iPhone 14 Pro Review – A Refined Experience

People always say that iPhone “just works” but I never understood what it actually means. What does not work on Android that works on iPhone? Usually, it would be Aiman who does Apple reviews, but this time around, someone challenged me to survive on an iPhone for a couple of weeks and see where it takes me there and I accepted the challenge. Bear in mind, outside of iPod Touch, this is the first iPhone I’m taking for a spin so I’m brutally Android driven reviewing an iPhone 14 Pro here.
Unboxing

Apple has minimized the packaging by a lot even since the last generation Apple iPhone 13 series. You get the iPhone 14 Pro, a USB-C to Lightning cable, user guides, a SIM ejector and an Apple sticker that has been around for generations even in their Macbooks. This is a rather interesting fiasco for me because this is my first ever iPhone and I don’t have the charger. Or so I thought. My existing chargers from Android did just fine especially since my recent devices have been using USB-C connectors.

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I did fork out a beefy RM179 for the MagSafe Charger though because I wanted to have a holistic experience of the device, so there’s that.

I went with the Space Black because boy, that color is outstanding! Much nicer than the supposed to be newly introduced Deep Purple.
Specifications

CPU
Apple Bionic 16
2 x Everest @ up to 3.46GHz (Performance cores)
4 x Sawtooth @ up to 2.20GHz (Efficient cores)
4nm TSMC
16-core Neural Engine

GPU
5-core GPU

Memory
6GB LPDDR5

Storage
1TB NVMe

Display
6.1″ 2556 x 1179 (460 ppi) LTPO Super Retina XDR 120Hz OLED with Dolby Vision, 2000 nits, 19.5:9 ratio
10-120Hz ProMotion adaptive refresh rate
HDR10, True Tone, P3, 1000 nits max brightness

Audio
Spatial audio playback with stereo speakers

Camera
48MP f/1.78 main camera, 1.22µm pixels, 7P lens, sensor-shift OIS, 100% Focus Pixels
12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, 1.4µm pixels, 6P lens, 100% Focus Pixels
12MP f/2.8 3X telephoto, 6P lens, OIS
Stills: Night mode portrait, Portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, Adaptive True Tone flash, Panorama, Night mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 4, Apple ProRAW, Photographic Styles, Macro Photography
Video: Up to 4K60 HDR video with Dolby Vision, 4K30 ProRes video, 4K30 HDR Cinematic mode, 1080p240 slow-mo

Selfie Camera
12MP f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6″ selfie camera
Stills: Portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, Animoji & Memoji, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 4, Apple ProRAW, Photographic styles
Video: Up to 4K60 HDR video with Dolby Vision, 4K30 HDR Cinematic mode, 4K30 ProRes video, 1080p120 slow-mo, Retina Flash

Connectivity
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, WiFi 6 with 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5.3
NFC with reader mode
Ultra Wideband chip
5G Band n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38,
n40, n41, n48, n53, n66, n70, п71, n77, n78 n79
5G mmWave Band n258, n260, n261FDD-LTE Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32,
66, 71
Apple Lightning

Software
iOS 16.0.2

Battery
3200mAh
20W fast charging
15W MagSafe wireless charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging

Dimensions
147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85 mm

Weight
206g

Ingress Protection
IP68 (max depth of 6m up to 30 mins) under IEC standard 60529

Performance
The iPhone 14 Pro houses Apple A16 Bionic CPU. While the iPhone 14 got the same last generation Apple Bionic 15, the iPhone 14 Pro got some beefed up improvements, especially the 4nm process as opposed to 5nm in the past. It’s touted to deliver better efficiency and performance with higher memory bandwidth. The hexa-core has the core speeds bumped up too. The iPhone 14 Pro also adopts LPDDR5 memory as opposed to LPDDR4X in the past. I guess, there’s one way to find out how much improvement is on the plate.

As usual, we run our Geekbench test for starters. Both the single core and multi-core performance are far improved in comparison to the previous generation. Even the SD8+ Gen 1 comes nowhere near to the A16 Bionic’s prowess as can be seen here. Apple wasn’t lying when it said the A16 Bionic has been far improved for performance and efficiency.

Up next we have the Antutu v7 benchmark. Scoring a whopping 970K that puts it 110K points ahead of the iPhone 13 Pro. Note that this is the second iteration of the iPhone Pro model that we are testing, so our data is only compared to the iPhone 13 Pro. We also are not comparing this against other Android devices due to differing graphics API implementation.

The Wild Life Extreme Unlimited also pushes the iPhone 14 Pro to its limit and it managed to squeeze quite a fiddle with its score with an overall 3026 average 18.1 fps. This test pushes 4K rendering and puts most smartphones down to their knees, so the fact that the iPhone 14 Pro managed to get quite a score is indeed amazing. The battery drop was also a measly 2% compared to 3% in the last gen iPhone 13 Pro proving its efficiency in running intense graphics run.

The Wild Life Unlimited test is now too basic for the iPhone 14 Pro but if you wish, 12337 overall score with 73.9 fps for a 2560 x 1440 test shows that even 1440p is now a piece of cake for the iPhones. Moving forward, we can omit the Wild Life Unlimited test from future iPhone testing.

Up next is my favorite test, the stress test. This is a rather demanding 20-minute test that shows how a device will perform under heavy load on continuous usage. Afterall, its during long gaming hours that you will actually see the real performance on the device as it builds up heat from within.  As we can see, the iPhone 14 Pro managed to hold stress levels for a longer period of time before it finally dropped to its lowest loop, achieving a stability of 64.2%. Right off the bat, the initial scores were hitting 12K bases promising capability to really handle some punch.
4h 30m SOT and heavy apps usage just in pursuit of draining the battery. I love this!
As for the battery life, the iPhone 14 Pro spots a 3200mAh Li-ion battery, a slight increase in comparison to the previous generation 3095mAh. From the spec sheet, I was not convinced the iPhone 14 Pro would be able to cope with my daily usage, but I was proven very wrong. This thing literally sips on battery even on heavy use. In fact, I can easily pull off a day and a half with the iPhone 14 Pro without breaking a sweat.
In reality, this is how my battery remains full for the most part during the busiest hours
Testing the battery was probably the toughest part of the iPhone 14 Pro because on my daily usage, the battery never crosses below 50%. I wake up with 100% battery, and it has barely touched 99% before my daily commute begins. I’ll plug in the device to my car to enjoy the Apple CarPlay and naturally, it maintains the battery at its full throughout. I would use the device as normally as I would and by the time my day is done, before my commute back, I have barely touched 60% which the Apple CarPlay will once again fill it up. So I took one day without charging it at all, no CarPlay whatsoever, just to see where it gets me. And still, I had to go to bed with 45% battery and leave it until the next morning to wake up with 39%. That’s with AOD running by the way. I don’t know how Apple does this, but the only device that comes close to this for me is my ROG Phone 6 Pro which has almost twice the battery size.
But of course, thanks to Apple CarPlay you would almost always have your juice
The fast charging ability is available at 20W which is not so fast in 2022, but with such a less fussy battery, charging has not really been a problem at all for me at least. I use the 15W MagSafe wireless charging anyway and I find it fast enough for the battery of its size.
The Good

I know the first thing you want to know is all about the notch. Or shall we call it by its official name, the Dynamic Island. I have never been a fan of notches but I have learnt to live with them as you almost can’t get away with them lately on most flagships. The iPhone 14 Pro utilizes Dynamic Island to deliver more than just a place to house the front facing camera. It has a new way for showing alerts as it expands to show apps and system notification in one place.
                            If this was YouTube Music, no problem. But this is YouTube.            I mean, at least I want the video to play here right?
Apple also implemented Live Activities where it shows functional information like album art while listening to music, next directions while using Maps, Incoming call alerts, AirPods Connected, Face ID animation, AirDrop status, Low Battery notification, Silent toggle switch status, Airplane Mode, Find My status, Ongoing Calls, Audio recording, Music playing, Screen Recording, Hotspot status, Microphone and Camera indicators, just to name a few. You can also expand the Dynamic Island icons to have a rather Interactive Experience like the Music Playback controls would be expanded as a pop-up widget, FaceTime would show some effects, Timer can be paused or canceled, video controls would be shown, among others. Apple also noted that this will be expanded with more applications so I suppose the Dynamic Island has a long future ahead. I would also like to see games implementation on the Dynamic Island. I’ve been hooked to Diablo Immortals lately and maybe a little icon can show some vitals with quick expanding there? That would be awesome. I do love the Dynamic Island but it’s not all rainbows here. You can read what I didn’t like about it in The Bad section below.
Probably the most used item here would be the Face ID animation which leads us to that. The iPhone’s Face ID is flawless. No doubts about that. In fact, of years using smartphones, nothing comes any close to Apple’s Face ID. It’s the first thing that keeps on reminding me how iPhone “just works”. It even has mask identification, but since we’re past pandemic and the fact that masks are no longer a requirement for the most part, it still comes handy when you’re visiting some malls that still enforce wearing masks. Its magical how the Face ID works even with masks. The Touch ID is missing here, but its not missed; at all.

As for the hardware outlook, iPhone has had the same chassis for a few generations now, only moving camera positions around. However, there is a rather significant change this time around. Apple has dropped the unibody chassis and re-adopted the removable back cover for easier maintenance. This is part of their carbon neutral initiative allowing maintenance of the innards and reducing waste along the way.

Let’s talk about the display and audio. I carry two smartphones with me all the time. One needs to have a beautiful display and that becomes my daily driver. Another one needs to have high refresh rate and that becomes my gaming smartphone. I’ve been using the Samsung S22 as my daily driver and boy, that thing has a beautiful display. But I gotta say, the iPhone 14 Pro utilizing Super Retina XDR with ProMotion is a whole experience on its own!
Apple has pushed the brightness up to 2000 nits peak for outdoor, highest in its class and almost twice as bright as before. This also makes bright text on dark background look more vivid than ever, you could even notice this in comparison against the iPhone 13 Pro that had only half the brightness. The HDR peak has also been bumped up to 1600 nits making the whole viewing HDR photos and movies more immersive than ever.
The ProMotion enhances this further. Dynamically adapting refresh rates from 10Hz all the way to 120Hz, the butter smooth experience on the iPhone fells ever more, well, buttery. There is no way for us to adjust the refresh rate as iPhone does it on the fly, but the efficiency of the battery not getting affected by this is insanity!
Apple finally implemented the Always-On Display (AOD) and who would have thought when Apple would do this, it would blow your minds? Slap a portrait image of your spouse, your kids, or your pet and watch how the digital clock hides and shows behind the subject. Classic! I do have my comments on the AOD in The Bad section below, but I gotta give credit where its due. If AOD was a beauty pageant, the iPhone would have won it for sure.

Audio. The iPhone 14 Pro packs a punch when it comes to audio. You can bump the rocker all the way to the max and the audio gets sufficiently loud and still not distort. The built-in stereo speaker in the earpiece along with the bottom of the device works together to create an immersive audio listening experience. The microphones on both of these sides also work hand-in-hand for recording 3D audio. I mean, display and audio has always been a shout about on the iPhones so I was kinda expecting this.
If there is one reason I will stay on the iPhone is also going to be the one reason I don’t want to stay on it too. The software. I’m gonna talk about the bells and whistles here and leave the darker side of things in The Bad section as usual. When iOS 14.5 was implemented, it started a huge war in the advertising space that gave me my fair share of problems in how ads would convert. It became extremely hard to reach out to audiences that use the iPhone and deliver relevant content to them especially since we are in the tech niche. Why would I want to blast Apple based content to Android users just to start another fight after all?
But this was an eye-opener. Apple has designed privacy in a way that is able to totally block Facebook from tracking my behavior across other apps. Look, you will be served ads regardless of if you enable or disable tracking. But if I’m going to see ads, at least I want to see the ads that make sense to me. But I also don’t want intrusion to the point that I spark a conversation about Converse shoes with someone on WhatsApp and the next thing I know, I start seeing ads about Converse shoes all over Facebook. So right now, until I don’t search about a specific subject on Facebook itself, I won’t be served those ads at all. It’s harder for new businesses in a fresh niche to reach out to new potential customers, but I think, at the end of the day, users get to decide if they want to be tracked or not in the first place and that’s an important choice. A couple years ago, I was hating Apple for this and never did I thought, I would actually pat their back for the same thing today.
That’s not the only thing about software that I liked. Apple’s key winning point has always been the marriage of excellent hardware and optimized software. The snappy scrolling, the responsive gesture navigations, the nitty gritty details are what makes the iPhone easy to fall in love with. The implementation of Focus allows personalization based on different environments like home, work, in-car, sleep, etc.
Apple has also implemented Crash Detection in the iPhone 14 Pro. It is now able to detect a severe automobile crash automatically dial emergency services in case you are unconscious. This is being done by a dual-core accelerometer that detects high G-force that are experienced in severe crashes – up to 256 Gs. This is one feature that I hope I never have to ever use but its good to have. The feature is enabled by default.
Probably the most beautiful thing that Apple does excellently is the whole ecosystem thing. Again, this is also both extremely good and extremely bad. I bought an iPad Mini specifically to try this whole ecosystem thingy and I actually love how it handles it. My iPad is Wifi-only and whenever I need internet, it identifies my iPhone in my pocket and connects to it without me having to take it out at all. Its as if my iPad also has SIM. And then I scribble a lot, so my iPad is filled with notes. As soon as I want them on my iPhone, they’re already there too. But I have my complaints on this whole ecosystem too, which I will elaborate in the lower part of the article again.
There are some of the features that are gone untested in this review like the 5G and eSIM, but they are present on the device. My covered areas are still not 5G enabled, and I have not adopted the eSIM yet for now.
The Bad
          If this was YouTube Music, no problem. But this is YouTube.            I mean, at least I want the video to play here right?
Chronologically, the first thing we are going to talk about is the Dynamic Island. I think the one thing I really wanted the Dynamic Island to handle right was the videos. While watching YouTube, you can minimize the video while its playing but it turns into an extremely small window within the Dynamic Island, that it’s barely viewable, that too, only the video thumbnail. When you long-press it, it only shows the controls and the you can only hear the audio. This one needs a major revamp for sure. I mean, its fine for music videos but not everything in YouTube is music videos. I think its about time Apple brings multi windows to the iPhone so I could run a video and take notes at the same time for example.

As for the AOD, I’m not sure I like it that much. The idea of AOD is to provide only the essentials but by default, it seems more like an always on lock-screen with reduced brightness. Sure, there are options to change the wallpaper to darker modes, but it’s still not as intuitive as I want it to be. I know the next iPhone will have this improved by much, but for now, I don’t think I would be using it so much.
About the software. iPhone aims at simplicity. Or so I have been told over the years. But sometimes, too much simplicity can be an annoyance too. I’m coming from Android background, so I’m heavily spoilt by how I want my device to behave. First, rearranging the icons is frustrating. I’m very particular about how my home screen looks. I have adopted some practices for years now. I want my clock to be digital which I had to download a separate app just for that. Then I need a quick overview of my calendar right underneath it as I heavily rely on Calendar for my daily routines. At least the iPhone has a sweet calendar widget so that’s one point. Next, I have a way of arranging my icons around the homescreen. Priority apps on the main screen, productivity and creativity pooled on another, social apps in one area, etc. All these are arranged in little “islands” of their own – without also disrupting my wallpaper. I can’t do this on iPhone. It forces the widgets and icons to rearrange towards the top and left. Why Apple, Why?!
          Apple Dialer. Other than saving numbers, what else can I really do?            Isn’t this so much more convenient? This is on Samsung S22 Ultra
And then there’s the dialer. On Android, if I’m gonna call Aiman, I’ll right away dial 21626 that spells the name based on the letters and it would immediately appear. On the iPhone, I am force to go to contacts, search, type, select, and then hit the call button. Please don’t ask me to use voice recognition. On countless times I want to call “Asri” and it keeps on dialing “Ashley” instead. It’s nowhere near perfect. So what are my options? For now, favorites do help for quick dialing to my frequent contacts, but I don’t only call my favorites and if I have more than 20 favorites, that’s not favorites anymore. I hope this one makes it to the list. At least it gives the dialer some additional purpose. I mean, that’s how “it just works” would be applied. I think of something, and it does exactly what I want it to.
And then there is file transfers. For as long as you are within the Apple ecosystem, all is good and dandy. But as soon as you have a different environment, you are bound to hit some walls. I wont get into details on this one because this is something that has been debated again and again and no solution has appeared. Apple has a fantastic AirDrop feature and if it only opens that up on Windows OS, adopting the iPhone will become so much easier. This is the part where Android has and still wins hands down.
A few minor quirks that you would be used to on Android itches on the iPhone is the way iPhone “remembers” things. I rely heavily on Google Drive for my file storage and on Android, if I am uploading multiple files at different intervals, it remembers my last folder that I had set. On the iPhone, I have to navigate through the whole folder tree everytime and somehow it starts getting annoying eventually. Not a major deal breaker I would say, but like I said earlier, I’m a heavy Android user brutally testing the iPhone.
Camera

If there is one reason to own an iPhone, it has to be the camera. For generations, the iPhone’s camera has pummeled its competitors again and again and yet retaining the UI of the camera app. The boba-like camera arrangement is not something new on the iPhone 14 Pro but Apple has specific reasons for this arrangement. If you enable the auto-switching of the modes, as you move your camera in and out, the modes automatically switch from normal to macro so seamlessly, you almost don’t see the switching.
Honing a 48MP main camera, the 24mm wide angle lens with f/1.78 aperture can take extremely beautiful portraits. And I’m not saying fake beautified beautiful portraits, I’m referring to surreal natural colored portraits. Sure, if you want to add in a little beautification, the editing tool provides a multitude of options for tweaking.
Then we have the 12MP, 13mm f/2.2 ultrawide lens that provides a 120° angle view on a 1.4µm sensor and finally, we have a 12MP, 77mm f/2.8 telephoto lens.
          0.5x zoom          Don’t ask about this one          Glass through landscape. You can see the reflection. I wanted to see how the colors get filtered, but this is amazing          Portrait shot in normal mode          Indoor macro shot. Yes, this was indoor          Selfie camera – love this picture          Normal outdoor with ample sunlight          Landscape shot under normal lighting          Outdoor shot with detailed subject          Food photography with 2x zoom          Selfie camera.          Main camera shot          Night mode with silhouette of amber light            Portrait shot with dark hue. I think I love this mode a lot          Food photography again          Macro shot          Night portrait mode with backlight through subject          2x zoom          Portrait mode main camera          Night selfie          Basement shot with dim lighting          Evening sun above the head          Dark to bright landscape. The shooting area is dark but it doesn’t mess with the outdoor lighting          1x zoom          Okay, last food photograph.          3x zoom – jeez!            Outdoor shooting directly at the sun.          Food photography          This image was actually taken through a glass          Food photography without zoom          Indoor under tungsten lighting          Macro. Look at the water details          Macro shot          Portrait mode with dark hue          Indoor shot with minimal lighting          Portrait mode main camera          Night mode portrait          Color pop testing
Of all the modes available, I love taking close up shots and I can officially announce, the iPhone really does it best. The clarity, the sharpness, the colors. Everything is just mind blowing just by pointing and shooting.
The night mode is crazy good too. I am actively going on night rides and I take a lot of night shots because of this. My first experience shooting night mode with the iPhone 14 Pro was so intense, I ended up taking more pictures that night than I usually take in a month! This is not just about having a large sensor because many other flagships have it too. This is minute image processing done right, achieved by the combination of great hardware, optimized software, and meticulous algorithms. When you snap a photograph, you have a picture in your mind of how you want the end results to be, and the iPhone delivers just that.
If you are somewhat of a pro photographer or videographer, there is also ProRAW and ProRes support to refine every tiny bit of detail that you want to capture. I’ll admit I’m not that much of a professional at creatives, so I’m not going to play pro here. But I would share the fact that if this is you, you would want to get the higher capacity storage models.
As for the selfie camera, we have a 12MP, 23mm wide angle lens with f/1.9 aperture. I’ve never really used much of the selfie camera on my smartphones, because they always turn out noisy and grainy or washed out. I would always resort to turning the device around and use gestures to capture selfies or wefies. Things have changed ever since I used the iPhone though. The selfie camera itself take remarkable shots and I can see myself using it a lot more lately.

Of all the things photography on the camera, I think I enjoyed playing with the portrait snapping. Basically, just shoot an image, and while editing, long press on the subject and the iPhone automatically identifies the outline. You can then export this as a separate image with a white background. Taking product photos just got a whole lot better! Sure, there are still minor jags around the corners, but nothing a little Photoshop cant fix – at least much better than having to slice out  the entire image on Photoshop.
If I needed only one reason to stay on the iPhone, it would definitely be the camera. This, I admit!
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Verdict
I took a good 3 weeks to settle in with the iPhone 14 Pro and I’m really glad I did. I got myself the 1TB variant and the price of RM7,799 is definitely painful. This is an extra RM600 from the iPhone 13 Pro which is still a relevant device today. I was hoping the iPhone to switch to USB-C this time around, but it didn’t, so this shaves some points off the chart. If you are getting an iPhone, you would eventually want to try out the whole ecosystem by adopting the iPad or the Apple Watch, or the Macbook. Only then you would be able to appreciate all things iPhone, but by then, you would have spent multiple times more than what you otherwise would on any other ecosystem. I still have a love-hate relationship with the iPhone especially when I have to go through a longer route to get simple things done like quickly dialing in somebody, or transferring files across my environment. But if iPhone solves these little quirks, I can see myself staying on the iPhone a lot longer than I thought I would. For now, I give it a Silver Pokdeward. Until we meet again on iPhone 15 series.

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Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Unveiled – World’s 1st 64-Core Threadripper Pro Workstation

The folks over at Lenovo have officially unveiled the Lenovo ThinkStation P620. It is the world’s first workstationto be powered by the AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro with up to 64 cores, and 4GHz clock speed.
Lenovo ThinkStation P620

The Lenovo ThinkStation P620 packs a lot of firepower under its hood, especially since it’s powered by the AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro. It also supports up to 128 PCIe 4.0 lanes and 8-channel memory (up to 1TB DDR4). On the storage side, you can get up to 4TB M.2 PCIe SSD and 16TB 7200RPM HDD, with options for RAID0/1 for M.2 and RAID0/1/5/10 for SATA.

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As this is a workstation, you can’t just cram in any graphics card. This one can support up to two NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 or four Quadro RTX 4000 graphics cards. Moreover, it can power 16 displays with up to a 96GB frame buffer. All of this will be powered by a 1000W power supply. According to Lenovo, the 64-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro can outperform Intel-based dual CPU workstations by up to 20%.
With all of that power, the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 is still rather compact with a 33-liter tower chassis. It doesn’t rely on liquid cooling as they, along with AMD, created a new channel cooling system in the body along with a custom heatsink for the 64-core CPU.
As for ports, you have access to the following:
Front I/O

2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A
2 x USB 3.2 Gen2  Type-C
1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack
1 x 15-in-1 media card reader
1 x Slim optical drive

Rear I/O

4 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A
2 x USB 2.0
1 x PS/2 port
1 x RJ45 LAN (Gigabit Ethernet)
1 x Audio Line-in
1 x Audio Line-out
1 x Microphone-in

Interestingly, it will not have Thunderbolt support at launch but it will be added sometime in early 2021.
The Lenovo ThinkStation P620 is positioned in between the P520 and P720 workstations. It will be shipping out sometime in September 2020. Prices have yet to be revealed, and will be dependent on the chosen configuration of the workstation.
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Pokdepinion: If you had this much power to use, what would you use it for? Let us know in the comments.
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Logitech G435 Lightspeed: Most Affordable Wireless Gaming Headset in Malaysia?

Previously, the Logitech G435 Lightspeed was officially announced by the company, and it’s said to the lightest and most affordable wireless gaming headset around. Now, it’s coming to Malaysia.
Logitech G435 Lightspeed Coming to Malaysia

The Logitech G435 Lightspeed is a wireless gaming headset intended for PC, console, and mobile gamers weighing in a mere 165g. It uses the company’s Lightspeed wireless technology for ultra-low latency with minimal interference. It also supports Bluetooth connection, but keep in mind that there may be more latency with that.

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It has a couple of 40mm drivers, memory foam padding, and is compatible with Dolby Atmos, Tempest 3D AudioTech, and Windows Sonic Spatial Sound. While it doesn’t look like it, this wireless gaming headset does have a built-in microphone in the form of dual beamforming microphones as opposed to the traditional boom arm design.
As for battery life, the Logitech G435 Lightspeed is expected to last up to 18 hours per full charge. To charge it, users simply need to juice it up via the USB-C port, but there is no mention of how long it will take to fully charge it. It’s worth noting that it doesn’t have a wired mode so if the battery runs out, you can’t use it.
The Logitech G435 Lightspeed is expected to arrive in Malaysia sometime in October 2021. Howeverthe official Logitech G online store and Lazada store have already listed the wireless gaming headset with a very affordable price of RM299. This already puts it slightly lower than the US retail price, which is USD $79.99 (RM335.20)
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Pokdepinion: I’m really curious as to how the beamforming microphones perform. As long as it won’t capture much of the environmental noise, I think it’s perfectly fine as is. The part about not having a wired mode is a bit of a letdown but it is what it is.
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The iPhone XR is now RM750 cheaper

Following the launch of the new iPhone 11, the iPhone XS series is discontinued, while the iPhone XR gets more affordable price tags. And quite substantially so too, with it now being priced from just RM2899.

Apple has dropped the 256GB variant, and is only retaining the 64GB and 128GB storage capacities. To recap, the iPhone XR is Apple’s best selling iPhone in the last generation lineup, and features the 6.1″ sub-FHD Liquid Retina IPS LCD display just like the new iPhone 11.

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The main drawbacks when compared to the iPhone XS duo is the single camera and aluminium frame, instead of the pricier iPhone XS’ dual camera and stainless steel frame. Inside lies most the same hardware like the absolutely stellar A12 Bionic and a tiny battery that’s really Apple’s thing.
iPhone XR Specs

Apple A12 Bionic, hexa-core up to 2.5 GHz, 7nm FinFET
3GB LPDDR4x RAM
Up to 128GB storage
6.1″ Liquid Retina display, IPS LCD, 1792×828 (326 ppi)
12MP f/1.8 primary camera
7MP f/2.2 selfie camera, TrueDepth camera
2942 mAh battery, 18W fast charging
64GB: RM2899
128GB: RM3099

The iPhone XR looks like a great option for iPhone users on a budget with the revised pricing, as it offers a pretty big upgrade over anything older than the iPhone X. Speaking of the iPhone X, the older iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus’ pricing has also been updated, with prices starting from RM2199.

iPhone 8 64GB: RM2199
iPhone 8 128GB: RM2399
iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: RM2699
iPhone 8 Plus 128GB: RM2899

Which last-gen iPhone would you pick? Let us know in the comments!
Pokdepinion: The iPhone XR looks really tempting…
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XD Design adds solar panels and wireless charging to their latest anti-theft backpack

XD Design’s claim to fame was their Bobby anti-theft backpacks. Their anti-theft properties as well as unique design has made them quite popular among techies who carry around expensive gear and are always worried that their gadgets get stolen.
They have since upped the ante with wireless charging and solar panels incorporated into the Bobby Tech. XD Design claims that the solar panels will be able to fully charge your smartphone in about 3.5 hours on a sunny day. There is a voltage regulator included to ensure safe charging with the power of the sun.

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The wireless charging module is removable, which means you can take it out and use it like any wireless charging pad if you want to. That ups the value proposition of the Bobby Tech as you aren’t only getting a backpack, but you are also getting a wireless charging pad.

Design wise, it looks pretty similar to the original Bobby Anti-Theft backpack, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on your preference. They did refine the design a little though, despite keeping the general shape the same.
The new Bobby Tech is currently available at 50% off on Kickstarter for just €150 (~RM705), instead of the usual price of €300 (~RM1410). At the time of writing, there has already been 76 backers out of 200 slots, so we do expect the early bird offer to run out really quickly.

If you decide that wireless charging and solar panels are all too fancy for you, you can opt for the Bobby PRO. It is half the price of the Bobby Tech, offers the same general design and comes in three stylish colors.
Shipping to Malaysia is free so if you are interested, do check out the link to their Kickstarter page here.
Pokdepinion: Anti-theft, solar panels and wireless charging… Sounds like the perfect backpack for a techie like me! If it wasn’t so expensive…
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Redmi Confirms Upcoming Snapdragon 855 Powered Smartphone Will Offer 3.5mm Port

It’s been circulating over the internet that Redmi will be coming out with a smartphone that runs on a Snapdragon 855, the current flagship chipset in the market. If you a person like me who likes his phone to offer a 3.5mm audio jack, well you should be excited for the phone.
Lu Weibing on Weibo
Recently, a fan asked Redmi’s General Manager, Lu Weibing on whether the upcoming device will offer support for a 3.5mm audio jack. The manager then confirmed the question by saying that the phone does indeed come with it. Despite that, he didn’t reveal any other specifications of the device. Until then, we will have to wait for more details on the flagship Redmi smartphone, so stay tuned for more updates.
Over in Malaysia, Redmi recently released their Redmi Go as well as the Redmi Note 7.

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Pokdepinion: Could it be the dream smartphone that we all wished for? Flagship chipset, 3.5mm port, and being at an affordable price tag (well that’s usually the case for Redmi smartphones..).
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You Need To Act Fast To Get This FREE PC Game

Want a free PC game to play? I’m sure you do. Well the folks at GOG is handing out a free game but you might want to act fast as the deal doesn’t last long.

The game on offer is Tower of Time, a title that’s developed by Event Horizon. It’s an RPG game that mixes both sci-fi and fantasy.
There’s seven characters to choose from and as you might’ve guessed, each coming with their unique traits and specialties.

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Here’s a synopsis of the game, courtesy of Steam:
Tower of Time is an incredible adventure packed with over 50 hours of gameplay, hand-crafted levels, and a rich story told through cinematics. Taking classic RPG gameplay to the next level. Tower of Time features flexible character development, thousands of pieces of loot and equipment and the complex and tactical Arrow-Time real-time combat system
So if you are interested in the game, all you need to do is simply have/create an account on their website. It will only be available until the 1st January 2020 at 6am PT, so be quick.
Pokdepinion: Seems like an interesting game to play. Might give it a go.
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[UNBOXING] Xiaomi Mi A2 — taking a look at what’s inside the box!

The recent launch of the Xiaomi Mi A2 drew a considerable amount of attention. In fact, it drew ours too. When it was launched in Malaysia, we were lucky enough to be invited, and even provided with a review sample. Here’s our unboxing of the Xiaomi Mi A2.

Specifications

CPU/Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 AIE (4 x Kryo 260 @ 2.2 GHz + 4 x Kryo 260 @ 1.8 GHz)

GPU:
Adreno 512

RAM:
4GB LPDDR4X

Display:
5.99″, 18:9 FHD+ (1080p) IPS display, 550 nits brightness

Storage:
64GB eMMC 5.1

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
Primary: 12MP f/1.75, 1/2.9″ Sony IMX 486, 1.25µm pixel pitch
Secondary: 20MP f/1.75 1/2.78″ Sony IMX 376, 1.0µm pixel pitch (2.0µm via 4-in-1 pixel binning technique)
Single tone LED flash, HDR, portrait mode, AI Dual Camera, [email protected] videos, AI Beautify 4.0
Front Camera
20MP f/2.2, 1/2.78″ Sony IMX 376, 1.0µm pixel pitch (2.0µm via 4-in-1 pixel binning technique)
Beauty, HDR, portrait mode, GIF animation, filters

OS:
Android 8.1 Oreo (Android One)

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0
LTE FDD: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20

SIM:
Dual nanoSIM

Battery:
Li-ion 3010 mAh (non-removable)

Dimensions:
158.7 x 75.4 x 7.3 mm

Weight:
168 g

Stay tuned for our full in-depth review in a few hour’s time!

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Cooler Master launches CM Storm Octane Keyboard and Mouse

(KUALA LUMPUR, 17th October 2014) – 10/17/2014 – Cooler Master, a leading creator, innovator and manufacturer of desktop components and more, today announced the immediate availability of CM Storm Octane in Malaysia, priced at RM 199. The CM Storm Octane is a keyboard and mouse combo that covers the whole spectrum.

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Gaming in Style
Following the overwhelming success of the Devastator gaming keyboard and mouse combo, Cooler Master is introducing a new combo for those looking to get their game on their way. The Octane comes with 7 different backlighting color options with full backlighting and pulsating glow modes. The colors for the mouse and keyboard can be changed independently for whatever color combination you’re looking for.

Precision Control
Built with an AVAGO 3050 optical sensor, the mouse is extremely accurate. With 4 DPI levels ranging from 500 DPI to 3500 DPI, the Octane mouse is as precise as you need it to be. The mouse is capable of handling up to 10 million clicks in its lifetime, so you don’t have to worry about it letting you down.

The Octane keyboard offers just about everything you could want in a gaming keyboard. It has dedicated media control keys, dedicated backlight switching key, and a Windows key that you can toggle on and off for when you’re in game. The Octane keyboard utilizes adjustable repeat rates and 19-key anti-ghosting technology to ensure that none of your commands are missed, even when using hotkey modifiers.

Availability & Pricing
The release of CM Storm Octane will commence immediately, with a Suggested Retail Price of RM 199.

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OPPO Find X3 Series Is Launching Soon And We’ve Got Leaks Of Its Camera Setup

Seems like the OPPO Find X3 series will be having its grand launch this coming March. The OPPO Find X3 series will feature three different models which include OPPO Find X3 Neo, OPPO Find X3 Pro as well as OPPO Find X3 Lite which is supposedly a rebrand of the OPPO Reno 5 5G. This news comes courtesy of known leaker Evan Blass, who also goes on to leak promo images of the devices as well as a detailed look at the Find X3 Pro’s camera setup.
OPPO Find X3 series coming in 3, 2, 1..

Here they are together for the first time, all three handsets in OPPO’s Find X3 series. Stay tuned for a full report on Neo, and check out past coverage of the other two.
Pro:https://t.co/TLA70IsFZahttps://t.co/mJ7Xhp6FVjhttps://t.co/qGzalp9fsT
Lite:https://t.co/MdK6AwFDSa pic.twitter.com/Q8WcgF4gDS
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 3, 2021

According to Blass, the Find X3 Pro (codenamed Fussi), features a quad-camera setup with a unique-looking camera module, nicknamed “crater” design by the internal team. The camera setup features a pair of unannounced 50MP Sony IMX766 sensors for its primary and ultrawide lenses.

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It is also said that the third lens will be a 3MP macro camera with a flash ring and 25x zoom capabilities. The fourth camera is said to be a 13MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. It is apparently similar to the one found on the OPPO Find X2.

In a previous report, Blass details the specifications of the Find X3 Pro. He said that the device will come equipped with a Snapdragon 888 SoC, a dual cell 4500mAh battery, 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 wired fast charging, and 30W VOOC Air wireless charging. Furthermore, the device will tout a 6.7-inch display with an adaptive refresh rate. It will also run on ColorOS based on Android 11.
There isn’t much information regarding the OPPO Find X3 Neo at the moment, however, do stay tuned to Pokde.net as we will update on this as soon as more news comes to light.
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Pokdepinion: The OPPO Reno X3 series is shaping up to be an interesting line especially now that it’s coming in three different (and intriguing) models.
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New Acer Chromebook and Chromebook Tablet Unveiled at [email protected] 2022

Acer Chromebook Spin 714

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 and the Enterprise Spin 714 are the main highlights of the company’s Chromebook offerings. They are powered by the Intel Evo-certified 12th Gen Intel Core CPU, up to an i7, with battery life expected to be up to 10 hours long per full charge. It’s also expected to give up to 4 hours of battery life with just a mere 30-minute charging period.
This Chromebook uses a 14-inch touchscreen display with 16:10 aspect ratio and Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass, with the choice of two resolutions; WQXGA (2560 x 1600) and WUXGA (1920 x 1200). You can make use of the USI stylus for drawing, taking notes and more as it supports up to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

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For those of you who will be using for work, the new Chromebooks will come with a Full HD MIPI webcam with temporal noise reduction technology with dual-microphone array. You also get two upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio and smart amplifier, all of which work in tandem to provide a seamless video conferencing experience.
Other features includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, a backlit keyboard, a HDMI port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, fingerprint reader as an optional add-on, and a MIL-STD 810H durability rating. The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 will be retailing for USD $749.99 (RM3,292.46) while the Enterprise Spin 714 will be slightly higher at USD $1,099.99 (RM4,828.96). Pricing and availability in Malaysia is still unknown at the moment but we will report more on that as soon as information becomes available.
Acer Chromebook Tab 510

For those of you who prefer a tablet that’s more convenient to bring around, we have the Acer Chromebook Tab 510. Featuring a 10.1-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, it’s powered by the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip. It comes with a 5MP MIPI front camera and an 8MP MIPI rear camera, with battery life said to be up to 11 hours per full charge.
Just like the new Chromebooks, the Acer Chromebook Tab 510 also comes with Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass and MIL-STD 810H durability rating, making it a rather solid gadget. Apart from that, the dockable USI stylus lets you enjoy up to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. If you want a more laptop-like experience, you can opt for the Keyboard Folio case as an add-on accessory.
The Acer Chromebook Tab 510 will be retailing for USD $399.99 (RM1,755.96). Pricing and availability in Malaysia is still unknown at the moment but we will report more on that as soon as information becomes available.
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Pokdepinion: The tablet certainly caught my eye. If I really ever wanted to move into Chrome OS, I would rather it be in tablet form, and the case will still help me use it like I would a regular laptop.
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Mi Band 2 review — affordable yet feature-packed

Fitness bands are aplenty in the market, and they might even be worn by those who aren’t even active, like yours truly. I just like them for their sleek and unobtrusive looks, and gives me a quick way to tell time without having to take my phone out of my pocket. Previously, I had the Soleus Thrive, but after time and the unrelenting corrosive sweat I excrete all day every day, the band started to literally fall apart. As its replacement, I got myself a Mi Band 2 from GEMFIVE, which I managed to get for quite a fair deal cheaper than replacing the band. Being so affordable, especially when compared to the competition, is there a catch, or is this the typical Xiaomi product with excellent value for money? Let’s take a closer look.
Unboxing

The packaging I received my Mi Band 2 is simple, but it is great that Xiaomi knows where to cuts costs from. There is no labeling, just a very clear image of the product. Labels are kept for the rear where you will find the basic specifications of the Mi Band 2.

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As soon as you lift the lid, you will find the Mi Band 2’s main module sitting pretty there.

Pulling upon the little tab will lift the tray which holds the main module, revealing the charging cable, the wristband in which the main module will sit in, as well as a user guide, which unfortunately is in Chinese. As Mi Malaysia is yet to official sell the Mi Band 2 in Malaysia, I believe that you can only get units imported from China here.

The Mi Band 2’s packaging contents are decidedly spartan, but I am not complaining as you get everything you need.
Appearance

The Mi Band 2 will not turn any heads, which is great. The black button features a classy concentric pattern, seamless laid into the glass. The bezels are actually pretty huge, but the entirely black glass panel makes it okay as you will only ever notice the bezels when the display is on. Did I mention that it is actually glass covering the display? As everyone should know, glass is more scratch resistant than plastic, and this is great to see. The display is an OLED one. It is smaller than the one I used to have on my Soleus Thrive, but it suffices to show you all the info you need on your wrists. If you need more information on your wrists, you may want to invest in a proper Android Wear smartwatch.

Over on the back of the Mi Band 2 is the optical heart rate sensor, which uses green LEDs. This is not particularly new, as even the Mi Band 1s had a heart rate sensor. It goes without saying that everything is well sealed, as it is IP67-rated. Swimmers might not be able to use the Mi Band 2, but joggers can easily jog through a shower without worrying about damaging their Mi Band 2. For me, it means I can wear it all the time, if I want to.

The strap features a loop on one side, which the other half will pass through before a little pin snaps into one of those holes. The sole embellishment on the strap is yet another concentric circle button, which gives you a solid surface to press down upon to snap the band tight.
User Experience
The Mi Band 2 does have all the features I believe a fitness band should have, and crams a step counter, heart rate sensor and wrist watch all into one. Syncing the Mi Band 2 with your smartphone should be as easy as pairing any other Bluetooth device.

Comfort is pretty good, with the resin band being quite flexible and thankfully not sticky even after heavy sweating. The lone button wakes the display and allows you to scroll through the info. The button itself is a solid-state capacitive one, and comes without haptic feedback, but I find it best this way because rubber-covered buttons or tactile buttons may require you to press down on your wrist quite hard.

Charging the Mi Band 2 is quite simple, while I would have preferred a microUSB charging port on the Mi Band 2, the current charging connector looks very durable while not requiring any deep ports on the already compact Mi Band 2, but does require you to remove the main module from the wrist band to charge it. The standard USB connector on the other end means you can use anything from your smartphone’s wall charger to your PC to charge the Mi Band 2, which is still quite convenient. With that said, you won’t really have to charge the Mi Band 2.
With it synced to my Honor 8, I managed to easily squeeze 14 days of battery life out of it, with it set to vibrate whenever I receive a notification from Gmail, Messenger or Whatsapp, which is pretty frequent. I also turned on the feature to view the time by simply lifting my wrist, which understandably will increase the battery consumption of the Mi Band 2. I also used the heart rate sensor whenever I was bored. Therefore, the 14 days battery life is pretty great, all things considered. When I switched over to use the HTC 10, on which I was simply too lazy to install the Mi Fit app, so I didn’t get any notifications pushed to the Mi Band 2, and the battery lasted for longer than I can remember. I am very satisfied with the battery life, despite some Mi Band 1 users complaining of a much shorter battery life compared to their older model which doesn’t have a display to show the time. I am definitely willing to trade 2 weeks of battery life in exchange for a display to tell time.
The Mi Band 2 can accept push notifications, with short vibrations whenever you receive a notification, and it can even be used as an alarm if you configure the alarms in the Mi Fit app. So far, I have found it to vibrate whenever I receive a notification and also as an alarm reliably, preventing me from missing notifications as much as I used to. Unlike the Soleus Thrive, notifications do not scroll through the display, but are merely displayed as an icon. For some reason, the Whatsapp icon is shown when I receive messages on it, but Messenger notifications trigger a generic “app” icon to be displayed on the Mi Band 2.
The step counter feature is quite accurate, with it recording around the same number of steps as my Honor 8 which also features a built-in step counter. The heart rate sensor might not be as accurate, as it detects a lower heart rate than what I got when I checked with a Omron blood pressure checker. Of course, the Mi Band 2 is not a medical device, and should not be treated as one. It can be used as a rough estimation to prevent pushing yourself too hard during your workouts, but that’s about it.

The Mi Band 2 feature set is seriously limited if you do not install the Mi Fit app though. Without it, you only get to see your activity for that single day, while the app will allow you to go through your history, as well as your pulse rate any time you checked it with the Mi Band 2. The Mi Band 2 also cannot show you your sleep time on its display, relying on the Mi Fit app to do that. Needless to say, you will definitely want to install the app to fully take advantage of your Mi Band 2. The app also allows you to easily update your Mi Band 2 with OTA updates. Overall, the app was intuitive enough for me to not have to try and read the manual.
Conclusion
The Mi Band 2 is a great budget alternative to the big name brands in the fitness tracker industry, with it definitely achieving what I expect from a fitness band. The heart rate sensor may not be the most accurate around, but then you shouldn’t rely on one of these cheap fitness trackers for that. Did I just say cheap? Yeah, for RM128, I think this is one of the most affordable ones out there. Maybe more extensive notification support would be great, but I really don’t mind it in its current state. And oh, the Mi Band 2 is as versatile as its predecessors, with a myriad of third party as well as Xiaomi’s own replacement wrist bands to customize the look. I believe the Mi Band 2 is definitely deserving of our Silver Pokdeward.

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Recently, we learned that the Xbox Series X Storage Expansion cards by Seagate will be retailing at USD $219.99. If you’re wondering how it works and if it’s worth the money, we have all the details you need right here.
Seagate Reveals How the Xbox Series X Storage Expansion Cards Work

For starters, Seagate explains that the Xbox Series X Storage Expansion cards, which will also work with the Xbox Series S, will have the same speeds as the internal console SSD. This means you can make use of the Quick Resume feature with games installed in the card.

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It’s also easy to install as it works just like the memory cards of old. You just simply need to plug it into the port on the console and you’re good to go. There will be a notification on the console’s dashboard which will let you know that it’s ready for use. You can also freely swap between cards without the need to shut down the console.
This makes it even more convenient as you can easily bring your games with you since they will not be tied to a specific console. All you need to do is sign in to the Xbox Live account that the games are registered to, and you’re good to go.
As for alternative storage solutions, Seagate mentioned that you can use external HDDs / SSDs, but it’s not so much for Xbox Series X games. It will not have issues with Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the OG Xbox’s games however. The next gen games need to storage drives that are optimized for Xbox Velocity Architecture in order to run, so that’s something to keep in mind.
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Pokdepinion: This really works like the memory cards of old. It’s clean and easy to use. Good job, Microsoft and Seagate.
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Xiaomi Reportedly Working On A SIM Card That Also Acts As A MicroSD

In today’s world of smartphones, microSD slots are not that common where some brands deemed it to be not important and is a waste of space. Well it seems that Xiaomi might have the answer to this.

Xiaomi is reportedly working on a SIM card that also acts as a microSD card. While not all smartphones have microSD card slots, a slot for SIM is always there.
It seems that there’s a patent showing that Xiaomi is working on such a feature. It is said that Xiaomi is using one side of the card as SIM while the other for storage.

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This would mean however that the feature would require a specialized tray to be able to read both sides of the card. The feature could only be available on Xiaomi devices considering that they look to make it their proprietary storage technology.
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Pokdepinion: Well that’s definitely a smart way of doing things. I wonder if they would share the patent with other brands.. (if it does indeed come out)
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Win a Razer Edition 2019 Proton Iriz with Razer Pay!

Razer Pay is the official e-wallet for Malaysia Tech Week 2019 (MTW19). To celebrate this tremendous achievement, they are giving away a Razer Edition 2019 Proton Iriz in collaboration with Proton, 7-Eleven, Starbucks, Celcom, MDEC and MyFintech Week 2019. The Razer Edition 2019 Proton Iriz is also graced by Tuan Gobind Singh Deo’s signature, who kicked off MTW19 with a keynote speech.
Razer Pay has seen over 1 00 000 downloads, becoming the go-to e-wallet for youths and millennials thanks to its extensive service offerings. There are over 10 000 payment points across Malaysia, affording everyone the convenience of paying with their smartphones. Razer Pay is available on both iOS and Android, further cementing its position.

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Since the Razer Edition 2019 Proton Iriz giveaway campaign started on 1st June, Razer Pay has seen over 200 000 entries. Each transaction made with Razer Pay counts as one entry, and the more transactions you make, the higher the chances of winning the one-of-a-kind Proton Iriz. The campaign ends on 30th June 2019, so be quick if you want to win yourself a brand new car in Razer black-and-green livery, with Tuan Gobind Singh Deo’s signature, no less.
Pokdepinion: Is the interior Razer Chroma enabled?
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Win Prizes Up To RM202,000 With vivo Malaysia’s HoHoHuat Campaign

With the festive period coming, vivo Malaysia is hosting the vivo HoHoHuat campaign which runs from this 18th of December 2021 to 3rd of February 2022. In this period of time, you can win gifts and prizes worth RM202,000.
vivo Malaysia HoHoHuat

In case you’ve missed our previous article, the vivo V23e 4G and V23e 5G will be available at RM1,399 and RM1,599 respectively and every purchase will come with gifts worth RM518.

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Those who purchase any vivo smartphones worth RM800 and above or selected PROTON cars (Proton Persona, Iriz, Exora, or Saga) will be eligible to participate in a spin and win contest with amazing prizes, including the grand prize of a Proton X70.
Here are the full steps in case you are interested in participating:

Purchase any vivo smartphone (RM800 and above) at any vivo official store or register any selected PROTON cars (as mentioned earlier) from any authorized Proton Outlets
Scan a QR code and fill in details including the smartphone’s IMEI 1 number or PROTON’s participation number for registration
Spin the wheel and stand a chance to win

For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: I mean, fancy that, two festive seasons put together. Pretty sure fans would like a campaign to run as long as that.
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OPPO Reno6 Z Shiseido Gift Box Is Arriving This Thursday

In case you’ve missed the news, OPPO has teamed up with Shiseido where they are launching together the OPPO Reno6 Z Shiseido Gift Box which is now up for pre-orders.
OPPO Reno6 Z Shiseido Gift Box

The package is releasing this Thursday on the 2nd of December 2021 and is priced at RM1,699. What to expect from it? Well it it includes the limited-edition OPPO x Shiseido gift box, OPPO x Shiseido Reno6 Z phone case, as well as a selected Shiseido cosmetic product.

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In addition to that, selected customers who purchase the OPPO Reno6 Z Shiseido Gift Box during the campaign period will also receive a free Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation that’s worth RM210 as well as a in-store consultation from Shiseido experts on how to find their perfect foundation shade.
If u want to get the set, you might want to be quick as it is limited for the first 300 customers only. Not to forget, OPPO is also running a campaign where both OPPO and Shiseido members from now till the 31st of January 2022 where registered OPPO members can receive a RM50 instant rebate with a minimum purchase of RM300 at Shiseido’s online store, free Shiseido Ultimune Sampling Kit at Shiseido outlets in Sunway Pyramid, Mid Valley, and Suria KLCC, plus a 4-piece Shiseido gift set upon purchase of any Shiseido product (minimum RM380 spent).
You can find these offers to be redeemable at your My OPPO App. Find out more on the OPPO Reno6 Z in our review right here. For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: I’m just surprised that they are still focusing on the Reno6 series. Anyways, if you want to get the device and fancy the package, you definitely would want to act quickly to grab the box.
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Borderlands 3 Endgame Content “Proving Grounds” Unveiled

Just announced! Test your might and score some top-tier loot in the crucibles of the all-new Proving Grounds and the returning Circle of Slaughter arenas in #Borderlands3. #GamescomONL
Learn more ➜ https://t.co/YwnESIdZNk pic.twitter.com/AKCDK4T3HY
— Borderlands 3 (@Borderlands) August 19, 2019

At the Gamescom Opening Night Press Conference, Creative Director Paul Sage went into detail as to what players can expect after beating the story for Borderlands 3. What can be considered as a stable of the Borderlands franchise,, the Circle of Slaughter is making it’s way back to the series. In Circle of Slaughter, players will fight waves of enemies that get progressively harder the further they get. But that isn’t all that will be available for endgame content.
In Borderlands 3 there will also be the Proving Grounds. It is essentially a set of quests that are found after deciphering Eridian writings. After that, an Eridian will give players a quest that has a variety of different objectives. Not all objectives are mandatory, but the more players complete, the better the rewards will be.
Borderlands 3 will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Epic Games Store on 13th September 2019.

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In case you missed it, we interviewed Creative Director Paul Sage earlier while we were in Singapore. Click right here to to learn some awesome things about the game.
Pokdepinion: More things to do in the game means more fun to be had. I seriously can’t wait to play this with some friends because it’s certainly going to be one heck of a chaotic mess…in a fun way.
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Microsoft Surface Book 2 up for pre-orders on Lazada; prices start from RM6899

If you have been eyeing the portable powerhouse that is the Microsoft Surface Book 2, you will be glad to know it is going to be available in Malaysia pretty soon. Spotted on Lazada, the Microsoft Surface Book 2 will be available in both 13.5″ and 15″ variants.

The Surface Book 2 differentiates itself from the crowd by being a tablet with a dock that houses a dedicated GPU and an additional battery for extra long battery life. We were very interested in the first generation Surface Book as it represented a whole new class of PCs. Fast forward to today, we have these set to arrive in Malaysia, but they won’t be cheap.
Surface Book 2 13.5″ — starting from RM6899

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Microsoft’s hardware do not come cheap, and the Surface Book 2 13.5″ will set you back RM6899 for just a dual-core Intel Core i5 7300U and Intel HD Graphics 620. Yep, none of that innovative dedicated-GPU-in-the-dock thingamajig here. With specifications like a run-of-the-mill ultrabook, there really is no reason to get this variant of the Surface Book 2 13.5″. 8GB RAM and 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage round up the specs list, but nothing you can’t get else where. If you are interested in this model, help support us by clicking on our Lazada affiliate link below:

Stepping up the ranks, we will be looking at a price of RM8899. Same high-res 13.5″ 3000 x 2000 3:2 PixelSense display, 8GB RAM and 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD inside. However this model has a GeForce GTX 1050 2GB GDDR5 inside the dock, and a much more capable quad-core 8th Gen Intel Core i7 8650U CPU which goes up to 4.2 GHz on Turbo. For this model, click on the following Lazada affiliate link:

The highest end variant of the Surface Book 2 13.5″ available here, this baby will set you back RM11,199. Sporting much of the same specifications as the previous model, this one ups the ante with double the RAM and storage (16GB and 512GB). Considering the Surface Book 2 isn’t user-serviceable, heavy users might want to invest the extra money for more RAM and storage.

Surface Book 2 15″ — GTX 1060 dock!

If you want a bigger 15″ 3240 x 2160 3:2 PixelSense display, the Surface Book 2 15″ is the way to go. For RM10,799, you will be getting the i7 8650U, 8GB RAM, 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage and the best part of it all, GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5 which will be sitting in the dock. This variant is probably the best deal of the five variants available here in Malaysia.

For more storage and RAM, you will have to cough up an additional RM1700. This variant will cost you RM12499, and give you 16GB of RAM and 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage.

Will you be getting one? Let us know in the comments section!
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SanDisk launches its next generation microSDXC with up to 275MBs read speed

Action cameras are now the fastest growing segment in digital imaging and drones are becoming popular. With 4K video recording is becoming more commonly use, SanDisk introduced the world’s fastest microSD card, the SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC UHS-II to fill the market demand.

The new SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC cards are available in 64GB and 128G capacities delivers speeds of up to 275MBs read speed and up to 100MBs write speed. The package are includes a USB 3.0 card reader to conveniently offload files to a PC.

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The 64GB and 128GB SanDisk Extreme PRO microSDXC UHS-II cards feature a lifetime limited warranty, and will be available worldwide in Q2 at U.S. MSRPs of $179.99 (approximately RM800) and $299.99 (approximately RM1300), respectively.
Product information: SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC UHS-II

Pokdepinion: Recording video footage on 4K is becoming common. With the new SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC it could be a great deal, especially those who are making a living with a camera or vlog.
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Here’s The Latest MSI Laptops For 2020 — Packing The Latest 10th Gen Intel Processor And RTX Super Graphics

The folks at MSI has recently unveiled a plethora of new laptops where they  Coming with the latest 10th Gen Intel Core i9 processor (Comet Lake H-series) and the latest RTX Super series graphics, here’s what new.
MSI GS66 Stealth Series

Coming with a ‘Core Black’ theme, the GS66 Stealth comes with a low-key design and has won both the iF Design Awards as well as the Red Dot Design Award. It comes with the brand’s Cooler Boost Trinity+ with 0.1mm thin blades, maximizing its airflow.
ModelGS66 Stealth 10SG-072MYGS66 Stealth 10SF-075MYGS66 Stealth 10SE-076MYCPUIntel Core i9-10980HKIntel Core i9-10750HKIntel Core i9-10750HKGPUNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q 8GB GDDR6NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Max-Q 8GB GDDR6NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6OSWindows 10 HomeWindows 10 HomeWindows 10 HomeDisplay15.6″ FHD, 300Hz refresh rate, close to 100% sRGB15.6″ FHD, 240Hz refresh rate, close to 100% sRGB15.6″ FHD, 240Hz refresh rate, close to 100% sRGBStorage2TB NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 SSD1TB NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 SSD1TB NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 SSDRAM16GB DDR4 2666MHz8GB DDR4 2666MHz8GB DDR4 2666MHzKeyboardPer-key RGB keyboard by SteelSeriesPer-key RGB keyboard by SteelSeriesPer-key RGB keyboard by SteelSeriesDimension358.3 x 248 x 19.8 mm358.3 x 248 x 19.8 mm358.3 x 248 x 19.8 mmPriceRM16,999RM13,999RM8,399
MSI GF63 Thin 10SCXR-047MY

The MSI GF63 Thin has receive a refresh update, offering an Intel Core i9-10750H processor as well as GTX 1650 Max Q graphics.

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ModelGF63 Thin 10SCXR-047MYCPUIntel Core i9-10750HKGPUNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max Q, 4GB GDDR6OSWindows 10 HomeDisplay
15.6″ FHD, IPS with ultra-thin bezel panel
Storage512GB NVMe PCIe SSDRAM8GB DDR4 2666MHzKeyboardGaming keyboard with pure red color backlightDimension359 x 254 x 21.7 mmPrice RM4,399
MSI Creator Series

They’ve also introduced three new models for their Creator series. Topping the lineup is the MSI Creator 17 where it is the world’s first laptop to have a Mini LED display. It is also the first laptop to meet DisplayHDR 1000 standards, with creators in mind.
Coming with up to 10th Gen Intel H-series processors as well as GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER graphics, here’s the full specifications.
ModelCreator 17Creator 15MCreator 17MCPUUp to 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875HUp to 10th Gen Intel Core i7Up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7GPUUp to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER, Max-Q, 8GB GDDR6Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 8GB GDDR6Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 8GB GDDR6OSWindows 10 Home / Windows 10 ProWindows 10 Home / Windows 10 ProWindows 10 Home / Windows 10 ProDisplay17.3″ UHD, Mini LED, HDR1000, DCI-P3 100%, IPS thin bezel15.6″ FHD, close to 100% sRGB, IPS Thin Bezel (optional)17.3″ FHD, close to 100% sRGB, IPS Thin Bezel (optional)Storage2 x M.2 SSD Combo Slot (NVMe PCIe Gen3/ SATA)1 x M.2 SSD Combo Slot (NVMe PCIe Gen3/ SATA)1 x M.2 SSD Slot (NVMe PCIe Gen3)1 x M.2 SSD Combo Slot (NVMe PCIe Gen3/ SATA)1 x 2.5″ SATA HDDDimension396.1 x 259.4 x 20.25 mm359 x 254 x 21.7mm
397 x 260 x 23.1 mm

Unfortunately they didn’t reveal the pricing for the Creator series. It’s similar to all of the products listed but we’ll sure to update you once it does.
Pokdepinion: Man that Creator 17 looks super duper sweet. I hope it (the price) won’t be that high..Spread the PokdeLoveClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

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Hideo Kojima Has Started Teasing His Next Project

At a BAFTA panel alongside film director Nicolas Winding Refn, Hideo Kojima started teasing about his next project despite Death Stranding still being a newly-released title.
I really want to do something a little different. In the next five years, the platform will be streaming. Either it’s a movie or game, both will remain – the cinema experience and the platform of games will remain. But the game, you could broadcast that right now, like Esports that you see today. I think there’s something ahead, and I’m thinking about that. It’s a movie, but it’s a game, I’m thinking of that kind of idea, and I want to do that kind of thing.Hideo Kojima
This isn’t the first time Kojima spoke about doing a film, and it’s no surprise either given his family having a big fondness for movies. During an interview with BBC Newsbeat’s Steffan Powell, there were mentions of Kojima Productions moving into filmmaking in the future.
Hideo Kojima continues to discuss his next project after Death Stranding.

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Well, I’m kind of anxious about it, but I’m also facing towards the future already. Nicholas is the same, I think. When you finish a project, and your body’s resting and you take a break with your family, your brain is always constantly thinking. So you finish something, and – well, Death Stranding will be released this week, but I’m already thinking about the next project, and the next, next project, and I’m trying to prepare things. But it’s a natural thing for me. It’s like having breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s nothing special to me, it’s as simple as that. But the next project that I could work on, just to think about that, I’m happy to think that I could work on it; I’m still physically able to do it.Hideo Kojima
Death Stranding will be coming to the PlayStation 4 on 8th November 2019. A PC version will be coming sometime next year.
Source: GamesRadar
Pokdepinion: This guy could outright tell me his plans for the future and there’s a probably a good chance I wouldn’t be able to interpret them anyway. Either way, I’m still excited to see what he has in store.
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PS Plus December 2021 FREE Games Lineup

Thinking of subscribing to PS Plus? Or perhaps thinking if you should renew it? The PS Plus December 2021 free games lineup is here. Let’s dive right into it, shall we?
PS Plus December 2021 FREE Games Lineup

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The star headliner for the PS Plus December 2021 free games lineup is Godfall Challenger Edition. It’s a 3rd person looter-slasher game set in a fantasy universe filled with knights and magic. Players will go on an adventure and fighting against enemies and other players for loot. This edition includes 3 different modes; Lightbringer, Dreamstones, and Ascended Tower Trials. Just keep in mind that it’s not the full Godfall game.
Next up in the list is Lego DC Super-Villains, an open world game where players will create and play as an all-new supervillain. You will be causing chaos and stir up all sorts of troubles in the game. Interestingly, the Justice League has mysteriously disappeared and the Justice Syndicate takes their place. You will be joined by notable characters like The Joker, Harley Quinn, and many more.
Then, we have Mortal Shell, a single player action RPG which tests your tenacity and resilience. In this world, humanity has fallen and you will have to face against all sorts of creatures as your foes, threatening your very survival. You will have to uncover the mystery behind the world and find out the true reason behind your existence.

As an added bonus on top of the PS Plus December 2021 free games lineup, there are 3 PSVR games being given out for free exclusively for PS Plus members. The first is The Persistence, a survival game where you will have to fend off against horrid sci-fi creatures solo as a stranded member of a spaceship crew.
Next up, we have The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, based on the popular franchise of the same name. Players will have to go through the post-apocalyptic land of New Orleans while fending off Walkers. Players will bump into several characters along the way, but some of them might just stab you in the back.
Lastly, we have Until You Fall, a fantasy sword-fighting game with monsters and a fun neon environment. Players will have to make use of arm and body controls alongside rhythm to fight against hordes of enemies. Whether it’s slashing enemies or casting magic, anything you can do will help you in your journey.
The PS Plus December 2021 free games lineup will be available starting from 7th December 2021 to 3rd January 2022. Until then, November’s lineup of free games are still up if you haven’t claimed them yet.
Source
Pokdepinion: While Godfall Challenger Edition is a bad addition to the lineup, it’s a good thing the other games are good, and the VR additions remain there.
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PNY Drops Prices On RTX 30 Series GPUs

PNY Drops Prices On RTX 30 Series GPUs

PNY has given its RTX 30 Series GPUs price cuts, effective immediately:

1. PNY GeForce RTX 3090 24GB XLR8 Gaming UPRISING EPIC-X RGB Triple Fan Edition
RM 5,499

2. PNY GeForce RTX 3080 12GB UPRISING Triple Fan LHR
RM 3,149

3. PNY GeForce RTX 3080 12GB XLR8 REVEL EPIC-X RGB Triple Fan LHR
RM 3,149

4. PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 Gaming REVEL EPIC-X RGB Triple Fan LHR
RM 2,999

5. PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 Gaming UPRISING EPIC-X RGB Triple Fan LHR
RM 2,999

6. PNY GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB XLR8 Gaming REVEL EPIC-X RGB Triple Fan
RM 2,399

7. PNY GeForce RTX 3070 8GB UPRISING Dual Fan LHR
RM 2,099

All cards are covered by 3-year local supplier warranty.

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Customers can purchase the GPUs above in Lowyat Plaza, PJ Digital Mall, PC resellers and various online authorised resellers. Optionally, you can purchase the products on Shopee or view the Official Reseller list here: PNY Official Shopee Store | PNY Official Resellers
Pokdepinion: That 3070 Ti looks like a value sweet spot to me.
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Hideo Kojima Doesn’t Like Director’s Cut Naming for Death Stranding

Recently, Death Stranding Director’s Cut was officially announced. However, Hideo Kojima has voiced out his displeasure on the added naming for the game on Twitter, and here’s why.
Hideo Kojima on Death Stranding Director’s Cut

2/2
In the game, it is not what was cut, but what was additionally produced that was included. Delector’s Plus? So, in my opinion, I don’t like to call “director’s cut”.
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) July 12, 2021

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We were recently treated to the announcement of Death Stranding Director’s Cut, which is expected to launch on 25th September 2021 exclusively for the PlayStation 5. Interestingly, Hideo Kojima dislikes the additional naming and has since voiced it out on Twitter.
According to Hideo Kojima, this is what a Director’s Cut should entail:
A director’s cut in a movie is an additional edit to a shortened version that was either released reluctantly because the director did not have the right to edit it, or because the running time had to be shortened. In the game, it is not what was cut, but what was additionally produced that was included.
Hideo Kojima
Naturally, many people started to think if there may be some friction between Hideo Kojima, along with Kojima Productions, and Sony Interactive Entertainment. This is also in part due to a rumor of a collaboration project between Xbox and Kojima floating around online.
For now, we will report more on this if and when information becomes available. Death Stranding Director’s Cut will be coming exclusively to the PlayStation 5 on 24th September 2021. It may be ported over to PC later on in the form of an update to the existing game, which 505 Games holds the publishing rights to.
Source
Pokdepinion: I believe creative differences isn’t necessarily a sign of a sour relationship. When there are many people involved, this kind of thing happens often. If anything bad happened between the two parties, I’m sure there’s more to the behind the scenes.
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ROG Zephyrus S (GX531) announced — offers all the performance of the Zepyhrus in a smaller footprint and slimmer profile!

If you felt that the original ROG Zephyrus was cool, wait till you check out the new ROG Zephyrus S (GX531). This new baby from ROG marks a new milestone for ultrathin gaming laptops.

It’s now thinner, at just 15.75mm at its thickest, a whole 12% slimmer than the original ROG Zephyrus (GX501). The new laptop also comes with super-narrow bezels to cram a 15.6″ display into a 14.2″ chassis. The display holds nothing back though, with a 144 Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time.

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The innovative Active Aerodynamic System (AAS), a hallmark of the Zephyrus series, also returns to cool the Intel Core i7 8750H and GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q within. Despite being thinner now, it still offers 22% better airflow than traditional designs. Dual 12V AeroAccelerator fans also have 17% more blades than the original Zephyrus did, coming in at 83 blades per fan for better airflow.

Heat is expelled through four heatsinks, twice as many as what the first Zephyrus featured. With five heatpipes drawing heat away from the CPU, GPU and power delivery system, the Zephyrus S stands to be a real beast despite the thinner and smaller dimensions. Coupled with Overboost, Balanced and Silent fan profiles, you can select the right fan profile for your needs.
The ROG Zephyrus S will be showcased at Gamescom, while we will also be getting an exclusive look at it tomorrow. Stay tuned for our hands on session with the ROG Zephyrus S!
[UPDATE]: ROG Zephyrus S is now in Malaysia
The ROG Zephyrus S has landed in Malaysia, priced at RM7999!
Pokdepinion: Seems like a sweet laptop! The touchpad’s location might displease some people though, but who uses a touchpad on a gaming laptop?
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Redmi Releases Redmi K20 Pro’s First Promo Video

We’ve been hearing a lot of the Redmi K20/K20 Pro recently, where many leaks have been handed out over the internet. Now Redmi has officially release a promo video that confirms the specifications and the looks of the company’s flagship smartphone.

The Redmi K20 Pro is the brand’s first-ever flagship smartphone, since departing their parent, Xiaomi. It offers what you’d expect from the top-of-the-line device, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset as well as several features that consumers will regard highly.
Coming with a 48MP main camera at the back, it offers a 20MP pop-up camera, which offers a ‘true’ full display, differentiating itself from Xiaomi’s Mi 9. Additionally, the Redmi K20 Pro comes with a headphone jack, a feature that’s uncommon in flagship devices these days.

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There’s two versions of the phone, the standard K20 as well as the K20 Pro, with the biggest difference is the K20’s chipset, a Snapdragon 730. Battery size is the same but the normal variant comes offers a slower 18W charging rate compared to 27W on the Pro version. Not to forget, the K20 uses Sony’s IMX582 sensor.
Redmi K20 Pro
Redmi K20 Specifications

Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 8nm SoC
Adreno 618
6GB/8GB RAM
64GB/128GB/256GB
6.39″ FHD+ AMOLED display
48MP f/1.8 + 13MP f/2.4 ultra wide-angle + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto
20MP f/2.2 selfie camera
MIUI 10 (based on Android 9 Pie)
4000 mAh battery, 18W Fast Charge
Starts from: CNY1,999 (~RM1,210)

Redmi K20 Pro Specifications

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 7nm SoC
Adreno 640
6GB/8GB RAM
64GB/128GB/256GB
6.39″ FHD+ AMOLED display
48MP f/1.8 + 13MP f/2.4 ultra wide-angle + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto
20MP f/2.2 selfie camera
MIUI 10 (based on Android 9 Pie)
4000 mAh battery, 27W Fast Charge
Starts from: CNY2,499 (~RM1,513)

The brand’s general manager, Lu Weibing claimed that the Redmi K20 Pro can charge 58% percent of battery life in just 30 minutes and can easily max the phone up in 74 minutes.
At the current moment, there’s no confirmation on whether or not the Redmi K20 series will be making its way here to Malaysia but fret not, we will update accordingly when details become available.
Pokdepinion: Regardless of whether it makes it to the country or not, the price really makes the Redmi K20 Pro a true flagship killer! Let’s just hope that it will.
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Google Play Store Will Be Getting More Ads For Improved Revenue

Google is testing new ad placements in the Google Play Store search bar, including “limited-time events and sponsored offers.” Learn more about the pros and cons of this new feature.
Google Play Store Gets New Adds in Search Bar

Google is testing new ad placements in the Google Play Store search bar, which are called “limited-time events and sponsored offers.” These ads will appear alongside past searches in the search bar, with a maximum of three ads displayed. The limited-time events are already used to promote streaming apps, but now they will show up in the search history along with the app name, icon, rating, and number of downloads. This move is seen as a way for Google to generate more revenue from the app store.

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While some users may find the addition of ads annoying, others may appreciate the convenience of being able to see sponsored apps that are relevant to their interests. However, there are pros and cons to this new feature. On the one hand, ads could provide a new source of revenue for Google and help users find new apps that are interesting to them. On the other hand, ads could clutter the search bar and make it more difficult to find relevant results, and there is a risk that they could be used to promote low-quality or unsafe apps.
Google’s decision to add ads to the Google Play Store search bar is a mixed bag. It has the potential to generate more revenue for Google and help users find new apps, but it also has the potential to annoy users and clutter the search bar. Only time will tell how users will react to this change. It is worth noting that the addition of ads to the Google Play Store search bar is becoming available to users gradually, so it may take some time before everyone sees these new ad placements.
Source
Pokdepinion: I’m not surprised to see this happening. They need to make sure the numbers go up, otherwise their revenue starts to go downhill over the long term. Hopefully it doesn’t come to a point where everything is just plastered with ads.
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ASUS King of Mobile, in collaboration with Team Pokde.net

Yesterday, the 15th of January 2017 was the King of Mobile event by ASUS Malaysia, in collaboration with Team Pokde.net. To show just how good the ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL was, ASUS fans and fellow members of the media were invited to join us at Talent Lounge, Damansara Perdana to get their hands on the device, experience the build quality, and of course try out the highlight feature of the new ASUS Zenfone 3 Max, the massive battery which promises insane battery life.
Quite a chill place, eh?
Registration began at around 1.30pm, with the potential Kings of Mobile signing in otuside our event venue.

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Members of the ZenFone 3 family were also displayed for everyone to get a feel of the other devices in the series. Of course the highlight of the day is the ASUS ZenFone 3 Max which will be tested with intensive gaming throughout the day.

The event was emcee-ed by none other than SuperDaddy himself, with Syed Hassan supporting him. Everyone was busy enjoying the provided meals to charge themselves up for the gaming marathon they were about to face.
Explaining the rules of Asphalt 8
Racing to the finish line to be the King?
Gamers trying their luck at Fun Run 2
This new ASUS Zenfone 3 Max is not the same one we know that is powered by the Mediatek chipset. This one is powered by the Snapdragon 430 chipset, which is expected to make the device more smooth and have better battery efficiency. If you’re thinking that this sounds too similar to an existing Zenfone 3 entry, then you’d be right. That is the entry-level ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser, which has been phased out and replaced with this new Zenfone 3 Max.
Everyone is literally blowing each other up in Bomb Squad
Well just how did we go about that? By gaming intensely for nearly five hours, that’s how. In a test that was equally grueling to the device as it was to the gamers, the ASUS Zenfone 3 Max was used to play 5 games, including Fun Run 2, Bomb Squad, Asphalt 8, SHADOWGUN: DeadZone and Garena Thunder Strike. The attendees were split up into specific kingdoms to take turns at each and every game, for us to pick the One and Only, King of Mobile, the One who destroyed the competition in every game.
The battery remaining in the Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KLs, at the end of the day. Isn’t it incredible?
Of course, we still had plenty of food and drinks to go around, as we really did not want our potential King of Mobile to starve. Nor did we want to die of hunger. Round after round the contestants battled for the throne, and the food and drinks were continually served as everyone refueled themselves between rounds, but the ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KLs were still going strong.

After the games were completed, the crew then sat down to tally the scores to crown the winner. After a whole day of gaming, who will take home the title “King of Mobile”, this trophy for bragging rights and the ASUS ZenFone 3 Max (ZC553KL)?
The members of Kredak Kingdom!
And the winner was from Kredak Kingdom! As he left too early to claim his prize, he was represented by his overjoyed teammates to go on stage and claim his prize. Too bad for him though :P There were other winners who walked home with the ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC520KL, three ZenPowers, but we are here to talk only about the King of Mobile, or at least his Kingdom, right?
Best gathering of mobile gamers, yet.
We would like to thank everyone who attended the event and made it what it was, ASUS Malaysia for providing the awesome ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KLs for everyone to experience and game on. Till the next!
Featured image thanks to Charles TYK from gadgetmtech.com!
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Garry’s Mod 2 May Actually Be In The Works Right Now

pic.twitter.com/blZXD7W8BT
— Garry Newman (@garrynewman) March 29, 2020

One of the greatest games to hit PC is arguably Garry’s Mod. It’s a sandbox game that allows you to play tons more games created by other users like Trouble in Terrorist Town, Prop Hunt, and Jailbreak. Now, it appears that Garry’s Mod 2 may actually be in the works.
The game’s creator, Garry Newman, recently tweeted a meme which essentially teases that he’s working on Garry’s Mod 2. Unfortunately, not much else is known about it, assuming there is something actually being worked on behind the scenes.

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Garry’s Mod 2 To Use the Same Game Engine as Half-Life Alyx?
It’s worth noting that since Half-Life Alyx was recently released, the game brought a new game engine in the form of the Source 2 engine. It’s similar to the old game engine with the exception of improved graphics and physics. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Garry’s Mod 2 using the same game engine.
For those of you who aren’t aware, Garry’s Mod (Gmod) launched in 2004 as a simple game mod. It grew in popularity and became its own standalone game in 2006, published by Valve themselves. It’s a sandbox game that allows you to spawn anything you want from Valve’s game assets, including objects, characters, and scenery. The game assets are from games like Counter-Strike, Half-Life, and Portal.
At the moment, we’re uncertain if there’s any truth to the tweet but we can definitely keep our eyes out for this. If any new development arises, we’ll report on it as soon as possible so stay tuned.
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Pokdepinion: The base game itself can already do so much. But having a major graphics boost and additional features would definitely make it even better.
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