The Acer Swift X is an MYR 4,999 thin-and-light laptop that packs a lot of power. It gets a gaming and creator grade AMD Ryzen 7 5800U CPU. On top of that, and 16GB of RAM, is a very potent NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti to boot. All of that seems like a recipe for something special.
We find that the AMD powered Swift notebook PC to be an intriguing one. Acer sells this laptop as the ideal content creation laptop for those are starting up in content creation but needs something easily portable as well.
It is sort of a spiritual successor to the Acer Swift 3X that was launched also a few months ago. The Acer Swift X shares the same build platform as the Acer Swift 3X though, which also means that it shares the same design quirks we pointed out in the Acer Swift 3X. It is a more powerful platform comparatively though.
Is this Swift X with AMD’s powerful Ryzen 7 5800U worth MYR 4,999? With the same quirks, would it be a worthy laptop of the Swift name? Should you get it as a content creator? We find out in our review of the Acer Swift X.
A few months ago, Samsung launched this behemoth of a thing. It was made for gamers, and it was a gaming peripheral that the ultimate gamer would need. If anyone would own one, it is the ultimate statement piece. That was July 2021.
They call it the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor and it looked glorious. While it was more expensive than the older Odyssey G9 that it replaced, the improvements perhaps more than justifies its price tag. Not that you get a bigger display or anything, you just get a much better package than before.
The headline figures say it all. Mini LED, dual QHD 1440p resolution at 49 inches (32:9) with 12-bit colours, HDR2000 at 2000nits and 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and 240Hz. No matter how you look at it, it just sounds majestic. It also sounds like an awfully expensive television set, not a gaming monitor.
We assure you that we are talking about a gaming monitor though. The 49-inch stretches to an ultrawide aspect ratio of 32:9. It is also compatible with NVIDIA’s G-Sync, and AMD’s FreeSync Premium to take advantage of anything you already have. Unfortunately, your PlayStation and Xbox will not be able to fill up the display, this is a PC only territory. It also has something Samsung calls ‘CoreSync’ lighting. The RGB lighting at the back lights up according to the dominant colour of your display to further transport and immerse you in your games.
Of course, to look the part, it has to work the part. That is why the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9’s 49-inch Mini LED panel’s feed is fed by HDMI 2.1. At 2,048 dimming zones, you are getting a gaming and viewing experience like no other; you might as well live in the game world. It reacts quickly too at 1ms GtG response time. When Samsung says this is the ultimate gaming display, we believe it.
Unfortunately, at the time of launch, Malaysia did not get to see the Odyssey Neo G9. The hope that it would arrive sooner was bleak due to the major stock shortage Samsung faced. Halted and delayed productions of course played a part in the whole thing too.
Now though, you do not need to just dream of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, you can officially own it in Malaysia. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is now available in Samsung Official Stores and showrooms across the nation. Of course, you can get them from Samsung’s official retailers and resellers as well. How much? It will set you back MYR 9,499. We predicted that this would set you back a little over MYR 1,000 above its official asking price though. in that case, all in all, that is not a bad asking price, if you have the money.
We’ve been hearing and seeing more tech companies making strides to make technology greener and be more environmentally friendly. However, very few have followed through with grassroots efforts and tangible products which help them progress in their goals. At their recent next@acer, Acer announced a new sub-brand that would focus on driving their efforts in becoming a greener company – the Vero. The Acer Vero sub-brand is only one of their efforts in progressing what they call the Earthion (Earth Mission) of bettering the environment and producing technology more responsibly.
Source: Acer
Acer announced its new Aspire Vero in Malaysia today. However, before we talk about the tech, it would be remiss of us to not highlight their efforts in bringing their Earthion closer to fruition in Malaysia. The company has adopted 15 trees in the Taman Tugu – a green lung in the nation’s capital. However, it’s not just about adopting trees, Acer is also bringing their partners and collaborators into the fold. Five of the company’s partners including PIKOM, Team Lugiami, Microsoft and the National Cancer Society of Malaysia have pledged their support for Acer’s Earthion.
Creating the Opportunity to Choose Responsible Technology
The company views the Aspire Vero as a crucial part of achieving its Earthion. The new laptop affords consumers a more responsible choice when it comes to buying laptops. The Aspire Vero incorporates post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics in its chassis and keycaps. In fact, the chassis is 30% PCR plastics while the keycaps are made of 50% PCR plastics. While it would have been nice to see Acer raise the bar higher, limitations on processes and technology when it comes to recycling these plastics force the company to still use virgin plastics for the sake of rigidity and sturdiness. However, Acer’s Aspire Vero accounts for a significant reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions during production. Each unit accounts for a 21% reduction. The packaging of the Acer Aspire Vero keeps in line with the environmentally cautious nature of the lineup being made of up to 85% recycled paper pulp and using soy ink exclusively for printing.
Source: Acer
So, what does an environmentally cautious laptop look like? Acer has intentionally made the Acer Aspire Vero take a very nature-inspired approach to texture and design. It makes the Vero both unique and functional. What’s more, the laptop isn’t sacrificing much when it comes to performance. It comes with a 15.6-inch IPS Display with Full HD resolution. The panel itself is 99% recyclable. It’s powered by Intel’s 11th generation Core processors and has up to 16GB of RAM. It also takes advantage of Intel’s Iris Xe Graphics making it capable of some graphical prowess. It comes with 512GB of storage.
Source: Acer
When it comes to connectivity, the Acer Aspire Vero comes with support for WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. It also has a full array of ports including an HDMI, two USB 3.2 ports, 1 USB Type-C, an Ethernet port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also has an HD webcam and a claimed 7-hour battery life.
Pricing & Availability
The Acer Aspire Vero will be available starting 11th November 2021. The i5 version will be priced at MYR3,399 while the i7 version will be priced at MYR4,299.
In conjunction with the launch, early adopters will be entitled to freebies worth up to MYR500 with every purchase. In addition, MYR100 of each unit sold will be chanelled to fund more tree adoptions in Taman Tugu.
Dell’s XPS lineup has been one of the company’s most successful brands in the past years. It’s now synonymous with offerings that are both sleek, hardy and powerful. With a successful laptop lineup that comes with both looks and power, it comes as no surprise that the XPS is also one of Dell’s best desktop experiences.
Source: Dell
The new XPS desktop is packed with powerful insides. The desktop comes with the latest generation Intel Core desktop processors. You’ll be able to get builds with supporting up to the Core i9 processor. On the graphics front, it has builds with both AMD and NVIDIA options. The former with options up to the Radeon 6900XT and the latter with up to GeForce RTX3090. When it comes to RAM and storage the new XPS Desktop has 4 RAM slots with support for 128GB of RAM directly from Dell. You’ll also be able to kit out the desktop with up to 4TB of total storage.
The desktop is fully equipped when it comes to connectivity. It supports gigabit ethernet with Killer E3100G ethernet, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. In addition, it has a full array of ports with 7 USB Type-A ports, 2 USB Type-C ports, 1 display port and a 7.1 channel audio connector.
Redesigned for Upgradability
The New XPS Desktop is designed for upgradability. Dell has doubled down on their tool-less entry into the chassis. The side panel is easily removable which give direct access to the internal components of the desktop. You will also be able to remove and replace components as the need for more power arises.
Dell has also redesigned the chassis as a whole increasing its volume by about 43%. The new chassis is 24L compared to the smaller 19L of the previous version. This allows for better airflow and cooling. Doubling down on delivering better cooling, the new XPS desktop also comes with liquid cooling. Dell has also optimised the cooling with a more efficient cooling fluid and also better thermal technology. The XPS desktop is supposed to run 18% cooler and quieter than previous generations.
Pricing & Availability
The Dell XPS Desktop will be available globally this fall with Windows 11 preloaded. It will be available in Night Sky (Black) and Platinum Silver. Prices start at USD$919 (MYR3,819.61).
Source: Dell
In Malaysia, the Dell XPS Desktop will be available only in Night Sky with prices starting at MYR5,999.
The ASUS Vivobook lineup is one of the most popular lineups the company has under its wings. Only recently, it received an infusion of “Pro” features with the Vivobook Pro series. Now, ASUS is bringing more variety to the lineup with a new tablet form factor.
Source: ASUS
The new ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED is the first Vivobook tablet that comes with a 13.3-inch Full HD OLED display. It comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1920×1080 pixel resolution. The Vivobook 13 Slate OLED seems to be built with creators and media consumption in mind. The display has a peak brightness of 550 nits and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. It also has support for Dolby Vision. Completing its multimedia experience is a quad-speaker setup that is concentrated on the bottom half of the slate with Dolby Atmos certification. The speakers also come with smart amplifier technology that amplifies the audio up to 3 times louder.
New Form Factor with “Unique” Insides
The Vivobook 13 Slate OLED doesn’t come with your regular Intel Core i processors. Instead, ASUS has opted to go with the Intel Pentium Silver N6000. It’s an x86 quad-core processor with no multithreading support. It has a 4MB cache and a maximum speed of 3.3GHz. The processor is supposed to be one of Intel’s more power-efficient SoCs. This should promise better battery life with the OLED display. The processor is complemented with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.
Source: ASUS
The Slate OLED comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It also has support for WiFi 6 with ASUS WiFi Master to boot. Also along for the ride is Bluetooth 5.2. Aside from that, the Slate OLED comes with 2 USB Type C ports that support USB 3.2 and power delivery, and a microSD card reader and a 3.5mm combo jack.
Accessoried to be Your Tablet and PC
Coming in at only 785g, the Vivobook 13 Slate OLED is made to be a portable productivity beast. However, unlike other slates on the market, ASUS opted to minimise the amount of moving parts on the Slate OLED. Instead, the Slate’s multimode form factor comes from its accessories. It comes with a cover stand which allows it to stand in both portrait and landscape modes. Together with this, it also has a separate Keyboard cover which comes with a large touchpad.
Source: ASUS
Together with these, the ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED comes with support for the ASUS Pen 2.0. The new ASUS Pen 2.0 is compliant with Windows’ built-in Microsoft Pen Protocol 2.0. This means that it connects seamlessly when attached to the Slate magnetically. It has 4096 points of sensitivity and a 266Hz sampling rate. The most unique thing about the ASUS Pen 2.0 is its interchangeable tips. Instead of just being replaceable for wear and tear reasons, the tips also mimic the textures of 2H, H, HB and 2B pencils. It charges via USB-C. I thas a quick button on top which brings added functionality when paired via Bluetooth.
Pricing & Availability
The ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED will be available starting in December 2021 with prices starting at USD$600 (MYR2,491.88). The Slate will be bundled with a cover stand, keyboard and ASUS Pen 2.0.
Together with the standard version of the ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED, ASUS also announced special editions of the new Vivobook. These special edition Slates will feature custom designs from Steven Harrington and Philip Colbert. They will feature a special cover stand, wallpaper, a special box, a sleeve, a keyboard, a hardcover case and keyboard stickers. The Philip Colbert version will come with an additional pair of limited-edition shoelaces.
Apple’s Silicon M1 chip has proven to be a popular choice for Apple fans. When it was introduced the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro line-up in 2020, the M1 counterpart managed to be cheaper than Apple’s Intel powered MacBook Pro. That could be a good explanation to its popularity. It was a lot more than that though.
The Apple M1 chip has proven itself to be a highly capable processor in both the MacBook and MacBook Pro. This year, Apple launched two more variants of the M1 chip, the M1 Pro and M1 Max. While Apple made the two M1 chips from 2021 sound like completely different processors, they are based on the same architecture and base design. They are still the same M1 chip, just a little oversized, hence more powerful.
2021 sees Apple starting to consider a complete M1 line-up though. They started with the MacBook Pro line-up of course. You will not be able to buy an Intel based MacBook Pro anymore officially starting from now. But the M1 transformation does not stop there. Earlier this year, Apple also introduced the new M1 powered Apple iMac. You still can buy an Intel powered version though, although at a smaller 21.5-inch size.
As of November 2021 though, you can only buy an iMac powered by Apple’s own M1 chip starting at 24-inch. To be fair though, the 21.5-inch Apple iMac is a little outdated for 2021 and beyond. For a little under MYR 5,000, you are getting an older generation Intel processor. Not just one or two generations older though, if you consider the 11th Generation Intel, the 21.5-inch iMac sports a four-generation old Intel processor.
That does no mean that you cannot get an Intel powered Apple iMac though, you still can. Your only choice is the 27-inch iMac that starts at MYR 7,999. You get a 10th generation Intel Core i5 with up to 8GB of memory and 256GB in storage. For graphics you get an AMD Radeon Pro 5300 GPU. You get a brilliant 5K display with that though. Considering that the M1 powered iMac starts at MYR 5,599 though, the 27-inch Intel powered alternative looks expensive.
With the launch of the M1 Max and M1 Pro chips, we are guessing that Apple will also start shifting directions with their high-end computing solutions like the 27-inch iMac. In that case, we might see Apple axing the Intel powered 27-inch Apple iMacs in the coming year. Would you still want an Intel powered iMac though?
We live in a weird time. We live in a time where buying a laptop from a smartphone manufacturer is normal. If you think about it, it was not so long ago too that HUAWEI decided that they want a slice of the mobile computing market.
Meet the HUAWEI MateBook series, premium notebook PCs made with the HUAWEI ecosystem in mind. They were designed to be the perfect companion for HUAWEI’s range of smartphone and tablet products. They were made to be the best type of laptop to work with if you own a HUAWEI device. They were the only products that did not get the axe from American companies in the dram that was the United States trade ban debacle.
Fast forward to 2021, nothing much has changed. There are some changes in the world around HUAWEI though. There is a brand-new Intel processor, an 11th generation wonder of a mobile chip. It also seems like there is going to be a new Microsoft Windows version just around the corner, and the new hardware is primed to take up the new Operating System (OS). HUAWEI needed to get modern to be in the world of workplace laptops. They did with the new HUAWEI MateBook 14s.
The HUAWEI MateBook 14s follows the philosophy of HUAWEI’s premium line-up of laptops. It is an ultra-thin, and ultra-light notebook PC for the working professionals. It is an ultrabook for the road warrior, or the person who has been working from home for the past two years and is continuing to work from home now.
Source: HUAWEI
The new MateBook 14s is powered by Intel’s latest 11th Generation Core processor. You get to spec it up with up to the Core i7-11370H processor. The latest processors are considered to be Intel’s most efficient one yet.
Intel did not certify the HUAWEI MateBook 14s as an Intel EVO laptop, but it has everything that you could want from an Intel EVO platform, if you are looking for that sort of thing. It has Intel’s Iris Xe Graphics to handle a high-resolution display and any of its requirements. It also has up to 16GB of RAM, ample amount for a work laptop. You even get up to 1TB in SSD storage, if you wish for it. With WiFi 6 in tow, you really wonder with the HUAWEI MateBook 14s does not come packing Intel EVO’s sticker.
You get all sorts of I/O with this Matebook 14s as well to make it the perfect work mate. There are two USB type-C ports that supports charging and Thunderbolt 4 capabilities (only Core i7 version, 2nd USB Type-C port). You also get a full HDMI port alongside a USB 3.2 Gen1 type-A port on the HUAWEI MateBook 14s. It is as versatile as it looks. It even has a fingerprint sensor with Windows Hello for protection. Thankfully as well, the webcam has been shifted up to the top of the display instead of being hidden in one of the keycaps.
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
The 14-inch display is a stunning one too at 90Hz. It is a 2.5K display instead of a Full HD unit though. That also means that you get vibrant and beautiful looking images on the laptop. You can easily enjoy movies and YouTube videos in high-resolution goodness on this thing. Its 60Wh battery is also large enough that it should carry your laptop the entire day. If that is not enough the HUAWEI MateBook 14s comes with 90W charging capabilities and a charger to match for a quick plug and dash.
Price and Availability
The HUAWEI MateBook 14s is available for pre-order from the 28th of October 2021 onward. Before the 6th of November 2021, you can pre-order your unit from HUAWEI Store Online, HUAWEI’s official stores on Shopee, and Lazada, or even on HUAWEI’s official app, My HUAWEI App. As per the title, the HUAWEI MateBook 14s starts at MYR 4,999. More information on the HUAWEI MateBook 14s can be found on their website.
Acer is big on Chromebooks, if you have not yet realised. They have one of the most complete line-ups of Chromebooks that are available for your money. With the most recent launch, they could very well be offering the most complete Chromebook line-ups you can find in the market today.
Acer Chromebook Spin 514
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
The new Chromebook Spin 514 is a 14-incher that is also a touch sensitive display. The touch sensitive display can also be tilted all the way to the back for some convertible action. It is only a Full HD panel though, so do not get ahead of yourself too much.
You still get a powerful 11th generation Intel Core i7 with the Chromebook Spin 514, which is actually a lot more power than you actually need to run a Chromebook. At the same time there is an Enterprise variant for this notebook, so a powerful CPU should not be a surprise. Oddly enough though, they designed the Chromebook Spin 514 without a fan, so the Intel Core i7 might have been tuned down anyway to keep thermals at an optimum.
Still, you are getting quite a powerful workhorse here. You have two speakers that faces upward for crisp and clear DTS Audio quality sound. For the best-in-class voice call experiences, the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 comes with two microphones as well. At the same time, the MIL-STD 810H certified construction will ensure that your Chromebook will work in any conditions and after it takes on some abuse.
Acer Chromebook 515
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
If a large display is what you need in a Chromebook, then there is Acer’s Chromebook 515 that comes with a 15.6-inch IPS display. The 15-incher comes with a Full HD panel that should be ideal in most working requirements.
It also packs Intel’s latest 11th generation Core i7 processors complete with Iris Xe Graphics to boot. With up to 512GB in storage and 16GB of RAM, you should not be wanting more from your Chromebook. Considering, this is a high-end set-up for a Chromebook as well.
Of course, you also get DTS Audio for high-quality audio for your audio conferencing needs. It also packs two microphones to make your video conferencing experience the best it can be on a Chromebook. If you need some privacy, there is a webcam shutter.
Of course, the Chromebook 515 comes with MIL-STD 810H build standards. It is powerful and durable. A Corning Gorilla Glass on the touchpad should also ensure that the Chromebook outlasts any abuse you can throw at it.
Acer Chromebook 514
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
The Chromebook are never meant to be ultra-powerful notebooks to take on the likes of the gaming PCs or MacBook Pros in the market. Not yet anyway. But they are made to be some of the most reliable notebooks in the market that can run on nearly anything, even a MediaTek integrated chip.
The Acer Chromebook 514 runs exactly on that. Specifically, the Chromebook 514 runs on a MediaTek Kompanio 828 octa-core processor made for computing platforms. This one is for the content creators out there, apparently.
The integrated chip also means that the 14-incher offers a battery life of up to 15 hours on a single charge. The battery can be quickly charged up to 50% within just 40 minutes. Because there is so little in the way of components, it only weighs about 1.3kg and is just below 17mm thick.
Acer Chromebook Spin 314
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
If you need a device at home for your kids to start their school with, you can consider the budget friendly Acer Chromebook Spin 314. It is not just budget friendly though, it is also made partly with sustainable materials. It features an OceanGlass touchpad, a sort of glass surface type of material that is made up of recycled plastic you pick up from the ocean.
It features Intel’s latest generation processors. That also means that it is still powerful enough to work with when your kids need it most. The 14-inch Full HD IPS display allows your kids to have enough screen real estate to work with when it comes to their schoolwork, and even video conferencing. With 10-hours in battery life, your kids would not have any excuse for missing class too.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 will be available in the North American region starting January 2022. It will retail for US$ 699.99 (MYR 2,920*). In EMEA region the Chromebook Spin 514 will be available in October 2021 onward with prices from EUR€ 799 (MYR 3,880**). The Enterprise variant will be available for US$ 899.99 (MYR 3,754**) and EUR€ 1,049 (MYR 5,094**)in respective regions.
The Acer Chromebook 515 will be available in EMEA region starting in October 2021 onward. When it is available, it will set you back EUR€ 499 (MYR 2,423**). The Enterprise variant of the Chromebook 515 will be available in North American region in January 2022 with prices starting from US$ 649.99 (MYR 2,711*). It will also be available in EMEA in October with prices starting at EUR€ 799.
The Acer Chromebook 514 will be available in North American region in December 2021 onward. In EMEA region, the Acer Chromebook 514 will be available in October. Prices start at US$ 399.99 (MYR 1,668*) and EUR€ 399 (MYR 1,938**) respectively.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 314 convertible will be available in the North American region November 2021 onward. It will be available in EMEA region this month itself too. Prices start at US$ 499.99 (MYR 2,086*) and EUR€ 449 (MYR 2,181**) in respective regions.
There is no confirmation yet on when the new Chromebooks will be coming to Malaysia, there are no official pricing for the local market just yet too. For more information on Acer’s Chromebooks, you can access their website.
* Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = 4.17 on xe.com as of 20/10/2021
** Approximately based on exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = 4.86 on xe.com as of 20/10/2021
In the day and age where laptops are becoming a staple in the world of content creation and professional work requirements, there are two camps. On one camp is the one that supports the PC, on the other, the side that glorifies the MacBook Pro. There are a lot of obvious bonuses with the PC market before this. Get that, before this.
Apple introduced their Apple Silicon product, the M1 chip last year in 2020 and it broke the internet. Well, not really, but it did become a headline. It is Apple’s first step in stepping away from chip manufacturers like Intel, and obviously, AMD as well. The M1 chip in the MacBook line-up, especially the MacBook Pro was a popular choice though. Content creators that rely on their MacBook Pro with M1 chips swore by the performance of the chip on their tools. They managed to make the M1 chip equipped MacBook Pro even cheaper than what they could offer with and Intel badge.
The no brainer decision buys you into a platform that is still being tested though. It was an experimental platform at best with many developers still trying to adapt their apps to run natively on the M1 chip. You sometimes forget that the M1 chip architecture is so completely different compared to other processor’s construction that apps have to work with different command lines and codes to run natively on the M1 Chip.
A year on, and there are enough apps that runs on the M1 architecture. There are more apps being added in. There are also the new kids on the block, perfect timing.
Apple M1 Max/Pro
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Before we move on, this is a deeper coverage on the MacBook Pro devices. We will be separately talk about the new M1 chips in detail in the coming days.
The new chiplets are supposed to be bigger than the original M1 chip from last year though. That also means that the new chips pack more CPU and GPU cores. The M1 Max packs 10 CPU cores and 32 GPU cores. The M1 Pro packs the same 10 cores on its CPU end but only makes do with 16 cores in its GPU module.
The integrated architecture allows the M1 Max’s GPU and CPU to have direct access and enjoy 64GB of integrated RAM. The M1 Pro will only come with up to 32GB of integrated memory. All of these leads to a huge performance leap from the original M1 from 2020.
The Apple MacBook Pro
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
The Apple MacBook Pro is now available in two sizes, the 16-inch and 14-inch models. Both comes with either the M1 Pro or the M1 Max options of course. Both laptops feature a Full HD 1080p FaceTime HD camera. You also see the MagSafe 3 charging port making a comeback for magnetically attached chargers on a MacBook Pro. To be fair, it was one of the best features on a MacBook.
The MacBook Pro also packs an advanced six-speaker system with dual subwoofers for an audio experience on a laptop like no other. When people say Apple does not listen to its customers, the Apple MacBook Pro for the 2021 market proves them wrong. The annoying Touch Bar is now gone and replaced with tactile keys from a full-height magic keyboard that we are more used to.
Of course, there needs to be a lot of ports on what Apple calls a “pro notebook”. You have three Thunderbolt 4 pots on the Apple MacBook Pro. Two of them are USB Type-C ports. You also have one HDMI port on the MacBook Pro. That allows you to connect to up to four displays at a time for a five-monitor set up, as long as you have the space. You still have an SDXC card reader on the MacBook Pro too. If you have the money and space, the MacBook Pro is your best workflow powerhouse in this case.
Source: Apple
You get Retina XDR Mini LED panels on both the 16-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pro. Of course, the MacBook Pro in 16-inch clad will feature more pixels than the 14-inch, Apple style. Both displays can project up to 10-billion colours (10-bit) on the panels though.
The added power of the new variants of the M1 chip allows the MacOS on the MacBook Pro to easily work with 4K ProRes videos or even 8K ProRes videos in Final Cut Pro with no hiccups. They say it is more powerful than the Mac Pro even with Afterburner. For the first time ever as well, users can colour grade in HDR on 8K ProRes 444 video formats, even on battery.
The Apple MacBook Pro is supposed to feature improved battery too. At 21 hours of video playback, the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch trumps any pro-level notebook PC that you can find the market, on paper at least. The 14-inch is quoted to have up to 17 hours of video playback time too. If that is not enough, you can charge the MacBook Pro via MagSafe 3 and fast charge it up to 50% in just 30 minutes.
Price and Availability
If you asked us a year ago about the MacBook Pro vs the PC laptops, we would have asked you to get the PC laptop. Right now, we are not so sure, we are tempted to get our hands on the M1 Max or M1 Pro versions of the MacBook Pro. If you are excited about it, you will be happy to know that the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inc and 14-inch will hit the shelves on the 26th of October 2021 onward. That is only the United States and selected countries though, so that is some bad news for some of us. The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at US$ 1,999 (MYR 8,799*) while the 16-inch variant starts at US$ 2,499 (MYR 19,799*). There are no word on when the MacBook Pro will officially make its way to Malaysia, but we are guessing that it is pretty soon. More information on the MacBook Pro can be found on their website.
Alienware has been creating gaming-focused systems for 25 years! I’m pretty sure there are a good number of our readers who remember the company’s early offerings. It’s safe to say that they’ve come a long way from their early days. The biggest updates this year was the introduction of their new Legend 2.0 design language and the introduction of the Alienware X series. The new design and new offering seem to be only the beginning of the company’s 25th-year celebrations.
That said, Alienware is also introducing a new, refreshed look to its Aurora desktop lineup. The new take on the Aurora desktops introduces design cues from their new Legend 2.0 design language. Their mid-tower desktop redesign focuses on increasing airflow, keeping noise levels low and accessibility. However, the size of the Alienware Aurora remains relatively unchanged.
The biggest change anyone will notice is the increase in vents that will allow for better airflow in the Aurora. Alienware is calling this its first “open-air” design. The new Aurora desktops have larger chassis volumes. The new Aurora is up to 50% larger than even the Aurora R10 and R12. They will ship with a minimum of two 120mm fans – one intake and rear exhaust. On higher configurations, there is an option to double up on these 120mm fans. The new design has allowed Alienware to minimise acoustic noise by 9% compared to the R12.
The design changes aren’t just to ensure more airflow. The overall design has been refined. The Aurora’s design is now more fluid with curves accenting it. The front panel of the desktop also continues the design language but also keeps to Alienware’s signature aesthetic. There will be an option for a transparent side panel as well. Users will be able to use this to show off their setup with the eight RGB Zones. Users can even customise the colours through AlienFX. The updated chassis is also the most accessible yet. You won’t need any tools to access the guts of your setup. The right side door is fitted with cable management features that allow the cables to be mechanically and thermally isolated. There is also an optional magnetic back to help with hiding those cables.
Pricing & Availability
The new Alienware Aurora desktops will be available in Lunar Light or Dark Side of the Moon. Alienware has not announced any details on pricing, configurations or availability just yet.
