Category Archives: News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just Say YES! Cloud Gaming Comes to Malaysia with NVIDIA GeForce NOW

Cloud Gaming is becoming more mainstream with the rollout of faster broadband and 5G worldwide. In fact, certain games on platforms like the Nintendo Switch already use this technology to deliver stunning graphics with their limited hardware. However, until now, there has been no option in Malaysia. Yes, one of Malaysia’s telecommunications providers, is looking to change that with their partnership with NVIDIA to bring GeForce NOW to Malaysia.

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Gamers can rejoice as their mobile devices from smartphones to tablets become top-of-the-line gaming platforms. GeForce NOW allows gamers to use their mobile devices to play AAA titles by offloading the monster’s share of graphics and processing to Cloud servers. NVIDIA’s latest GPUs power these servers’ technology and provide features like ray tracing for eye-melting graphical quality. In Malaysia, Yes 5G will be home to these servers. The company has commissioned the hardware from NVIDIA to run on their 5G network.

This technology allows all of your devices to become gaming devices. With the GeForce NOW app on the Google Play and App stores, you’ll be playing AAA games available on PC on your smartphones and tablets. That’s not all, Smart TVs can do the same all without the need for a console. You will have access to a plethora of games optimised for GeForce NOW from the Steam, Epic and Ubisoft game stores.

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Yes is not only the home to the powerful NVIDIA Grid servers, their network has been proven to be able to support it. In fact, Yes was recently awarded the title of Malaysia’s fastest mobile network by OOKLA and nPerf. The telco is leveraging its network to be the first member of the NVIDIA GeForce NOW Alliance in Malaysia.

GeForce NOW memberships are available exclusively through Yes at cloudgaming.my. Yes is providing GeForce NOW for only RM50 a month or RM500 a year. This plan entails gaming sessions of up to 6-hours of continuous gameplay and access to free games. Additional games can be played by linking your Steam, Epic Games and Ubisoft accounts to GeForce NOW. Linking these platforms will also give you access to the growing number of games that are being optimised for Cloud Gaming.

YES NVIDIA GEFORCE NOW Launch

One of Yes 5G’s catchphrases is “Good things happen when you say YES”. This rings true for the telco’s subscribers. Yes 5G subscribers will get to enjoy a steep 40% discount on the service at RM30 a month or RM300 a year.

So, are you joining the Cloud Gaming revolution?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Price and Availability 

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

realme Launches the New C53 with 33W Charging for Only MYR 599!

We get asked this question all the time; “What smartphone can I buy for less than MYR 1,000? The cheaper, the better”. The answer to that, obviously, is not as straightforward as choosing one smartphone amongst others. Well, it could be, but we just like to either mess with people, or we want to be sure that they are getting the right devices for themselves. Then again, modern smartphones are so good, you can hardly go wrong going with any one of them even if they set you back less than MYR 1,000.

Take the newly launched realme C53 for example, it will set you back MYR 599 and it comes with all the latest features you can expect a mid-range smartphone or even flagship smartphones to have. Of course, if it comes with everything that a flagships smartphone should come it, it will be rather expensive. For MYR 599, there are some compromises.

The first compromise comes from within the device. You get a UNISOC Tiger T615 system on a chip (SoC). It is not the most advanced integrated chip in the market at 12nm, but it does the job well enough. You cannot expect it to be a world eSports beater, but it does play games well enough when the mood takes you.

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Alongside the SoC is a 6GB RAM that can be bolstered with another extra 6GB borrowed from the 128GB of storage. Obviously if you allocate an extra 6GB of storage for RAM use, you get less storage space. If you are filling up the storage fast though, you still have a MicroSD slot that you can utilise to expand its storage, not even your Samsung Galaxy S23 can do that.

The SoC should also run Android 13 with realme UI just fine as well on the large 6.74-inch display that offers Full HD+ resolution. It is a fast one too at up to 90Hz in refresh rate for hat extra smooth feel. For outdoor use, the display peaks out at 560nits, which may not sound very bright, but it works.

Above the display is a notch that houses an 8-Megapixel selfie camera that you can also use for video calls and record up to 720p videos at 30p. At the back though is a high-resolution 50-Megapixel main camera that is paired to another camera that they did not specify. We suspect it is a depth sensor.

Inside the device, keeping the realme C53 running an entire day is a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at 33W at the maximum. While 5,000mAh should keep you running more than an entire day, it is nice to know that you can get the realme C53 plugged in and charged within just two hours before you have to get going again.

Price and Availability

As mentioned, the realme C53 entry-level smartphone will set you back MYR 599. It is now available in Champion Gold and Mighty Black colour options. You can get your hands on one via realme’s official store on Shopee and Lazada, their Official TikTok Store, and their official brand stores and dealers across the nation. For more information on realme’s latest C53, you can visit their website.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[WWDC 2023] iOS 17 is Here, and it is More Personal Than Ever!

At WWDC 2023, the one that just happened, we expected a new iOS, and we got a new iOS for the not so new iPhone, and it is a major one. The iOS 17 replaces the iOS 16 and it is technically better than the older iOS in some ways. No, you do not get a new iPhone to come along the new iOS. Yes, it is still the same iOS that you have come to know and love. The people from Cupertino have made a few minor improvements that might majorly change your user experience though.

New Phone App, Who Dis?

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One of the minor things they changed is the Phone app. It is a minor change but huge experience improvement, supposedly anyway. Instead of a boring plain screen with the usual ‘swipe to answer’ slider and a few other buttons, you can now customise what appears on the caller screen. You can choose a photo that not only appears in a small circle, but fill the entire screen with the photo, just so that you know is calling. You can even change the fonts that shows the name of the caller, just to add some flavour to your friend’s caller ID screen. If you want, you can even add emojis to it. They call it Contact Poster and it does not just work with the default phone app. Apple says that Contact Poster is also available for third-party apps, so you can expect your Telegram and WhatsApp calls.

If you are not available to listen to voicemails, the app also now does real-time transcriptions. That way you can just read your voicemail like it is a text from your friend. You can either choose to reply to your friend via messenger apps or the default messaging app. It even cleverly filters out identified spam calls even when they leave a message.

New Messages Too, Who Dat?

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iOS 17 also updated the iMessage app. While stickers have been a feature for the iMessage app for a while now, they have improved the experience with the 17th iteration of iOS. You can now create Live Stickers, allowing users to quickly create stickers out of their everyday subjects and environments in an instant. All that can be done through the iMessage app itself.

Apple has also overhauled the search engine for their messaging app. It is more precise, more powerful, and much more accurate this time. There is a new catch-up arrow tat allows users to know where their conversations trailed off or where they left their conversation. You can easily reply to different text lines too on the app by just swiping the desired bubble. Live Locations is also a new feature added to the app. Even audio messages can be turned into a text with the new app with Live Transcription. Rather than texting your loved one that you have arrived at your destination safely, the app allows you to quickly Check In to quickly send out notifications to your family members and friends with is a single click. Your emergency contact will also receive information on your location, battery level, and cell service status when you are not making any progress to your destination.

Autocorrect and dictation is now better than ever. Instead of just picking predicted words, you can form full sentences with Autocorrect now. Based on how you type, and the kind of words you like to use, the algorithm can easily complete your sentences as quick as you can hit the spacebar. There is a new speech recognition model too that is supposed to be more accurate for Dictation.

FaceTime, Now on Apple TV

Leaving voice messages is one thing, you could never have left a video message, not like what you do with FaceTime now. Instead of hanging up the video call, you can just directly leave a voice or video message right on the FaceTime app itself. You do not have to hang up and then record a video, or a voice mail and send it to them via your messenger anymore, which adds a layer of convenience to FaceTime that has never been seen before.

FaceTime now also allows users to express like never before. You can be more expressive with the addition of Reactions in FaceTime now. For iPhone users, it is not just FaceTime that gets the feature though, other video calling apps can also take advantage of the new features.

They also made FaceTime even more accessible than ever before. The Apple TV 4K now supports FaceTime with the new update. In fact, the new update will also install FaceTime to Apple tvOS by default. Users can now start video calls directly from their Apple TV hardware and use the cameras from their iPhones or iPads. You can even start the call from your iOS devices and pass the call on to the Apple TV. Center Stage also makes it to FaceTime for Apple TV.

AirDrop, NameDrop, Drop Whatever You Want to Each Other

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AirDrop is the one feature that Android users wish they had, and it is now better than ever. NameDrop now allows users to quickly share contact information by just putting their iPhones close to the other iPhone they want to share information with. You can even do that with Apple Watch devices. AirDrop now also works with SharePlay feature to share music quickly from one iPhone to the other. They also say that you can share a game session with another iPhone user all from using AirDrop bringing all kinds of possibilities for mobile multiplayer gaming.

Everything Else

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Since wireless charging and docking has been a thing now, your iPhone with iOS 17 can be more than just a smartphone you put on the wireless charging station. It can sort of become a quick info hub on the side of your bed, or your workstation with the new StandBy feature. There is also a new Journal app that helps users take notes and keep a log of their daily lives. You can even include photos and videos in the journals app to keep tabs on what you have been up to. They have improve Safari and its Private Browsing functions and protection. There is a new Health app that offers new mental health check and measuring features. Maps is also now available in offline mode, if you need to still find your way around without data. They even improved the Home app so that you can track your use data in the past 30 days. Of course, your Privacy is now more important than ever in iOS 17 with more parental control options and a new Sensitive Content Warning feature that also helps adults navigate the web safely.

Availability

iOS 17 is now available on Beta for developers on the developer link. You technically can sign up as a developer and try out the beta version for yourself. If not, they are releasing a public beta in a month’s time. They have not mentioned the availability of the full-fledged iOS 17 just yet. We are guessing it will be available about a month after the public beta is released. More information on iOS 17 can be found on their website.  

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Razer Introduces the Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed with THX Certification

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

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

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

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

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

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

Price and Availability

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