aptX? SBC? aptX HD? Here’s What You Should Know Before Picking Your Next Wireless Earphones

Update: We have added aptX Adaptive to the audio codec list. Thanks Matthew (one of our readers) for informing us!
Wireless Bluetooth earphones are pretty much a common sight these days. Ever since Apple had the courage of omitting the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 back in 2016, the demand for wireless earphones skyrocketed. However, some people still struggle in choosing the right pair for themselves. So here’s a quick guide in choosing your next wireless Bluetooth headphones.
Understanding Audio Codecs
If you’ve seen some wireless Bluetooth earphone advertisements before then you’ve undoubtedly come across terms like “supports aptX and aptX HD” or “has LDAC support” or other similar tech jargon. These are what’s called codecs or audio formats that affects the quality of the wireless earphone’s audio. This is because the audio you get through Bluetooth earphones isn’t a straightforward stream from whichever device you are listening from. In fact the original audio gets compressed before it is sent to your wireless earphones which then gets decoded by the codec before it reaches your ears.

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Here’s a quick explanation of what each audio codec means:

Low-complexity sub-band codec or SBC: SBC is the default codec found in most wireless Bluetooth earphones or headphones. It breaks the audio signal into multiple frequency bands and encodes each one separately. The audio quality isn’t consistent and it differs from device to device.
Qualcomm aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive: These are Qualcomm’s proprietary codecs. They are in ways similar to the SBC codec but uses a more efficient compression method that provides you with audio that has higher fidelity compared to SBC. If you’re looking for low latency then aptX LL is offers the lowest latency out of the three aptX codecs. aptX Adaptive is capable of changing its bitrate dynamically for optimal quality. It also incorporates aptX LL’s low latency technology which makes it a direct successor to the aptX LL codec.
Sony LDAC: Similar to Qualcomm, Sony has its own proprietary audio codec. LDAC has a variable bit rate that delivers a consistent data transfer 3x that of SBC. LDAC supports three modes; 990kbps, 660kbps, and 330kbps. What’s interesting is that studies have shown that in the two higher tier modes, there was a loss of audio fidelity at above 20Hz. Meanwhile the 330kbps mode LDAC is outperformed by both aptx and SBC. Seeing that most phones have a default LDAC 330kbps setting, you have no choice but to enable developer settings to utilise the higher LDAC modes.
Advanced audio coding (AAC): AAC is the audio codec preferred by Apple and is mainly available on their iPhones and iPads. It can alsoAbove chart is  be found as the license-free standard for YouTube as well as on Sony’s PlayStation 3. The quality of AAC is better than SBC but unreliable. It consumes a lot of power and does not run efficiently on Android as the other codecs here.
LHDC and LLAC codecs: Both of these codecs are developed by the Hi-Res Wireless Audio (HWA) Union and Savitech. LHDC is a low-latency and high-definition audio codec and is supported by Android 10 and beyond. The main feature of this codec is that it has three times the data transmission that of SBC without loss in quality as with LDAC. The LLAC codec is a low latency alternative to the LHDC. It features a latency rate as low as 30ms which is ideal for gamers.

Here’s a chart to summarise the above codecs:

Codec
Maximum Transfer Data Rate (Kbps)
Latency
Maximum Frequency
Maximum Bitrate

AAC
±250
120ms±30ms
44.1kHz
16 bit

SBC
±300
220ms
44.1kHz
16 bit

aptX
±350-570
60ms±20ms
48kHz
16 bit

aptX LL
±350-570
<40ms
48kHz
16 bit

aptX HD
±350-570
>100ms
48kHz
24 bit

aptX Adaptive
±279-420
50±80ms
48kHz
24 bit

LDAC
±990
>100ms
44.1-96kHz
24 bit

LHDC/LLAC
±900
±30ms
48-96kHz
24 bit

*Above chart is basic statistics for the audio codec and not TWS.
Bluetooth 4.2 vs Bluetooth 5.0. Does it matter?

In terms of whether or not Bluetooth versions affect the quality of wireless earphones is both a yes and a sort of no. It is true that Bluetooth 5.0 with the Bluetooth Low Energy feature gives you better range, performance and lower power usage than Bluetooth 4.2. However, at the end of the day it only affects how they work but does nothing when it comes to the earphones’ audio quality.
This is due to the fact that most Bluetooth earphones utilises a protocol called Bluetooth Basic Data Rate/Enhanced Data Rate which renders the benefits from Bluetooth 5.0 pretty moot. Bluetooth Basic Data Rate/Enhanced Data Rate or BR/EDR is a Bluetooth specification that gives faster data rate and better battery life.
So to put it shortly, Bluetooth 5.0 does not really matter when it comes to choosing your wireless earphones and you should be fine with either Bluetooth 5.0 or Bluetooth 4.2 earphones.
Now that we’ve cleared up on the technicalities surrounding wireless Bluetooth earphones, we hope that this quick guide would help you in purchasing one for yourself. However, if you are an audiophile and would like to something for maximum music quality then I highly recommend you go for a normal wired pair of earphones or headphones instead of a wireless one. However, you can’t deny the convenience wireless earphones brings to the table and they sound pretty good too.
Notable wireless headphones and earphones
To give you a headstart, here are a few wireless headphones and earphones that we’ve reviewed previously.
Sony WH-1000XM3

One of the most popular consumer headphones with noise-cancelling technology, the Sony WH-1000XM3 has seen various improvements. This includes the use of a USB-C port, more spacious earpads, and a much better noise-cancelling experience.
Read our full review here.
Sony WF-1000XM3

The Sony WF-1000XM3 is a pretty solid offering and is definitely high on the list of true wireless earbuds. The sound quality is superb, the battery life is one of the best around, and it’s the only one to include noise-cancelling so far.
Read our full review here.
Edifier TWS5

Edifier more often than not nails it when it comes to value for money, so while the Edifier TWS5 may not be that affordable, you can expect it to be pretty great. You wouldn’t be wrong.
Read our full review here.
Samsung Galaxy Buds+

The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ is a great pair of true wireless earbuds. I personally believe that it’s priced just right, and I’m certain many people will be happy to use this, especially if they’re already using a Samsung smartphone.
Read our full review here.
Tronsmart Onyx Ace

One of the most affordable true wireless earphones around, the Tronsmart Onyx Ace packs a boatload of features, making it a good value-for-money purchase.
Read our full review here.
HONOR Magic Earbuds

As one of the most affordable options touting ANC capabilities, the HONOR Magic Earbuds looks pretty promising.
Read our full review here.
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M8Hexa.Alpha AoV Champions at Gegaria Fest 2018 – AOV Valor Cup champions Resurgence Sky finishes third

Top two; conquered!

Malaysia’s very own M8Hexa.Alpha has recently been crowned champions for Garena’s Arena of Valor at Gegaria Festival 2018 which was held last week at Angsana Mall, Johor Bahru. By winning the whole tournament M8Hexa.Alpha brought home a cool RM 5,000 in prize money. 1st runner-up of the Arena of Valor tournament is another M8Hexa team by the name of M8Hexa.Penangfood who walked away with RM 3,000. Which means M8Hexa managed to walk away form the tournament with a prize pool of RM 8,000 in total.

In the 2nd runner-up place, surprisingly sits team Resurgence Sky from Singapore who had recently been named champions of the AOV Valor Cup in Comic Fiesta last December. Rounding up the top four in the 3rd runner-up place is Angel Alliance All Star. The teams who sit in 2nd and 3rd runners-up places both walk away with RM 1,000 prize money.

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Arena of Valor was first launched in Taiwan on October 2016 and is a 5v5 Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) and has since been released in numerous Southeast Asian regions such as Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia to thunderous fanfare. In addition to being one of the most popular mobile games in Asia, AOV recently scooped up the award for Google Play’s Best of 2017 in Europe.

Gegaria Festival 2018 is a lifestyle and entertainment festival organised by Media Prima which is held at different locations across the country with the first one being held last January at the Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam. Each Gegaria Festival will have an eSports tournaments with different games at each location such as FIFA Online 3, Arena of Valor and League of Legends.

The next Gegaria Festival will be held at the Stadium Darul Makmur grounds in Kuantan, Pahang on the 24th of February. This time they will be holding a League of Legends tournament there with a prize pool of RM 10,000.
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Telltale’s The Walking Dead May Go Unfinished – Clementine’s Voice Actress Chimes In

Telltale’s The Walking Dead Final Season May Go Unfinished

Hello friends. I am so very deeply moved by the messages of love that I, and the folks from @telltalegames have been receiving. Yesterday was one of the toughest days ever. A lot of hearts were broken, including mine. Please read the attached. #TelltaleJobs #Clementine #TWD pic.twitter.com/Fb68z86j8e
— Melissa Hutchison (@Melyhutch) September 22, 2018

The videogame industry is seeing some rather sad times with Telltale Games laying off the majority of their staff and is currently bracing for closure, as we have reported right here. From what we know, there will be a few staff members staying on to finish their obligations with partners and the board, with an announcement expected soon as to the status of certain games under Telltale Games.
It appears that the fate of Telltale’s The Walking Dead Final Season is grim, at least according Clementine’s voice actress, Melissa Hutchison.

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In that tweet, she mentioned that she doesn’t know the exact fate of what will happen with the two remaining episodes, as Episode 2 will be releasing this week and the Final Season having 4 episodes in total. However, she did also add on that to her knowledge, “they will release Episode 2, and then that will be it,” which suggests that Telltale’s The Walking Dead will indeed go unfinished.
Aside from that, Hutchison mentioned that she does not have details on how all of this happened, but she is moved by the support and messages from fans and other game development studios.
At the moment, Telltale Games has yet to release an official statement on the status of their games. The Walking Dead probably has the best chance of finishing, at least compared to having a brand new season of The Wolf Among Us materialize. With that being said however, Hutchison’s comment does bring credibility to the argument that The Walking Dead may just go unfinished.
Pokdepinion: Uhh, can we get the remaining two episodes crowdfunded or something? I wanna at least bid my farewell by seeing through to the end of Clementine’s journey. Lee didn’t die for this.
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3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors promise up to 1.5x faster performance than AMD EPYC 7763!

Intel has just launched the latest 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, codenamed Ice Lake manufactured on their 10nm process node. These processors leverage Intel’s advantage in AI to deliver a much more powerful processor to their data center customers.
The new 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors are claimed to deliver up to 46% better performance in popular data center workloads versus its predecessor, and also comes with new features like Intel DL Boost, Intel Crypto Acceleration and Intel SGX.
1.5x faster AI performance than the AMD EPYC 7763
With the 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, Intel baked in AI acceleration into the CPU. They are promising up to 74% faster AI performance versus the previous generation. It is also capable of a whopping 1.5x higher performance in AI workloads versus the AMD EPYC 7763, and up to 1.3x higher performance versus the NVIDIA A100 GPU. The latter achievement is probably the most amazing, considering that the NVIDIA A100 is actually designed for AI acceleration with the latest 3rd Gen Tensor cores.

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Intel SGX and Crypto Acceleration
Security is crucial in data center applications, and Intel understands that with Intel SGX to protect sensitive code and data. Intel offers 2-socket Xeon Scalable processors with enclaves that can isolate and process up to 1TB of code and data. On top of that, the 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors offer Intel Total Memory Encryption and Intel Platform Firmware Resilience to address your data protection concerns.
Meanwhile Intel Crypto Acceleration promises unprecedented performance in cryptographic algorithms, which are important for securing user data in encryption-heavy workloads.

The 3rd Intel Xeon Scalable processors are available in options offering from eight cores up to 40 cores. The platform supports up to 6TB of memory across 8 channels of DDR4-3200 memory per socket and up to 64 PCIe 4.0 lanes per socket. And oh, they are made in Malaysia in Kulim!
Pokdepinion: I am really quite amazed by the AI performance… With that much AI prowess in their CPU, I am definitely looking forward to what the Xe HPC can bring…
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There was a big expectation for the PS5 to have backwards compatibility, at least to some extent. Microsoft’s ability to do so with the Xbox Series X has resulted in pressure from the gaming community on Sony’s next gen console. If this is a must-have feature for you on the PlayStation 5, then I have some unfortunate news for you.
PS5 Confirmed to Lack Native Support for PS1, PS2, and PS3 Games

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According to an interview with PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan on Famitsu, PS4 forward compatibility was said to be a key point for the company when developing the PS5. With the large focus on new technologies such as the DualSense controller and SSD storage, they couldn’t make older games playable on the next gen console.
In other words, while PS4 games should play perfectly fine on the PS5 (at least for the most part), there will be a lack of native support for PS1, PS2, and PS3 games. With the launch of Sony’s next gen console on the horizon, this may come as a surprise to many gamers but it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker. In comparison to the Xbox Series X which has backwards compatibility with all previous Xbox games, it can be seen as at least a little bad.
With that being said however, I wouldn’t say that it won’t be able to play older games completely. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony Interactive Entertainment added some sort of new feature in the future that will allow you to do this. Maybe not the full library of older games, but at least a good number of them.
For now, the PlayStation 5 is set to launch for selected countries on 12th November 2020 while the rest of the world will get it a week later on 19th November 2020. Pre-orders are running really fast so if you’re out of luck there, be sure to check your local retailers often as they might increase the PS5 pre-order quantity from time to time.
Source
Pokdepinion: It’s a bit of a shame but I do hope they will add the feature in some form or fashion somewhere down the road.
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DJI Announces New Osmo Pocket — Compact Three-axis Stabilized Camera

With the new compact camera from DJI, it is designed to be easily used by users. It packs a host of intelligent features to help you capture those creative videos and photos in a portable form factor.
DJI Osmo Pocket

Coming in at just over 4-inches tall, the Osmo Pocket is the company’s smallest three-axis stabilized camera. It comes with a 1/2.3-inch sensor that records 12MP photos and 4K videos of up to 60fps at 100Mbps in stunning detail. The Osmo Pocket also has a built-in dual microphones and offers noise cancellation features.
With its three-axis mechanical gimbal, it compensates for movements and smooths these motions so that you can focus on composition and subject matter.

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There’s a lot of features and modes in the camera. One of them is the ActiveTrack, where it allows the Osmo Pocket to recognize and follow subjects of your choice. With FaceTrack, it automatically recognizes a human face and locks the subject in center of the frame at all times.

In addition to that, there’s also the Timelapse and Motionlapse mode, to easily turn those minutes into mere seconds. The latter adds the dynamic element of camera movement to your Timelapse.
The Osmo Pocket can be connected to your mobile devices through your lightning cable or USB Type-C cables. Once you’ve connected, you can use the dedicated DJI Mimo app to serve as a monitor. There, you can utilize from two modes; Story Mode and Pro Mode.
The Osmo Pocket retails at US$349 (roughly RM1,462) and is available for pre-order. They will start shipping in December 15. For more information on the Osmo Pocket, you can head here to their official website.
Pokdepinion: It looks an exciting equipment to have. I still can’t believe how small and compact it is. I wouldn’t mind taking one out for a spin really.

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OPPO Aims To Inspire Creative Vision With The OPPO Reno

Further Your Vision

OPPO has just released a new addition to their smartphone line earlier today called the OPPO Reno. The OPPO Reno introduces a few new design and technological features to the OPPO series such as their uniquely designed pop up front camera and more.

The OPPO Reno sports a 6.4 inch OLED display with sixth gen Corning Gorilla Glass and has an impressive screen ration of up to 93.1%. The phone also packs an under-screen fingerprint sensor which OPPO says can unlock the phone 20-30% faster than most phones due to the sensor’s new lighting system and algorithm.

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The OPPO Reno also features a dual camera setup which comprises of a 48MP lens and a 5MP lens. The camera setup includes features like ultra-night mode 2.0, colour mapping, 4K video recording as well as an “improved” portrait mode. These improvements include software optimisations which OPPO says can help you capture “magazine level” portrait shots.

Arguably the most eye-popping feature (pun intended) of the OPPO Reno is the unique design of the pop-up selfie camera. Instead of the normal motorised pop up camera you find on other smartphones, OPPO opted for a design that is reminiscent of a shark fin. The design is dubbed as a Pivot-Rising Structure by OPPO, the selfie camera is a 16MP camera which also includes a soft flash.
Other specifications of the OPPO Reno include a Snapdragon 710 processor, a 3,765mAh battery, 6GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. The Reno features VOOC 3.0 charging, a proprietary system-level optimisation software called HyperBoost 2.0 which is developed independently by OPPO. The HyperBoost 2.0 also includes three separate modules called Game Boost, System Boost and App Boost for improved performances. The phone also comes with ColorOS 6 based on Android P out of the box.

The OPPO Reno will retail at RM 1,999 and will be up for pre-order from May 17 to May 27 at any OPPO Concept Stores, official OPPO dealers, the OPPO Official Website or any of their stores on Lazada or Shopee. Those who pre-order will receive extra gifts worth up to RM 437. These gifts include a smart battery case, extended one year warranty and screen protection warranty.
The OPPO Reno is available in two colours, Ocean Green and Jet Black.
Pokdepinion: To be completely honest, I’m not too sure how this phone will do against cheaper and similar specced phones like the realme 3 Pro. Also why OPPO didn’t announce the 10x Zoom version of the OPPO Reno together with this beats the heck out of me.
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Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.9.1 enables Smart Access Memory on Radeon RX 5000 series, and more

AMD has just announced the latest Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.9.1 Optional drivers, which bring a slew of additional features to further enhance the advantage of going full-AMD with your gaming setup. For starters, Radeon Software will now offer auto-overclocking on AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPU and Radeon RX 6000 series GPU-powered desktop gaming systems.

Gamers can now quickly tune the performance of their CPU and GPU from Radeon Software, which lets you boost performance in games from one simple-to-use tab, instead of having to fire up Ryzen Master just to adjust the CPU, and Radeon Software just to adjust the GPU.

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If you aren’t on the latest generations of AMD CPUs and GPUs, you can still benefit from Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.9.1, with AMD finally adding support for Smart Access Memory on the AMD Radeon RX 5000 series graphics cards. Previously, this feature was exclusively available on Radeon RX 6000 series paired with the Ryzen 5000 series processors, before AMD opened the doors to Ryzen 3000 series users as well.

Now gamers on the AMD Radeon RX 5000 series graphics cards can also enjoy the additional performance brought about by enabling Smart Access Memory. In case you haven’t already, you will need to enable the Resizable BAR setting in the BIOS of your motherboard for Smart Access Memory to work.
Last but not least, Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.9.1 will bring support for Windows 11, bringing the full suite of features like Radeon Boost, Radeon Anti-Lag and Radeon Image Sharpening to Windows 11 PCs.
Aside from the new driver, AMD also announced a slew of new FidelityFX Super Resolution titles:

A Chinese Ghost Story
Arcadegeddon
Black Desert
Chernobylite
Dota 2
Edge of Eternity
Elite Dangerous: Odyssey
Marvel’s Avengers
Myst
Necromunda: Hired Gun
NiShuiHan
Resident Evil Village
The Medium
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt

More games like DEATHLOOP, World War Z: Aftermath, JX3, F1 2021 and No Man’s Sky will also be adding FSR support soon, improving performance across all the GPUs available in the market.
Pokdepinion: Took them long enough… I am not even using my Red Devil Radeon RX 5700 XT anymore…
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 New Hinge Design Will Eliminate Display Crease

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is said to have a new hinge design that’s expected to eliminate an eyesore on foldables; the display crease.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 New Hinge Design

A new report suggests that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 may eliminate the crease on its main display by introducing a new waterdrop hinge mechanism. This mechanism will allow the panel to fold completely flat by forming a droplet shape inside the hinge body, preventing the crease between the two sides of the panel.

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This approach is similar to those seen in the Moto Razr and OPPO Find N series. The current Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Flip4 models still use U-shaped hinges which create noticeable creases and do not close completely flat. Samsung is also expected to retain the IPX8 water resistance rating on the Z Fold5.
Source
Pokdepinion: Personally, I don’t mind the crease since I usually end up forgetting that it’s there. However, the technology does need to evolve and it’s one way of moving forward.
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Gigabyte debut it first C230 series motherboard — for Intel Xeon Skylake

With the official launched of Intel Xeon E3 V5 that based on Skylake architecture, Gigabyte has debut its first motherboard that support latest Intel Xeon E3 V5 processor with C230 motherboard chipset.
The reason why the C230 chipset available is because there’s some features wont support on the consumer grade motherboard, to be precise the Intel 100 series motherboard. So the C230 is meant for who interested for lower-end workstation or server grade machine. Gigabyte has released several motherboard with the C230 chipset, targeting for end-user and business customer.
First features that available on C230 series motherboard that be the primary sales point is which might not support on Intel 100 series chipset is a dual graphics workstation board for SLI or Crossfire with dual Intel network ports (I210+I219-LM), a COM port, TPM support, M.2 support and an interesting proprietary connector between the CPU socket and the PCIe slots for expansion cards the Gigabyte MW31-SP0.

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On the other hand, the Gigabyte MW21-SE0 comes with micro-ATX form factor, unlike the Gigabyte MW31-SP0, this board provide base entry workstation motherboard. There is no onboard audio for example, only a single PCIe 3.0 x16, only one Intel I219-LM network controller, a TPM, some SATA ports and USB headers, plus four DDR4 slots for up to 64GB of memory. Add in a COM port, VGA for the AST1400 control and that’s about it.
The Gigabyte MX11-PC0 actually a mini-ITX motherboard that could be a great server solution. There are some a number of interesting elements to this worth noting. The DRAM slots are positioned for server use, but the power ports are still on the outside of the motherboard in such a way that a couple of features stick out.
Lastly Gigabyte MX31-BS0 still with the same mini-ITX  form factor, puts the socket/DRAM orientation more suited for server airflow but also attempts to aim for that low to mid-range implementation with IPMI control via an AST2400, dual I210 network ports, an M.2 slot supporting SATA and PCIe 3.0 x1, onboard USB 2.0 Type-A and what amusingly looks like a Realtek audio codec onboard but without rear-panel audio jacks

SOURCE : Anandtech

Pokdepinion : All these board is suitable for lower-end server for business. With some good  features and form factor, it still can be a serious mean machine for some corporation. But how does it compare to the ARM based server solution which offering lower power consumption is still hard for us explain it.
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This Malaysian Startup Turns Any PC Game Into VR – It’s Called CLOVR

One of the more interesting crowdfunding projects from Kickstarter in recent times, CLOVR turns any PC game into VR and surprisingly, it’s based in Malaysia.
CLOVR, A Malaysian Startup That Turns Any PC Game Into VR

Today, we were invited to an exclusive look into CLOVR, a Malaysian startup crowdfunded on Kickstarter that turns virtually every PC game into VR. You can play games such as Titanfall 2, Borderlands, Left 4 Dead 2, and many more using a simple VR headset, and not the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, or even the PS VR.

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Despite the VR market’s worth valuating at billions of dollars, it hasn’t really taken off that well and the people behind CLOVR has identified a number of problems when it comes to the VR technology today. The first is that traditional VR headsets are troublesome to set up as there’s plenty of equipment needed, especially for the HTC Vive. The 2nd major problem here is that the overall cost is simply too expensive for most consumers as the headset can cost thousands of Ringgit and the machines needed to run it will cost even more.

As such, CLOVR has invented a rather clever way for people to experience PC VR gaming. The PC will be rendering everything that is needed, and it will be transmitted to a smartphone via Wi-Fi connection, which will then be used together with those mobile VR headsets. Using the CLOVR app, you will then be able to play the game using said headset, and you will be controlling your vision by moving your head in a 360-degree environment.

Moving your characters in the game will still require some sort of controller but you don’t need any special controller for that. You can even use a standard keyboard and mouse if you wish, but your movements may be limited in this sense. It’s best to use a controller an Xbox controller or any gamepad you wish. During the live demo session, they used the iPega PG 9057 Wireless Bluetooth Gun Controller.

At the time of this writing, CLOVR has not been officially launched yet. Early backers will  be able to access it in June 2018 whereas for everyone else, you are looking at a September 2018 global launch. There are a bunch of PC games that can already be used with this technology but we’re expecting to see support for an even wider variety of games by the time come its official launch.
The prices are subscription-based, with them looking at about SGD $0.99 per month. We’re expecting to hear more about the prices very soon.
If you’d like to support them or get to know them better, check out their website by clicking right here. Their official Kickstarter campaign will be launching very soon.
Pokdepinion: I personally tried CLOVR and it was rather interesting. Sure, it’s not as graphically appealing as most other VR headsets around but it works surprisingly well with very little delay in response despite running everything wirelessly. According to the technical guy at CLOVR, the delay is measured at 16ms, and that seems pretty legit from what I experienced.
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realme 6 Pro Review — a significant upgrade?

The realme 6 Pro is realme’s latest mid-range entry, with some massive upgrades over the realme 5 Pro. Considering that realme has mentioned that the realme 6 succeeds the realme 5 Pro, the realme 6 Pro slots into an even more premium segment, which is rather apparent with its somewhat premium specifications. With that said, let’s take a closer look at the realme 6 Pro.
Unboxing

The packaging of the realme 6 Pro is as simple as the realme 6’s, with the exception of an additional Pro label. I really dig this packaging and I hope realme continues using this design in the future.

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The contents of the packaging are pretty standard, although the inclusion of a tinted case is rather questionable as the design on the back of the realme 6 Pro is one worth flaunting. To some, at least.
Appearance

Our unit of the realme 6 Pro came in the Lightning Blue color option, which looks pretty striking. I do find it a lot better looking than the Crystal Design of the realme 5 series, but I am not a particularly huge fan of this design though. The realme 6’s lines that meet at the bottom of the device looks more premium than this lightning bolt design. However realme did use glass here, so it does feel more premium than its lesser brethren, despite looking otherwise.

Most of the design elements are shared with the realme 6, and that includes a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The volume rocker is situated over on the other side of the device, along with the SIM tray.

The bottom of the device is home to the USB-C port and also the 3.5mm jack. The finishing of the plastic left much to be desired here, with some unevenness visible around the perforations. The glossy plastic is also not exactly the best material to have on the frame of a smartphone, as it gets greasy too easily when you hold it, making it all the more slippery.

And here we have the crowning glory of the realme 6 Pro: the 6.6″ 90 Hz display. There are very minimal bezels around the display, and the punch hole housing the dual selfie camera is pushed very close to the edges of the display, which is always a good thing as that means more usable screen area.
realme 6 Pro Specifications

CPU:
Snapdragon 720G (2 x Kryo 465 Gold @ 2.3 GHz + 6 x Kryo 465 Silver @ 1.8 GHz), 8nm

GPU:
Adreno 618 @ 750 MHz

RAM:
8GB LPDDR4x

Display:
6.6″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) LCD display, 90 Hz refresh rate, 90.6% screen to body ratio

Storage:
128GB UFS 2.1 (expandable via microSD)

Camera:
Main Camera(s)
64MP f/1.8 Samsung GW1 + 8MP f/2.3 ultra-wide angle camera + 12MP f/2.5 telephoto + 2MP f/2.4 macro
Super Nightscape, Ultra 64MP Mode, UIS Video Stabilization, AI Scene Recognition, Portrait, 4K30 video
Front Camera
16MP f/2.0 + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide
Beauty mode , 1080p30 video

OS:
realme UI based on Android 10

Connectivity:
LTE Band 1/3/5/8/38/40/41
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 5.1

SIM:
Dual SIM (dedicated dual SIM)

Battery:
Li-Po 4300 mAh (non-removable)
30W Flash Charge (USB-C)

Dimensions:
163.8 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm

Weight:
195 g

Ingress protection:
Splash-resistance (no IP rating)

Performance
As it happens, the realme 6 Pro was scheduled for a launch ahead of the realme 6, but then the RMO happened and it all changed. That’s why you will see that these charts does not compare it directly against the realme 6.

In Antutu we can see that the realme 6 Pro is way faster than the realme 5 Pro and its Snapdragon 712 chipset. Those coming from the previous generation of realme’s mid-range offerings are in for a major upgrade.

Geekbench sees it offer better single-core performance than even the Snapdragon 845, but of course multi-core performance isn’t nearly as impressive. As you can see, the realme 5 Pro doesn’t hold a candle to the realme 6 Pro.

Similar performance improvements are seen in the GPU department too, with it be delivering numbers well above the realme 5 Pro’s score.

PCMark performance also sees it shoot well above the other devices in the list, scoring above even the flagship Snapdragon 845-powered POCOPHONE F1.

Efficiency appears to have taken a step backwards though, with the realme 6 Pro delivering less battery life than the realme 5 Pro despite a bigger battery. Of course, switching to the 90 Hz display worsens the battery life a little, but not significantly so.

In normal, real-world usage, the realme 6 Pro delivers a good seven hours of use. Recharging it is a rather quick affair with 58% regained in just 30 minutes. Looking at the battery life on offer, we should be looking at a day of use before you need to reconnect it to the 30W Flash Charger again.
User Experience

The main reason why anyone would pick the realme 6 Pro over its more affordable peers featuring the same chipset is going to be the 90 Hz Smooth Display. It’s a step up from the regular 60 Hz displays you get on other smartphones, but it’s not as huge an upgrade as you might expect.
The response times of the display is rather slow, resulting in ghosting when you are scrolling quickly. The 90 Hz capability is also not available in all apps, with all games not allowed to take advantage of the feature. You can only get the high refresh rate in apps like Twitter, Facebook or Chrome, which might be a bummer to those hoping to own a mid-range gaming smartphone with a 90 Hz display. The overall smoothness is also not exactly there, as there are some minor stutters throughout the UI of the realme 6 Pro. Interestingly the realme 6 offered a better experience, despite offering lower scores in benchmarks.

Speaking of the UI, realme UI is featured on all realme smartphones since the realme C3, with it offered as an update to their older offerings too. It’s a pretty sleek UI that’s a lot cleaner than ColorOS 6, and I am pretty happy with it.

The camera UI is also similarly revamped, although it now takes longer to get to certain modes like the Ultra Macro mode. However all the important items like zoom, the shutter button and even the aspect ratio is readily accessible from the default page.
          Macro            Macro          Nightscape (main camera)              Main camera            Main camera            Main camera              Nightscape (ultra-wide)          Ultra-wide            Ultra-wide              Ultra-wide          Nightscape (telephoto)          Telephoto camera            Telephoto camera              Main selfie camera
The main camera takes decent photos, albeit with a tendency to oversaturate colors once Chroma Boost is turned on. Without Chroma Boost, it somehow decides that muted colors are the way to go instead. There’s also some serious chromatic aberration at the edges of the frame. The ultra-wide camera takes decent shots, but for some reason doesn’t perform well even in low-light when the Nightscape mode is used. Meanwhile the zoom camera here which sets it apart from the realme 6 offers decent images in good lighting, but once the lighting dies down you are left with soft images that aren’t really usable even for social media. You can check out the full-sized samples here.
Conclusion

realme seems to be aspiring for a higher price segment that the realme XT occupied previously with the realme 6 Pro. While I don’t see anything wrong with that, the competition in this segment has also evolved, and the steep price of the realme 6 Pro doesn’t exactly help it stand out. For RM1399, you can easily score a variety of last-gen flagships, which makes the realme 6 Pro look all the more out of place. If what you want is a current-gen mid-range, you can get the same camera and chipset combination for quite a lot less, albeit without the 90 Hz display. Is a 90 Hz refresh rate worth the premium to you even though it only works in selected apps? Well, that’s up to you to decide.
Our thanks to realme Malaysia for sending us the realme 6 Pro for review.
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Dear POCO, here’s what I want to see in the POCO F4

Right off the bat, I will let you know that I am a huge fan of the POCO brand. I immediately fell in love with the POCOPHONE F1 when I reviewed it. It had a rather good camera for its era, performance was excellent even in comparison to other Snapdragon 845-powered flagships, and the battery life was great as well. The only drawback of the device was probably the fact that its IPS display is not exactly great, and it had a massive notch. In its defense, the POCOPHONE F1 offered IR facial recognition, which is something that many flagships today still “forget” to include. But hey, it was cheap, it was fast, and it made for a budget gaming phone like no other.

We then have the POCO F2 Pro, which came like two years later. It was significantly pricier, but it also came with substantial upgrades. Aside from the faster Snapdragon 865 under the hood, you get faster charging, an ultra-wide camera and my all-time favorite, the telemacro camera, a feature which still made its way into last year’s Mi 11. The display itself also got an upgrade to a beautiful 6.67″ OLED panel. It was a true full-screen display, with the selfie camera hidden away with a motorized mechanism. This device was so impressive, that I actually bought it for myself. Just for context, I have not bought a smartphone since 2014. It was that good.

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The gradual decline?

With the POCO F3, it started from a more affordable price, but it also marked somewhat of a side-grade. The Snapdragon 870 is still based on the Snapdragon 865, albeit with slightly higher clocks. The display was upgraded to a 120Hz one, and we also got dual speakers, enhanced by Dolby Atmos. However that’s pretty much the end of the list of upgrades. While the POCOPHONE F1 and POCO F2 Pro focused a lot on performance, the POCO F3 offered an abysmal CPU upgrade from the POCO F2 Pro, and seems to have taken a step back when it comes to cooling.

Instead of the massive vapor chamber of the POCO F2 Pro, we now get a dinky little heatpipe in the POCO F3. Reviews also revealed that the POCO F3 often ran hot, to the point that the screen dimmed during gaming sessions. The POCO F3 also got a smaller 4520mAh battery while retaining the same 33W fast charging. The camera setup got downgraded coming from the POCO F2 Pro as well, with the main camera dropped from 64MP to 48MP, and the ultra-wide going from 13MP to 8MP. We also lost the headphone jack. While it’s cheaper than the POCO F2 Pro, I found no reason to upgrade to it, because it wasn’t one. Even calling it a side-grade is being generous.
POCO F4 to be very similar to the POCO F3?

According to rumors, the POCO F4 will continue the trend of side-grades. The display is reportedly going to be smaller, which might be a good thing, but we will also be seeing the Snapdragon 870 power yet another POCO flagship. I will side track and say that this might be yet another blessing in disguise, as the recent Snapdragon flagship chips are running somewhat toasty. We may possibly see a return to a large vapor chamber, which will allow the POCO F4 to outperform the POCO F3, even though they sport the same chipset. Most of the features aren’t changed, although it will reportedly get OIS for the main 48MP camera, and there will be faster 67W charging for its 4500mAh battery.
But is it really what I want to see as a POCO fan?
Here’s what I want to see in the next POCO flagship

Let’s revisit what the POCOPHONE F1 and POCO F2 Pro brought to the market. Prioritizing performance over most other creature comforts, to deliver flagship performance at an affordable price. And one thing that probably made the POCOPHONE F1 and POCO F2 Pro so interesting is that they had a two-year gap between them, which is what I would consider to be the perfect upgrade cycle. But I digress. Focus on performance, keep the price low.
What I believe POCO can do for the next flagship is to adopt a MediaTek chipset to offer an upgrade, without having to deal with the thermal issues of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Maybe the Dimensity 8100 or Dimensity 9000? With that said, a focus on heat dissipation is definitely in order to allow for better sustained performance. On the camera end, we can probably focus on a strong primary camera, but it doesn’t have to be the best out there. Perhaps just reuse the POCO F2 Pro’s camera setup, but throw in OIS for the main camera, and improved processing.

I would expect a high refresh rate display at this point, but to hit that sweet spot when it comes to pricing, a 1080p panel is sufficient. Heck, I have used 1440p smartphones, and never found them to look significantly better than a good 1080p display. A lower resolution also allows for better battery life, but I would still expect at least a 4500mAh battery, with 33W fast charging. Faster is cool, but also unnecessary. While we are at it, throw in wireless charging as well? I must mention that wireless charging is a feature I can honestly live without though, so that’s really optional.

To wrap things up, I would love to see stereo speakers, aluminum frame and matte glass backs. Bonus points for throwing in a popup selfie camera, but if it can be IP68-rated, then I am fine to not have the hidden selfie camera. If you think that the overall package isn’t a huge upgrade from the POCO F2 Pro, well, that’s because I still think that the POCO F2 Pro is a much better device than the POCO F3, as I have mentioned. Overall, all I want is an improved POCO F2 Pro. Is that too much to ask for?

Now that we are on this topic, can we also not have so many random rebrands of Redmi devices? I mean, it’s fine if they are like the POCO F3 GT, since the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition isn’t available globally, but when it’s stuff like the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G getting a fresh coat of paint and being called the POCO X4 Pro 5G… That’s really quite unwarranted, especially since both of the devices are available here in Malaysia. The POCOPHONE F1 was a breath of fresh air in the market, now it’s just a barrage of devices that overlap the ones from its sister company. Perhaps the best solution for all of this would be for POCO to return to a two-year product cycle, as then POCO can spend time on R&D to develop their own product.
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Quick Charge 5 brings 100W fast charging, cooler temps and greater efficiency

Qualcomm has just announced Quick Charge 5, their latest fast charging standard that can support charging rates of over 100W. It is also compatible with industry standards like USB Power Delivery and older Quick Charge standards, which is always a nice touch, unlike certain brands that release their proprietary fast charging standards that only work with their own devices and their specific set of accessories.
Qualcomm promises that Quick Charge 5 will be able to fully charge a 4500mAh battery in 15 minutes, or 50% in 5 minutes. On top of that, they boast that QC5 will be up to 10°C cooler and up to 70% more efficient than Quick Charge 4/4+. The cooler temperatures should prevent further accelerating battery degradation, which is already an issue with current fast charging solutions.
Of course, how fast your device can charge will still rely on the implementation in your specific device. On Qualcomm’s end, Quick Charge 5 supports for up to 20V and 5A. Higher voltage and current are supported too, although As you might expect, there are also a number of temperature, voltage and current protections to avoid explosive results.

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Qualcomm will be offered two new SMB1396 and SMB1398 power management ICs which support Quick Charge 5’s full feature set. Xiaomi might be the first to showcase Quick Charge 5’s 100W fast charging, as we have previously seen Xiaomi boast of 100W charging although it has yet to launch a device that can actually charge at that rate.

With that said, Qualcomm expects devices with Quick Charge 5 to appear in Q3 2020, which is anytime from now until September 2020.
Pokdepinion: Fast charging is cool, but have you heard about bigger batteries for longer battery life?
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Star Wars Battlefront II Teaser Leaks Online Early

A teaser trailer for EA’s Battlefront sequel has leaked online early. First posted by Star Wars Underworld, the first trailer was supposed to premiere during Star Wars Celebration this month happening in Orlando. The internet community it seems had other plans. Watch it here before Disney’s humongous banhammer strikes.
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The trailer starts with a narration presumably by the unnamed female soldier featured in the trailer that alludes to a single player campaign. She says,
I still remember my last orders – the day the real war began.
Also the line, “the untold soldier’s story” points pretty strongly to a single player campaign. This new single campaign looks to be a post Return of The Jedi story judging by the exploding Death Star II. Also the cry, “AVENGE OUR EMPEROR!” suggests that this single player campaign will bridge the gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

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As was previously rumoured, looking at how Rey, Kylo Ren, Yoda, Darth Maul and the First Order all make appearances in this short teaser we know that Star Wars Battlefront II will have campaigns from multiple eras. Not just one single era as is in the first Star Wars Battlefront. It looks like space battles will be also making a return in Star Wars Battlfront II after it was controversially omitted from the first Star Wars Battlefront.

EA’s Battlefront revival attempt with Battlefield studio DICE back in 2015 hasn’t gone down all too well with fans and casual gamers alike. Most of the criticism is directed towards the bare bones gameplay that made it feel completely shallow with many agreeing that the original Star Wars Battlefront series were much better. People also complained that the extra content was too expensive and still didn’t provide enough depth to the overall game. However, the beautiful graphics, easily accessible game mechanics and the fact that it’s Star Wars during a period where Star Wars was red hot and all the rage saved it from total obscurity and ensured enough sales to warrant a sequel.

This teaser confirms that Star Wars Battlefront II will release for the PS4 and will most definitely release for Xbox One and PC. The teaser also states that those who pre-order will get Star Wars: The Last Jedi characters as well. No release date has been revealed but expect Star Wars Battlefront II to release in time for this year’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which hits cinemas this December.
Pokdepinion: As a fan of the old Battlefront series I was hugely disappointed with the EA’s reboot. Sure the game looked beautiful and all but that alone doesn’t make up for a game that was practically an empty shell. EA did acknowledge the shortcomings of the first game so hopefully Star Wars Battlefront II will be much better and do the Battlefront name justice.
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Upcoming AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT specifications leaked

AMD is reportedly going to release a Radeon RX 5600 XT soon to occupy the gap between the Radeon RX 5700 and Radeon RX 5500 XT graphics cards. Interestingly, it will be almost a Radeon RX 5700, but with less memory, and slower memory.
The regular Radeon RX 5700 which has been in the market for quite some time now packs 8GB GDDR6 running at 14 Gbps, while the upcoming Radeon RX 5600 XT is expected to offer 6GB GDDR6 running at 12 Gbps. That’s also fed via a narrower 192-bit memory interface, resulting in quite a drop in memory bandwidth.
A Radeon RX 5700 with slower and less VRAM.
AMD might be using slightly lesser bins of the Radeon RX 5700, i.e. Navi 10 GPUs that didn’t make the cut as a Radeon RX 5700. While it sports the same number of stream processors, the base clocks are quite a bit slower. The following specifications are from the Reddit thread (which was later deleted) that the GPU’s specifications were originally leaked in.

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Radeon RX 5600 XT vs Radeon RX 5700
Radeon RX 5600 XT *rumored* Radeon RX 5700GPUNavi 10, 2304 SP, 36 CU7nm FinFETNavi 10, 2304 SP, 36 CU7nm FinFET ClocksBase: 1235 MHzGame: 1460 MHzBoost: 1620 MHzBase: 1465 MHzGame: 1625 MHzBoost: 1725 MHzMemory6GB GDDR6 @ 12 Gbps192-bit memory interface288GB/s memory bandwidth8GB GDDR6 @ 14 Gbps256-bit memory interface448GB/s memory bandwidth
Take note that the clocks you see here are reportedly from an ASRock Radeon RX 5600 XT Challenger which comes with a factory overclocked slapped on, so the reference clocks might be a little bit slower. The new card is expected to deliver quite a bit less performance due to the rather substantial reduction in memory bandwidth rather than the clocks though. I am not exactly sure how much that will affect performance in games, but we will know soon enough when the Radeon RX 5600 XT is launched and reviews begin to roll out.
Will it offer much better performance than the Radeon RX 5500 XT?
Speaking of which, rumors point to the Radeon RX 5600 XT debuting at CES 2020, which is happening this 7th January at Las Vegas. Perhaps we will know more about it before then?
Pokdepinion: With the wide gap between the Radeon RX 5500 XT and Radeon RX 5700, the Radeon RX 5600 XT’s pricing might get rather interesting.
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Ultimate Ears expanded its speaker’s lineup — UE MEGABOOM, UE BOOM 2 & UE ROLL 2

Ultimate Ears expanded its speaker’s lineup in Malaysia with the UE MEGABOOM, the next-generation portable wireless speaker that delivers more power, more sound and more bass than you’ve ever experienced before. UE also introduced UE BOOM 2 and UE ROLL 2, the latest editions to UE’s colorful lineup of beach-, snow- and anywhere-you-go-proof wireless mobile speakers.

UE MEGABOOM blasts amazing 360-degree sound with heart-pounding bass. With a waterproof IPX7 certified, stain-resistant acoustic skin, and a durable grab-and-go design, UE MEGABOOM makes your musical adventures both awesome and easy. Plus, UE MEGABOOM weighs less than 900 grams, features a 20-hour rechargeable battery life and 100-foot wireless Bluetooth® range, so you can keep the party going anywhere.

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UE BOOM 2 promised great sound in every direction and up to 15 hours of battery life. The speaker is completely waterproof design with IPX7 certificated, drop-proof up to five feet high, and the size of a water bottle. UE BOOM 2 also 25% louder and has better wireless range up to 100-feet. It also features innovative tap control that allows to skip songs, without needing to have your phone in-hand.

UE ROLL 2 keep the sleek, disc shape design of the original UE ROLL but brings 15% louder and better wireless signal. Weigh at just 230 grams, the UE ROLL 2 packs in more sound without adding extra size or bulk. It is also equipped with a bungee cord loop that can be attached to your backpack, so you can take it anywhere and never be without music. It’s waterproof (IPX7 certified), drop-proof and built to withstand a beat up, all while delivering epic sound in the palm of your hand.
Availability of UE MEGABOOM, UE BOOM 2 and UE ROLL 2
UE MEGABOOM, UE BOOM 2 and UE ROLL 2 are now available at all Major Apple Stores, followed by major gadget stores by end of November. UE MEGABOOM priced at RM 1,199.00 whereas UE BOOM 2 at RM 929.00. UE ROLL 2 goes for a suggested retail price of RM 449.00.
PartyUP appPartyUP Interface 1PartyUP appPartyUP Interface 2PartyUP appPartyUP Interface 3PartyUP appPartyUP Interface 4PartyUP appPartyUP Interface 5PartyUP appPartyUP Interface 6
Ultimate Ears also announced PartyUp, a new app feature that allows you to connect more than 50 UE speakers within seconds. With this app, you can connect a mix of UE BOOM, UE BOOM 2 and UE MEGABOOM speakers together, allowing you to crank up the music in places where no other sound system can go, sharing music and moments in ways that weren’t previously possible.
With a free, over-the-air update to the existing UE BOOM and UE MEGABOOM apps, you can easily see, select, drag and drop available speakers to join the party in just seconds. From Siri and Google Now voice integration to Tap Controls, UE has added a host of additional features, continually unlocking experiences for music fans.
PartyUp is available through the iOS® and Android™ app stores This free app enhancement works with UE BOOM, UE BOOM 2 and UE MEGABOOM through the UE BOOM and UE MEGABOOM apps.

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Sneak Peek – Magic: The Gathering’s Amonkhet Expansion; See It First Here Before It Releases

Get the first look at Magic: The Gathering’s Amonkhet expansion before it finally comes out!
I remember a time when people were so into trading card games. People used to flock hobby shops across the country to try and grab some rare cards while also battling with their friends to see who’s the best one around.
Well, if you thought Magic: The Gathering isn’t doing well and no one’s playing them anymore, you’d be surprised. We were invited to a pre-release event for the game’s latest expansion; Amonkhet.

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Introducing Magic: The Gathering’s Amonkhet Expansion

The Amonkhet expansion brings Magic: The Gathering players to a new world of the same name. The might and majesty of the God-Pharaoh is all around. However, the plane is also ruled over by Nicol Bolas.
Most residents of Amonkhet have one mission in life; prepare for a glorious afterlife. Death is all the rage here, and the new abilities in this set put the graveyard in the spotlight. To undergo the five trials of the Gods and become worthy, an initiate must hone body and mind. With the main objective of taking out Nicol Bolas, The Gatewatch is faced with intense opposition.
Unboxing of the Amonkhet Pre-Release Pack

We got our hands on the Amonkhet pre-release pack, along with the bundle pack among other things. This one, we’re gonna show you the unboxing of the pre-release pack.
The new set also has a number of new abilities that they want to let people know about:
Embalm
Embalm is an activated ability you can activate if the creature card with embalm is in your graveyard. You’re not casting the card from the graveyard, so things that counter spells won’t work against the embalm ability. The original creature spell can be countered, but that just puts the card in the graveyard.
Exert
You make the decision whether to exert a creature as you declare it as an attacker. If you choose to have it exert, an ability will trigger and grant you some bonus. As a trade-off, the creature won’t untap during your next turn.
Aftermath
The new aftermath ability lets instants and sorceries in on the graveyard party with a new twist on split cards. You can cast both halves of an aftermath card in the same turn, or you can space it out and have the card sit in your graveyard for a few turns.
Cycling
Cycling lets you trade a card in hand for a new card. Maybe your opponent doesn’t have any good targets for Limits of Solidarity, or maybe you’re just good on life for now and need to find a threat. Whatever the reason, cycling a card gives you another shot and finding what you need.

Prereleases are happening at all local stores in Malaysia on 22nd April 2017 onwards. Check out our tournament locator to find a local store pre-release event near you. These events are Sealed Deck format events, where players are given pre-release packs and time to construct a 40-card minimum deck. Unravel the madness at your local store this weekend.
The official release date of Magic: The Gathering’s Amonkhet expansion is set on April 28th 2017. It will also appear in Magic Duels on April 26th 2017 for PC (Steam) and iOS devices. The new release adds new unique earnable cards, Story Quests, Skill Quests, and more customizable items.

Pokdepinion: Honestly, I was a bit scare when I jumped back into Magic: The Gathering. I have completely forgot about the game, and how to play it, but thanks to a buddy over at The Sun (Azizul), I’ve managed to experience the new Amonkhet expansion at its finest. It was great and it really made me want to jump back into it once more. If you actually play the game, look forward to it. It’s pretty good.
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The new Mac Pro takes the cheese grater aesthetic to the next level

I liked the Apple Mac Pro (2009), or the one before the trash can. I also liked the trash can, or what one might call the Mac Pro (2013). But this, this is an abomination of design. I know people referred to the Mac Pro 2009’s design as a “cheese grater” but this is just ridiculous.

I mean, look at those handles! And those round holes which has holes in them! The new Mac Pro is probably what happens when a company thinks, “eh, the memes are good. Let’s realize them.” With that said, the Mac Pro 2019 is probably the most upgradeable system Apple has designed in recent years, and they definitely deserve a pat on the back for that. So upgradeable, that you can actually configure it with wheels if you want.

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You can cram quite a lot into what should be the ultimate trypophobia nightmare. Apple offers you the new Mac Pro in configurations with the 28C/56T Intel Xeon W-3175X, which clocks up to 4.4 GHz. For RAM, you can get up to 1.5TB of DDR4 2933 ECC memory in it. Meanwhile for the GPUs, you can get up to two Radeon Pro Vega II Duo MPX Modules in this baby. That’s four 7nm Vega II GPUs. *slaps top of case

Speaking of the MPX Module, you can upgrade it with newer GPUs when it comes out, but its probably going to be quite costly. While Apple relies on the same PCIe 3.0 x16 connector we all know, they added an all-new PCIe connector that can deliver 475W of power and also Thunderbolt 3 capability to your card. Needless to say, upgrading the new Mac Pro won’t be as simple as going to the store and getting a new GPU and just throwing that in. You will have to wait for Apple to release a new MPX Module with the GPU you want, and if we know anything about Apple, that would definitely not be cheap.

One tiny advantage of relying on the MPX Module is that you will have a much neater build, without the need for PCIe power cables running around. Also, you get Thunderbolt 3 out the back of your GPU. How cool is that? Speaking of cool, there are no fans on the MPX Module, with the Mac Pro relying entirely on the fans on the front blowing through the heatsink’s fins. So that cheese grater look is not just for aesthetics, it is actually vital to keep your GPUs from burning up. The CPU is also cooled in a similar pattern.

Prices start from a cool $5999 (~RM25 058), so if you want the 28-core CPU, dual Radeon Pro Vega II Duo, 1.5TB RAM… You will be looking at quite a huge sum. Oh and to complete the set, you can get the $4999 (~RM20 881) Apple Pro Display XDR, which has a separate $999 (~RM4173) stand. You will have to wait till Fall 2019 before you can get them though.
Pokdepinion: Hm, Apple seems to have lost their mind a bit.
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HONOR 30 Series launched in China priced from just ~RM1842

The HONOR 30S debuted a little earlier last month, but the HONOR 30, HONOR 30 Pro and HONOR 30 Pro+ was just launched today. These being HONOR’s flagships, they bring top-of-the-line specifications, and they also represent a huge upgrade over last year’s HONOR 20 series and also the HONOR V30 series launched earlier this year. Let’s get into the lower-end of the trio first, the HONOR 30.
HONOR 30
The HONOR 30 is surprisingly interesting for their base model. If you remember, we found the HONOR 20 to be quite boring, but the HONOR 30 is definitely everything but that. It will debut with an all-new chipset, the Kirin 985 5G which comes with newer Mali-G77 GPU cores, although we can probably expect the overall performance to slot in below the Kirin 990 5G.

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Photography is the focus of the HONOR 30 series, and the HONOR 30 doesn’t plan on disappointing. It comes with 40MP f/1.8 main camera, featuring the large 1/1.7″ Sony IMX600 RYYB sensor. Fleshing out the quad-camera ensemble is an 8MP f/3.4 5x telephoto camera, a 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. This should be the first time HONOR offered a periscopic zoom camera, so it is really quite impressive to see it offered even in the base HONOR 30 model.

But that’s not the only new thing offered in the HONOR 30. This is also HONOR’s first flagship aside from the HONOR Magic series to offer OLED displays. You get a 6.53″ FHD+ OLED panel here, and it supports up to the DCI-P3 color gamut. There’s also 40W SuperCharge, a feature usually reserved for the more premium models. Even the HUAWEI P40 didn’t get support for 40W fast charging.
HONOR 30 Pro

Taking things up a notch is the HONOR 30 Pro. The chipset under the hood here is none other than the Kirin 990 5G, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. The display is also larger at 6.57″, with a smooth curvature over the sides to indicate its premium intentions. Above the display is the earpiece which also works as one half of the stereo loudspeaker system in the HONOR 30 Pro.

The cameras see an upgrade too, with the 8MP ultra-wide camera swapped out for a 16MP fixed focus one. There’s no macro camera here, for better or worse. Selfie addicts will find the dual front-facing camera to be a nice upgrade too, with an additional 8MP ultra-wide selfie camera slotted into the pill-shaped cutout in the screen.
HONOR 30 Pro+

HONOR took a page out of HUAWEI’s playbook this time and released their ultimate flagship dubbed the HONOR 30 Pro+. Most of the specifications are maintained the same, although the camera gets even more impressive on the HONOR 30 Pro+. You get the new 50MP 1/1.28″ Sony IMX700 sensor behind its main camera lens, and the ultra-wide angle also gets autofocus with support for macro shots from as close up as 2.5cm from the subject.

The screen is also upgraded to a 90 Hz panel, of the same size and resolution. It also gains support for 27W SuperCharge Wireless, a feature absent from both the other HONOR 30 models. Here are the specifications breakdown for the trio:
HONOR 30 Series Specs

HONOR 30
HONOR 30 Pro
HONOR 30 Pro+

Chipset
Kirin 985 5G
octa-core up to 2.58 GHz
Mali-G77MP8 GPU
7nm
Kirin 990 5G
octa-core up to 2.86 GHz
Mali-G76MP16 GPU
7nm+ EUV
Kirin 990 5G
octa-core up to 2.86 GHz
Mali-G76MP16 GPU
7nm+ EUV

RAM
Up to 8GB
8GB
Up to 12GB

Storage
Up to 256GB
Up to 256GB
256GB

Display
6.53″ FHD+ OLED
6.57″ FHD+ OLED, curved
6.57″ FHD+ OLED, 90 Hz refresh rate, curved

Camera
40MP f/1.8 + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 8MP f/3.4 5x periscopic zoom, OIS
40MP f/1.8 + 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 8MP f/3.4 5x periscopic zoom, OIS
50MP f/1.9 + 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 8MP f/3.4 5x periscopic zoom, OIS

Selfie camera
32MP f/2.0
32MP f/2.0 + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide
32MP f/2.0 + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide

Battery
4000 mAh
40W SuperCharge
4000 mAh
40W SuperCharge
4000 mAh
40W SuperCharge
27W SuperCharge Wireless

Price
6GB + 128GB: 2999 CNY (~RM1842)
8GB + 128GB: 3199 CNY (~RM1965)
 8GB + 256GB: 3499 CNY (~RM2149)
8GB + 128GB: 3999 CNY (~RM2456)
8GB + 256GB: 4399 CNY (~RM2702)
8GB + 256GB: 4999 CNY (~RM3071)
12GB + 256GB: 5499 CNY (~RM3378)

Both the HONOR 30 and HONOR 30 Pro are available in a total of five colors, Black, Green, Silver and Purple, as well as a unique moving mirror color option. Meanwhile the HONOR 30 Pro+ is only available in Black, Green and Silver. The Black color is probably the most premium with its gold trim around the camera hump, but the Purple and Silver options feature a trendy outlook that might appeal to HONOR fans better. What’s your pick?
Pokdepinion: I must say the HONOR 30 trio definitely seems pretty interesting… Although I am not so sure about the rather small-ish battery size.
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CES 2020: ASUS flexes cutting edge displays in the ROG Zephyrus G14 and Zephyrus GX701

ASUS dropped a massive load at CES 2020, debuting more than their fair share of products at the event. Among them are the ROG Zephyrus G14 and Zephyrus GX701, both showcasing the next generation of laptop displays with unprecedented technologies.
1000-nit 4K HDR in a laptop!
ROG Zephyrus S GX701
It’s not unexpected for ASUS to focus on the displays with the ROG Zephyrus series though. The ROG Zephyrus series are designed for work and play, with most of them using PANTONE Validated high-refresh rate panels. This time, they packed a 240-zone, 1000-nit, 4K HDR display from AUO into the ROG Zephyrus GX701, upping their game from last year’s 16-zone, 400-nit, 1080p panel. The granular 240-zone backlight control is enabled via mini LEDs, reducing the unsightly halo effect that you would encounter with displays with fewer zones.
120 Hz 14″ display for the ROG Zephyrus G14
Moving on, the ROG Zephyrus G14 makes high refresh rate displays available in a more portable form factor. 14″ displays are generally reserved for ultraportables, but as the ROG Zephyrus G14 is a gaming laptop, it definitely needed something more. ASUS worked with their partners to come up with a 120 Hz panel just for this application, and it will definitely be a huge step up from any 14″ displays you have seen in terms of fluidity. And you get support for FreeSync too. If you are not interested in a high refresh rate, the ROG Zephyrus G14 also comes with a WQHD display, which is yet another unprecedented feature in 14″ laptop territory.

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The ROG Zephyrus G14’s claims to fame doesn’t stop there. It also packs beefy AMD Ryzen 4000 series mobile processors based on the latest Zen 2 architecture, which can be configured with a GeForce RTX 2060 and up to 32GB of DDR4 3200 MHz RAM. While it runs on NVIDIA’s graphics, the Vega graphics in the AMD Ryzen APU is what allows for FreeSync support.

Aside from the hardware, ASUS also revamped the whole aesthetic of the ROG Zephyrus G series. The ROG Zephyrus G14 packs what ASUS calls an AniMe Matrix display which packs 1215 white mini LEDs with 256 levels of brightness control. Users can customize it with GIFs, build custom animations, type messages out, or just use visualization effects reacting to music. An update will also be released to allow it to serve as a notification panel of sorts for the laptop.

We can probably expect a closer look pretty soon when this laptop comes to Malaysia. Stay tuned for that!
Pokdepinion: I guess you can technically call the ROG Zephyrus G14 a dual-display laptop?
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Apple’s Investigation on iPhone 8 Battery Swelling; An iPhone 8 Had Smoke & Cracked

Apple is currently investigating the iPhone 8 battery swelling issues that have been surfacing as of late. One unit actually had smoke and started to crack.

Apple’s Investigation on iPhone 8 Battery Swelling

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A number of cases have surfaced online with regards to Apple’s newest devices. There’s a been a number of reported cases of iPhone 8 battery swelling and it looks pretty scary.
In one particular case, a Best Buy employee posted on Reddit that his store had received a bulging iPhone 8 as a return. He had also supplied an image along with his post, BGR reported late on Thursday. Of course, a few more similar cases have started to surface.
Reported cases claimed that the smartphones came with the issues straight out of the box whereas other are reporting of battery malfunctions some time after use.
At the moment, there’s nothing much we know about the iPhone 8 battery swelling issue. It’s a given that they’ve managed to sell millions of units and in comparison to the number of reports, it’s not a significant number but that’s not to say that it’s something Apple can ignore.

In fact, one particular battery-related case on the iPhone 8 is quite scary. A chinese woman named Xiaomin allegedly got her father a 64GB iPhone 8. When she left it to charge overnight, she saw smoke coming out of the iPhone 8. It seems to have burns and made cracking sounds.
In an M. Night Shyamalan plot twist that you wouldn’t see coming, Xiaomin allegedly poured water on the smartphone and turned off the power socket. This apparently did not stop neither the smoke nor the cracking sounds. She has contacted Apple, and still hasn’t received a response on the matter yet. We’ll be reporting on the matter when information surfaces.
Sources: Wccftech / Reddit / BGR / Oriental Daily

Pokdepinion: The Apple iPhone 8 battery swelling is one thing. Having it explode is another. At the moment, the exploding thing is 1 reported case but if it happens to more devices, this could cause quite some damage to Apple.
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LG OLED TVs to Add Support for NVIDIA G-SYNC

The folks over at LG Electronics have partnered up with NVIDIA for something gamers have been clamoring for years. They will be adding NVIDIA G-SYNC support to their LG OLED TV lineup, including the model 65/55E9 and model 77/65/55C9.
For those of you who aren’t aware, G-SYNC is a proprietary adaptive sync technology developed by Nvidia designed to eliminate screen tearing and an alternative to V-Sync. It does so by allowing a video display to adapt to the frame rate of the outputting device rather than the outputting device adapting to the display, which could traditionally be refreshed halfway through the process of a frame being output by the device, resulting in screen tearing, or two or more frames being shown at once.

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The LG OLED TVs are said to offer low input lag, fast response time, and great picture quality, making it a good choice for gamers. With the added support of NVIDIA G-SYNC, it makes their TVs a more enticing package for gamers across the globe.
For those of you wondering, these OLED TVs offer up to 120Hz refresh rate, 6ms input lag for 1440p at 120Hz and 13ms for 4K at 60Hz. It also has support for popular HDR formats including HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
Matt Wuebbling, Head of GeForce marketing at NVIDIA, said:
We are excited to bring G-SYNC Compatible support to LG’s 2019 OLED TVs and HDMI Variable Refresh Rate support to our GeForce RTX 20-Series GPUs. Gamers will be blown away by the responsiveness and the lifelike visuals on these TVs when playing the latest PC games featuring real-time ray-tracing powered by GeForce.
The NVIDIA G-SYNC support is expected to release for the 2019 OLED TV models in the coming weeks via a firmware upgrade. While no exact release date was mentioned, it’s expected to be arrive in just weeks from now.
Pokdepinion: Well, I personally game on TVs more so than monitors so this is really good news for me. Hopefully it comes to other models sooner or later.
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HyperX Days Promotion brings up to 31% off their gaming gear!

This 16th August to 23rd August, HyperX will be running the HyperX Days Promotion that will slash up to 31% off their award-winning lineup of gaming gear! The promotion encompasses pretty much their full range of offerings, except for their mice. You can get the latest Cloud headsets, the Alloy keyboards and the QuadCast mic, but no mice.
The products listed for the promotion are as follows:

Normal Price
Discount
HyperX Days Promotion Price

Alloy Core RGB
RM239
21%
RM189

Alloy FPS Pro
RM339
18%
RM279

Alloy Origins Core
RM449
22%
RM349

Alloy FPS RGB
RM459
22%
RM359

Alloy Origins
RM499
20%
RM399

Cloud Earbuds
RM149
20%
RM119

Cloud Stinger S
RM269
20%
RM215

Cloud for PS
RM339
27%
RM249

Cloud Alpha
RM419
31%
RM289

Cloud II
RM399
20%
RM319

Cloud Stinger Core Wireless + 7.1
RM359
11%
RM319

Cloud Alpha S
RM539
26%
RM399

QuadCast
RM629
21%
RM499

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The promotion is only valid on the HyperX brand store on Lazada, and as usual, while stocks last. HyperX Days Promotion will start at 12am on 16th August, so make sure not to miss it if you are looking for some new gaming peripherals!
Pokdepinion: Feeling cute, might pick up one of the TKL Alloy keyboards…
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WhatsApp May Expose Your Phone Number on Google Search

If you’re very particular about your privacy, then this piece of news isn’t a pleasant one for you. It appears that WhatsApp may expose your phone number on Google search, but there is something that you can do about it.
According to security researcher Athul Jayaram, thousands of phone numbers have popped up on Google search on WhatsApp-owned domains.

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Athul Jayaram on WhatsApp Phone Number Exposed on Google Search

Your mobile number is visible in plain text in this URL, and anyone who gets hold of the URL can know your mobile number. As individual phone numbers are leaked, an attacker can message them, call them, sell their phone numbers to marketers, spammers, scammers.
“wa.me” is a WhatsApp domain that was created for their Click to Chat feature, which lets businesses / individuals put links on their websites so people can easily send them chat messages either through mobile or the desktop app. The links typically include phone numbers, which Google then takes note of with their search spiders.
If you narrow down your search to the “wa.me” domain on Google search, you will see a long list of results that will look like “Message +1 234 567 8901 on WhatsApp”. Clicking on it will immediately open a chat session with that specific number. It is also possible to modify the search string to include specific country codes.
If you’re running a business and you’re okay with having your phone number appear publicly, that’s fine. If you want it to be removed, you will have to contact WhatsApp for that. Just make sure that phone number isn’t linked as a verification or authentication system, just in case.
Source
Pokdepinion: Well, most of the numbers are businesses so it’s perfectly fine. You might want to check it out just in case you might have your own number listed for some odd reason.
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Apex Legends Cheater Gets Banned Over and Again, And It’s Hilarious

 The way this guy got banned over and over is just satisfying! Thank You Respawn! from apexlegends

If you’re an avid player of Respawn Entertainment’s free battle royale game, Apex Legends, then chances are that you are aware that there are a number of cheaters / hackers in the game. There are actions being taken to curb this foul play nature but unfortunately, there will always still be one or two cheaters around still. This one however would be something for you to enjoy reading.
Over on the Apex Legends subreddit, user microKEEL posted a blow-by-blow account of an Apex Legends cheater, who streamed and bragged about his cheating, get banned, taunt Respawn, get banned again, until he stopped. It’s hilarious because you can see the guy creating new accounts, cleaning his PC digitally to make it seem like its a new PC being played on, and rebooting.
Respawn Entertainment Associate Producer Josh Medina even hopped on the subreddit stating that this was how he spent 45 minutes of his morning banning the player over and again.

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Hopefully, this will be the end of the guy’s cheating days in Apex Legends but then again, it doesn’t seem like he’s quitting just yet. He seems to want to bring that to other games as well so perhaps, a permanent hardware ban is in store. Either way, there needs to be a way to curb such behaviours so it won’t ruin the game for other people as well as to stop the sellers from profiting from the sale of such malicious tools.
Be sure to click the reddit post at the top of this post to see a clearer version of the blow-by-blow account of the cheater.
Pokdepinion: What’s the fun in playing games with people if you’re gonna cheat? Well, aside from this kinda thing because it’s hilarious to see someone really adamant about cheating.
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Samsung Continues Partnership With AMD For Upcoming Xclipse GPUs

The South Korean semiconductor giant isn’t done with the custom GPU project just yet.

On Thursday, Samsung announced they have signed a multi-year deal with AMD “to bring multiple generations of high-performance, ultra-low-power AMD Radeon graphics solutions” to more Exynos SoCs. The partnership began all the way back in 2019, and few years later the Exynos 2200 was born – with the raytracing-capable Xclipse 920 GPU housed inside. It uses the same graphics IPs that is currently powering the latest generation consoles, including PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

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However, the Exynos 2200 turned out to be a dud in general, losing out to Qualcomm’s flagship at the time, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, in gaming benchmarks. The continued issues and lackcluster performance has eventually led to Samsung’s mobile division to stay off their own Exynos chips in recent flagships, fully committing to Qualcomm’s SoCs instead.
It remains to be seen how this new multi-year agreement between two companies will turn out, though it is noted that Samsung is preparing for the next-gen Exynos 2300 SoC to supersede the ill-fated Exynos 2200 model.
Source: PCMag
Pokdepinion: The Exynos name at this point is pretty much stained in the eyes of the public, it’ll take a lot of work to get them back to become competitive again.
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AMD RDNA4 Rumored: GDDR7, 3.5GHz, 2x Performance

Rumor mill is in full speed. On the same leak revealing NVIDIA’s RTX 50 “Blackwell” specs – there’s even more information found from Team Red for their next RDNA architecture.

Assuming no renaming shenanigans, we’re looking at Radeon RX 8000 Series here – and along with it comes Navi 4X die variants. Of which, are Navi 41, Navi 42 and Navi 43 – and leaker RedGamingTech has presented some pretty insane specs according to his own sources.

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On the VRAM side of things, the leaker alleges that GDDR7 may be the memory of choice, although there’s no confirmation so far. For reference: the only DRAM manufacturer that publicly announced GDDR7, whether market-ready or in-development, is Samsung (which is rated at 36Gbps, +50% more than Micron GDDR6X).
The PCIe bus is very likely to be PCIe 5.0 x16, while the boost clocks are said to be targeting as high as 3.5GHz. Like past models, AMD may once again target +50% improvement in performance-per-watt over prior generation, when all of the specs above plus architecture improvements are taken into account.

RDNA has traditionally been lagging roughly about one generation behind NVIDIA counterparts in terms of RT performance – which the leaker claims RDNA4 will aim to fix. Performance targets, as far as Navi 41 is concerned – is 2x over Navi 31, which currently powers AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX (in full die) and 7900 XT (cut down die).
A new element in the Navi 4X is something called ‘GCX’ – while the slides here denotes it as ‘Graphics Compute Die’, it could be just a typing error – we expect this should be called Graphics Compute Complex similar to how AMD names CCD and CCX for Ryzen CPUs. A single GCX contains 48 CUs – though this can vary based on the silicon quality.

Continuing Navi 41’s specs, it is expected to wield up to 32GB of GDDR7, although there has been other variants in testing that uses 24 or 48GB GDDR7 with 6 MCDs (The 32GB has 4 MCDs). The total number of compute units (CUs) increases to 144 (which accounts to 9,216 SPs) – at 3.5GHz and 128 ALU/CU should amount to 129 TFLOPS FP32 performance. For reference, current-generation consoles have roughly 10 TFLOPS to work with (do note that TFLOPS do not necessarily reflect gaming performance proportionately).
Navi 42 – which is expected to occupy upper-midrange models will contain the same amount of SPs at 6,144 – same as current flagship 7900 XTX – with performance targets set to 2x over its equivalent predecessor, Navi 32. Down the stack, Navi 43 will also get 2x jump, again with its equivalent, Navi 33. This will only contain a single GCX but should still use MCM-based design with 2x MCDs.
Once again, these are all very early information so many things could and will change over time as AMD gets the development sorted out. Until then, have a big serving of salt at the ready.
Source: Wccftech | RedGamingTech (YouTube)
Pokdepinion: AMD RDNA3 has so far seem a bit underwhelming, so let’s hope RDNA4 can change that…
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Why is Boycott Genshin Impact Trending on Twitter?

With every massively popular game, controversy is essentially guaranteed in some form or fashion. It appears that there is some form of movement happening on Twitter calling people to boycott Genshin Impact. If you’re confused as to what’s actually going down, let’s break down the issue one by one.
Boycott Genshin Impact Trending on Twitter

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Given how there are millions of players on it right, it’s surprising to see a boycott Genshin Impact movement seemingly from out of nowhere pop up. The movement started on 6th April 2021 with a variety of players voicing out their concerns over the popular MMORPG.
From what we have discovered from various players, the primary reasons for the boycott Genshin Impact movement can be summed up by the following six key points:

The sexualization of one of the game’s younger characters (Flora).
Few options to play as characters who are not white in skin tone.
A potential villainization of Indigenous people within the game.
A variety of security concerns, particularly regarding a lack of two-factor authentication.
The release strategy of the game’s different content drops.

While the boycott Genshin Impact movement has continued to pick up steam, miHoYo has yet to address the situation, and there’s no guarantee if they ever will. In fact, if you look at Twitter, there are also a lot of players who poke fun at the movement by calling them unnecessarily sensitive and that real world practices need not apply in fantasy.
Regardless of where you stand in the matter, we will report more on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source
Pokdepinion: I was surprised to suddenly find this popping up on my Twitter all of a sudden. For a moment, I thought it might have been politically-motivated but it doesn’t appear to be the case. I’m still baffled either way.
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Celcom Will Be Widening Their Broadband Network Coverage in 2019

Recently, MCMC released an official statement regarding the situation with Streamyx and ADSL network users, which you can read about right here. In that same statement, it was mentioned that Celcom will be looking to widen the coverage of their broadband network in 2019 in order to make it more accessible.
Currently, the Celcom home broadband internet plans are only available in Sabah, but this may not be the case anymore next year. With plenty of areas still lacking coverage for fast broadband internet, Celcom could easily swoop in and offer their services there.

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The picture at the top of this post shows the two home broadband internet plans being offered by them in Sabah. The packages do seem very appealing due its affordability and relatively fast speeds. I mean, 40Mbps speed with unlimited quota for just RM80, that certainly sounds like a good deal.
We have no word on where they will be expanding next, only that it will be happening in 2019. At the same time, TM and Maxis will be looking to upgrade their users to fibre connection in stages within the same time period. For now, it seems like we are about to see things pick up rather quickly, compared to the past at least, on the evolution of internet in Malaysia.
Pokdepinion: Looking at the price for those plans, I wished Celcom was offering these in Klang Valley already. Well, let’s see how this will turn out in 2019.
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MasterBox MB400L and MB320L ARGB mATX cases launched in Malaysia

If you are looking to build a compact mATX build, you are in luck as Cooler Master has just added two new options to choose from. The Cooler Master MasterBox MB400L and MB320L ARGB are very different cases to accommodate everyone’s unique tastes.
MasterBox MB400L
The more affordable of the duo, the MasterBox MB400L strives to deliver a more elegant outlook. A brushed front panel gives the case an air of minimalism, while mesh intakes which span the side ensures that you won’t be sacrificing airflow in the pursuit of a clean-looking build. As a part of Cooler Master’s MasterBox lineup, you will also get plenty of room to build the rig of your dreams with the MasterBox MB400L.

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The MasterBox MB400L supports up to six fans and 240mm radiators, allowing you to pack it with the latest and greatest high-performance hardware. Speaking of which, there’s space for 344mm long graphics cards, 166mm tall CPU coolers, and up to 325mm long PSUs, with a removable drive cage to fit in the longer PSUs.
The MasterBox MB400L is priced at RM179 and is now available in Malaysia.
MasterBox MB320L ARGB
If more bling is what you desire, then check out the MasterBox MB320L ARGB. With a design that borrows heavily from the larger MasterBox MB530P, you get a DarkMirror front panel that lets you show off the preinstalled ARGB fans in front. To ensure that no one can accuse Cooler Master of putting form before function, the case sports mesh intakes along the sides of the front panel.

The MasterBox MB320L also sports a removable drive cage that can be removed to accommodate longer PSUs. The maximum supported GPU lengths, CPU cooler heights and PSU lengths are similar to the MasterBox MB400L’s too, which means the ability to cram in 344mm long GPUs, 166mm tall CPU coolers and 325mm long PSUs.
The MasterBox MB320L is priced at RM249.
Which of these mATX cases will fit your next build?
Pokdepinion: I don’t know if I am getting older, but the minimalistic design of the MB400L looks very good to me.
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Here’s What You Can Expect From Samsung On Shopee Super Brand Day 2021

Samsung Malaysia has partnered up with Shopee in hosting the third edition of Super Brand Day here in the country. Curious on what they’re offering? Read on to find out.
Samsung Shopee Super Brand Day 2021

The event will begin on the 21st till 22nd of July 2021, which isn’t far away from now. During that time, you can expect savings on Samsung products as well enjoy specially timed discounts on Shopee Live.

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In the Shopee Live sessions, the online-exclusive Galaxy M series smartphones will come with an accessible price point, according to the company. They will host the Shopee Live sessions on the 21st of July at 3pm and 9.30pm on the following day. You stand a chance in winning prizes worth up to RM8,000 in the event.
Aside from that, the Samsung Super Brand Day will offer deals such as up to 45% off offers, vouchers up to RM300 off, stand a chance in winning Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy M12 at RM499, save 40% on 32″ Odyssey G5 as well as RM270 off for 50″ 4K Smart TV.
For more details, you may head to the link right here. Stay tuned to Pokde.net for the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews.
Pokdepinion: If you’ve been eyeing to get your hands on one of Samsung’s products, now might be the time to finally get them. Do you have anything in mind to purchase?
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