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.
Qualcomm has been teasing their Snapdragon platform to run on PC and Windows for a while now. To be fair, the possibility of having a Snapdragon SoC running Windows is not such a far-fetched idea. The processing chips that have been staple for Android, at least on the flagships, are already as powerful, if not more powerful than a regular CPU made by Intel and AMD. They are also a lot more power efficient, which also means that it runs cooler and benefits battery life.
While they have been teasing, there are no notable products to put the concept into practice. The closest we got to a modern Qualcomm Snapdragon compute platform on Windows is the JOI Book SK3000, an attempt at creating an affordable notebook by a Malaysian firm. To be fair, we see a lot of potential from that attempt, even if they are using a somewhat dated System on a Chip (SoC) that was not even made for Windows.
Today though, all that is about to change with Samsung’s introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go. The new Galaxy Book Go comes in three variants too, for good measure. The regular Galaxy Book Go can be fitted with LTE connectivity, but there is a 5G variant. Naturally, two variants also mean two different SoCs. The standard Galaxy Book Pro with or without LTE comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 platform and the Galaxy Book Pro 5G comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 platform.
Source: Samsung
Again, because the power consumption requirements are lower than before, the notebook is touted to have an all-day battery life. Even if you need to plug it into a wall socket, your 25W charger should be larger than a smartphone charger. Thanks to USB Type-C too, you can charge your smartphone using the same charger. All of that also, while remaining constantly connected to the internet.
It features a 14-inch Full HD display with slim bezels to fit a body that is likened to an old 13-inch notebook. eUFS memory (up to 128GB) also means that you get instant boot and load speeds from the Galaxy Book Go. With up to 8GB of RAM, Windows 10 should be running nicely without too much strain. On top of all of that is Dolby Atmos certified speakers for all kinds of entertainment needs.
All of that power is packed into a body that is 14.9mm thick, or thin, depending on how you look at it. It could be thinner, but they do need a little bit of space to fit a full-sized USB Type-A port on the side of the Galaxy Book Go. Still, it only weighs 1.38kg and it does not need a fan to run a whole day.
Source: Samsung
It is very much a Samsung product though with Galaxy ecosystem a part of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go. The Galaxy Book Go works nicely with Link to Windows and Microsoft’s Your Phone app on your Android device. With Smart Switch also, you can easily transfer settings from your old PC to the Galaxy Book Go quickly and easily. There is even SmartThings built into the Galaxy Book Go for all kinds of IoT use at home.
The Samsung Galaxy Book Go Wi-Fi and LTE will be available in select market June 2021 onward. The selected markets does not include Malaysia at this time though. If you are in a market where the Samsung Galaxy Book Go with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 platform is available, it starts at US$ 349 (MYR 1,439*). The Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G variant will be available sometime later in the year 2021. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Book Go and other Samsung products, you can visit their website.
*Based on approximate exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.12 as of 03/06/2021 on xe.com
NVIDIA launched their most powerful GPUs for consumer PCs toward the end of last year. The GPUs launched in 2020 had, according to NVIDIA anyway, the largest generational improvement ever in a GPU. While we ourselves have not had the chance to prove that on our own, we do believe that.
At the launch of the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series cards, we also expected NVIDIA to top their products off with Ti variants of the GPUs. The “Ti” moniker is also an indicator that it is the more powerful version of each GPU class. Fast forward a few months and into COMPUTEX 2021, NVIDIA delivered on those expectations, and they seem a lot more powerful than anyone expected.
NVIDIA launched the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti in their COMPUTEX 2021 keynote. While they are launched as more powerful versions of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and GeForce RTX 3070, they are not really sold as gaming GPUs. Instead, the more powerful cards are sold as GPUs engineered for content creators and professionals.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
Source: NVIDIA
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti features 6,144 CUDA cores. That is nearly 300 more CUDA cores than the regular GeForce RTX 3070. The GPU is clocked slightly higher too at 1.77Ghz (Boost Clock). You also get GDDR6X RAM compared to the GDDR6 that the regular card gets.
The result of all those combined into the GeForce RTX 3070 is a much more powerful GPU for both gaming and content creation purposes. While NVIDIA did not mention huge leaps in gaming experience, you still should get more performance out of the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti compared to the regular card. Then again, where it shines over the regular card is in content creation. It is supposed to shave up to a few minutes in your 3D workflow and even 4K HDR video processing. Of course, the improvements also depend very much on your platform of choice and other optimisations as well.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Source: NVIDIA
To get more done though, you need even more power form your GPU. You need the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. You get 10,240 CUDA cores on the RTX 3080 Ti, that is just shy of the GeForce RTX 3090’s 10,496 CUDA core count and nearly 1,500 cores more than the regular RTX 3080. The cores are clocked a little lower than the regular card though at 1.67GHz (Boost Clock). You get 12GB of GDDR6X RAM, 2GB more than the regular GeForce RTX 3080. It also features a higher memory interface width at 384-biut, the same as the GeForce RTX 3090.
The result of the additions made to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti may not be that significant in terms of gaming too. You probably will see a few fps increase and stability here and there. The raw power I seen in major improvements in your 3D and video editing workflow. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is made to make short work of 8K video processing and even 3D rendering work.
Price and Availability
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is supposed to be available from the 3rd of June 2021 onward with prices starting at MYR 5,800. The NVIDIA RTX 3070 Ti on the other hand will be available a little later from the 10th of June 2021 onward for MYR 2,880 onward. These are the Founder’s Edition GPUs though, there are no solid word on when manufacturers will release their own versions of the new GPUs. At the same time, expect some stock shortage even after its release date. For more information NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPUs, you can head over to their 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 taken a unique approach in embarking on their journey to become a more sustainable company. The company announced their “Earthion” – a hybrid of Earth and Mission – to become a sustainable company from operations to production. As part of their Earthion, the company has become a part of RE100, a global corporate effort in which member companies aim to become fully sustainable by relying fully on renewable energy. Acer has pledged to fulfill this target by 2035.
Aspire Vero for a Sustainable Future
Pledges and promises aside, the company’s Earthion took physical form with the announcement of the Acer Aspire Vero. The Aspire Vero is Acer’s first sustainable laptop made of post-consumer recycled plastics (PCRs). The PCRs are used primarily in the keyboard caps and surfaces of the laptop. They make up 50% of the keycaps while other surfaces of the chassis are made up of about 30% PCRs. In addition to this, the Aspire Vero comes in packaging that is made of up to 85% recycled paper pulp while plastics usually used to carry components like the power cord have been replaced by paper bags. Printing on the packaging and documention utilises soy ink as well to minimise environmental impact.
With its focus on sustainability, the Vero comes with the latest generation of Intel Core processors which promises longer battery life. Acer claims that this will provide over 11 hours of battery life. The Vero comes with Intel’s integrated Xe graphics which has been proven to be a performer – at least when it comes to integrated graphics systems. It also comes with a 15.6-inch IPS Full HD display. It comes with upto 1TB of SSD memory. The Aspire Vero isn’t making users choose between connectivity and being sustainable. It comes fully equipped with support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
Pricing & Availability
No pricing or availability for the Acer Aspire Vero has been announced just yet.
Acer’s Swift line up of laptops is known for being a hero of the thin and light segment. Many of the offerings have, so far, come under the 1.5kg mark when comes to weight and come with a pretty slim silhouette. However, users have always needed to make a choice between performance or portability. That changes with the new Acer Swift X which marries both portability and performance into a single, slim body.
The Swift X is the first of a new line up of laptops under the Swift line up. The new lineup will come equipped with discreet graphics solutions. The new lineup keeps on-the-go creatives in mind allowing them to carry a laptop that’s lighter than 1.5kg with the power to cater to the needs of their workflow.
Acer’s new Swift X is Packed with Power with Little Compromise
The new Swift X comes packed with AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series mobile processor complemented with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050Ti laptop GPU. The setup should be able to handle some very heavy graphics and video workflows without problems. This is also coupled with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The Switft X comes with a 14-inch IPS display with 300 nites brightness and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The display is also one of the most colour accurate on a Swift laptop with 100% coverage of the sRGB gamut. All of this is housed in a premium, metal chassis.
The power-packed Swift X doesn’t compromise on being thin and light either. It comes in at just under 1.4kg and a hair under 18mm thin. That said, the cooling on the laptop isn’t compromised. In fact, Acer has made design improvements to optimise the cooling efficiency of the laptop. The fan of the Swift X comes with fifty-nine 0.3mm blades to maximise airflow. This is paired with two D6 copper heat pipes for better heat dissipation. The lapotp also comes with what Acer is calling air inlet keyboard design which helps expel about 10% more heat than a regular laptop keyboard. The fans have also been augmented with a stereo ring for up to 10% better airflow.
Pricing & Availability
The Acer Swift X will be available starting in June in North America for USD$899.99 (MYR3,723.23), early summer in EMEA for EUR899 (MYR4,534.19) and in Q3 2021 in China starting at CNY6,499 (MYR4,221.27).
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
Just about a month after Apple releases the biggest update to iOS in recent history, Apple releases yet another update to the platform alongside their other products like the iPad, mac OS, watch OS, and even tvOS. To be fair, tvOS 14.6 is a minor update that is supposed to improve the general stability and performance of the interface for Apple TV devices. That is at least according to their release notes for the tvOS 14.6. For everything else, the updates are more than just bug fixes despite what the numbers suggest.
iOS 14.6 & iPadOS
iOS 14.6 is not as big as 14.5 in terms of updates. It is also partly a bug fix that fixes issues found on iOS 14.5 such as issues with unlocking your iPhone via your Apple Watch. Some users were reporting that reminders show up as blank lines now even when they have keyed in their information. The new update on both iOS and iPadOS should also improve Bluetooth connections with Bluetooth enabled hardware. Users should also see improvements in device performance with the update.
There are some added features too on iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6. While fixing some early issues with AirTag, the UI now allows users to use their email address for tracking purposes instead of phone numbers. There are added support in Apple Podcast too allowing users on iOS and iPadOS to opt for subscriptions to shows and get extra exclusive contents. There is an added Apple Card support too in the sense that you can now share your Apple Card with up to five members of your family via Apple Card Family. The new function also allows you to keep track of expenses and manage limits. Users can also now unlock their iPhone or iPad for the first time after a restart via their voice.
iOS 14.6 is now available for Apple iPhone 6s and newer. iPadOS 14.6 is also now available for iPad Air 2 and later, 5th Generation Apple iPad and later, iPad Mini 4 and newer, and the 7th generation iPod Touch.
watchOS 7.5
Apple’s WatchOS 7.5 received a minor update when Apple released iOS 14.5 too. That minor update that updated WatchOS devices from Apple Watch Series 3 and later to WatchOS 7.4.1 was mostly a security update for the Watch. WatchOS 7.5, in contrast to the iOS and iPadOS updates is more of a feature update.
The Apple WatchOS 7.5 now allows access to subscribed content in the Podcast app for one. You can even manage and track your Apple Card expenses from your Apple Watch. Malaysia is getting some added love in the new WatchOS 7.5 too. Apple Watch Series 4 and later will get ECG app support now in Malaysia. Users of Apple Watch in Malaysia will also now get support for irregular heart rhythm notifications.
The Apple WatchOS 7.5 is now available for Apple Watch Series 3 and later.
macOS Big Sur 11.4
The new macOS Big Sur 11.4 update is also one of Apple’s largest since 11.3 just about a month ago. The update for macOS is more bug fixing than anything else. The new update fixes keyword exclusions when exporting photos from the Photos app. It also fixes certain website viewing issues with Mac devices. It also fixes certain stability issues with PDF documents on macOS 11.3.
On top of the bug fixes, macOS Big Sur 11.4 brings paid subscriptions to Apple Podcast app. You can now pay subscriptions for Podcasts within the ecosystem and get exclusive contents or early access to additional contents from creators. Apple Podcast also introduces channels to group shows from podcast creators.
macOS Big Sur 11.4 is now available on devices running on mac OS Big Sur 11.
Qualcomm is expanding its horizons with a new take on their Snapdragon 7c Compute Platform. The company started looking into mobile compute back in 2017 and introduced their first generation 7c back in 2019. Slightly over a year after, the company is bringing a new, improved take meant for an always connected future.
The new generation Snapdragon 7c compute platform takes aim at an emerging need for always connected PCs at an affordable price point. The new generation comes with the Snapdragon X15 4G LTE modem which provides on-the-go connectivity; allowing devices that come with the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 to switch seamlessly between WiFi and cellular networks. Qualcomm is looking to address the growing need for reliable, stable connections in the age of Work from Anywhere.
Source: Qualcomm
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c compute platform brings together performance, battery life and connectivity. It comes with an Octa-core Kryo 468 CPU which can be run at speeds of up to 2.55GHz providing enough compute for on-the-go work. Similar to its mobile counterparts, the compute platform comes with an Adreno GPU which supports QHD resolution at 60Hz. It also utilizes the Qualcomm Spectra 255 image signal processor which supports up to 14-bit image signal processing. The package, overall, should rival some of the entry level and lower mid range laptops we see in the market.
Affordable Performance for Entry Level Systems
Qualcomm isn’t just building the compute platform for performance, it’s looking at bringing value to a more affordable segment of laptops. To that end, they have been developing the 7c compute platform to bring performance which lasts. They are touting that the Snapdragon 7c is able to provide performance and multiday battery life. The new generation of the compute platform is built with up to 60% more productivity performance per watt compared to currently available laptops. However, they are also making things more affordable with a lower entry level when it comes to pricing. The 7c platform costs about one third of the currently available premium x86 systems.
Source: Qualcomm
The Snapdragon 7c compute platform isn’t just about the silicon either. Qualcomm is baking in AI features which help with on-the-go working. Their Hexagon 629 DSP in the 7c is able to handle over 5 trillion operations a second with its built-in AI engine. This AI enhances device security and even powers more accurate voice recognition and even features like gaze correction for video conferencing.
Working with OEMs for a Diverse Device Ecosystem
The emergence of Work from Anywhere and its acceleration in the midst of the current pandemic has necessitated Qualcomm and its partners to develop unique solutions. Qualcomm has been working with companies like Acer, ASUS, Lenovo and Samsung to create sturdy, affordable and powerful laptops built on the compute platform. This time, the company is working with manufacturers and even software companies for a more complete and optimised experience on the Snapdragon 7c Compute platform.
Manufacturers like Lenovo, HP and Acer are working on creating on-the-go work systems which take advantage of the compute system. They have Windows 10 laptops running on the 7c. Qualcomm has also been working to optimise the platform to better support all versions of Windows 10 for a better user experience.
That said, Windows isn’t the only operating system that Qualcomm is optimising the Snapdragon 7c for either. The company is also working with companies like Acer and ASUS to cultivate a Chrome OS ecosystem. Systems like the Acer Spin 513 Chromebook are already making their way to the market.
Last year Samsung launched something of a game changer, in our opinion. It has nothing to do with gaming, or entertainment, to be fair. It has more to do with work than anything else.
In November of 2020, Samsung introduced the world to their first ever desktop monitor that is also outfitted with Tizen OS. Effectively also, the particular monitor is Samsung’s first smart monitor. They introduced the world to what is effectively a 4K smart TV in a 32-inch desktop monitor form factor. They called it the Samsung Smart Monitor M7. They also introduced two Full HD variants called the M5 series.
To be fair, there is not that much in terms of choice with Samsung’s Smart Monitors at launch. You get to choose between two sizes for the Full HD variant and no choice at all if you want the 4K UHD variant. That has changed this year though.
Samsung Smart Monitor M7 43-inch
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Samsung has just introduced a 43-inch variant of the 4K UHD M7 series Smart Monitor and 24-inch variant of the Full HD M5 series Smart Monitor for 2021. On top of that, they are also introducing a new white colour option for the existing M7 and M5 models. Now you can really spice up your workspace at home.
The 43-inch Smart Monitor M7 (43M70A) is technically similar to the 32-inch model. It features a 4K UHD resolution for starters. It also supports HDR10, not exactly HDR10+ of their high-end TVs to be fair, but good enough for you to enjoy a variety of contents. Like the 32-inch variant, the 43-inch M7 is also a VA panel desktop monitor, which also means you are not necessarily getting a premium OLED experience.
Still, VA panels are bright and vibrant enough for a high colour accuracy, especially for making quick work of simple video and photo editing work. While it only boasts 60Hz in refresh rate, that is good enough for something like a PS4 Pro. Even the new gaming consoles can easily take advantage of the 4K resolution.
Samsung Smart Monitor M5 24-inch
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
On the smaller scale end, the M5 now comes in a 24-inch variant (24M50A). Unlike the 4K UHD 43-incher it launches with, you get an IPS panel with the 24-incher though. Even its bigger 27-inch and 32-inch M5 siblings are fitted with VA display panels. That also means that the Full HD 1080p panel should display images with great colour contrast and highly accurate colours. It is also an HDR10 display to ensure you get the best out of Tizen OS. It only refreshes at 60hz though. Then again, it is not a gaming monitor.
The new Smart Monitors M7 and M5 both are Wireless DeX enabled too. That also means that if you have modern Samsung Galaxy device with wireless DeX enabled, you do not even need to get extra cable to connect to the display. You do not even need to get your PC to connect to your smartphone for it. The Tizen OS fitted monitors are also Apple AirPlay 2 enabled, so even if you are on an iOS device, it will work for you too.
Like a Smaller, More Productive Smart TV
Samsung’s Smart Monitor M7 and M5 also comes with a modern SolarCell solar powered remote. The smart remote is very much like your Samsung Smart TV remotes and functions with Voice command like one too. Additionally, you do not have to replace any batteries, just leave it under the sun near the window to keep it charged.
Tizen OS also means that you get access to Netflix, Prime Video, and the upcoming Disney+ app without even needing to connect to a PC, or smartphone. In that case, your enjoyment is also not limited to your supporting hardware. With TV Plus, you get access to selected live and on-demand contents for free. This technically can be your TV if you have limited space.
You can plug your PC in via USB Type-C Thunderbolt connection (43M70A). If not, you have the benefit of HDMI 2.0. DisplayPort is not technically necessary for this display. The 43-inch monitor can also double as your USB hub as well with 3 additional USB ports. The 24-inch has one additional USB port for an added working flexibility.
What makes the Samsung Smart Monitor M7 and M5 though is the fact that you can work with Microsoft 365’s PC on screen. It is technically a remote PC technology that allows you to access your Microsoft 365 suite from the display, even if your PC is not necessarily plugged into your monitor. All you need is a Microsoft 365 account and internet connection.
Price and Availability
The Samsung Smart Monitor M7 and M5 is already available in select regions. Malaysia is not part of those select regions though. Currently, the 32-inch M7, 32-inch M5, and 27-inch M5 are available in Malaysia from MYR 1,188 (RRP) onward. For more information for the newly released Samsung Smart Monitor M7 and M5, do head over to Samsung’s website.
