PUBG Mobile, one of the world’s largest mobile battle royale games, is going all out to celebrate its gamers! The game’s new Air Drop Carnival which kicked off on 4 August 2023, is not only rewarding players but is also bringing world-renowned EDM musician, DJ Alan Walker, to the mobile game.
The event will kick off with the introduction of Cool Island which is available in the Erangel, Livik, Nusa and Sanhok maps. This island will invite players to chill out in epic summer vacay style. They will be able to kick back on recliners and enjoy in-game cocktails to boost their energy. If that wasn’t enough, teams can get their ducks in a row – literally – with new 2 person Duckboats scattered across Cool Island.
You’ll be able to enjoy DJ Alan Walker’s tunes as you kick back and relax on Cool Island. As the Air Drop Carnival Ambassador, he’ll be showcasing his new track “Lands of the Heroes” which was initially announced at the 2023 PUBG Mobile World Invitational. The track was specially produced and written for the PUBG Mobile community. You’ll have until 8 August 2023 to complete the mission to unlock this exclusive track in-game to hear it outside the carnival. You’ll also be able to unlock the Alan Walker-themed set once again during the carnival. It’ll be the first time in four years for players to unlock it!
It’s not just about kicking back and relaxing! The Air Drop Carnival will be giving PUBG Mobile players lots of loot and perks that will be available throughout the carnival. Get your first crate when you log in and actively play throughout the carnival to upgrade it from a Level 1 crate to a Level 5 crate during the Air Drop Carnival. Get to a Level 5 crate and enjoy permanent in-game emotes and your choice of legendary gear along with other prizes. Did we mention? The Legendary set is yours to keep in-game. You’ll even get team-up rating protection when you team up with your squad!
Festivities will culminate on August 18, 2023 – CRATE DAY! On that day, players will be able to open their crates to finally get the prizes for their hard work!
If you haven’t played PUBG Mobile, where have you been all this while? You can download the game on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store right now!
AMD launched their processors with 3D V-Cache technology in their 5000 series of desktop CPUs. The first of the 3D V-Cache equipped CPU was the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D. What this does is basically increases the CPU cache massively allowing for more memory access for the CPU and even the GPU with Smart Access Memory technology. They introduced the same technology too to the new Ryzen 7000 series CPUS rather recently on the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, Ryzen 9 7900X3D, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D.
How they massively increased the size of the cache available to their CPUs is by stacking the V-Cache module on top of their chips, hence the 3D moniker. Instead of spreading the memory module out and about, they stacked the memory modules to increase the height of the processor slightly and in turn increase the size of their cache. While it is a great solution to increase the CPU’s efficiency and effective speed, it is not so great for overclocking since stacking one chip over the other is not necessarily recommended in heat management. Still, we thought it was a great way to make your laptops more powerful without increasing power consumption by all that much or overclocking your chips. While this did not happen in the previous generation Ryzen CPUs, it is happening now with the new AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D made for laptops.
Source: AMD
Source: AMD
Source: AMD
While it might seem like redundant technology for modern laptops, it is a clever technology that might allow you to fully take advantage of high-performing gaming laptops or creator focused laptops. Gaming laptops today come with high speed and high-resolution displays. In most cases, while resolution and detail are the GPU’s responsibility, frame rates and speed are determined by how much a CPU can process. That also means that you want a fast CPU to keep up with fast displays. That is where the 3D V-Cache technology comes in.
For the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D, the 3D V-Cache bumps its memory to a whopping 144MB from the measly 64MB the regular Ryzen 9 7945HX packs. All its 16 cores still clock up to 5.4Ghz and offer about 55W of TDP. Thanks to a larger memory though, the CPU can process much faster than before and keep up with high-speed displays with ease. According to AMD, they have recorded a 15% boost in performance over the regular processor. They are also seeing massive gains even when TDP is at a low 40W.
This is a mobile CPU though, which means that you will not be able to find the chip out in the market on its own. You will find the AMD Ryzen 7945HX3D first in the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 17 X3D in August of 2023. Of course, AMD is working with more partners to bring the X3D technology to more gaming laptops. You can find out more on AMD’s latest Ryzen 7000 series CPU with 3D V-Cache technology on their website.
Gaming laptops can be a better buy than most types of laptops out there. There are going to be some compromises. A gaming laptop is larger and heftier than thin-and-light laptops. Since they are heftier, they are less portable too than thin-and-light laptops. They require more cooling and pack more powerful hardware, hence more power demands and larger power bricks.
While they are less mobile, they are powerful devices that can make short work of anything you can throw at them. When the mood takes you, you can play games. If you want to, you can even create content.
Which one do you get though? This one maybe, the Predator Helios Neo 16; Acer’s latest entry into the gaming laptop market.
It will set you back at least MYR 4,899. The one we got sets you back MYR 6,399. Whichever you buy, you get a premium metal chassis that holds a state-of-the-art cooling solution for your laptop.
The price difference between the two Predator Helios Neo 16 models is about MYR 1,500. Is the MYR 4,899 package worth buying? Should you spend the extra? We find out.
Design
Unlike the Predator Helios 18 and 16, the Neo 16 (as we shall mostly refer to it) has a slightly more complex design at the back of the display. We think that it is to compensate for the lack of external RGB treatment. To a certain extent, we think it is interesting.
That is not to say that the Predator Helios Neo 16 is ugly. We think that the subtle etchings and engravings on the clam add some drama to the laptop. According to Acer, the engravings point to a real location. We have not bothered to find out what they lead to.
The chassis design shares similarities with previous generation Helios laptops. You still get a protruded “tail” of the chassis for optimized cooling surfaces and airflow. Of course, it is also a subtle way of telling the world that it means business. There is also morse code adorning the protrusion that spells either ROTNUERP or PREDATOR (obviously) depending on its orientation.
Inside is the usual affair for gaming laptops. You get an addressable 4-zone RGB keyboard inside. The WASD keys are highlighted with more RGB passthrough, as usual. There is a numpad array too, making this a full keyboard with a large trackpad. Thanks to the arrangement, the main keyboard is pushed further to the left of the device offering a more natural gaming position. Above the keyboard is a familiar air intake perforated grille.
Hardware
You can get your Predator Helios Neo 16 in two configurations. You can either get it with a 13th Generation Intel Core i5 and NVIDIA’s entry-level GeForce RTX 40 GPU. It tops out at Core i7 and GeForce RTX 4060.
16” WQXGA IPS (2560 x 1600) 16:10 aspect ratio 165Hz 100% sRGB NVIDIA G-SYNC
Memory
16GB LPDDR5 1TB PCIe® NVMe™ 4.0 M.2 SSD
Networking and Connections
Intel Killer WiFi 6 AX 1650i Intel Killer Ethernet E2600 Bluetooth 5.1 2x Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C® 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 1x 3.5mm AUX Jack
Battery
90Wh Built-in Li-Po battery 330W proprietary barrel plug power adapter
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64-bit
Miscellaneous
FHD 60p camera 4-Zone RGB Keyboard DTS:X Ultra Audio MicroSD Card Reader DisplayPort over USB-C 2 years On Site Warranty w/ Accidental Damage & Theft
Features
The Predator Helios Neo 16 is not cheap by any means. In fact, in this configuration we have, you are spending a premium for a gaming laptop.
More Useable Rear I/O
The Predator Helios Neo 16’s power inlet port is at the back of the device, same as its predecessor. This time though, the Neo 16 offers an array of ports out the back. There are two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and an HDMI 2.1. That also means that you can either have three monitors connected (two via USB-C, one via HDMI), or use the USB-C ports for other peripherals. Whatever it is, we do appreciate the cable management options that come with rear I/Os.
4-Zone RGB Full Keyboard
As we mentioned earlier, the Neo 16 gets a full keyboard treatment complete with a numpad section. The numpad section looks squeezed because they are rather narrow. That is not a bad thing though, we still prefer having it than not. There are also a few media buttons on top of it alongside the PredatorSense button, which we appreciate.
We still find that the most annoying part of the keyboard is the power and PredatorSense buttons arrangement. The Neo 16’s power button and PredatorSense buttons are integrated into the numpad arrangement and feel the same as any of the other keys. While the power button sits further away, we might still hit it accidentally while we work on the numpad. The PredatorSense button sits right next to the backspace button, which will get even more accidental launches.
Despite the complaint, we like the keyboard. There is enough key travel and tactility to button presses for some needed assurance. It is also quiet enough that it will not annoy anyone at the workplace or the café. We felt like we could get a long essay and email typed out without too much fatigue.
PredatorSense – Go Eco, Go Quiet, or Go Hard
PredatorSense is one of the most unique tuning platforms for gaming laptops. The new one offers a mascot figure on the home page, which is a little unnecessary, we think. That aside though, PredatorSense is one of the more useful software you have in the Neo 16.
It allows you to change between preset Eco, Quiet, Balanced, Performance, and even Turbo modes. Each mode selection gives you a slightly different colour to the iconic ‘Turbo’ button at the top left corner of the keyboard. The PredatorSense interface also monitors the laptop temperatures and spools Acer’s 5th generation Aeroblade 3D Fans when needed. The app is also where you change or turn off your RGB lighting schemes.
NVIDIA Advanced Optimus
NVIDIA’s Advanced Optimus technology allows the GPU to be completely turned off for even quieter operations. That also allows PredatorSense to operate on a single fan (we see an average of 45oC operating temperatures) to keep the laptop quiet in cafés or offices while extending its battery life. When the mood takes you, the discreet GPU kicks in for the extra kick. Obviously with a significant bump in power consumption, you want to make sure that you are plugged in.
The ‘Turbo’ Button – Now the ‘Mode’ Button
One of Acer Predator’s signatures on all their devices is their ‘Turbo’ button, which is now a ‘Mode’ button. While the old ‘Turbo’ button only offers extra speed and noise from your laptop, the new button switches between preset profiles from battery saving eco mode, all the way to opening the taps the 13th Generation Intel Core i7 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 inside the hull of the Neo 16 and then spool up the metal fans.
We think that the mode switch is a much better use of the ‘Turbo’ button. You do not need to navigate into PredatorSense or the bottom right of the Windows taskbar to switch between power modes. You can toggle through different modes with a single button, saving you plenty of time to work on important things like going through your emails and then straight to killing monsters.
Performance
This is a proper gaming laptop with a powerful 13th Generation Intel Core i7 CPU paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. Keeping everything cool is an in-house 5th Generation AeroBlade 3D metal fans with what they call Vortex Flow technology. There is a huge power brick rated at 330W to keep up with the hardware’s power demands.
Multitasking & Productivity
For MYR 6,399 you are getting 16GB in the form of DDR5 RAM. That also means that you are getting some of the fastest sets of 16GB RAM you can get on a laptop. We were able to smoothly work with about 20 Google Chrome tabs, five Microsoft Edge tabs, and 10 Mozilla Firefox tabs. You should not have any trouble working with Microsoft Word, or PowerPoint at most times. The sizeable RAM also benefits large Excel spreadsheets.
We use Adobe’s suites of applications including Lightroom and Premiere Pro. In Adobe Premiere Pro, we find that the Neo 16 works well enough even if you are scrubbing through 4K footage. Of course, once you load in all the special effects, transition effects, and colour correction or grading, the program might slow down a little, but you can scrub through the footage relatively smoothly. It took about 11 minutes for us to export a two minutes 50 seconds 4K 30p video from 4K H.264 format video footage.
Entertainment & Gaming
While it is a Predator gaming laptop, it is not necessarily made for high-end gaming like Acer’s Predator Helios 16 or Helios 18. That does not mean that you will enjoy your games any less.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is not a high-end GPU, it is considered an entry-level gaming GPU. It is still a potent GPU though, made for modern gaming with support for modern hardware. It supports ray tracing technology and DLSS 3.0 upscaling technology. The Neo 16 also features HDMI 2.1 that offers support for 8K displays at 60fps. We think that the laptop can cram a Mini DisplayPort but it might not be too useful.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a capable GPU. You are not going to get anywhere near the Neo 16 display’s 165 frames per second (fps) capabilities at QHD resolution when you play the latest AAA titles at the highest graphics settings. If you adjust your expectations a little, you are going to get a great gaming experience still.
We tested the laptop with Need for Speed: Unbound, F1 2022, Cities Skylines and Death Stranding. In Need for Speed Unbound, we left the game at high settings and got 90 fps. In F1 2022, at the same settings, we got 120 fps, while in Death Stranding, we got about 90 fps on the same preset. While playing Need for Speed: Unbound we found that the average temperature of the Predator Helios Neo 16 is kept at about 70oC. This, we think, can be attributed to the liquid metal thermal paste paired with their proprietary cooling solution.
Battery Life
One of the things we are most impressed with is the Neo 16’s battery life. In our test, we left the Neo 16 on Balanced mode and then eco mode when unplugged, we had a few tabs of Mozilla Firefox tabs open alongside a Microsoft Word document open. We played music through Spotify’s web player on its speakers most of the time. We played a couple of videos on YouTube from time to time.
We managed to get nearly four hours of use time with the Neo 16 in eco mode before the battery percentage hit 20%. In eco mode, your RGB is turned off by default. You still can turn on RGB from PredatorSense if you want to. You technically can push your Neo 16 into high-performance mode on battery power to tank your battery life.
Display & Audio
You get a 16-inch WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) at 16:10 aspect ratio. It is not Mini LED or OLED display, like some other laptops. Instead, you are getting an IPS panel which might seem like a compromises.
While IPS panels do not boast colour saturation and HDR like OLED, they are cheaper. That means that you are not necessarily paying a huge premium just for a slightly better display. IPS panels tend to be a little faster than standard OLED displays today too, making them a little more suitable for competitive gaming, if that is what you are into.
You lose out on colour contrast, local dimming, and the inky blackness that OLED displays can offer, but you are not giving up a lot. IPS displays are still much brighter than regular VA or TN panels and offer colour reproduction far superior to other LCD technologies. With up to 100% sRGB colour gamut, you still get highly saturated and impressive colour contrasts over regular LCD panels and at a super-fast refresh rate at 165Hz.
On games like Need for Speed: Unbound and F1 22, we appreciate the extra world information we can see on the 16:10 aspect ratio. Even with games like Cities Skylines or RTS titles like Age of Empires IV, we appreciate the breadth of things we can see on the screen. We think that open world games like Red Dead Redemption II benefit most since the HUD is less obstructive.
Like Acer’s many laptops, the Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with DTS:X certified audio. There are two down-firing speakers at either side of the Neo 16. The two speakers are not the most powerful speakers you can find on a laptop. They offer rich mid to high tones at medium volumes. We think that the speakers are happiest when you set it to 80% and below. There is no subwoofer to work with low-end power and detail tends to suffer. While it is fine to game on the laptop, the speakers do leave a little more to be desired.
The Predator Helios Neo 16 – Definitely a Heavy Hitter
The Predator Helios Neo 16 that we have here will set you back MYR 6,399. You are paying for the most modern CPU and GPU combination in the form of the 13th Generation Intel Core i7 and NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. While it is a lot of money, on paper, the Helios Neo 16 looks more like the value choice of gaming laptops.
Where most gaming laptops offer Full HD resolutions at this price range, the Helios Neo offers a WQXGA display. You also get 1TB SSD with the Neo 16 where some offers half that storage. Unlike most gaming laptops, you get liquid metal thermal paste for better heat management.
It is a productivity warrior if you are a creator since with enough horsepower under the covers to get your creative work done quickly. The display is even accurate enough for you to do your colour grading with, or a quick photo edit. There is enough storage space to store not just your video workflow but also all the games that you want to take on the road.
It packs enough grunt for you to play most AAA titles on-the-go. You are getting decent enough performance to enjoy your games wherever you set up. If you want, you can even connect 4K monitors to it for more immersive gaming experiences. A decent pair of gaming headphones should also add to the immersion.
It does not look like a typical gaming laptop for 2023. The cover design can be somewhat flashy. We think it looks interesting in a good way. It is not the most handsome thing out there, but it has its charms.
We think that a price difference of MYR 1,500 is large enough to warrant spending less at MYR 4,899, we do think that the MYR 6,399 option is much better in the long term. The MYR 4,899 package is still worth getting, but you are giving up a lot of horsepower for it. If you do have the extra money to spend, you should get the Neo 16 in its Core i7 and GeForce RTX 4060 guise, it is worth those extra pennies.
ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has recently announced its collaboration with the hit anime series Evangelion, centred around the iconic EVA-02 and pilot Asuka.
This collaboration introduces a range of premium PC gaming components and peripherals with striking red and orange colour schemes, including Evangelion-themed decals and art.
For instance, the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero EVA-02 Edition motherboard features EVA-02’s signature colours and patterns, supporting 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and DDR5 memory for top-tier performance.
Source: ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG)
ASUS also boasts exceptional performance with the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 EVA-02 Edition graphics cards. They come with advanced cooling features and an EVA-02 colour theme, accompanied by Asuka art on the backplate.
The ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB EVA-02 Edition AIO cooler combines efficient cooling capabilities with Asuka-inspired artwork. The LED screen can display various Evangelion-themed animations.
Next up, we have the ROG Hyperion EVA-02 Edition chassis, a premium gaming case with an EVA-02-themed lighting panel. It has been designed to match the aesthetics of EVA-02 and house other ROG x Evangelion components.
Source: ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG)
As for fans and gamers seeking an ergonomic and high-performance keyboard, the ROG Strix Scope RX EVA-02 Edition may just tick the boxes. This keyboard spots an EVA-02-themed keycap, a red-and-orange aluminium case, as well as ROG RX optical mechanical switches for reliable and responsive keystrokes.
The last item in the ASUS ROG Evangelion lineup is the ROG Gladius III Wireless AimPoint EVA-02 Edition mouse. The brand claims that the mouse can provide precision and accuracy with its 36,000 dpi. ROG also offers Evangelion-themed mouse grip tapes for added customization.
At the time of writing this article, ASUS has not announced the official release date for the Evangelion lineup. If you are a big fan of New Evangelion, be sure to stick around to find out more!
Samsung launched their updated ultimate gaming monitor back in CES 2023 in January. To be fair, CES 2023 saw Samsung showcasing several versions of their ultimate gaming monitor, the Odyssey G9. One of them was the Odyssey Neo G9 that packs dual UHD resolution on a 57-inch curved panel. While it does sound nice, only NVIDIA’s most powerful GeForce RTX 4090 seems to fit the bill for that display. You might even struggle getting the most out of the monitor even with NVIDIA’s most extreme GPU. The Odyssey Neo G9 is a little unrealistic then. But what about the other monitor Samsung introduced? What about the Odyssey OLED G9?
The Odyssey OLED G9 is not necessarily a new recipe from Samsung. Samsung already made the Odyssey G9 in the prior years. It is an out-of-this-world, hardware-pushing, borderline overkill of a gaming monitor that offers 49 inches of ultra-wide experience in dual QHD resolution at a curve. That also means you do not need to lean to one side of the display to see what is happening at the edge, simply turn your head and you are there. It was, in its day, the ultimate gaming monitor for the ultimate gamers. You want one, until. CES 2023 arrives, and Samsung says they can make this recipe even better.
Source: Samsung
It is a simple recipe; just add OLED into the mix. The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is now born. While it is new in Malaysia, the product has seen the light of day in other regions, including South Korea and the United States. No matter though, that was a month ago and now it is officially arriving in Malaysia.
For starters, if you missed our CES 2023 coverage on Samsung’s ultimate gaming monitor, it offers 49 inches still at 1800R curvature. It still allows you to just swivel your head to see everything clearly and easily from a single spot. You still get the 32:9 dual QHD resolution from the older regular Odyssey G9. It even comes standard with 240Hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth frame rates when possible, and 0.3ms gray-to-gray response time for ultra-fast and responsive gaming. It still comes with AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro for tear-free gaming and visual experience for even more immersion when you game. There is also a new CoreSync and Core Lighting+ that cleverly lights up in RGB and according to what you see on your display to add even more immersion to your games and movies. If you do not want a bulky speaker set-up to take up space on your desk, there are even two 5W speakers to work with.
The biggest change to it, and its party piece, is the OLED panel that this one comes with. It now offers a true HDR experience with DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400 standard. That also means that you are not just getting vivid colours, but an inky black that is more accurately represented than before. You can even start to appreciate the incredibly vivid and bright colours that the Odyssey OLED G9 can now offer thanks to the typical OLED colour reproduction.
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
It is not just games that will pop on the display. You can now opt for the Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC) to come with TizenOS built right into the monitor to directly reach OTT services like Netflix or Prime Video. Since the display real estate is expansive enough, you can even opt to work with multiple views (Multi View) for the ultimate multitasking experience. It is modernized too, to take on the future world. It offers HDMI 2.1, Micro HDMI 2.1 and Display Port 1.4 inputs with Auto Source Switch+ so that you can work with multiple devices quickly. They redesigned the stands too, sturdier than ever while still allowing you to easily adjust its height and tilt.
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is now available for MYR 9,499 (G93SC) onward. For MYR 500 on top of that (MYR 9,999), you can get the Odyssey OLED G9 with smart TV functionalities. You can head over to the nearest Samsung authorised dealer or Samsung official stores to get your hands on one of these gaming monitors. You can even head to their online stores to make a purchase. If you do get your monitor between now to 31st of August 2023 though, you get to buy your Odyssey OLED G9 for MYR 8,074 and MYR 8,499 respectively. For more information on Samsung’s latest Odyssey OLED G9, you can visit their website.
PUBG Mobile has been on a roll lately with its updates. The new version 2.7 update also marks a new content collaboration with the popular anime franchise Dragon Ball – more specifically with the latest installation in the long-running anime Dragon Ball Super. The new content partnership will see two new additional modes in PUBG Mobile and kicks off on 13th July and will run until September 4th 2023.
Shenron, Ki & Dragon Balls Reimagine Gameplay
During this time, players can take part in a new Dragon Ball Super Themed Mode where they will have to search for the seven Dragon Balls to reign supreme. The new mode will happen in-game and will continue to have PUBG Mobile’s signature PvP battle royale gameplay. Upon collecting the seven sacred spheres, players will be able to summon Shenron at the Shenron Summoning Altar for powerful in-game buffs. The altar is also the cornerstone of a new hidden Dragon Ball trial where you’ll need to gather all seven balls, defend the altar and make a wish; all while being completely exposed to your enemies. Yep – they’ll be able to see your every move!
There are also four new Dragon Ball Super areas in-game, more specifically in the Erangel, Livik and Sanhok areas. The Dragon Ball Village”, “Tenkaichi Budokai”, “Kame House”, and “Karin Tower” areas will look familiar to Dragon Ball Super aficionados as they’re built to resemble areas and the architecture from the series. What’s more, they’ll have goodies that may just come in useful in your quest for that Chicken Dinner. You can even ride the Air Car to traverse the battlegrounds.
PUBG Mobile’s version 2.7 update also comes with a new “Ki” component which allows players to gather “Ki” for increased mobility. You’ll even be able to use the legendary skill – “Kamehameha” – to make quick work of your enemies.
PUBG Mobile Goes Full Dragon Ball Super
PUBG Mobile will also be taking things a step further as it adopts the signature animated art style of Dragon Ball Super. The stylistic change will take place between July 15 and September 4th 2023. During this time, players will be able to play as Son Goku, Vegeta, Frieza, Piccolo and Ultimate Gohan complete with their signature moves in their quest to be the last one standing.
As part of this brand-new mode, you will be able to gather Spirit Crystlets and Spirit Crystals from the ground to restore energy and upgrade your moves with a cap at Level 4. In addition, you’ll be able to traverse and manipulate the map with a variety of new features such as Teleport Points and Updraft.
There will also be exclusive outfits during this collaboration which feature Goku, Vegeta and Frieza and even companions Pilaf and Karin. But that’s not all, Tencent Games is teasing even more coming on August 14, 2023.
Powerful gaming laptops are known to be quite large and bulky in nature. There is a good reason for that. Since a laptop is meant to be mobile while packing everything you need in a PC, there is always the concern of space within the hardware to pack enough cooling for the heat producing components inside. Gaming laptops, inevitably, pack more powerful components than regular laptops. That also means that the cooling requirements are a lot more than before requiring larger more powerful fans inside a laptop that adds plenty of heft to it.
Computing technology has progressed so much today that a gaming laptop today is vastly more powerful, and more purpose built than ever before. With more power comes more heat, which also needs a larger, heftier solution than before. But cooling technology has also improved so much that the cooling solutions today are much more efficient than before.
All these things culminate in a thin-and-light gaming solution like we have never seen before, basically the Acer Predator Triton 14.
The Acer Predator Triton 14 is a new thin-and-light gaming laptop from Acer’s gaming skunkworks division reimagining the ultra-portable thin-and-light laptop for productivity. It is created not just for gamers in mind, it is created for the creative professionals, content creators, and even the accounting professionals who just have a knack for gaming in their down time. It weighs just 1.7kg, which is no lighter than a regular thin-and-light laptop. For a gaming laptop with powerful internal though, it is a big deal. It is also only 18.9mm thick, which is also no thinner than a regular laptop, but it does pack a lot of power underneath with optimal cooling solutions.
Within the all-metal body construction is a powerful 13th Generation Intel Core i7 that is paired with up to NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4070 GPU for laptops for maximum performance. You can fit the Predator Triton 14 with up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM operating at 6,000 MHz transfer speeds and up to 1TB of PCIe NVMe Gen4 SSD for smooth and fast operations in both gaming and productivity situations.
The powerful components power Windows 11 through an impressive 14-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS display. The display offers 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut to cater to even the most demanding creators or creative professionals on the road. For when the mood takes you, the display also offers 165Hz for a smooth butter like gaming experience. With Intel’s Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675i modem inside the Predator Triton 14, it can go wireless and still play games online as if it was connected via a LAN cable – smooth, stable, and speedy. There is even a Full HD webcam that offers AI-enabled features like Purified View for improved images, automatic framing, advanced background blur, and gaze correction for video calls.
To keep everything cool and running at its best is Predator’s latest and most advanced cooling system ever. The 5th generation AeroBlade 3D fans are made of metal and to be as thin as possible to maximize airflow (Vortext Airflow), to cool the heat transfer components to keep temperatures manageable. The new Triton 14 is also equiped with Liquid Metal thermal grease for even more efficient cooling for better performance in the long run.
Price and Availability
The Acer Predator Triton 14 is now available at Acer’s eStore and official stores on Shopee and Lazada. You can also get your hands on one from select Acer Concept stores throughout the nation. Purchases made before the 16th of July 2023 are entitled to free gifts worth MYR 699 that includes an Acer Nitro VG270E 27-inch gaming monitor and a one-year license for Trend Micro’s Antivirus. More on the Predator Triton 14 can be found on their website.
Virtual Reality (VR) isn’t anything new. In fact, it’s been around for ages! When we were younger we had attractions like SEGA City which brought some of our favorite characters to life with VR, today we’re able to bring these experiences with us anywhere we go.
The PICO 4 is one of the first VR headsets that enable these experiences. It allows you to take a deep dive into games and content. You can escape reality even if it’s for a short gaming session. But these experiences are becoming more ubiquitous with games like Final Fantasy XVI and Resident Evil launching with VR experiences built-in.
That said, we’re looking at the big picture – does the PICO 4 deliver on the promises of VR and its experiences? Is it worth the money?
Let’s find out!
Design
The PICO 4 headset is a pretty sleek device. It’s minimalistic in its approach having a simple black and off-white color and it’s built to last. It’s made of high-quality, durable plastic that doesn’t scratch easily. Of course, it goes without saying that dropping the PICO 4 isn’t recommended. That said, PICO XR seems to have gone out of its way to make the headset feel premium too. It’s slightly heavier than other headsets weighing in at 583g, however, it’s got better weight distribution and ergonomics.
The headset itself isn’t too front-heavy. So, it’s not uncomfortable to wear for long stretches. PICO has managed to minimize the size and weight of the front portion of the headset thanks to the pancake lenses that they’ve used. They’ve also created better weight distribution by placing the battery pack in the back portion of the headband. That’s about 40% of the weight of the headset that’s at the back of the headband instead of on your face!
Overall, the design and build of the headset are more ergonomic than most of the other VR headsets available in the market right now. The small tweaks that they’ve done throughout the headset create an overall better product which allows you to wear it without much issue for longer VR gaming sessions.
Hardware
The PICO 4 is one of the first VR headsets to come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR platform which is built to enable VR and augmented reality (AR) experiences. It’s built from the ground up to deliver cutting-edge VR graphics and perform independently from a dedicated PC. PICO XR as a company has built its own OS to complement the hardware and focuses on delivering the best VR immersion from the time you power on the headset.
Specifications
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 (7nm) Octacore 64 bit
RAM
8GB (As Tested)
Memory
128GB (As Tested) 256GB
Optics
Pancake Lens 105° Field of View 20.6 PPD 62-72mm adjustable inter-pupillary distance
Display
4320×2160 pixels resolution (2160×2160 each eye) 70Hz/90Hz refresh rate
Operating System
PICO OS 5.0
Battery
5,300mAh Fast Charging (20W)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Dual band WiFi Bluetooth 5.1 USB 2.0 (Type-C)
Audio
Integrated High Fidelity Speakers Dual Mic
Sensor
6DoF Positioning System
Retail Price (Malaysia)
MYR 1,699 (128GB) MYR 1,899 (256GB)
Retail Price (US)
USD$ 449.99 (128GB) USD$ 559.99 (256GB)
User Experience
The PICO 4’s user experience starts with the feel of the headset on your head. As mentioned in our design section, it’s designed to be more ergonomic than most of the VR headsets available in the market right now. This ergonomic approach is much appreciated especially when you’re going at it hard in a game like Beat Saber.
The PICO 4 also allows you to adjust the interpupillary distance between the two lenses between 62mm and 72mm. Be-spectacled users – like myself – are very thankful for this feature as it allows us to align the interpupillary distances of the PICO 4 and our spectacles. PICO XR has also included an extra spacer in the box which allows you to have your spectacles on while you use it if you want to. I can tell you that this helps many of us with motion sickness – which I go into detail in the following section. You can even go lower to 58mm but the headset will show you a prompt telling you that it may be a little uncomfortable as the headset might start pinching on your nose. However, getting the right pupillary distance does drastically improve visual clarity and allows for a better gameplay experience.
The headset comes with PICO OS 5.0. It’s a simple, easy-to-understand OS that is also easy to navigate. Setting up the PICO 4 is also simple with the guided setup. Once you’re set-up, you’ll be treated to the most aesthetic scene we’ve experienced in VR and this scene is your home screen with a soft overlay of all the icons you can initiate. You’ll be able to download games from the PICO store to play natively on the PICO 4. It can also hook up to a PC with Steam or a console like the PlayStation 4.
You’ll need a space that’s clear of any obstructions to play. Of course, the larger this area is, the better your experience. However, unlike some of its competition, you won’t need to mount cameras everywhere or need a large space to play. The PICO allows you to define spaces – large, medium, or small. That said, the best part is the ability to define a space, even if it’s a small area in your room. Using these custom boundaries makes VR even more accessible as space isn’t an issue anymore. What happens when you hit a boundary? The PICO 4 headset goes into pass-through mode which allows you to see your surroundings. You can trigger this mode by simply touching the right side of the headband.
Motion Sickness Isn’t An Issue
Moving around in the PICO 4 isn’t as disorienting as you’d expect. In fact, somehow, it’s the only VR headset that I’ve used for more than 25 minutes. I usually get motion sickness after 25 minutes even with headsets like the HTC VIVE or Meta’s Oculus Rift. That said, with the PICO 4, I was able to play a first-person zombie shooter without feeling motion sickness or any disorientation. In fact, it felt unnervingly natural to be behind the lenses of the PICO 4.
The only time it became a little disorienting was when I used pass-through mode. This was more because the cameras took time to transmit the images to my eyes. But once I was adjusted, there wasn’t much disorientation. That said, it takes time to adjust every time you launch into pass-through mode. It might be a software issue that PICO XR can address in a software update, however, we doubt you’ll be spending much time in pass-through mode.
The only other time there was a bit of disorientation was when it came to games like Iron Guard VR. During my gaming session, I did find myself feel slowly losing balance while I was “walking” around the game map. But this was more due to the fact that I was moving in-game and not physically which actually speaks to the lack of an accelerometer in the PICO 4. That said, not many other VR headsets have it either.
Performance
We will be approaching the PICO 4’s performance a little differently. It’s the first time we’re fully reviewing a VR headset and we’re trying to encapsulate our whole experience into the article. So, we’ll take it step by step with visuals, audio, battery life, compatibility, and even other aspects which we’ll highlight later on in the article.
Visuals
Let’s dive into the most important thing when it comes to VR – the visuals. The PICO 4 comes with two 2160×2160 pixel screens that make up the high-resolution display of the headset. It delivers a 4320×2160 total resolution which is slightly higher than UHD. The displays in front of your eyes deliver vibrant, rich graphics at 70Hz or 90Hz. This makes the experience of gaming in them a lot more immersive. While the frame rate may not be as high as a smartphone, TV, or gaming monitor, it lends itself to providing a better experience when it comes to VR. It’s less disorienting and feels easier on the eyes.
The high-resolution displays of the PICO 4 allow the experience to be even more immersive. The graphics are sharp, and you hardly realize when there is any pixelation or artefacting. The increased resolution also helps as it makes you feel like you are in-game. The graphics wrap around you and feel like you’re looking out naturally in fantasy games.
Audio
Good visuals need to pair with good audio and the PICO 4 has a good set of speakers; the mic, however, is a different case. The speakers that are built-in to the PICO 4 are high-fidelity speakers that support spatial audio. They’re not groundbreaking but they are good enough to immerse you in whatever content you’re indulging. The bass is punchy with an acceptable overall soundstage.
That said, the PICO doesn’t come with 3.5mm headphone jacks if you want to use better-quality headphones. The silver lining when it comes to audio is the PICO 4’s support for Bluetooth 5.2 which means that you’ll be able to use your favorite Bluetooth gaming headsets or TWS earbuds with the system. You’ll have to keep in mind that the band of the PICO 4 is rigid on the sides with some touch features so you’re probably better off using TWS earbuds.
The PICO 4 comes with dual microphones built in. However, getting them to work, especially when connecting to PC or another system is finicky at best. During our time with the system, we had issues when it came to getting the microphones to work properly – particularly when it came to connecting it to a PC. This might have been an issue with the drivers as the speakers and microphones were getting mixed up. The computer that we used to test it kept recognizing the speakers as the microphone and vice versa.
Recording sound from the PICO 4 itself was also affected by a weird issue which caused a lot of feedback from the microphones. We weren’t able to rectify it during our time with the PICO 4. But there are tutorials online that have figured to address the issue with some remapping. That said, the minor driver issue aside, the PICO 4’s audio is a pretty impressive combination. It delivers an immersive audio experience despite having some teething issues with the PC.
Controls
The PICO 4 comes with two controllers out of the box. The controls interact with the sensors in the headset. The PICO also doesn’t display the controllers as hands in the VR interface instead it shows the controllers with a green indicator with where to which is a welcome visual cue.
When it comes to gameplay, the PICO 4’s controllers are quite responsive. There’s hardly any noticeable delay between clicking and moving the controller and the action in-game. Latency aside, the build of the controllers is also pretty durable. They feel sturdy and have a nice grippy underlayer. The added wristbands provide additional peace of mind that the controllers won’t accidentally go flying.
The controllers for the PICO 4 are also very lightweight. You won’t be giving your biceps and wrists too much of a workout with the controllers – perfect for an extended gaming session too. It’s also very balanced even with its lopsided design. The ring portions don’t force your wrist into a weird position nor does it add much weight.
That aside, the only way you’ll be interacting with the interface or games for the PICO is through the controller, aside from the limited touch interaction on the sides of the headsets, there are no gesture controls or voice controls built-in to the PICO 4.
Cross Compatibility & Connectivity
While the PICO 4’s interaction methods may be limited, its compatibility isn’t. Setting up the PICO as a standalone device is easy enough. You can also stream the visuals onto a TV or smart monitor if you want to share in on the experience. It’s as easy as installing an app on any Android TV from the Play Store. The PICO VR app will instantly allow you to do this without much setup.
The same goes for Windows PCs with the PICO Link application. Once installed either via the Steam store or as a direct download application, you’ll be able to play games from your Steam Library on the PICO 4. Most of our review time was spent playing VR Games this way. Simplicity is key as the headset opens up a lot more options when it comes to games with cross-compatibility. You can also link up to a PlayStation system, be it PS4 or PS5, using an app as well. You’ll be able to find tutorials for this with a simple Google search, however, keep in mind that Sony also makes the PSVR and leans towards its own hardware when it comes to VR experiences on its consoles.
Of course, wired connectivity works better when it comes to the PICO 4 and signal fidelity with PC and other hardware. The only option available at the moment is the USB-C port that comes on the PICO 4. However, the cable that comes in the box will have you sitting less than 2 meters from your system if you want to use it. If you still want to go the wired route, you’ll need a cable that can do both fast charging and high-capacity data transfers and a long one at that.
Sticking to wireless was the way we went. We’d advise having a WiFi connection that’s at least a WiFi 5 (802.11ac); a WiFi 6 (802.11ax) connection would be better. These WiFi connections allow for larger amounts of data to be transferred which leads to a better gameplay experience.
Battery Life
Playing wirelessly does limit your play time though. In our experience, the PICO 4 lasted around 2 hours without being plugged in. With a power pack or being tethered increases the time slightly to about 3 hours if not slightly more. That said, it’s good to take a break from VR every so often to prevent too much eye strain.
The controllers on the other hand are still running on their first charge! We spent about 10 hours on the PICO 4 and have yet to need to change the AA batteries on the controllers. You can also swap them out for high-capacity rechargeable batteries if you want to be a little bit more environmentally aware.
The PICO 4 is the friendliest, most affordable VR Headset with the widest compatibility that makes VR more accessible than ever.
Having spent quite some time with the PICO 4, the system is one of the most compelling arguments when it comes to taking that step into the VR gaming space. Not only is it one of the most affordable options on the market, it’s also the most feature-rich at its price point. It’s got everything you’ll need to get started – even an independent OS and marketplace.
It’s the perfect VR package for any gamer. Even for more advanced VR users, the PICO 4 could be the best thing since sliced bread. The system strikes a balance between ergonomics, functionality, and even features that allow it to compete with systems that are more advanced. Having an unbound headset with a customizable play area unlocks VR for everyone who’s interested regardless of their space restraints.
The Nintendo Switch was launched in 2017. The global release of the world’s most revolutionary handheld gaming console was on the 3rd of March in 2017 specifically. Counting today, the Nintendo Switch, considering its v1 iteration, is now six years, three months, and 25 days old. To put that into context, the PlayStation 4 Pro, with significantly more powerful hardware than the handheld, was launched on the 10th of November 2016, just about four months prior to the Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation 5 was announced on the 4th of April 2019, about three years after the upgraded PlayStation 4 was released, and officially launched on the 12th of November of 2020, about a year later and four years after PlayStation 4 Pro. While it is fair to say that the gap between the original PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 is about seven years, you must consider that the PlayStation 4 Pro came with a significant update enough that it looked more like the next-gen console over the original hardware. So yes, the Nintendo Switch is old even with the consideration of the OLED variant they announced just a few years ago, with no realistic announcement or indication of a replacement coming anytime soon.
While it is not Nintendo’s most successful hardware, it is one that really put Nintendo on the main map of mainstream gaming consoles while also pushing their own exclusive titles and existing assets to the next level. In that case, despite Nintendo’s poor history in product continuity, it only makes sense for Nintendo to prolong and expand the Nintendo Switch line-up especially with updated hardware. Their shareholders meeting notes from last week seems to confirm that, which is a relief to those of you that have been patiently waiting for Nintendo to update the Switch.
In the meeting notes, the President and CEO of Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa mentions that the next-generation console, whatever it will be called, will support games from the aging Nintendo Switch. That also means that if you have a Nintendo account with the switch, you should be able to transition to the new hardware system as smoothly as just signing in, pretty much like PlaySation and Xbox. Whatever you have bought from the Nintendo eStore will be carried over to the new system.
The same cannot be said with the cartridges you have bought previously though. They also did not reveal any specifics on the hardware of the next-generation console. There are also no real dates that have been mentioned for the next-generation console. Nintendo just had their Nintendo Direct announcement as well that showcased plenty of new games and DLCs for older games, which is further indication that the next-generation console will not make it to the shelves anytime soon. The meeting notes are confirmation though that they are working on a next-generation console, a consolation at least.
Update 8:45pm – The ROG Ally First sales have sold out in record time!
Handheld gaming is going more mainstream than ever with the ASUS’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) throwing their hat in the ring. The recently announced ROG Ally is making its debut in countries across the world. The latest country to get the handheld gaming device? Malaysia of course!
The handheld runs on AMD’s Z1 Extreme processor. It runs on the latest Zen4 architecture and promises enough power to run most games and power efficiency for a respectable gaming session. The Malaysian version of the ROG Ally will come with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal SSD storage.
It comes with a 7-inch, IPS-level display with an FHD resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. It has a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits brightness.
The ROG Ally will officially be priced at MYR3,299. At the time of writing, ASUS has only announced a single variant of the ROG Ally for the Malaysian market. It will be available in retail on July 1, 2023, at the ROG Roadshow happening in Plaza Low Yat and at ROG Ally authorized dealers nationwide.
Together with the gaming handheld, ASUS is offering a slew of accessories including the ROG Ally Travel Case priced at MYR199 and the ROG Gaming Charger Dock which comes with HDMI 2.0 support at MYR299.
Of course, being an ROG device, the Ally is also compatible with ROG’s XG Mobile platform which provides even more power for the device when you hook it up. They give access to top-of-the-line GPUs for mobile devices which include the ROG Flow Z13 laptops. There are currently three versions available in Malaysia, the XG MOBILE RTX4090 which retails for MYR 999, the XG MOBILE RTX3080 which retails for MYR7999 and the XG MOBILE RX 6850M XT which retails at MYR6999.
The first sales which are happening now will be bundled with the ROG CETRA True Wireless earbuds, the ROG Ally Travel Case, the ROG Gaming Charger Dock, a screen protector and 9-month access to XBOX PC GamePass. The bundle is worth MYR1,299.
