When the current generation of Xbox Series X was leaked in the press years ago, there was a lot of comments on how the boxy design looks. That is naturally always the case with any design renders that comes out of any manufacturers and companies though. Before a product is out in the market or announced, a render leak of what the product would most likely look like might be ‘leaked’ to the press or the public to sometimes create a public hype. It could almost be like a litmus test of whether or not there is genuine interest in the product.
Sometimes it backfires though, and design renders get ridiculed or gets turned into a meme. In the case of the Xbox Series X, the public quickly points out that it looks like a refrigerator of some kind and that quickly turned into a meme. No doubt, there was a lot of excitement about this product coming out of Microsoft. Thanks to the public reaction at the time, it could give the designers of this gaming console a few things to think about.
Welcome to E3 2021 though, where new games get teased and launched. It is also the place where the unexpected can be expected to happen. This year, the unexpected happened on Microsoft’s stage in their ‘one more thing’ segment at the end of their show. They made it.
Microsoft introduced the world to the “world’s most powerful mini fridge” set to hit the stores in the coming months. They call it the Xbox Mini Fridge, which is thoroughly fitting of a name for this little box that holds canned drinks or other things you put in a mini fridge. They also say that it uses Xbox’s clever velocity cooling architecture to keep your drinks cool in the fridge, hence “world’s most powerful mini fridge”. How did this mini fridge meme become a reality though?
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Twitter Marketing ran a #BestOfTweets championship in April for users to vote on which brands ran the best twitter account. It came down to Skittles and Xbox. Xbox was trailing behind when they announced in their twitter account that they would make the Xbox Mini Fridge a reality if they won the campaign. They did, by 1 percent of votes.
Xbox fulfilled that promise in E3 2021 and the product is actually something that you can purchase later in the year, not just a concept. Except, Microsoft did not say that it will be for sale. They pointed out that it will be available in the holiday season (presumably in the United States), but not its price or where it is going to be available. It could be a free gift if you already own an Xbox, or a bundle if you buy the new Xbox in that season.
Whatever it is, it shows that tech giants like Microsoft are listening to the public and are moving with the public. While it is a little bit more marketing gimmick and move, it also shows that Microsoft has some sense of humour after all. You should be reminded also that Microsoft made a fully sized refrigerator in the shape of the Xbox Series X just for Snoop Dogg last year just because they can.
AMD announced a slew of items at their COMPUTEX 2021 keynote. One of the many things that they announced was the AMD Advantage Design framework. In this framework, AMD has outlined certain criteria which they believe will provide gamers with the best experience. One of the hallmark criteria is the utilisation of AMD’s Ryzen Mobile processors together with their newly announced Radeon RX6000M graphics processors. The new combination allows the new laptops to take advantage of smart access memory and smart shift among other optimisations that come with using a complete AMD setup.
ASUS is one of the first partners that are jumping on the AMD Advantage bandwagon with two new editions of its popular ROG Strix G line up. The new ROG Strix G15 and G17 come with AMD’s most powerful Ryzen 9 5900HX processor paired with the newly announced Radeon RX 6800M. The new GPU brings along with it AMD’s new RDNA 2 architecture which has been packing performance. It also brings AMD’s newly announced FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) which allows light to be simulated more realistically allowing for more immersive gaming.
The laptops come with up to 32GB of high performance DDR4-3200 RAM and up to 1TB NVMe SSD memory. The Strix G Advantage edition also comes with an additional M.2 slot that allows users to add more memory should the need arise. Their performance is matched with ASUS’s implementation of Liquid Metal thermal compound and the new Intelligent Cooling. The cooling system allows for better airflow without the increased noise.
Like other Strix G laptops, the ROG Strix G Advantage Edition laptops come display options for any gamer. Users can choose from options with 300Hz refresh rate, WQHD resolution with high colour accuracy. To complete the package, it comes with twin Smart Amp speakers that fire sound directly from behind the keyboard. These speakers are Dolby Atmos certified and can produce 5.1.2 channel surround sound.
Pricing & Availability
The ASUS ROG Strix G Advantage edition will be making its way to the market in the third quarter of 2021. No pricing has been announced just yet.
ASUS has no plans at this time to bring the ROG Strix G Advantage edition to Malaysia.
Alienware’s lineup of laptops has always been streamlined. When it comes to their offerings, it’s always been the Alienware M series or the Area 51m for desktop replacements. That’s changing with the introduction of a new generation of flagship laptops – the Alienware X series. Alienware is upping the ante and infusing its new lineup of laptops with that je ne sais quoi or X factor of being both powerful and portable.
The new Alienware x17 and x15 are the thinnest laptops to come from Alienware ever coming in at just 20.9 mm and 15.9. They bring the performance and optimisations that Alienware is known for in a sleek, new silhouette. The X series houses some of Alienware’s biggest engineering achievements to date with the new laptop series housing a series of innovations including five of which are patent pending.
Cutting Edge Technology Built for Gamers
Naturally, many of these innovations focus on cooling and thermals. One of them is a new thermal interface material called Element 31 which is touted to have a 25% improvement in thermal resistance. The Alienware X series also brings better heat dissipation with Alienware’s Quad fan design which maximises airflow. It also employs a new Smart Fan control technology which regulates each fan independently according to temperatures detected by the AI-enabled sensors.
Aside from that the Alienware x17 and x15 are customisable with options for the latest, cutting edge specifications that all gamers crave. They are equipped with the latest Intel Core H series mobile processors and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series laptop GPUs. The laptops support up to 110W and 165W graphics power on the Alienware x15 and Alienware x17 respectively. Paired with the specifications are screen options supporting up to a 4K UHD HDR400 display with ComfortView Plus and low blue light technology. They also have options for up to 360Hz refresh rate.
Of course, it’s only natural that the new gaming laptops come with support for the latest Killer WiFi technology for wireless, on-the-go gaming. The X series also has Thermal Control Circuit offset (TCC offset) technology which allows the laptop to maintain a constant CPU temperature range for both work and play. This is complemented by the controls in Alienware’s Command Center application where you can define your own settings and even overclock. They also come with the recently announced CHERRY MX keyboard.
Pricing & Availability
The Alienware X series goes on sale starting June 1, 2021, in limited configurations with full configurations making their debut on June 15, 2021, in the U.S. The Alienware x15 will be priced starting at USD$1,999.99 (MYR8,256.86) while the x17 starts at USD$2,099.99 (MYR8,699.70).
In Malaysia, the laptops will be available sometime in June 2021. No official pricing has been announced just yet.
Together with the Alienware X series, Alienware also announced the new Dell G15 (TGL) which comes with updated specifications with prices starting at USD$949.99 (MYR3,921.85) and the updated Alienware m15 R6 which starts at USD$1299.99 (MYR5,367.02). These laptops will retail in Malaysia with prices starting at MYR4,199 and MYR8,199 respectively.
Razer launched their own version of what an ultimate gaming chair would look like last year. They launched the Razer Iskur last year for all the hardcore gamers in the world with a very clever lumbar support mechanism. It also received high praises for being one of the most comfortable gaming thrones you can find in the market.
The only issue was its price at US$ 749. In Today’s Malaysia money, the Razer Iskur will set you back about just a little over MYR 3,000, which is a lot of money even for a gaming chair. For comparison’s sake, the Secret Lab Titan, Secret Lab’s biggest and most expensive gaming seat starts at an equivalent of roughly MYR 2,200 (SG$ 700 retail) or so. These are rough conversion figures though.
While you are paying a little bit of a premium for the Iskur’s innovative lumbar support, it is not something you would call ‘affordable’. In that sense, what do you do when you still want a Razer seat in your house, but for not as much money? Razer has an answer for you in their latest Razer Iskur X.
Before you jump into the conclusion that Razer’s Iskur X is a baby Iskur, it is nothing like the more premium Iskur. They share the same diamond quilt design on the backrest, the same colour and leather finishing, and somewhat the same designs and stitching, but that is about it. These are technically two completely different thrones.
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
The Iskur X do not have the same lumbar support mechanism or cushion as the Iskur for example. Instead, you have the option to get a separate lumbar cushion you can put on the chair. Like the Iskur also, the Iskur X does not come with a head pillow or cushion though. Again, the head cushion is a separate purchase.
Still, the Iskur X gaming chair features steel-reinforced body to handle a lot of weight. It supports up to 136kg. That does mean that the Razer Iskur X might dwarf smaller body frames though. It also features the same 2D armrests as the Iskur, which is a good thing considering the Iskur was highly acclaimed.
The Razer Iskur is now available for purchase from selected retailers and from Razer.com online store. The Razer Iskur X will set you back US$ 399 (MYR 1,499*) and only comes in Black and Green colour scheme. For more comfort, you can add a Razer Lumbar Cushion and Razer Head Cushion for US$ 49.99 (MYR 259*) and US$ 39.99 (MYR 199*) respectively. More information can be found on Razer’s website.
Taiwan’s biggest tech exhibition is back for 2021 season, and it is a unique one. Last year COMPUTEX 2020 had to be cancelled because, if you remember correctly, the pandemic situation that is COVID-19 broke out earlier in 2020 and disrupted the entire world. This year, COMPUTEX 2021 is back but without physical presence. It is now fully online.
AMD has been a keen participant of COMPUTEX and they are not going to miss the 2021 season of COMPUTEX. They took the center stage of COMPUTEX this morning, well via YouTube, to launch their latest APUs and Mobile GPUs. They introduced the AMD Ryzen 5600G and AMD Ryzen 5700G APUs and AMD Radeon RX 6600M, AMD Radeon RX 6700M, and AMD Radeon RX 6800M mobile GPUs.
AMD Ryzen 5000G Series
Since the Zen 3 architecture with the AMD Ryzen 5000 series was introduced last year, one of the biggest requests from gamers and enthusiasts was a Zen 3 architecture APU (Accelerated Processing Unit). AMD has answered with the AMD Ryzen 5600G and AMD Ryzen 5700G. Now, you have a choice of building a modern system without a dedicated GPU.
First, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G. The 5600G is sort of the budget option for builders and gamers. It still features 6 CPU cores like the regular 5600X. Additionally the 5600G packs 7 Radeon VEGA GPU cores within the same die.
Of course, there are some trade-offs to be made with the integrated GPU cores. Boost clock goes up to 4.4 GHz only rather than 4.6GHz. The APU also only has 16MB in L3 cache compared to 32MB.
If you need a little bit more power for the long run, you want the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G. It is sort of comparable to the other Ryzen 7 that is built for desktops, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X. Both has 8 Zen 3 architecture cores to boot. The 5700G though has 8 more cores than the 5800X in the form of Radeon VEGA graphics cores.
Again, with graphics cores integrated onto the processing die, there are some trade-offs to be made. The maximum boost clock on the 5700G is down to 4.6GHz, from 4.6GHz. The L3 cache is also halved at 16MB compared to 32MB. The benefit of having integrated GPU though would be a blessing to budget constrained builders.
AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series
At COMPUTEX 2021, AMD also introduces their new mobile based GPUs as well – the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, AMD Radeon RX 6700M, and AMD Radeon RX 6800M. If you are wondering what the equivalent competitor’s mobile GPUs are, those would be the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, GeForce RTX 3070, and GeForce RTX 3080. Alongside the AMD Radeon RX 6000M series too, they introduced a sort of guideline of AMD’s version of the ultimate gaming laptop they call the “AMD Advantage”.
The AMD Radeon RX 6600M is the entry-level choice from the AMD Radeon for mobile GPU line-up. You get 28 compute units and 8GB of GDDR6 RAM with clock speeds at 2.1GHz. Going up from there is the Radeon RX 6700M with 36 compute units clocked at 2.3GHz and 10GB of GDDDR6 RAM. The top-of the line Radeon RX 6800M packs 40 compute units clocked at 2.3GHz with 12GB of RAM.
All of the Radeon RX 6000M mobile GPUs comes with RDNA 2 technology, of course. They also brought AMD’s Smart Access Memory, or resizable bar in more common terms to the mobile computing market with the introduction of the Radeon RX 6000M series. They also introduced the AMD Radeon Chill technology with the mobile GPUs alongside AMD FidelityFX for all AMD based system, even if they are running a non-AMD GPU platform.
AMD Radeon Chill
AMD Radeon Chill is a clever technology that is supposed to minimise a problem that has been plaguing gaming laptops forever. AMD says that it is a power-regulation technology that is supposed to extend the battery life of a gaming laptop without sacrificing too much performance. At the same time AMD’s SmartShift technology also regulates power power consumption and processing power between the CPU and GPU to always optimise gaming and productivity performance.
AMD FidelityFX
At the same time, there is AMD FidelityFX technology that upscales your games from a lower resolution to a higher one. If it sounds familiar to another competitor technology, it is because they are basically the same things. But there is some good in upscaling contents, despite not getting all the high-definition detail. You get more performance out of your system at least. The best news is that it is coming to all AMD based systems. It even works on older non-AMD GPUs if you want it to.
AMD Advantage Design
AMD also introduced the AMD Advantage framework for gaming laptops fully based on the AMD processors. They introduced ASUS’ ROG Strix G15/G17 and HP Omen 15 alongside the announcement too.
AMD Advantage outlines the guidelines of what an AMD gaming laptop should work like. For example, the minimum requirement for an AMD Advantage certified laptop is featuring a display with at least 144Hz in refresh rate. Display has to be either an IPS or OLED display that can push above 300nits in brightness. They also are required to last more than 10 hours when you watch movies as well. To ensure smooth and fast operation, and AMD Advantage laptop has to have at least one NVMe PCIe Gen3 M.2 SSD. Of course, they have to pack an AMD Ryzen processor with an AMD Radeon RX GPU.
The first AMD Advantage Gaming laptops are expected to come as early as June 2021. For more information on AMD’s new APUs and mobile GPUs, you can head over to AMD’s website.
Acer’s Predator Triton 500 received a lot of praises and accolades in its 2019 and 2020 reign. It was regarded as one of the best thin and light gaming PCs you can buy with money at the time. It is not hard to understand why it was the device of choice for plenty of gamers and content creators that are looking for an ultra-portable powerhouse.
The Helios 500 too, was regarded as one very capable high-end gaming notebooks with no compromises. It was the very definition of a fuss-free portable gaming experience for Predator. That also was about two years ago though.
That was 2019 and 2020 though. Since then, the world has moved on to a new platform. The world saw the launch of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series late in 2020 and Intel’s brand new 11th Generation Core platform earlier in 2021. The Predators need an upgrade.
Predator Triton 500 SE
Acer’s Predator launched the Triton 300 SE last year. It was, in our humble opinions, a simple design study. The Triton 300 SE took up the idea of designing a gaming PC class with a timeless classic look. A simplistic design that is more futuristic than intimidating. At the same time, the sleek body has to contain a large power pool within.
The Acer Predator Triton 500 SE sits above the Acer Triton 300 SE, technically. If you put both devices together, you would struggle to find a difference too, at least visually, with good reason. Both feature the same shiny all-metal outer shell design. Rather than the usual matte black body that we are used to with gaming notebooks, the Triton 500 SE’s body is shiny and brilliant in sterling silver.
The Triton 500 SE is unique in more ways that one though. The odd shaped body houses an expansive 16-inch display with 16:10 display ratio. With up to 240Hz of refresh rate on tap from the WXGA resolution display, the Triton 500 SE give you a new perspective in gaming, obviously for the better. With 100% DCI-P3 colour coverage, the Predator Triton 500 is not only colour accurate for content creators, but also immersive for other forms of entertainment as well. With DTS:X audio, you can truly immerse yourself in Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and the upcoming Disney+ (for Malaysia).
To sustain 240Hz at high-resolution though, you need a lot of processing power. That processing power comes from an 11th Generation Intel Core i9 (up to) paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 mobile GPU (up to). You get to spec the Triton with up to 64GB (32GB DDR4 x 2) RAM to make quick work of Adobe apps. You even get to fit the Predator Triton 500 SE with up to two SSDs to ensure you always have extra space for your projects and games.
All of these are packed in a 19.9mm think all-metal body. Within the shell are three powerful 5th generation Aeroblade fans with Vortex Flow technology to keep the PC running cool and optimally at all times. The all-metal body also houses a large battery that could keep you running without plugging yourself to a wall socket for up to 12 hours. Of course, that is only possible with the help of NVIDIA Advanced Optimus technology.
Predator Helios 500
If light and portable is not what you are looking for, then raw power is what you want. You want the ultimate gaming laptop. You want the new Predator Helios 500.
The Predator Helios 500 that features a 17.3-inch display is more of a desktop replacement than a portable PC in its dress. In terms of design though, not much has changed from the older Helios 500 save for the arches on the back exhaust port. Keen eyed readers will also sport two power inlets.
That is because the Predator Helios 500 features an overclockable 11th Generation Intel Core i9 (up to) processor. Alongside the powerful processor is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU (up to) and up to 64GB of DDR4 (32GB x 2) RAM for good measure. The need for speed does not end there though. You get to slot in a pair (2) of NVMe PCIe SSDs in RAID 0 for the fastest experience. If you really need more space, there is space for a SATA drive.
The powerful internals give life to the 17.3-inch display. That large display pushes 4K UHD 2160p worth of pixels to you. The Mini LED panel also pushes 120Hz for the smoothest high-resolution experience you can get in a gaming notebook. With VESA Display HDR 1000 certification and AUO AmLED’s full-array local dimming technology, the Predator Helios 500’s display is a class above its competitors.
You need a lot to cool this powerhouse of a notebook too. You need two large 5th Generation Aeroblade fans with Vortex Flow technology to keep air rushing through the entire system. Thankfully also there is Acer’s PowerGem technology to help keep things manageable. On top of the fans is a full RGB keyboard with individual backlight control via PredatorSense. The WSAD keys can also be replaced with MagForce keys for more precise controls.
Alongside the Acer Predator Helios 500 and Predator Triton 500 SE, Acer also launched two Predator networking tools. With modern games needing constant internet connectivity, it does kind of make sense for Acer to launch new networking solutions for gamers. Of course, they released one product for home, and one product for life on-the-go.
Source: Acer
The Predator Connect X5 5G router is the first Intel Killer-compatible 5G CPE in the world. With 5G, you get up to 4.7 Gbps internet speeds. This one router can also work with up to 256 devices, in case you want to host a LAN party with as many devices around. With Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, all 256 devices are going to have an uninterrupted access to the internet and network.
Source: Acer
The Predator Connect D5 5G Dongle is exactly what it sounds like. It is a gaming focused 5G enabled dongle with Intel’s Killer Network solution. Plug the dongle into any USB 3.1 ports and you unleash the power of 5G on your Predator laptop. That also means you are going to be able to work on DOTA 2 with your squad even if you are constantly on the road.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Predator Triton 500 SE will be available in the North American region and China in June 2021 onward at US$ 1,749.99 (MYR 7,241*) and CN¥ 14,999 (MYR 9,728***) onward, respectively. It will be available in the EMEA region in July onward for EU€ 1,999 (MYR 10,098**) onward. There are no mentions of its availability in the local regions just yet.
The Acer Predator Helios 500 will be available in the North American region and China in August 2021 onward at US$ 2,499.99 (MYR 10,346*) and CN¥ 39,999 (MYR 25,943***) onward. EMEA gets it earlier in June 2021 onward though with prices starting from EU€ 2,499 (MYR 12,624**). Again, there are no mentions on its availability in the local regions just yet.
There are also no mentions on the availability and final pricing of the announced network products currently. We are keeping our ears close to the ground though. That said, watch this space. For more information on Acer’s latest products, do visit their website.
* Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.14 as per 27/05/2021 on xe.com
** Approximately based on exchange rate of EU€ 1 = MYR 5.05 as per 27/05/2021 on xe.com
*** Approximately based on exchange rate of CN¥ 10 = MYR 6.49 as per 27/05/2021 on xe.com
Nintendo has been really busy behind the scenes. The company has been in the news with rumours of a more powerful, OLED equipped Nintendo Switch. However, the company’s biggest news came earlier in the year with the announcement of new entries into the current generation of Pokémon games.
Fans of the series have been anticipating remakes of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for while now given the company’s previous release trends. The Pokémon Company and Game Freak have been releasing remakes of their original games since the third generation of games with Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen in 2004. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl feature updated graphics but continue to carry the charm of the original entries. Players are able to rediscover the Sinnoh region with details they’ve never seen before. The remake will be making its way to stores later this year on November 19, 2021.
The biggest announcement for the series since Pokémon Sword and Shield is the announcement of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The game looks to be the series first foray into the open-world RPG arena. Players are taken back before the events of Diamond and Pearl to discover the Sinnoh region in a different time. The game throws players into the past before technology and all the wonders of the modern Pokémon world. Players will be exploring the region with three very different starters: Cyndaquill, Oshawott and Rowlet. If you’ve played or followed the series, you’ll realise that none of these starters is native to the Sinnoh region – or are they?
Unlike the remakes, there has been very little information revealing the events that will transpire in Legends: Arceus. However, after a taste of an open-world game in Sword and Shield’s “Wild Areas”, there are high expectations for Legends. With a Zelda: Breathe of the Wild aesthetic, the game is also one of the most beautiful games in the series so far. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is hitting shelves on January 28, 2022.
Blizzard Entertainment’s BlizzCon is arguably one of the biggest gaming conventions held every year. However, last year, BlizzCon joined the plethora of conventions and trade shows that opted to not have their physical event. It looks like this year is the same.
The Executive Producer if BlizzCon, Saralyn Smith, made the announcement on a post on the official BlizzCon website. The main reason for the cancellation? The pandemic. Smith noted that the evolving regulations and situations surrounding the current pandemic have cause significant setbacks due to uncertainties. In the events industry, the uncertainties can be the largest pain to deal with.
“Building an in-person BlizzCon is an epic and complex affair that takes many months of preparation—not just for us, but also for the many talented production partners, esports pros, hosts, entertainers, artists, and other collaborators we team up with locally and globally to put all of the pieces together. The ongoing complexities and uncertainties of the pandemic have impacted our ability to properly move forward on many of these fronts, and ultimately we’re now past the point where we’d be able to develop the kind of event we’d want to create for you in November.“
Saralyn Smith, Executive Producer of BlizzCon
However, the cancellation of BlizzCon 2021 isn’t as sombre as it may seem. It looks like the conference will be taking a form similar to BlizzConline which took place earlier this year. Saralyn Smith notes that the team is already at work planning for the event to take place early next year. She also noted that the team is exploring having smaller, more contained in-person gatherings in addition to the online press conferences and sessions that BlizzConline had this year.
It looks like the community has to wait a little longer for news on Blizzard’s IPs which include Diablo, StarCraft, WarCraft and Overwatch. This year’s BlizzCon was anticipated to have updates for Diablo IV, Diablo Immortal, Overwatch 2 among others. While we have about another 10 months to wait for updates, Diablo fans have Diablo 2 Resurrected to look forward to this year.
When you think about getting yourselves a gaming rig, a few manufacturers will make your shortlist. One of those names is definitely MSI. MSI has been exclusively making gaming focused rigs since their inception, and they are rather good at it. They will not hold out as one of the top gaming brands in the world unless they are good at what they do.
Gaming PCs and laptops have evolved over the years though. Users want power from their rigs. They want even more portability and flexibility when it comes to their gaming laptops. They also want versatility, and an understated aesthetics that could fit even in a corporate meeting room. Out goes the over-the-top, sharp-edged design and in comes the sleek, understated, clean cut designs. That is 2021.
Of course, with 2021 things are also a little different. The old GPUs are outdated, the older CPU is also outdated. You need more power, you need Intel’s latest and greatest, you need NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series GPU.
MSI GE76 Raider & GE66 Raider
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
The GE76 (17.3-inch) Raider and GE66 (15.6-inch) Raider gaming notebooks are technically MSI’s ultimate gaming laptops to date. It packs Intel’s latest 11th Generation Core i9 for raw processing power. The Intel ultimate is also paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (up to) for unmatched gaming performance.
The GPUs power up to 4K (up to) in resolution on both rigs. Both displays images at 100% sRGB too for bright, saturated, and accurate colours in games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider. You feel like you are in the game itself. The CPU ensures that games are delivered to you at up to 360fps (360Hz) too (120Hz on GE76 UHD variant).
If you want, you can spec your Raider gaming laptop with up to 64GB of RAM and two NVMe M.w SSDs (1x PCIe Gen4, 1x PCIe Gen3) for up to 4TB of storage. On top of all the internals is a full RGD keyboard designed by SteelSeries, a world renown gaming peripherals manufacturer. While the GE76 weighs just under 3kg, the smaller GE66 Raider is only 2.38kg for a more agile gaming experience.
MSI GS76 Stealth & GS66 Stealth
In 2021, the name of the game is also stealth. For that, you need something ultra-thin, and ultra-light. That is the MSI GS76 Stealth and GS66 Stealth. It is everything the GE Raider series is, but in a tighter and smaller package.
In the slim body you still get the ultimate 11th Generation Intel Core i9 that is also paired with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3080 (up to). The GS76 Stealth’s 17.3-inch display can also be specced up to a 4k 120Hz panel just like the GE76 Raider. The 15.6-inch on the GS66 Stealth can also get a UHD 4K IPS display like the GE66 Raider.
Everything else under the SteelSeries RGB keyboard from its RAM slot layout and storage layout can be completely similar to the GE Raider series on the GS Stealth series. All except the speakers though. The GE76 Raider gets two woofers for an extra immersion while the GS76 Stealth only gets dual stereo speakers designed by Dynaudio. Understandably though, the thinner body of the GS76 Stealth will not accommodate chunky woofers.
True to its name, the MSI GS76 Stealth is only 20.25m thick and weighs just a little just under 2.5kg. The GS66 Stealth packs in tight as well at up to 19.8mm in thickness weighing just over 2kg.
MSI Pulse GL76 & Pulse GL66
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Further down the line you have the MSI Pulse GS/Crosshair series. As you can already tell in the naming scheme, there are 17.3-inch and 15.6-inch variants.
You do not get Intel’s ultimate gaming processor in the Core i9 with these ones. The 11th Generation Intel Core i7 should still prove to be a capable gaming processor though. Paired with an NVIDIA GeForce 3060 (up to), your games should still run nice and smooth at QHD resolution. You can opt to get your Pulse GL series with up to 64GB of RAM if you need to. With up to two NVMe PCIe Gen3 M.2 SSDs, you would not be wanting more in terms of storage space and speed.
The displays also refresh at 165Hz to give you a competitive edge in eSports titles. If you are using the notebook for work, you would be happy to know that both display sizes offer 100% of DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage so you know you are getting good colours from the notebook.
All of that, and its 3-cell battery are packed in underneath an RGB backlit gaming keyboard by MSI. The total package is kept under 25mm in thickness for extra portability. At 2.3kg (up to) as well, it is light enough for you to lug around to work with and to game with anywhere or at a LAN party if need be.
MSI Katana GF76/Sword 17 & Katana GF66/Sword 15
Source: MSI
You might think QHD is a little bit of an overkill on a gaming notebook, especially since 17.3-inch is too small for you to appreciate all those pixels. Full HD gaming is all you need, and 144Hz is good enough. There is the MSI Katana GF/Sword series. The naming scheme refers to the colour options you get with the MSI GF series gaming laptops.
You also still get the power of Intel’s 11th Generation Core i7 processor in the Katana/Sword series. You can pair that CPU to a budget friendly NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or a powerhouse of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. With two RAM slots, the MSI Katana/Sword series can pack up to 64GB in RAM. Although, to be reasonable, 16GB or up to 32GB is more than enough in this case. There are also two NVMe PCIe Gen3 M.2 SSD slots for you to spec up to 4TB of high-speed SSD space on the MSI GF series.
There are no fancy RGB here too, no fuss. The Katana variant gets red backlit keyboard while the sword gets a blue backlighting. Everything is packaged in a body about 25mm thick. Still, at 2.3kg for the 17-inch variant, the GF series notebooks are still portable enough for a good LAN party. Before that though, you are going to bring it into your boardroom.
The introduction of Intel’s new Tiger Lake 11th Generation Intel Core processor is actually more significant than you think. While the desktop variants may not have seen that much in terms of progress, the mobile variants have. The most powerful mobile processor Intel houses now is the Intel Core i9 instead of the good ol’ Intel Core i7.
In that case, if you want the ultimate gaming notebook, you might want to look for that golden number ‘9’ on your notebook. There is not that many manufacturers out there that would offer you that kind of power though, mostly because they cost so much. But ASUS, they are a little different, especially when it comes to their in-house skunk works gaming department that is the ROG.
While ROG already makes some compelling choices for gamers in the ASUS ROG STRIX series and ROG Zephyrus G series line-up, those are not really the ultimate tools for the modern gamer. Above the Zephyrus G line-up there are even thinner and even more powerful stuff. These are the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
At the higher end of the gaming spectrum is the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 gaming notebook. Like the previous high-end gaming notebook, there is liquid metal technology in this one too. While it doesn’t pack the innovative keyboard hinge that S17 has, this one is still a highly powerful machine that you can game with and work with at anytime, anywhere.
The ROG Zephyrus M16 packs the new Intel Core i9-11900H processor. The range-topping Intel processor is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU for an amazing gaming experience and also seamless content creation. This combination also powers an industry-first, fast 16-inch 165Hz refresh rate 3ms display that pushes WQXGA (16:10) resolution. You even get 100% of DCI-P3 for great colour accuracy, important when you are creating content on-the-go.
With up to 2TB in SSD storage, you should not be wanting more in terms of storage for all your games and even content creation needs. You also get up to 32GB of RAM, which is sort of an overkill for gaming, but perfect for content creation. What makes the whole package more interesting is that it comes with a USB Type-C charger that charges at 100W, so you do not have to lug around a heavy package to get the notebook working. They say also you can get about eight hours in battery life with the Zephyrus M16.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is said to be available in Malaysia at the end of June 2021 onward, barring any shipping delays (NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD). There is no official pricing just yet at this time but ASUS says that pricing should be announced June onward.
ASUs ROG Zephyrus S17
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
At the top of the ladder you get the very innovative, very powerful ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 with Intel’s Core i9-11900H processor. The powerful CPU is paired with a very powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. The very powerful GPU can power up to a 17.3-inch QHD display at up to 165Hz in refresh rate.
The ample 16GB (up to) of RAM should help the notebook trundle along nicely even when you render 4K videos. With up to 2TB of storage with up to 2 extra NVMe PCIe 3.0 M.2 slots, there should be no worries with storing all your games alongside your contents. On top of that, a 100W USB Type-C charger should keep the notebook running happy and fast while remained plugged in. The charger can also charge the notebook to 50% in just 30 minutes.
The notebook also features an innovative hinge that lifts the keyboard for a larger opening for increased airflow. The newly designed fan also helps airflow for the notebook. The lifted keyboard also allows for a better and more comfortable typing experience.
The availability ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 has yet to be announced at this time. That also means there is no official pricing for the device at this time. We are keeping our ears close to the ground for any sings of availability of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 though.
