. The only downside is that they could improve on the comfort and also the microphone boom design. Priced at RM229 on Lazada, the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB is actually a pretty good option for such a feature-rich gaming headset. I would give it our Bronze Pokdeward.

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Intel Alder Lake-S to require new LGA 1700 socket?

The new LGA 1200 socket supporting the latest 10th Gen Intel Core processors is also expected to support the upcoming 11th Gen Rocket Lake-S desktop processors, but it seems like two generations is going to be all you get on the platform. The upcoming 12th Generation Alder Lake-S processors will require a new LGA 1700 socket.

The socket has previously been leaked along with Alder Lake-S’ rather unique big.LITTLE core arrangement. The newest bit of news to support the existence of the LGA 1700 socket comes from Lit-Tech, a Taiwanese company making Voltage Regulator Testing Tools. They have reportedly listed equipment that’s compatible with Alder Lake-S. With that said, the list also apparently includes a number of architectures like Ice Lake-S, which is most probably not going to happen. So take this leak with a pinch of salt, as usual.

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The socket is expected to be a bit bigger than LGA 115x / LGA 1200 sockets, and thus might require new cooler mounting mechanisms, therefore necessitating new coolers along with a new motherboard. Unless your cooler manufacturer is nice enough to send you updated ones for free. Alder Lake-S itself does seem rather interesting though with an unprecedented big.LITTLE approach for desktop processors.

A separate rumor suggests that the LGA 1700 socket will support two more generations of processors after Alder Lake-S, for a total of three generations on LGA 1700. Intel is expected to debut PCIe 5.0 and possibly even DDR5 on the LGA 1700 socket. It should be relatively competitive against the upcoming AMD AM5 socket in terms of longevity, which is nice to see coming from Intel’s relatively short-lived sockets.

Translation: pic.twitter.com/Po6ryiCvOX
— RetiredEngineer® (@chiakokhua) May 4, 2020

The rumor goes on to point out that the Alder Lake-S processors will be combining the Golden Cove “big” core and Gracemont “small” core architectures. Sunny Cove is currently featured in the Ice Lake processors, and Willow Cove is expected to debut in Tiger Lake and also the Rocket Lake processors.

With Alder Lake and Golden Cove set for 2021, we might see some interesting processors from Intel in the consumer segment pretty soon!
Pokdepinion: Well, with such a radically different architecture and design, a new socket does seem relatively justified…
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Contrary to popular belief, it looks like the USB-C plug orientation could actually result in different behaviours. We have learned more about thanks to a mechanical engineer on Twitter.
USB-C Plug Orientation Can Cause It To Behave Differently

I’ve made a Cursed USB-C 2.0 device. It behaves differently based on the orientation of the plug. pic.twitter.com/8Ko66wPuV2
— Pim de Groot (@mifune) March 21, 2021

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When USB-C was first unveiled, many people saw it as a godsend as you didn’t have to worry about flipping cable over just to connect it. This was when microUSB was still the norm, mind you. While it can function no matter how you connect it, it turns out that it can behave differently depending on the orientation.
According to mechanical engineer Pim de Groot on Twitter, the idea here is that you can connect USB-C either way you like due to its symmetrical shape, but that doesn’t mean the wiring inside is the same. It was noted that the D+ and D- contacts aren’t mirrored while the other contacts are.
Pim de Groot used two microcontrollers to show that it’s possible for USB-C to react differently depending on the orientation, basically focusing on which side gets the D+ and D- connections. While this ultimately should not affect your average consumer, it’s interesting to think that it could actually make a difference when we were all told otherwise.
Source
Pokdepinion: I legitimately thought it would be the same regardless but now that I took note of the internals, it makes sense why that wouldn’t necessarily be the case. Learn something new everyday.
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The Internet Archive Adds 2500 Classic MS-DOS Games and They’re FREE to Play

If you have some fond memories of play some retro games in the past, then today is a good to relive that. The Internet Archive has added over 2500 classic MS-DOS games to their catalogue and they are all free to play.
There’s a whole bunch of games that you can enjoy, including Wipeout, The Elder Scrolls: Redguard, Ultima Underworld, and a whole lot more. In case you were wondering, there are also a bunch of Windows 3.1 games added to The Internet Archive as well.
If you’re wondering how to access these games, you don’t need to download anything. You simply use your web browser and head on to the website, which you can do so by clicking right here. It will run DOSBox on your browser, which you can then play for free.

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This was all made possible thanks to the eXoDOS project, which allows people to easily play DOS games in their best possible state. There are even multiple options on how you choose to hear or see these games.
Source: Kotaku
Pokdepinion: Time to take a trip down memory lane and relive some of the classics. I remember spending countless hours as a kid playing these games.
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T-Force Xtreem ARGB White DDR4 and Delta Max White RGB SSD announced

Enthusiasts who prefer white builds, this is for you. The T-Force Xtreem ARGB White DDR4 and Delta Max White RGB SSD have just been announced, making PC builders’ lives easier when attempting to go with all-white systems.

We have reviewed both the T-Force Delta Max SSD and the T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR4 memory, and one thing was very clear: they are probably the prettiest components you can put into your build. They had a very distinct blue tint to them though, which might make them stand out in white builds which are all the rage now.

The chart-topping performance we experienced with the aforementioned components will just come in white, which is great news for enthusiasts who don’t want to sacrifice performance for aesthetics.

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No pricing information is available for the T-Force Xtreem ARGB White DDR4 and Delta Max White RGB SSD, but you can probably expect them to be priced pretty similar as their darker counterparts.
Pokdepinion: Too bad motherboards with white PCBs aren’t that common anymore…
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