Cooler Master CK352 Review — a refreshing new design!

During the Cooler Master Summer Summit 2021, Cooler Master announced a slew of exciting keyboard options. Today we have here one of them. Nope, unfortunately we have yet to get our hands onto the Cooler Master SK721, but this is the Cooler Master CK352, a relatively low-profile mechanical keyboard that looks quite unlike the previous members of the Cooler Master CK series, which has remained pretty similar since the inception of the Cooler Master CK350. Well, looking different is good, but does it differ from its predecessors which brought amazing bang for buck? Well, that’s what we want to find out!
Unboxing

Packaging wise, the Cooler Master CK352 comes in a pretty similar packaging to earlier Cooler Master keyboards. A dark colored box with vibrant purple accents is Cooler Master’s signature, and we get more of that. The front displays the keyboard in all its glory, while also informing you of the switch type. Meanwhile you get more details on the back. Nothing too different here.

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In the box, you only get the Cooler Master CK352, some documentation and a keycap puller. If you plan on switching out your keycaps often, I wouldn’t recommend using these as they can scratch your keycaps. It’s quite interesting that Cooler Master decided to bundle this with the Cooler Master CK352, as the Cooler Master CK351 came with a much better wire keycap puller, that doesn’t run the risk of scratching your keycaps. The Cooler Master CK351 also had an included palm rest, which is something you don’t get with this keyboard here.
Appearance

We can see that Cooler Master has decided to readopt the gunmetal gray color that was used with the Cooler Master CK350 and CK550, although instead of the brushed metal finish, we have a sandblasted aluminum plate here. We also have a dual-color keycap set, which sets it apart from most gaming keyboards available in the market.

Another major difference is that the metal plate is entirely flat, instead of wrapping around the front edge like the earlier members of the Cooler Master CK family. One thing worth mentioning is that it has a slightly larger footprint due to the bezels around the actual keys, unlike the Cooler Master CK351 which has the metal plate ends pretty much right as the end of the keycaps. I do quite like this design, as it does appear a bit more modern.

One thing that’s kept the same across the Cooler Master CK series is the “floating keys” design, for better or worse. I personally prefer a more “traditional” design which have the keys set in a keyboard case, but this design definitely has its fans. The overall thickness is whittled down slightly, and Cooler Master added an RGB lightbar here for a more attractive side profile than any other Cooler Master keyboard I have seen.

Flipping it over, we see two really wide rubber feet, which bodes well for stability when using the keyboard in its raised position. There are also what looks like four drainage channels, but it is worth mentioning that this keyboard is not IP-rated, unlike the Cooler Master CK351, so I don’t think that’s what the holes are really for. In any case, the plastic case on the bottom here is very simple, and doesn’t come with any cable routing channels of any sort. The cable of the Cooler Master CK352 will exit the Cooler Master CK352 from the center, so you will have to be more creative when it comes to cable management.
Cooler Master CK352 Specifications

Body material
Sandblasted aluminum top plate, plastic case

Keycap
Double-shot ABS keycaps + Laser engraving

USB report rate
1000Hz

Switch type
LC Mechanical Switch Brown (Tactile)
50 million actuations

KRO
NKRO

Anti-ghosting
Yes

Microprocessor
N/A

Cable
1.8m PVC cable, non-detachable

Dimensions
454.6 x 142.6 x 35.96 mm

Weight
904g

Included accessories
User guide, keycap puller

User Experience

The Cooler Master CK352’s cable is non-detachable, which is a slight bummer. I wish Cooler Master gave it the braided cable treatment, but we have pretty standard PVC insulation here. Not too big an issue, since this is a member of Cooler Master’s more value-oriented offerings after all.
RGB Galore

Now, onto a more divisive topic. I know some people don’t like having to install software for their peripherals, considering them bloatware, consuming precious CPU clock cycles for some basic RGB settings. Well, then the Cooler Master CK352 is perfect for you. The downside is that it is harder to customize the per-key RGB lighting, if you are into that. If you just want pretty RGB lighting, the Cooler Master CK352 can cycle through a pretty extensive set of RGB modes, including the usual rainbow mode and as a number of reactive modes.

The RGB lightbar on the sides can also be tweaked separately, which is a nice touch. Too bad we can’t use software to handle that, as it would be pretty awesome if we could use software to tweak the RGB lighting on the keyboard and sides. You can refer to the following table for the LED controls:
Cooler Master CK352 RGB controls

Per-key RGB Controls
RGB Lightbar Controls

Fn + F1: Cycle 9 preset colors/modes
Fn + F2: Red Color levels (0 ~ 10)
Fn + F3: Red Color levels (0 ~ 10)
Fn + F4: Blue color levels (0 ~ 10)
Fn + F5: Cycle RGB modes
Fn + F6: Foreground lighting effect (reactive modes)
Fn + F7: Background lighting effect (reactive modes)
Fn + F8: LED brightness (0 ~ 4)
Fn + F9: Record LED backlighting (per-key RGB tuning)
Fn + F10: Speed up RGB effect
Fn + F11: Slow down RGB effect
Fn + F12: Change lighting effect direction

Fn + Left Arrow: Previous RGB Lightbar mode
Fn + Right Arrow: Next RGB Lightbar mode
Fn + Up Arrow: Turn RGB Lightbar on/off
Fn + Down Arrow: Change RGB Lightbar effect direction/color

This information is also in the manual, but the terminology used might be slightly different. Do let me know whether you prefer the manual’s terminology or mine, if you have the Cooler Master CK352 and stumble upon this when searching for how to control your RGB. Overall, you do get really extensive control over your RGB lighting, although it is definitely a bit more tedious than the rather mature software that Cooler Master has developed.

Aside from the RGB controls, there are also shortcuts to your default browser, My Computer, the Calculator app, as well as some basic media controls. And in case you were wondering, there is no support for any macro programming with the Cooler Master CK352. Considering that this is a gaming-oriented offering, I would say that can be a dealbreaker to some, but not one that particularly affects me, since I don’t use macros.
Mystery Switches?

Cooler Master went with some LC mechanical switches. Or sample here has the LC Red switches. They offer a linear experience, similar to the other Red switches available in the market. It is about as smooth as regular unlubed linears In any case, here’s a typing sound test.

The first thing that you will notice are just how rattly the stabilized keys sound. There’s also a slight pingy sound due to the hollow-ish body of the Cooler Master CK352, but that wasn’t picked up by the mic. If you have been experienced more premium mechanical keyboards, the Cooler Master CK352 is probably not for you. The Cooler Master CK351 addressed the pingy sound that the Cooler Master CK350 exhibited, but unfortunately we have it here once again… Bummer.
Doubleshot Keycaps

The fancy-ish dual-tone keycap set is a pretty nice touch, and I do think that it does help set the Cooler Master CK352 apart from most of the gaming keyboards out there in the market today. The keycaps themselves are ABS doubleshot, which means that you should have legends that last pretty much forever. Now it is worth mentioning that the sub-legends that indicate the RGB and media controls are just lasered on, so they can be abraded by your fingertips. Overall, the keycaps are quite thin, so you might be inclined to replace them down the line with more premium options.

Speaking of replacing them, you can quite easily find third-party keycaps that are fully compatible with the Cooler Master CK352. The Cooler Master CK352 has a standard bottom row and regular Cherry-style stabilizers, which is supported by most keycaps in the market today. And given the neutral gunmetal gray finish of the Cooler Master CK352, getting matching keycaps is not going to be too difficult.
Conclusion

Design wise, I would say Cooler Master absolutely nailed it. I would definitely love to see the RGB lightbars on the sides and dual-tone keycaps making their way into more of Cooler Master’s future keyboards. In terms of the overall typing experience… Well, the Cooler Master CK352 clearly has room for improvement. On the other hand, the hollowness of the case and the rattly stabilizers can quite easily be fixed, but it seems that you will have to look towards the Cooler Master CK351 for those quality-of-life improvements.

But I guess I should probably be more forgiving, given its pricing. The Cooler Master CK352 is priced at SGD89, which is pretty reasonable for all that it offers. And now, to throw in some wishful thinking. I do think Cooler Master could have added a knob, with the extra space where the Cooler Master logo is silkscreened onto the aluminum. But maybe we will need to wait for a revival of the long-dormant Cooler Master MK series to get a knob…

In case you are reading this review as a Malaysian, and wondering how much it will cost in Malaysia, well, you will have to stay tuned for the Cooler Master x RacunTech bundle. The Cooler Master CK352 will not be available here as a standalone purchase, but you can get it as a full set of peripherals. Stay tuned for more updates about the Cooler Master x RacunTech peripherals set!
Our thanks to Cooler Master for sending us the Cooler Master CK352 for review.
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Head Of Xbox Reveals The One Thing He Likes About PS5

Microsoft has unveiled their latest Xbox while Sony has yet to introduce their next gen console. Despite that, the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer has said revealed on what he likes the most about the PS5.
According to Spencer, it seems that he thinks that it’s nice that the folks at Sony Interactive Entertainment and PS5 to have invested in their SSD technology.
Here’s what he had to say:

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I like that Mark Cerny and his team at Sony are also investing in an SSD for the PlayStation 5, the engines and tools can implement corresponding functions. Together we will ensure a larger installed base — and developers will do everything possible to master and support the programming of these hardware capabilities. I don’t have a PS5 development kit, I don’t even think our Minecraft team does. But it will be exciting to see how the industry will benefit from the comprehensive use of such solutions. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox
One thing’s for sure, the upgrade to an SSD for consoles is a win for consumers out there.
Want to find out more on the latest Xbox? Read on our previous post here.
Pokdepinion: Now that’s nice of him. Can’t we all get along and just have a healthy competition?
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Battlefield 1 Turning Tides is FREE – But Here’s The Catch

To the surprise of many, the 3rd DLC for the main series, Battlefield 1 Turning Tides, is currently available for free. However, there is a small catch here.
Battlefield 1 Turning Tides is FREE for PS Plus Members

We already have the full list of games coming to PS Plus Asia this July 2018 but as usual, Sony Interactive Entertainment likes to give surprises from time to time. This time, the surprise comes in the form of a free game, Battlefield 1 Turning Tides. Well, technically, it’s more of a free DLC rather than a game as you need the main game in order to play it.

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Conquer land, air, and sea in the amphibious battles of the Great War. Storm the beaches of Gallipoli with the Allied forces or defend the Ottoman Empire’s fortifications at Cape Helles. Continue the battle at the Achi Baba hilltop in an intense infantry-focused push.
Engage in the epic naval clashes of the North Sea between the British Empire Royal Marines and German Navy in Heligoland Bight. Take part of the daring British raid at Zeebrugge with rough waves and a vast German mole. Turning Tides extends the arsenal by introducing the new L-Class Destroyer ready to rule the waves in naval combat and the new C-Class Airship delivering death from above.
Battlefield 1 Turning Tides will be available for free only for PS Plus members in the Asia region so if your account is in a different region, you may have to refer to your local listings. The game will be available for free until 17th July 2018 so make sure you claim the game before it’s too late.
Source: PS Store
Pokdepinion: At first, I actually thought it was the main game that was free but turns out, it’s the DLC. Oh well, it’s still something at least so no complaints from me there.
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Samsung Patents New Stretchable Display for Smartphone

As we look forward to what’s coming up in this brand new year, it’s no surprise to see giants like Samsung working on new and innovative technology. It appears that they’ve filed a patent for a new smartphone concept which includes a stretchable display.
It is said that the display can increase its length by a few inches without any discontinuity. This patent was said to have been publicly disclosed on 19th December 2019 at the US Patent and Trademark Office but it was originally filed in sometime in June 2019.

The patent shows the a concept for a Samsung smartphone with narrow sides. The chin seems to look rather wide, but perhaps it’s needed to accommodate the stretchable display. If users want to expand the screen, they simply need to “scroll” the display.

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Samsung has worked on designs for telescopic screens, foldable screens, as well as flexible screens. They are currently hoping to patent these smartphone designs as soon as they can. With that being said, a patent is not a guarantee that a finished product will be released. But it does give us an idea of what to expect in the future.
As for its usability, it’s a bit hard to say at the moment. I’m sure many would enjoy having extra screen real estate but the idea of having a super long display wouldn’t exactly translate well for media consumption, at least not for now.
Source: GizChina
Pokdepinion: I wonder if it can ever be long enough to simulate a guitar. Hey, a guitar practicing app for a smartphone wouldn’t seem too bad this way.
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POCO X3 NFC to be available from RM799 on Lazada this 17th September

If you missed out on the POCO X3 NFC’s initial early bird sales on Shopee, this is your second chance to get the mid-range killer from just RM799. To celebrate its debut on Lazada, the POCO X3 NFC will be available at the same promotional prices as during its initial early bird sales.

The 64GB variant will be available for RM799, while the 128GB variant is offered at just RM949. That’s not all though, as the first 100 customers will also be eligible to a free BlackShark Fun Cooler to keep the phone cool over extended periods of gaming. Not like you really need it.

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Here are the specifications of the POCO X3 NFC:
POCO X3 NFC Specs

CPU:
Snapdragon 732G (2 x Kryo 470 Gold @ 2.3 GHz + 6 x Kryo 470 Silver @ 1.8 GHz), 8nm

GPU:
Adreno 618

RAM:
6GB LPDDR4X

Display:
6.67″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) 120Hz LCD display, 91% screen-to-body ratio
240Hz touch sampling
87.4% DCI-P3 gamut, HDR10, 450-nit brightness

Storage:
Up to 128GB UFS 2.1 (expandable via microSD)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
64MP f/1.89 Sony IMX682 + 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle camera + 2MP f/2.4 macro camera + 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
Night Mode, AI scene detection, auto HDR, portrait mode, Beautify, AI Skyscaping 3.0, ultra-wide angle distortion correction, 1080p60/4K30 video, ShootSteady video, Vlog mode, up to 1080p120/720p960 slow-mo
Front Camera
20MP f/2.2
AI Beauty, AI Portrait, AI scene detection, Night mode, 1080p30 video, 120 fps slow-mo selfie

OS:
MIUI 12 based on Android 10

Connectivity:
LTE Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 5.1
IR blaster
3.5mm headphone jack

SIM:
Dual SIM (hybrid dual SIM)

Battery:
Li-Po 5160mAh (non-removable)
33W fast charging (USB-C)

Dimensions:
165.3 x 76.8 x 9.4 mm

Weight:
215 g

Ingress protection:
IP53

Price:
6GB+64GB: RM799 (SRP: RM899)
6GB+128GB: RM949 (SRP: RM1099)

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our review of the POCO X3 NFC here.
Pokdepinion: Better take this chance to get the best bang-for-buck mid-range in the market now if you need a new phone!
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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Debuts In PC This July 26th

Another PlayStation-exclusive title makes it debut on PC: Nixxes Software’s upcoming entry, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is coming to PC! The recently two-decades-old franchise joins the ever-growing list of formerly PS-exclusive titles making its way to cater the PC gamers. Rift Apart will start off with a “standalone storyline” which introduces two new characters – Rivet & Kit, with the Nixxes’ Online Community Specialist Julian Huijbregts noting this title will be “an excellent one to start with” for the newly-joined PC players.

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The game will support ray tracing (RT reflections & RT shadows), up to triple-monitor ultrawide (48:9) displays with the gameplay and cinematics optimized to these aspect ratios too. Aside from that, you get unlocked framerates, upscaling technologies from all three GPU vendors (NVIDIA DLSS 3, AMD FSR 2, Intel XeSS) plus the in-house solution called Temporal Injection courtesy of Insomniac Games. Additional NVIDIA technologies like Reflex and DLAA (Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing) is also supported.
PC players will get full mouse and keyboard support, including key remapping; controllers are supported as well, with the DualSense controller getting the same haptic and trigger effects from PS5 version of the game – as long as it’s having a wired connection.

The game will be released on July 26, 2023 – and players can now preorder the game through Steam and Epic Games Store to obtain Pixelizer weapon and Carbonox Armor set. The PC version is set to include the five armors of the Digital Deluxe Edition and the 20th Anniversary Armor Pack, with another five armors said to be “inspired by previous games in the series”.
Watch the PC trailer below:

Pokdepinion: That’s a good looking game. Now just need to make sure it doesn’t break en masse when it gets released in the wild…
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Partnership Between Xiaomi and Leica Births Xiaomi 12S Series

Xiaomi recently announced the new Xiaomi 12S Series, which was co-engineered with Leica. This imaging product line is the first product of Xiaomi and Leica’s Strategic Partnership in Imaging Technology. The complete series includes several imaging solutions co-developed by both companies.
The Leica Summicron lenses and support for Leica imaging profiles, all of which seek to allow individual artists to express their creativity while maintaining the true aesthetic of Leica pictures. Unfortunately, the company will only retail the Xiaomi 12S Series in Mainland China.

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The 12S Ultra features two Xiaomi Surge chips, the Surge P1 fast-charging chipset, and the Surge G1 battery management chipset, which provide significant improvements in battery management and overall user experience.
The 12S Ultra supports wired fast charging at 67W, wireless fast charging at 50W, and reverse wireless charging at 10W. A 4,860mAh single-cell silicon-oxygen anode battery and the Surge P1 fast-charging processor are at the heart of the Surge Battery Management System.
Surge P1 fast-charging chipset, 120W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and a 4,600mAh single-cell battery power the 12S Pro, whereas the 12S has 67W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and a 4,500mAh battery.

The 12S Series features Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform developed on the TSMC 4nm technology. Furthermore, the 12S Ultra and 12S Pro both include a 6.73″ AMOLED colour display with E5 luminescent material, which provides a professional level of detail, brightness, and colour performance, as well as a peak brightness of 1500 nits, 2K resolution, P3 colour gamut, and 1-120Hz AdaptiveSync Pro. The 12S is somewhat smaller at 6.28″ and features a P3 colour gamut display, HDR10+, and 120Hz AdaptiveSync.

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra features a Sony IMX989 1″ sensor with a Quad-Bayer pixel array and individual pixel size up to 1.6m. This increases to 3.2m after pixel binning, lowering noise, expanding dynamic range, boosting light collected, and delivering overall superior images in low-light circumstances.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the first Android handset that can record and play Dolby Vision HDR video. For ultra-stable performance, the 12S Ultra utilizes HyperOIS, which provides continuous adjustment for movement during video recording. The gap between two frames is used by HyperOIS to move the OIS motor back to its original position, giving each frame a full effective range of stabilisation.
The 12S Ultra is the first Android handset that can record and play Dolby Vision HDR video. Dolby Vision improves the visual quality of your films by adding brilliant colours, a better contrast ratio, and deeper details.
For ultra-stable performance, the 12S Ultra utilizes HyperOIS, which provides continuous adjustment for movement during video recording. The gap between two frames is used by HyperOIS to move the OIS motor back to its original position, giving each frame a full effective range of stabilisation.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra Specifications

Processor
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform
All-new 3D cooling system
8GB / 12GB LPDDR5 (6400Mbps)
256GB / 512GB UFS 3.1
FBO storage refresh

 RAM & Storage
8GB+256GB
or
12GB+256GB
or
12GB+512GB

Display
6.73″ Dolby Vision TrueColor Display
Samsung AMOLED LTPO, E5 material
3,200 x 1,440, 522ppi
1,500nits peak brightness, HBM 1,000nits
360° ambient light sensor
1-120Hz AdaptiveSync Pro
Native 10-bit color depth, P3 color gamut
Supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Audio
Symmetrical Stereo Speakers
SOUND BY Harman Kardon
Support Dolby Atmos
X-axis linear motor

Camera
Leica Summicron 1:1.9-4.1 / 13-120 ASPH. camera system
Ultra-wide angle: 13mm f/2.2
1/2″ sensor (SONY’s IMX586)
48MP Quad-Bayer pixel array
Pixel Binning: 12MP, 1.6µm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
Dual-PD Auto-focus
Supports macro mode
Wide angle: 23mm f/1.9 8P Aspheric Lens
1″ sensor (SONY’s IMX989)
50.3MP Quad-Bayer pixel array
Pixel Binning: 12.5MP, 3.2µm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
Octa-PD Auto-focus
Lens edge ink coating
Multi-layer ALD ultra-low reflectance coating
Telephoto: 120mm f/4.1 Periscope
1/2″ sensor (SONY’s IMX586)
48MP Quad-Bayer pixel array
Pixel Binning: 12MP, 1.6µm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
Dual-PD Auto-focus
Two photographic styles: Leica Authentic Look, Leica Vibrant Look
Leica filters: Leica Vivid, Leica Natural, Leica BW Natural, Leica
BW High Contrast
Master-lens System
HyperOIS
Front camera: 32MP RGBW Image Sensor

Connectivity
Dual 5G
Release 16
4×4 MIMO
Wi-Fi 6
4K QAM
160MHz Channel
2×2 MIMO
Supports 8×8 Sounding MU-MIMO
Bluetooth 5.2
Supports AAC / LDAC / LHDC / aptX Adaptive
Supports BLE Audio
Supports Snapdragon Sound
Multi-functional NFC

Power
Xiaomi Surge Battery Management System
Xiaomi Surge G1 Battery Management Chip
Xiaomi Surge P1 Charging Chip
4,860mAh (typical)
67W wired turbo charging
50W wireless turbo charging
10W reverse wireless charging

Dimensions
163.17 x 74.92 x 9.06mm

Weight
225g

For more information about the Xiaomi 12S series, feel free to visit Xiaomi’s official website.
Pokdepinion: Excited about what Leica and Xiaomi would brew in the future. It is unfortunate that the 12S series is only available in China for the time being.
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EMUI 10 Based On Android Q To Be Unveiled Next Month

HUAWEI will be hosting their annual Developer Conference on August 9, where they will introduce their newest UI iteration, EMUI 10. It’s expected that there will be around 5000 developers from around the world, where they will get the chance to witness the latest upgrades.

EMUI 10 will be presented by the President of HUAWEI Consumer Business Software itself, Wang Chenglu. While there’s nothing confirmed yet, it is reported that with EMUI 10, it will bring a new visual experience with new icons and UI elements as well as a new system-wide font.

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Other than that, we could see an upgrade in the form of the new GPU Turbo 4.0, offering a smoother gaming experience. The camera UI may also get a new look based on reports. Even more, with the 2nd gen ARK Compiler, it is said to make sure that devices running the new update to be smoother for long periods.
We could also possibly see HUAWEI revealing details on their HongMeng OS but we’ll know for sure this August.
Pokdepinion: A welcoming news. Current EMUI version looks like an outdated OS for me. Let’s see what how it’ll turn out soon.
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Razer Zephyr Is A Pretty Accessory And Not Much More

Remember that futuristic face mask from Razer? Yes, we’re talking about the Razer Zephyr, where it was not just about the looks, but it also served a purpose as a N95 mask/respirator. Well it seems that the company has made a u-turn to say that it doesn’t offer that.
Razer Zephyr doesn’t come with N95-grade filters

Beforehand, the company has promoted that the mask utilizes N95-grade filters but it seems that they’ve taken down that part from their marketing. It seems that their decision to remove it was after Youtuber Naomi Wu posted a teardown video and subsequently called the Razer Zephyr a “fraudulent product”.

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Hello @Intertek I'm told that @Razer used your services to do ASTM testing on the filters for their "Zephyr air-purifying mask". I also see that you offer assistance with NIOSH certification which @Razer did not get. Are you comfortable with the designation "N95 Grade" for it? pic.twitter.com/190ii4QxT5
— Naomi Wu 机械妖姬 (@RealSexyCyborg) January 9, 2022

One of the requirements for a N95 certification is that the respirator requires to at least filter 95% of airborne particles. Aside from that, Wu has said that product is “useless” and said that the company has used “deceptive marketing”.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Source
Pokdepinion: So yeah… I mean it definitely looks cool but what’s the point if it’s not doing the job that it’s intended for (originally, at least)?
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YTL Kicks Off Terragraph Trial In Penang — Offering More Than 1Gbps Connection Speeds For Free

Today marks the start of the trial launch of Terragraph in the state of Penang, where it aims to supply gigabit speeds in urban areas.
The wireless technology, which was developed by Facebook, sees Malaysia as the second country in the world to feature it after Hungary.
It is conducted precisely in Georgetown for a period of six month. The fact that the area which is filled with old buildings and a distinguished UNESCO status makes it hard to deploy fibre. They hope in bringing in high-speed broadband access to the city by utilizing street furnitures such as street lamps, traffic lights, and utility poles.

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Reportedly, Facebook has provided a reference design for the Telegraph hardware which consists of the tools and software that’s needed for the technology.
According to YTL’s CEO, Wing K. Lee, the technical breakthrough in providing gigabit wireless using Terragraph is a preview of a new 5G era.
At the launch, speed tests has shown that with Terragraph, it managed to get 1.3Gbps downloads as well as 1.7Gpbs uploads, which is certainly faster than what you’d get in most areas.
The Terragraph trial will begin from 1st of March 2019 and will be offered to the public as Free WiFi.
To find out more on the technologies that goes behind Terragraph, you can read more here on our previous post.
Pokdepinion: All I can say is, the people in Penang, well specifically Georgetown, are lucky.
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OnePlus 5T offers a new view; same hardware, now with a 18:9 screen!

Want an OnePlus 5 but find the 16:9 display a bit too last-gen? The OnePlus 5T is the OnePlus 5, but now with an 18:9 display.
Succumbing to peer pressure?
When the OnePlus 5 was launched, many were disappointed by the fact that it did not come with a 18:9 screen like the Galaxy S8 and LG G6. While there are plenty of perfectly fine phones like the Nokia 8 which also didn’t come with an 18:9 display, OnePlus has decided to make the jump and please their fans. The OnePlus 5T puts the familiar flagship-class hardware of the OnePlus 5 under a new 6″ Full Optic AMOLED 18:9 display.

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Another major difference is also the ceramic fingerprint sensor is now moved over to the back. This is an understandable move considering the front is now fully occupied with the display. What about the rest of the specifications though?
Specifications

CPU:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (4 x Kryo 280 @ 2.45 GHz, 4 x Kryo 280 @ 1.9 GHz)

RAM:
6GB/8GB LPDDR4X

GPU:
Adreno 540 @ 710 MHz

Display:
6.0″ 2160×1080 Optic AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 5, sRGB, DCI-P3 color profile support

Storage:
64/128GB UFS 2.1

Camera:
Main Camera
16MP f/1.7 IMX398 Dual PDAF + 20MP f/1.7 IMX376K, dual LED flash
Front Camera
16MP f/2.0 IMX 371

OS:
OxygenOS based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX, AptX HD
LTE Cat 12

SIM:
Dual-SIM (nanoSIM)

Battery:
3300 mAh non-removable, Dash Charge (5V 4A)

The camera system has been tweaked a little though. While the OnePlus 5 used the 20MP sensor behind 1.6x telephoto optics, the 20MP IMX376K here features the exact same focal length as the 16MP f/1.7 primary camera, which is 27.22mm (35mm eqv.). OnePlus 5T claims to use the secondary camera for improved low light photography with the ability to combine four pixels into one to reduce noise in low-light environments. This technology has been seen in action in Nokia’s flagships of yore and more recently, ASUS’ PixelMaster, so we know it does work. Whether OnePlus’ implementation is better remains to be seen.

The battery capacity is maintained at 3300 mAh, as is the Dash Charge technology. Dash Charge is an amazing piece of work with the ability to juice up your battery to 100% in 90 minutes. We know it works, because OPPO’s VOOC which is essentially the same tech really does what it says on the box. The lack of water resistance is also carried over from the OnePlus 5, sadly.

Equally disappointing is the fact that the OnePlus 5T still runs OxygenOS based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It’s already November, guys. It does have Face Unlock now, so you can unlock your phones like your friends using iPhone Xs. The good news? You won’t have to pay as much as your friends did for their iPhone Xs, with the OnePlus 5T coming on November 21st starting from USD 499 (~RM2077.09). It will be available in both 6GB/64GB Slate Grey and 8GB/128GB Midnight Black variants too. Malaysian availability is to be announced.
Pokdepinion: The OnePlus 5T looks quite unnecessary. 16:9 displays are fine by me, and while 18:9 does look good, I really think it can wait until the OnePlus 6 is ready with next gen hardware under the screen.
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TM Teases New Unifi Home Package with 2Gbps Download Speeds

Telekom Malaysia (TM) has teased a new Unifi Home package that offers 2Gbps maximum download speeds, making it the fastest package yet. While pricing details have yet to be revealed, the company has opened registration of interest for the package.
Unifi Ultra, The New Unifi Home Package with 2Gbps Download Speeds

THE ULTRA EXPERIENCE, coming to you soon. https://t.co/zilALhLgV0 pic.twitter.com/AX5Eg83YKe
— unifi (@unifi) March 24, 2023

Telekom Malaysia (TM) has teased its latest Unifi Home package that offers a maximum download speed of 2Gbps, which is almost three times faster than its current fastest package of 800Mbps. The new package was announced on TM’s Facebook page and Twitter yesterday, and customers can register their interest on the mini-site provided in the post.

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While details about the package, including the name, cost, terms and conditions, are still under wraps, it is expected to be called Unifi Ultra. In comparison, the Time Fibre Home 2Gbps plan already costs RM379 per month, and it is expected that the upcoming plan from TM will be priced higher than RM400.
For now, TM has yet to announce the launch date for the new plan so stay tuned to Pokde.net for further updates.
Source
Pokdepinion: It’s an insane amount of speed which I’m still unsure who can make full use of, but can’t say no to higher speeds if given the choice. Let’s see how much they will price it, as I’m expecting it to be noticeably high, but I also want to see if they will revise the prices of their other plans.
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ASUS ROG Chimera G703GI review — blurring the lines between desktops and laptops

Introduction

When it comes to laptops, we see a trend towards ever thinner, ever more compact designs. But there is still a whole category of laptops that won’t go with the flow. They are the desktop replacements. Huge, hulking hunks of processing prowess, these laptops are capable of going toe-to-toe with most gaming desktop setups, and is definitely faster than the average desktop. Today we have the opportunity to scrutinize the ROG Chimera G703. A monstrous name to suit the beastly performance under the hood?
Unboxing

We were informed about the dual power bricks, so it didn’t come as too much of a surprise. The rest of the contents in the massive box is pretty similar to the other ROG laptops we have seen from ASUS, with the exception of the included ROG Strix Impact gaming mouse.

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Appearance

The lid is reminiscent of a last generation of ROG laptops, reminding me of the ROG Strix SCAR that I previously reviewed. Here, ASUS makes edges everywhere, and seemed intent on making the entire laptop asymmetrical horizontally.

The bottom is home to even more facets and angles. You can easily upgrade this beast, if you had anything that you decide is better than what’s inside the ROG Chimera G703 already. As you can see, there are aggressive intakes on the bottom, which are matched by massive exhaust vents.

Here, we take a spin around the body of the ROG Chimera G703. Massive vents take up the sides, while there are TWO power input, a miniDP 1.2 and a HDMI 2.0 port. Loving the brushed copper touch between the dark vents too, offering contrast in the vast expanse of silver and black. Too bad you won’t get to see this view too often.

Here we see a full-sized SD card slot and two USB 3.1 Gen2 ports for 10 Gbps over USB. The vent on the sides are just as massive as the two on the rear. The Kensington lock port is weirdly positioned on the hinge. No idea if it will stand up to hard tugging, but it is there.

Over on the left there is another 10 Gbps USB 3.1 port, a Type-C Thunderbolt 3 port, a LAN port and the 3.5mm input and output. ASUS decided to separate the ports here, despite them using combo jacks on most of their outgoing laptops.

The laptop opens up to reveal a 17.3″ screen, and a full-sized keyboard. The bezels here are massive, just like everything else on this laptop. Even the touchpad which probably won’t see much use since ASUS even included a free mouse with the laptop, is huge.

The RGB keyboard glows brightly, and unlike the lesser ROG Strix SCAR II, it’s illuminated individually. Each key glows brightly in any color you want, and you can control it with ROG Aura Core, which we will take a look at later. The ROG eye on the lid glows in 16.7 million colors too for extra style points.
Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i9-8950HK @ 2.9 GHz (up to 4.8 GHz Turbo Boost), unlocked multiplier

RAM
32GB (2 x 16GB SODIMM) 2666 MHz DDR4

GPU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5X

Storage
256GB Intel 760p M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD (2 drives in RAID 0)
2TB 5400RPM FireCuda SSHD

Software
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
ROG Gaming Center 2.5
ROG Aura Core 2.5
ROG Sonic Radar III
ROG Sonic Studio III
ROG GameFirst V

Connectivity
Gigabit Ethernet
802.11ac 2×2 Wave2 WLAN
Bluetooth 4.1
3 x USB 3.1 (Gen2)
1 x USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen2) Thunderbolt
SD card reader

Display
17.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS-level, 144 Hz G-SYNC, 3ms response time, 72% NTSC color gamut, anti-glare display
1 x HDMI 2.0 ([email protected])
1 x mini Display Port 1.2

Audio
2 x 2W tweeter + 2 x 3W woofer with Smart AMP technology
ESS 32-bit HiFi DAC
1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Power
2 x 280W power adapter
72 Wh battery

Dimensions
425 x 319 x 4.75 – 5.1 mm

Weight
4.7 kg

Performance
Synthetic

The ROG Chimera G703 feature three drives inside. Two 256GB Intel 760p PCIe NVMe SSDs run in RAID 0, while a 2TB Seagate FireCuda SSHD handles bulk storage. I would expect more than an SSHD when I am paying nearly twenty thousand for a laptop, since cost-cutting measures are definitely not on my mind when I pay that much, and it shouldn’t be on ASUS’ either.

CPU performance can be upped a notch with the Extreme preset. The standard preset sees the CPU boosted to only 4.3 GHz, while Extreme bumps it up to 4.8 GHz. As you can see, the bump up actually yields around 4% for the multi-core test, and nearly 10% for the single core test. Thermals are actually pretty insane when running with the Extreme preset, with the voltage at up to 1.475V. The lofty voltage caused the CPU to be unable to run at the maximum clocks for long, throttling down a fair bit.

Here we see a small improvement as well, 8.5% to be exact. The much higher minimum frame rate is nice to see, but once again we don’t see much improvements from a higher clock speed. Probably because the CPU just fails to maintain the higher clock speeds for long enough. So for the gaming benchmarks, I decided to not test the extreme preset, and use the standard preset.
Gaming

DotA 2 is no challenge at all to to the beast that is the ROG Chimera G703. 203 fps is really enjoyable, made all the more enjoyable with the fast 144 Hz display of the ROG Chimera G703.

CS:GO is yet another game that doesn’t challenge the ROG Chimera G703 at all. The thermals here are slightly higher, but nothing out of the ordinary.

We seem to be seeing a trend here where every game is just too easy for the ROG Chimera G703. With a Core i9 8950HK and a GeForce GTX 1080 inside, that’s what you would expect anyway. Thermals start to look slightly higher here. This is when I realized that Turbo Boost kicks thermals up much faster than the fans can speed up, as the fans spool up in reaction to higher temperatures, not clocks. Therefore there is always a transient moment of high temperatures where the CPU will hit sky high temperatures before stabilizing.

Technically the CPU should have throttled with the maximum temperature, but the average temperature we obtained for the CPU and GPU were actually much lower than the maximum temperature hit throughout the gaming session. I recorded an average temperature of just 65°C for the CPU, and a cool 56°C for the GPU. The average clock speed for the CPU was a steady 4.3 GHz, pointing to no throttling at all. Transient throttling was detected but as the fans spooled up it went away.

In Witcher 3 we see an impressive 102 frames per second. The average temperatures for the CPU and GPU was a chill 59°C and 64°C, respectively.

99°C is definitely a temperature you do not want to see. Here we actually see the temperatures slightly higher than the other games, pointing to better utilization of the hardware inside. The CPU clocked 71°C, while the GPU clocked 63°C.
For those crazy enough to want to use this on the go, the ROG Chimera G703 burnt through just 14% in 30 minutes of usage, which was pretty surprising for me, to be honest. No one would be using this behemoth without the power adapters though, because who wants limited performance when they paid for an overkill monstrosity of a laptop?
User Experience

There is no such thing as slim bezels here. Huge bezels frame the display, with tweeters just beside the hinge. I would love the ROG logo to be illuminated too, but it’s quite apparent that ASUS wants you to keep your eyes on the sweet sweet 144 Hz screen. It goes bright, and it offers some punchy colors.
Sound quality is also pretty impressive for a laptop, with two woofers on the underside of the laptop complementing the tweeters under the screen. They go pretty loud, but you would still be better served with headphones for better positional audio.

While the ROG Chimera G703 has a perfectly adequate trackpad, ASUS bundled a ROG Strix Impact gaming mouse with the ROG Chimera G703. This completes the desktop replacement experience, as you have a pretty decent laptop keyboard, and now, a mouse. The keyboard features a deep 2.5mm travel which is really nice to use. The ROG Strix Impact features RGB on the ROG logo, so you can use Aura Sync to synchronize your RGB effects with your mouse.
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Speaking of Aura Sync, there is a whole suite of ROG software that comes with the ROG Chimera G703. You can even overclock in ROG Gaming Center, but I would recommend you to download Intel Extreme Tuning Utility if you want to do any real adjustments. GameFirst V and SonicRadar III helps you to up your game, although the latter is borderline cheating.
The fan noise of this laptop isn’t nearly as annoying as the ROG Strix SCAR II (GL504GS)’s, but it is still quite audible. The cooling here is much better though, and the palm rest and keyboard areas of the ROG Chimera G703 doesn’t even warm up when gaming.
Conclusion
Now would we recommend the ROG Chimera G703? For the sheer performance, yes. The Core i9 8950HK is a desktop-class overclockable CPU. And the GeForce GTX 1080 in here is the fastest you can get in a laptop. For RM18 865, you are essentially getting an overpowered AIO system that you can carry around if you felt like it. The build quality is good and should withstand the stresses of travelling in a well-padded backpack, but I am not so sure about your back. If you are willing to sacrifice portability for performance, get this. It’s overkill as all hell, but in a good way. If I had to improve on the ROG Chimera G703, it would be adding another GeForce GTX 1080 for SLI, so it’s a true Chimera with three monsters in one body.

Our thanks to ASUS Malaysia for providing the ROG Chimera G703 for our review purposes.
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Razer is Patenting A Game Console Concept That Looks Like Nintendo Switch

While rumours have surfaced on a potential new game console by Razer that looks like the Nintendo Switch, we’ve received some rather interesting information from Let’s Go Digital that could make it official. It seems like Razer has finally submitted a patent for a new, undisclosed video game console.
The patent sent to the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) indicated a handheld game system which weighs about 1.4kg, and connects to controllers via magnet instead of railings like the Nintendo Switch. It’s worth noting that at 1.4kg, it is much heavier than the Nintendo Switch, which it seems to resemble.

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Shortly after reports have surfaced however, Razer reached out to Let’s Go Digital to give a statement on the matter. We’ve translated it to English for your understanding:
As one of the world’s most forward-looking companies, Razer regularly applies for new patents for innovative concepts and designs. With more than 3,000 applications, Razer recently won prizes from the World Intellectual Property Organization for its innovations. At the start of 2013 we invented the first gaming tablet with removable controllers – the Razer Edge – years before devices like the Nintendo Switch were launched. Our patents may or may not be marketed and we do not comment on unannounced products.

It’s quite normal for large companies like Razer to file patents all the time. It doesn’t necessarily translate to a brand new product making its way out but it does give us some form of indication as to what to expect. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see what’s in store for us in the future.
Source: Let’s Go Digital
Pokdepinion: Well, if it’s real, then I’ll have something new to look forward to. One thing’s for sure, it definitely needs a strong library of games if it wants to have any chance of success.
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HUAWEI Mate Xs uses two layers of optical polyimide for its display

The HUAWEI Mate Xs has just been announced, and while it doesn’t look that different from the first HUAWEI Mate X, there are a number of upgrades under the hood that makes it different enough from the original.

For starters, it now packs a Kirin 990 5G which takes performance up a big notch. The Kirin 990 5G needs no further explaining, it’s a huge step forward for HUAWEI’s foldable ambitions and makes it much more relevant as a 2020 release. It is paired with up to 8GB RAM and 512GB storage with a two-part 4500 mAh battery with support for 55W charging to keep things running. HUAWEI integrated a Flying Fish Fin Cooling system to cool the HUAWEI Mate Xs’s components, spreading the heat across the two halves with flexible graphene.

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But of course, what makes the HUAWEI Mate Xs even worth considering is its foldable ability. For this year’s release, HUAWEI apparently improved the hinge over last year’s model. The HUAWEI Mate Xs still touts what HUAWEI calls their Falcon Wing hinge that packs more than 100 interlocking parts, but it is now improved with zirconium-based liquid metal for better durability. HUAWEI claims the material is stronger than titanium alloy.
From my short experience with the HUAWEI Mate Xs, it does seem to have a sturdier hinge than the HUAWEI Mate X I had the opportunity to try back then, but without comparing them side by side, it’s hard to tell. In fact, it might have been a bit too sturdy as it does offer a decent amount of resistance before folding out flat. The display also seems to not crease as badly as the first HUAWEI Mate X when opened flat, which is nice to see.

The next thing HUAWEI improved was the screen covering. Rather than opt for glass, HUAWEI used a double-layer optical polyimide glued together with an optically clear adhesive in the construction of the flexible OLED display. HUAWEI claims that the polyimide layers is more costly than gold, which is probably part of the reason why the HUAWEI Mate Xs is so costly. I did try pressing down hard with a fingertip and it seemed none the worse for wear after my little experiment, which does seem pretty interesting, to say the least. The experience of having the display panel right at your fingertips is indeed quite surreal too.

The rest of the HUAWEI Mate Xs is similar to the original HUAWEI Mate X, and here are the specifications:
HUAWEI Mate Xs Specs

Kirin 990, octa-core @ up to 2.86 GHz, 7nm+ EUV
8GB RAM
512GB storage
8″ foldable OLED display, 6.6″ “front” display, 6.38″ “rear” display
40MP f/1.8 + 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto + 3D ToF camera
4500 mAh battery, 55W charging
EMUI 10 based on Android 10
2499 EUR (~RM11 472)

The HUAWEI Mate Xs is expected to be available globally starting next month.
Pokdepinion: Now… Are multiple HUAWEI Mate Xs, HUAWEI Mate Xses?
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Samsung to unveil six-camera flagship next year?

Leaks have pointed to a “top-secret” Samsung devices with 6 cameras. The device is expected to feature two up front, and four behind. Hopefully this time the fourth camera will do more than just depth detection, as it is actually quite pointless to have a dedicated depth detection camera when you already have so many lenses on the back of the device.
This is the Samsung Galaxy A9, Samsung’s first quad-camera smartphone.
The very same device is expected to be Samsung’s first 5G smartphone, and is expected to come with a large 6.7″ Super AMOLED display. The device is codenamed internally as “Beyond X”, which is a pretty apt name for it, considering that it is going to offer more features than the Galaxy S10. 10 = X… Get it?
Beyond X is slated for a launch in February, along with the new Samsung Galaxy S devices. Aside from the rumored specifications, what would you expect to see in the next Samsung Galaxy flagship?

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Pokdepinion: More cameras! Because, why not?
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Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – The Cleanest One Yet

Unboxing the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Box

Starting off the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 review with the unboxing, the packaging is a simplistic black box with nothing much else to see. It does state that it’s made from 100% recycled or renewable materials, as part of Dell’s 2030 Moonshot goal. Inside the box, it’s interesting that the charging brick is separate from all the other things that are included with the laptop. Essentially, you can find the following items:
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Box content

60W power brick
USB-C to USB-C cable
Power cable
Safety and regulatory information booklet
Quick start guide
3.5mm audio jack to USB-C adapter
USB-A to USB-C adapter
The Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 laptop itself (Platinum)

Specifications

CPU
Intel Core i7-1260P @ 2.1GHz (up to 4.7 GHz Boost), 18M, 12C/16T, Intel 7 (10nm), 28W TDP

RAM
16GB LPDDR5 5200MHz

GPU
Intel Iris Xe Graphics

Storage
512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD (SK Hynix PC801)

Software
Microsoft Windows 11 Home

Connectivity
Wireless
Killer Wireless Wi-Fi 6E 1675 (AX211) (dual-band)
Bluetooth 5.2
Wired
2 x Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort and Power Delivery

Display
13.4″ FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 60Hz Non-touch, Anti-glare, InfinityEdge OLED display (16:10)
500 nits, 2000:1 contrast ratio, Dolby Vision, Eyesafe technology, 178°, 100% sRGB

Audio
Studio quality tuning with Waves MaxxAudio®
Pro and Waves Nx® 3D audio
Quad-speaker design with 8W total output
Dual microphone array optimized with Waves
MaxxVoice supporting VoIP
Microsoft Cortana-capable

Power
60W power adapter (USB-C)
55 WHr Li-ion battery

Dimensions
295.3 x 199.04 x 15.28 mm

Weight
1.24 kg

Performance
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – CrystalDiskMark
Starting off with CrystalDiskMark, the storage device used on the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 shows exemplary results. It boots up insanely fast with file transfer speeds being optimal as well. In case you’re wondering, it’s the 512GB SK Hynix PC801 NVMe SSD.
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Cinebench R20
Then on Cinebench R20, the Intel Core i7-1260p powering the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 had a relatively strong showing, with scores beating a good number of 11th Gen Intel Core laptops and another one powered by a recent Ryzen 9 CPU. The multi-core score might not be too high but keep in mind that this laptop is geared towards efficiency rather than high performance. With that perspective, it’s actually pretty impressive.

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Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Unigine SuperPosition
It doesn’t look particularly great on Unigine SuperPosition’s 4K Optimized benchmark as it’s only slightly above the 1,000 mark. However, this is to be expected as it only uses an Intel Iris Xe iGPU. You would need a discrete GPU to score higher in this test, as seen with something as simple as the RTX 3050 Ti having a massive advantage.
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – 3DMark Time Spy
While the same can be said on 3DMark Time Spy, it’s actually impressive that it’s an arm’s length to the 2,000 mark. Based on the scores, I believe this is the ceiling point of laptops running this CPU without a discrete GPU but regardless, it’s a good sign that it should be able to handle light gaming just fine.
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Novabench
Novabench is our newest addition to our benchmark suite so we don’t have enough data to use for comparison. However, I figured I should at least include this here to give you a clearer idea of how it performs. Even if you can’t make sense of the numbers, it’s easy to surmise that its weakest point is the GPU, making this more geared towards productivity than anything else.
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – PCMark 10
Lastly on PCMark 10, the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 seems to be lagging behind laptops running on older Intel Core CPUs. While it’s overall lower than the older XPS 13, I’m surprised it scored higher in Digital Content Creation, which points of how much better the Intel Iris Xe is compared to the old Intel UHD Graphics.
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Battery endurance test
For those of you who are wondering about the battery life, the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 did well enough as it lasted 10 hours and 56 minutes (656 minutes) in PCMark’s Modern Office endurance test. Its efficiency is pretty much on par with its laptops around its range, with a number of competitors lasting longer likely due to them having a bigger battery capacity. While it can be better, it’s not one that we can call bad as I’ve had no issues with it lasting an entire work day without a charger.
Looking for a gaming laptop instead? Check out our Alienware review by clicking right here.
The Good
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Looks
Apart from its performance, there are a number of good things to be said about the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320. For starters, the design is certainly an eye-catching one. It has a clean, elegant design unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere. While the lid itself looks pretty basic, with even some Latitude laptops having the same look sans colour, it’s a whole other story when you open it up. Together with its ultraportable nature with a 13-inch display, it’s practically as easy to carry around as your average tablet.
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Keyboard and trackpad
The keyboard itself is so uniformedly flat along with an invisible touchpad, blending in nicely with the rest of the laptop. It’s so pleasing to see and it’s arguably the cleanest laptop we’ve ever seen. It does take a bit of time to get used to since it doesn’t have a raised surface like most other laptop keyboards but you’ll be fine after a day or two of use. As for the touchpad, you would have to gauge where it is but this shouldn’t be hard to do so, and there’s always the alternative of using a mouse.
One thing I do like is that it’s easy to replace / upgrade the SSD if you wish to do so. All you have to do is remove the 6 Torx screws on the bottom and remove the case to expose the internal parts. Here, the M.2 slot can be easily swapped out with just a single screw. Everything else is pretty much soldered on to the board so it’s best to get more RAM at purchase since you can’t upgrade that yourself.
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Display
Lastly, the OLED display on the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 is one of the more pleasing screens we’ve used for this type of laptop. As usual with OLED panels, you get the deepest blacks possible and the brightness is pretty decent. It’s a treat for the eyes to view any visuals with punchy colours, like most nature shots taken with flagship smartphones on a bright sunny day. If you’re looking for a portable machine for picture editing, I’m sure this will serve you well enough.
The Bad
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review – Thunderbolt 4
As good as the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 is, it’s by no means a perfect laptop as its drawbacks can make somewhat annoying to use. For starters, it only has two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports and nothing else. If you’re already using one port for charging, that only leaves you with one measly port for other things unless you opt for a hub. Credit where credit is due, I’m glad Dell included a USB-C to USB-A adapter and a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter, so you can use any USB mouse or 3.5mm-based audio gear from the start, but not both at the same time.
Lastly, the function keys are touch-sensitive, which feels rather gimmicky in my opinion. It would have been better if it was proper physical keys instead as the lack of feedback makes it a little awkward to use. While I can agree that it makes the laptop look more premium, it’s not something one would bother with after extensive use. If Dell prefers sticking to this design, what they could do is add some form of vibration with each touch.
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Verdict
Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 Review
The Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 is an attractive ultraportable laptop with a good amount of power. While it lacks GPU performance, most people who get this type of laptop would be looking to use this for simpler things, like web browsing, watching videos, and word processing. If you can look past its shortcomings and are willing to pay its asking price of RM7,299, it’s will serve you well.
At the end of our Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 review, I award this laptop with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Dell Malaysia for sending us this laptop for the purpose of this review.
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Join HUAWEI’s Rewrite The Rules Photography Contest To Win A HUAWEI P30 Pro

HUAWEI Malaysia is calling out for smartphone photographers to capture photos of their best moments in life using a HUAWEI smartphone and be in the running to win several prizes, which includes a brand new HUAWEI P30 Pro.
The HUAWEI Rewrites the Rules of Photography competition is a month-long contest sponsored by HUAWEI in collaboration with several media platforms. If you are interested in joining, you can simply follow the steps below:

Capture a picture that best showcases your creativity with any HUAWEI smartphones. Ensure that the watermark option is enabled.
Come up with a caption that describes your picture.
Upload the picture onto your social media platforms with selected hashtags.

To know what hashtags you should include, you can refer to the various media platforms that’s participating, which includes The Star, Berita Harian, Harian Metro, Sin Chew, and Oriental Daily News.

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Next Image Awards
Aside from that, you can showcase your photos to the world through the NEXT Image Awards where you can win yourself US$20,000 of cash. Coming with 6 conceptual categories, these awards aim to explore alongside HUAWEI smartphone users the possibilities of next-generation visual expressions and culture. These categories include:

Faces – Experimenting with identity and the power of portraiture
Going the Distance – Discovering new places and new experiences by using new features of the smartphone camera
Hello, Life! – Sharing the emotion or the inspiration in everyday experiences
Storyboard – Telling a story in 9 frames; a grid of photos to develop a meaningful or intriguing narrative
#Emotion Tag – Expressing instant emotions by means of photography
Life Now – Filming stories in less than 30 seconds

To top it off, all submissions will also receive an additional RM50 voucher from HUAWEI. You can submit your entries here.
Pokdepinion: Not one, but two photography contests from HUAWEI! Fancy your skills? Why not give it a go?
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Garmin vivomove Sport and Venu 2 Plus Promises Fashionable Tech with New Voice Capabilities

Garmin vivomove Sport

These days, smartwatches are considered fashionable yet functional essentials for individuals who are constantly on-the-go. Garmin Malaysia recently launched two new smartwatches at two different price points that caters to everyone. At an accessible price of RM840, the vivomove Sport is an understatedly sleek hybrid smartwatch with a silicone band and a hidden touchscreen display behind a real ticking watch.
The vivomove Sport features Garmin’s signature Body Battery feature that tracks your stress and heart rate levels along with water logging functions. The smartwatch also boasts a battery life of up to 5 days in smartwatch mode and is compatible with both Android and Apple smartphones.

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Garmin Venu 2 Plus

If you require something with a little more functionality when it comes to workouts, the Venu 2 Plus is a smartwatch that empowers users with its’ health and fitness features. With over 75+ preset animated workouts, the smartwatch is a companion accessory for modern individuals who constantly blur the line between having a healthy lifestyle and staying connected.
In addition to that, customers will receive a box of thirty limited edition 3-ply masks for every purchase of the Venu 2 Plus, which retails for RM2,099, in a collaboration effort with local designer Jovian Mandagie. This set purchase can be made at Garmin brand stores and the designer’s website. The masks can also be purchased separately at RM25 through online and in-store purchasing at Jovian retailers.
Mr. Scoppen Lin, the assistant general manager of Garmin Asia, shares that on-device voice capabilities of the latest Venu 2 Plus grants users the ability to converse directly through the smartwatch whereas the vivomove Sport allows users to respond to texts with the smartphone itself. Both smartwatches are also equipped with Garmin’s LiveTrack function that enables the user’s safety by location tracking for outdoor activities or even an emergency.
Source
Pokdepinion: There are many smartwatch options out there currently but Garmin’s two new launches suggests a lot of promise for two very different price points offered. If you are looking for a fashion accessory that has a technological edge, look no further than Garmin!
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The Foolish Samurai Warrior is Back with Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time

If you’re a big fan of the “foolish samurai warrior” when it aired years ago, then this would be a treat. Adult Swim Games have announced a new game based on the cartoon series, and it’s called Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time.
The game takes place just before the final battle with the evil Aku. Players will take control of the titular character as you fight through several, different alternate timelines in order to reach Aku and deal the finishing blow.
If you’re wondering who are the people behind the game, Japanese studio Soleil Games is the one charge of development. They’ve previously made games like Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker and Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes. They should have more than enough experience with 3D action-adventure games to make a good one out of this. Interestingly, the last time we have a game based on the cartoon series was in 2004 for the PS2 and Nintendo Gamecube.

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Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time will be coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. No release date is available yet aside from a vague Summer 2020 but we will be reporting on it as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned. Be sure to check out the trailer at the top of this post.
Got some fond memories of Samurai Jack? Join the discussion right below here:

Source: IGN
Pokdepinion: When I first heard about this, I thought it was some kind of joke. Now I’m just excited to see the game in its full glory. I’m wondering if it will be released towards the end of 2020 or not.
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Xiaomi Fans Appreciation Day Coming Soon

Xiaomi Malaysia has teamed up with Lazada in announcing the upcoming Xiaomi Fans Appreciation Day where you can get up to 60% off some of their products.
Xiaomi Fans Appreciation Day on Lazada

The one-day-only online campaign will be happening on the 16th of August where you can enjoy Xiaomi products such as Redmi Note 10, Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop Pro, selected Mi TV P1 series and many more at amazing deals, exclusively on Xiaomi’s official LazMall flagship store.

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They will also be offering deals for POCO’s lineup including the POCO X3 GT, POCO F3, POCO X3 Pro, and POCO M3 Pro for you to enjoy.
Aside from that, from now till the 15th of August, Xiaomi is hosting a special campaign where fans can follow Xiaomi’s official store on Lazada and unlock special deals upon reaching each milestone.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: I’d say the most attractive offer that I see is the POCO F3 (8GB+256GB) where you can get it at just RM1,499, which is RM200 off. Be sure to check out our reviews to find out more on the products.
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Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra gets RAMDISK feature to make full use of 16GB RAM

Smartphones with increasingly large memory capacities are becoming more widely available, and yet a lot of smartphone enthusiasts are saying that Android doesn’t need that much RAM. Well I guess they will have to eat their words with Xiaomi’s RAMDISK solution which helps you take full advantage of the 16GB LPDDR5 RAM in the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra.
RAMDISK is by no means new, but it is definitely quite novel in the smartphone space. Basically a partition is made on the RAM to be used as storage. The reason why this is done is to take advantage of the faster speeds that RAM is capable of as compared to your usual non-volatile storage solutions. Just to illustrate the difference, you will be looking at around 44GB/s of bandwidth with LPDDR5 RAM, versus approximate 1.7GB/s even with the latest UFS 3.1 storage.

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Xiaomi’s RAMDISK solution is a part of Xiaomi’s Game Center. To use it, you have to enable the “Game Trial Mode” under “Speed Installation” in the Game Center. Installation and loading times are up to 40 to 60% faster, and games like Peace Elite will take just 10 seconds to install, close to 100% faster than it would normally take without RAMDISK enabled. While that does sound fun, the Xiaomi RAMDISK solution currently supports only a handful of games including QQ Speed and Glory of the King.

An added advantage that Xiaomi highlighted is the ability to not use up precious storage space on your device to try out new games while also ensuring that you won’t leave behind any residual files when you delete it. If you decide that you like the game or app you installed on the RAMDISK, you can also transfer it to the storage of your device so you can use it normally.

The disadvantage of RAMDISK is that the data will only persist until a reboot. For the 12GB variant of the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra, you can allocate up to 6GB to the RAMDISK partition, while you can allocate up to 8GB with the 16GB version. The function is reportedly only available if you download apps via Xiaomi’s Chinese app store, so it won’t work with apps downloaded off the Play Store. Not like it will be a major drawback, as the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra isn’t planned for a global release anyway.
Pokdepinion: Well the day before we learned that you can install Crysis 3 on a GPU’s VRAM, now we learn that you can install apps on a smartphone’s RAM… What’s next?
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Riot Games 5v5 Shooter Leaked And It’s Called Valorant

IGN has just accidentally revealed several screenshots from Riot’s shooter Valorant (Project Ares) including several of the characters and maps for what looks like to be an embargoed hands-on play test by journalistshttps://t.co/IBoIgcgYSG pic.twitter.com/zh6xZFXhEZ
— Rod ‘I don’t sign NDAs’ Breslau (@Slasher) March 1, 2020

Late last year, Riot Games teased an Overwatch-style 5v5 multiplayer shooter under the name Project A / Project Ares. Not much else is known about it but it did get many gamers curious. That game has since been leaked with a proper name, and it’s called Valorant.

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Valorant is expected to revealed officially soon but it appears that it has been leaked out. According to Esports consultant and insider, Rod Breslau, the game is considered a spiritual successor to Counter-Strike. It won’t just be a simple shooter as there is expected to be magic and some odd skills in play as well. There is already an official Twitter account for the game, @PlayValorant, but it has yet to tweet anything at the time of this writing.

Valorant isn’t the only thing Riot Games is working on.
Riot Games, the company behind the popular MOBA game League of Legends, has a few interesting things up their sleeves. One is Valorant and the other is an unnamed fighting game that is still in development. This was previously revealed at EVO 2019 by EVO founder Tom Cannon to clear up / confirm the rumours.
We expect to hear more on the game soon so be sure to stay tuned for further details.
Do you think it has what it takes to become a successful competitive game? Join the discussion below here:

Pokdepinion: Is it just me or does the game look oddly similar to Paladins? It has the same cartoon-y feel to it. Can’t wait to see more of the game though.
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You Can Change Skins Before a Match in Overwatch; Because Why Not?

A brand new feature has been added to Overwatch which allows players to change their characters’ skins right before a match. Neato.
You Can Change Skins Before a Match in Overwatch

Fashion-forward heroes, rejoice! 👏 👏
Starting tomorrow, you’ll be able to change skins at the start of a match. pic.twitter.com/XNweMKFZFw
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) February 8, 2018

Overwatch players definitely know the struggle of having unlocked a new skin and forgetting to equip it before the next game. Everyone knows fashion directly relates to performance, but luckily, you won’t have to worry about throwing your next game. Overwatch is now letting its players change their character’s skin before each match.

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The announcement came via Twitter, where the official Overwatch account posted a GIF of a Pharah swapping between skins as the lobby timer ticked down. You can check that out at the top of this post.
While it may not seem like a significant update, for fans of the games who have spent so much time in the game and have collected a lot of skins throughout their time in Overwatch, this change will impact the way they play the game, literally.
No more accidentally swapping off of your legendary and epic skins and then throwing the match because you don’t feel as beautiful. That fear of getting the play of the game without your favorite skin on can now disappear forever.
This update will now bring the game more in line with other eSports titles like League of Legends and Smite, which allow players to select their skin up until the match begins, and perhaps, will allow players to even improve their team fashion by locking in similar skins with one another.
Speaking of which, do keep your eyes out for the game’s next event celebrating the Lunar New Year / Year of the Dog. The update’s should be pre-loaded on your PC by now.
Pokdepinion: Well, I wouldn’t say this is an important feature but it’s definitely nice to have if you have the mood to change your appearance from time to time.
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Vufine+ Wearable Display Review – Affordable & stylish glasses display

Vufine+ just went on kickstarter at the time of this writing. Get a pair at it’s best price HERE.

I have a special affection for wearable gadgets but at the same time a rather odd phobia in having them. Don’t get me wrong, the affection does override the phobia but it juggles my decision in owning and wearing them. What’s the phobia, you say? At the end of the day, I have to charge two of my mobile phones, one tablet, one Bluetooth earpiece, one wireless powerbank and in some days, even a laptop. I wear a Casio Rangeman G-Shock watch that comes with solar charging which eliminates the need to charge it at all. So, you get it, the phobia is – having to charge even more batteries at the end of the day. I was very tempted to get a Google Glass too and the phobia did override the affection at that time. However, I can’t be selfish when there are plenty of readers who love digital wearables. So here’s one for you guys – the Vufine+ Wearable Display.

Introduction
This product needs a special introduction. A year ago, a company based in California went to Kickstarter with their product called Vufine. It’s one of the world’s first truly affordable wearable display and was backed by 1,466 backers with all devices delivered to them. If you noticed the missing plus sign, that’s because the company is now back again an improved version, the Vufine+. Vufine+ has a larger, more versatile display and a totally redefined docking station.

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Compared to its predecessor, Vufine+ has an increased portrait and landscape viewing area by 77% and 33% respectively. It has a new charging dock, pivoting ball/joint for easier adjustment, and a handsfree adapter that lets you stream videos from desktops, drones, mobile phones, or any device that supports MHL or HDMI output.

Unboxing
The Vufine+ comes in a simplistic box, sealed with once-open-considered-broken latch and is etched with silver branding on it. The product’s tagline is “Real Life Picture-in-Picture” which I found really catchy indeed.
Clockwise from top – the Vufine+, headband mount, some glass mats and stickers, HDMI-to-Lightning adapter
It comes with a number of accessories for your consideration. One of them that we got is the Headband Mount which is rather useful if you do not wear glasses and do not want to wear one. It holds the Vufine+ much firmly and can be very useful if you are off for outdoor activities. It’s washable too in case you are wondering. This single piece of accessory can totally change the landscape of using the Vufine+ as it now open the doors to those who desire a glass wearable but just didn’t find it practical to try one.
The headband mount accessory – in case glasses are not your thing.
The other accessory that we got was the HDMI-to-iPhone adapter that allows us to connect the Vufine+ to an Apple device. It has a lightning port connector on one end and a HDMI slot for connectivity along with lightning input in case the power delivery to the adapter is not sufficient enough.

Opening up the box unveils the content inside.
This is a very well thought packaging. It even includes a glasses soft pouch to carry your Vufine+ or glasses in it. There’s a quick guide mounted at the top part of the box too.
Let’s take a look inside.

Clockwise from the top-left, we have the Vufine+ accessory, a thin-frame metal dock, a pair of non-prescription glasses, magnetic dock, HDMI MHL cable and a micro USB cable.

Appearance
I won’t dig into the cables as those are pretty standard. Let’s begin with the mounting docks first. For the best experience, you would need the magnetic dock that allows you to pivot the Vufine+ to your comfort.

It straps around your glasses and up to one-inch thickness is really not a problem. However, if you wear thin metal band glasses like RayBans, it wouldn’t position properly on your glasses. Fear not, there is another accessory for that. The metal clip. This metal clip elegantly slides on to your metal frame glasses and mounts the Vufine+ magnetically to it.

Moving on to the glasses, they’re non-prescription glasses and are the best to mount the Vufine+ as it’s designed to fit the Vufine+ perfectly. You could take these glasses to your optician and get a custom prescription lens cut out to it’s size as an option. These glasses are very lightweight, making them rather comfortable to wear.

Now let’s move to the real accessory – the Vufine+ Wearable Display. It weighs about 26g, and has a dimension of 96mm (W) x 20mm (H) x 14mm (D) making it very lightweight and portable. There is a power button at the back of the unit, a round magnet in the center and a 21mm diagonal display that churns out the video output projection to the viewer.
There is a HDMI mini port at the bottom that connects to any device that supports HDMI-out streaming and a MicroUSB port for charging the device. I don’t think the design could have been any better really!

Got a Vufine+? Want to get started? Watch the following video.
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User Experience
So who would be using the Vufine+? What are the practical purposes of it? Now that the Pokemon hype has died down – which would have made this an epic accessory to pair with your devices, you would be wondering how this device could be better utilized. Some of the identified use-case scenarios are:
Road safe cycling

Drone Piloting
Mobile Computing and Entertainment
That’s just a handful of it. You could use it with action cameras, video recipes while cooking, yoga, couple it with a Raspberry Pi or pretty much anything where you need a handsfree-display. But how does the Vufine+ actually feels when it’s being used?

The first and most important thing that you need to identify, is whether your device supports HDMI output at all. If you are using a GoPro or an iPhone, there will be no problems connecting to the Vufine+. But don’t make wild guesses. Even my Samsung Note 5 doesn’t come with MHL feature, rendering it useless with the Vufine+, just to give you a rough idea of how carefully you need to do your homework. So I plugged it to my desktop, powered it up and voila! An additional extended screen of my desktop is now projected to my glasses! What I project on it is totally private to me, as there is no way anyone could see what’s going on this display. Well, I’m talking about passwords and the like. What were you thinking? :P
This is how it looks like, mounted to the glasses.
It’s really not heavy and using it for prolonged hours has not been a problem to me. If you do not wear glasses, at first you might find it a little awkward to have a device hooked to your head, but it gets normal eventually. Once you have mounted it, you can extend the display to the center to find the best viewing position, after which you can pivot it to the top or bottom of the glasses where you will find it the most comfortable.
Now, unlike Google Glass, the Vufine+ is opaque – which means it has a dark area behind the screen. This makes it ideal for outdoor usages as the sunlight does not disrupt the display at all. There is one major downside if you ask me – the cable has to be mounted all the time in order for you to continuously stream from the connected device. It’s really tough to find the perfect length cable for this purpose and it gets pulled accidentally a lot in my case. Thankfully, the device is attached magnetically so it snaps off easily or there could be chances of injury – especially when you are out and about with it.
The HDMI cable has to be always connected to the device.
To me, I think this is the best accessory for motorcyclists. Navigation on your glasses while riding your bike is really a bliss. You have nowhere to mount your phone and you need a display for your Waze / Google Maps. This is the accessory for it! Bikers can totally relate to this.
The battery lasted me for well over an hour of continuous usage – which is rather impressive! You can plug in the Micro USB together with the HDMI cable for continuous prolonged usage and because it charges over Micro USB, you can actually use a powerbank to charge it while on the go. Yep, such is what mobility has become today.
If you are getting the Vufine+, seriously consider getting the headband mount. You can thank me later. It holds the device much firmly and it works without interfering with your glasses, while managing the cable much better.
Trust me, this accessory is worth getting!

Conclusion
Wearable gadgets are really trendy to have, and there is plenty of headroom in terms of improvisation. Of course, cost is a concern and Vufine+ has made itself a beautiful spot in terms of affordability. The official kickstarter campaign of the Vufine+ has just gone up at the time of this article, so you can be an early backer to get the Vufine+ at it’s best price! I enjoyed using the Vufine+, really! I’d love to see the company add wireless streaming options for better portability and perhaps have more accessories like headband mountable batteries for extra juice. Otherwise, the Vufine+ is well worth the purchase!

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Liquid’s NuckleDu Donates Tournament Earnings; $10,000 for Hurricane Irma Relief

Team Liquid NuckleDu announced that he will be donating all of his Dreamhack Montreal winnings for Hurricane Irma relief. What a man.
There are plenty of gamers today making a living off of eSports. Playing games competitively is tough but the prize money is usually so massive, it would be all worth it in the end…assuming they manage to win. One particular individual actually donated all of his winnings towards Hurricane Irma relief efforts.

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Liquid’s NuckleDu Donates Tournament Earnings

1st place at DreamHack Montreal! Donating all of my winnings towards hurricane Irma relief. Thank you for your support guys! pic.twitter.com/tNmBAwMEIE
— Du Dang (@LiquidNuckleDu) September 10, 2017

Today, professional Street Fighter V player Du “NuckleDu” Dang from Team Liquid took first place at DreamHack Montreal. Dang posted an image of himself with the trophy on Twitter, where he also announced that he’d be donating all of his winnings towards Hurricane Irma relief.
According to DreamHack’s website, the prize money on the line for Street Fighter V was $10,000 this year.
If you’re not familiar with DreamHack, it’s a massive LAN convention that has drawn in tons of competitive eSports tournaments. This year’s event featured Counter Strike: Global Offensive, the Hearthstone Grand Prix, Smash Bros on Wii U, Melee, Starcraft II, and The Capcom Pro Tour.

Earlier this week Bungie partnered with Direct Relief for Hurricane Harvey support. Offering players a pin as well as an exclusive emblem in Destiny 2. There’s also been a large amount of support coming from other game communities and streamers as well with relief towards Hurricane Harvey and Irma. For more information on Hurricane Irma relief, you can go right here.

Pokdepinion: It’s rather to find a person like Team Liquid’s NuckleDu. Especially when so much money is involved, it’s rare to see something like this happening. Talk about having a big heart.
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Want the best smartphone you can get for less than RM1000? Don’t miss the Realme 2 Pro sale this 21st November!

The Realme 2 Pro made huge waves when it was announced to offer excellent specifications for its price. Just how good of a deal are we talking about though? How does it stand versus the competition, you ask? This article answers your questions, by pitting the Realme 2 Pro against the Samsung Galaxy J6+ and Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite. Now I know that the Realme 2 Pro regular pricing is just a tad above the RM1000 mark, but it will be available on 21st November at the special price of RM999. But on that specific day, you can spend the same amount of money as you would if you wanted to buy either of the other two devices in this comparison. To make things even more interesting, we also added the vivo V11i, priced at RM1299 to give you an idea of how well the Realme 2 Pro compares with more expensive devices. So let’s go further in detail as to how amazing of a deal are you getting with the Realme 2 Pro.
Largest viewing area

The 6.3″ FHD+ IPS display with a tiny waterdrop notch gives the Realme 2 Pro a great 90.8% screen-to-body ratio. The Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite offers a close 6.26″ FHD+ display, but falls short with a wider notch which takes away more of the screen. The worst of the bunch here is the Samsung Galaxy J6+, which has a smaller screen in a larger body, and a much lower resolution. The vivo V11i offers a similarly sized display, with a similar waterdrop notch, but of course, you know it is also a fair bit more expensive. If you want to enjoy a great multimedia experience on your smartphone, you know which one is the one to pick.

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Largest and fastest storage

The Realme 2 Pro outclasses the other two devices in its price range with its 128GB of storage. The best thing about the Realme 2 Pro is that the storage is not only capacious, but also faster than most affordable smartphones. UFS 2.1 storage is a rarity even in the sub-RM2000 segment until recently, but Realme hits the ball out of the park with 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage at this price range. The pricier vivo V11i matches the Realme 2 Pro in terms of capacity, but uses much slower and cheaper eMMC 5.1 storage. And just as if that faster storage isn’t enough to entice you, the Realme 2 Pro also offers the most RAM in its price range. Even looking higher up the price ladder, you won’t be finding any smartphone with 8GB of RAM below RM1600! For starters, the vivo V11i is priced at RM1299, and yet still offers just 4GB of RAM.
Largest battery

A 3500 mAh battery versus the 3300 mAh battery and 3350 mAh battery of the Galaxy J6+ and Mi 8 Lite, respectively? It’s pretty obvious which one to choose. Now, if we were to talk solely from the perspective of which device will offer the longest battery life, it is very possible that the Samsung Galaxy J6+ might offer comparable longevity. However you will be settling for subpar performance in exchange for battery life, which isn’t something you have to do with the Realme 2 Pro and its larger 3500 mAh battery. Even the more expensive vivo V11i settles for a 3315 mAh battery, which is really disappointing.
Largest aperture

The Realme 2 Pro is the only device here featuring a f/1.7 aperture on its rear camera. The other Samsung Galaxy J6+ and Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite both feature smaller f/1.9 apertures, which means they allow less light to reach the sensor. The vivo V11i comes up worst here, despite being the most expensive, with a f/2.0 aperture. Less light means poorer low light performance, as the ISO will have to be pushed up .With a higher ISO comes more noise, and thus less detail captured, once noise reduction does its job.
And here’s are the key specifications of the Realme 2 Pro, Samsung Galaxy J6+, Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite and vivo V11i, tabulated into an easy to read table for your digestion.

Realme 2 Pro
Samsung Galaxy J6+
Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite
vivo V11i

Chipset
Snapdragon 660
Octa core (8 x Kryo 260)
14nm FinFET
Snapdragon 425
Quad core (4 x Cortex A53)
28nm planar
Snapdragon 660
Octa core (8 x Kryo 260)
14nm FinFET
Helio P60
Octa core (4 x Cortex A73 + 4 x Cortex A53)
12nm FinFET

RAM
8GB
4GB
4GB
4GB

Storage
128GB UFS 2.1
64GB eMMC 5.1
64GB eMMC 5.1
128GB eMMC 5.1

Screen
6.3″ FHD+ IPS, waterdrop notch
6.0″ HD+ TFT, Infinity Display
6.26″ FHD+ IPS display, notch
6.3″ FHD+ LTPS, waterdrop notch

Battery
3500 mAh
3300 mAh
3350 mAh
3315 mAh

Camera
16MP f/1.7 + 2MP f/2.4
13MP f/1.9 + 5MP f/2.2
12MP f/1.9 + 5MP f/2.0
16MP f/2.0 + 5MP f/2.4

Price
RM999
RM999
RM999
RM1299

This is exactly why you must not miss the chance to get the Realme 2 Pro at its promotional price, as it is just ridiculously good value at RM999! Save the date, and make sure you get your Realme 2 Pro for just RM999 on 21st November!

This is an exclusive article for Realme Malaysia.
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[Computex 2019] NVIDIA focuses on creators with NVIDIA Studio

Content creators need the performance of a gaming system, but they don’t necessarily want it with all the bling that gaming laptops are associated with. Most high end gaming laptops now in the market sport RGBae keyboards, fancy high refresh rate displays and flashy designs. All creators need is the sweet, sweet horsepower under the hood, a properly calibrated display and reliability. The latter is probably the most important, as most creators rely on their systems to make a living. Some may also dislike the gamer-centric design of the gamers laptop, and that’s why NVIDIA Studio was created, to satisfy the creators who want the performance of gaming laptops, need it to be reliable, but in a design that won’t look out of place in a professional setting.

There aren’t anything different under the hood from gaming laptops, with the exception of probably the 4K HDR display. Given that this is a laptop meant for professionals, a high quality display that offers you better colors would be a priority rather than a quick display with a high refresh rate. The NVIDIA Studio ecosystem is also centered around creative apps, with hardware optimization NVIDIA’s side via NVIDIA Studio drivers. The drivers follow a different cadence from Game Ready drivers, which are released a lot more frequently.

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Aside from optimized drivers, OEM/ODMs are also required to test compatibility with the more than 200 supported creative applications before the laptops can be shipped with the NVIDIA RTX Studio certification. Creators who don’t want to worry about running into compatibility issues can just look for the NVIDIA RTX Studio logo on their laptops.

NVIDIA has partnered with the top OEMs to bring 17 models to the market, with ASUS releasing the ASUS StudioBook, Acer with their Concept D lineup,MSI and their Prestige and Workstation series. Are you looking forward to getting a NVIDIA Studio laptop?
Pokdepinion: I personally love RGB too much to go for these laptops, but if you need Quadro RTX series GPUs, these are great options.
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