The Darkness 2 Is FREE Now On Humble Bundle – Just 24 hours left to get it!

Grab The Darkness 2 ASAP!

Here’s some good news for all you PC gamers out there! The Darkness 2 is available to download now for FREE over at Humble Bundle. The first-person shooter video game with supernatural and RPG elements first came out back in 2012 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC and is a sequel to The Darkness that came out in 2007. The game is developed by Digital Extremes, the developers that brought you the popular free-to-play shooter Warframe and was published by 2K Games.

The Darkness 2 (and its predecessor) is based on a comic book series of the same name created by Marc Silvestri, Garth Ennis and David Wohl, all famed creators in the medium. At the time of release The Darkness 2 was greeted with very favourable reviews from both critics and gamers alike. The game didn’t do well in terms of sales however, despite it’s strong critical rating. It has since been regarded as one of the few most overlooked games in recent years by many gamers and critics.
Check out the short description of the game below (via Steam):

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Inspired by the popular comic book series produced by Top Cow Productions, Inc., The Darkness II is an intense first person shooter that delivers a twisted and gripping narrative of tragedy, modern crime drama, and supernatural horror.
Players will be taken down the brutal and personal path of Jackie Estacado, head of a New York crime family and wielder of an ancient and ruthless force of chaos and destruction known as The Darkness.
It’s been two years since Jackie Estacado used The Darkness to kill the men responsible for his girlfriend’s murder. He’s been unable to shake the memory of Jenny’s death since bottling up his supernatural power and now The Darkness wants out. A sudden, unprovoked attack by a mysterious organization known as the Brotherhood heralds the start of a full-scale war and opens the door for The Darkness to reemerge, setting Jackie on a journey to hell and worse.
One feature I really like about The Darkness 2 is that the game features a campaign that can be played in co-op of up to 4 players which makes this an incredibly fun game to play with friends.

The Darkness 2 will only be FREE to download for another 24 hours (at the time of writing) at Humble Bundle so what’re you waiting for? Smash the link below to get the game before it’s too late!
Get The Darkness 2 For FREE Here
Pokdepinion: I have to admit, I am one of those people who overlooked this game when it first came out but I really like Warframe and the developers so I’ll definitely be checking this game out after this when I download it off Humble Bundle. Besides, I enjoyed reading the original comic books.
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World’s First 8 Slot Mining Motherboard – Introducing BIOSTAR’s TB250-BTC+

BIOSTAR has officially release their latest product, the TB250-BTC+, which is a 8 slot PCI-e motherboard. Suitable for those looking to maximize their mining done at home. There are no worries for power issues as the motherboard stay close to the safety limits of a continuous load rating for a standard 15amp household circuit.

It is ready to go on the get go with the driver ready for both 8X NVIDIA GeForce graphics card or 8X AMD. Although mainly being a crypto mining platform, it is versatile for gaming and everyday application with features such as 7.1 channel HD audio, USB 3.0 transfers for 10X faster than USB 2.0 and software to monitor CPU/system temperatures, and CPU fan status with smart and manual CPU fan control and system voltage monitoring.

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The motherboard is compatible with ethOs and multicoin mining for currencies such as Ethereum, Zcash, Monero, and etc.
For durability, it is tested to withstand high-density and moist conditions with the MoistureProof PCB. It also includes Low RdsOn MOS for cooler temperatures and lower energy loss. BIOSTAR’s exclusive Anti-Surge is also built in to extend the life-span of the motherboard by reducing shocks from overvoltage transients.
For more on BIOSTAR’s crypto mining guide, you can check it out here. To see more on the BIOSTAR TB250-BTC+, click here
Pokdepinion: Certainly looks good for those looking to mine from home.

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HUAWEI P50 Pocket Is HUAWEI’s Latest Clamshell Device

Today we’ve witnessed the launch of  the HUAWEI P50 Pocket, the latest flagship device from the company. Read on to find out more on it.
HUAWEI P50 Pocket launch

Then we have the HUAWEI P50 Pocket, their new clamshell device. It is also powered by the Snapdragon 888 (4G) chipset and sports a 6.9-inch display when unfolded with a 21:9 ratio. Coming in White and Premium Gold variants, the back is made of ultra-thin glass. There’s also a Premium Gold variant too, where it is their Premium Edition created in collaboration with designer Iris Van Herpen.

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The back of the device adopts HUAWEI P50 Series double-ring design, with one ring housing the camera module and the other the smart Cover Screen.
Coming back to the display, it offers a refresh rate of up to 120Hz as well as 300Hz touch sampling rate. One of the selling points of the device would be the Ultra Spectrum Camera Matrix, where it boasts of a 40MP True-Chroma Camera, a 13MP Ultra Wide Angle Camera, a 32MP Ultra Spectrum Camera, as well as a 10-Channel Multi Spectrum Sensor and an Ultra Spectrum illuminator.

Under the hood is a 4000mAh battery which you can charge with its 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge fast charger. Aside from that, it comes with a Super Privacy Mode, where it automatically disables the cameras, microphone, and located when folded and re-enables them upon unfolding.
Unfortunately, the pricing for the device is unknown just yet for the Malaysian market. That being said, HUAWEI is looking to announce it early of next year, alongside with the price of the HUAWEI P50 Pro.
For more on the latest tech and gaming news plus reviews, stay tuned to Pokde.net.
Pokdepinion: I can’t say much since I’ve yet to fully test it out, but it did feel nice and solid on the hands when I had the chance earlier. Let’s see if we can get a review out and tell you our full thoughts soon.
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 To Be Available With LazadaCare Plus

With the Redmi Note 7 set to arrive here in our shores on the 27th of March 2019, the brand has announced that you can get the device with Lazada Care Plus protection by purchasing it from their website.
The LazadaCare Plus is an extended warranty and accidental damage coverage provided by Lazada for selected electronics products on the ecommerce platform. So if you’re wonder on what exactly does it covers, it includes;

Accidental damage – includes screen/lens crack and/or liquid damage
Electrical and mechanical defects
Local contact center
New product replacement – applicable if costs of repair exceed the price of the product; Store Credit refunds given for products with no equivalent model
Plans transfer – transfer of plans to another party within same country

To learn more on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, you can check out our previous post, where we were present at the phone’s launch here in Malaysia.

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Pokdepinion: Who doesn’t love for some extra protection right? Are you planning on getting the Redmi Note 7? Let us know in the comments!
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Razer Phone 2 Now Available At Lower Price Of RM2,229

If you’ve been meaning to get the Razer Phone 2 for some time now, well good news. They’ve decreased the price even further, where you can now get it at RM2,229 (originally RM3,499).
Previously, Gamers Hideout revealed that the phone was available on a promotional price of RM2,429 and now the device’s price is reduced even more.

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Razer Phone 2 Specifications

CPU/Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4 x Kryo 385 Gold @ 2.8 GHz + 4 x Kryo 385 Silver @ 1.8 GHz), 10nm FinFET

GPU:
Adreno 630 @ 710 MHz

RAM:
8GB LPDDR4X

Display:
5.72″ IGZO IPS LCD (1440 x 2560), 120Hz, Wide Colour Gamut, UltraMotion Technology, Corning Gorilla Glass 5

Audio:
Dual Front-Facing Stereo Speakers with Dolby Atmos, 24-bit USB-C DAC

Storage:
64GB UFS (expandable via microSD card)

Camera:
Main Camera(s) Primary: 12MP f/1.75, OIS, wide-angle Secondary: 12MP f/2.6 telephoto Dual LED flash, Dual PDAF, Dual tone, up to 4K video recording Front Camera 8MP f/2.0 Up to Full HD video recording

OS:
Android 8.1 Oreo

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), supports WiFi 2×2 MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 (AAC, aptX, aptX-HD, LDAC support) 4G LTE

SIM:
Dual nanoSIM (second nanoSIM slot shared with microSD slot)

Power:
Li-ion 4000 mAh (non-removable) Qualcomm QuickCharge 4.0+ Wireless Charging

Dimensions:
158.5 x 78.99 x 8.5 mm

Weight:
220 g (approximately)

If you are interested in purchasing the Razer Phone 2, there’s three options of where you can get it from; Maxis, U Mobile, and Gamers Hideout. You can check out the link right here to have a look at them.
Pokdepinion: It’s not surprising that they decided to reduce the price, seeing that a plethora of gaming smartphones are about to arrive with the latest Snapdragon 855+ chipset such as the ROG Phone 2, Black Shark 2 Pro, and nubia Red Magic 3 (Snapdragon 855+ version).
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PS Plus Asia March 2017 Free Games Lineup Confirmed; Resident Evil: Umbrella Corps is Here!

The free games lineup for PS Plus Asia March 2017 is here!
We waited and waited for quite a bit to know what’s coming up for PS Plus subscribers on March 2017. We needed to know whether the subscription was worth it for the new lineup of free games, among other stuff.
This is no leak, speculation, or any of that weird stuff you see that those clickbait sites have been trying to trick you into believe. Yesterday, we announced the US PS Plus lineup and now, we have the free games lineup for PS Plus Asia March 2017.

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PS Plus Asia March 2017 Free Games Lineup

PS4 fast-paced third person shooter “Resident Evil Umbrella Corps” is our first highlight for PS Plus Asia March 2017. Join the corps and get into quick, intense matches in compact battle zones themed from historic Resident Evil environments.
Just like what our US and EU brethrens are getting, the PS4 Action Platformer Tearaway Unfolded is included as well. Join forces with ATOI THE MESSENGER; unfold her magical papery world, save her pals in peril and battle the monsters trying to stop her delivery .
Or take control of a one-armed warrior named Sasha in PS Vita’s Severed, wield a living sword on her journey through a nightmare world in search of her family.
More games and offers are listed below. To get a clearer idea of what’s coming PS Plus Asia March 2017, check it out below here:
Full Lineup

Resident Evil: Umbrella Corps for the PS4
Tearaway Unfolded for the PS4
Severed for the PS VITA
Titan Souls for the PS4 and PS VITA
Anna – Extended Edition for the PS3
Starwhal for the PS4 and PS3

Bonus

If you’re feeling like your theme is looking kinda stale by now, give the PlayStation Plus Exclusive Toro Theme a try when it becomes available for PS Plus Asia March 2017.
Just remember, this lineup will become available starting 9th March 2017 and it will end on 5th April 2017 so if you don’t see the lineup in your PS Plus list yet, don’t panic.

Pokdepinion: Well, looks like the lineup for PS Plus Asia March 2017 is better than our US and EU counterparts. Like I said before, Tearaway Unfolded alone makes it really worth it. I personally dislike Umbrella Corps, simply because there’s no way I’m full price for a game like that. Now that it’s free, I got no complaints.
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Sudio Regent review — leather bound good sound

Wireless audio is becoming more of a need than a want now, with more and more smartphones losing the previously ubiquitous 3.5mm audio jack. We have looked at Sudio’s first Bluetooth headset, the Vasa Bla, and today we will be looking at yet another product from the Swedish company, the Sudio Regent, an on-ear headphone that works over Bluetooth as well as with the standard 3.5mm jack. Without further ado, let’s take a closer look.
Unboxing

As expected, Sudio does not disappoint. A clean, white box with the product image front and center, Sudio knows their stuff when it comes to good looking packaging. While this time we did not receive the Sudio Regent in gift packaging, they are available for the Regent too. Sudio also bundled a pair of custom caps for to customize our Regent’s look. We will take a closer look at those later.

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The Sudio Regent slides out of the outer packaging, with it folded and wire-tied to the tray.

Lifting up the tray with the Sudio Regent, we find a small box with cables and also the documentation that comes with the Sudio Regent.

So with the Sudio Regent, we get a standard owner’s manual, the microUSB cable for charging and the 3.5mm cable for wired audio, guides to connect the Sudio Regent and also how to replace the caps, and the guarantee certificate which is an actual plastic card. Sadly this time around Sudio didn’t include any kind of case or pouch with the Sudio Regent, which is quite disappointing since we got a nice leather pouch with the Sudio Vasa Bla.
Appearance

A decidedly classy combination of white and gold is the theme here. If you go for the black variant, you get a sleek low-profile black headphone, but well, that isn’t what we are after here. Most of this headphone is wrapped in leather, with a little metal and plastic here and there.

The outer part of the headband is plain leather, which gives you the opportunity to decorate it with your signature if you are feeling rather artsy.

Over on the inner side, the padding is plush and also covers the headband from end to end. Comfort should be superb with so much soft padding, which we will talk more about it later. Wires snake out from the headband to connect the two sides. Not my favorite look as the wire actually looks a lot less durable than say hidden within the swivel hinges of certain headphones. Also, the wire isn’t sleeved, which adds to my worries of their durability, especially if you are going to frequently fold or extend the headphone arms.

The extending arms are metal, and also allow the earcups to swivel to offer a better fit. The extending arms are not marked, nor are they notched, which makes adjusting the earcups’ position need a bit of guesswork since you have to actually look at the headphone to see if they are equally extended on both sides. The white variant has gold ones, while the black variant has black extending arms. Either way, they look awesome, but I just preferred the white-gold combination.

The two ports on the Sudio Regent are on opposite cups, with the right shell seeing a lot more action with all the controls, status LED and also the microphone hole all here. As you can see, the earpads are also very plush and wrapped in leather. While they can indeed be removed, I would not advise it as they seems quite difficult to replace.
Specifications

User Experience
Just like the Vasa Bla, using the Sudio Regent is really simple. Long press the middle button until the LED blinks red, pair it with your phone, and you are set. The buttons are not labeled, but the middle button is dimpled. So moving upwards you will find the volume button, and further down is the volume down button. Long-pressing the volume buttons will also take you to the next or previous song, which is quite cool when you are listening to a rather disorganized playlist, like I am using all the time. The buttons are quite clicky, which makes them quite audible when you have the Sudio Regent on your head. Personally I find that they sound quite plasticky.
Being designed to stay on your ears instead of around your ears, the Sudio Regent puts some pressure on your ears. However due to the abundance of soft padding, it does offer a lot greater comfort than headphones with thinner earpads. Still, my ears get sore from really long periods of listening to music with the Sudio Regent. Also thanks to the softness of the earpads, the Sudio Regent also offers good sound isolation, as the earpads squeeze down and block external noise from reaching your ears.

As you might have figured out from the image of the Sudio Regent in the box, stowing it away is a matter of folding it up. It actually doesn’t really save nearly as much space as headphones that fold flat, but I guess this is a a sacrifice for looks? As mentioned above, there is no included pouch or case, which means that it will be subjected to the harsh environments inside your bag. As I have the white variant here, this is a truly legit worry as everything and anything will dirty a white object, especially one that is made mostly of soft leather.
My audio source is my daily driver, the Honor 8. The Sudio Regent still has a rather warm sound signature which should be preferred by most people. There seems to be improved clarity of the higher frequencies over the Vasa Bla though. Listening to Hurt by Johnny Cash (thank you Marvel for the amazing Logan trailer!), the twang of the guitar strings and the grittiness of his voice is very clear. The Sudio Regent can deliver loads of bass too, without affecting vocals and higher frequencies, perfect for fans of K-pop and EDM genres. Even orchestral music like Lux Aeterna sounds stunning with the violins piercing the ominous background tones of the piece. There is still an emphasis on bass, so I would not recommend these headphones to those who prefer a clean, flat response. Depending on your source, connecting to your source via the 3.5mm cable may also result in better sound quality, so you have an option there.
One ring short.
Using it as a wired headphone also disables the microphone, as Sudio decided to put a flat cable with a TRS connector on one end and a TRRS connector on the other. I guess Sudio didn’t intend you to use the Sudio Regent’s microphone with devices that don’t have Bluetooth, which is pretty much no device in the current market anyway. Still, if you run out of battery and decide to use the Sudio Regent for a call, you are out of luck unless you want to use the microphone on your smartphone while listening to the other person over the Sudio Regent. Quite an arrangement, but workable. I also didn’t have a TRRS-TRRS cable lying around my house, so I could not test if you can actually use the microphone if Sudio actually bundled the correct cable. Looking into the 3.5mm port on the Sudio Regent seems to suggest so as there are three pins in the hole. Anyway, the microphone does a pretty good job picking up my voice in a quiet environment, but it definitely has issues in noisy surroundings as you literally have no way of moving the microphone closer to your mouth except for removing the Sudio Regent from your head entirely.
Battery life is touted to be more than 24 hours. Based on my testing, the numbers are really close to the claimed numbers, as I managed to use it almost daily for 3 weeks on and off before I decided to charge it before a long trip. And even then, the Sudio Regent has not indicated that it is low on battery. The battery life is also shown on my Android smartphone, so I got quite a good idea of the battery remaining before I leave home with low battery. Even if it is running low on battery while you are out and about, it can easily be charged by most smartphone chargers or powerbanks thanks to the microUSB port used for charging. Or, if you are just too lazy to remember to charge it, you can also use it as a standard wired headphone, but for the money Sudio is asking for the Sudio Regent, you have a very wide selection of headphones to choose from.
Which cap will I take?
Remember the custom caps Sudio bundled with our Sudio Regent? The caps are easily twisted off the earcups’ shells, allowing you to customize your look with 4 different replacement caps, available on Sudio’s website. Coupled with the original caps, you get a total of 5 different looks, and if you consider that there is a black variant, you double the total number of possible combinations to 10.

For me, I requested for the white Sudio Regent and Black Marble replacement caps, so I get a nice white-gold-black theme going on here.
Conclusion
For RM649, I was honestly quite disappointed when I didn’t get a case or pouch to go with the Sudio Regent. However I believe it is almost justified with the super long battery life, good sound quality and also customizable good looks. I say almost, because it does have its shortcomings like the bundled cable which doesn’t allow you to use the microphone, exposed wires that make me worry about the durability, and also the folding mechanism that doesn’t actually do much to reduce the room it takes up in your luggage. Everything considered, the Sudio Regent is worthy of a solid Bronze Pokdeward.

As a token of appreciation for our readers, you can get 15% off your purchase with our exclusive POKDE discount code. Thank you Sudio! Also, Sudio is currently running a holiday special where you will get your Sudio Regent in gift packaging (worth RM15) and also a pair of custom caps (worth RM89!) for FREE!
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AMD Ryzen 7 2700X and Radeon VII Gold Editions available now until 8th June 2019

Leaks of the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Gold Edition and AMD Radeon VII Gold Edition were previously floating around the interwebs. Now, we have the official images of the commemorative editions of the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X and AMD Radeon VII, which will be available for purchase until 8th April.
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Gold Edition

The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X features Dr. Lisa Su’s signature imprinted upon the integrated heatspreader, with a golden AMD50 packaging. Given that the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X is a top-seller for AMD so it does seem fitting that AMD commemorates their 50th anniversary with a special edition of it. The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Gold Edition is clocked at the same clocks as the regular AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, so you won’t be getting anything special with the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Gold Edition.

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AMD will be offering the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Gold Edition for $329 (~RM1361).
AMD Radeon VII Gold Edition

The AMD Radeon VII Gold Edition features a gold AMD50 packaging, but the card itself is vibrant red. There isn’t any mention of specially-binned GPUs for the AMD Radeon VII Gold Edition, so expect the changes to only be skin deep.
The AMD Radeon VII Gold Edition will be priced at $699 (~RM2891).
Gamers who get the Gold Edition products will be eligible for the AMD50 Game Bundle which includes a free PC version of The Division 2 Gold Edition and World War Z. You will also receive an AMD50 sticker signed by Dr. Lisa Su and a coupon to redeem a free AMD 50th Anniversary T-shirt.
Would you get the Gold Edition stuff considering that AMD Ryzen 3000 series and AMD Navi is coming?
Pokdepinion: A red Gold Edition. Now I have seen it all.
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Red Dead Redemption 2 Trailer Released – Set 12 Years Before the Previous Game

Rockstar Games has released a brand new trailer for one of the most highly requested sequels in recent time, Red Dead Redemption 2. You will get a clearer idea of the game’s setting as well as the plot.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Trailer Released

Fans of Red Dead Redemption, rejoice! The folks over at Rockstar Games has released a brand new trailer for one of the most highly anticipated sequels in recent time, Red Dead Redemption 2. In the trailer, it gives people a better idea as to the game’s setting and what you can expect from the main storyline.
At the beginning of the trailer, the video explains that in 1899, America has exited out of the wild west era, with lawmen beginning to crack down on crooks as well as eliminating any remaining outlaw gangs that stand in their way. With those who refuse to surrender to the new way of life end up executed.

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For those of you who do not know, Red Dead Redemption 2 serves as a prequel to the 2010 title, Red Dead Redemption. Players will take on the role of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw member of the Dutch van der Linde gang. Based on this newfound information provided in the trailer today, we can see that Red Dead Redemption 2‘s plot will center around Arthur and the rest of the Dutch van der Linde gang rebelling against the new era ushered into America.
You can enjoy the awesome new trailer at the top of this post. Red Dead Redemption 2 is set to be released on October 26th 2018 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. No word on a PC release or even a release in other platforms in case you were wondering about that.
Pokdepinion: Well, I am certainly excited for this game. Perhaps we’ll get to see more when E3 2018 swings by. On another note, we might be able to look forward to another Grand Theft Auto game from Rockstar Games after this one is out.
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Celcom Upgrades Their Services For The Differently-Abled

Starting from today, Celcom will be empowering their new and existing differently-abled customers (OKU) with an array of exclusive privileges such as home visitations, priority services at all Celcom Bluecube outlets and representation through friends and family.
Those who fit in the category can request for a home visit appoint through call-ins at 1111 or 019-6011111, as well as from the Celcom website or social media platforms. Once a request has been made, a Celcom customer service representative will be designated to attend to you at your own home (within 25km radius from the nearest Celcom Bluecube.
They will also receive priority service at all Celcom Bluecube outlets, where they will be attended immediately or next available by a Celcom customer service representative upon identification with no queuing.

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Additionally, all existing or new OKU customers will also be able to enjoy a RM10 rebate on all Celcom Mobile Postpaid plans, Celcom Home Wireless plans, and Celcom Xpax Postpaid plans. As for the Celcom Bluecube stores, there’s 39 outlets in the country that are currently wheelchair accessible and the telco company is looking to increase such accessibility to even more outlets progressively.
For more details on Celcom’s privilege services for the differently-abled, check out their website right here.
Pokdepinion: The thing that sets Celcom apart from the rest is that they are offering the special rebate for ALL of their postpaid plans, which is good since it offers more flexibility to their OKU customers.
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Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: new naming schemes, Snapdragon Sight, 10Gbps 5G speeds

Qualcomm has taken a great leap of faith this year. While previous Snapdragon chipsets had the triple-digit model numbers to represent their position in the stack, this year they just dropped everything and called it the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. While this was already expected due to it being revealed by earlier rumors, Qualcomm dropped even more names, with the Kryo and Adreno model numbers also dropped. But hey, let’s see what else changed.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: Armv9 Kryo CPUs

It seems that the Kryo 680 is going to be the last generation of Kryo CPUs with number in its name. This generation, the numbering is dropped. You do get a huge upgrade, with Qualcomm moving to integrate the full set of Armv9 cores, with the single Cortex-X2 “prime” core at 3.0GHz, three Cortex-A710 “performance” cores at 2.5GHz and four Cortex-A510 cores at 1.8GHz. Qualcomm is claiming that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s Kryo CPU will offer 20% more performance or 30% power savings, which is definitely exciting to see.

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On the memory end, Qualcomm has yet to add support for LPDDR5X, so it seems that the Dimensity 9000 will remain the only chipset to support LPDDR5X, for now. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 supports up to LPDDR5-6400, which is the same as the Snapdragon 888.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: 30% faster Adreno graphics

Yes, there’s no numbering for the Adreno graphics either. While this is perfectly fine for the flagship offering, it can get confusing in the mid-range segment where we can often see Snapdragon chipsets offered with a faster CPU but slower GPU, and vice versa. Now you have no way of telling, unless you scour for reviews and benchmarks. In any case, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s Adreno graphics promises 30% faster performance, or 25% lower power consumption at the same performance as the Snapdragon 888.
Gamers can also look forward to added capabilities like volumetric rendering for more realistic fog and smoke effects, as well as Adreno Frame Motion Engine that can “double the frame rate at the same power consumption”, whatever that means. Aside from just graphics, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will be the first to pack the Audiokinetic technology for better gaming audio.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: Snapdragon Sight, 18-bit ISP

Continuing the trend of dropping numbers, this year ISP’s loses its number too. Instead, all the imaging capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is wrapped up into the markedly simpler Snapdragon Sight name. The new ISP architecture promises improved dynamic range with the new 18-bit ISP pipeline, up from the 14-bit in the Snapdragon 888 series. Low light photography will also enjoy a great improvement, with the ability to stack 30 images now, 5X more than last-gen. Other improvements include a dedicated bokeh engine for 4K video as well as AI-powered auto exposure, white balance and focusing.
Speaking of AI chops, the new Spectra ISP in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is apparently capable of handling AI by itself, without shuttling data off to its Hexagon DSP or GPU. This should promise snappier AI-enhanced features, and probably allow for better efficiency as well when using the camera. One of this is the Leica Leitz Looks filter, that recreates the renowned bokeh and color with AI.
One thing that might irk some of you out there is the new Always-On Camera feature, which uses a fourth, dedicated ISP will enable faster off-the-cuff shots as the camera is always at the ready to snap photos. It will also enable faster face unlock, if you are into that.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: 10Gbps 5G, 4X faster AI

Finally! A number! One of the few component of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 that didn’t lose its generational numbering is its modem. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 gets an integrated Snapdragon X65 5G modem, that delivers up to 10Gbps download speeds, up from 7.5Gbps with the Snapdragon 888’s Snapdragon X60 5G modem. There’s also greater support for more 5G bands, which should enable better access worldwide.
The AI performance has been bumped up by 4X, which will enable even more AI capabilities. Qualcomm worked with Hugging Face to implement natural language processing, enabling more optimal grouping and priority for notifications. Of course, I do believe that this will end up being a feature that most OEMs will leave out of their devices.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will be manufactured on Samsung’s 4nm node, which has been previously rumored to be inferior to the Exynos 2200’s 4nm node. Qualcomm didn’t reveal the exact 4nm node though, so we aren’t sure whether the earlier rumors are real.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: devices coming by end of 2021, Xiaomi 12 will be the first

Just like last year, Xiaomi will bring us the first smartphone to pack the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The Xiaomi 12 will debut the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, while other brands like realme, Black Shark and HONOR are also slated to unveil their Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 offerings soon. I am glad to see that ASUS and the Republic of Gamers aren’t a part of the initial wave of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, as I do believe that ASUS will be waiting for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus, or whatever the overclocked version is named down the line.
Pokdepinion: I hope that the move to 4nm has solved the thermal issues that the Snapdragon 888 faced…
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January 2017 PS Plus Asia Free Games Revealed; Free Final Fantasy XV Content Included!

Yesterday’s one was for international PS Plus subscribers. This one is for those living in the Asia region.
Many of you have seen the PS Plus offerings for our international brothers. Some of you find it disappointing while others are relieved to see a classic gem come to life once again. Either way, that was for them, and it’s different for us in Asia.
Well, it’s not too much of a difference but I personally feel that we in the Asia region got it much better. Well, without further ado, let’s see what free games we have in January 2017 for our PlayStation machines.

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PS Plus Asia Free Games in January 2017

Some of you might be wondering whether you should be subscribed to PS Plus for January 2017. Maybe this will help make up your mind. The first major game that will be coming for free starting January 6th 2017 for PS Plus subscribers is Alienation!
Alienation is a co-op sci-fi shooter where players can unleash chaos for the alien masses. Utilizing a devastating array of conventional, hybrid and alien weaponry. players are to eliminate the alien masses with extreme firepower in massively destructible environments where collateral damage can literally bring the house down!

And just as we’ve seen for our international brothers and sisters, we too will be receiving ‘This War of Mine: The Little Ones’, where players control a group of adults and children who are stuck in hell on earth.
In the game, there are adults and children caught in the middle of a war, and the game focuses on the hardships of surviving the war. The people are trying to survive in a besieged city while struggling with lack of food and medicine and constant danger. And despite all this, the game also reminds players that no matter the situation, kids will always be kids.
And yes, there’s indeed more games than just those two. Check out the list just below here to find out what exactly is coming in January 2017 for PS Plus subscribers.

Alienation (PlayStation 4)
This War of Mine: The Little Ones (PlayStation 4)
The Swindle (PlayStation 4, Playstation 3, and PS VITA)
Goat Simulator (PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3)
Net High (PS VITA)
Actual Sunlight (PS VITA)

But Wait, There’s More!

Alongside the free games, there are 3 additional content for PS Plus Asia subscribers. As you can see above here, you’ll also be eligible to get the PlayStation Plus Exclusive Toro Theme as well as the Gravity Rush 2 Exclusive Theme. And the best part is, assuming you’re a fan of the game of course, is this thing below here.

That’s right. That addition content for Final Fantasy XV is none other than the original soundtrack for the game. That’s a pretty neat bonus to kick off the new year for PS Plus Asia subscribers.

Pokdepinion: Just when I thought that international PS Plus offering was good. Sony Interactive Entertainment has impressed with me such an offering for PS Plus Asia subscribers. If you haven’t subscribed to PS Plus yet, you should, as this is pretty damn awesome. On that note, do stay tuned to Pokde.net as we will be having a PlayStation-themed giveaway very soon :-)
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Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Review – Should You Get It?

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Review
What is Ghost Recon Breakpoint About?

Ghost Recon Breakpoint is Ubisoft’s latest title to launch, available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, taking place after the events of Ghost Recon Wildlands. At the beginning. you’re in a helicopter over Auroa, a fictional island located near the Pacific Ocean. Misfortune arrives as your chopper gets shot down and you find yourself being the sole survivor of the crash.
The island itself is owned by Jace Skell, the CEO of Skell Technology which produces the world’s most advanced drones. Your character, Nomad, needs to find his way around the island to investigate what really happened in the crash and survive.

In the game, you’ll have plenty of things to look out for. Once you’ve leveled up, you’ll need to pick between 4 roles to play as, with each having their own perks and benefits. From there on, you’ll see that there are plenty of skills for you to upgrade and they will aid you in the game.

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Gameplay Improvements?

When it comes to the overall gameplay, it has its ups and downs. Gun fight in the game feels better compared to Ghost Recon Wildlands. You can opt to go guns blazing or take the safer stealth option. In the early parts of the game, the former doesn’t seem to be such a wise choice (you can guess why).

Ghost Recon Breakpoint has quite the number of cutscenes and I have to say that I didn’t quite enjoy them. Personally I am a fan of great story telling in video games and in the game, it is a bit of a let down. Dialogues and the voice acting is rather plain and it makes it a pain to watch / hear them. If they could’ve put their emotions into it, it would be so much better.
Floating on air bug
Now its understandable that a game such as this would have bugs in it, but I’ve encountered quite a bunch. For instance, I had found a group of militia guarding a plane and decided to snipe them out. One by one, I took them down but weirdly (in a funny way), the last guy seemed to be running but stuck at the propeller of the air craft. The standard floating on air bug was also noticeable. I can’t blame the game that much since it’s still new and it will be patched in a future update but I can’t help but comment on it since it’s meant to be a ‘realistic tactical’ title.

Bugs aside, the game is still enjoyable. You can roam around in a huge world and trust me, it is big (that’s what she said). Even with vehicles laying around, it takes time to go around. Speaking of vehicles, the land vehicles in the game feels rather unnatural when it comes to control though I felt that flying with a helicopter and airplane was a decent experience.

Explore the island and you’ll find areas that provides useful intel. With these intel, you can choose to learn several details such as gun improvements, weapons, important locations, and details of your mission. So if you find an exclamation mark near you, don’t ignore it.
Yes, the game does come with microtransactions. As a player, I don’t like to see it being implemented in games. If it was only for cosmetics, I wouldn’t mind as much but seeing how you can purchase levels and more that affects gameplay, it seems unfair.
Tactical Multiplayer

Up next we tried the multiplayer mode, which is called Ghost Wars. In it, you’ll play a 4v4 deathmatch and based on my experience, you need more than just shooting skills. Depending on your type of Ghost, utilize your drones wisely to locate where your enemies are. Being aware of your environment and getting behind cover are very important to survive. You never know when an enemy might be lurking just beside you.
Overall, Ghost Wars is fun but the one thing about it that I was not satisfied with is the matchmaking time. No, I’m not saying that it takes a long period of time to find a match. It’s when you’ve already got enough people for a match and it takes quite long for the round to start.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Verdict

If you look at the gameplay, Ghost Recon Breakpoint is a pretty enjoyable game. You’ll pretty much love the game if you enjoy a little bit of tactical warfare and it’s there.
Sadly with some of the points that I mentioned in the review, I feel that the game was rushed out and released too soon. If you have a group of friends to play with, I still feel that you’d enjoy the game though. I hope that they will release an update to fix some of the jarring issues found in the game. There is promise in the game and for that, I award Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint with our Bronze Pokdeward.

We would like to thank Ubisoft for providing the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint copy that was used in this review.
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HONOR View20 Now With Immediate Cashback

HONOR Malaysia has revealed that they are now offering immediate cashback fro those who purchase their HONOR View20 smartphones from their official store, hihonor.
The HONOR View20 was launched in Paris earlier in the year where it comes with a 48MP rear camera, 25MP in-screen front camera and utilizes the Kirin 980 chipset. AI Triple-Antenna Wi-Fi technology is also available and it comes with aurora nanotexture design.
It is available in two variants; 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB. Customers will be able to enjoy a total of RM200 cashback for every purchase of the HONOR View20 at RM1999 (6GB+128GB) that comes in Sapphire Blue and Midnight Black. Additionally the 8GB+256GB version is available at RM2499 in Phantom Blue where you will receive RM300 of cashback.

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Check out our full thoughts on the HONOR View20 here.
Pokdepinion: I guess it’s kind of expected that they’re offering something for the HONOR View20, seeing how close the HONOR 20’s arrival is coming soon.
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New ECOVACS DEEBOT T9 And DEEBOT N8 PRO Are Now On Shopee

Two new ECOVACS robotic vacuum cleaners have just made their debut on Shopee which include the ECOVACS DEEBOT T9 and DEEBOT N8 PRO. These two new robotic vacuum cleaners come upgraded with powerful and intelligent features and will be made exclusively available on Shopee.

ECOVACS DEEBOT T9 and DEEBOT N8 PRO exclusive on Shopee

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The DEEBOT T9 is the first model to include intelligent 9-in-1 obstacle avoidance features, which include efficient vacuuming and mopping functions as well as a built-in handheld air freshener. Its cutting-edge TrueDetect 3D 2.0 obstacle detection and avoidance technology allow the robot to clean the floor intelligently without being tangled or trapped in the building. The model’s improved suction power and Intelligent Control feature include hands-free cleaning management, allowing users to have a more efficient and superior cleaning experience.

As for the DEEBOT N8 PRO, it comes with improved laser detection and industry-leading algorithms, allowing the robot to prepare a more effective cleaning route faster and with greater precision. The ECOVACS Home App allows users to monitor where the robot enters and cleans in order to protect privacy. Mopping and vacuuming can be done in one go thanks to the electronically operated water pump and water tank, which eliminates the need for several stops to top up the water tank.
The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9 can be gotten at the official ECOVACS Shopee store for a retail price of RM1,999 while the DEEBOT N8 PRO will have a retail price of RM1,599.
You can also check out our previous review of another ECOVACS robotic vacuum cleaner, the ECOVACS DEEBOT Ozmo T8 down below.

Pokdepinion: I would love to get myself a robotic vacuum cleaner one day. However, with my current house, I don’t think it would be a really feasible choice when compared to a traditional vacuum cleaner.
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HUAWEI WiFi AX3 available for pre-order this 7th July at RM299

HUAWEI has just announced that the HUAWEI WiFi AX3 will be available for pre-order this 7th July during HUAWEI’s Mid-Year Sale. It does stand out as one of the most affordable WiFi 6 routers in the market right now, priced at just RM299.
The HUAWEI WiFi AX3 packs the Gigahome Wi-Fi 6 chipset, which supports 160 MHz bands for up to 2.4 Gbps of bandwidth. On top of that, the router supports HUAWEI WiFi 6 Plus, which is HUAWEI’s standard allowing for HUAWEI’s WiFi 6-enabled smartphones to communicate with the HUAWEI WiFi AX3 with 6dB stronger signals in 2 MHz narrow bands with Dynamic Narrow Bandwidth.

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This promises better reception even when you are far away from the router. It appears to be a HUAWEI-exclusive feature though, so you will stand to benefit the most from the HUAWEI WiFi AX3 if you use a HUAWEI smartphone which supports WiFi 6. So far only the HUAWEI P40 series support WiFi 6, with even the HUAWEI Mate 30 series not enjoying WiFi 6 support.

Designed to be a hub for HUAWEI’s 1+8+N smart life ecosystem, the HUAWEI WiFi AX3 also sports HUAWEI HomeSec, which offers commercial-grade security for a secure connection at all times. Any Android smartphone with NFC functionality can also seamlessly connect to the WiFi simply by tapping the router with your device.

The HUAWEI WiFi AX3 will be available from 10th July in Malaysia, but you can pre-order it at RM299 this 7th July in conjunction with HUAWEI Mid-Year Sale on Lazada and Shopee.
Pokdepinion: Seems nice and sleek for the performance it can offer!
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Sony Unveils Two New In-Car Media Receivers with Wireless Smartphone Connectivity

Sony recently launched the Sony XAV-AX6000 and XAV-AX4000, two new additions to its range of automobile AV receivers. Both in-car media receivers now contain additional critical capabilities such as totally wireless smartphone connectivity, allowing drivers to use voice control for navigation or music playback while driving even if their device is in their pocket.
Sony XAV-AX6000 and XAV-AX4000 Key Features

The Sony XAV-AX6000 and XAV-AX4000 have a fully wireless smartphone conversion where voice control could be used to communicate, navigate and play music on the road even if the device is in a pocket, thanks to a Wi-Fi connection from the user’s smartphone and GPS.

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Furthermore, the Apple CarPlay feature connects the iPhone with the display and controls of the car audio system, allowing users to conduct phone calls, access music, send and receive messages, obtain traffic-optimized directions, and more while the driver remains focused on the road. Apple CarPlay supports third-party navigation apps and gives you even more options for getting to your location.
Another feature of the Sony XAV-AX6000 and XAV-AX4000 is the Android Auto which is a simpler way to use a smartphone with the vehicle audio’s display. Drivers could use the feature to communicate with Google and remain connected, engaged, and informed while keeping their focus on the road. To get started, simply say “Hey Google” or hit the dedicated voice control button.
The XAV-AX6000 has a 6.95-inch bezel-less flush surface display with a capacitive touch screen whereas the XAV-AX4000 has a 6.95-inch sleek anti-glare touch screen.

The XAV-AX6000 has an additional HDMI connectivity that enables the users to attach external audio and visual source device for monitoring when parked and it has a head unit with high voltage pre-out that produces a 5-volt signal, resulting in a crisper sound with less distortion.
LDAC provides the convenience of Bluetooth wireless audio as well as superb sound quality. Connect compatible devices to broadcast audio at 96 kHz/24-bit sampling at up to 3x the bandwidth, 990 kbps of standard Bluetooth.
The devices feature Free Lossless Audio Codec which is an audio format comparable to MP3 but lossless, which means that audio signals are compressed without quality loss. The user can now play FLAC files with up to 24-bit depth and 384 kHz sampling frequency.
In the AV receivers, the built-in DSP provides sound compression and time synchronization for each of the 5 addressable channels; 4 speakers plus a subwoofer through pre-out. A 14-band EQ allows users to tailor the overall sound to their music or preferences. Users can dial in the exact match of front, rear, and subwoofers with the 3-zone crossover.
Users who activate the Quick Wake Up option are ready to go as soon as they switch on the ignition. Not only that, the device allows users to see the image of a linked rear view camera when changing the vehicle’s transmission lever to the R (Reverse) mode or tapping the Rear Camera icon on the home screen.
The new button design incorporates larger keys that blend in with the sleek display. Access volume, source, sound settings, and voice control for safe and simple driving. Allows the user to change the wallpaper to one of the predefined colour schemes or a JPEG image saved on a USB device. The USB Type-C Hi-speed reversible connection interface can carry a maximum current of 5V 3.0A for updated smartphone connections.
The 3-pre out connectivity lets the user build a whole acoustic system, such as a subwoofer, a mono amplifier, and a 4-channel amplifier, for even louder and more powerful sound rendering in the future. To avoid deterioration and signal distortion, the connecting plugs are gold-plated. The rear structure is constructed with single-DIN proportions, allowing adequate space beneath the radio for wire harnesses, steering wheel control and integration devices, and more. This also allows the radio to be installed in vehicles with limitations behind the radio mounting space.
The XAV-AX6000 will be available in Malaysia from September 2022 whereas the XAV-AX4000 will be available from August 2022. For more information about the media receivers, feel free to visit Sony’s official websites here:
XAV-AX6000 product website
XAV-AX4000 product website
Pokdepinion: A superb upgrade to your driving experience!
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Pokde.net 2015 tech recap and thank you for supporting Pokde.net!

Today is the first day of 2016 and I hope you managed to fulfill your 2015 resolutions. If not, don’t worry as you can resolve to hit your 2015 goals in 2016. It should be easier in 2016 considering you get an extra day this year. Year 2015 is the second year for Pokde.net and a lot has happened. My entry today is to recap some of the most popular reviews by Pokde.net in 2015.

ASUS Zenfone 2 Series

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The most popular reviews on Pokde.net, reviews of the ASUS Zenfone 2 line-up at Pokde.net were among our hottest posts which included the ASUS Zenfone 2, ASUS Zenfone 2 Selfie and ASUS Zenfone Laser. We received numerous messages in Pokde’s Facebook inbox asking which ASUS Zenfone 2 they should pick. We were glad to answer all of them gave the most suitable recommendations as possible based on their requirements. The Zenfone 2 series represented a new level of achievement by ASUS, proving that powerful performance doesn’t have to come with a big price tag.

ASUS Padfone S

ASUS Padfone S or also dubbed by Superdaddy as the “ASUS Zenfone on steroids”, was reviewed in late 2014 and is one of the best smartphones ever made by ASUS. Two of Pokde.net’s team members actually bought the phone, myself included. ASUS Padfone S is really a good device, sporting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 that is still capable of kicking some butt. In fact recent smartphones like the One Plus X is still released with it under the hood. If you ask me whether the ASUS Padfone S is still relevant, I will surely answer YES! The phone originally came with Android KitKat 4.4 which is later was upgraded to Lollipop 5.0 and now it is planned to receive the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. Priced from RM899 when first released, now you can have it for around RM699 and you definitely will not regret for getting this phone. If you need more performance, the Padfone S Plus is also available, bringing Qi Wireless charging, 3GB of RAM and a whopping 64GB of internal storage.

Xiaomi Piston V3 earphone

An affordable earphone yet with a great audio quality. The Xiaomi Piston V3 is an upgrade over the Xiaomi Piston V2 that was also covered in a review by us. It’s hard for me to review the Xiaomi Piston V3 as I’m is not a professional audiophile, but the clearest differences I noticed between the V3 and V2 is the bass. I love the bass on the V3; it’s not very punchy like the V2 and also delivers a good soundstage. For a MYR 79 earphone the V3 is one of the best earphones I could recommended. We also look forward to the new Mi Headphones Pro to review in 2016.

ASUS Zenpad

Yet another device from ASUS which have gotten a lot of hit on Pokde.net. Both the ASUS Zenpad C and Zenpad 7.0 is a tablet that runs on Intel Atom. If you’re looking for a tablet you might want to take a look at our review of both the ASUS Zenpad tablets.

Year 2015 has taught us a lot of things about media and journalism. We were dedicated in giving our very best to bring you as many interesting tech news and reviews on Pokde.net as we can. We approached companies like MSI and Huawei to bring you reviews of their products, and we won’t stop there, as we are actively searching for any tech companies with interesting products. I want to thank everybody who has supported us in 2015 and we will put even more effort to make Pokde.net among the best tech blogs in Malaysia, and perhaps even in the international arena too. With your support, Pokde.net has grown 699% in terms of hits over 2014 and we hope that all of you guys keep supporting us!
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As the popular saying goes, “cheaters never prosper”, and it’s can’t be any more true than this. A Call of Duty Warzone cheat program has a hidden malware inside infecting the computers of those who dare try it.
Popular Call Of Duty Warzone Cheat Program Has Malware Hidden Inside

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Hackers have started offering new Call of Duty Warzone cheat programs that won’t actually help you. Instead, it will infect your PC with a whole lot of malware for your troubles.
According to a report by Activision recently, they have discovered a number of discussions on the dark web on using Call of Duty Warzone cheat programs to lure unsuspecting users into downloading a dropper. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a customizable malicious program that can be used to install various forms of malware.
The program will mention certain attractive things like infinite ammo for all weapons, a one shot, one kill feature, and increased speed. This sounds like fun until you find your PC infected with all sorts of malware that could land you in hot water. This software is apparently advertised on popular cheating forums and YouTube videos multiple times under names like “new COD hack”, but no mention of where specifically for obvious reasons.
The reason why the fake Call of Duty Warzone cheat programs can cause so much chaos is because it typically requires the highest system privileges and for the user to disable key security features that are typically used to keep the PC safe. When all conditions are met, the malware is free to wreak havoc as it pleases as the user already did the hard work for the hackers.
Source
Pokdepinion: I don’t get why people would want to use cheats when playing games online. I can understand the fun in single player but if you’re playing against other people, it just ruins the fun and you’re indirectly admitting that you lack skills. In this case, you get a dose of malware to go along with it.
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HTC may manufacture the 2016 Nexus smartphone

HTC’s coffers may not have been the fullest they have been, but this piece of news may change that. The 2015 Nexus devices, the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P were great, however Google isn’t going to rest on their laurels just yet, and is apparently in talks with HTC to design this year’s Nexus.

HTC is a fairly innovative company, with technologies like HTC Vive, Ultrapixel cameras and Boomsound, but all those technologies have failed to bring returns to the company, and their financial status is pretty dire right now. The brand’s image is also marred by their use of MediaTek processors in their flagship HTC One M9+ which substitutes the M9 in certain regions, which have turned some of their most diehard fans away. Even the M9 was affected by the allegedly overheating Snapdragon 810 SoCs, but that is a story for another time. Currently all we know is that Google has approached HTC to collaborate on the upcoming Nexus smartphone, but other details are still pretty vague. If this collaboration pulls through, the Nexus family will have come to a full circle, as HTC was the OEM behind the very first Nexus, the aptly named Nexus One.

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Aside from the very first Nexus smartphone, HTC has also recently collaborated with Google to bring us the Nexus 9, one of the few devices packing the NVIDIA Tegra K1 Denver processor, while also incorporating their proprietary Boomsound audio technology to good effect. While Nexus tablets rarely get much limelight, if the recent fanfare about the Nexus 6P is to be repeated, the HTC Nexus smartphone is bound to make waves.
Are you excited to see HTC and Google get together to bring us this year’s Nexus? Let us know in the comments below!

Pokdepinion: HTC Sense is probably the best Android overlay out there, and the build quality of HTC devices are also great, but the premium pricing they command and less than stellar Ultrapixel camera has turned off some of their fans. Hopefully with this collaboration to produce Nexus devices HTC can rise once again to be among the top Android OEMs.

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ASUS ROG STRIX Scope II 96 Wireless Gaming Keyboard Brings New ROG NX Snow Switches

Some people swear by numpad (including me), but would do away with extra keys sitting above arrow keys to save space. That’s where 96% layout (closely resembles laptop’s “full-size” layout) comes in – and ASUS has made just one for those people.
The ROG STRIX Scope II 96 comes with the all-new ROG NX Snow switches – hot-swappable, pre-lubed on stems and base housings with dry lube and Krytox GDL-205 to provide “a smooth, linear feel while also eliminating springback noise.” Users can choose between smooth-finish UV-coated ABS keycaps or the more durable doubleshot PBT keycaps, which will fit into the standard cross-shaped stem that will work with most aftermarket solutions.

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As for the ROG NX Snow switch itself, it features initial actuation force of 40 grams and a total actuation force maxed out at 53 grams, with the same actuation and reset point at 1.8mm. The stabilizers, also custom-made, are pre-lubed; a combination of dampening foam, switch dampening pads, full foam layer below PCB and the aluminum alloy frame enables the deep “thock” sound that is often preferred by custom keyboard users.
ASUS has pre-programmed F1-F5 keys for specific game functions such as opening Xbox Game Bar, take a screenshot, save previous 30 seconds of footage, screen recording and microphone toggle, which can be reverted back to standard F1-F5 key if that is preferred instead. The battery life is rated for 90 hours with RGB on under 2.4GHz connection – which now comes as a ROG OMNI receiver that supports multiple supported device connections in a single dongle.
The pricing and availability information for the ROG STRIX Scope II 96 is unannounced so far, so watch this space.
Pokdepinion: Now, if a low-profile version exists… (my keyboard tastes is ‘unusual’, let’s put it this way)
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GrabFood Accused of Disabling Restaurants With Lower Commission Rates in Secret

[UPDATED 3PM, 5th June 2020] Sean Goh, Managing Director, Grab Malaysia Responds
With there still being a danger of getting infected by COVID-19, many of us are still dining at home instead of going to restaurants. Food delivery services like GrabFood and Foodpanda have been a blessing during the pandemic thus far but everything isn’t as rosy as it seems. In the case of the former, they have been accused of secretly turning off restaurants with lower commission rates.
Burgertory Disabled on GrabFood Due To Lower Commission Rates?
Renowned Subang burger restaurant Burgertory voiced out their frustrating experience with food delivery service GrabFood. According to the post, their own staff noticed that the restaurant was listed as unavailable for the day on the app. Strangely enough, other restaurant in the area were available for delivery.

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After reaching out to the GrabFood merchant support, they were allegedly told that Burgertory was disabled from Grab’s restaurant availability due to different in commission rates by different restaurants. In other words, the restaurants that pays a higher commission rate will get prioritized and will be available in more areas. Furthermore, a GrabFood manager allegedly told them that they will allow restaurants with larger “sales bucket” to appear in more areas. If true, this means bigger businesses will flourish while the smaller restaurants will suffer from low sales.
Hence we reached out to GrabFood merchant support via live chat and given the response that they off our restaurant availability from the back-end due to differences in commission rate by different restaurants, which means the restaurants which signed higher commission rate with them will get the priority and ‘be available in more places’. And they switched on our availability back after our call.
Burgertory
While they did end up enabling Burgertory for delivery after, it has apparently happened again. Understandably, their trust in the service has been compromised. Interestingly, they are not the only restaurant to face this problem as Damansara-based Nyonya Restaurant Mamalee have voiced similar displeasure.
Nyonya Restaurant Mamalee Faced Similar Issues
According to Mamalee, they have received various complaints via call and WhatsApp due to the restaurant not being available for delivery via GrabFood. While their complaint was over two months ago, the issue still persists as recent as 21st May 2020. They have allegedly filed numerous complaints to no avail as it has happened time and time again.
In normal situation, thealways like to switch us into “Unavailable for delivery” even though our device show open status. Today a bit different and it has upgraded, hahaha. They straight away switch our shop to “Closed for Raya etc”, without we notice it until one customer message to inform us. Why always us grabfood??? Can you explain? Even if you reply, we are tired of all the excuses.
Mamalee
Worse yet, their restaurant was listed as “Closed for Raya” despite still being up and running. They have even listed a phone number for their customers to contact in case their restaurant gets disabled again for whatever reason.
GrabFood Responds

It’s worth noting that GrabFood did respond to Burgertory on Facebook. They denied ever having restaurants disabled due to commission rates, apologized for the misinformation, and assured them that their case is being looked into. Managing Director of Grab Malaysia, Sean Goh, has e-mailed us their side of the story:

First and foremost, we would like to address the misconception: we do not turn off any of our stores / restaurants based on commissions.
Secondly, during rainy days, or when there is a lack of delivery riders in a specific area, we automatically reduce the service distance to ensure that we can maintain our service levels. Once the availability of delivery riders has recovered, our service distance would resume to normal levels. Occasionally, this may result in stores being unavailable in a nearby location, but available in a further location. For example, Customer A may reside in Bangsar but only see restaurants available in PJ, because we have insufficient delivery partners within the Bangsar area at that specific time.
Thirdly, during festive seasons where some of our restaurant partners may be closed, we practice a precautionary ‘temporary pause’ based on feedback from delivery riders who cite that a restaurant is closed despite being available in our app. This is done to ensure we do not disappoint customers who may continue to order from restaurants who have not updated their operating hours especially during the festive season. Such was the case experienced by this specific restaurant partner.
Prior to Raya holiday period, we sent out multiple communications (emails and SMS) to remind our restaurant partners to update operating hours and how to easily reactivate their restaurants in case of a ‘temporary pause’. In this case, we apologise that we were not attentive enough to ensure our partner received and acknowledged our communications.
We also note that information that was provided by our support staff was inaccurate, and apologise for the heartache and impact to our restaurant partner.
In view of the pandemic, we empathise with our merchant partners whose income has been affected due to the lockdown and restricted operating hours, and have had to rely only on delivery services to generate income. We are continuously looking at different initiatives to help drive demand for them, such as our Local Heroes and Grab Small-Biz Relief fund which this specific partner was also a part of, but will strive to balance this with the need to ensure we continue to uphold our highest service level.
We welcome any partner who has any queries on this to reach out to us directly so we can address your concerns.
Sean Goh, Managing Director of Grab Malaysia
While they encourage the restaurants to contact them directly, it may be a bit tough given the restaurants earlier claims of filing complaints to them. Perhaps a new solution can be found when contacting GrabFood again this time. There may be more to this story coming later so we will report on this as soon as information becomes available so stay tuned.
Source 1 / Source 2
Pokdepinion: Something similar happened to my favourite Middle Eastern restaurant. After letting them know about it, it seemed to be back without any issues. Not sure if it’s related to this but it does seem awfully similar.
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AMD’s new card matches the GeForce GTX 1080 — the AMD Vega 10?

Remember the game Ashes of the Singularity? It had the R9 290X beating the GTX 980 Ti in its DirectX 12 benchmark, and now we have a new AMD GPU with scores that are somewhere around the GeForce GTX 1080’s. What does this mean? Does this mark the arrival of the AMD Vega architecture? We have seen benchmarks of the Radeon Pro 490 which bests the GTX 1070, could this be the same GPU?

Player Ceaj using the 687F:C1 GPU has scored 8400 in the benchmarks, around what the GeForce GTX 1080 scores. Its appearance in the AotS benchmarks is also a good sign, as AotS detects multi-GPU configurations and would mark them with a mGPU tag. A single GPU which matches the GeForce GTX 1080 shows that the RX 490 which was rumored to feature two Polaris 10 GPUs on a single card is most probably a single GPU card from the Vega family.

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What makes this benchmark even more interesting is that the exact same user has benched this exact same GPU multiple times, but this is his/her highest score. Previous scores were abysmal so to speak, especially when compared against this score.

Less than a month ago, it scored a mere 4900 compared to the 8400 points it just scored. It probably means that AMD is tweaking the drivers for this card, or AMD is optimizing the GPUs clocks for better performance. Either way, more performance is always better, and we can’t wait to see higher scores from this mysterious 687F:C1 GPU, as it is still quite far below what better clocked GTX 1080s can do.

Pokdepinion: I have a strong feeling AMD will at least reveal an engineering sample of the AMD Vega GPU at the New Horizons demonstration…
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AMD Zen “Ryzen” — AMD’s back, with loads of catchy naming

Well it seems AMD can’t keep it down at all. Ahead of the official New Horizons announcement event, we find these leaked official slides, and we find that it will arrive with more than its fair share of catchy marketing lingo, and will also sport a decidedly more memorable name than “Summit Ridge.” Say hello to Ryzen.

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Pure Power optimizes for lower power consumption. Based on the information fed into the Infinity Fabric, Ryzen will allow for adaptive control in real time to lower power consumption while not adversely affecting performance. As AMD has traditionally been known to not make the most efficient CPUs out there, I wonder how this might improve their condition.

Enthusiasts may not find the above two features nearly as interesting as this though, as AMD promises to reward better cooling by not capping the clock speeds to what Precision Boost can offer, but also allowing you to go as far as you can, as long as you do not exceed the temperature limits.

Smart Prefetch is AMD’s latest prefetcher. Prefetchers have always been a major part of improving CPU performance, so AMD’s highlighting of this feature might mean that they have made a huge leap in this area. Intel has been leading in prefetching, but we would really like to see the tables turned with Ryzen.

That’s all we got from the leak. The slides are incomplete, and the mysterious AMD SenseMI Technology was not detailed in this leak.  Let’s wait for more details from the AMD New Horizons public demo event. Meanwhile, check out other leaks regarding AMD Zen, like the pricing.

Pokdepinion: Is AMD finally ryzing from the ashes, back to give Intel a good fight after so long?
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MDEC’s Kre8tif! Conference & Content Festival – Get Ready For Some Emotion In Motion

As part of their initiative of promoting the animation industry in the region, the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation, or better known as MDEC, has organized the Kre8tif Conference & Content Festival. The conference took place at Cyberview Resort & Spa in Cyberjaya on the 9th and 10th of August. It managed to gather some of the region’s top leaders in animation, broadcast, and content creation.
The animation and creative content industry have enormous potential, and it has become one of the main contributor to the national income over recent years. MDEC is already working towards building a healthy and vibrant digital economy as it continuously pushes boundaries to spur market growths. This event is critical to this relentless effort, providing great economic value-add for the nation. Indeed, the road ahead is a promising one and it is MDEC’s role to provide a platform for the industry to address expectations and real needs. Kre8tif! is the perfect avenue for us to provide that needed support and we are confident it will open more doors for Malaysia’s animation and creative content industry to flourish on the international stage Dato' Yasmin Mahmood, Chief Executive Officer of MDEC
Kre8tif Conference & Content Festival

Themed ‘Emotion In Motion’, Kre8tif! has gathered over 500 participants from Malaysia, South Korea, India, Japan, China, Singapore, and the Philippines. They’ve gathered to share the latest trends and innovations within the creative scene, digital technology, and more.

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Kre8tif! will initiate discussions around the latest technical insights, future-shaping trends, and best practices that will help the industry identify where it stands today and where it is headed. The speakers we have this year is a reflection of this forward growth – we have an amazing mix of local and international representatives, such as Dan Sarto from Animation World Network, Shazia Makhdumi from Google Play, and our very own animation veteran, Hassan Muthalib, who will be sharing valuable insights about this fascinating industry. For aspiring animators and content creators out there, Kre8tif! is definitely a must have experience Hasnul Hadi Samsudin, Vice President of the Creative Content and Technologies (CCT) division at MDEC
Feel like you’re missing out on the action? Worry not. The Kre8tif Content Festival is going to be held 11th to 12th of August 2017 at TSI Sports Arena, Cyberjaya. The festival will showcase some of the best independent local and international productions. Visitors can also expect ‘wayang pacak’ movie screenings, merchandising booths, meet and greet sessions with mascots such as Boboiboy, Didi & Friends and Ejen Ali. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance which is at RM3 per person and there is a family package consisting of two adults and two children which is RM10.
Pokdepinion: Animation aficionados and fans can take this opportunity to see up close at some of the industry’s best at work.

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LIAN LI LANCOOL 215 brings 200mm fans to an iconic design

LIAN LI announced the LANCOOL 215, with a full mesh front and two 200mm ARGB fans behind it. This case is designed to be performance-focused and budget-friendly while still offering the well-loved aesthetics of the LANCOOL family.

While being affordable, the theme of the day with the LANCOOL 215 is airflow and cooling, with support for plenty of fans and radiators in this case. It can accommodate up to a 360mm or a 280mm radiator up front, as well as a 280mm one up top. On the rear, you can fit in a 120mm fan for exhausting hot air, and if you need more airflow to your GPU, there are mounting holes for two fans above the PSU shroud.

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Behind the motherboard tray that supports up to EATX motherboards, there’s a fan hub and RGB controller to manage the fans you can cram into the system. There’s room for a long 210mm PSU here along with up to two 2.5″ drives and two 3.5″ HDDs.

On top of all the features of the LANCOOL 215, LIAN LI made sure to make the LANCOOL 215 compatible with the vertical GPU kit designed for the LANCOOL II. You can get the LANCOOL 215 for just $69.99 (~RM291) USD.
Pokdepinion: I must say, it does look pretty nice for its price…
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LG G5 is a step in the right direction

Anyone remember Project Ara? The modular smartphone garnered a lot of attention back then, but probably due to the difficulty to engineer a platform and modules that support quick swapping, the project seems to be rather quiet lately. Step forward to MWC 2016, we are looking at the LG G5 and it’s two swappable modules. The LG G5 may not be as modular as Project Ara, but I truly believe that it is a step in the right direction. We aren’t going to talk about the amazing specifications of the G5, but only about the swappable module system.
Swapping modules involve removing the chin of the LG G5. According to Android Central there is a little button to depress on the side to pop out the chin, after which you can start pulling on it.

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The battery of the LG G5 is fully removable, and very brightly colored too. This alone is enough to make it more likable compared to the other Korean flagship which sports a non-removable battery. The 2800 mAh battery is a small downgrade from the 3000 mAh one found in the G4, but the Always On display should help you save some battery life now that you won’t have to activate the whole display just to check the time.
The first module we will be taking a look at will be the LG Cam Plus.

As the name implies, the LG Cam Plus enhances the usability of the LG G5’s camera. The module feature an additional 1200 mAh battery, an analog zoom dial, two stage shutter key and a shortcut key for instant access to (and egress from) the camera. More battery life is always good especially when using the camera intensively. The analog zoom dial allows you to switch between the two cameras found on the LG G5. The LG G5 has two cameras, one 8 MP wide angle and one 16 MP normal one. I would have preferred for it to control manual exposure, but LG seems to have an aversion towards putting exposure in the hands of the user, so I guess zoom will have to do. The two stage shutter keys make the camera that much more intuitive.

The other module available for the LG G5 is the LG Hi-Fi Plus With B&O Play, to bring high definition audio to the LG G5. In case the native 24-bit output of the LG G5 is not enough, the Hi-Fi Plus module will definitely please the deep-pocketed audiophiles with its 32-bit output. The module can actually work without the G5, as you can feed it data and power via the USB Type-C port, and it will process audio for any other device that supports USB audio out.
The modules are not perfect though. Android Central commented that the LG CAM Plus is far from ergonomic with its squarish shape. Actually I kind of foreseen this comment as I am very sure that a square block stuck on the back of a phone will definitely not feel comfortable. The LG Hi-Fi Plus on the other hand, comes in every color as long as it’s black, which means that no matter what color your G5 is, the module will stand out like a sore thumb. However that might please some people who want to show off their G5’s enhanced audio capabilities. Pricing of the modules is also not available yet at the time of writing, so that’s another issue to ponder on.

While the G5 has not exactly succeeded at making a perfect modular system, it is definitely a step in the right direction. While features like microSD card support and removable batteries are being taken for granted, they are actually part of what being modular means. The G5 doesn’t forget those features either. To me, it is truly a step in the right direction, and I hope more smartphones will follow down this path, offering users the option to upgrade their smartphone to better suit their usage.

Images and information obtained from Android Central
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GoCar and Green EV Charge Collaborate to Make EV Charging More Accessible

GoCar Malaysia, an on-demand mobility-as-a-service platform, today announced a partnership with Green EV Charge, a joint venture firm formed by Yinson Green Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd and GreenTech Malaysia Alliances Sdn Bhd. The alliance aims to improve EV charging convenience across the country by combining the chargEV mobile platform with GoCar’s mobile app.
The collaboration will provide their members and other EV users with simpler access and improved connection to all chargEV stations straight from their app, eliminating the need to switch platforms. chargEV is Malaysia’s largest EV charging network, with over 400 charging stations around the country.

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In the early phase of integration, the app users will be able to examine the locations, availability, and types of chargers on the chargEV network. Future integration options include pre-booking an EV charger, scheduling a recharge, making payments, and monitoring charging status.

Furthermore, the company has partnered with EV Connection to provide their app users access to more EV charging stations on the JomCharge network.
The Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona E-Max and E-Lite have also been included in the company’s GoEV sharing and subscription lineup. The company also plans to have more than 100 EVs in its fleet by the end of 2022.
Download the GoCar mobile app to join up for their membership and for more information about GoCar Malaysia, feel free to visit their official website, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter.
Pokdepinion: A great partnership for a more convenient electric car charging. This would encourage more users to rent electric cars to travel everywhere, helping the environment.
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MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Power and Portability In Your Hands

Unboxing the MSI GS66 Stealth

Let’s kick off the MSI GS66 Stealth review with the unbox. We had a PokdeLIVE livestream showing off a glimpse of this laptop, which you can see right above here. Inside the gaming laptop box, you are expected to find the following items:
240W slim power adapterPower cableUser guideWarranty card2 x MSI gaming T-shirtsThe MSI GS66 Stealth gaming laptop itself
Appearance
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Lid
The MSI GS66 Stealth is a gaming laptop with the goal of letting consumers choose a device without having to sacrifice anything significant. You can get portability and power, a lot of power, in a single package. You can easily tell that it’s a premium product just by looking at it.
Looking at the lid, you get a rather elegant aluminum build with its Core Black colour scheme. The MSI’s dragon logo has gone for a more muted approach, blending in with the lid with a matte finish. Given the sandblasted metal design, it gives the laptop a more premium look and feel while also preventing fingerprint smudges.

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MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Open up the lid
Open up the lid and you’ll get a clear view of its 15.6-inch Full HD IPS-level display with 300Hz refresh rate, a large air vent, Steelseries per-key RGB chiclet keyboard, a rather long trackpad, and the dual Dynaudio speaker grilles. The display bezels are relatively thin on the sides and top, but thicker on the bottom, where the MSI text can be seen. The webcam can be found on the top bezel.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Ports
On the left side, you have an air vent, the proprietary charging port, a USB Type-C port, an HDMI port, and a USB Type-A port. As for the right side, you will find a combo audio jack, another USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports, an RJ45 LAN port, and another air vent. There is nothing on the rear except for two air vents.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Bottom
Moving over to the bottom, you can find two long rubberized stands on the top and bottom, three plastic stands in the middle, a view of the hinge’s bottom part, product stickers, and a large air vent. There are a total of 9 screws on the bottom, with one exposed as the warranty seal sticker for our review unit revealing one hidden screw.
Overall, the MSI GS66 Stealth is an ultraportable, premium gaming laptop that goes for a more elegant design rather than the overly gamer aesthetic. It has a very clean look that it should easily fit in an office environment, and people might not think of it as a gaming laptop. This perfectly lines up with its Stealth moniker.
Specifications
CPUIntel Core i9-10980HK @ 2.4GHz (up to 5.3 GHz Boost), 8C/16T, 45W TDP, 14nmRAM32GB (2 x 16GB) 2666 MHz DDR4GPUNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q, 8GB GDDR6Storage2TB NVMe PCIe G3x4 SSD (Samsung PM981)SoftwareMicrosoft Windows 10 HomeMSI Dragon CenterMSI True ColorMSI App PlayerNahimicThunderbolt Control CenterSteelseries EngineConnectivityWirelessIntel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) 802.11ax, 2×2Bluetooth 5.0Wired1 x Thunderbolt 3 with PD charging support1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C3 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A1 x RJ45 LANDisplay15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 300Hz IPS-level display1 x HDMI 2.0 ([email protected])Audio2 x 2W Dynaudio speakers1 x 3.5mm combo audio jackArray microphonePower230W slim power adapter99 WHr 4-cell Li-Polymer batteryDimensions358.3 x 248 x 18.3~19.8 mmWeight2.1 kg
Performance
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – CrystalDiskMark
Kicking things off with CrystalDiskMark, you can see that the 2TB NVMe PCIe SSD performed excellently. You get really fast speeds with a large capacity. While an additional HDD won’t hurt anyone for other files like documents and music, I don’t have any actual complaints for this. In case you’re wondering, it’s using the Samsung PM981 SSD.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Cinebench R15
In Cinebench R15, I expected the Intel Core i9-10980HK to perform better overall. Sure, the single core performance is still pretty solid but I’m surprised the multi-core score is lower than the Intel Core i7-10875H. I can only think of power supply and RAM speed causing the disparity.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Cinebench R20
It’s a little different in Cinebench R20 however, as the MSI GS66 Stealth at least managed to out perform the Triton 500 for multi-core. It’s just a bit odd that the Intel Core i9-10980HK powering the laptop didn’t manage to get a clean win over the Intel Core i7-10875H.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Unigine SuperPosition
Moving on to Unigine SuperPosition’s 4K Optimized benchmark, it’s no surprise to see that the MSI GS66 Stealth managed a very high score. After all, it has a very beefy CPU and GPU combination, with the latter being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q. Sure, the Max-Q variant is weaker than the normal version, but it’s still very powerful nonetheless.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – 3DMark Time Spy
A similar pattern can be seen in 3DMark’s Time Spy benchmark, as it obtained a rather high score yet again. It could be better but it’s still a solid showing nonetheless.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – 3DMark Port Royal
As for 3DMark’s Port Royal ray tracing benchmark, it fared well enough. It isn’t surprise to see that it didn’t score any higher given how resource-intensive the benchmark is. Taking into account the top 2 scoring laptops in the graph, a stronger GPU will be needed to boost the score, like a non-Max-Q variant for example.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – PCMark
In PCMark, it shows that the MSI GS66 Stealth is a very versatile gaming laptop. You can easily use it for work, digital content creation, and casual use. It packs enough power to do anything rather easily.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Gaming
As it is a gaming laptop, we tested the MSI GS66 Stealth in a variety of games in Full HD at the highest settings possible. It’s impressive enough but I honestly expected higher FPS for a number of games. With that being said, you should be able to take advantage of the high refresh rate with a number of shooters but if you want more, simply tone down the graphics settings.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Battery Life
Battery life is the weakest point of gaming laptops. As it packs a lot of firepower, it needs a lot of energy to power it up. The MSI GS66 Stealth managed to get 5 hours and 1 minute (301 minutes), which is admirable within gaming laptop standards. The 99.9Whr battery definitely plays a big role here.
As for the gaming endurance test, it last 1 hour and 46 minutes (106 minutes). It’s definitely above average for a gaming laptop. It still pales in comparison to the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 with roughly 1.5x the duration in both gaming and Modern Office. This shouldn’t be a surprise given the CPU powering the MSI gaming machine.
Looking for a productivity laptop instead? Check out our review of the MSI Prestige 14 A10RB by clicking right here.
User Experience
MSI GS66 Stealth Review
The MSI GS66 gaming laptop is a beastly machine in a portable body, even within gaming laptop standards. It is powered by the Intel Core i9-10980HK CPU and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q GPU. On the memory side, you have two 16GB DDR4 RAM in dual-channel configuration and a 1TB NVMe PCIe G3x4 SSD.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review
It uses a Full HD 300Hz IPS-level display with good viewing angles and colour reproduction. The bezels themselves, especially the sides and top, are relatively thin, but the bottom bezel is rather thick. If you’re simply looking to game, this will do perfectly fine but if you need to do colour-accurate work, make sure to check the MSI True Color feature in case you feel something looks a bit off.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Rear
The issue with fitting high powered parts in an slim body is thermals. There was a bit of thermal throttling for CPU, nothing major, but I’m not too surprised given the CPU that’s powering it. The GPU ran fine so I wouldn’t worry about that.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Ports
The MSI GS66 Stealth has a good array of ports. You have a Thunderbolt 3 port which supports PD charging, three USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port, an RJ45 LAN port, and a combo audio jack. I kinda wished it had a memory card reader but it’s not a dealbreaker. If you want to do a tri-monitor setup, you will have to make use of both the Thunderbolt 3 port and the HDMI port.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Per-key RGB
The Steelseries per-key RGB keyboard here has been revised from its previous iteration and it still works fine. It’s comfortable to type and is definitely fast enough for gaming. One thing I didn’t like is that you can feel the heat, especially towards the center of the keyboard, while gaming or running anything intensive. The trackpad seems to have adopted a similar design to recent MSI laptops, where it’s longer and makes it easier to use.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – MSI App Player
It’s worth pointing out that this laptop has the MSI App Player pre-installed. It’s an Android emulator based on BlueStacks that lets you run Android apps directly on the MSI GS66 Stealth itself. Whether it’s mobile games or communication apps, you can have easy access to them with this. It’s an added touch of convenience that I like, but it’s not something consumers can’t do for themselves either.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – MSI Dragon Center
Like every other MSI machine, the MSI GS66 Stealth comes with the MSI Dragon Center software. You can do some simple overclocking, check the status of the PC, customizations, and more. The UI itself is simple and straightforward, so I doubt anyone would have any issues with it.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – SteelSeries Engine
If you want to adjust the keyboard’s RGB lighting, you will need to use the SteelSeries Engine software instead.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – KLLLER Control Center
On the networking side, this does come with Intel Wi-Fi 6 so if you have an 802.11ax router, you’ll get the best wireless internet experience possible. However, even if it is an 802.11ac router like mine, you should see some notable improvements such as a more stable Wi-Fi connection. In fact, compared to my desktop and smartphone, it seems to get better Wi-Fi reception on my 5GHz connection.
MSI GS66 Stealth Review – Nahimic
As for the sound department, the speakers on the MSI GS66 Stealth performed admirably. It can get rather loud and still produce quality audio. Bass is clearly lacking but that’s to be expected from built-in speakers. Given the top-firing orientation, having the audio directed towards the user makes it more immersive.
It’s not the best built-in speaker setup, but it’s still pretty good nonetheless. You can still optimize your listening experience via the Nahimic audio software for a better experience, but it works better with headphones rather than the speakers based on my own listening experience.
MSI GS66 Stealth Verdict
MSI GS66 Stealth Review
The MSI GS66 Stealth is a great gaming laptop. You get solid performance, good build quality, a decent array of ports, above average battery life, good display with 300Hz refresh rate, per-key RGB, and surprisingly great speakers in a very portable package.
It’s not the perfect gaming laptop however, as the CPU thermals could be improved, you can feel the heat on the keyboard, it lacks a memory card reader, and the speakers clearly lack bass. These drawbacks are far from a dealbreaker so if you can stomach its asking price of RM16,999, you should be more than satisfied with this.
And with that, I award the MSI GS66 Stealth gaming laptop with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to MSI Malaysia for passing us this laptop for the purposes of this review.
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