Acer is refreshing its TravelMate P4 and Concept D laptops with more power with Intel’s new generation of processors. The new refresh brings more powerful processors with more power and Intel’s Xe graphics. It brings more graphics prowess to the line up which caters for creators and on the go workers.
Acer’s TravelMate line up brings durability and productivity in one package. The new TravelMate Spin P4 adds the flexibility of working from anywhere with the MIL-STD-810G durability, You won’t need to worry about dropping your laptop or even spilling water on it. The TravelMate Spin P4 also brings the flexibility to work in a multiple modes with its ability to transform from laptop to tablet. You can even present on the fly with the Spin P4’s tent mode.
Running on the latest generation of Intel Core i7 processors, the laptop is built for remote workers. The Acer TravelMate P4 is touted to have up to 13.5 hours of battery life. It also comes with high speed USB type C ports as well as support for DisplayPort. It also features security features that will help protect your data such as TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 hard drive protection.
Creative Flexibility and Power with ConceptD
Acer continues to iterate its ConceptD line up with features and specifications catered towards designers. The new line up of ConceptD laptops bring top of the line performance with added flexibility and freedom thanks to the expansion of the Ezel line up. In addition, creatives can express themselves freely with the touch enabled display which supports Acer’s Active Stylus. The stylus supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity providing a more realistic feel when illustrating.
The new ConceptD 7 series comes power packed with the absolute latest in specifications. It has processors ranging from the 10th generation Intel Core i7 to the Intel Xeon processor to handle anything you throw at it. Need to render a large 3D graphic? It shouldn’t be a problem with the NVIDIA Quadro RTX3000 and RTX 5000 options which come with the ConceptD 7 series. The ConceptD 7 Pro also comes with the Ezel variant which brings the flexibility of a multimode workflow. It also allows users to draw and illustrate at an angle that is comfortable to them.
Of course, not all of us need unbridled power. If the ConceptD 7 series is a little too powerful, the ConceptD 3 series should hit the right balance. Coming with the 10th generation Intel Core i7 and the a choice between the NVIDIA Quadro T1000 or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650Ti, the ConceptD 3 series isn’t a slouch either. It also comes with an Ezel version similar to the ConceptD 7.
Both the ConceptD 3 and 7 series come with colour accurate, 15.6-inch IPS displays with a ΔE value of less than 2. The former comes with Full HD resolution while the latter comes with UHD resolution. They support the latest WiFi 6 standard, Bluetooth 5.0 and have a full array of ports including support for DisplayPort over USB. The ConceptD 7 series supports Thunderbolt 3.
Pricing & Availability
The Acer TravelMate Spin P4 is available for purchase from all Acer official stores and authorized dealers. It will be retailing for MYR4,699 for the version with the Intel Core i5 and MYR5,399 for the version with the Intel Core i7.
The ConceptD 7 series will be available from the Acer e-store and will retail for MYR13,099 for the Core i7 and NVIDIA Quadro RTX3000. The ConceptD 7 Ezel Pro with a more colour accurate display with 100% coverage of the Adobe RGB and sRGB gamuts will retail for MYR17,099 while the ConceptD 7 Ezel Pro with the Intel Xeon and Quadro RTX5000 will retail for MYR26,099.
The ConceptD 3 which comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 Ti will be retailing at MYR7,399. The ConceptD 3 Pro with the NVIDIA Quadro T1000 will retail for MYR8,399 while the ConceptD 3 Ezel Pro will be retailing for MYR10,099. The line up will be available at select Acer Resellers.
Google I/O 2021 is happening right now. The three-day conference kicked off with a bang though. To put it bluntly, Google I/O 2021 kicked off with a two-hour keynote highlighting everything coming from Google in 2021. While two hours do sound like a lot of drag, the announcements do sound mighty interesting though.
Google Workspace for Everyone
Source: Google
They kick off with something that everyone is concerned about in the period of pandemic, working from home. For that Google has something called Google Workspace. Google Workspace has been one of the most popular and thriving services since the world has gone into isolation with the looming pandemic situation. In 2021, the suite is updated with something called Smart Canvas.
Smart Canvas is a collaborative workspace within Google Workspace built for project management and keeping track of a project with your team members. It is kind of like a private chat or conversation within the larger organisation, but much cleaner. You can create and share Google Docs, Sheets, and even Slides within the group and work on the files together in real time.
Workspace is also now integrated with Google Meet, Google Doc, Google Sheet, and Google Slides. That also means that you can have a meeting on Google Meet within Google Workspace, share your files across the chat, and even edit the files together with your team in the Meets room. It is all about making remote collaborative work as seamless and organised as possible. Google also said Google Workspace will be available for free later in the year.
More in Google Search
Source: Google
Google search can also bring contents or search results that comes from other parts of the world in different languages with the integration of Google Translate algorithm and Google Lens as well. On top of that, Google is improving their language understanding and processing algorithm that should benefit more than just Google Translate, Google Lens, and regular Google Search.
They developed something called Wavenet, to make Google Assistant sound more natural and more contextual. They put that together with something they call Multitask Unified Model (MUM). All these makes Google Search and Google Lens the most powerful search and item identification tool ever.
The technologies that got mashed together means that Google search is not just single words anymore. It could be a sentence, a photo, and even both. The results can turn to be more than just web suggestions too. The result can turn out to be top suggestions, a place, and even connect you to merchants to buy what you need. If you set up your Google wallet correctly with all your merchant memberships as well, Google can connect you directly to deals that might be tied to your memberships too. There is a bit more to that too with Google Chrome, where you can track back your shopping carts on various sites even after you close the page.
Cleverer Google Maps
Source: Google
Google Maps is technically the most popular navigation app in the world. But that does not mean the app is flawless. There is always room for improvements.
Eco and Safe Driving
For example, Google introduces an ‘Eco Mode’ into the app. That basically means Google will take you through the most fuel efficient and economical route to get you to where you want and need to be. It may not be necessarily the fastest though, just keep that in mind.
They also introduced ‘safer driving’ routes for Google Maps. Obviously, that is what we call it, not what Google calls it. The idea is to navigate you to routes that might avoid traffic with sudden braking points and overall a smoother, clearer ride. All these are obviously done with Google’s navigation algorithm, traffic analysis, and GPS data such as speed or acceleration that Google Maps itself can see and work with in real-time.
Better Live View
Source: Google
They have expanded on Live View too in this case. Google Maps Live View does not just include navigation data in Augmented Reality anymore. It now shows you street names so that you can navigate better. It also now includes points of interest, landmarks, and you can pull up information regarding a place including its reviews directly from Maps app itself. Google Maps is also introducing Live View indoors now. It starts with the major train stations and airport in Zurich for now. The feature will be introduced to Tokyo also next month.
More Details
If you are getting yourself around by driving though, Google Maps is also a lot more detailed. Major intersections with road crossings and traffic lights will now show on maps so that you are better prepared. With Google’s understanding on your behaviour, your routine, and your usual routes, Google can also highlight relevant information, landmarks, or points of interest for you. A breakfast takeaway for example, on a Monday morning drive to work.
On top of all of that, Google Maps can now be a tool to help you plan your day not just on the road. Google Maps can track or predict how busy and packed an area will be at certain times just so you do not have to squeeze into the area at that time. You could plan to go another day for example, or just not go at all if it is not important. This is important in this day and age where social distancing is a recommended practice.
LaMDA
Source: Google
LaMDA is meant to be a conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI). Google says they have been using and testing it internally and it is powered by everything great about Google’s search engine and linguistic programming. In its demo, it sounds like an amazing piece of tech that could keep you having conversations with it from day to night.
It is programmed to know everything there is to know about our current world and situation. But it is not built to answer you with data necessarily. It is built to have natural conversations about the weather in general terms like “you might want to bring an umbrella in the afternoon”, rather than “there is a 78% chance of a light rain at 2.00 p.m.”.
While the answers that we saw from the demo does sound a little metallic and robotic at times, we cannot wait for LaMDA to be introduced into things like Workspace, YouTube, or even Google Maps. It is like having your own version of Iron Man’s JARVIS in your smartphone, or PC, or whatever you fancy.
More Organised Google Photos
Source: Google
Google Photos is a little bit more than just your photo gallery now though. It is now something you can use to create photo collages, to understand yourself better, and sort of your memory bank. Google’s image recognition recognises your photo patterns and puts all of them together to tell you that you tend to take photos of a certain context or a certain look. It tells you that you might be attracted to a certain sort of colour for example.
With Machine Learning (ML) as well, Google Photos can stitch multiple similar photos taken in succession to create a moving photo or video for you, even if there are gaps. Organisation and searching for your photos are even more intuitive too when you can find photos associated to certain celebrations for example.
Android 12 and Wear OS
Source: Google
Trust us when we say Android 12 is a huge overhaul of the Android OS. There is nearly no difference in terms of function, to be fair. Most of the changes are in the way things look and gets organised, and even customised. They call all this Material You design.
In terms of looks, things are a lot more intuitive, most organised, bigger, and a lot less cluttered. You get more control in how your User Interface (UI) looks in total as well. There are supposedly about 22% faster animation, they say.
You get more control over your own security and even privacy, and they are easier to access and understand with Privacy Dashboard. With the new UI as well, IoT controls are more front and center than before. There is a new improved remote app for your Android TV too.
Wear OS is getting a fresh lease of life too, thankfully. They want to make Wear OS a major smartwatch platform competitor to Apple’s WatchOS. To do that they managed to strike a partnership with their long-time partner, Samsung to bring Tizen and Wear OS together to make a more robust wearable operating system (OS) for everyone to use. Fitbit will also be introducing their own Wear OS later in the year and lend their expertise and know how in health and fitness into the upcoming Wear OS.
Your Safety, Privacy, and Protection Matters
Source: Google
Google has also improved their Google Password Manager. While the app still functions the same as before, you can now transfer password information from older devices. That also means that your passwords can be stored on-device instead of on-cloud. With Android’s on-device encryption nature, saving your managed passwords on your device could be a more secure option. With compromise alerts, you know when your accounts are accessed, and you can easily change passwords for whatever you have quickly via Password Manager.
Privacy Core
Google also introduced something called their Privacy Core. It is Google’s effort in giving control over information shared with Google back to its users. Supposedly as well, thanks to Privacy Core, you Live Caption sessions or translations will not be shared back to Google.
But security and privacy are more than that as well. It spreads to your search history, and even browsing history. Google is including an option now to delete ‘recent history’ on your Google Chrome.
Even in Google Maps, you can tell the app to not track your location history just so that the app does not collect your location data. You can allow Google Maps to track you accurately, or just give Google access to your approximate location now, in different apps. Not allowing Maps to track your data and build a history data also means that you are not going to get recommendations or suggestions from Google though. A worthy trade off, we think, for more privacy.
Better Health, Better Quality of Life
Source: Google
Since Google’s expansion and changing their own corporate name to Alphabet, they have been hugely involved in medical research. One of the places they have been pushing on is in the field of Mammograms. Google’s AI push into the platform means that screening for breast cancer is more accurate than ever. Their AI also helps doctors in understanding Mammograms and the severity in the diagnosis helping the health institutes prioritise different cases.
That is not all though. Dermatology is one huge field that could be expanded even using your own devices. Because this field has more to do with skin conditions, Google Lens can be an early diagnosis tool. You can take a photo of your skin conditions and Google can possibly identify what you have to a certain degree. Of course, nothing replaces a doctor in matters of treatments and full diagnosis, so Google can direct you towards a dermatologist near you via your browser. This feature will be available in the EU region by the end of the year 2021.
Project Starline
Source: Google
Speaking of health, we cannot ignore the current pandemic situation. We are all recommended to stay at home as much as possible and avoid as much human interaction as possible. The COVID-19 pandemic, while has brought humanity together more than ever, ironically has isolated us even more too.
Project Starline is a video chat tool that uses multiple cameras to create a 3D image model and project that 3D image to another part of the world. While that means that the file packages from that implementation are so bug that our regular internet speeds will not be able to cope, Google is working to compress the image files to a more sensible package size so that the images can be transferred using our regular internet connection.
The function of that is to implement a 3D video chat experience. While regular video chat today has progressed further than before, nothing replaces a physical presence and interaction. The idea with 3D projection calls looks to bridge that gap a little. Although you cannot touch the person still, having a 3D representation of a person is as close as you can get in having a physical presence in today’s world.
Google I/O 2021
Source: Google
To wrap up, Google announced that they are committing to shift their entire operation to carbon free energy sources by 2030. While Google has been proud of operating entirely on renewable energy, they are taking the first steps in relying on clean energy that does not leave any footprints. The commitment has led them to invest into Geothermal energy currently.
As promised by Google, the Google I/O 2021 is the largest ever. It is not just based on attendance though. It is also about the number of things that Google is introducing for 2021. It is also about Google’s commitments for the future, and we are excited, especially for Wear OS. For more information on what happened in Google I/O, you can check out Google’s Blog.
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.
MSI is one of those names that you normally associate with high-performance computing especially in the field of gaming. Unlike their competitors, their entire line-up of PCs and laptops are focused on high-performance and high-demand computing solutions. Now, that also means creator-grade PCs.
Their single-minded drive to produce the best and most powerful solutions for all kinds of gaming and creation needs also pushes the brand to create the most desirable machines with the latest and most powerful innovations. For 2021, it means Intel’s latest 11th Generation Core processors and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series. But power is just half the story, aesthetics rule too, in the modern world of creator-class rigs.
MSI Creator Z16 & M16
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
For creators, the display could be everything. When you are on-the-go though, sometimes it is a case of ‘beggars cannot be choosers’. Not in the case of the Creator class Z16 though.
You still get a large 16-inch display at 16:10 display factor. For a super smooth experience in your work and 3D work, the panel refreshes at 120Hz as well. Technically, 120Hz (Z16) on this IPS display will look stellar too, if you are thinking of gaming. It is a creator class PC though so the QHD+ resolution is displayed at 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut for the most colour accurate images possible. It is also a touchscreen for even more flexibilities on the move.
A display like this requires a lot of power from the rest of the hardware within the notebook though. This is where the 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor kicks in to ensure you have 120fps from your programs and final product. The powerful processor is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 mobile GPU (RTX 1050 or RTX 1050 Ti for M16) to keep up with all sorts of 3D and rendering demands. With up to 64GB of configurable RAM, you would not be wanting for more power from this thin (16.8mm, Z16) and light (2.2kg) package.
There are two NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD slots (1x PCIe Gen 3 M.2 SSD for M16) within the svelte and understated all-metal body too. That means you can even get up to 4TB of storage if you want with two 2TB SSDs. With Gen4 speeds too, your workflow will be smoother and quicker than ever with nearly no bottlenecks.
You still get two full USB Type-A ports alongside two Thunderbolt enabled USB Type-C (1x for M16) ports for the best-in-class expandibility in terms of I/O. Unfortunately, power still goes through a proprietary port via a 180W adapter (150W for M16). There is also a 3.5mm combo audio jack if you are into music production and audio engineering, but the four stereo speakers tuned by Dyneaudio should be powerful enough for audio monitoring and even enjoying music on the side.
MSI Creator 17
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Source: MSI
Working on-the-go also means that you might have to compromise on display size. But there is a way with MSI. The Creator 17 is that way to have no compromises whether or not you work on your desk, and even when you are working on-the-go.
First things first, you get the most powerful processor of the lot; an 11th Generation Intel Core i9 processor. You can spec your desktop replacing machine with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (up to) if you want or need to. You can even spec your rig with up to 64GB of RAM if you really need.
Storage wise, you have one NVMe PCIe Gen4 slot for your ultra-fast working storage unit and another NVMe PCIe Gen3 M.2 SSD slot for whatever that you have already worked on. It is still fast too in today’s standards, if you need it to be your working drive still.
The internals powers Windows and other creator programmes that projects on a 17.3-inch Ultra HD 4K resolution Mini LED display. Just so you can do your best work even on-the-go, the Creator 17’s display is a HDR 1000 certified panel with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. For your audio needs, you have two stereo speakers designed and tuned for Dynaudio for the best sound reproduction you can have in a notebook PC.
While all that might sound like a lot of heft in a notebook PC, the MSI Creator 17 weighs just 2.45kg. At 20.25mm in thickness as well, it is not what you would call a hefty item. It comes packing a 230W slim adapter to keep the package small and portable, just in case you need to get going quickly.
Mobile World Congress 2021 (MWC 2021) is upon us. The conference is set to happen in Barcelona next month and it is where some of the world’s electronics giants meet to introduce new products or new concepts for 2021. It is a place where we might get to see new smartphones being launched as well.
Last year’s MWC was cancelled for obvious reasons. While MWC has kicked-off as a physical event for 2021, a lot of people still think it is a bad idea to attend the conference in-person. One of those people who recently decided that it was not a good idea is Samsung. Lenovo joined that boat soon after.
Samsung cited health and safety reasons for not attending MWC 2021 in-person. This does not mean that they are not participating in the conference though. Samsung will still be present at MWC remotely. In other words, MWC 2021 will still happen for Samsung, but taken completely online.
Samsung and Lenovo join several high-profiled giants in their physical absence in Barcelona for MWC 2021. Among the big names that announced their physical absence at Barcelona includes Sony, Nokia, Ericsson, Oracle, and even Google. All of them cited health and safety concerns for their staffs for not attending MWC 2021.
All of this is not particularly unexpected though. The COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020 is still a major global concern with new strains discovered every other month or so. The current infection numbers are not particularly encouraging as well, leading governments to close their borders and restrict movements and employing tighter regulations to curb the pandemic. The decision to bring events online is also inline of Apple, Google, and E3’s decision to bring their conferences and events completely online and completely free to attend for people around the world.
While the numbers are dwindling, there are still some key attendees yet to announce their physical absence for MWC 2021 though. Among some of those names are LG and Xiaomi. LG though has announced that they are pulling out from the smartphone business recently.
GSMA claims that they have anticipated the move from manufacturers to back out of being physically present in MWC 2021. In light of the pandemic and their cancellation in 2020, GSMA has also developed their own virtual platform to ensure that participating brands can still have their MWC presence. The online platform also ensures that attendees still get to experience MWC 2021, albeit in a more personal and private manner.
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.
Last year NVIDIA announced their next generation GPUs, the GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs that they claim to have the largest generational gap over the older series. It is inevitable then for fans to be asking for the mobile variant of the GPUs to be put in the ever popular and growing gaming notebook market. They are also asking for more budget friendly variants like the RTX 3060 Ti and updated variant of the GTX 1650 and GTX 1660 Ti.
That is not all though, new CPUs are also introduced in 2020 and early 2021. AMD came swinging hard with the new AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPUs with Zen 3 architecture making them the most powerful consumer level CPU overall currently on sale. Intel pushed their own boundaries with their 10nm architecture 11th Generation CPUs early in 2021 too. To be fair though Intel came with the mobile variant of the 11th Generation Core processors early in 2020 before the desktop variants were introduced in 2021.
TUF Gaming F15 and F17 (FX506H-CHN021T, FX706H-CHX065T, FX506H-MHN103T)
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
ASUS kicks of with the new TUF Gaming notebooks, both in 15-inch and 17-inch flavours. You get to choose between an Intel Core i5-11400H and an Intel Core i7-11800H for the ASUS TUF Gaming F15’s (FX506H) processor. That powerful GPU also comes paired with either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB of GDDR6 RAM.
To ensure that you get a smooth gaming performance too, RAM is at up to 16GB for the top-of-the-line TUF Gaming F15 with room to spare. For storage you get a single SSD with 512GB in capacity. The storage is also expandable still with free extra NVMe PCIe 3.0 M.2 slot.
The 15-inch and 17-inch variants both get a 144Hz IPS display that pushes Full HD in resolution. For even more immersive gaming, the TUF Gaming F15 and F17 packs DTS Audio and speaker calibration. Of course, a great gaming experience today also means stable internet connection, and the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and F17 packs WiFi 6 capabilities alongside Bluetooth 5.2 for extra stable wireless peripheral connection. With 90WHrs 4-cell battery, the TUF Gaming F15 and F17 may not last a whole day, but at least a few hours of use away from the wall socket should be enough for you to get your emails and whatever else done.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 with 11th Generation Intel Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 will be available mid of June 2021 onward at MYR 4,199. The TUF Gaming F17 with 11th Generation Intel Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 will be available at the end of June 2021 at MYR 4,299. The TUF Gaming F15 with 11th Generation Intel Core i7 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 will be available at the end of this month (May 2021) onward at MYR 5,599.
For extra portability, you might want to look at the ASUS TUF Gaming Dash F15, a thinner and lighter TUF gaming notebook like no other. At 2kg, it is no ultrabook. Still, it is a light gaming device with the power to match.
You get the 11th Generation Core i7-11370H processor that also has an Intel Iris Xe Graphics integrated GPU for general usage at lower power draw. For all the high-performance stuff though, this thing packs a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU. Thanks to the integrated GPU, the notebook draws minimal power from the 76WHrs battery and ensures that the notebook can last longer than your average gaming notebooks.
The powerful NVIDIA GPU though powers the 15.6-inch IPS display to push Full HD into your face. You even get fast 144Hz refresh rate to ensure you still have the necessary competitive advantage in any gaming situation. With up to 8GB of RAM, you can be sure that gaming is a smooth and snappy experience.
The ASUS TUF Gaming Dash F15 will be available in two colour options – Eclipse Grey and Moonlight White. The new gaming laptop will be available this month (May 2021) onward. The thinner and lighter TUF Gaming notebook will set you back MYR 4,799.
ASUS ROG Strix G15 and G17 (G513Q-CHN019T, G512Q-CHN020T, G712Q-CHX022T, G512Q-CHN096T)
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
The new ASUS ROG STRIX G15 and G17 packs up to the highly acclaimed AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor. With AMD’s processor, the ROG STRIX G15 and G17 is also a powerful creator class GPU. Pair that with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 and you get a capable video editor and gaming notebook that you can take with you anywhere you want.
You get up to 8GB in RAM and up to 512GB in SSD storage. If those are not enough though there is an extra available slot for you to expand your RAM and SSD storage still. An extra 8GB and an extra 512GB of SSD storage would do you nicely for the ASUS ROG STRIX G15 and G17.
You get to choose up between 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch display sizes for the new ASUS ROG STRIX series. Both sizes are IPS displays that churns out Full HD in resolution too. Of course, for the extra smooth feel and edge in competitive gaming, the displays refreshes at 144Hz.
For all your connectivity needs there is the usual WiFi 6 that should be standard today. It also packs Bluetooth 5.1 for an extra stable wireless peripherals experience. You can find a USB Type-C port, but unfortunately Thunderbolt is not supported on the AMD based notebook.
The ROG STRIX G15 and G17 notebooks with either an AMD Ryzen 5-5600H or the AMD Ryzen 7-5800H will be available this month (May 2021) onward. The AMD Ryzen 5 variant of the ASUS ROG STRIX G15 will set you back MYR 4,199. The AMD Ryzen 7 variant of the ASUS ROG STRIX G15 and G17 will sell for MYR 4,499 and MYR 4,599 respectively. There is also an Elctro Punk special edition ASUS ROG STRIX G15 with AMD Ryzen 7-5800H that comes with its own set of colour matching accessories like a mousepad, a gaming mouse, and a backpack for MYR 4,799.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA401Q-HHZ078TS, GA401Q-CHZ083TS, GA401Q-EK2023TS)
Source: ASUS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, in our books, is one of the notebooks that put AMD’s Ryzen processors name in the gaming laptop map. The first Zephyrus G14 was a brilliant product that received many accolades. That packed the older generation AMD Ryzen 3000 series mind you.
The new one of course packs the new AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS processor to boot. You get to work with up to NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU for all of your gaming and content creation needs. Both the CPU and GPU are supported by an 8GB RAM that you can easily expand with an extra RAM slot in the thin and sturdy body with the very recognisable Matrix LED shell. Storage wise, you get 512GB in SSD with an extra expansion slot too.
The powerful CPU and GPU combination pushes games to up to 144Hz (120Hz for WQHD variant) on the 14-inch IPS display that comes with the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14. You get to spec your Zephyrus G14 with up to WQHD display too if you need the extra resolution for content creation purposes. On both the Full HD and WQHD displays, you get 100% coverage of DCI-P3 for a super deep colour accuracy and Pantone validation as the cherry topping.
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 will be available in Eclipse Grey and Moonlight variants. The ROG Zephyrus G14 with NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1650 GPU will come with a non AniMe Matrix shell while the rest of the variants get the AniMe Matrix panel on the shell of the notebook for extra personalisation. The new AMD Ryzen 7 powered ROG Zephyrus G14 notebook is available this month (May 2021) onward and will start at MYR 4,799 and tops out MYR 6,499.
With the world moving to embrace the work from anywhere culture, it is becoming increasingly imperative that we have capable setups both at work and at home. A third of the workforce is expected to continue splitting their time between home and office even after the pandemic. HP is looking to provide an option with their new HP EliteOne 800 All-in-One (AiO).
Source: HP / HP EliteOne 800
The new AiO from HP is being touted as a virtual conference powerhouse for both home and office. It comes in two sizes – 23.8-inch and 27-inch. Both versions come with an integrated pop-up webcam which not only allows you to connect with colleagues and loved ones but also allows you to put it away when you’re not using it, helping maintain your privacy. HP is also offering an option for a dual-facing 5-megapixel camera which bring additional features including intelligent face tracking which tracks the user’s face allowing them to move about during video calls without being out of focus. It also dynamically adapts to lighting for optimal video quality.
Source: HP / HP EliteOne 800
The HP EliteOne 800 AiO comes with AI Noise Reduction which helps minimise background sounds. The integrated AI helps reduce not only outbound noises but also inbound ones. This will help ensure that you’re heard on the other end even if it gets a little bit noisy. This paired with HP’s run quiet design which maximises airflow and keeps the system running cool and quiet. Your data is also kept secure when you walk away from your PC with the EliteOne 800 AiO with HP’s Presence Aware. The AiO is powered with the latest Intel Core processors paired with high-performance memory and RAM to fit your needs.
Source: HP / HP EliteDesk 800 Desktop Mini
Together with the AiO, HP also announced a new line up of EliteDesk desktops which are configurable to meet the needs of any workspace. The EliteDesk 800 comes in three form factors: the Desktop Mini, Small Form Factor and Tower. These desktops are designed for different workspace needs. The EliteDesk 800 Desktop Mini and Small Form Factor are designed to minimise the physical footprint of the desktop while keeping it cool and packed with power while the Tower is built for ultimate expandability.
Pricing & Availability
No official pricing has been announced by HP for the AiO or desktops just yet. However, it is expected that they will be available worldwide in May.
Samsung’s April 2021 Galaxy Unpacked event saw the new Samsung Galaxy Book devices with Samsung’s Galaxy integration. While you can spec them with NVIDIA’s GeForce MX450 discrete GPU, they are not really made for gaming though. For proper gaming, you need something a bit more powerful, a bit beefier. You need a Samsung Galaxy Book Odyssey gaming notebook.
The Odyssey namesake from Samsung is technically nothing new. Their very popular gaming monitor line-up bears that coveted name. Now that name comes to a gaming notebook and it seems like a no-brainer. At the same time, it is a little bit of a surprise too.
While Samsung has dabbled in gaming, they have only been dabbling in the display part of gaming. They produced the desirable Odyssey G9 ultra-wide gaming monitor, and recently made TVs that supports up to 120Hz for the next-generation gaming consoles. Still, they are no newbies to the video games industry.
Source: Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy Book Odyssey is a little odd though. It is not meant to be the most powerful gaming PC out there. It could come packing Intel’s most powerful mobile based CPU, the 11th Generation Core i7, but it does not come with NVIDIA’s most powerful GPU in their mobile GPU ecosystem. Instead, Samsung took this opportunity to introduce the world to a brand new NVDIA GPU that is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti.
There is not much in terms of information on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti though. In our books, the GeForce RTX 3050 and RTX 3050Ti looks like replacement models to the older GeForce GTX 1660 and GeForce GTX 1660Ti discreet GPUs made for entry-level gaming PCs. In effect, the Samsung Galaxy Book Odyssey is made to be an entry-level gaming PC. In that sense, we do not expect NVIDIA’s highly acclaimed Ray Tracing technology to be available to the notebook.
It is still a Samsung Galaxy Book though so it still has Smart Things integration treatment. You can get your Samsung tablet to be its secondary display too, if you want. Heck, you can properly play AAA titles on your tablet if you do that. Easy Bluetooth connection feature ensures that you can easily connect your Bluetooth headphones to the PC quickly and painlessly. Your smartphone experience can easily be integrated with Link to Windows and Your Phone app on the PC.
Source: Samsung
It is, technically, the heaviest Galaxy Book that will be launched to date though. It weighs 1.85kg, which is really not heavy in the world of gaming notebooks. It is also about 17.7mm thick, which is also not all that thick for a gaming notebook. Its aluminium body looks sturdy and sleek, very much like a modern professional notebook. Its subtle logo and muted colour help it blend in your workplace and meeting room. The Pro Keyboard works with you to keep your emails churning out like a proper professional.
You can opt for up to 1TB of SSD storage for fast access to not just your files, but your games. The SSD also helps reduce loading screens. With up to 32GB of RAM, you will not be wanting more too, even if you need it for heavy video work. Speaking of videos, you are getting a 15.6-inch LCD display with Full HD resolution. No mentions on its refresh rate at this point though. We may only know closer to its launch date in August 2021.
They did not mention its battery life too, although we suspect something closer to 8 hours with 83Wh battery pack. In real life, you can expect something closer to 4 hours of battery life. It comes with a 135W fast charger though, to get the large battery quickly topped up. It is also a unique fast charger, because it is a USB Type-C charger which also means you can fast charge your smartphones with the same charger.
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy Book Odyssey will be available in August 2021 onward in selected markets. We cannot confirm if Malaysia will be part of those select markets at this point of time. The Galaxy Book Odyssey will set you back US$ 1,399 (MYR 5,742*) onward. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Book Odyssey, you can head over to Samsung’s website.
*Based on approximate exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.10 as of 30/04/2021
Samsung’s Galaxy name is not just stuck to smart home products and smartphones anymore with the most recent Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event (April). Now, you can find the Samsung Galaxy name on notebooks. To be fair, this is not the first Galaxy notebook there is, but the last Galaxy notebook did not arrive in Malaysia and was short lived.
This is supposed to be different though, this Samsung Galaxy Book. It is supposed to be better, more seamless, more integrated. It is no Samsung Galaxy Book Pro though, so you cannot expect the same thin and light experience.
It is not that much thicker though at 15.4mm. You do not get the beautiful display that is the AMOLED panel from the Galaxy Book Pro, but it is still an expansive 15.6-inch display pushing Full HD in resolution. With up to an 11th generation Intel Core i7 supported by an NVIDIA GeForce MX450, the Samsung Galaxy Book can still be one powerful workhorse for all your entertainment and work needs.
Source: Samsung
You also get to opt for up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage for all kinds of multitasking needs. If you think that 1TB is a little small, you can expand with another SSD slot within the svelte body of the Samsung Galaxy Book. Covering all the internals is also the same Pro Keyboard you would find on the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro and Galaxy Book Pro 360.
For all day battery you get a 54Wh battery pack within the Galaxy Book. Of course, unlike its Intel EVO approved sisters, you might want to carry the charger around with you. It is the same 65W charger you get from the Galaxy Book Pro and Galaxy Book Pro 360 though. That means carrying and deploying your charger is not more of a hassle than charging your smartphones with USB Type-C charging.
While you do not get a lot of the same hardware treatment from the Galaxy Book Pro series, the Samsung Galaxy Book is also one capable Samsung device that should fit into your Galaxy lifestyle easily. It still allows you to work with a Samsung Galaxy tablet as a secondary display. Link to Windows and Your Phone app works better than ever now too. The Galaxy Book also connects to your Galaxy Buds easily with Easy Bluetooth connection.
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy Book is available in Mystic Silver and Mystic Blue colour options. The notebook will be available 14th May 2021 onward in selected markets at US$ 549 (MYR 2,253*). There are no information or confirmation on its availability and pricing for the local (Malaysia) market just yet. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Book, you can head over to Samsung’s website.
*Based on approximate exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.10 as of 30/04/2021
