Category Archives: Computers

Business, Computers, News

AMD Announces the Ryzen PRO 7040 and PRO 7000 Series – Zen 4 is Open for Business!

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When AMD launched their latest Ryzen 7000 series processors for the masses, it was regarded as one of the best things to happen in the personal computing industry. They were AMD’s most powerful processing chips ever and one of the most advanced in the market. It was built with 5nm process technology which allows it to achieve efficiency like no other.

The requirements of a computing solution for corporate use are a little different from the consumers market though. While the regular user prioritizes things like gaming performance, or streaming capabilities, or even rendering speeds, the corporate user cares more about protection and security over everything else, especially in world where cyber-attacks happen more often than we know. That is where the AMD Ryzen PRO edition of processors come in, and they have finally introduced Zen 4 for workspaces in the lates AMD Ryzen PRO 7000 and PRO 7040 series of CPUs.

You know all about the AMD Ryzen 7000 series by now. You can pick from a huge range of chips from AMD Ryzen 7000 series, from the Ryzen 5 all the way to the Ryzen 9 series chips, depending on your budget and power requirements. You get sort of the same thing in the Ryzen PRO series chips, except since they just launched the new chips, you only get to pick from three selections that range from the Ryzen 5 PRO series to the Ryzen 9 PRO series.

Model  Cores / Threads  Boost Frequency9   Base Frequency Total Cache (MB)  TDP (Watts)  GPU Model
AMD Ryzen™ 9 PRO 794512/24Up to 5.4 GHz3.7 GHz76MB65WRadeon Graphics
AMD Ryzen™ 7 PRO 77458/16Up to 5.3 GHz3.8 GHz40MB65WRadeon Graphics
AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 76456/12Up to 5.1 GHz3.8 GHz38MB65WRadeon Graphics

The new AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7945 CPU is the equivalent of the high-performing AMD Ryzen 9 7900, not the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X. Both will also offer up to 65W power consumption and Radeon Graphics to boot which also means you technically can run your PC without a dedicated GPU if you do not need one, especially if all you need is to crunch a huge amount of data and numbers off a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 are equivalents of the AMD Ryzen 7700 and AMD Ryzen 5 7600 respectively. Of course, all of them come with AMD’s Zen 4 architecture as well for the best computing performance out of your processing chips currently.

Model  Cores / Threads  Boost Frequency[i]Base Frequency Total Cache (MB)  TDP (Watts)  GPU ModelRyzenTM AI Engine
AMD Ryzen™ 9 PRO 7940HS8/16Up to 5.2 GHz4.0 GHz24MB35-54WAMD Radeon™ 780MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 7 PRO 7840HS8/16Up to 5.1 GHz3.8 GHz24MB35-54WAMD Radeon™ 780MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 7640HS6/12Up to 5.0 GHz4.3 GHz22MB35-54WAMD Radeon™ 760MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 7 PRO 7840U8/16Up to 5.1 GHz3.3 GHz24MB15-28WAMD Radeon™ 780MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 7640U6/12Up to 4.9 GHz3.5 GHz22MB15-28WAMD Radeon™ 760MIncluded
AMD Ryzen™ 5 PRO 7540U6/12Up to 4.9 GHz3.2 GHz22MB15-28WAMD Radeon™ 740M 

You get a little bit more flexibility when it comes to laptops though. Of course, we think that more budget conscious operations would require a higher degree of control over the budget for their operational devices. For that, you still get to choose within the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO range all the way to the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO range in the series. The top-of-the-line AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 7940HS offers the same performance as the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS alongside AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics.

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Source: AMD

The differences between these chips are more than just the numbers they offer and their outlook. They offer something called the PRO security layer. If you do not know yet, it is layer of protection that is baked into all Ryzen PRO processors for not just reliable performance, but also for cyber protection. It is not really a virus protection program either; it works with Microsoft’s Secured-Core PC protection algorithm to protect its equipped device from operating system level cyberattacks. Of course, combined with Windows Hello, the Ryzen PRO series processors can form what is known to be the most secure computing platform on an end device your business can get. It is not just software protection either with AMD’s clever Shadow Stack that also helps physically prevent control-flow attacks on a hardware level. There is even a AMD Secure Processor dedicated security chip on board that encrypts your data automatically. On a device management standpoint, AMD’s latest Ryzen PRO 7000 series desktop and PRO 7040 series laptop processors offer support for Microsoft Endpoint Manager services so that your IT department can easily manage your corporate devices remotely.

There is a downside here if you wish to get the AMD Ryzen PRO 7000 series desktop CPUs for your business. You will not be able to buy the chips off the shelves from vendors and retailers. Off-the-shelves, you can only get the AMD Ryzen PRO 7000 series desktop chips in pre-built systems from AMD’s manufacturing partners like HP or Lenovo currently. The AMD Ryzen PRO 7040 series for mobile computing will see life in HP and Lenovo’s upcoming commercial products. If you do wish to get your hands on a desktop series processor for your business, we suggest that you contact your local AMD support for more information.

 

Computers, Lifestyle, News

The New Acer Aspire Vero 14 Now Comes in Blue for Just MYR 2,599

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To be fair, the title is a little misleading. It is true that the Vero variant of the Acer Aspire laptop now comes in a different colour scheme that we think looks much better than just plain grey with some yellow spots here and there. We sort of undersold it as just another Aspire Vero though. It is Acer’s latest Aspire Vero that also comes with modern hardware.

Inside the new Aspire Vero 14 is Intel’s latest 13th generation Core i7 (up to) processor that you can rely on to bring you to the new age of computing. Alongside the powerful CPU is also up to 16GB of RAM for you to work with a lot of Google Chrome tabs at the same time, and up to 512GB of SSD storage for quick access to all your apps and folders and offering almost instant boot times for your Windows 11.

You get a 14-inch Full HD IPS display on the Aspire Vero 14 of 2023, which is nothing much to shout about, but still, something you can appreciate. It is not the fastest or the most colour accurate display, but it does look good still for work or even entertainment purposes.

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This being a Vero product, you can bet that its chassis is partly made of plastic. In fact, this Aspire Vero contains more plastic than before. The chassis now includes about 40% PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) plastics whereas the older model only includes 30%. They claim that this reduces their CO2 emissions by up to 30% too in their production. They also claim there are no rigidity or structural penalties even when they introduced extra plastic materials to the chassis.

The new Aspire Vero also features something called OceanGlass™ for their trackpad. It is not really glass though, as the name suggests. Rather, it is a blend of different types of Ocean Bound Plastics (OBP) to mimic a smooth flat surface that we are used to on the trackpad. While The chassis offers a different colour to before, Acer claims that the chassis is paint free, and that the blue colour of the Aspire Vero 14 is the organic colour of the plastic blends.

To get even more out the Aspire Vero 14, Acer designed the chassis to use a standardised set of screws for serviceability and reparability purposes. It ensures that users can easily access the internals to not just upgrade the hardware, but also to repair and replace malfunctioning ones as much as possible so that the Aspire Vero 14 can last even longer. They even use packaging made of 100% recycled paper and up to 90% recycled cardboard. The packaging is also designed with extra purpose in mind as an ergonomic laptop stand.

To minimise electronic waste even further, Acer programs something they call the VeroSense. It is an integrated suite of management apps that helps user take control over the Aspire Vero’s power consumption and dissipation. The suite of apps optmises the Aspire Vero’s battery power consumption to ensure a long-lasting battery life and, in effect, extends its shelf life.

Price and Availability

The Acer Aspire Vero 14 laptop is now available from Acer’s authorized resellers, Acer eStore, and their official stores on Shopee and Lazada. The Aspire Vero 14 also comes with Microsoft Office 2021 Home and Student edition pre-installed. It will set you back MYR 2,599 but if you do purchase your Aspire Vero 14 before the 30th of September 2023, you can trade in your old devices for up to MYR 500 in cash rebate. The accepted devices include tablets, laptops, desktops, and AIOs even if they are not working. More on the Acer Aspire Vero 14 can be found on their website.

Business, Computers, News

Acer Launches New TravelMate Laptops and Veriton Desktops – More Plastics, yet More Sustainable, More Durable 

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Building laptops made for businesses is a rather straightforward process. The recipe is simple – build it like a tank for durability, ensure that it’ll last an entire business day on a single charge, ensure that the hardware is protected against any possible cyber-attacks and mishaps, make it powerful enough for all kinds of workload, and make it easy to work with for the IT department. All these things are plenty easy to achieve with modern technology.  

That is not to say that laptops and desktops that are made for business use cases are boring. Take the TravelMate and Veriton line-up that Acer just launched in Malaysia today, for example. Instead of using the usual all-metal material that is rather popular these days and is proven to offer durability like no other, they chose to make them differently.  

Acer TravelMate Series 

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The Acer TravelMate series for 2023 is made up of the TravelMate P2, P4, and P6. Of course, with the TravelMate series laptops, you get a selection of display options between 14-inch and 16-inch (TravelMate P2, P4), or a 14-inch 2.8K OLED (P6). You also get to choose a convertible (TravelMate P4 Spin), for extra flexibility. All of them come with a 16:10 aspect ratio displays for added productivity and visibility on your display. If you really need, you can even spec your TravelMate business laptop with a discrete GPU in the form of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 2050.  

They are all powered by Intel’s latest 13th Generation Intel Core with vPro technology for that extra layer of protection for your data. You get up to 1TB of storage and 16GB of DDR5 RAM. Of course, these can be easily upgraded by your IT department when required. All of them also comes with Windows 11 Pro as standard. Obviously, they need to offer stable, reliable connection everywhere you choose to work from and thanks to WiFi 6, networking will not be an issue. The Travelmate P4 and P6 also comes with Windows Hello biometric security measures to both protect your work and data from prying eyes. 

Everything mentioned above is rather expected though, especially for laptops made for businesses. What is less expected is the build material you get with the Acer TravelMate series. While the TravelMate series’ various chassis are made mostly from metal materials, Acer has also managed to make entire laptops with up to 30% of PCR plastic materials into the build. The trackpad found on the laptops are made of 100% OceanGlass material, or ocean bound plastic (OBP) materials.  

To keep the devices running as long as possible in between service intervals, Acer has innovated on the cooling system a little bit. The TravelMate series offers something called the Acer Dust Defender. It is a clever fan system that ensures that the laptop can deliver as much performance as possible, as long as possible without any thermal throttling issues. The clever system automatically spins the fans in a counter-clockwise manner to disperse any accumulated dust to an outlet port every 6 hours to keep the fan build-up to a minimum even in extended use cases.  

Acer Veriton Series 

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When you need something more beefy, more permanent, and even more compact for your workspace, you need the Veriton series desktops and All-in-One (AIO) PCs. The Veriton S and Veriton X series are compact performers in their class for all kinds of work and industrial environments. The Veriton Z sereis and Vero Mini are also perfect for any sort of office space requiring a more integrated solution. For more the professionals that needs more processing power, the Veriton K8 series.  

For the compact performers, you get to spec your Veriton PC with up to a 13th Generation Intel Core i5-3400 CPU with the vPro platform for added security. You also get up to 512GB in SSD storage and up to 8GB in DDR4 RAM for your compact Veriton desktops and AIO. Of course, all of them comes with Windows 11 Pro as standard.  

For the Veriton K8 series, you get to work with up to an Intel Xeon E-2226G processor and pair that to up to an NVIDIA Quadro P620 2GB GPU to boot. You also get up to 256GB of SSD storage with slots for expansion and up to 8GB of DDR4 RAM also with expansion slots. All of the Veriton devices comes with a 3-year on-site warranty.  

Price and Availability 

The Acer TravelMate P2 series of laptops starts at MYR 3,249, while the TravelMate P4 and P6 series starts at MYR 4,559 and MYR 6,799 respectively. The Veriton S series starts out at MYR 3,309, while the Veriton X series will set you back at least MYR 2,749. The Vero Mini and Vertion Z series AIO starts at MYR 3,499 and MYR 4,699 respectively. For the beefy Veriton K8 series, you want to set aside at least MYR 4,599. All of the Acer products that has been launched are now available from Acer’s authorised dealers across the nation, the Acer eStore, and Acer’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada. 

Computers, Gaming, News

LOQ’d & Loaded! Lenovo’s New Entry Level Gaming Laptop is Available in Malaysia

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A Gamer’s Laptop strides a very fine line between being powerful and affordable. In recent years, the price point for gaming laptops has increased dramatically. In many cases, gamers are spending between MYR5,000 to MYR8,000 for a decently specced gaming laptop. On the other hand, they can spend up to MYR 15,000 just for a gaming desktop. Realising this, Lenovo has introduced a new gaming laptop sub-brand called LOQ, pronounced similar to LOCK.

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Lenovo’s LOQ laptops are built to bridge the gap between entry and pro-level gaming setups. They provide a more affordable option while not compromising on the power that gamers need to run their AAA titles. However, these laptops may sidestep some gaming luxuries like per-key RGB.

The new lineup of LOQ gaming laptops making its debut comes with NVIDIA Laptop GPUs ranging from the NVIDIA RTX 3050 to the newly announced RTX 4060. They’re equipped with MUX switches which use NVIDIA’s Advanced Optimus feature to bypass the integrated GPUs during gaming and heavy GPU work. This allows the laptops to achieve higher frame rates as the GPUs interface directly with the display panel. When not gaming, these switches allow the integrated CPU to take over providing longer battery life.

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These GPUs are complemented by either a 13th Generation Intel processor or a Zen4 touting AMD Ryzen processor. On the RAM side of things, there’s support for up to 16GB DDR5 RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage. When it comes to display there are 15- and 16-inch variants with IPS displays with support for up to 165Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB gamut coverage.

Design-wise, the LOQ gaming laptops draw inspiration from Lenovo’s successful Legion lineup. Crucial elements like the hinge, keyboard and mousepad placements are similar to the LOQ’s sister lineup. The keyboard has options for 4-zone RGB backlighting while maintaining Legion’s signature 1.5mm key travel and feel. The chassis has all the flair of a Legion device and even comes in the signature gunmetal black colour.

Pricing & Availability

The new Lenovo LOQ gaming laptops are now available in Malaysia via Lenovo Exclusive Stores and official stores on Lazada and Shopee with prices starting at MYR3,699.

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The device is also available on Lenovo Malaysia Official Online Store for RM438.00 monthly on an installment plan with HSBC credit cards.

Accessories, Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G9 is Finally Available Soon, Starting with South Korea and the United States

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Samsung launched their new Odyssey OLED G9 in CES 2023, which happened way back in January 2023. Alongside the Odyssey OLED G9, CES 2023 also saw Samsung showcasing their Dual UHD Odyssey Neo G9 ultra-wide gaming monitor, two UHD Smart Monitors, and a colour calibrated Viewfinity monitor. Of course, we thought that Samsung’s OLED version of their most acclaimed gaming monitor, the Odyssey G9, should be the most interesting thing they launched in CES 2023, even more so than their UHD version of the same monitor.

Six months of quietness on, Samsung finally officially launched the Odyssey OLED G9 for the global market. Well, when we say global; as per the title, Samsung launched the new 49-inch behemoth in South Korea. It will also be available in the United States market soon after it is available in South Korea.

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 offers the ultimate gaming experience with an ultra-wide dual QHD resolution on its 49-inch screen real estate. Instead of a regular IPS display with subpar colour quality, the Odyssey OLED G9 offers the excellent colour saturation that is a signature of Samsung’s proprietary QD-OLED panel. It still offers 1800R curvature that is sure to wrap around you and offer the ultimate immersive gaming experience like no other. You get HDMI 2.1, Micro HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4 port options for the most modern GPUs to fully take advantage of the fast 240Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, DisplayHDR True Black 400, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and NVIDIA G-SYNC capabilities.

Like other Samsung Odyssey G9 displays, the OLED version also offers RGB lighting at the back that can be synced with your actual display for added immersion and matched ambient lighting. Like any modern Samsung monitor as well, the Odyssey OLED G9 runs on Tizen. That means that you can technically use the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 without a PC connected to it. You can also connect the monitor to Bluetooth or WiFi speakers if you need to. Since it is running on Tizen, you can also connect it to your home WiFi and watch Netflix independently. If not, you can just mirror your Samsung smartphone to the display to take advantage of it.

In South Korea, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is now available for pre-order at KRW 2.7 million (MYR 9,710**). It is reported that the ultimate Samsung monitor will be available in the United States not too long after South Korea gets it. Speculations suggests that the monitor will be sold at about US$ 2,500 (MYR 11,546*) in the United States. You can expect to see the ultimate gaming monitor from Samsung coming to Malaysia in the coming months.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.62 as of 12/06/2023 on xe.com

**Approximately based on exchange rate of KRW 1000 = MYR 3.60 as of 12/06/2023 on xe.com

Computers, Lifestyle, News

[WWDC 2023] The New Apple MacBook Air Now Comes in a 15-inch Variant 

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For the longest time, we did not think that Apple’s MacBook Air line-up needed to be bigger. To be fair the Apple MacBook Air was made to be the most portable Mac there is that offers the Mac experience anywhere and at any time. It is designed to be as thin and as light as a MacBook can be. So, in that case, it only makes sense for the MacBook Air’s display to be no larger than 14-inch to ensure that it fits most bags. If you want a bigger MacBook, get the normal sized MacBook that offers more than 13-inch in display real estate, or get the MacBook Pro. But what if you want a bigger screen and still have a thin-and-light package to work with? Apple has an answer for you, finally.  

Welcome to the new format in the MacBook Air line-up, a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina MacBook Air. It is still a MacBook Air, a thin-and-light Apple laptop that is meant to be as portable as a MacBook can be. The only added heft comes from the larger display. A larger display also means that the MacBook Air can be a proper entertainment powerhouse now when it comes to movies and even games to a certain extent. You can even use it as your main editing tool if you want to use it for content creation. 

The 15-inch MacBook Air now makes plenty of sense thanks the Apple’s silicon innovation in their latest M2 integrated processor. Thanks to the power requirements of the M2 processor too, the MacBook Air is now the thinnest 15-inch laptop in the world.  

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    Source: Apple
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Other than a more powerful M2 chip, it does not seem like the 15-inch MacBook Air has sacrificed anything else just for the squashed down bodywork. Apple claims that the MacBook Air still can offer immersive Spatial Audio. There is a Full HD 1080p FaceTime HD camera that you can use for FaceTime calls and other video conferencing tool complete with Center Stage technology. All of these and you still get up to 18 hours in battery life.  

For Spatial Audio, Apple has fitted the 15-inch MacBook Air with six speakers. The speaker system on the MacBook Air offers Dolby Atmos support allowing you to properly enjoy any movies on Netflix, Prime Video, and even Apple TV+ with immersive Dolby audio. But the speakers are not just for movies and music. It also made to ensure that you get a clear communication with your teammates or friends over FaceTime and other video conferencing tools. Of course, you need mics for that too, and the MacBook Air comes with three-mic array with beamforming technology to clear capture your voice for both voice and video calls. 

The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Display offers more than just resolution too. WIth up to 500 nits in brightness and support for up to 1-billion colours, it is one of the most accurate and vivid displays you can find on a 15-inch laptop. They claim that the 15-inch disply on the MacBook Air offers twice the resolution and 25 percent brighter than comparable PC laptops in its class.  

Of course, one of the biggest highlights of the MacBook Air is the M2 processor living inside the ultra-thin 15-inch notebook. The Apple M2 chip you get here comes with eight CPU cores (four performance cores and four efficiency cores) and 10 GPU cores. Within the chip construction is also a dedicated 16-core Neural Engine. You get to spec the MacBook Air with up to 24GB of unified memory too for better multitasking than ever. The result of all that is an ultra-thin 15-inch laptop that you can rely on to edit videos like a professional without being tethered to a power source for an entire day. 

Then there is Ventura, the latest macOS there is. There is a new Continuity Camera feature that allows you to start your FaceTime calls from any of your Apple device and pass it on to your other Apple devices without even going through an entire procedure for it. Thanks to Continuity Camera also, you get Center Stage, Desk View and Studio Light features on all your supported Apple devices. There is Stage Manager that helps you automatically organise your apps and windows to ensure that you can focus on the right things at any given time. Freeform app allows you to express and organise you’re at your own freedom and liking. Apple also teased their upcoming macOS, the Sonoma, with even more features promised for macOS devices.  

Price and Availability 

THe 15-inch MacBook Air is now available in select regions from Apple Stores or their web sore. Malaysia is definitely getting the MacBook Air, but there are no specific dates that has been quoted from Apple. It will set youback MYR 6,199 onward when it is available. For more information on Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air, you can head to their website.  

Computers, Lifestyle, News

[WWDC 2023] The Apple Vision Pro – The Apple Computer on Your Face

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Apple’s WWDC 2023 seems to be a big one. They announced a new iOS. They also announced their ultra-powerful (no pun intended) Apple M2 Ultra integrated chip that powers their newly announced Mac Studio desktop beast. The most shocking and interesting announcement they did though is not their new large format desktop with their most powerful integrated chip ever. They announced a sort of wearable headset that comes packing two processors. They call it the Vision Pro.

They referred to the Apple Vision Pro not really as a Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) machine though, funnily enough. They referred to the headset as a Spatial Computing tool, a sort of headset that “seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world”. So, an AR goggle it is, except it is a little different compared to the VR/AR goggles that we are used to these days.

Instead of dedicated controllers or physical navigation interfaces, the main interface with Vision Pro is gestures. You can technically connect other form of controller interfaces with the Apple Vision Pro, especially if you want to play traditional games on it. But it is designed to be controlled via your body and hand gestures almost entirely.

We mentioned two processors powering this new Vision Pro. It comes with an Apple standard M2 silicon integrated chip. Alongside that chip is Apple’s R1 chip. The R1 chip works alongside the M2 as an image controller and processor. Instead of crunching mathematical issues like the M2, the R1 controls feeds from 12 different cameras, five sensors, and six microphones that translates to navigation across the interface on the Vision Pro.

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Source: Apple

For the Vision Pro, they introduced an entirely new interface they call the VisionOS. They say that the the VisionOS will have access to the App Store and most of the apps made for the iPhone and the iPad. It even has access to FaceTime and allows you to take FaceTime calls with Spatial Audio if you like. Rather than your participants watching you wear a comically large headset, they see you as an avatar that you commonly see in iMessage. Your participants even get to see the entire body being represented in the video call with all the delicate finger movements and everything thanks to the highly advanced cameras and sensors. Apple even says that you can technically watch movies at what feels like 100-inch displays via the Vision Pro.

How they achieved this feat is by fitting two micro-OLED displays that offer up to 23 million pixels combined. Apple says that the micro-OLED displays are only at the size of a stamp and offers HDR and wide colour gamut coverage for the most accurate and immersive experience on an AR goggle you can get. They can even fit a Zeiss optical correction inserts into the Vision Pro if it is required by users. For Spatial Audio, there are speakers that are fitted right into the head band near your ears and works with the sensors within the Vision Pro to create a surround sound feel to your space. It can even be used wirelessly at up to two hours at a time. If not, just keep yourself tethered to a charge point for an all-day use. The proprietary battery pack has to be attached externally though, and you will still have a running cable from the battery pack to the headset.

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    Source: Apple
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    Source: Apple
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  • Apple WWCD23 Vision Pro Head Band 230605
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  • Apple WWCD23 Vision Pro glass 230605
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So how much for all this innovation? A cool US$ 3,499 (MYR 16,114*), according to Apple. It will be available in the United States only for now and is only coming next year in 2024. Apple says that they will be bring the device to more regions in 2024 but did not specify which regions. We are not expecting the Vision Pro to make it into Malaysia at the same time as any other region though. There are no confirmations that the Apple Vision Pro will make it anywhere near the region too, so we are not entirely hopeful as well about its local availability. For more information on the Apple Vision Pro, you can head out to their website.

*approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.61 as of 07/06/2023 on xe.com

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

[Computex 2023] MSI Stealth 16 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport – Still MSI, More AMG 

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A co-branded electronics product is nothing new. In the case of MSI’s latest collaboration with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, the motorsport division of the Mercedes-Benz brand, the concept was explored years ago by Acer and even ASUS with luxury brands like Ferrari and Lamborghini. The MSI Stealth 16 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport edition is technically the first product of its kind with the Mercedes-AMG badge though. 

MSI’s Stealth 16 is a potent gaming laptop with rather powerful internals. You get Intel’s 13th generation Core i9 (up to) that is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series GPU for smooth, responsive AAA gaming. You do need that kind of power when the display fitted on this 16-inch platform is a 4K 16:10 OLED panel. To keep everything running optimally, the MSI Cooler Boost 5 system with five heat pipes dissipating heat via dual fans should keep everything breezy and cool.  

Of course, the internals have to be as powerful as the heart that lives inside the racer that is the Mercedes-AMG GT2, the official racecar that will borne the MSI branding on track. The exterior of the Stealth 16 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport edition is courtesy of Mercedes-AMG’s know how in material science. It is a magnesium-aluminium alloy chassis that is rigid, durable, yet lightweight; all the hallmarks of a great racecar. To pay homage to Mercedes-AMG, the chassis is finished in Selenite Grey design with AMG’s exclusive Rhombus patterns alongside an Mercedes-AMG Motorsport logo to show that this gaming laptop means business.  

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  • MSI Stealth 16 Mercedes AMG Motosport
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    Source: MSI
  • DSC7055
    Source: MSI
  • DSC6936
    Source: MSI
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    Source: MSI

Alongside the exclusive design, the limited edition package will include an exclusive box design, for keepsakes, a matching mouse and mouse pad, an exclusively designed USB drive, a carrying pouch for the laptop, post cards, and a number of cable ties to complete the Mercedes-AMG experience. No you do not get a car when you buy the MSI Stealth 16 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport edition. Mercedes-Benz did not say anything about getting a free gaming laptop when you buy one of their AMG-line cars though. They also did not mention how much the laptop will be and when it will be available. If we have to guess, it will be expensive, and it should be available in the coming months. For more information on MSI’s latest products from Computex 2023, you can visit their website.  

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

[Computex 2023] Acer Expands the Predator Triton Line-Up with Predator Triton 16

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What do you get when you cross a thin-and-light laptop concept and gaming laptops together? In Acer’s case, you get the Predator Triton line-up of gaming notebook PCs, their most premium gaming laptop line-up that is powerful enough to tear through time and space and remain portable enough to be operated anywhere and anytime. We are exaggerating on the whole time and space thing though, but you get the picture, Acer’s Predator Triton line-up is some of the most powerful gaming laptops you can find in the industry.

Recently, in their Next@Acer 2023 event, they launched the Predator Triton 14 gaming laptop and the Triton 17X portable desktop replacement. The Predator Triton 14 is made to be the perfect balance between portable productivity and top-notch gaming. On the other end of the spectrum for extreme performance portable workstation is the Triton 17X that packs Intel’s most powerful CPU and NVIDIA’s most powerful GPU packed into a body no thicker than a textbook. There was nothing in between though, nothing to fill the gap between the 17-inch powerhouse and 14-inch compact champion; until now.

The Predator Triton 16, as per the photos and renders provided, can be seen as the larger Predator Triton 14. That much is true, at least for how it looks. The Predator Triton 16 is a different beast altogether though.

Power, Power, Power

  • PREDATOR TRITON 16 PT16 51 03
    Source: Acer
  • PREDATOR TRITON 16 PT16 51 04
    Source: Acer

The Triton 16 comes packing a very powerful 13th Generation Intel Core i9 (up to) CPU that can clock up to 5.4GHz (turbo). The very powerful CPU is paired with NVIDIA’s potent GeForce RTX 4070 Max-Q GPU for mobile platforms with DLSS 3 and latest ray tracing capabilities. You also get 32GB (up to) of DDR5 RAM for good measure and to ensure that AAA games play as smooth as butter on the 16-inch display. There is also a 2TB (up to) SSD in RAID 0 configuration for the fastest access to your humungous game library.

True to its name, the Triton 16 has a 16-inch display. You get 2,560 by 1,600 pixels out of the 16:10 aspect ratio IPS panel with up to 240Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-SYNC support for that extra smooth feel to your games. In case you need to get working in brighter lit areas, the IPS display also offers up to 500 nits in peak brightness. For the content creators, the display also boasts an accurate and rich 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage and support for NVIDIA Advanced Optimus to save on some power when it can.

Keeping Cool

  • PREDATOR TRITON 16 PT16 51 01
    Source: Acer
  • PREDATOR TRITON 16 PT16 51 02
    Source: Acer

Of course, getting the most out of the high-resolution and speedy 16-inch display requires the CPU and GPU to work overtime. This also means that the internals can get hot very quickly if not cooled properly. That should not be too much of a problem for Predator’s proprietary 5th Generation AeroBlade 3D metal fans with their Vortex Flow technology though. On top of all of these, the thermals in the Predator Triton 16 should be a large improvement over previous generation laptops with the metal thermal grease on the CPU offering better heat dissipation and spread.

All of these are packaged into a metal chassis combination that measures less than 2cm (19.9mm). The silver finish of the chassis keeps the Predator Triton 16 looking clean and professional enough to fit into any board room.

Of course, this is an Acer Predator product. It comes with two extra buttons for easy access to Acer Predator’s magic to work on the Triton 16. You get a Turbo button that cleverly maxes out and overclocks the system as per Acer Predator’s optimum settings. There is also the PredatorSense button for you to quickly access, well, PredatorSense app. The app interface controls everything from the RGB of the laptop, to the maximum performance of the Predator Triton 16. WiFi comes in the form of an Intel Killer DoubleShot Pro WiFi 6E adapter built into the laptop for extra stable and fast connectivity experience. For expansion you can use the HDMI 2.1 port and a USB Type-C port with Thunderbolt 4 support to connect with up to two extra 4K displays.

Price and Availability

The Predator Triton 16 will be available in the North American regions in September 2023 onward for US$ 1,799.99 (MYR 8,295) onward. There are no colour options for this one, just the signature silver that has been the staple for Predator Triton laptops in the past couple of years. There is yet an announcement on the Acer Predator Triton’s availability in Malaysia at this point. Obviously, there are no official pricing just yet for the country. For more information on Acer Predator and their latest products announced in Computex 2023, you can visit their website.

Computers, News

Dell Empowers Collaboration & Remote Work in APAC with New Commercial Lineup

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Remote work and hybrid work are fast becoming commonplace after the pandemic. More and more of us are finding ourselves working in places other than our offices and it has slowly but surely changed what we need and look for in our devices. Dell is well ahead of the curve in delivering purpose-built devices for any price point. However, the shift in paradigm has also led to Dell rethinking and reconceptualising its approach to designing its solutions.

Dell Commercial Lineup Penang 2
[Source: Dell Technologies] (from left) Paul Carter, Vice President – Client Solutions Group Sales, Asia Pacific, Japan (APJ); Rakesh Mandal, Senior Director & General Manager – Client Solutions, South Asia & Asia Emerging Markets Dell Technologies; Sudip Saha, Sr. Director and Head of Marketing – South Asia & Asian Emerging Markets (B2B and B2C).

“It’s not about the work, it’s about how we get it done,” were the words of Paul Carter, Dell Technologies’ Vice President of Client Solutions Group Sales for Asia Pacific, Japan (APJ) at the APJ launch of their new commercial line up of devices. He outlined the fundamental shift in Dell’s approach to creating its commercial solutions. The change has influenced the features and form factors offered by the refreshed Latitude, Optiplex and Precision lineups. This change is also ever present in the accessories and monitors that expand its commercial offerings. Dell’s approach caters to four personas shaped by their work and the nature of their functions: the builder, the connector, the producer and the specialist.

Devices for the Builders & Connectors in Organisations

Builders are people focused on building the business primarily dealing with people and company strategy while connectors bring people together and optimize outcomes by balancing collaboration and team interests. These workers need to be nimble and productive requiring devices that not only serve as productivity tools but also tools for presentations but more importantly, these tools need to be as portable and light as they need to be on their feet.

Dell Commercial Lineup Penang 3
Source: Dell Technologies

Dell has created multiple devices across their Precision and Latitude lineups with multimode productivity. Laptops like Dell’s new Ultra-Premium Latitude 9440 are built with the power, portability and design that is not only meant to empower productivity but bring the prestige that comes with being a C-Suite and manager. However, for those needing something even more portable, Dell has the Latitude 7340 and Latitude 7440 ultralight that puts portability front and center.

In addition, the Dell Latitude lineup is also imbued with 2-in-1 laptops for the Latitude 7340 and Latitude 7440 which allow them to be tools for on-the-go presentation. The Latitude 9440 2-in-1 brings this feature set with the premium build and design fit for higher management.

Catering to the Producer and Specialist – A group that Needs More Power for Productivity

Dell has also identified a group called Producers who work on delivering outcomes and focuses on accomplishing tasks and productivity. This group works closely with the specialists in any organisation. Specialists perform detail oriented work and work on solving problems, delivering products, analyzing data and even creating content. These groups of people require machines that are packed to the brim with power to churn large amounts of data or render heavy graphical loads.

Dell Commercial Lineup Penang 4
Source: Dell Technologies

The Precision lineup brings the required power with top of the line graphics powered by NVIDIA’s RTX Ada generation graphics. These setups range from mobile, portable laptops like the Precision Mobile Workstation 5480 that packs the powerful internals needed for detail oriented work into a slim, portable body to the Precision 7960 Tower that brings the power in a more convention desktop as well as the Precision 7960 Rack which brings the specifications to servers allowing remote access with data security.

Bringing Diversity & Sustainability to the Forefront

Dell’s Optiplex line up, on the other hand, falls squarely into the spaces between these personas bringing productivity focused machines into compact, space saving form factors. They allow users to stay productive without sacrificing desk space. The Optiplex line up also packs enough power for these workers to get a more diverse range of work done. Things from repetitive admin work to processing spreadsheets.

Dell Commercial Lineup Penang
Source: Dell Technologies

That said, Dell’s solutions across the board are guided by the company’s many sustainability goals and moonshot goals. It comes as no surprise that all of these devices come with a substantial amount of optimisations and materials which reduce the environmental impact of the company and devices. Dell has incorporated things like Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastics, sustainably sourced metals and components made of recycled materials.

Dell has also brought some of their ideas and learnings from their many concept devices like Concept Luna to their new devices. They haven’t even more sustainability plans in the works which will make their debuts with future products.