Category Archives: Computers

[next@Acer 2023] Sustainability is Front & Centre with the new Aspire Vero Laptop & Acer Vero Projector

April 21, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Acer’s Vero products have become the cornerstone of their commercial efforts to deliver a more sustainable choice to consumers. These products have changed the expectations that we have when it comes to laptops being sustainable and eco-friendly. The same lineup is getting expanded with a larger laptop refresh and a new projector.

Acer Aspire Vero 15 Laptop – Better Specs, Greener Tech

Acer’s Vero pioneer – the Apsire Vero Laptop – is getting a much-needed refresh. The new Aspire Vero 15 laptop comes equipped with better, more competitive specifications and uses updated fabrication and creation that makes it greener and more efficient than before.

Like its predecessor, the Aspire Vero 15 Laptop is an Intel Evo laptop which promises good performance and long-lasting battery life. Equipped with Intel’s 13th-generation processors, the laptop is more efficient and packs more power. It comes with Intel Iris X^e graphics. It’s even got more power offerings coming with up to the Intel Core i7. The processor is complemented with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 2 M.2 ports that support up to 1TB of storage. It’s also coming with a complete array of I/O ports. This includes Thunderbolt 4 USB-Type C which supports connectivity with 4K displays, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A, HDMI 2.1, an audio combo jack and DC-in. It’s completed with a 1440p QHD camera with Acer’s PurifiedView and PurifiedVoice AI noise reduction technology and a FullHD 15.6-inch display.

The advancements that the laptop brings aren’t about the specifications though. It’s all about the materials and processes that are used in making it. The Aspire Vero 15 Laptop incorporates more post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics than its predecessor with a process that emits 30% less carbon. The new laptop now uses 40% PCR plastics in its chassis – a 10% increase over the previous Vero laptop. In addition, the keycaps and adapter casing are using PCR materials making up a whopping 50% of their build. The new fabrication process also uses less volatile organic compounds and results in a sturdier, stronger chassis.

Acer also continues to include its VeroSense software suite which allows users to have more control over their own carbon footprint. Using the app, users will be able to control power efficiency with preset or customised profiles when they are plugged in and on the go.

Acer Vero Smart Projector – Projecting more Sustainably

Acer is no stranger when it comes to projectors. Having already created an extensive portfolio which includes its Predator Gaming projectors, it was only a matter of time before they incorporated Vero technology and optimisations into their projectors.

The new Acer Vero PL3510ATV Projector is one of the most power-efficient projectors in their lineup. It comes with a Full HD resolution and dynamic 4,8000 ANSOI lumens laser diode with a 50,000:1 contrast ratio. With this laser projection technology, the projector is built for projection in bright indoor and outdoor environments. The laser phosphor illumination technology creates rich, colour-accurate projections with less lighting decay and even consumes 48% less energy compared to traditional projectors. It’s even equipped with a 10W speaker.

The Vero Projector isn’t just about power efficiency, it comes with features that allow it dynamically adjust its display keystone. This ensures that the edges of your projection are always aligned and not distorted. It also supports 24/7 continuous projection. It even comes with a dongle that supports Android TV and Chromecast projection.

Pricing & Availability

The Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P) will be available starting in May while the Acer Vero Projector will be available starting in September.

Detailed availability and pricing are as follows:

Item	Region	Availability	Pricing
Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P)	North America	June 2023	USD$699.99
Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P)	EMEA	May 2023	EUR899.00
Acer Aspire Vero 15 (AV15-53P)	China	May 2023	RMB4,499.00
Acer Vero PL3510ATV projector	EMEA	September 2023	EUR1,399.00

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

[Next@Acer 2023] Your First Predator, the Affordable and Handsome Helios Neo 16 is Here to Save Your Wallets, the Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs However, That’s a Different Case.

April 21, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

You want a Predator gaming laptop, but you may not have a budget that could fit a Predator gaming laptop. That may not be the case any longer with Acer’s latest announcement. They announced their latest, value-for-money Predator Helios Neo 16, an accessible Predator gaming laptop that still offers everything that makes a Predator gaming laptop unique, but at a fraction of the usual Predator cost. It is also one of the more unique looking Predator laptops to date.

But if you are looking for unique though, nothing comes close to Acer Predator’s latest Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition, a glasses-free 3D gaming laptop that is sure to turn heads, kind of literally. The new Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition follows up from its predecessor with even more powerful hardware and even cleverer stereoscopic 3D technology and even more certified games than ever before.

Predator Helios Neo 16

The new Predator Helios Neo 16 stands out amongst the current line-up of the Predator Helios line-up with an exclusive shell design. The shell boasts laser-etched encrypted codes on top of the signature abyssal-black anodized aluminium cover. Apparently, there is a hidden message with the etched code, we just do not know what it leads to.

The laser-etched shell houses a 16-inch 16:10 aspect ratio IPS display. The IPS panel offers up to WQXGA resolution at a speedy 165Hz and 3ms response time. The IPS panel offers 100% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut. The display supports NVIDIA’s G-SYNC for tear-free gaming experience as well even in the most intense gaming situations.

To keep games running optimally on the WQXGA resolution at 165Hz, the Predator Helios Neo 16 houses a powerful Intel Core i7-13700HX (up to) and up to NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX 4070 laptop GPU with up to 140W MGP. The powerful processors are paired with up to 32GB of dual-channel DDR5 RAM with up to 4800 MHz transfer speeds and up to 2TB of fast SSD storage for a speedy gaming and seamless multitasking experience.

Of course, the powerful internals inside the Helios Neo 16 needs a beefy cooling system. Inside the unique chassis, you can find Predator’s latest redesigned 5^th generation Aeroblade 3D with custom-engineered metal fan combined with liquid metal technology for more efficient and effective thermal dissipation.

Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition

To be fair, Acer’s SpatialLabs technology is nothing new. Acer launched the SpatialLabs initiative a few years prior to the last generation of the SpatialLabs equipped Predator Helios gaming laptop. When it was launched it was also aimed at mostly the medical and creative industries.

Predator saw a different use case for it though. The Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs is the culmination of Acer’s know how in stereoscopic glasses-free 3D technology. The 15.6-inch display works with the 3D SpatialLabs sensors above the display and TrueGame application that offers an even better glasses-free 3D gaming experience that is even better than ever before. The application now supports two 3D gaming modes, 3D+ and 3D Ultra and supports over 70 gaming titles including certain AAA titles with more to come.

To ensure that you can enjoy smooth 3D gaming experience, the Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs edition is offered with up to Intel’s latest 13^th generation Core i9-13900HX processor alongside NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4080 laptop GPU. With up to 32GB of DDR5-5600 MHz onboard memory, 3D gameplay should be smooth and seamless. Of course, those internals are also good productivity and other supported 3D applications.

Price and Availability

The Predator Helios Neo 16 and Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition are both only available in Predator’s signature Abyssal-Black colour option. The two gaming laptops will be available in the North American market from May and June 2023 onwards respectively. The Predator Helios Neo 16 will se you back from US$ 1,199 (MYR 5,319*) while the Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition will start at US$ 3,499 (MYR 15,523*). There are no mentions on their official pricing and availability in Malaysia just yet, but a close source to us tells us that the Predator Helios Neo 16 is coming sooner than you think. More information on the Predator Helios Neo 16 and Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition can be found on their website.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.44 as of 21/04/2023 on xe.com.

Computers, News

The ASUS Zenbook S 13 Just Set The Standard for Thin and Light Laptops

April 21, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

(2 May 2023) Update – Pre-order details for Malaysia added to the post.

Thin and light laptops have never been more relevant. In the wake of the pandemic, we’re often finding ourselves working remotely. This has changed what we’re looking for in a laptop. ASUS has decided to embrace this reality with its thinnest-ever laptop with the Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304). But that’s not all for the new Zenbook S 13 OLED, it’s also the most sustainable laptop yet from ASUS.

Redefining Thin & Light with a 1cm Profile complemented by a 1kg Weight

The Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) isn’t ditching the premium build and materials we love from ASUS. It ups the ante with a precision CNC-machined lid and keyboard deck. The magnesium-alloy lid is designed and machined to hold a Full HD, IR camera while reducing the thickness by 30%.

ASUS has also optimised the internal components of the new Zenbook. Using circuit boards with fewer layers and higher wiring density and more transistors, they have successfully reduced the bottom half of the laptop by 25%. However, they’ve kept performance in mind and have included an ultrathin fan that increases airflow for better cooling.

Even the keyboard deck has been slimmed down by 25%. This is done with a precision machined alloy and a super thin glass layer for the mousepad.

More Sustainable than Any ASUS Laptop

ASUS’s new Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) is also upping the ante when it comes to sustainability. The magnesium-aluminium alloy used in the laptop is a sustainably sourced post-industrial recycled (PIR) alloy. Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics are also incorporated in the laptop’s build. This is primarily seen in its keycaps and speakers. The latter specifically uses ocean-bound plastics.

ASUS has also created a special manufacturing process that they claim is greener than ever before. Their exclusive plasma ceramic aluminium material is made with pure water and electricity and omits the use of harmful organic compounds, strong acids and heavy metals. Instead, they use a low-impact bath-based method which gives similar results to harmful chemical treatments. These manufacturing choices have been recognised with the EPEAT Gold certification.

The Zenbook S 13 OLED is still sturdy and has increased wear resistance, corrosion protection, thermal management and hardness. It’s even certified with MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability.

Performance on-the-go with Intel Core Processors & a Complete set of I/O

The Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) isn’t just resting on its laurels. It comes with the latest Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. These 13th Generation Intel Core processors bring impressive performance while being more power efficient with up to 20 watts of boosted performance. These processors are complemented with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and an ultrafast PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD. The SSD comes in 512GB and 1TB configurations.

Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS

ASUS isn’t ditching critical I/O ports for clout with the Zenbook S 13 OLED. The laptop comes with a full complement of I/O ports. These ports include two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port and a 3.5mm audio jack. The USB-C ports are also used for charging the slim laptop and support connectivity with 4K external displays. This comes in addition to the Windows Hello-enabled FHD IR camera and WiFi 6E support with ASUS WiFi Master Premium.

Completing the Zenbook S 13 OLED offering is a 16:10 ASUS Lumina OLED display. The 2.8K display comes with a 0.2ms response time and a Delta E value of less than 1 which guarantees colour accuracy. It also covers 100% if the DCI-P3 gamut is Dolby Vision and VESA DIsplayHDR True Black 500 certified. Completing the multimedia package is a Harman Kardon-certified audio system with immersive Dolby Atmos sound and a smart amplifier combined with ASUS Audio Booster which can boost the volume by up to 5.25x.

Pricing & Availability

The ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED will be retailing internationally with prices starting at USD$1,399. It will be available in Basalt Gray or Ponder Blue.

In Malaysia, the laptop will be available in two variants:

Model	Specifications	Price (MYR)
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304)	Intel Core i5-1335U 16GB LPDDR5 RAM 512GB storage	4,999
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304)	Intel Core i5-1355U 16GB LPDDR5 RAM 1TB storage	5,999

Pre-orders for the Zenbook S 13 OLED are available open from 2 May 2023. Pre-orders of the laptop will be entitled to a free ASUS ZenScreen worth MYR1,099. The offer is available for the first 20 pre-orders of the Zenbook S 13 OLED.

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

[Next@Acer 2023] The Most Powerful Predator laptop, the Triton 17 X is here! Oh, alongside the Triton 14 too!

April 20, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Predator just very recently launched their Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 in Malaysia. These new laptops represent the best of the Helios line-up with their new-school design. They also come with Intel’s latest 13^th Generation Core processors to boot and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs for the best gaming experience you can find on a laptop. But what if the Helios laptops are a just a tad unwieldy, a little out of reach? Then you need the Triton series.

Predator Triton 17 X

You need a workstation, an all-in-one device you can work off from your desk. Most of the time, a desktop replacement at this size would be a little on the unwieldy no thanks to its size and heft. Predator’s Triton 17 X is a little different.

It is still a large 17-inch laptop meant to replace your desktop set-up at home, but it is also thin. It measures in at less than 22mm, thinner than most laptops packing the power that the Triton 17 X packs. The power packed inside the Triton 17 X adds to a lot of the heft though at 3kg. It is still lighter than most desktop replacements you can find in the market.

What kind of power, you ask? The Predator Triton 17 X is Acer Predator’s most powerful gaming laptop to date. On top of Intel’s latest 13^th Generation Core i19-13900HX (up to) CPU, the Predator Triton 17 X is the only gaming laptop in Predator’s stables with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4090 (up to) GPU inside the laptop. You pair these to up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM with up to 5600 Hz of transfer speeds. You also get up to 4TB of fast SSD storage with RAID 0 for even faster read and write speeds to keep up with the most demanding games of today.

All of these is projected to a 17-inch mini-LED display that offers WQXGA (up to) resolution with 16:10 aspect ratio. The Mini-LED panel is one of the fastest available of its kind in the market too at 250Hz refresh rate. For enjoyment in both movie watching and gaming, the Mini-LED display is one of the brightest in its class at about 1,000 nits for DisplayHDR 1000 certification. The DisplayHDR 1000 certified display also offers up to 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio for even more details even in a dark image. The panel also offers 100% of DCI-P3 colour gamut for lifelike colour reproduction and immersive experience like no other.

It is not an all-out workstation just meant for large and heavy tasks though. It is also a mobile workhorse designed to ensure that you still can get your work done quickly and conveniently. Thanks to NVIDIA’s Advanced Optimus technology, the Triton 17 X switches between the discrete GeForce RTX GPU and integrated graphics for extended battery life whenever it is necessary. Of course, if you need it, NVIDIA’s G-SYNC ensures that you get a tear-free gaming experience.

The kind of power this beast of a thing requires some very powerful yet clever cooling solutions too. To ensure that the Triton 17 X’s internals can be pushed to its full potential without destroying itself, Predator’s 5^th Generation Aeroblade 3D with specially engineered metal fans is beefed up with three fans for up to 10% more airflow than before. The new vapor chamber heat pipe design with liquid metal technology ensures that thermal transfer happens as efficiently and as effectively as possible to keep the CPU and GPU running optimally for a long time.

Covering the powerful internals is a per-key RGB keyboard array with a large glass touchpad and fingerprint reader. There is also a powerful DTS:X Ultra audio system that is more powerful than before.

The combination of Intel’s Killer e3100G+ and Wi-FI 6E AX1690i ethernet and wireless connectivity ensures that lag and disruptions during online gaming sessions a thing of the past. If you are working with multiple set-ups at home, you get two Thunderbolt 4 capable USB Type-C ports that allows you to project to up to two 4K displays or a single 8K display while being charged at 100W. For the content creators, there is also an SD card slot to ensure that you can work on your media files seamlessly.

Predator Triton 14

If the Triton 17 X is a little too hefty still, especially for remote working, then the Triton 14 is for you. The Acer Predator Triton 14, to be fair, is not something too new. It is a follow up to the Predator Triton 300 series. It features the Triton 300 SE’s designs, that clean shiny silver look.

Of course, with a smaller real estate, it comes with certain compromises. You only get Intel’s Core i7-13700H (up to) CPU paired with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. You also get up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM for good measure. To keep everything nice and cool is Predator’s 5^th generation Aeroblade 3D fan technology and Vortex Flow airflow optimization with liquid metal technology. All of this is packed into a package that is only 19.9mm thin.

The Windows 11 OS is projected via an impressive 14-inch Mini LED display that offers up to WQXGA resolution with up to 16:10 aspect ratio to make short work of your productivity needs. The 16:10 aspect ratio also offers a more immersive experience. At 250Hz, up to DisplayHDR 600 brightness, and 100% coverage in DCI-P3 colour gamut, you will not be missing a thing even in intense situations.

Price and Availability

The Acer Predator Triton 17 X will be available in the North American market in May 2023 onward with prices starting at US$ 3,799 (MYR 16,854*). The Acer Predator Triton 14 will also be available in North American markets May 2023 onward with prices starting from US$ 2,399 (MYR 10,643*). There are no mentions on their official availability dates or pricing just yet for Malaysia. We are guessing that they will be available in Malaysia in the coming months though. For more information on the Acer Predator Triton 17 X and Predator Triton 14, you can visit their websites.

*Approximately based on the conversion rate of 1 US$ = MYR 4.44 as of 20/04/2023 on xe.com

Business, Computers, News

AMD Launches Most Powerful Radeon PRO W7000 Series GPUs for the Professionals

April 18, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

NVIDIA has been leading the trail when it comes to GPU technology. To be fair, they are still the leaders in consumer level GPU with the very powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU leading the charge. In the professional workspace though, the story is a little different.

In the professional space, GPU requirements are a little different. The GPUs are not rendering polygons for a gaming environment. They need a lot more from the GPU than just loading maps and characters. In the professional environment, they need the GPUs for 3D world creations in game development, fluid dynamics in auto and aerospace industries, and even more. Users in this space need specific things from their GPU, and they will pick the best GPU for their specific needs.

In many cases, plenty of professionals rely on the AMD Radeon PRO GPUs. Previously they had the AMD Radeon PRO W6000 series professional GPUs. With those, the movie Terminator: Dark Fate was made. There is a new one though, a much more powerful one compared to the GPUs that made Terminator: Dark Fate. They call it the AMD Radeon PRO W7000 series.

Within the series, they introduced two GPUs, the Radeon PRO W7900 and Radeon PRO W7800. In their own rights, these are AMD’s most powerful GPUs to date. For the professionals, these could be the most powerful GPUs they have got their hands on so far.

AMD Radeon PRO W7800

For starters, the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 brings with it the technology packed in the AMD Radeon 7000 series GPUs – RDNA 3 architecture. RDNA 3 architecture was proven to be plenty more powerful and efficient than the previous RDNA 2 technology. Of course, it is also a beefier GPU than before for even more performance in professional workloads. The Radeon PRO W7800 packs 70 compute units, 10 more than the Radeon PRO W6800 it replaces. The compute units are based on TSMC’s 5nm technology too, making the GPU more efficient than before at 260W TBP.

The GDDR6 RAM remains the same as the previous GPU at 32GB. At 64MB of cache though, the AMD Radeon PRO W7800 packs less cache than before. Still, at least the RAM is faster at 576 GB/s transfer speeds over the 512GB/s of the W6800 GPU for even better real-world performances.

The GPU is fitted with the latest DisplayPort 2.1 technology to take advantage of the most advanced displays you can find in the industry. The Radeon PRO W7800 also finally comes with AV1 encoding and decoding capabilities for an even better video and audio editing workflows. But it is not just the DisplayPort 2.1 and AV1 that makes the Radeon PRO W7000 series GPU process work faster than before. It also packs a new AI engine that is supposed to be twice as powerful as before. It also packs AMD’s second-generation raytracing engine that is more powerful than before. While raytracing is still NVIDIA’s forte, you can be sure that AMD is not just sitting still behind.

The new Radeon PRO W7000 series is also designed to work with AMD’s latest and greatest Threadripper processors. With Infinity Cache technology, the GPU and CPU can share cache to ensure that there is less in the way of bottlenecks. At the same time, with then new AMD Software: PRO Edition, AMD ensures that the Radeon PRO GPUs are more reliable than ever.

AMD Radeon PRO W7900

If the AMD Radeon PRO W7800 does not cut it, there is an even more powerful workstation GPU now. The AMD Radeon PRO W7900, as they call it, packs even more punch than the already powerful Radeon PRO W7800. It has 26 more RDNA 3 compute cores at 96 compared to the W7800’s 70. It is even more powerful with capabilities to perform 61 TFOPS precision calculations compared to 45 TFLOPS. It has 48GB of GDDR6 RAM with even more bandwidth at 864GB/s. Of course, with all this increase in power, the power consumption tends to be higher too at 295W TBP.

They say that the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 workstation GPU is so powerful that you can publish or render your work in the background while accessing other work at the same time without ever slowing down either. With more power as well, the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 works much faster than the W7800 in all sorts of workflows, in theory at least. If you wish to also, both the AMD Radeon PRO W7800 and Radeon PRO W7900 are AMD Remote Workstation capable, meaning you can work off any laptops anywhere in the world using the power of the Radeon PRO GPUs remotely.

Price and Availability

Where the AMD Radeon GPUs might be a clever choice for professionals is the price. The AMD Radeon PRO W7900 and Radeon PRO W7800 are available for US$ 3,999 (MYR *) and US$ 2,499 (MYR *) respectively. It will be available to users in the coming months of 2023. For more information on the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 and Radeon PRO 7800, you can visit their website.

Computers, Lifestyle, News

Acer Launches the Succession to the Swift 5, the Swift 14 and Swift Go

April 17, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

The Acer Swift 5 was one of the most desirable thin-and-light laptops in its day. It was not hard to see why that was the case. It was pretty, it was light, it was compact, and for what its worth, it is powerful. It is not what you want to call a budget option for the masses though, it was more of a premium workhorse you can bring around anywhere you want to work at.

It is 2023 though, and the Swift 5 platform, while still relevant and powerful, is outdated. We need a new Swift, a modern Swift. For some reason, we need two different swifts too.

Welcome to the successor to the Swift 5, the Swift 14. To be fair, the Swift 14 is not necessarily a new thing, they launched it in their previous Next@Acer conference late last year. Gone is the single number moniker of old. The new Swift 14 is an indication to what you are technically getting out of the Swift. Is it confusing? Yes. Is it a welcome change? Well, yes. But is it necessary? We do not think so. No matter, the Swift 14 is here.

Acer Swift 14

The Acer Swift 14 builds on whatever that made the Swift 5 a desirable laptop in the first place. It is a great-looking piece of slab with sharp aggressive lines that somehow just appeals. To be fair, it still looks very much like a Swift 5, just that you won’t find the number 5 anywhere on the laptop. You get new colours though, Steam Blue and Green.

What matters though is what you get inside the new laptop. The 12^th Generation Intel Core processor is retired and replaced with a slew of options from the latest 13^th Generation Intel Core processors. There is no discrete GPU, as with the traditional Swift 5. You still get the proven Intel Iris XE graphics within the new laptop though. You also get up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM to ensure that you get the best out of the processors. To keep everything running smoothly and snappily, you have up to 1TB of SSD storage.

There is also a new cooling system to keep the powerful processor running at its optimum clock speeds. They call it the TwinAir dual fan system with D6 copper heat pipes to increase airflow for better cooling.

As with the old Swift 5, the Swift 14 features a touch sensitive display with an Antimicrobial coating on a protective glass. Underneath the protective Glass is a 14-inch IPS display boasting 2,560 by 1,600 pixels for your viewing pleasure. You can look at your screen at up to 10 hours at a time without attaching yourself to a wall socket. With WiFi 6E as well, you can keep yourself untethered for a very long time.

Considering all that, it is impressive that the Swift 5 only weighs 1.2kg. It is a rigid body too, since the Swift 5 is made entirely out of CNC machined aluminium. It is also still as compact as before whilst still offering full sized ports on the laptops.

Acer Swift Go 14

Stemming out from the Swift 5 lineage is another Swift product. Welcome to the Swift Go 14, the new Swift for the young and active generation. It offers the same good looks as the Swift 5 with minor design differences.

It is just 14.9mm thick at its thickest point. It also only weighs 1.25kg, just a little heavier than the Swift 14. It offers more battery life with the weight though at up to 13 hours on a single.

You still get a 14-inch IPS display offering Full HD in resolution. The Windows 11 Home that you see on the display is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U (up to) processor. No discrete GPU business here still, but the integrated graphics from AMD should prove potent for light-hearted games. You also get up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 512GB in SSD storage to keep things lightning fast even when multitasking. It also offers a good selection of modern ports like USB Type-C and HDMI 2.1.

Price and Availability

Acer’s Swift 14 and Swift Go 14 will be available by the end of April 2023 from Acer’s own eStore and official stores on Shopee and Lazada. The new Swifts will be priced from MYR 4,299 and 3,199 respectively. More on the Acer Swift laptops can be found on their website.

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

Meet the New Predators – The new Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 has Landed in Malaysia with Prices from MYR 8,999

April 17, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Acer’s Predator Helios series of laptops are, in their own rights, some of the most powerful gaming laptops you can buy today. The Helios 300 platform with Intel’s 12^th Generation Core processors alongside NVIDIA’s finest in the form of the GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs are some of the most potent combinations for gaming laptops. That was in 2022 though.

It is 2023, Intel and NVIDIA have moved on from their 12^th generation and GeForce RTX 30 series components respectively. Intel have launched their even more powerful 13^th Generation of mobile computing chips. NVIDIA have also announced their new GPU platform for mobile computers, the GeForce RTX 40 series. The Predator Helios 300 then, is outdated.

No matter though, Acer has just launched their latest Predator flagship laptop in Malaysia. The Helios name stays, but it is a little different. Welcome to the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18.

Dropping off the 300 or 500 or 700 moniker, in our opinions, is a step toward the right direction in streamlining their products. Instead, the numbers behind now represents the laptop’s screen size. In the case of the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 then, you get a 16-inch and 18-inch Helios gaming laptops.

Predator Helios 18

We start with the big one, literally, the Predator Helios 18, the 18-inch full fat variant of the Predator Helios flagship. It is meant to be a desktop replacement though, so you should not stress about bringing it about. Yes, it is heavy at 3.16kg.

With a larger body though, comes more real estate for cooling systems. As with any other Predator product, the Helios 18 packs their 5^th Generation 3D Aeroblade aluminium fan that keeps your gaming laptop cool in intense gaming conditions as well as ensuring that dust build up is not a problem. The cooling solution ensures that the 13^th generation Intel Core i9 (up to) runs optimally even at high loads. It also keeps the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (up to) Ada Lovelace chips as cool as they can be in this package. Alongside the powerful CPU and GPU, you can opt for up to 32GB in DDR5 memory paired with up to 2TB of speedy storage.

You get a beautiful 18-inch IPS display too to enjoy all kinds of AAA games you might want to play on the Helios 18. It fits in the body of a traditional 17-inch notebook thanks to the clever 16:10 aspect ratio. No, you are not getting a measly Full HD resolution display either. It is now a WQXGA display (2560 x 1600 pixels), which is just a little more than 1440p. The display even boasts a 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut, meaning you are getting very lifelike colours and graphics offering an immersive experience like no colour. On top of that, you get up to 240Hz to ensure that you can keep up with the best in competitive titles. With up to 500 nits in brightness, you do not even have to dim your room to game.

The keyboard is a step up from before too. You now get mini-LED backlighting that offers more efficient backlight system. It is not the plain ol’ 4-zone RGB backlighting system too. Instead, it is a per-key RGB system that allows you to completely customize your keyboard to your heart’s content.

To control all of this, you have the new PredatorSense 4 control software. The new PredatorSense is designed to be more streamlined and cleverer than ever before. The software also allows you to store multiple profiles for different lighting setups for different games too. Moreover, NVIDIA’s clever Advanced Optimus offers the Predator Helios 18 even longer battery life by switching between integrated graphics and discrete GPU whichever is required at different times.

Predator Helios 16

The Predator Helios 16 may be small, but it is still no slouch compared to the Helios 18. You get to choose and opt for all the hardware the Helios 18 gets. That means you still get the power of the 24-core 13^th generation Intel Core i9 (up to). You also get to enjoy the full might of a modern NVIDIA GPU in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (up to) all in a smaller, more portable body.

You compromise a little on the display though. Instead of 18-inch, you get 16 inches of IPS goodness. It still refreshes at 240hz and boasts WQXGA resolution at 16:10 aspect ratio. All of this just so that it fits in a laptop body that traditionally fits 15-inch displays.

Price and Availability

The new Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 are both available for pre-order from now to the end of April 2023. The Helios 16 starts at 8,999 while the Helios 18 will set you back from MYR 9,999 onward. If you do pre-order your Predator Helios laptop, you are entitled to a free gift package worth MYR 1,627 in total. That package includes a 175hz refresh rate gaming monitor from Acer’s Nitro stables, the XV272U gaming monitor. For more information on Predator’s latest gaming laptops, you can visit their website.

Business, Computers, News

Malaysia’s First SSD, NEUBE, Enters the High-Performance SSD Market with Server On & PHISON Backing

April 13, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Malaysia has always had a complicated history with science and technology. While the country itself has never been seen at the forefront of the industries, its citizens are deeply entrenched in milestone achievements in the industries. One such milestone is the creation and mass production of USB flash drives. Dato’ Pua Khein-Seng, a Malaysian and one of the pioneers of solid state drives (SSDs) used in USBs is looking to change that in the near future.

Neube 1 — *[Source: Server On & PHISON] Robert Wu, ServerOn Co-founder; Chan Wone-Hoe, ServerOn Co-founder; Dato Pua Khein-Seng, CEO of Phison Electronics Corp; Albert Kang, Phison Head of Business Development* *officiating the launch of NEUBE.*

Dato’ Pua Khein Seng is looking to bring back some of the success he’s had overseas, particularly in Taiwan, to Malaysia. How? He’s embarking on creating Malaysia’s first enterprise SSD and we’re not talking just the fabrication and assembly. He envisions an SSD that is designed, engineered and fabricated in Malaysia. To achieve this, Dato’ Pua is partnering with ServerOn Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian distributor of enterprise and data center-grade hardware.

The partnership will see ServerOn partner with PHISON Electronics Corporation, a Taiwan-based company specialising in storage technologies. As CEO of PHISON, Dato’ Pua is looking to train Malaysian talent to eventually design and create SSDs. The new startup which will be incorporated as part of this partnership will recruit and create job opportunities for Malaysians to be involved in the design and creation of cutting-edge storage technologies.

WhatsApp Image 2023 04 13 at 12.29.28 PM — *[Source: Server On & PHISON] Neube SSDs will be available in Q2 2023.*

As a first step, ServerOn and PHISON are introducing the first-ever truly Malaysian SSD with NEUBE. Designed and engineered in Malaysia, NEUBE SSDs cater to high-demand workloads and data centres. NEUBE SSDs will be available in popular form factors including 2.5-inch, U.2, M.2 and E1.S. ServerOn will be using these SSDs as an option in their offerings when they come to market later in Q2 2023. Other retailers can also be part of this developing story by getting in touch with Server On.

“NEUBE’s SSDs are built with high-quality materials and advanced error correction technology, which can help prevent data loss and system crashes. This can lead to improved system stability and reduce downtime for the client’s business,” said Dato’ Pua Khein-Seng, CEO of Phison.

Neube 2 — *[Source: Server On & PHISON] Dato Pua Khein-Seng addressing the media at the MoU signing and launch of NEUBE*

That said, Dato’ Pua sees this as only the first step in creating a truly Malaysian product. While Server On and PHISON will collaborate further, he sees government policies and market demand as the biggest hurdles for NEUBE to be successful globally. He stressed, “The only way forward for Malaysia to become a leader in the technology space is for the government to empower the local startups and industry with the right policies. They should also be the pioneers in implementing these policies and adopting Malaysian products such as the newly launched NEUBE SSDs.”

Computers, News

Work On the Go with Dell’s New Latitude Lineup

April 4, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Dell’s Latitude laptops have long been one of the go-to devices when it comes to corporate and commercial customers. Latitudes are known for their durability and reliability when it comes to performance. This year, Dell is bringing even more power to the Dell Latitude lineup with more features and upgrades for work on the go. The lineup has been updated with Intel’s 13th Generation Core processors for added power and efficiency.

Introducing the Small but Powerful Latitude 9440

The new Dell Latitude 9440 infuses the Latitude lineup with portability, power and design from Dell’s flagship XPS series. The 9440 combines form with function with its unique 2-in-1 design that allows it to transform from a laptop into a tablet and even a presentation surface seamlessly. Perfect for the entrepreneur, salesperson or C-suite executive.

Together with the new design and aluminium chassis, the new Latitude 9440 comes with a zero lattice keyboard with miniLED backlights. The keycaps are larger with no gaps. They also have increased angles between keys and ergonomic curves on each key giving them easy tactile separation. The miniLED backlights bring power efficiency with up to 75% less power usage providing up to 3 hours of increased battery life.

The Lattitude 9440 is also the smallest commercial 14-inch laptop. The small, compact chassis incorporates a 14-inch display in what has conventionally housed a smaller 13-inch display. It also keeps things crisp with a high-resolution InfinityEdge QHD+ panel in a functional 16:10 aspect ratio.

The 9440 also builds on its predecessor, the 9330. Where the 9330 made conferencing and video calls easier, the 9440 brings a customizable haptic touchpad for better collaboration. Users will be able to adjust and personalise the haptics of the touchpad to suit their work style. Together with this, the touchpad comes with quick toggles that allow users to toggle their mic and camera as well as quick toggles for screen sharing and chat which integrate with Zoom out of the box. Compatibility with Microsoft Teams will come later this year.

Ultralight Portability with the new Dell Latitude 7000 series

While the 9440 shines with its premium build and features, the Latitude 7000 series brings many of those features to a more accessible price point. It also brings a new focus on being Ultralight and portable – perfect for those who need to work on the go and in the field.

Latitude 7340 aluminum Latitude 7440 Ultralight

The Lattitude 7340 and 7440 ultralight bring the same miniLED backlit keyboard technology as the 9440. It also shares the 14-inch display of 9440 but comes weighing under 1kg for its 13-inch version and slightly more than 1kg for the 14-inch version. The magnesium chassis makes it one of the lightest in Dell’s portfolio but preserves the durability that the Latitude lineup is known for. The 7000 series is also available with aluminium chassis and a larger 16-inch option.

Together with these features, the Latitude 7000 series is also getting better connectivity on the go thanks to 5G. This combined with a 5-megapixel IR camera makes it perfect for working remotely.

Completing the Lineup with Latitude 5000 Series

Rounding up Dell’s Latitude lineup is the 5000 series which brings all the essentials when it comes to working remotely. It comes complete with options for 2-in-1 laptops and a Chromebook in the Latitude 5430.

The Latitude 5000 series focuses on enabling remote work with a complete array of ports, a long-lasting battery and cutting-edge connectivity. This year, the series comes with 14- and 15-inch options with a smaller footprint than before. It also focuses on key experiences which include privacy-centric features like Look-away detect and Onlooker detection.

The Dell Latitude Chromebook 5430 completes the lineup with a cloud-native option which runs Google’s ChromeOS. It brings the whole suite of experiences that make the Latitude line up in a highly scalable package with options for every need.

Pricing & Availability

The refreshed Dell Latitude laptops will be available starting in March 2023. Details are as below:

Model	Availability	Pricing (USD$)	Pricing (MYR)*
Latitude 9440	TBA	TBA	–
Latitude 7340, 7440, 7640	Starting March 23, 2023	from USD$1,676.99	from MYR7,385.86
Latitude 5340, 5440, 5540	Starting March 23, 2023	from USD$1,620.73	from MYR7,138.08
Latitude 5430 Chromebook	Starting March 28, 2023	TBA	–

*Pricing in MYR is converted using XE.com with the rate of 1 USD = 4.40449 MYR

Official Spec Sheets

Dell Latitude 9440 2-in-1

Dell Latitude 7000 series

Dell Latitude 7340/7440 Ultralight

Dell Latitude 5000 series

Dell Latitude 5430 Chromebook

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

ASUS ROG X Acronym Launches a Gaming Tablet That Will Set You back MYR 12,999 – The ROG Flow Z13-ACRONM RMT02

April 3, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

You should be familiar with ASUS’ ROG if you are a gamer. In the recent years, the brand has been paving the way in introducing rather absurd concepts for gamers. They revolutionized gaming laptops with ultra-thin offerings like the Zephyrus line-up. They managed to normalize the use of GPU docks with their thin-and-light ROG Flow series for laptops. Within the ROG Flow product booklet is now also a very curious, and very powerful gaming tablet, the ROG Flow Z13.

The ROG Flow Z13 is really that, a gaming tablet without the restriction of a keyboard. Sure, it comes with a keyboard case that can be connected to the tablet, but it really is just an all in one screen that runs Windows and is capable of slaying in DOTA 2 without much of a fuss if you want it to.

Within the rather restricted and thin body of this tablet, you get Intel’s latest and very powerful Core i9-13900H processor alongside NVIDIA’s modest GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. You have 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM too inside the tablet. To make things trundle along faster and make it more powerful, you can opt to get an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 XG mobile dock to pair along with your GPU at home for the ultimate gaming experience (for mobile PC gaming set-ups anyway).

ASUS ROG is also known to have collaborations with brands from other industries to further innovate their products or to offer matching accessories for their products. They have an IKEA collaboration to produce ROG themed furniture for your all ROG gaming set-up at home. They have collaborated with Alan Walker to produce an Alan Walker special gaming laptop that also doubles as your music mixing station when you go to parties. Of course, the Alan Walker special collaboration also entails some Alan Walker x ROG special apparels.

Their latest collaboration with ACRONYM produces something a little unexpected though. ASUS ROG and ACRONYM have introduced a new gaming tablet based on the ROG Flow Z13. No, it does not only get a fresh coat of paint and design, they have added some high-end power to make this even more ‘ultimate’ than the already extreme gaming table that the regular ROG Flow Z13 is.

ASUS ROG X ACRONYM – ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02

Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS

They call it the ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02, and it is not just a mouthful, it is a handful too. ACRONYM, to those who are not familiar, is an apparel design studio that produces their own brand of apparels and accessories. They are based in Munich, Germany and specialize in outrageous looking, functional outfits that are made with the highest and innovative materials. You might have seen some Nike shoes and apparels that bears the ACRONYM name brand. You might also have seen a BE@RBRICK custom design by ACRONYM. More prominently, if you are a Kojima Hideo fan, the game Death Stranding is full of ACRONYM’s designed clothing. This is not ACRONYM’s first time collaborating with ASUS ROG too.

Same-Same, but Different

The ACRONYM designed Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02 does not look like the gaming tablet that it was based on. There is a good reason for that. The entire backplate has been redesigned and fitted with milled aluminium. It is not just striking looks that ACRONYM and ROG wants to show, the milled aluminium backplate is functional too. There are visible shock pads on all four corners of the tablets and also strategically placed all of the backplate for a maximized grip on any kind of surface you might have it on. They are also there to ensure that there is still a good gap to the surface for maximized airflow with the array of air intake ports milled to the backplate. Of course, to ensure you have the best viewing angle on your tablet, there is the built-in kickstand made with the same milled aluminium material for added rigidity and some shock pads to keep it from moving around the table too much.

The design is not just optimized for protection and cooling though. It is designed with mobility and portable application in mind. Included with the ROG X ACRONYM ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02 is a carrying strap that is designed to attach to the attachment points on the tablet’s aluminium shell for and optimized carrying posture for the tablet. The strap mechanism also allows you to work with the tablet while tethered to your body, so that you can work off it at any given time without the delay and hassle of finding a seat, useful in the trains. They quoted a better grip for the ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02, though we do not recommend you holding on to it for too long even with the original ROG Flow Z13. The original ROG Flow Z13 weighs as much as a thin-and-light laptop at 1.18kg, the ACRONYM designed one with all-aluminium chassis weighs even more at 1.32kg.

The Beast Inside

It is not just an upgrade you get with the exterior. Thanks to the extra ventilation and more efficient cooling, ROG can fit even more powerful hardware into the chassis. While the original ROG Flow Z13 only gets NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4050, the ACRONYM designed beast of a tablet gets NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4070 treatment. Everything else about the tablet sort of remains the same.

The Windows 11 tablet comes with Intel’s 13^th Generation Core i9-13900H 14-core processor that clocks at 2.6GHz and can boost up to 5.4GHz. Alongside the upgraded GPU, you also get more RAM at 32GB over the 16GB of the original ROG Flow Z13. You also get 1TB in SSD storage at that.

The powerful internals power an ROG Nebula certified display. It is a 13.4-inch IPS panel offering QHD+ 16:10 aspect ratio in resolution. To get the best in colour reproduction it is a glossy glass panel that protects the IPS panel behind it. The 13.4-inch QHD+ display also offers 165Hz in refresh rate for the best gaming experience you can get on a tablet today. On top of that, you can be sure to enjoy movies with the Dolby Vision HDR support.

For total immersive experience, ASUS fitted a powerful 2 speaker system with Smart Amp technology into the tablet. The speakers are even Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res certified to offer the best-in-class audio experience. In case you need to communicate with your teammates, you have an AI noise-cancelling 3-mic array for a decent make-do team-comms experience with it.

To ensure that your mobile gaming experience is not disrupted, the WiFi 6E dual-band WiFi will ensure the most stable connection with a WiFi 6 capable network. Of course, since it is a tablet, you might be using more wireless accessories with it. Bluetooth 5.2 is sure to reduce latency and offer some stable connection for your accessories.

The battery is the only cause for concern though. There is a 56Wh battery, which is large for a tablet. With the kind of power this beast is packing though, the 56Wh battery might not last you too long. The kind of power you pack also is the reason why you have a 130W USB Type-C charger to g with the ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02. It also comes with a keyboard cover, that adds another 400g to the total set-up on-the-go.

Price and Availability

The ASUS ROG X ACRONYM ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02 is now available in Malaysia. It is a limited-edition item though, just 14 units will make it into the country. As of this writing, it seems that ASUS ROG has sold out all 14 units. If you are interested to get your hands on one, you want to prepare MYR 12,999 for one. More on the ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02 can be found on their website.

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Introducing the Small but Powerful Latitude 9440

Ultralight Portability with the new Dell Latitude 7000 series

Completing the Lineup with Latitude 5000 Series

Pricing & Availability

Official Spec Sheets

Dell Latitude 9440 2-in-1

Dell Latitude 7000 series

Dell Latitude 7340/7440 Ultralight

Dell Latitude 5000 series

Dell Latitude 5430 Chromebook

ASUS ROG X ACRONYM – ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02

Same-Same, but Different

The Beast Inside

Price and Availability

Tech Your Way