Acer has been busy creating new experiences for gamers and also catering to every niche they can think of. When it comes to their gaming offerings they have two distinct lineups – the Predator lineup which has different models and the Nitro lineup which consists of one laptop with two variants. Over the past years, their gaming offerings have become fine-tuned and refined so you can see a distinct difference between them. This year is no different with the Nitro getting an updated design and the Predator Triton 500 blurring the lines between gamer and professional. In addition to these design updates, the gaming lineup is being supercharged with the latest and greatest from Intel, AMD and NVIDIA.
Predator Triton 500 SE
The biggest update comes in the new “special edition” Predator Triton 500. The laptop sheds the design queues we’re used to seeing in the Helios lineup and adopts a more subdued aesthetic that allows it to marry both the professional and gamer in its users. The hard angles and throughways of the classic predator designs are replaced by a sleek and thin exterior that belies its insides. If you looked from afar, you wouldn’t think that this was a gaming laptop.
When we say belies its gaming prowess, we mean it. The Triton 500 SE comes with specifications of up to a 12th generation Intel Core i9 processor. Yep – that’s right, a Core i9. This is paired with the NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU and up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen4 storage. It also comes with Acer’s newest and best when it comes to cooling. It’s equipped with a triple-fan system with two 5th Generation AeroBlade 3D fans that have 89 metal blades each to maximise airflow and cooling. It also has a 99.8Wh battery which promises better battery life even on the highest specifications.
It comes with a large 16-inch WQXGA display with a 2560×1600 pixel resolution, 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. The 16:10 aspect ratio gives even more visual real estate and NVIDIA’s G-SYNC technology allows for smoother gameplay while the 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut provides some colour accuracy.
The Triton 500 SE comes with a full range of ports including two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port and even an SD card reader. It also has an Intel Killer E3100G 2.5G Ethernet controller and WiFi 6E support for seamless online play.
Acer Nitro 5
Together with the Predator Triton 500 SE, the Acer Nitro 5 also got a significant facelift. It’s now edgier. The once cumbersome top of the Nitro is now sleek and accented by angled reflective lines that give it that gamer’s aesthetic without being too overt and loud. It still retains the bottom half of the older design but replaces its red accents with a black and silver colourway which gives it a rather “grown-up” aesthetic.
On the inside, the Nitro 5 comes with configurations supporting either the 12-generation Intel Core i processors or the recently announced AMD Ryzen 6000 series APUs. The former comes with configurations supporting up to a Core i7. These processors are complemented with configurations with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX3070 Ti Laptop GPU. When it comes to RAM, the Intel configuration supports up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM while the AMD one supports up to 32GB of DD5 RAM. It also comes with up to 2TB of SSD memory.
The Nitro 5 comes with either an FHD display with a 144Hz refresh rate or a QHD display with a 165Hz refresh rate. Both options are able to advantage of AMD FreeSync technology for smoother gameplay. When it comes to connectivity, the laptop comes with support for WiFi 6 and comes with an Intel Killer WiFi 6 AX1650i card and Killer Ethernet E2600. It also has a full range of ports including an HDMI 2.1 port and Thunderbolt 4.
Predator Helios 300
Joining its siblings, the Helios 300 is also getting a bump to the latest 12th Generation Intel Core i processors with configurations supporting up to a Core i7. This is complemented with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU and up to 32GB of DDR5 memory and up to 2TB of SSD storage.
Display-wise it comes with options for a QHD IPS display with a 165 Hz refresh rate or an FHD display with either a 144 Hz or a 165 Hz refresh rate. The latter options are available on the 17.3-inch model of the Helio 300. Aside from this, it comes with similar specifications as the Nitro 5 apart from its per-key RGB and support for Killer DoubleShot Pro (E2600+1675i) and WiFi 6E connectivity.
Pricing & Availability
The laptops will start making their way to market starting in February 2022. Details in the table below
Laptop
Availability
Pricing
Predator Triton 500 SE
North America – March 2022 EMEA – February 2022 China – February 2022
North America – USD$2299.99 EMEA – EUR3499 China – RMB24999
Acer Nitro 5 (Intel) – 15-inch
North America – March 2022 EMEA – February 2022 China – February 2022
North America – USD$1049.99 EMEA – EUR1549 China – RMB9499
Acer Nitro 5 (Intel) – 17-inch
North America – March 2022 EMEA – February 2022 China – February 2022
North America – USD$1099.99 EMEA – EUR1649 China – RMB9499
Acer Nitro 5 (AMD) – 15-inch
North America – April 2022 EMEA – April 2022 China – March 2022
North America – USD$1099.99 EMEA – EUR1599 China – RMB8999
Acer Nitro 5 (AMD) – 17-inch
North America – May 2022 EMEA – April 2022 China – March 2022
North America – USD$1149.99 EMEA – EUR1649 China – RMB8999
Predator Helios 300 – 15-inch
North America – May 2022 EMEA – February 2022 China – February 2022
North America – USD$1649.99 EMEA – EUR2299 China – RMB11999
Predator Helios 300 – 17-inch
North America – March 2022 EMEA – February 2022 China – February 2022
North America – USD$1749.99 EMEA – EUR2399 China – RMB11999
Acer’s gaming lineup has been one of the most complete offerings on the market. From formidable gaming laptops like the Predator and Nitro to the Orion Desktops, the company has thought of nearly every use case and budget. This year, they are refreshing their offerings with the latest and greatest from Intel for better performance.
Predator Orion Desktops
Acer’s Predator Orion desktops have consistently been performers both in design and specifications. The ready-built options bring some of the sleekest, most functional designs that are available on the market. This year, the Predator Orion 5000 and Predator Orion 3000 are getting a much-needed upgrade to the 12th Generation Intel Core processors. The new architecture in Intel’s new processors not only bring nearly 28% more performance power but also allow the machines to run smoother and cooler.
In addition to the new processors, the Predator Orion 5000 and Predator Orion 3000 are getting a design update. The new versions of the desktops do away with the unique, angular designs of yesteryear in favour for a more trippy, vanilla design. The new design adopts a more conventional rectangular shape. This could be a boon seeing as the size of desktop graphics cards are increasing. It also comes with even more RGB goodness with options for glass panels to show off your build.
The Orion 5000 desktop will be shipping with an Intel H670 chipset which will ship with up to an Intel Core i7 processor. The Orion 3000 desktop will have an Intel B660 chipset. The former will have specifications supporting up to an NVIDIA RTX3080 graphics card while the latter tops out at an NVIDIA RTX3070. Both have configurations supporting up to 64GB of 4,000MHz DDR5 RAM. They support for up to 2TB of internal SSD storage with up to an additional 6TB of total SATA HDD storage.
When it comes to connectivity, both have support for WiFi 6E. The Orion 5000 comes with a higher specc’d WiFi Killer E3100G module while the Orion 3000 comes with a WiFi Killer E2600 module. Both support 2×2 MU MIMO for WiFi 6E. They also come with the latest Predator FrostBlade 2.0 fans for cooling. Both are also coming with Windows 11 pre-installed.
Predator Gaming Monitors
Together with their new Predator Orion desktops, Acer is also bringing a refreshed lineup of gaming monitors to complete the Predator Gaming experience. The Predator X32 has already been recognised for it innovative design and features with the CES Innovation Award. Together with the Predator X32 FP gaming monitor, the X32 series is coming with an increased 160Hz refresh rate which can be overclocked to 165Hz. They are both UHD displays with a resolution of 3,840×2,160 pixels in a 32-inch form factor. The monitors come with VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification and feature a miniLED IPS panels with a ∆E of less than 2 and 99% coverage of the AdobeRGB gamut.
In addition to that, the Predator X32 supports high performance, ultra low latency thanks to its NVIDIA G-SYNC ULTIMATE support. The X32 FP comes with an HDMI 2.1 port which allows users to use the monitor for console gaming. It will allow consoles to take advantage of the 165Hz refresh rate and UHD resolution. It also has an additional USB Type-C port with support for 90W power delivery and supports AMD FreeSync Premium.
Predator CG48 Gaming Monitor
Together with the Award winning X32, Acer is introducing the Predator CG48 gaming monitor – a monitor large enough to be your TV replacement. The 48-inch monitor comes with 4K resolution and 138Hz refresh rate. It supports HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4. The CG48 also has four USB 3.2 ports and an additional USB Type-C port. The OLED display of the CG48 comes with AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro technology with a response time of 0.1ms gray to gray (GtG). With AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro, it also supports variable refresh rates for a smoother gaming experience. It comes with a 135,000:1 contrast ratio, HDR10 support and covers 98% of the DCI-P3 gamut.
Pricing & Availability
The Predator Orion desktops will be available in North America starting in February; in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia) region starting in March and in China starting in January 2022. The Orion 5000 will have the recommended retail prices starting at USD$2,599 in North America, EUR1,999 in EMEA and RMB14,999 in China. The Orion 3000 retail prices start at USD$1,999 in North America, EUR1,299 in EMEA and RMB11,999 in China.
The Predator X32 monitor will be available starting in Q2 in China and Q3 elsewhere. It will be retailing at USD$1,999 in North America, EUR1,899 in EMEA and RMB12,999 in China.
The X32 FP will be available starting in March 2022 in China. EMEA and North America will see it sometime in Q2 2022. Prices will be starting at USD$1,799 in North America, EUR1,599 in EMEA and RMB10,999 in China.
The Predator CG48 will be available starting in Q2 2022 in China. It will be available in other regions starting in Q3 2022. It will be retailing for USD$2,499 in North America, EUR2199 in EMEA and RMB14,999 in China.
Alienware is staying true to its heritage and name. The brand is looking to expand the realm of gaming with their new Concept Nyx. The brand is looking to leverage the momentum that we’re seeing in edge computing to enhance gaming experiences.
With the rise of cloud gaming services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW, XBOX Cloud Gaming and Google Stadia, it comes as no surprise that Alienware is looking further into the future with Concept Nyx. It’s looking to empower gamers to game seamlessly on any device. The brand is looking to create an uninterrupted, low latency experience that allows gamers to move from device to device.
Alienware’s Concept Nyx seem to be a standalone device that is designed to do the processing and computing needed to stream and play games over the internet. This means that when you stream your games over the internet, Concept Nyx would take on the workload that services like Stadia and GeForce NOW use servers for. This reduces the bandwidth needed to stream the game significantly as it would be done over your local WiFi connection. This would also mean that you’d have single-digit response times and latency when playing the game; doing away with things like predictive algorithms which can detract from gameplay. It could also remove lag during gameplay altogether.
Concept Nyx isn’t just stopping at that. Alienware’s Experience Innovation Group (EIG) is also working on creating a central game library. This library will aggregate your games regardless of where you got them from. The central library would be able to draw and access games you purchase on Steam, EPIC, GoG, Uplay etc. They are trying to make accessing and playing your games as seamless as streaming your favourite shows and music. The seamless experience also includes being able to take off exactly where you left off when moving from device to device.
While Alienware’s Concept Nyx is intriguing and definitely a potential game-changer, it’s still in conception. Alienware has had many a concept device like its Nintendo Switch like Concept UFO that we haven’t seen available commercially. However, the experiences it unlocks definitely keep us on our toes to see what Alienware is going to bring next.
The chip shortage is still going strong. In other words, chip production situation has not improved much. That means that CPU and GPUs are sold at extreme premiums still at this time. Of course, that is assuming that you can find and buy one. This is especially true for the newer generation chips.
There was an idea though, when the whole chip shortage started a few years ago. The idea was for manufacturers to continue production and selling older generation chips which were cheaper to produce anyway. That should not only elevate the chip shortage problem, but also to fulfil demands of these chips in one way or another. Sure, people wanted the latest thing, but if they could not get their hands on the new stuff, they would not mind getting the older stuff for a reasonable price.
Source: ASUS
NVIDIA sort of answered to that demand and relaunched their popular GeForce RTX 2060 card. No, this is not some GeForce RTX 2060 Super Ti. Rather, it is a play GeForce RTX 2060 but now with twice the VRAM size at 12GB instead of 6GB. Of course, their card manufacturing partners to make their cards before reaching the customers.
ASUS is one of those manufacturers that made one and they call it the Dual GeForce RTX 2060. No, it does not come with two RTX 2060 dies within the card. Yes, we felt a little cheated too. The ‘Dual’ moniker is due to the doubling of the original 6GB VRAM.
ASUS made two versions of the Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO. They made a regular Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO and an overclocked variant of the card.
They say that the whole point of the new GPUs is to make gaming more accessible at this point. While that makes sense currently, you are still forking out MYR 2,560 for a regular ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO with 12GB of VRAM.
The added VRAM does help with gaming performance though. Reports show up to 5% in performance increment as well when you put it up against the older GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of VRAM. With ASUS 0db fan technology as well, you can have a quiet rig at home without the GPU ever firing up (if you keep it below 55° C).
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
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Source: ASUS
The 2.7-slot card also packs a very clever fan design on top of the 0db technology. The ASUS Axial-tech designed fans feature larger surface area for a much better airflow. The barrier rings around the blades also optimises the airflow. The fan is also an IP5X dust resistance certified item for those who are a little on the lazy side when it comes to cleaning their PC.
The ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO is now available in Malaysia via ASUS’ official retail partners and resellers. As mentioned, the GPU will set you back MYR 2,560 onward. More information on the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2060 EVO is available on ASUS’ website.
Horizon Forbidden West is the second game in the Horizon series developed by Guerrilla Games. The follow up to the wildly successful Horizon Zero Dawn was first announced back in June 2020 and has quickly become one of the most anticipated games for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. It continues the story of Horizon Zero Dawn taking players to the West Coast of the United States in the post-apocalyptic world of Horizon.
Initially planned for a late 2021 release, the game faced delays which have since pushed its release date to 18 February 2022. However, it looks like the wait is going to be over. Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced pre-orders of the game which will kick off tomorrow, 14 December 2021.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Pre-orders of Horizon Forbidden West will happen for both the digital and physical copies of the game. Both of them will kick off simultaneously. Digital pre-orders are available now on the PS Store. The Digital Deluxe Edition of the game will come with the core game, digital soundtrack and artbook, the digital comic book and in-game extras. It is available for MYR339. The standard edition comes with the in-game items: Nora Legacy Outfit and Spear. It will be available for MYR299 for the PS5 and MYR249 for the PS4.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Together with the announcement of the digital pre-orders, Sony Interactive Entertainment also announced three physical pre-orders: the Standard Edition, the Collector’s Edition and the Regalla Edition. All editions will come with the Nora Legacy Outfit and Legacy Spear in-game bonuses which you will have to unlock as you play. The Special Edition will come in a SteelBook Display Case, Mini Art Book and a copy of the Digital Soundtrack which you will need to download. The Special Edition will retail for MYR339 for PS5 and MYR299 for PS4.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The Collector’s Edition comes with all the freebies of the Special edition. In addition, it comes with a code for the digital version of the game. Together with this, pre-orders of the Horizon Forbidden West Collector’s Edition will also come with a custom sculpted Tremortusk statue with Aloy in tow and a digital copy of “The Sunhawk” – the first Horizon Zero Dawn graphic novel. Sony notes that the state will require some assembly. Sony is also supercharging the in-game freebies that come with the Collector’s edition. Pre-order will get 2 additional outfits – the Carja Behemoth Elite and Nora Thunder Elite; together with 2 special weapons – the Carja Behemoth Short Bow and Nora Thunder Sling. You will also get an exclusive Photo Mode post and Face paint together with a resource pack that includes ammunition, potions and travel packs. The Collector’s Edition comes with both PS5 and PS4 versions of the game and will retail at MYR839.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The Regalla edition rounds up the Pre-orders and adds even more to the package. In addition to all the freebies in the Collector’s edition, the Regalla edition comes with a replica focus and custom stand, 2 Art Print Cards, replica Sunwing and Clawstrider machine physical strike pieces, a canvas map and an additional Apex Clawstrider Machine Strike Piece in-game. The Regalla edition of Horizon Forbidden West will also come with PS5 and PS4 versions of the game and will retail for MYR1,099.
A few months ago, Lisa Su took the stage to introduce a few new things for AMD. They launched their new line-up of GPUs, the Radeon RX GPUs that is set to rival the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series cards. In that announcement, they have also introduced a new standard for gaming laptops. Where Intel has their Intel EVO platform for their thin-and-light notebooks, AMD has the AMD Advantage.
If you have not known what AMD Advantage is just yet, let us quickly get you acquainted with AMD’s ‘Gold Standard’ in gaming laptops. The AMD Advantage standard is simply AMD’s own standards in gaming laptops. It simply means that the gaming laptop you are going to buy is powered by AMD’s latest Ryzen 5000 series CPU that is also paired with an AMD Radeon RX series GPUs.
‘AMD Advantage’ does have a nice ring to it. There is a problem however, not every manufacturer was ready to jump on board. Plenty of them have stuck to the model of a high-performing AMD processor that is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series GPU. Until now that is with MSI.
MSI has just launched their new Delta 15, Alpha 15, and Bravo 15 line-up of gaming laptops. You might have guessed it; these are AMD Advantage certified gaming laptops. Yes, they are all AMD.
MSI Delta 15
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
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Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
The Delta 15 is the newest addition to MSI’s family of high-performance gaming laptops. It will also be MSI’s highest end AMD Advantage gaming laptops available at this point. You can spec it with up to an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU. Graphics is handled by AMD’s own Radeon RX 6700M, as promised by the AMD Advantage moniker. The 15-inch display pushes Full HD resolution to your eyes at 240Hz refresh rate. This also means that the AMD powered Delta 15 will be the most powerful AMD Advantage 15-inch gaming laptop there is currently.
MSI Alpha 15
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Below the high-end Delta series comes the Alpha 15. Instead of AMD’s all-powerful Ryzen 9 or 7 series CPUs though, the Alpha 15 comes with a humble and powerful AMD Ryzen 5 5600H CPU. While it may not sound like much, the AMD Ryzen 5 still packs a lot of punch. That is especially when it is paired to the AMD Radeon RX 6600M GPU handling graphics out of the 15.6-inch Full HD display that refreshes at 144Hz.
MSI Bravo 15
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
For the mode budget conscious, you can get your hands on the MSI Bravo 15 series. It is no slouch though. You still can get the power of AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800H CPU. You are not getting the Radeon RX 6000M series graphics prowess though. Instead, graphics is handled by a humble AMD Radeon 5500M GPU instead. You still get Full HD out of the 15.6-inch display as well.
Price and Availability
The new AMD Advantage gaming laptops are already available in Malaysia. You can get your hands on one from their website. The all-new MSI Delta 15 starts at MYR 7,899, the updated Alpha 15 starts at MYR 5,299, while the Bravo 15 starts at MYR 3,949.
The ASUS TUF line-up has its roots in 2010 as one of ASUS’ peripherals arms. Short for The Ultimate Force, they made peripherals for the gaming market. Unlike ROG though, the TUF line-up caters to the budget conscious gamers.
In that sense, some of the TUF are designed with durability and value in mind, and it shows. Beside the ROG name, the TUF branding is one of the most recognizable one in the gaming PC components industry.
The ASUS TUF gaming laptop line-up was made to be the entry-level category from 2016 onward. Of course, entry-level gaming laptops are full of compromises to make them as budget friendly as they can be. They were one of the first gaming laptops with MIL-STD 810 military standards certification, so they haven’t compromised on build quality. The performance was the one that took the hit though.
It is still a TUF gaming laptop, this TUF Dash F15, an entry-level product in other words. But it is not like any TUF gaming laptops that we know from before. It looks more sophisticated; more streamlined, and cleaner. It also packs a lot of power under its hood, or keyboard.
At MYR 5,799 though, it is not cheap. Should you consider an entry-level gaming laptop now if you are going into content creation and if you want to game without breaking the bank? Should you get this laptop for that matter?
Design
The ASUS TUF Dash F15 is not just an ASUS TUF gaming laptop. It is also their thinnest offering to date. While the other 15-incher from ASUS’ TUF line-up offers you about 2.5cm in thickness, the TUF Dash 15 is just below 2cm. The diet also takes off about 300g off the weight, at 2.0kg.
While remaining thinner and lighter than most 15-inch gaming laptops, the TUF Dash F15 still features three full-sized USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a full-sized HDMI 2.0 port, and an RJ45 port to the sides of the notebook. Of course, with any modern laptop, you can expect to see one USB Type-C port alongside a 3.5mm audio jack.
Our test unit comes with the Eclipse Gray matte finish, and we are fans of its looks. The redesigned TUF emblem is a lot flatter than before, elegant almost. Just in case you forgot, there are letterings spelling out TUF on its cover boldly reminding you that it is a TUF device.
The ASUS TUF Dash F15’s more compact body also means limitations in terms of cooling vents. The solution is moving the cooling vents elsewhere which also moves the ports toward users. Because the chassis is smaller too, the keyboard is now a ten-keyless with two very unsightly unused space sandwiching the keyboard. While they have disguised the unused space with some textured designs, we still think that ASUS could have made better use of the wasted spaces.
Most of the TUF Dash F15 is made of plastics. Despite being mostly plastic, the TUF Dash F15 does not feel cheap. The plastic parts, which mostly cover the bottom and the display bezel of the laptop, feels durable, just as an ASUS should.
Other than the subtle branding exercise, there are no creases or bulges that indicates a gaming laptop. The only indicator that this is a gaming laptop is the cut out at the bottom of the display paying homage to ASUS ROG’s original idea. The cover is a flat aluminium slate that hides its power.
Hardware
Underneath the MIL-STD 810 build of the ASUS TUF Dash F15 is a powerhouse of a processor combined with a powerful enough GPU that you can appreciate.
Specifications
TUF Gaming Dash F15 (2021)
As Tested
Processor (clock)
Intel Core i7-11370H (Quad-Core@3.1~4.4GHz)
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
Display(s)
15.6-inch IPS (1920 x 1080 FHD) 144Hz Anti-glare Narrow Bezel
Memory
512GB NVMe PCIe Gen 3 SSD 16GB DDR4 RAM (8GB x 2)
Networking and Connections (I/O)
1 x USB 3.1 Type-C (Thunderbolt 4) 3 x USB 3.2 Type-A 1 x 3.5mm AUX 1 x HDMI 2.0 1 x RJ45 Ethernet Port WiFi 6 (802.11ax) Bluetooth 5.01
Operating System
Windows 10 Home (64-bit)
Miscellaneous
2.00kg DTS audio All-metal body
Features
The ASUS TUF Gaming is not just an entry-level value offering though. It is a thin-and-light gaming laptop. You still want everything that makes the gaming laptop a proper working PC when you need it to be.
Full Ports
There is little sacrifice in terms of I/O ports. You still get three USB Type-A 3.2 ports on both sides. There is a full HDMI 2.0 port, and one thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C port on the left side of the device too for multi-display compatibility. You get a 3.5mm AUX jack too, which is a nice welcome since the ASUS ZenBook devices started omitting AUX ports. As mentioned, you also get a full RJ45 port.
We still feel that some of the ports like the HDMI, the charging, and even one of the USB Type-A ports could be shifted to the back for better ergonomics and cable management. It might sacrifice some needed space for the cooling vents though.
You will not find an SD card reader, which is a bummer for content creators. While card readers are not that expensive these days, it is also always nice to have one already built-in.
Armory Crate
The ASUS TUF Dash F15’s Armoury Crate allows you to choose your power profile. You can tell the device to push maximum power with performance mode. While the power profile is set to ‘balanced’ by default, launching Armory Crate is just a matter of a click of a button and changing profiles is also just a matter of clicking the ROG logo button that sits separately above the keyboard. The Armory Crate button is also grouped with the volume up, down, and mute buttons.
Sadly, the Armory Crate does not allow you to change the back lighting of the keyboard. That is also because the keyboard on the ASUS TUF Dash F15 does not feature RGB. You can customize how your keyboard is being lit though. If you have an ASUS Aura Sync compatible device, you can connect it to the TUF Dash F15 and customize the lighting scheme from Armory Crate.
Sorry, I Don’t Have a Webcam
There is one glaring issue with the ASUS TUF Dash F15. It is one you cannot find. There is no webcam on the TUF Dash F15.
A lot of the included webcam on your laptops are not great though. You get subpar quality cameras that shoots at only 720p for video calls. Most of the time, your smartphone can do a much better camera capturing videos at 720p.
Webcams are easily accessible anyway. That also means that you might be better off with them anyway. You can even turn your smartphones into webcams these days.
Performance
This is a gaming laptop built with performance in mind. It is also made with budget in mind. The terms ‘budget-friendly’ and ‘high-performance’ does not always come together very often. In the case of the ASUS TUF Dash F15 though, you can put the terms together.
Multitasking & Poductivity
You get 16GB RAM out of the box (as tested). That means you have ample of RAM to work with in normal use cases. 16GB is more than enough even for creative suites like Adobe’s Premiere Pro or even Photoshop. You might want to be a little patient with After Effects though.
Still, even if you are on Google Chrome, you can manage up to 20 tabs with no issues. Of course, a clever RAM management plugin should do wonders for Chrome. Ample RAM also means that documents processing and even PowerPoint is a breeze.
On the end of content creation, the ASUS TUF Dash F15 also comes into its own. We relied on Adobe’s suite for most of our audio-visual work. For videos, we work with Adobe’s Premiere Pro. We tasked the laptop to render an H.264 Full HD video from H.265 HEVC 4K sources. It took the ASUS TUF Dash F15 about 5 minutes and 19 seconds to render the video. At H.265 format, the ASUS TUF Dash F15 renders the video at just about half the time. Oddly, the laptop refuses to render 4K videos at both H.264 and H.265 formats.
Silently Working
Keyboards on ASUS’ gaming laptops have come a long way though. In case you forgot that the ASUS TUF Dash F15 is a gaming laptop, the light blue backlighting shows through on the transparent keycaps for the WASD buttons.
It is still a laptop though, so you cannot expect an experience that compares to mechanical keyboards. The key travel is limited, and tactility is not the best. While it does not feel like you are hitting your fingers on a wooden board, the keyboard does not give you the best feedback. It might not feel the best and your typing accuracy might suffer a little bit, but at least you will not be too fatigued when you type out long essays.
Gaming
On the ASUS TUF Dash F15, we tested games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, and even Grand Theft Auto V. Horizon Zero Dawn is also made to be optimized for the Sony PlayStation 4 platform first, which would also mean that Horizon Zero Dawn should have no trouble running at higher settings.
We cranked the graphics settings on the eight-year-old Grand Theft Auto to its highest. The game clocked at a maximum of 120fps on Grand Theft Auto V. On average, the fps count hovers around the 100fps mark and above.
While Horizon Zero Dawn is made for the PS4 platform, it is still a graphics heavy game. That also means that it clocks only at about 90fps on average with its graphics settings turned all the way up. Shadow of the Tomb Raider did push the hardware on the TUF Dash F15 a little bit. At some points the game only clocked 28fps. There were some noticeable lags far and few. Still, at default settings (medium-high), the game could run at 40-50fps on average.
While you may not be able to enjoy all the current AAA titles at ultra-quality, they will be easily playable and therefore enjoyed on the ASUS TUF Dash F15. If you wish to, you can even plug it into a monitor or TV to enjoy your games via the HDMI port or even the USB Type-C thunderbolt 4 port.
Throttle, Throttle, Throttle
In our test of the ASUS TUF Dash F15, we did encounter a few odd issues with its fan. The fans on the ASUS TUF Dash F15 throttles as temperature goes up. There is a way to turn the fans all the way up in the BIOS settings if you really want, but by default, the fan responds to temperature.
Temperatures on the rig can get quite high. When you are playing games, you tend to see your CPU hitting its limit at about 99oC to 100oC. The fan ramps up in an attempt to cool the PC in games. In games as well, the fan speed is sustained to keep temperatures manageable. The same cannot be said when you edit videos though.
In our test of the ASUS TUF Dash F15, working with Adobe Premiere Pro was mostly a pleasure with the PC being quiet most of the time while scrubbing through footages. Even at “performance” settings, the device remains relatively quiet. Once you start rendering the video though, fans start to ramp up to their maximum but not at a sustained rate, oddly enough.
Display & Audio
You get a nice 15.6-inch IPS panel for a display. Because there is no webcam to speak of, the bezels are super thin on the top and sides. It is also a Full HD display that refreshes at 144Hz, important when it comes to competitive titles.
Of course, if you are playing titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, or even Horizon Zero Dawn, you might not be taking advantage of the 144Hz refresh rate. The speed of the display can be appreciated by competitive titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive though. At the same you can still enjoy a goods game of GTA Online with your friends.
On the end of content creation though, you might want to consider a secondary monitor. While the display looks good with highly saturated colours, it is not the most accurate display you might find in the market. It is good enough though if you are not using the ASUS TUF Dash F15 for colour grading work.
Where the display shines beyond games is movies and consuming other medias. Videos look crisp and nice on the display, and you can easily enjoy Netflix and Amazon Prime on the platform. While the colour contrast is not the best, it is still great enough to casually enjoy a good movie with.
On the end of Audio, you get DTS Audio speakers. There are only two speakers that are firing downward and out. The speakers are decent in the mid-range and high-end frequencies with more emphasis on the mid-range. Low-end is a little thin because there is no sub-woofer on the laptop. At least the speakers can be louder than the fan when you game. That also means you might not need your headphones or earphones when you game with the ASUS TUF Dash F15.
The ASUS TUF Dash F15 – A Reasonable Performer
The ASUS TUF Dash F15 is a new sort of notebook in ASUS’ entry-level gaming line-up. It does not feel like they are new to the segment though. The TUF Dash F15 feels like a properly mature attempt at the thin-and-light gaming segment.
The ASUS TUF thin-and-light is brilliant for users who are looking for the form factor but do not want to spend insane amounts of money for it. It is also packed with all the right I/O ports, except for an SD card reader.
It is not the most powerful gaming rig you can find in the market. At MYR 5,799, it is also not the cheapest of its kind out there. For that kind of money, you can get another gaming laptop that features an RGB keyboard instead of a regular backlit one on the TUF Dash F15. The fan profile is a little odd when you start working with it in terms of content creation, which also means you will see some thermal throttling when you start rendering your videos.
If you are in it for the latest games, the ASUS TUF Dash F15 can easily keep up with any title you can throw at it in 2021. Of course, you have to adjust your expectations a little bit in terms of graphics performance. If you are talking about competitive e-sports titles, you are going to be more than happy with it.
Is it worth the MYR 5,799 price tag then? We would say it is. The aluminium finishing on the laptop makes it feel more premium than it is. The laptop is designed tastefully, and the new logo just looks modern and subtle, something we appreciate. In today’s money though, you are getting quite a lot of power. In gaming situations, you are not going to ever feel like you are lacking. In content creation, there are some give and take here, but it works well enough. It is all you could want in a thin and light gaming laptop, just about.
The PlayStation 5 was launched last year. Nearly a year on and we still have not gotten our hands on one yet. Stock shortages for the PlayStation 5 is also still an issue at this time. That has not stopped the gaming industry one bit though. Peripherals for the platform has grown stronger than ever.
About a month ago, Razer introduced new headphones that are made for the Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox platform. The PlayStation 5 is special though. There has not been a proper headphone that would take full advantage of Sony’s amazing audio technology for the PlayStation 5. Until now that is.
Razer Kaira Pro & Kaira Headset
The Razer Kaira Pro, according to Razer, is the first Dual Wireless Headset made for the Sony PlayStation with Haptics. To be fair, it is the first headphone of its kind.
Instead of adding immersion with the usual virtual surround sound, the Razer Kaira Pro features Haptics. Yes, Haptics as in vibration-based feedback. They call it the Razer HyperSense and they claim that it is a game-changer in console immersion. It vibrates along with your Dualsense controller for that extra immersion.
Of course, it is still a powerful gaming headphone. It packs Razer’s TriForce Titanium 50mm driver for that extra bass punch. The TriForce Titanium drivers also delivers excellent high and mid frequencies.
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
It is a gaming headphone after all, so you would need a good mic to be able to get your team to line-up with you. The Razer Kaira Pro also comes with Razer’s proven HyperClear Supercardioid Mic. Working with the mic is Razer’s clever vocal recognition algorithm that cancels out background noise to ensure that you get uninterrupted team chats.
Of course, while it is a PlayStation 5 focused peripheral, it does not discriminate. It still works with the PlayStation 4 platforms, PC, and even your smartphone with either Bluetooth or 2.4GHz receiver you can plug into the USB Type-C or Type-A ports. You want to use the provided HyperSpeed Dongle.
Price and Availability
The Razer Kaira will be available from Razer’s authorised retailers and Razer’s own online store from 16th of November 2021 onward. The Kaira Pro will be available officially in December 2021 onward. The headphones will set you back MYR 489 and MYR 979 respectively. You can find more information on the Razer Kaira and Kaira Pro on Razer’s website.
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.
ASUS’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) announced a partnership with IKEA to bring more gamer-centric furniture to complete your setup not too long ago. However, the partnership was exclusive to Taiwan and China until today. The ROG x IKEA gaming furniture is now available at IKEA outlets across Malaysia.
The collaboration comes in five new product ranges which IKEA dubs its gaming range: the UPPSPEL, LÅNESPELARE, MATCHSPEL, UTESPELARE and HUVUDSPELARE. The new product families have IKEA’s unique, minimalist approach with insights from ROG’s long relationship with gamers. The UPPSPEL, however, is a true co-developed product with ROG engineers working closely with IKEA product designers.
The new gaming range focuses on bringing ergonomic comfort to gamers while they work to take out their challengers and best their opponents. Gamers can choose from a wide range of furniture which covers a wide range of price ranges. IKEA is offering a choice of three gaming chairs which range from MYR299 to MYR699. While the ROGxIKEA gaming desk, UPPSPEL, will set you back MYR2,499. Each piece of furniture is designed while taking into consideration the unique needs of a gamer. IKEA and ROG have put thought into everything from ergonomics to ventilation for your gaming setup.
The partnership doesn’t simply cover gaming furniture. You’ll also be able to get accessories such as a mouse bungee, headset stand and mug to complete your epic setup. The best part is these items are all priced below MYR80. If you’re not looking to get a completely new set-up, these additions should be more than welcome.
As part of their launch, ROG and IKEA have set up vignettes and showrooms with ROG gaming PCs in IKEA outlets across Malaysia. The gaming rigs in the stores feature some of the best components from ROG paired with Kingston’s performance RAM and storage. The rigs are available for you to experience at IKEA Damansara, Cheras, Terbrau and Batu Kawan.
