Category Archives: Lifestyle

Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, News

The Acerpure Aqua WP1 Launches in Malaysia for MYR 3,599 – Nope, That’s It, It’s Plug and Play 

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Water purifiers are a necessity at home these days. In fact, water dispenser units with water purifying feature is quite indespensable in a modern home today. While regular water filters does the job well enough, the tap water you get through the pipes in Malaysia still contains contaminants that might be harmful to your bodies. Water dispenser units with water purifying features are an investment though. It is not just the water purifier unit you are getting, you are also getting piping work done for it, you are also buying into maintaining the water dispenser unit. In short, there might be other headaches in getting a water dispenser unit than the unit itself. 

The Acerpure Aqua WP1 is not like any other water dispenser unit. It is pretty much a plug-and-play solution for water dispensing purposes. You can even call it portable if you really want.  

The only thing the Acerpure Aqua WP1 needs is a power source, not a piping work. While you technically can get piping work done with the Acerpure Aqua WP1, the water dispenser comes with an 8.7-litre water tank that can be filled with any sort of liquid, at least according to Acer. In that case too, your Acerpure Aqua WP1 can be installed anywhere in your house or office as long as there is a power socket. In case the 8.7-litre tank gets empty, there is also a 3-litre tank internally that holds purified hydrogen water. Unlike other water dispensers as well, the Acerpure Aqua WP1 does continuously consumer electricity to keep a constant water temperature.  

The Acerpure water purifier packs a 3-step RO filtration system that filters out unwanted substances from liquids in the tank to ensure that you are getting the healthiest and cleanest consumable water possible. The SGS Water Quality Test certified water purifier has been proven to remove substances as small as 0.0001um such as bacteria, virus, and residual chlorine. The dispenser also features a real-time TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) water quality monitor. There is also a smart wash button that automatically flushes and cleans the water when the TDS level rises.  

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The Acerpure Aqua WP1 is also designed with easy maintenance in mind. The intuitive display offers status monitoring for its PCF, RO, and GAC filters. The machine will notify you when the filters needs replacing. Thanks to its design, replacing the filters can be done by users, as long as you have spare filters. Filters can be purchased from Acer’s eStore, Acerpure official stores, authorised dealers and Acer Flagship online store on Shopee. 

The Acerpure Aqua WP1 will set you back MYR 3,599 and you can get your hands on one from any of the options mentioned above. It only comes in white colour though, so if you have black kitchen, it might stand out a bit. If you do purchase your Aqua WP1 before the 14th of August 2023, you are entitled to an extended 5-year warranty, an Acerpure Cool C1 air purifier, and an Acerpure Premium. More on the Acerpure Aqua WP1 can be found on their website.  

Accessories, Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gaming, Lifestyle, News

Nice Xbox Series S, does it Come in Black? It Only Comes in Carbon Black, and 1TB Storage.

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Microsoft launched their latest Xbox devices in 2020 almost alongside Sony’s PlayStation 5. Like the PlayStation 5 series too, there are two types of Xbox that you can get, one packs a physical disc reader while the other does not. They cleverly named them the Series X and Series S, the Series X is the thicker tower that packs a disc reader, while the Series S is the ‘slim’ version of the Xbox without a disc reader.

Obviously, the prices are different too. The Series X, packing a disc reader, larger internal real estate, and probably more efficient cooling, is the more expensive one. The Series S is the budget option of the two and only comes with 500GB of space. No matter, you still get all the power of the latest Xbox in a more compact and affordable body. You just need to buy games digitally and pick and choose what to install in your Xbox. You can even upgrade your 500GB SSD to 1TB SSD if you really want, but it might take some know how to do and you now have an extra 500GB SSD that you might not have a use for. The Xbox Series S also only comes in one colour option, white; boring.

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While it did not make that much sense buying the Series S before, it might make a whole lot more sense today, after Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase. They just announced the Xbox Series S Carbon Black edition, which will be available alongside the old one in white. While it now looks way cooler in its black guise, it is not just a cosmetic upgrade that we are getting with the new Xbox. You now get the option to buy the budget Xbox in Carbon Black with a 1TB SSD inside the console out-of-the-box too. Of course, it comes with a bump in price too over the regular Xbox Series S, a US$ 50 price bump to be exact to make it now worth US$ 349.99 (MYR 1,617*) for one.

This good news does come with a caveat though. The US$ 349.99 Xbox Series S Carbon Black edition will not be available immediately. It is only available later in the year in September 2023 in global markets. The pre-order has already started for the Carbon Black edition in available markets. Malaysia does not technically support the Xbox officially yet, but we do have the Xbox Game Pass which will also be supported on NVIDIA’s GeForce Now streaming service. More on the Xbox Series S Carbon Black can be found on their website.

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

Computers, Lifestyle, News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Price and Availability 

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

Computers, Lifestyle, News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lifestyle, News

iQIYI & GrabFood Malaysia Launch First-ever Variety “Advertainment” Show

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iQIYI continues to push its new approach to entertainment – “advertainment” – with new shows. The latest show comes in partnership with GrabFood Malaysia and covers one of Malaysia’s most passionate subjects – food. “5-Star Hunter Bersama GrabFood” is the first branded reality show that debuted on iQIYI on 2 June 2023.

iQIYI partners GrabFood Malaysia to launch first ever branded variety show 5 Star Hunter Bersama GrabFood

The new reality show follows Malaysian celebrity Chef Fikree and several local food bloggers as they search for Malaysia’s most authentic cuisine with one catch – the food must come from one of GrabFood Malaysia’s 5-star Restaurants. The show brings the popular format of sharing the story and inspiration behind the food and marries it with a unique approach of highlighting the services and impact of GrabFood on these humble establishments. However, Chef Fikri turns the tables on his celebrity guests as they are challenged to recreate the dish they just tasted. These recreations are then tasted by random guests at the eatery. So, will Chef Fikri come out on top? You’ll just have to tune in to find out.

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The variety show is one of a growing number of “advertainment” shows that iQIYI first introduced with its show “Sorry Naik Lorry” not too long ago. The new format integrates advertising and brand awareness seamlessly into shows allowing brands to bring more awareness to services and goods offered. It also allows brands to sidestep the usual ad break and seamlessly integrate themselves front and centre in the show.

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“We are thrilled to collaborate once again with GrabFood Malaysia as our esteemed partners for the production of our first-ever local branded variety show. In the realm of entertainment, over-the-top (OTT) platforms like iQIYI have emerged as pivotal catalysts propelling the growth of the local entertainment industry while offering brands a fresh avenue to establish a relatable connection with their audience. This innovative approach allows brands to transcend traditional advertising and instead present their offerings in a captivating and profoundly influential manner that resonates more effectively with the audience.”

Dinesh Ratnam, Country Manager of iQIYI Malaysia and Senior Director of the International Business Department

“5-Star Hunter Bersama GrabFood” debuted on iQIYI on 2 June 2023 and will feature six fifteen-minute episodes. To celebrate the launch, iQIYI will be giving away GrabFood vouchers worth RM50 to all their viewers. All you have to do to get your share is follow iQIYI on their social media pages and keep an eye out for the giveaway posts and answer a few simple questions about the new show.

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

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

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

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

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

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

Accessories, Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Razer Introduces the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed with THX Certification

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Razer’s Hammerhead series of headphones has been one of the go-to wireless earphones when it comes to mobile gaming. To be fair, while there are better sounding earphones out there, the Razer brand has made themselves known to be some of the best gaming brands in the world. It also does not hurt when the Razer Hammerhead line-up is some of the more decent sounding earphones on the market. There is room for improvement though and Razer delivers that in the Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed they just introduced.

As the name suggests, it is made with their HyperSpeed technology that ensures an almost wired connection-like latencies. Again, the disadvantage to that is that the HyperSpeed technology relies on a proprietary 2.4GHz dongle that you need to connect to your devices like the PC, or smartphone. It is a USB Type-C dongle though, so you technically can use it with the likes of the Nintendo Switch. They claim a latency of less than 40ms with the HyperSpeed technology on this Hammerhead Pro.

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While HyperSpeed technology is impressive, you are probably going to be using this pair of wireless earbuds with a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. For that, it has Bluetooth 5.3, the latest standard in Bluetooth technology. That also allows the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed to offer an impressive 60ms latency when connected via Bluetooth, just 20ms shy of HyperSpeed. If you are gaming mostly on your smartphone, you can start thinking about losing the cable with this one.

On top of the HyperSpeed dongle and Bluetooth 5.3 capabilities, the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed is also capable of wireless charging. The fast-charging case that offers an additional 24 hours of listening time to the earbuds can be charged wirelessly with any wireless charging base you can find in the market. Or charge your device via USB Type-C, there is nothing ever wrong with wired charging in the first place.

It is a ‘Pro’ level item from Razer, so you can safely expect hybrid active noise cancelling to be a thing here. The Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed offers an array of microphones that act as noise cancelling feedback microphones for better sound cancelling and isolation. You can even adjust how much noise cancelling you want via a proprietary app. To keep you isolated and undisturbed while gaming, the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed even offers a clever Do Not Disturb mode that silences all incoming Bluetooth notifications. The mode can also prevent calls and texts from coming through though, so you might want to have an apology message to go when your significant other cannot reach you.

Of course, the main thing about a wireless earphone should be its sound quality. The Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed is a THX certified gear. While it may not mean too much, since Razer technically owns THX and can slap THX branding on any of their products; the THX brand is still one of the most recognizable one in the audio industry, which also should mean that the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed should sound great, and at least decent if not excellent. At the same time, the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed cannot be a Razer product without Razer Chroma RGB and that is what these pair of earbuds have to offer. You can even control the RGB lighting with Razer’s app.

Price and Availability

The Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed is now available from Razer.com and all Razer’s authorised retailers across Malaysia, including their official online stores. There are no colour options for this one, just the black that is known for Razer’s most premium gears. It will set you back MYR 999, which is about MYR 100 less than Sony’s most premium wireless earbuds currently. More information on the new wireless earbuds can be found on their website.

Lifestyle, News

Samsung’s 2023 Smart Monitor Lineup Focuses on Personalisation & Productivity

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Samsung’s Smart Monitor lineup created quite a stir when it was announced in 2020. The new monitors delivered a remote work experience that was seamless and did away with the need for bulky desktop setups. It brought a new approach with a sleek, self-contained environment that was able to run crucial apps like Microsoft 365 and the Google Productivity Suite. Albeit, the latter was run via Samsung’s DeX feature. However, these monitors made us rethink the monitor and how we’re using them.

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Source: Samsung

Running on Samsung’s Tizen OS – just like their Smart TV counterparts – the Smart Monitors brought a suite of ready-to-go apps that not only made the need for laptops moot, it also made sure that work from home was a viable reality in the midst of chaotic times. They also allowed space-restricted quarters to become more efficiently used with built-in entertainment apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Samsung TV+, Amazon Prime Video and more.

This year, Samsung is looking to refine their approach even more with a refreshed line up of Smart Monitors. All three of the models that make up their lineip – the M5 (M50C), M7 (M70C), and M8 (M80C) are being refreshed with better specifications and wide connectivity options.

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Source: Samsung

The new models up the maximum resolution to 3,840×2,160 pixels (4K UHD). This appears in both the 32-inch and 27-inch models of the M8 and M7 models while the M5 model comes with a 1,920×1080 (FHD) resolution. All of them come with in the 16:9 aspect ratio and come with built-in speakers.

The Smart Monitor M8 and M7 have adopted a new Iconic Slim Design. They sport super slim builds that measure 11.39mm at the thinnest point. They also sport a chic herringbone pattern on the back. The biggest difference, however, is the inclusion of a height-adjustable stand with tilt support on both models. Both still support 99% of the sRGB color gamut.

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Source: Samsung

That said, the M8 has a slight edge over the other monitors with a bump to 4K UHD resolution with support for HDR10+ and 400 nits brightness. In regions where its supported, Samsung’s Gaming Hub is also available on the Smart Monitors. The M8 also comes with a SlimFit camera which attaches magnetically in the box. This camera supports FHD resolution and creates a standalone video conferencing experience. You will be able to use apps like Google Meet and Zoom seamlessly with the camera and leverage the auto framing feature to ensure you’re always front and center for your online meetings.

Mouse and Keyboard support have also been baked into multiple apps with the launch of the 2023 lineup of Smart Monitors including SmartThings and Smart Hub. The monitors also come with remote controls which charge via USB-C in the box. The Microsoft 365 and the Browser apps are now able to be used simultaneously in splitscreen view to reduce window switching thanks to an upgraded Multi View experience.

The monitors are also able to connect seamlessly to an in-home IoT setip with SmartThings. Samsung has also built-in support for platforms like Zigbee and Thread. The M8 and M7 support voice assistants including Amazon Alexa and Bixby. They also support far field voice with a built-in mic that allows users to speak directly to the monitors. Together with this, Samsung is also introducing a new My Contents features which allows users to quickly access helpful information. It can even connect to a verified smartphone in standby mode via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and lights up with the users pictures in the smartphone. Once the smartphone is out of range, the monitor goes back into standby.

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Source: Samsung

The monitos come in a brand new range of colours that allow you to make it blend in or stand out in your room. With options for Warm White, Sunset Pink, Daylight Blue and Spring Green on the M8; Warm White on the M7 and Black and White for M5, users are free to choose a colour and model that fits their needs and personality.

Pricing & Availability

The new 2023 line of Smart Monitors will be available in stages starting in June 2023. No local Malaysian price has been announced yet. However, in the U.S., prices are as follows:

ModelSizePrice
M8 (M80C)32-inchUSD$699.99
M8 (M80C)27-inchUSD$649.99
M7 (M70C)32-inchUSD$599.99
M7 (M70C)27-inchUSD$549.99
M5 (M50C)32-inchUSD$299.99
M5 (M50C)27-inchUSD$279.99

Official Specifications

Screenshot 2023 05 30 at 18 24 33 Samsung Introduces 2023 Smart Monitor Line with New Enhancements for Work Learning and Entertainment at Home
Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

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

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

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

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

Power, Power, Power

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

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

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

Keeping Cool

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

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

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

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

Price and Availability

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