Category Archives: Reviews

The Acer TravelMate P6 (2022) In-Depth Review – Perfectly Average

November 9, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Working on-the-go is pretty much the name of the game in the modern corporate world. Thanks to the advances in technology too, the concept of working from anywhere in the world is made a reality. With laptops that offers battery life beyond a full workday, you can technically open your laptop from anywhere and get work done at any time.

To be fair, battery technology has not progressed all that much. The Lithium battery that we are used to today has been the same battery technology that we have seen over the past 10 years. What has progressed though is our understanding of silicon technology and how to make transistors smaller, more powerful, and even more efficient. With Intel’s modern Core processors at least, it finally happened, we have laptops that can run on battery longer than 10 hours on a single charge.

That leads us to this Acer TravelMate P6 made for the corporate world. It is also made for corporate employees who travel. In that sense, it is made to last for an entire day on a single charge. It is meant to be whipped out and get you productive anytime, anywhere.

At MYR 6,680, it is not exactly the most affordable laptop for corporate use. In fact, there are many thin-and-light laptops that cost less. The Acer Swift 5 for example, offers the same Intel Core i7, more RAM at 16GB, and better touch screen display while costing about MYR 600 less.

So, what makes this TravelMate P614P special? Why does it cost more than the Acer Swift 5? Is it worth its asking price? Should you get it? We dive right in.

Design

It looks just like any other laptops out there. It is rather unassuming. There is not much in terms of angles and tapers. It is just a rectangular piece of kit that is made mostly out of aluminium. You also get an Acer logo on the top right corner behind the display.

Even the colour is rather plain in its Navy Blue guise. The only other colour you can find on the device is the chrome strips that are also the hinges that holds the bottom and top half of the laptop together.

Then you open it up and the simplistic approach continues with the aluminium bezels surrounding a 14-inch Full HD display. The keyboard and trackpad are pretty much standard designs with the power button integrated into the layout instead of it being a separate button placed elsewhere. That way, you save same spaces on top for a slightly roomier keyboard and larger trackpad.

Because most of the laptop is made from aluminium, it feels solid with minimal flex all around. There is a little bit of play in the aluminium bezels, though not at alarming levels. We suspect that it was because the bezel also houses the webcam.

Hardware

The Acer TravelMate P6 we have here is not an entry-level device. You get a powerful 11^th generation Intel Core processor that powers Windows 11 Pro. There is no discrete GPU here though, just Intel’s Iris Xe graphics.

Specifications

ACER TravelMate P614-52	As tested
Processor (clock)	Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 processor 2.80 GHz quad-core with Turbo Boost (up to 4.70GHz) and 12MB cache
GPU	Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
Display	14” IPS Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 aspect ratio
Memory	8GB LPDDR4X 1TB PCIe® NVMe™ 3.0 M.2 SSD
Networking and Connections	Intel WiFi 6 (802.11ax) Bluetooth 5.0 2x Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C® 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 1x Type-A 1x HDMI 2.0 1x MicroSD card reader 1x 3.5mm AUX Jack
Battery	Lithium Ion battery with up to 20 hours of battery life (quoted) 65W Type-C power adapter
Operating System	Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
Miscellaneous	HD camera Backlit Keyboard Stereo Speakers Far Field Microphone DisplayPort over USB-C Thunderbolt 4 MIL-STD 810H Windows Hello with Facial Recognition

Features

Of course, at over MYR 6,000 you need some selling points. This one is a business specific laptop, which also means security is everything. Leaks at your work is not an option.

Windows 11 Pro

The Pro variants of Windows has always been the just a little bit better than the Home variants. There is no difference in terms of the user interface. Everything should be familiar to a Windows 11 home user, or even Windows 10 users.

Windows 11 Pro is designed with security in mind. On the Pro edition, you can set passwords on your drives with BitLocker. BitLocker also allows you to lock your PC remotely until you can recover it or forever, jus to make sure that your data is safe even when your device is not.

Windows Hello Security

Yes, all Windows PC comes with Windows Hello function. But that does not mean that every PC does what the TravelMate P6 does with Windows Hello.

Most Windows PC must settle with Window Hello Pin. The TravelMate P6 boasts facial recognition with IR blaster that allows you to use it in lower light condition too. You can use the fingerprint sensor if you want to, or if you choose to cover you webcam with the physical webcam cover.

There is also an added advantage to having an IR blaster right next to your webcam. Your PC knows if you are in front of the laptop or not. That way, the PC locks the moment you move away from the laptop to keep prying eyes from all your important documents. Once you come back, the TravelMate P6 unlocks in no time and you are back at it.

Simple Keys

Backlit keyboard is sort of expected. While it is a normal thing for modern laptops, it is still something highly appreciated, especially indoors and in low-light conditions. On the Travelmate P6, the backlighting is a soft backlight glow that does not attack your eyes.

In certain situations, we find the keyboard backlighting dim. The good thing is that we would have to turn the display’s brightness down a notch to match the backlit keyboard. That way you strain your eyes less.

There is an issue though. You cannot adjust the brightness of your keyboard backlight; it is either on, or off. The backlight also turns off on its own after about 30 seconds. We would appreciate some adjustments on the backlighting.

Acer has been really stepping up in their keyboard game, especially ones on their productivity laptops. The chiclet style backlit keyboard should be quite a familiar one if you have worked with Acer laptops before. You get pretty much the same layout with the power button still integrated into the layout on the Function rows. The power button now doubles as the fingerprint sensor but is not backlit. You can hardly mistake its position though.

While we have been complaining about this sort of layout, Acer sort of solved it by offering a power button that feels completely different than other keys. To hit your power button and get your Travelmate P6 going, it must be a deliberate press. It also prevents accidental turn offs.

The keyboard itself feels good, despite its limited travel. The bottom out feels rather solid but not harsh. They are not mushy either, just the right amount of tactility, bounce, and feedback. You can type long emails without getting too fatigued. The size of the keyboard is quite perfect for various hand sizes to get comfortable with.

Full I/O Ports

The slim form factor means that the Travelmate P6 is lighter and more portable than regular laptops. Its 14-inch display is just the right size that it is easily pocket able while remaining productive use cases. Its thickness is also perfect to work with when it comes to a full-sized USB Type-A and HDMI port.

Of course, the Travelmate P6 comes with two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 capabilities. That means you can connect with more than one monitor. This time, the Acer Travelmate P6 charges via either USB Type-C ports by default. There are no proprietary ports here, which also means that your bundled charger can also be used to charge all your USB Type-C devices.

On the other side is a MicroSD slot and a 3.5mm combo jack. While we appreciate a form of memory card reader, we think that a fully sized SD card slot would have been a better deal. Still, MicroSD cards are more accessible now, so it may not be such a bad thing.

WiFi 6 Connectivity

WiFi 6 is not technically an exclusive feature on the Acer TravelMate P6. It is technically a standard feature of all modern computing devices you see today. But it is worth talking about.

The current WiFi standard is still relevant. Many homes are still working with regular WiFi technology. Once you go on WiFi 6 though, you might not be able to downgrade.

We have a 500Mbps internet connection at home with our service provider’s default WiFi 6 router. In all our tests, we could constantly hit speeds well above 300Mbps. While the quality of the router does play a big role in the internet speed the signal can carry, the graph from Speedtest tells us that connection is rather stable, even at lower signal strengths, and that is important in work from home situations.

Performance – Intel’s 11^th Generation Core + Iris Xe Power

No, it does not have Intel’s Arc GPU to work with. It has Intel Iris Xe, one of Intel’s newer GPU implementations for mobile computing. This came before Intel’s new Arc GPUs, and there are currently not Arc GPU for the mobile platform just yet, be patient.

Multitasking & Productivity

While the Iris Xe is an integrated GPU, it is a proven platform for most productivity situations. It is even capable of light video editing work. Intel quotes 4K video editing capabilities, it is possible, but you need some patience. You are better off rendering your videos with older gaming laptops once you are done with your edits on the TravelMate P6.

If you are not hard pressed on working with videos with the Travelmate P6, it works well. The one we have here is Intel’s 11^th generation Core i7 processor. It is not the same one you will find in gaming or the latest laptops, but it is still potent. The only thing we think that might be holding back the Travelmate P6’s potential is its limited RAM at 8GB.

While 8GB of RAM is enough for Windows 11 Pro to work with, we think that it is at the edge of what is acceptable in terms of multitasking. The laptop does tend to struggle a little when we try to have too many tabs open at once on Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox. We think that at its selling price, the Acer Travelmate P6 deserves a larger RAM as well with the option to expand.

In that sense though, you should not be left wanting too much more from the laptop. The Travelmate P6 is made for mostly Word processing, PowerPoints, emails, and viewing Excel sheets. In those functions, the device will cope well with no struggles.

Entertainment

It does most of the entertainment stuff well enough too. The display only does 1080p Full HD. Netflix and Prime Video app should work smoothly and have no trouble making use of the full 1080p resolution of the display with the provided hardware. If you have a 4K display, you can easily take advantage of that via the USB Type-C or HDMI ports and Netflix and app projecting at 4K resolution.

Battery Life

One of the biggest plus points of this Acer Travelmate P6 is its long battery life. In our typical use, with about 10 tabs open across Microsoft Edge and Firefox, three Microsoft Word documents open, and music streaming, the Travelmate P6 manages more than 12 hours of combined continuous use without charging. We did not wait for the battery to completely drain, but if we leave the laptop charged throughout the evening, we did not have to be break out our charger the next day.

Display and Audio

Like we mentioned that you get a 14-inch Full HD display. It is a 16:10 aspect ratio display, which is an aspect ratio we can fully get on board with. The aspect ratio is also why you can get a 14-inch display in a body that is no larger than a traditional 13-inch laptop.

We think that Full HD is adequate on a 14-inch laptop made for work. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel will not look any better on a higher resolution display. At the same time, a higher resolution display might mean that everything from your desktop icons to quick launch menu be even smaller than they are necessary, making navigation a pain.

For entertainment, the IPS display is not the most colour accurate display you can find on a laptop. It does not need to be though. Colours are vibrant enough for movies and videos to look good and immersive. You will not be wanting to do full colour grading work with the monitor, but at least you get a good and enjoyable colour range to entertain yourself with.

In terms of Audio, the Travelmate P6 comes packing DTS audio tuning. You still don’t want to expect big sounds from the tiny speakers from the laptop though. It is acceptable, the audio. The quality may not be the best. This laptop does not feature a subwoofer too, which means you get a rather tiny bass response from it.

For video calls, it works rather well. If you are not sitting in a crowded environment, the speakers are rather excellent. There are far-field mics as well on the laptop to ensure that it picks up your voice just as it sounds. While you are not getting the best video quality from the webcam, your audio, probably the most important thing in a video call, is clear.

The Acer Travelmate P6 – Not Perfect, But Quite Fitting

At MYR 6,680, the Acer Travelmate P6 is not what you would call budget friendly; it is an expensive laptop. For the same money, you can set yourself up with a mid-range gaming laptop. For less money, you can get yourself a high-end thin-and-light PC, albeit without Windows 11 Pro.

The extra money you pay to get this over other thin-and-light laptops buys you more security. It buys you a well thought fingerprint sensor and power button combo. It also buys you a webcam and IR blaster that does Windows Hello and cleverly locks your PC when you move away for a quick toilet break. You get convenience with a microSD slot, fully sized USB Type-A, and HDMI ports. That money also gets you a long-lasting battery life like no other. You can get to the office, work without charging your laptop, go home, and work some more before getting your charger out to ready the laptop for the next day.

You want to remember that this laptop is made to do work, to be worked on. It fulfils those duties reliably and more. In those regards, your MYR 6,680 is not necessarily spent on things you can measure. Your hard-earned money, or company’s money is spent on a reliable hardware that you can count on when it comes to getting your work done.

Accessories, Reviews

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro In-Depth Review – One Step Closer to the Perfect Pair

October 25, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds series has become one of the most iconic earbuds available on the market. It’s become a must-have accessory for any Samsung owner. We’ve even given the earbuds an award or two since it was introduced. They’re playful, sporty and – at times – unique.

However, that gives the new Galaxy Buds2 Pro an even bigger legacy to live up to. With a new, updated take on a must-have audio accessory, the latest edition to the Galaxy Buds lineup is looking to up the ante with better features, higher-quality audio and a more ergonomic design.

So, the big question is – does it live up to its legacy? Did it up the ante enough to earn a spot in your pocket and bag? We’re taking a deep dive to find out the answers to these questions and more.

Design

Samsung has committed to the design of its case since it introduced the Galaxy Buds Live. I have no complaints when it comes to this though. The standardised casing design has made it possible to use older accessories or get fun new ones for the cases. The simplicity of the design of the casing is also one of the highlights for me as it’s compact and easy to deal with when it comes to travelling.

Casing aside, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro comes with significant changes in the earbuds’ design. Yes – I said significantly. It may not seem like it when you look at them, but the small changes that Samsung has made to the earbuds affect how they fit, the noise cancellation quality and even the comfort of the earbuds over long periods.

The first and most obvious change is with the breadth of the wings of the earbuds. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro come with a wider wing or body which allows it to fit snugly in the ear canal and the ear itself. The larger, more snug fit helps it stay in the ear more securely. It wasn’t even moving when I was using it in the gym. Running on the treadmill and even lifting weights didn’t cause them to fall out. This is astounding considering that Samsung has made the Buds2 Pro 15% smaller than the Bud Pro.

While it may seem like there are some insignificant changes in the design itself, these changes have also affected the performance of features like noise-cancelling and ergonomics. In addition to being more fitted, the new wings are also one of the changes that contribute to better ergonomics. The Buds2 Pro is, somehow, more comfortable to wear over long periods. This wasn’t just true for me, I had a few friends, and my siblings try them as well – all said the same, it’s comfortable and feels very natural to wear. Even while wearing a face mask there was little fatigue and aching.

Connectivity, Galaxy Wearable App & SmartThings Find

With Quick Connect, connectivity on the Galaxy Buds2 Pro has been significantly simplified. Simply opening the case will cause the connection prompt to appear on devices which support the protocol. Yes, this does include PCs and laptops. However, if they don’t support the protocol, it’s a simple task of touching both earbuds and holding them for about 5 seconds. Then it’ll jump into pairing mode. The problem with this method of pairing is that it’s so discreet in letting you know it’s ready to pair. There’s no blue LED or physical indication aside from it appearing on the list of available Bluetooth devices; the only indication you will have is an audio prompt if you have them in your ear while pairing.

Galaxy Wearables App

Aside from the audio features of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, you will be prompted to get the Galaxy Wearable app from the Play Store – if you don’t already have it. The app gives you more granular access to features like noise cancelling, 360 Audio and more via the app dashboard. Samsung has also released a similar app on the Microsoft Store for Windows specifically for the Buds lineup. It mirrors nearly completely the options you have with the Galaxy Wearables app.

With the two apps, you have a visual representation of your controls when you use the touch sensors on the earbuds. However, some of the newer features like high-fidelity codecs aren’t reflected in the app. Instead, you will have to trust your ears as you use them with Samsung products.

SmartThings Find

When it comes to finding a misplaced earbud, Samsung has made it even easier with the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. They’ve even enabled it on each bud. This feature alone is enough to convince me to buy the Buds2 Pro.

However, Samsung’s SmartThings app needs a little update to be more intuitive when it comes to locating the buds. The SmartThings Find interface makes it so that if you have more than one device in a location they’re all stacked on each other which also means that you’ll be hard-pressed to tap on the locate button if your Buds and smartphone and tablet are in the same place. This is exacerbated by the fact that for the Buds2 Pro, each of the buds and the case is detected as its device unless they’re in the case. So even with just a phone and the buds, you’ll see up to 4 devices stacked. If and when Samsung addresses this issue, it will possibly be a must-have for any Galaxy User hands down.

Performance

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds devices have ever been a good choice when it comes to earbuds. In fact, we’ve given them a few awards before thanks to their affordability and features. That seems to be the case even with the new Buds2 Pro. Samsung has made small but meaningful improvements that elevate the user experience.

Sound Quality

The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro comes with some improvements when it comes to sound quality overall. However, the bulk of the improvements overall depends on the new Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) Hi-Fi Codec. The new codec enables up to 24-bit Hi-Fi sound to be wirelessly streamed to the earbuds via Bluetooth. That said, the SSC Hi-Fi codec is only available to Samsung devices running OneUI 4.0 and above and the bit depth of audio will be app dependent.

Knowing this, we first tested the Buds2 Pro with the Galaxy Flip4. The sound quality overall was good with the Flip4. Using apps like TIDAL with Master quality delivered pretty deep, full sounds with a full soundstage. The audio was crisp with adequate highs, robust mids and deep lows. However, if you’re using the Buds2 Pro out of the box, you’ll be using the calibration directly from Harman Kardon, which tends to favour full mids and deeper lows. The sound quality remained the same even after 48 hours of use – usually referred to as the “burn-in” period. For audiophiles, sound quality can be very subjective to the type of soundstage you’re looking for. To me, the sound from these earbuds was pretty decent, but not the depth or breadth that I enjoyed fully.

After testing it with a Samsung device, we tested it with one of the other smartphones I was reviewing at the time – one that wasn’t a Samsung. There wasn’t a substantial difference in the sound quality. However, there was a slight difference that I would think only audiophiles who are looking for it will appreciate. While the bit-depth is lower, the sound was still crisp, clear and full. Connectivity with non-Samsung devices is also not impacted.

360 Audio

Samsung’s approach to 360 Audio is also much improved with the Buds2 Pro. Moving from stereo to 5.1 channel and 7.1channel vastly changes the experience. With the previous buds, the 360 audio wasn’t immersive. It was very janky in that the experience was tied to the position of the phone instead of how the sound was recorded. However, with the Buds2 Pro, that wasn’t so much the case. Listening to 360 Audio tracks on TIDAL was very different and even with YouTube videos, the sound was more immersive. The sound wasn’t so much tied to the phone as it was the position of the sound being recorded. Listening to concert recordings in 360 audio on TIDAL was like you were in the middle of the action. However, with the limited support for the experience, there wasn’t much to use 360 Audio with.

Advanced Intelligent Noise Cancellation

The noise cancellation of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro has been significantly improved thanks to the updated design and improved noise cancellation thanks to an updated algorithm. The updated design of the Buds2 Pro provides a better seal when it comes to noise cancellation. The larger, more ergonomic fit also mechanically blocks out ambient noise. It does such a good job of it that you don’t hear much even without noise cancellation turned on. Samsung could have gone the extra mile to provide foam tips in the box to give even better noise isolation.

However, you just have to kick on ANC (active noise cancellation) and you’re nearly completely isolated auditorily. I was astounded by the performance. I’ve only had this experience with Sony’s category-leading WF-1000XM4 so far – and that’s with the foam tips! Samsung’s impressive updates to the algorithm and noise-cancelling mics have created a commendable experience when it comes to noise cancellation. Their inner and outer mics work in tandem with the windshield vent to create one of the most comfortable ANC experiences. Being someone who easily gets headaches with changes in auditory pressure, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro is one of the only pairs where I have not had this issue. I could wear these for hours with ANC and not have an issue.

Voice Detect

With the Buds2 Pro, Samsung also introduced Voice Detect as part of their Advanced Intelligent ANC. This feature tunes down the music and turns on ambient sound with voice amplification when it detects you speaking. It does this by using the inner mic to detect any aural changes or reverberations. Simply put, the inner mic detects if there is any change in the sound indicative of you speaking. It does this pretty well, and as a plus, it doesn’t pause or stop the music you’re listening to. Instead, it just turns in down to be in the background.

One of the more irritating things that did occur with this feature is that it would detect me clearing my throat or sighing as me talking. This also occurred when I was brushing my teeth. Thankfully, a simple long touch on the buds kicked back to normal. It also seems to be learning from previous instances as it didn’t kick into passthrough mode as much when I was brushing after the first 3 times.

Seamless Connectivity & Multidevice Usage

One of the main features that Samsung is banking on with the Galaxy Buds2 is the seamless connectivity that allows you to jump between devices. It is capable of doing this. However, it’s not that seamless it comes to non-Samsung devices. For instance, if I’m watching Netflix on my Galaxy Tab A8 and a call comes in on my S22+, I’ll get a notification and can jump over to the S22+. This allows me to answer the call on my Tab A8 with a simple touch or by touching the Buds themselves which is a big convenience. The same experience doesn’t happen when I’m working on my ASUS laptop. While it does still work to jump between the connections, it has to be done by pulling up the Bluetooth settings and connecting to it manually. If Samsung would work more seamlessly with Windows, it would be a big plus.

Playtime & Battery Life

Samsung touts 5-hours of playback with ANC activated on the Buds2 Pro. During our review time with the Buds2 Pro, we got about 4.5 hours on average. That was when it came to zoning out and writing in front of my laptops. However, on daily commutes and the like, it’s highly doubtful that you will be getting anywhere near the 5 hours promised in one session. That said, the buds do charge pretty fast in the case. I got to about 60% charge in about 20 minutes of charging. That said, the cases do provide an additional 18 hours of battery life according to Samsung. However, we were nowhere close to hitting this in our time with the buds. Most of the time, the buds ended up on our wireless charging pads when it wasn’t on the go.

An Almost Perfect User Experience for Galaxy Users Only Hindered by the Incessant need for Exclusivity & Software That Feels Like A Work-in-progress

Samsung continues to take important steps to improve its offering when it comes to the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. Being a Galaxy ecosystem device, it is not surprising that Samsung has opted to make features like High-Quality Audio exclusive to Samsung flagships. That said, Samsung is taking strides to make sure that the Buds2 Pro remains intact on non-Samsung devices including Apple products. The user experience remains mostly uncompromised with great noise cancelling thanks to the upgraded microphones and better seal. Even with the slightly lower-quality audio, it doesn’t leave you wanting more on the audio side of things unless you’re an audiophile. Even with the misgivings of the SmartThings Find app, it still remains one of the top earbuds out in the market right now.

All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro is one of the best options for earbuds available in the market particularly when it comes to the sub MYR1,000 price point at MYR899. With the updated ergonomic design, better noise cancelling, speech detection and better audio quality the Buds2 Pro has become the most compelling piece of the mobile audio hardware in Samsung’s audio portfolio. If you’re looking for a good pair of earbuds you’re probably looking in the right space. However, audiophiles may be better off looking elsewhere for better audio quality and breadth.

Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Editor's Choice, Reviews

The Roborock Q7 Max+ In-Depth Review – Out of Sight, Out of Mind

October 20, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

When they told us that robots are going to take the world on in the 21^st century, we never really expected that robotics has just evolved to something like a robot vacuum. We were expecting robots that could stand on two feet, Androids to be our personal butlers and caretakers. While progress on robotics has not been what you want to call fast, it is still significant enough to garner some attention. In today’s world robotics has helped humanity progressed and in some ways become better couch potatoes. Take the Robot Vacuum for example.

Robot vacuums started out as an item of novelty. They did not work very well in the beginning, and they were rather expensive. It was new technology, after all. They were a precursor to something much better for the average consumer.

The demand for handheld vacuums and robot vacuums skyrocketed in the past few years because they are rather clever. You do not to waste your time plugging your device in every time you want to clean your house. You simply turn them on to get cleaning. In the case of the robot vacuum, you do not even need to follow it around.

Which brings us to this Roborock Q7 Max+. It will set you back MYR 2,899. At that price, you are getting the robot vacuum and a dock. It is not some dock that will also change your robot’s water, but at least it empties the robot’s trash compartment.

Thing is, you can get a robot vacuum at a much lower price point. You can also get one at a higher price range. Should you get this one? Is this even worth its asking price? We find out.

Design

It looks like any typical robot vacuum. It is circular in shape, which is rather normal for a robot vacuum. Why is it not more rectangular in shape? We do not know; we also think that the optimum shape for a robot vacuum is a circular form for optimum navigation.

Compared to some of the lower end robot vacuum as well, it is quite large too. Of course, the size allows for bigger, more powerful engine within the rather flat body. The real estate of the Roborock Q7 Max also allows it to have more sensors, to be cleverer in terms of knowing where it is in a house environment. There is also a sort of bump on top that also houses its sensors, including a LiDAR mapping hardware, to better understand the layout of the room it is in.

While it is on the large side, in terms of footprint, its flatted profile allows it to easily slip into tighter spaces, like under your beds. Then again, because it has such a large footprint, it may not go into tighter corners or narrow spots.

Features

Of course, a modern robot vacuum is not just a hunk of plastic with basic gears and a few sensors to make sure it does not fall down a flight of stairs. The Roborock Q7 Max packs more sensors now than before to understand where it is and what its surrounding environment looks like. It also packs WiFi and comes with an accompanying app that you can work with to see how the robot works and its charge state.

Starting Up in Minutes

The box that the Roborock Q7 Max is quite large. Then again, it does not just house the vacuum cleaner unit itself. It also packs its large docking tower. When we say large though, there are larger vacuum towers that contains a larger waste bin and water tank.

Still, if you open the box the right way up (which we totally did not), you will find an instructional sheet that gets you up and going with the Roborock Q7 Max+ quickly. You really just have to get everything assembled, fill the water tank of the Q7 Max, get it plugged in, and you are almost ready to go. You do want to have your app installed on your smartphone and get your Roborock Q7 Max connected to the internet to ensure you get the best out of your vacuum cleaner.

Setting everything up took us no more than 10 minutes and the vacuum is ready to go for its first clean, with mop function and everything. The tower came in two pieces, with removable cover to house the extra vacuum bag that is provided with the vacuum cleaner too. Assembly for it is tool-less too, so you do not need to bring your toolbox or call a handyman to get it assembled and working.

Vacuum Tower Dock

The tower dock is made up of mostly plastic. While it is made mostly of plastics, it does not look or feel cheap in any way. Then again, its main purpose is to house an extra larger dust bag so that the Roborock Q7 can empty its own dust container to make room for the next cleaning session.

The removable cover for the vacuum bag is also translucent. We assume that you can see through it to determine if the vacuum bag needs changing or not. Strangely we thought that it was a feature that should be part of the app.

Roborock App and WiFi

The Roborock App does not just cater for one product obviously. It caters for all of Roborock’s products that has WiFi function on it. We are advocates of electronics with apps to control them, so this is a bonus point for Roborock.

The layout of the app is rather simplistic and minimal, which we are fond of. To get the app connected to your Roborock vacuum is just as simple as well. You just need to scan a QR code that can be found on your vacuum. That, or you must make sure that your WiFi is on, and your smartphone will find the Roborock Q7 Max to connect to.

Once connected, you can use your app to control and monitor the vacuum cleaner’s progress as it goes around the house to start its cleaning session. The app even tells you how long it takes to clean one room, alongside its battery charge state. Of course, you can use the app to control the vacuum.

Clever 3D Mapping

Like many of the newer robot vacuums, the Roborock Q7 Max maps your entire house and determines the most efficient way to vacuum your space as effectively as possible. It might take the Roborock Q7 robot some time to map your space if there are a lot of objects lying around or if that space is oddly shaped. Obviously, the ideal space for a robot vacuum is a clear rectangular space with nothing else on the floor.

In our little office, with bean bags and various other furniture like our chairs, tables, and even a TV console. Of course, being an office that doubles as our studio, there are also various cables lying on the floor. We also have two studio lights always set up so that we can just start shooting at any time. Our office space is also covered in carpet, the ideal vacuum situation.

It took the little robot vacuum about 30 minutes to both accurately map (thanks to LiDAR) and fully clean the office in its first stint. Of course, because we did not want to wet our carpet, we turned off the mopping function, you can do that via the app too. The next few rounds of cleaning took just about 20 minutes since the Q7 is not necessarily doing any extra guess work and mapping. Of course, the Roborock Q7 continues to run its sensors while it is cleaning just in case there are any changes to the space.

Performance

Via the app, you can choose the Roborock Q7’s operation mode. You can either get it to mop and vacuum, or just vacuum. You even get to choose the intensity of its operations via the app. In the vacuum department, there are three levels of suction strength you can choose from. Even the mop has three levels of intensity for you to choose from.

While mopping may not be something you want to do with carpets, you can consider mopping your tiles or parquet flooring. We used it in our homes with mostly marble flooring, parquet, and tiles. The tower does not come with a water tank, so you must refill your water tank from time to time if you do want to work with the mop function.

In terms of suction, the Roborock Q7 Max does well enough even at minimum power. You only need all 4,200pa of suction when you are working with a lot of carpets. In regular flooring conditions, cranking your Roborock Q7 Max to its maximum power setting is never necessary. While you may want to adjust the amount of water that is being used to clean your floor, we do not think that you need anything more than the medium wetness setting to clean your floor. If you want to wet your carpets, the wettest setting might be necessary.

It is not the fastest robot vacuum you might find in the market. As mentioned, it took about 25 minutes or so for the Roborock Q7 Max to clean our entire office. But it does get the job done, very well at that. Thanks to the app, you can monitor the cleaning progress of the Q7 Max at any given time.

You do want to keep stray cloth off the floor. You also want to keep in mind that the robot does tend to climb up small ledges. Though, it is not very good at reversing out of said ledge. The app does a decent job at telling you that your Q7 Max has met with some issues, has stopped operating, and needs rescuing.

At the same time, the Roborock Q7 Max has a powerful enough drive motor to push small objects out of the way. Our lighting set up was completely toppled over by the robot vacuum in its pass through. Since we had it going remotely, we did not find out until we came back into the office to collect the unit.

Yes, it can operate without the dock in place too. That is rather useful when you have multiple floors of your home or office to work with. You can program it to different floors too and the vacuum quickly understands which layout its cleaning on its own. Without the dock, the robot vacuum will return to its original position where you set it down, so you simply pick it up where you left it once it is done cleaning, as told by the Roborock app.

In terms of noise, it does not make that much of it while it gets going. Yes, you hear it going, but it is not annoying or disruptive in anyway. When it docks and empties its bin though is when things get rather loud. The app will warn you, but nothing prepares you for that sound. It sounded like you have a jet going off in your house, rather unnerving.

Because the dock does not house a water tank too, you do have to clean the mop attachment and fill up the water tank on your own. We also think that the app should be able to at least keep track of how much water the vacuum still contains. It is an easy enough job filling the water tank though. You simply pop it out of the vacuum and fill with regular water. The water tank is combined to the dustbin though, so the Roborock Q7 Max will not work without the tank inside the vacuum.

Roborock Q7 Max – It Does the Job

The Roborock Q7 Max+ bundle includes the Roborock Q7 Max robot vacuum unit and a docking tower. That will set you back MYR 2,899 currently. In the world of robot vacuums, the Roborock is a little on the premium side. Compared to a similarly priced Roidmi robot vacuum though, the Roborock packs more suction power. Sure, you do not have a refill tank in the tower but refilling the water tank is not much of a hassle. It is a job that takes probably about 2 minutes. You do have to clean the mop module though, which can be annoying.

Still, the Roborock Q7 is one of the most powerful robot vacuums you can find in the market currently. The comprehensive app, while can also be likened to many of its competitors’ apps is very user friendly and easy to understand for most. There is a small learning curve if you are not used to it, but you only ever need to use one or two buttons on the app, especially if you live in a single-story building or a condominium, same goes to the office.

It is not the fastest cleaning robot out there, but because of how much power it has, it cleans your floor well. It works especially well with carpets since carpets tends to be dustier than regular tiling or marble flooring. The added mop function will not replace the old mop and floor cleaning solution combo. Still, it does its job well enough that you have a clean floor after every cleaning session.

Is it worth its asking price? If you want something that is powerful enough to clean your carpets, reliable, comes with a simple app to help you manage your vacuum, and a dock that also ensures that your robot vacuum is ready to go with an empty dustbin, this is the one for you. You can get ones that comes with a bigger tower dock that houses a water tank to clean your mop and replace the water supply in your robot vacuum too, but if you are mostly working with carpets, you may want to trade the water tank in with higher suction power anyway. In that case, MYR 2,899 is money well spent on this puppy.

Accessories, Reviews

Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse Review – Ergonomics at a Cost But It’s Worth It

July 28, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

We use a mouse nearly every day now. Whether it’s cause you’re designing something or simply working with numbers. The mouse has become an essential part of our workflow whether we like it or not. More and more, we look for mouses – mice? – that are more feature-packed and comfortable to use. In the past few years, we’ve learnt that the design of the mouse and how we use it had serious implications on our joint health – particularly when it comes to our wrists. That’s exactly where the new Logitech Lift comes in.

Editor’s Note: We chose to use the term “mouses” instead of mice in the article as the term mouse for computers is actually an acronym M.O.U.S.E. which stands for Manually Operated User Selection Equipment.

The Logitech Lift is a new entry into a space which is looking to our utilitarian approach to mouses for a more thoughtful, ergonomic design. It feels like a device that puts function over form or aesthetics but it doesn’t, it puts the user before all else. We’re taking a deep dive into the Logitech Lift to see if the new paradigm in mouse design is actually something to consider for the long term.

Design

Design is truly where you will notice the Logitech Lift. Its design is “interesting” at first glance. While not all things described as “interesting” are necessarily good, we only use the word to describe the Lift because of convention; We’re so used to seeing mouses that are designed to be flat or cradle the wrist in a way that is comfortable and ergonomic. The Lift, however, takes that and turns it on its side – both literally and figuratively.

The first thing that will leave an impression is how tall the Logitech Lift is. The mouse is literally the tallest one you will find in Logitech’s lineup of mouses. It’s got good reason to be though. The tall form factor allows you to hold it in a more ergonomic way which reduces strain on your wrist long term. This is because unlike with conventional mouses, you will be moving the Lift on the same axes as your wrist. In addition, you are also not resting your wrist on the table. Instead, it remains floating as you hold and use the mouse. You will also realise, that the mouse isn’t at a 90° angle, Logitech has a more natural 55° angle which allows the wrist to rest in a neutral position.

Together with its overall design, the Lift also comes with a slightly different design when it comes to buttons. It still comes with the same number of buttons we expect to see in an everyday mouse, but Logitech has tweaked the design to accommodate the more vertical orientation. The right and left mouse buttons are on the right side of the mouse with the Smart Wheel and DPI Switch. On the left, are two buttons that usually correspond to the forward and back buttons on browsers. Keep in mind, that we had a right-handed one for review.

The tall mouse is slender up top and a little bit wider on the bottom. It’s about the same size as any mouse when it comes to the bottom perhaps, just ever so slightly slimmer. The wider, egg-shaped base does provide a little bit better stability; but, more importantly, it helps cradle your hand as you use the Lift. It’s also where you’ll find your function button to switch between connected Bluetooth devices and also where the battery and Logotech Bolt receiver is nestled. These items are nestled inside a magnetic cover which is opened by simply pressing down on the indention – one of the best design choices on the mouse.

Overall, it does feel like Logitech did put ergonomics front and centre when it comes to designing the Lift. The company has made it very easy to hold and comfortable to use while keeping all the functionality we expect from a mouse.

Features

The Logitech Lift isn’t anaemic in design or functionality. Logitech has packed the mouse with more features than any other Logitech mouse we’ve used to date. In fact, they’ve brought some of the features that we’re used to seeing in other Logitech devices like the K380 keyboard and their Logitech G line up to the Lift which enhances the experience and functionality of the mouse tremendously.

Multi-device Connectivity

You’ll be able to connect up to three devices on the Logitech Lift at any one time. They can be connected via Bluetooth or through the Logi Bolt. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can control all three at the same time. However, it gives you the freedom to jump from your desktop to your laptop to your tablet by simply clicking a button.

The multi-device button is located on the bottom of the mouse. Clicking it will change the device you’re connected to while long pressing sends it into pairing mode. Of course, it will automatically be toggled into pairing mode when you turn it on for the first time. Pairing with the Bolt will need you to plug in the Logi Bolt before turning the mouse on. Bluetooth connectivity will also work for mobile devices like a tablet (i.e. iPad) or mobile phones.

Having the flexibility of connecting to multiple devices gave a lot of flexibility when it came to keeping quick connectivity for the Lift. Of course, given the fact that we do tend to have multiple devices with us for review at the same time, it also made it easier for us to jump from one device to the other or from the review device to our personal devices.

Extended Functionality through Logi Options+

While having a quick connection with multiple devices is cool. The Logitech Lift shines when it comes to its extended functionality which comes with the Logi Options+ application which you can install on your devices. Note that we say CAN and not need. Logitech has given users the flexibility of using the mouse without the need to install the Options+ application. However, when you install it, you get access to a whole load of new features that allow the mouse to serve you better.

The first thing that you’ll see when you launch the Logi Options+ application is a quick walkthrough of all the features that you have with your Logitech mouse. For the Logitech Lift, it highlights the ability to customise your mouse sensitivity. The sensor in the Logitech Lift has a sensitivity of 400 dpi to 4000 dpi. Out of the box, it looks like it’s set to 2000dpi (50% in the app). We’re assuming these values as the app gives it to us in percentage and not dpi. In the app. You can set up 2 sensitivities to toggle between with the button next to the Smart Wheel. On the main device screen, you’ll be able to see all your connection methods and battery life as well as your customizations. You will also be updating your firmware from the app.

The Logi Options+ app also allows you to set up application-specific profiles. So you can set up the mouse to have specific functions with different apps. When you first launch the app, it will automatically set up profiles for known programs like the Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Teams and even Zoom. The customizations for Zoom and Microsoft Teams are of particular interest. Logitech makes it easy to mute yourself as well as quickly toggle your camera in these apps. The back and forward buttons are remapped to accommodate these functions. Of course, this is only a start when it comes to custom mapping functions. You can even make it easier to copy and paste in applications like Microsoft Word or even toggle Windows features like screen capture or even switching apps.

In addition to the increased customizability, the Logi Options+ app also allows you to copy and paste between different devices where you have it installed. Yes, you’ll be able to copy a file from one laptop to the other without a USB drive. Logitech calls this the Logi Flow. You will need to be on the same network and use the same Logitech mouse to use it. This came in very useful for us when it came to jumping PCs. Of course, if you have OneDrive or Dropbox set up on your devices, it would already sync, but the added convenience of having this as an option is definitely a big plus.

Performance

When it comes to the performance of the Logitech Lift, it performed as well as any other everyday mouse. Movements were registered sufficiently, and the response was near seamless. However, it did suffer from a few nagging issues which a small design update could solve.

The Lift moves on surfaces pretty well. However, there was some added friction especially if you have a desk mat that isn’t made of synthetic fibres. In our case, we were using it on a textured faux-leather desk mat and movement on this surface felt strained. While it’s a simple fix of putting an additional mouse pad on the desk, we were expecting a little better from the design as we’ve used other Logitech mouses on the surface without much hassle.

That aside, the sensor on the Logitech Lift is able to register movement exceptionally well, it feels very responsive and quick when moving around the screen. Of course, this is nothing when compared to more robust gaming mouses. However, it contributes significantly to the user experience.

The Logitech Lift comes with a significant learning curve. That said, it’s a curve that’s there only because we have grown too used to conventional mouse design. It took us about 3 to 4 hours to get used to using the mouse in the new orientation. Once we were over this hump, it felt like any other mouse. In fact, we were able to seamlessly adapt between the Lift and a gaming mouse without much hassle.

There’s another aspect of performance that comes into play with the Logitech Lift – ergonomics and wrist health. Personally, I suffer from De Quervain’s tenosynovitis which is a condition where the tendon which connects to the thumb can become inflamed. The condition flares up every once in a while, when I forget to check on the ergonomics of my workspace. With the Logitech Lift, these flare-ups were significantly reduced. In fact, my wrist felt less strained overall. This is mostly due to the more natural position that the Lift puts your hand into when using it. It helped put the wrist into a more relaxed position and also forces you to use the mouse on a more natural axis. You bend your wrist according to the angle of the bone joint and do not cause it to strain through overexertion through side-to-side movements.

SILENCIO! The Mouse Is Mushy

Speaking of convention, we’re so used to hearing clicking sounds when we use our mouses. When it comes to the Logitech Lift, it was a little bizarre how silent it is. The mouse is more silent than a live mouse! Click and clack all you want, you won’t hear the clicking of the mouse. While this is a very welcomed change, it felt a little bit unnatural to not have the click when pressing down on the left and right mouse buttons.

Logitech has definitely hit the mark when it comes to soundproofing on the Lift. However, the soundproofing may also be the reason the mouse is a little mushy when you click. This was a jarring flaw to us. The lack of feedback when clicking down on the mouse buttons made it feel like we were pushing down on plastic on a pillow. Initially, this feeling led to pressing down pretty hard on the buttons which led to extra fatigue. However, after a little while of getting used to it, it became a welcomed addition to having a mouse that is so silent.

Rethinking Convention for Better Ergonomics at a Price but for Better Long-Term Health

In a nutshell, the Logitech Lift is everything you can expect a mouse to be. Of course, there are a few flaws here and there but it’s definitely not something that Logitech can’t fix with some design updates. The unique 55° angle at which they have designed the mouse makes it one of the least straining experiences with a mouse. We highly recommend it to anyone who is dealing with wrist issues including tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Of course, there are concessions to the added advantage of having healthier wrists. However, in the long term, these concessions are minor ones. The mushy clicks are balanced out by tactile buttons and smooth scrolling. We’re confident that if a majority of users do feel the mush, Logitech will update the design sooner or later to give it a more satisfying tactility than is currently available.

That said, it is a little bit more pricey than a normal mouse with the same feature set. Compared to the MYR69 of the Logitech Signature M650, the Logitech Lift is pretty pricey. It comes in at MYR299. That said, for some of us, it’s a necessity for better productivity and wrist movement. So, it ultimately boils down to what we’re looking for when we choose a mouse.

Android, Editor's Choice, Mobile, Reviews

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G In-Depth Review: A Delicate Balancing Act That Pushes the Mid-range Further

June 30, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

When it comes to smartphones – particularly Android smartphones – you rarely hear of people recommending midrange phones. In fact, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that you will only get recommendations for flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S22+. That seems to be changing now with more and more companies taking the time to develop and release compelling mid-range, affordable smartphones.

Samsung is, arguably, one of the first smartphone manufacturers to rethink their mid-range with the relaunch of the Galaxy A series back in 2017. The company imbued their mid-range flagships – the Galaxy A7, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A3 – with features that made the devices more compelling than before. This year, in 2022, they are taking the term “flagship” even more seriously by bringing features from the Galaxy S series to the Galaxy A series flagships – the Galaxy A73 5G, Galaxy A53 5G and Galaxy A33 5G.

With a flagship lineup that fits the “affordable” bill at every price point, we’re taking a look at Samsung’s true mid-range – the Galaxy A53. Does the follow-up to the popular Galaxy A52 warrant your hard-earned money? Did Samsung make a truly compelling smartphone that can champion its mid-range? We’re about to break it down in our in-depth review of the smartphone.

Design

Samsung’s adoption of a tick-tock strategy when it comes to design is no big secret. In fact, the Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A52 are virtually indistinguishable unless you look at getting their exclusive colours. However, the lack of emphasis on design has actually worked to the smartphone’s advantage – as you will see later in the review.

The overall design language of the Galaxy A52 looks and feels premium. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the Galaxy A53 could be a reinvigoration of what we accept a midrange to be. The smartphone doesn’t have the discernible curves we see in flagships, however, the flatter, candy bar design lends itself to better one-handed use and makes it easier to grip. While it may seem blocky and unwieldy, Samsung has put some subtle curvature to the back and frame of the smartphone. These accented curves are a welcomed addition as they allay the digging sensation of sharper angles on a smartphone.

The Galaxy A53 5G is a sleek-looking phone – especially in White. To be very honest, I wasn’t a fan of the white colour of the A53 review unit we got. However, the colour has grown on me during the course of the review. Why? The first reason is that it has stayed white even after our review period. There was no yellowing or stains even after spilling some soy sauce and curry on it. Even when it did seem a little dirty, a quick wipe with a wet wipe or damp cloth got it back to the brilliant white that came out of the box.

The front of the smartphone is nearly completely covered by the screen. There are minute, 2mm bezels which frame the screen but they do little to dull the visual experience of the smartphone overall. On the back, the sleek white covers 100% of the phone. The small camera hump is hidden by the smooth curves that minimise the visibility of the raised module. It does this so well that you sometimes forget that it’s there when looking at the device. The buttons on the A53 5G are also clicky and, thanks to the colour combinations, add to the sleek outlook of the smartphone overall. The White version we have has a silver frame with the buttons.

Yes, Samsung does check all the boxes when it comes to the aesthetics of the device. However, if there is one nitpick I have with the phone, it’s that it’s comically light. While it’s not a deal breaker, the added heft would have made the phone feel just a little bit more premium. Of course, it’s also because the device itself is made primarily out of plastic.

Hardware

The design is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Galaxy A53 5G. It’s also been supped up with some of the better midrange hardware on the market. While it’s not revolutionary and coming with a flagship processor, Samsung has equipped the mid-ranger with enough oomph for it to stand out among its competition.

Specifications

Processor	Exynos 1280 (5nm) [Octa-Core: 2×2.4GHz Cortex A-78, 6×2.0GHz Cortex A55]
RAM	4GB *8GB (As Tested)*
Memory	128GB 256GB (As Tested)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)	Mali-G68
Display	Super AMOLED panel 6.5-inch (~405 ppi) 1080×2400 pixels FHD+ resolution 20:9 Aspect Ratio 120Hz Refresh rate HDR 800 nits peak brightness
Operating System	Android 12 with One UI 4.1
Battery	5,000mAh Fast Charging (25W)
Connectivity	Nano SIM 5G/4G LTE/HSPA/GSM Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS A2DP Bluetooth 5.1 LE OTG Support USB 2.0 (Type-C)
Camera	REAR: Quadruple Sensor: 64-Megapixel (Wide) f/1.8, 1/1.7X″, 26mm, 0.8µm Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) 12-Megapixel (Ultrawide) f/2.2, 1/3.94″, 123˚, 1.12µm Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) 5-Megapixel (Macro) f/2.4 5-Megapixel (Depth) f/2.4 LED Flash HDR Panorama 4K Video recording (30fps) 1080p Video recording (30/60fps) Gyro-electronic image stabilization (EIS) Stereo Sound Recording FRONT: 32-Megapixel (Wide) f/2.2, 26mm, 1/2.8”, 0.8µm 4K video recording (30fps) 1080p (30fps)
Sensor	Accelerometer Virtual Proximity Sensing Fingerprint (Optical, under display) Gyroscope Compass Barometer
Miscellaneous	Dual SIM
Retail Price (Malaysia)	(128GB) MYR 1,849 (256GB)
Retail Price (US)	USD$ 349.99 (128GB) (256GB)

User Interface

The Galaxy A53 5G comes with a scaled-back version of One UI 4.1 that we saw in the Samsung Galaxy S22 series. However, Samsung hasn’t slammed the brakes on this version like it has in previous versions. Instead, the version of One UI 4.1 is more feature rich than the ones we’ve seen in the Galaxy A series before.

On the surface, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the Galaxy A53 and any other Samsung device. However, when you look a little closer, features like Samsung DeX are noticeably absent. That said, the lack of these features doesn’t really take away from the overall experience of using the A53 as a daily driver.

Like the version of One UI 4.1 that comes with the S22 series, the Galaxy A53’s version brings the same refinement to the experience. It marries the feature-rich elements of One UI with the refinement that comes with stock Android 12. This complementary approach to One UI allows the device to feel more cohesive than previous mid-range offerings. Elements like Dynamic Widgets and colour palettes bring a layer of personalisation that makes the device feel uniquely yours.

The updated look and feel of One UI 4.1 also brings a sense of refinement that was sorely missing before. The interface doesn’t feel childish or cartoon-like anymore. Instead, it feels like Samsung did put some time and thought into the look and feel of the user interface. It feels more cohesive and well-rounded than other Galaxy A series. It’s also more stable and nimbler. Animations have been optimised to make the phone feel faster and don’t weigh it down.

Performance

Historically, Samsung’s A series never had a device that brought more than just an iterative update and core features. That said, this year’s Galaxy A53 5G made us do a double take when it comes to day-to-day performance in nearly every aspect. Overall, it performed pretty well, striking a balance between battery life, features and day-to-day performance.

Multitasking & Productivity

The Galaxy A53 5G is a smartphone that brings all the core features you’d want in a smartphone. It adopts a lot of the features that you need for a smartphone that allows you to be productive on the go. It’s inherited the essentials from the Galaxy S series and adapts it to fit the users’ needs.

The only jarring omission when it comes to multitasking in the A53 is the lack of Samsung DeX which has become a hallmark feature for multitasking on Galaxy smartphones. That said, other features like multiwindow and split screen multitasking do make it into the smartphone. To be honest, the Galaxy A53 is an exercise in restraint when it comes to features and it also proves that there are some features in the Galaxy S that help elevate the experience but are not essential.

During the review period, the Galaxy A53 was able to withstand my daily demands for a daily driver. Syncing multiple emails, having multiple chat apps and even consuming media wasn’t much of a task for the A53. It excelled when multitasking. The overall experience was smooth and, most importantly, functional. I was able to get things done when I needed to without much hassle and the smartphone wasn’t dragging its feet either.

That said, there were a few instances where the smartphone did chug a little. This occurred primarily when using split screen applications. Word processing and messaging apps were fine. However, when it came to using messaging apps or word processing apps in split screen mode with a media-heavy app like YouTube or even the video player, the Galaxy A53 did struggle – but only a little bit. It wasn’t overtly unusable, but it did get a little annoying. That said, this only happened once or twice during my week using it.

Samsung has brought Link to Windows and the ability to receive calls on other devices to the Galaxy A series this year as well. These features are a boon to the A53. Having the ability to respond to messages and transfer files using Link to Windows makes being productive even easier. Screen mirroring via the Link to Windows feature has also made it easier to get things done. If you’re using a Samsung Tablet, the ability to take a call while using the tablet is a welcomed addition too. It actually stops you from panicking and looking for your smartphone all the time; allowing you to focus on the task at hand.

Call Quality & Connectivity

Being a smartphone, it comes as no surprise that the Galaxy A53 is able to handle calls seamlessly. Thankfully, I was able to test the smartphone over 4G LTE and 5G networks. The call quality on both connections was crisp and clear. The audio was a little bit metallic at times but that didn’t hinder the usage. Of course, the call quality was very dependent on the quality of the cell signal. Since Malaysia is still in the early days when it comes to the 5G rollout, the signal for 5G was pretty spotty. However, the Galaxy A53 was able to handle the constant network changes without impacting the battery life too much. Even switching between SIM cards was pretty seamless on the A53.

Samsung has equipped the A53 with more than just the necessities when it comes to connectivity. Bluetooth 5.1, LE, WiFi 6 and GPS are all along for the ride and they all performed well when connectivity was stable. Bluetooth 5.1 and LE allowed me to use the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro with the smartphone. The connectivity was pretty stable, and it could remain connected for further ranges than other smartphones. WiFi was also very stable when connected. With Smart connect, the phone was able to intelligently jump between known WiFi networks and mobile which allowed me to be connected all the time.

Gaming

Gaming on the Galaxy A53 5G is a mixed bag. While it does have the specs for a decent gaming experience, it stumbles with some of the more demanding games out there. I was hoping to be able to test it further with Diablo Immortal, but Blizzard has delayed that game until July.

The Galaxy A53 5G didn’t fall flat on its face. It just struggled when games got increasingly more detailed in graphics. This isn’t really surprising as the chipset isn’t the top of the line but it does take away from the overall experience of the smartphone. That said, it’s not a deal breaker.

Playing games like PUBG mobile and Free Fire were a little bit of a challenge for the hardware but with the setting put down a notch, it was able to perform well. In fact, compared to some of the competition out there, it performed better. The graphics was smooth though not as detailed as it was on the S22+ but there was little tearing and ghosting. This is mostly thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate of the smartphone’s Super AMOLED display. However, when it came to games like Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds, it did seem like the phone responded slower initially. Samsung seems to have addressed this issue with a software update.

When it comes to cooling, the smartphone did get a little warm when gaming. While it never became uncomfortable to hold, it did get warm enough to become finger warmers. It is understandable considering the heat dissipation of the S53 isn’t cutting edge, but I would advise against gaming and charging the smartphone at the same time.

Battery Life

If there was one area where the Galaxy A53 excelled, it would be the battery life. Throughout my review period, I was consistently only charging the smartphone once in two days on average. Of course, if there was gaming involved, this would be substantially shorter. This could be due to the more efficient 5nm architecture of the Exynos 1280, but it’s more likely due to the Galaxy A53’s optimizations and 5,000mAh battery size.

While it may seem like the smartphone is overly aggressive on optimisations, the truth is that it isn’t. I was consistently getting notifications for social media and my messaging apps like Telegram on the A53 before the S22+. That said, the two day battery life of the A53 isn’t anything new for A series. It has had good battery life for more than 2 iterations already.

Display

Samsung opted to use the Super AMOLED panel in the Galaxy A53 5G. While this isn’t the best panel on the market right now, it does allow the A53 to strike a delicate balance of being feature rich and affordable. The Super AMOLED panel provides enough brightness to be visible under direct sunlight. Although, a teeny bit more lumens would have been ideal. It’s also got pretty good colour reproduction. While it isn’t 100%, you won’t know what you’re missing unless you work with colours on a regular basis. Of course, out of the box, the settings of the display are typical AMOLED with blown-out reds and oversaturated pictures. However, a simple tweak in the settings allows you to have better, more true-to-life colours.

Reading and texting on the display was a pleasant experience. Even over long hours of reading ebooks, my eyes didn’t feel fatigued even with eye comfort turned off. The eye comfort mode brings a degree more comfort, but it also turned the display a little too yellow for my liking. HDR compatibility of the display also lent itself to better viewing and gaming experiences overall. The display combined with the Dolby Atmos sound compatibility gave an immersive experience that we expected from flagship smartphones.

Cameras

The Samsung Galaxy A53 comes with a robust quad camera setup that brings multiple modes and shooting photo possibilities. What’s surprising is that the smartphone comes with a larger 64-megapixel sensor for its main sensor – at least when it comes to pixel count – compared to the Galaxy S22+. However, the sensor pixel count is only one of the many factors that create a good camera experience. The A53’s main sensor is complemented with a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, a 5-megapixel depth sensor and a 5-megapixel macro sensor.

While the pixel count of the main sensor is larger than most, the smaller pixel size poses a challenge when it comes to details and sharpness. Samsung uses its Galaxy AI and pixel binning to help optimise this. In essence, it stitches multiple pixels to absorb more light and produce more detail in pictures. This technology actually makes the A53’s setup one of the best we’ve seen so far among the smartphones in its category. Pictures taken in auto mode are crisp and detailed with little to no blurring and detail loss.

Galaxy AI is the hallmark function of the camera. Samsung has brought a lot of the software features that was once thought to be reserved for its flagships to the Galaxy A53 5G. Features like single take and even pro-mode makes a full-featured debut with the new A series. These software features not only bring a whole new level of photography to the smartphone, it empowers content creation and creativity.

The pictures taken with the main camera array of the Galaxy A53 are detailed and crisp with good lighting. You can zoom into the photos to see details. However, this detail and sharpness is lost when you start using the digital zoom beyond 2x. Of course, this is expected but it becomes a handicap only because other comparable smartphones have some form of optical zoom. That said, the overall performance is actually pretty impressive. You don’t have long processing times when you take pictures; something that has become a hallmark of smartphones in the same class.

Under low light, the sensors are good but not great. With their focus on Nightography for their flagships, we expected some of the innovations that drive that focus to trickle down to the Galaxy A series but that didn’t happen. That said, low light photography isn’t a write off. Photos taken under low-light are decent, not too detailed but usable. They can be blurry and fuzzy in poor lighting conditions.

When it comes to the front 32-megapixel camera, the Galaxy A53 continues to inherit the selfie DNA of the Galaxy A series. Photos taken with the front camera are crisp and clear – perhaps a little clearer than the main sensor. However, under low light, there is a lot to be desired. Again, low light pictures can be blurry and lack detail.

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The Galaxy A53 5G is able to shoot up to 4K UHD resolution at 30fps when it comes to videos. The main sensor produces pretty respectable videos with enough detail. However, it may not be the best when it comes to becoming a main camera for content. If you’re looking for one that can – you’d be better off with A73 or a flagship S series.

A Redefining Device for the mid-range; transforming a drab, uninspired offering into a flagship experience that brings more than just basic functionality

Samsung proves it’s taking mid-range smartphones seriously with the new approach to the Galaxy A series. The Galaxy A53 5G is an epitome of that being in the middle of the new offerings this year. Even with the scaled back specifications, the Galaxy A53 5G has proven that the software does revolutionise the overall experience for users. A feature-rich software experience puts every capability at your fingertips and could be the tipping point for users getting this smartphone instead.

The Galaxy A53 is truly an exercise in striking a balance. Samsung does a delicate teetering between providing the features users are looking for and the price they are willing to pay for it. The A53 brings a robust set of features both in hardware and software that allow it an edge over the competition. It’s not sacrificing much in the way of camera features and overall performance when it comes down to it. There is space for improvement, but it’s a leap in the correct direction for the company when it comes to their mid-range. It makes the A53 one of the most exciting offerings when it comes to smartphones in the mid-range.

Accessories, Computers, Lifestyle, Reviews

The Logitech Signature M650 In-Depth Review – The Cheaper, Quieter MX Anywhere

May 28, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

We hardly review accessories like a mouse. That is because reviewing a mouse is not as easy as it seems. In plenty of occasions, the decision on buying a mouse always ends up in preference.

Mice also comes in all shapes and sizes. They are also made with specific functions in mind. You have gaming mice, productivity mice, portable wireless gaming mice, portable wireless productivity mice , quiet mice, and now there is even ergonomic mice.

Choosing the right mice for you is not as easy as it seems. It is not like you can build one from scratch as well, like you do with custom keyboards. Sure, there are ways to mod your mouse with custom switches and what not, but that is sort of it.

They have come up with this Signature M650. It is compact, so you can bring it anywhere you want. It is also a wireless mouse that can either be used with a dongle or Bluetooth. Better yet, that means you can use it with up to two devices at a click of a button. Because it is clever, it offers its own solutions and functions for different applications too. Best of all, it is quiet.

Is it worth its asking price though, at MYR 159? You can get a Logitech quiet mouse at about three times less than this one. For that kind of money, you can also get a gaming mouse that is a little bigger than this one. You can only use this wirelessly. At the same time, the battery is not even a built-in one, still a single AA solution at that. Is it any good? We find out.

Design

Logitech knows a thing or two about making a good mouse. They start with plastics, because plastic is rather light and easy to work with in a mould. They are cheaper to make and replace too, obviously. They later add other materials to their mouse to add some textures and practical features.

In this case, while most of the Signature M650 is made of plastic, there is a sort of rubberised coating or material that surrounds the sides of the mouse. The rubberised sides are also textured with little dimples to add a sort of tactile feel to your fingers when you hold the mouse. At the same time, the textured surface adds a sense of grip and comfort to the hands. The mouse feels at home in your palms the moment you hold the mouse. Your thumb and fingers immediately find grip on the mouse.

Unlike Logitech’s ergonomic offerings, the Signature M650 is designed with some ambidexterity in mind. You can use it with your left and right hands. The only issue is that the extra buttons on the side does not get translated on the other side, so if you are using the mouse with your left hand, accessing the side buttons might be an issue.

While it is small, it is not as small as the typical ultra-compact and flat mouse. Compared to those, the Signature M650 is considered quite chunky. But the extra size can be appreciated thanks to the more ergonomic design. The top cover easily forms into your palms. At least for me it does, I do not have big hands. For those with larger hands, there is an ‘L’ variant of the mouse, though only available in Graphite colour option.

We also like that the soft-touch texture design continues to the mouse wheel. The mouse wheel is covered with a sort of rubber or silicon material for that soft feel on your fingers too. Scrolling the mouse wheel feels like you are fiddling with those gummy candies than a mouse wheel. It is an odd, but quite comfortable feeling.

The under body is a single unit that forms from the side. The colours here are consistent with the sides as well. The only piece that is not part of the bottom of the mouse is the plastic cover that protects the AA battery and Logitech Bolt USB receiver. It also serves as continued flat plane of the bottom side of the mouse. The optical sensor is off-center, presumably to ensure that the AA battery can be fitted sideways to ensure that it is, in fact, compact.

Underneath the optical sensor is a power on/off toggle, which is pretty much expected from a wireless mouse. While Logitech says that the included battery can last up to 24-months, turning it off can extend its battery life. At the same time, you would not want any accidental inputs from your mouse when you are carrying it around.

There is also a button above the optical sensor. It is the Signature M650’s Bluetooth pairing and switch button. A long press will kick the Logitech 650 into Bluetooth pairing mode. A quick press toggles it back to the Bolt Receiver mode.

The one we have here is the Rose variant, the pink one. There is the regular Graphite and Off-White colour options. These are the colours that are quite regular in Logitech’s product line-up though, so there is not too much to say about them. The pink on the Rose variant is soft and sweet though, not too overbearing, and because the bottom side is a darker shade of pink as well, it does not look cheap. The only concern with this colour option is how the colour will age.

The entire construction, while mostly made of recycled plastic, feels rather premium. The soft and smooth finish on the matte finished top feels like a quality product. While the sides may not be real rubber, the added texture feels like they belong there and durable enough to last years of abuse, even after your first battery gives out. Even the ‘logi’ logo feels like it will not fade at least until a year or two of use in. Of course, that really depends on how you use your mouse.

Features

Although this is a compact mouse, there are a lot of things that makes the Logitech M650 looks like a full-sized mouse on paper. The features on the mouse are designed for productivity even when you are out of your workspace. Of course, when you just want to wind down, relax, and just scroll through the net, this is one comfortable mouse to use as well.

SmartWheel

Where the MX series has the MagSpeed, the Signature M650 gets something called a SmartWheel. It is rather clever for quickly browsing through the net and even pages of documents. The SmartWheel scrolls like any other mouse wheel you might have used before. But it feels softer and smoother than the usual wheel. There is still some tactility and resistance when you scroll the wheel.

The smooth and soft feel of the mouse wheel is rather nice to work with. When you are browsing the internet, different scroll gestures give you different scrolling speeds. To be fair, there is only sort of two scrolling speeds with the SmartWheel – fast and slow. When you need to quickly scroll down the page to get to the part you want, a flick of the wheel makes it a sort of a MagSpeed wheel. Once you need to slowly look through the page, you can scroll through click by click. It works with your Microsoft apps too.

The wheel is not just to scroll up and down though. You can use it to scroll left to right too. You press and hold one of the side buttons and use the heel with it to scroll from side to side.

Multi Device

You can use it with up to two devices wirelessly. One of them needs a USB type-A port to work with. That would be your laptop or PC to plug in your Logitech Bolt receiver.

The other device would need Bluetooth to use the Logitech Signature M650. As we mentioned earlier, it is just a matter of pressing a single button at the bottom of the mouse. Once it gets into pairing mode, Windows Quick Connect detects the mouse and allows you to get your mouse connected in just one or two clicks.

The Logitech M650 relies on a Bolt receiver, not the same unifying receiver that older or cheaper Logitech mice comes with. That also means that the Logitech M650 is supposed to be working with a lower latency time than older mice. You also cannot use Logitech’s older Logi Option software with it.

Silent Operator

The Logitech Signature M650 is silent, but not as silent as we hoped. The main two buttons and scrolling wheel or middle button are all working silently. The side buttons, compared to the main two buttons are rather ‘clicky’. While it does not annoy us in the slightest, some of you might not like that very much.

Still, the main buttons are silenced without much sacrifice to tactility. There is a little bit of mushiness in every click of the three main buttons and even the scroll. But the tactility of a mouse click is still very defined. Every click feels sure and registered but a lot more muted in noise. Then again, Logitech has been making quiet mice for a long time, they know what they are doing.

Logi Options+

If you are using the Logitech Signature M650 on your Windows or Mac, you can download something called Logi Options+. Why did they have to develop a new software? We do not know, but here it is. When you plug the Bolt receiver into your PC or Mac, a prompt will ask you if you want to install the app on your device.

The software sort of acts like a manual for you to refer to. It tells you what each button does for each application that it supports. The application also allows you to change what the secondary buttons and middle button does for each application if you want to. For example, you can change the side buttons to ‘select’ and ‘cut’ in Adobe’s Premiere Pro while the middle button can be a play/pause button.

You can toggle on something called ‘smooth scrolling’ with the mouse too. That way, scrolling your webpages or documents looks nice and smooth instead of the usual staggered feel. It is ‘off’ by default, so we turned it on because we liked it.

You can also control how fast your mouse goes on Logi Options without getting through Windows default settings page. You can go as slow as 400 dpi or as fast as to 4,000 dpi to avoid huge mouse actions.

Performance – Smooth Operator

Once you know what each buttons do and get familiarised with all the applications you work with, the Logitech M650 becomes rather intuitive. It is still a compact mouse, which also means that you might still want to work with a bigger full-sized mouse when you can, I know I want to use a bigger mouse at home at least.

Still, when portability is concerned, a compact mouse is always appreciated. The Logitech Signature M650 is that compact mouse that does not compromise too much. The M650 retains a lot of functions that you can only find on bigger mice today. At the same time, it is ergonomic despite its proportions.

Having the option to use Bluetooth with a mouse like this is always appreciated especially when modern light-and-compact laptops usually come with no USB Type-A port or just that one port. Having the option to leave your only free USB Type-A slot is always best, and that is why Bluetooth is an important feature. This also gives you the option of leaving your bolt receiver plugged into your PC at home.

While we would prefer to have a flush body with an internal non-removable battery, we understand that the trade-off must be made in favour of battery life. A single AA battery can keep the Logitech Signature M650 running for up to two years. We are not sure if a built-in battery can give the Logitech mouse that kind of battery life from a single charge.

The mouse is highly comfortable to use in any conditions. It lacks the heft of bigger mice, but it is still ergonomic enough that using it is rather comfortable even at extended periods. It feels almost natural to use.

We did not use the Logitech Signature M650 for gaming much, nothing intense anyway. The games we chose to play with the Logitech mouse are more titles like Cities: Skylines and Two Point Hospital. The two side buttons have no preset functions in this case, so there is not much in terms of extra features or functions within the game.

The Logitech Signature M650 – More Sensible, Still Clever

We are not looking at a gaming mouse here. It is not meant to be one, nor made to be one. It is a general-purpose mouse that is meant to be used in a work environment, remote workstations, and even at home. It is a sort of all-in-one mouse that you can put to good use with your work PC and get it to work with your home PC as well, no need to bring your work PC home.

In that sense, while it might seem a little pricey, the Logitech Signature M650 is an excellent mouse. It feels durable and comfortable, more so than those mice you can find for MYR 39. Sure, for MYR 159 we think Logitech can do better in terms of packaging, but to be fair, the packaging will end up in the trashcan anyway. There is not much in terms of documentation either.

MYR 159 for this mouse does not just buy you a compact mouse. It does not just buy you a silent mouse either. It buys you some premium feel and functions that is comparable to something like a Logitech MX Anywhere, probably even better than it.

The Logitech Signature M650 is a good buy. Not because it is cheaper than Logitech’s MX Anywhere 3. It is a good buy because you are getting a great mouse for its asking price. If you are looking for a cheap, low-budget mouse, you are looking at the wrong place. If you are looking for something that you can use to streamline or enhance your workflow in and out of your office, something comfortable to use, and even something durable and reliable, the MYR 159 asking price looks like a bargain.

Computers, Editorial, Reviews, Writer's Choice

ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED (UX5400E) In-Depth Review – Eye Candy and Productivity with a Steep Learning Curve

May 13, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

It’s not every day that we see something new and interesting when it comes to laptops. We’re so used to seeing the mundane clamshell form factor with new insides, displays and ports. However, ASUS has been on a roll lately with a slew of laptops that bring fun, new features as well as new hardware that is truly revolutionary. Over the past year, they’ve been adamant about equipping their laptops with OLED displays which are certified for their colour accuracy.

With their Zenbook Duo lineup, they’ve brought an interesting approach to multiscreen productivity. But what happens when you take multiscreen productivity and fit it into a space once exclusively reserved for the trackpad? You get the hallmark feature of the ZenBook 14X’s hallmark feature: the Screen Pad. Does this new approach make sense? Is productivity enhanced or deterred by the feature and is it here to stay?

We’re looking to answer those questions and also the most pertinent one when it comes to any piece of tech, “Is it worth my money?”, in our in-depth review of the ZenBook 14X OLED.

Design

The ZenBook 14X OLED has its origins in the ZenBook’s early days as a flagship. It’s equipped with a machined aluminium body with a brushed finish and made of premium build materials; like any other ZenBook. However, the thing that makes the laptop stand out is the sheer sleekness and miniature form of the laptop overall. ASUS has made the ZenBook 14X OLED one of the smallest and sleekest laptops in its lineup. However, its minute stature isn’t where the story ends.

When it boils down to it, the ZenBook 14X OLED distinguishes itself with its brushed aluminium top. However, it doesn’t give in to the incessant need to be thin as paper. Instead, it’s thicker and more substantial than its predecessor and competition. Coming in at just under 17mm, the laptop strides the line of being just thin enough and being thick and chunky in this day and age. That said, the added thickness and sturdy build materials provide the top lid with added stability and rigidity. This also prevents the display from flexing which can be detrimental to the laptop.

That said, the ZenBook isn’t only sturdy, but it’s also well designed. ASUS has made sure that while the ZenBook 14X OLED is slim and light, it’s also well equipped for working on the go. It comes with a good range of ports – which we will elaborate on later in the review. That said, these ports don’t break the overall aesthetic of the laptop. Instead, ASUS has made them flush seamlessly into the aluminium chassis. The thickest point of the laptop is also used to house the largest ports: USB-A and HDMI ports.

The small body of the laptop doesn’t hinder ASUS from equipping the laptop with a tactile keyboard that emblazons the entirety of the main body. It’s only complemented by the chamfered dip which adds to the aesthetic of the laptop. That same aesthetic dip also highlights a change in materials as the top plate of the keyboard and ScreenPad isn’t made with the same aluminium. Instead, it feels a little more like plastic. That said, the plate is still encased within the aluminium frame.

Hardware

The ZenBook 14X OLED isn’t just about the aesthetics, it’s built for productivity. To achieve this, ASUS has packed the laptop with rather commendable insides which allow the ZenBook to stride the fine line between battery life and performance.

Specifications

ASUS ZENBOOK 14 \| UX5400E	As tested
Processor (clock)	Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 processor 2.80 GHz quad-core with Turbo Boost (up to 4.70GHz) and 12MB cache
GPU	Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics NVIDIA GeForce MX450
Display	14” OLED 2.8K (2880 x 1800) resolution 16:10 aspect ratio Touch Panel anti-glare screen 550nits brightness
Memory	16GB LPDDR4X 512GB PCIe® NVMe™ 3.0 x2 M.2 SSD
Networking and Connections	Intel WiFi 6 with Gig+ performance (802.11ax) Bluetooth 5.0 2 Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C® 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 Standard HDMI 2.0 1 MicroSD card reader 1 Audio Combo Jack
Battery	63Wh lithium-polymer battery Up to 8.3 hours of battery life 100W Type-C power adapter (Output: 20V DC, 100W, Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal)
Operating System	Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Miscellaneous	HD camera ScreenPad Backlit Keyboard Stereo Speakers Microphone DisplayPort over USB-C Thunderbolt 4 MIL-STD 810H Durability

Features

The mainstay of the ASUS ZenBook OLED 14X is undoubtedly going to be its ScreenPad. However, it’s not the only feature that comes with the laptop. It comes with a slew of software and hardware features that make this laptop a real contender if you’re in the market for a new one.

Almost everything you want for connectivity

ASUS has proven time and time again that compact, thin laptops need not be handicapped when it comes to connectivity. The Zenbook 14X OLED comes with all the connectivity options that you need – well – unless you’re looking to take over the internet. It comes with two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, a single high-speed USB 3.2 Type A port, an HDMI 4.0 port, a combo audio jack and even a micro USB card slot. With these essential ports, you’re pretty much covered when it comes to plugging in. That said, you also charge with USB-C ports, so, if you’re charging the laptop, you’ll have one less USB-C port. The only physical port missing is an ethernet port but you have WiFi 6 connectivity with a high enough throughput that you can even do online gaming.

Since we’re already on the topic, the Zenbook 14X does come with all the bells and whistles when it comes to wireless connectivity on laptops. Aside from WiFi 6, it also comes with Bluetooth 5.0. So you’ll be able to stream and connect to your wireless keyboard, mouse or even headphones without much hassle.

ASUS ScreenPad

ASUS’s novel ScreenPad is definitely a unique feature of their Zenbook series. It brings a whole new level of productivity. You’re presented with an additional screen from the get-go when you purchase it and given the norm of having more than one screen nowadays, it’s a welcomed addition to a laptop purchase.

The ScreenPad brings an additional 1080p screen albeit a little smaller than we’re used to. It allows you to use apps on the track pad which makes so much sense especially if you’re working with a mouse. The extra screen real estate allows you to use the calculator more naturally, refer to a website or document or even control your media while keeping productive. ASUS has also integrated their multiscreen setup with Link to MyASUS more deeply. A lot of the functionality that we’ve come to expect from the Link to MyASUS app is now natively integrated into ScreenPad with the Screen Xpert software. You can get prompts for messages and phone calls on the ScreenPad while you work and even use the ScreenPad to mirror your smartphone.

While all that is fine and dandy, the ScreenPad comes with a steep learning curve. It brings a layer of complexity to functions that many people expect to “just work” on Windows. One of the most irritating issues that we faced during our time with the Zenbook 14X OLED was the fact that the ScreenPad added an additional screen when it came to projecting displays. This was due to Windows recognising it as a display but it not showing on the display setup in Windows’ settings menu. To make things work as you would expect, we had to put the ScreenPad into trackpad mode which turned off the screen functionality.

In addition to this, you also need to get used to a new set of gestures that allow you to use the ScreenPad more effectively. The most essential is a three-finger swipe that will allow quickly toggle the track pad function. However, this toggle is only temporary – a fact we found out in the most annoying way. Due to the track pad function being temporary, we would be toggling apps unintentionally. This became an irritating occurrence particularly when we were trying to get urgent work done.

While it does seem like a deal-breaker, we have to keep in mind that the Zenbook is one of the only laptops with the ScreenPad. This also means that we have a little bit of learning when it comes to the novel features of the laptop. After using the laptop for a week, the gestures and extended functionality became second nature.

That said, when it came to working on the go, we found ourselves turning the ScreenPad off all together. This was due to the fact that having it on while on battery had a significant impact on battery life. We noticed about 20-30% less battery life with it on. That equated to about 4-5 hours of battery but without it, we got about 8 hours.

AI Powered Clear Voice, Quick Sign In with Windows Hello & Linking Up

Hardware aside, ASUS has also bolstered the laptop with a whole bunch of AI enhancements. One of our favourites is the ClearVoice mic. With ASUS’s ClearVoice, the integrated microphones can intelligently suppress background noise and detect and enhances the speaker’s voice. So, you won’t be cut off by a passing vehicle or even a crying baby when you’re taking your video call. Given the work from anywhere reality that is quickly becoming mainstream, this is definitely a welcomed feature. In fact, during our review time with the laptop, the feature was so good that people didn’t realise that we took a call from a café as the background noise was so minimal.

The Zenbook 14X OLED also comes with an integrated fingerprint sensor in its power button. This has to be one of the most welcomed features on the laptop. With the integration, the laptop seamlessly powers on and signs in with one click. This is bolstered by the SSD in the Zenbook 14X OLED. It boots and is ready for use in a matter of seconds.

Of course, with the Zenbook 14X, you get multiple options when it comes to keeping connected with your smartphone. You have Windows Phone Link (previously Your Phone) and Link to MyASUS. The latter provides even more functionality in our opinion. The Link to MyASUS app not only integrates seamlessly with the ScreenPad, but it also allows you to use tablets and large phones as an external display. This allows you the flexibility of being able to have multiple screens on the go. The wireless connection does have a little lag when it comes to interactions but if you’re simply using it to refer to documents or even to play media while working, you won’t even notice it.

PERFORMANCE

ASUS’s commitment to creating powerful, versatile, thin and light laptops shines through in the Zenbook 14X OLED. The laptop doesn’t perform like your typical thin and light. The thought that ASUS put into the design and feel of the laptop allows it to be one of the most sturdy and powerful small form factor laptops out there. While it’s no gaming laptop, it’s able to handle nearly workloads we don’t typically expect from a thin and light.

During our review period with the Zenbook 14 OLED, we were editing video and even doing some light gaming on the laptop without much hassle. When it came to editing video, we had source footage at 1080p resolution. The edit had about 3 layers with subtitles and effects and it was exported to a 1080p video for YouTube. While it did send the fans into overdrive, the laptop was able to handle it without overheating. In fact, aside from a longer export time, it was very seamless.

Gaming on the Zenbook 14 OLED is best left for proper gaming laptops. It goes without saying that AAA titles really taxed the processor and the NVIDIA GeForce MX450 GPU of the laptop. However, if you’re playing games like City Skylines or even Star Craft 2, the Zenbook 14 can definitely handle the load. You may not be able to play on maxed out settings, but you will definitely have a good experience playing it.

Other than those taxing activities, the Zenbook 14 OLED was able to handle everything else. Word processing and even large Excel files were a breeze for the laptop. Even if there was some slowdown, it was only with active tasks. Once those were over, the laptop performance was seamless and back to being smooth as butter. It could even handle Firefox and Chrome with multiple tabs open at the same time. It didn’t slow down but it did get a little warm which kicked the fans into overdrive.

Battery life on the laptop is typical of one as small and power packed as the Zenbook 14 OLED. It lasted about 8 hours on a single charge without the ScreenPad on. However, when the ScreenPad was turned on, this generally dropped to about 4-5 hours. This is partially due to the extra power drawn by the ScreenPad’s screen. That said, the high resolution and luminance of the main display are also factors. However, if you’re running low on charge you’ll be able to use a USB PD compatible charger to get the charge up to about 50% in forty minutes. The Zenboook picks about its chargers, more often than not, it will ask that you plug it into its original charger, however, GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers with about 85W capacity seems to work as well – keep in mind, that the original charger in the box is rated at 100W.

Display

The focus that ASUS has on bringing colour accurate OLED displays is really apparent in the Zenbook 14 OLED. This is partially because of the contrast between the screen quality of the main display and the ScreenPad’s IPS panel. However, the differences were mainly apparent when it came to viewing content and content creation.

The main display produced vibrant and saturated colours. While being saturated and vibrant, they were also relatively accurate colour reproductions. The accuracy was spot on and allowed us to colour grade video and photos when we were using the laptop on the go. The high resolution also gave us more visual real-estate when it came to doing programs like Adobe Illustrator. That said, the effect of this was relatively minute considering the 14-inch size of the display.

While 14-inches may seem like a very small screen, it actually strikes a balance when it comes to size and productivity. It feels close to what we can consider a goldilocks zone for compact laptops. It’s just enough real estate that you have enough detail and clarity while keeping the size of the laptop portable.

The ability to use touch to navigate brought an added simplicity to interacting with the PC. The touch input allowed us to scroll through websites in what felt like a more natural way and also interact directly with links and the like. It also complemented the ScreenPad as you didn’t need to have it in trackpad mode to get things done.

Taking Multitasking to a Whole New Level with a Steep Learning Curve to Boot

The Zenbook 14 OLED is a machine built for multitasking and for productivity. It excels at being a machine for productivity and creativity. It’s one that allows you the freedom of multitasking in a way that makes sense to you while having a beautiful screen and a complementary ecosystem with Screen Xpert 2 and Link to MyASUS. All in all, it’s a machine that dedicates most of its resources to enabling its users to be creative, productive and even let loose with some light gaming.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, Reviews

The OPPO A96 In-Depth Review – It Works, and That’s All It Needs to Do

May 12, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

What do you do when you need to buy a smartphone and only a budget of MYR 1,599? It may not seem like an issue to a lot of us, but it is a valid question still. Smartphones are simply too expensive.

To drive that point home even more, a about 10 years ago, MYR 2,000 will get you a brand-new Samsung Galaxy Note2. The Samsung Galaxy Note2 is a very highly rated flagship in its day, one of the most powerful devices you can get. A brand-new iPhone 3GS as well at the time will set you back less than MYR 2,500. Heck, the first Samsung Galaxy S smartphone will only set you back MYR 1,000, and that was expensive.

Today, spending MYR 3,000 on a smartphone is normal. This is especially true with flagship level devices. A mid-range device today will set you back less than MYR 3,000 but more than MYR 2,000. Anything below that is usually entry-level.

Entry-level devices are not stellar, but you can find some good ones in the segment. While it is not as competitive as the mid-range market, it is still a highly competitive segment. After all, the entry-level device segment could be your first smartphone experience.

Meet the OPPO A96. It sets you back less than MYR 1,500, which should mean that you might not enjoy the smartphone very much. We find that a little untrue though as you read on. But is it worth MYR 1,299? Or should you look elsewhere when you want a budget smartphone?

Design

The best way to describe the OPPO A96’s form is that it is rather ordinary. There is nothing too special or outstanding about the device. It is a regular candy bar smartphone. The most interesting thing about it is probably its unique back styling they call the OPPO Glow design.

The crystalised design on the back of the device looks rather good in camera. It may not strike everyone the same in its physical form though. Some might like it, some might not.

Out the back of the device, the camera array is like a hark to OPPO’s Reno series. Of course, it could just be OPPO’s design language. It is a bump though, which means you might want to use the case that comes in the box or buy a different case that would sit flush with the camera bump.

Despite the matte and rather plastic feel of the back, OPPO says that it is, in fact, glass. That is not necessarily a bad thing though. While it does not feel too premium, it does help with preventing fingerprint stains. The bad side of that is that it is slippery to the touch. If you use a case, it will not matter anyway.

You have a USB Type-C port at the bottom with some ports for the speaker, a small microphone hole, and a bigger 3.5mm combo jack. There is also a small microphone hole on top of the device too.

We like the fact that the power button is also the fingerprint sensor, a design made popular by Sony. The front facing camera sits in a corner instead of the middle of the display like we are used to on most devices. That is about it for the design of the device. Everything that you expect from a modern smartphone is on the device. It does not feel like a budget product, which is a good thing. But it does not feel or look all that premium either.

Hardware

Underneath the glass and aluminium mix of a shell lies a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 System on a Chip (SoC). It is not even a 5G chip, just regular 4G LTE support, which is plenty enough still. There is also 8GB of RAM and 256GB in memory.

Specifications

Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 Octa-core 4x Kryo 265 Gold @ 2.4GHz 4x Kryo 265 Silver @ 1.9GHz
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)	Adreno 610
RAM (Native)	8GB
Memory (as tested)	256GB
Display(s)	6.59-inch IPS LCD 1,080 x 2,412 pixels ~401ppi 90Hz (up to) 480 nits (typical)
Operating System	ColorOS 11.1 based on Android 11
Battery	Non-Removable Li-Po 5,000mAh Fast Charging 33W Revers Charging
Connectivity	Dual SIM Wi-Fi WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS A2DP AptX HD Bluetooth 5.0 OTG Support USB Type-C 2.0
Camera (s)	REAR: 50-Megapixel (f/1.8, 27mm wide angle) 2-Megapixel (f/2.4, depth sensor) 1080p video recording (30fps) LED flash FRONT: 16-Megapixel (f/2.0, 26mm wide angle) 1080p video recording (30fps)
Sensors	Accelerometer Proximity Side Mounted Fingerprint Ambient Light Gyroscope Face Unlock Compass

User Interface – Color OS 11

OPPO’s ColorOS is now something unique on its own. In older OPPO devices you get an interface that can be likened to the iOS. The modern ColorOS has some Android flair in an optional app tray you can turn on in the settings page.

You do not get 120Hz out of the display. Instead, you make do with 90Hz, which is still a fast display considering its price. That also gives you a smooth and refined feel of ColorOS. Unless you have very sharp eyes and is observant enough, ColorOS 11 on the device feels as smooth as the flagship devices. zx

The app tray is not turned on by default. We kind of think that while OPPO does want to retain their original look that is free of an app tray, having the app tray is a great thing for ColorOS and it should be made a default option when you first set up the device. The fact that OPPO includes it as an option though, unlike plenty of manufacturers that came out of China, is a welcome though.

+5GB RAM

When you need more RAM in your PC, you add a RAM stick or replace it with something bigger. On your smartphone though, that is hardly possible. Space is a premium in your smartphone, so manufacturers can only fit one large RAM module that is usually attached to the SoC in favour of space. To get more RAM space then, some creativity gets involved

While OPPO is not the only one who does this, it is good to note that you can opt to use it or not. You can expand your RAM by up to 5GB just using the native UFS storage on the device itself. It does help with some multitasking performance, but hardly too noticeable because 8GB is rather plenty these days.

To opt out of it or to switch how much of your storage is being used as RAM is not quite as easy as OPPO wants you to believe though. You must do a little bit of digging within the settings of the device. We only found it by using the search bar on the page. By default, OPPO sets aside 3GB of your storage as a temporary RAM. You can put it down to 2GB and up to 5GB or turn it completely off if you think it is not necessary.

Performance

The SoC is not a high-end one. In this case, you get Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680, which is not technically entry-level. It is sitting lower than the 700 series though. It also does not have 5G, so we do not get to test out Yes 4G’s “5G” network.

Benchmarks

Call Quality and Connectivity

Despite it not being a 5G device, you technically are not missing out on much. Malaysia’s 5G network is not out in full force yet too, which also means that you are not missing out on the OPPO A96’s regular 4G LTE network. The OPPO A96 also supports VoLTE, which means you are still getting crystal clear calls.

That is what you get with the OPPO A96, crystal clear phone conversations when you have enough signal strength. As with modern smartphones, making a call with the OPPO A96 is rather straightforward with a similar phone app layout as any other modern smartphones.

Still, VoLTE allows you to have clear conversations when there is enough signal strength. We find that anything between two bars to four bars is good enough and stable. Anything below two bars and you might find that calls get a little choppy. Data speeds tend to suffer too with lower signal strength, though this could just be the ISP’s fault.

Gaming

While it is not a flagship, gaming on a smartphone is a perfectly normal thing to do. If you are looking for a relatively budget friendly smartphone to game with, this could be it. You cannot expect a gaming performance that is likened to an OPPO Find X and its likes.

We played Pokémon Unite with the A96 mostly. We are happy to report that the game runs very smoothly on the device. While graphics performance might not match the flagships just to keep the framerates high, we do not mind that at all. We never faced any lags in the game which also meant that you should not have any issues when you are playing a ranked match. You still want to make sure that you have a solid internet connection though.

Game Space

Game Space is nothing new for OPPO devices. Its implementation is not unique either. It acts as a sort of one-click-overclocking tool that only activates when you play games. It also filters all your notifications just so that you do not get distracted in your gaming sessions.

Multitasking and Productivity

Smartphones like this is an indication that you do not really need a flagship to get a smartphone experience. Sure, you get the bleeding edge of whatever that is on offer on a flagship. The mid-range and entry-level devices eventually get it way later, but the most useful technologies do trickle down eventually. Ample RAM for example, makes it into budget friendly smartphones.

We usually have up to 15 tabs open within Google Chrome on the A96. We also tend to leave plenty of our apps working in the background. Apps like Instagram, Facebook, or Telegram are usually running in the background for us most of the time. At no point we felt that the device was sluggish to work with or experience any stutters when we are changing between screens in our daily use.

Battery Life

Most smartphones at this range excels in this area and for good reason. Smartphones at this range usually comes with rather large batteries, larger than ones you can find on flagship devices. Combine that with lower power consumption from the SoC and you get a smartphone that can last days.

On standby, the OPPO can last up to 5 days without a single charge in between. Of course, with some hotspot, gaming, photo taking, calling, and messaging, the battery life does go down by quite a bit.

Our typical use of the OPPO A96 in a day involves plenty of Telegram messaging, some photos, a little bit of gaming, a few minutes of call, and some social media scrolls. In this case we could get the OPPO to last us nearly three days on a single charge. Three days from your smartphone is a lot of battery life, even for modern smartphones. When the battery drains, you only need about two hours for a full charge. We hardly charge the device overnight because we never needed to in our test period.

Display and Audio

You get a nice 1080p Full HD+ display on the A96. It refreshes at 90Hz, which is more than what you can expect for most devices at this price range. Then again, everything that comes out in 2021 and later comes with 90Hz display.

What you do not get with devices at this price is an NTSC accuracy rating like this one does. The OPPO A96’s 6.59-inch IPS panel comes with a 96% NTSC colour gamut coverage. The colours produced on the OPPO A96 is comparable even to modern flagship devices.

While some of the flagship displays do come with 120Hz and higher resolutions at 2K or even 4K sometimes, you never really need them. Most of the time 90Hz is more than enough for most gaming situations. To make your UI look silky smooth, anything beyond 75Hz is enough. In terms of resolution, you most likely will not notice any difference between a 2K display and a 1080P display no thanks to how small the display is.

In this case, the display of the OPPO A96, we believe, is on par with most of the flagships you get today. Sure, it does not support HDR10 like most flagships do, but it is still a brilliant enough display that you can enjoy movies on Netflix and YouTube videos equally.

Cameras

Here is where things do come down to earth a little. Instead of the usual three or four camera array we are used to seeing in modern smartphones. This one noticeable only has 2 out the back of the device. One is the main 50-Megapixel shooter that you are going to be driving most of the time. The other is an oddly oversized 2-Megapixel depth sensor.

The OPPO A96 shoots at 12-Megapixel mode if you leave the settings alone. If you want the full 50-Megapixel goodness, you must tweak the settings a little bit. There is no way for you to set it permanently to 50-Megapixel, which also means that you must toggle it to 50-Megapixel every time to you turn on the camera.

Photos do look impressive in 50-Megapixel mode. Details are sharp enough for you to zoom in a little, crop your photos to get a better frame of your subjects, so you can technically take photos in slightly wider frame and can get away with it. You do not get the same level of detail at 12-Megapixel mode, but at least your photos still look good with vivid and somewhat accurate colours. There is a little bit of a natural warmth to your shots though.

The 2-Megapixel depth sensor never really comes into play until you are taking photos of a person or when you put it into portrait mode. You can technically use it with small objects and get a natural looking depth effect with it. You are still shooting with your main shooter though, so your portrait can look rather great with plenty of details too if you shoot with the 50-Megapixel mode.

Gallery

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The OPPO A96 – It Just Works

At MYR 1,299, the OPPO A96 is not very expensive. On Paper, it may seem like quite a bargain. It has everything you need in a smartphone, nothing more. It also packs a large battery, a battery that would last for days at a time.

Sure, it does not pack Qualcomm’s most powerful. It packs a good ol’ Snapdragon 680 that does not even come with 5G as standard. At the same time, you only get one good camera to work with.

The MYR 1,299 OPPO A96 is a real treat, a bargain. It works just as you need to, as it is intended to. It does nothing more, but nothing less either, which is a good thing. It is a smooth operator, just as good as any flagship devices can offer you. You do not get any extraordinary features on the device, it just works.

If you are looking for a flagship experience with all the latest features and technologies, this will not be the device for you. It is a device that just works, it has everything you need in a smartphone, the essentials. The whole point of this device is reliability and simplicity. If that is what you are looking for, for your main driver or even your secondary device, this device is really made for you.

Android, Editorial, Mobile, Reviews

Samsung Galaxy S22+ In-Depth Review: The Latest Refinement With A Little Bit More to Be Desired

April 29, 2022 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Samsung’s Galaxy S series has been the hallmark of its smartphones since it first debuted in 2010. It’s been the company’s “IT” device housing the latest in technological innovations and software. This year, with the Galaxy S22 series we saw Samsung do something a little bit unconventional for the smartphone manufacturer, we saw them stick to a signature design and fold their Galaxy Note into the Galaxy S series. It’s also the first series to release with the new RDNA powered Exynos SoC with Xclipse GPU. However, that version of the S22 series is only available in Europe.

With that said, the Galaxy S22 series as a whole holds much promise as Samsung’s latest flagship, but we’re zooming into the S22+, the middle child of the lineup. It’s a blown-up S22, but is it only that? Does it have something else that sets it apart from the S22? That’s what we’re breaking down in our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S22+.

Design

The Samsung Galaxy S22+ is the epitome of a tick-tock strategy when it comes to design. It inherits most, if not all of the design language of the S21 series. Everything from the unique, two-colour colourway to the rounded edges of the smartphone makes a triumphant return to the smartphone. However, that doesn’t mean that Samsung didn’t make changes to the design at all. The biggest change when it comes to the S22+ is the less rounded edges of the screen, particularly where it meets the metal frame. While the S21 opted for a more curved design, the S22+ has a more angled design which is, ironically, more palmable. The sharper angle also allows you to have a better grip when holding the phone.

Aside from this, there really is nothing too significant when it comes to the overall design. While there are smaller bezels and thinner camera humps, these changes don’t really make an impact on the overall design. That said, the small tweaks that Samsung did do with the design make enough of an impact to make it feel totally different.

Perhaps the most impactful change is the change of materials from yesteryear’s glasstic to Gorilla Glass. The small change does make the smartphone feel a little bit more premium. The aluminium frame complements this pretty well and makes the smartphone feel like a true premium flagship. While we do commend the change, it does mean that it’s pretty much more of the same when it comes to design.

Hardware

While the design is more of the same, Samsung upped the ante when it came to the hardware of the Samsung Galaxy S22+. That said, the Exynos version with the new AMD RDNA based Xclipse graphics is only available in Europe. The rest of us get the version with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. It’s a real bummer we didn’t’ get to try out Samsung’s new Exynos, the Snapdragon version seems to be more than good enough to fill its shoes.

Specifications

Processor	Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) [Octa-Core: 1×3.0GHz Cortex X2, 3×2.4GHz Cortex A710, 4×1.70GHz Cortex A510]
RAM	*8GB (As Tested)*
Memory	*128GB (As Tested)* 256GB
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)	Adreno 730
Display	Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel 6.6-inch (~393 ppi) 1080×2340 pixels FHD+ resolution 19.5:9 Aspect Ratio 120Hz Refresh rate HDR10+ 1750 nits peak brightness
Operating System	Android 12 with One UI 4.1
Battery	4,500mAh Fast Charging (45W) Fast Wireless Charging (15W) Reverse Wireless Charging (4.5W) USB-PD 3.0
Connectivity	Nano SIM 5G/4G LTE/EVDO/HSPA/CDMA/GSM Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS A2DP Bluetooth 5.2 OTG Support USB 3.2 (Type-C)
Camera	REAR: Triple Sensor: 50-Megapixel (Wide) f/1.8, 1/1.56″, 23mm, 1.0µm Dual Pixel Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) 10-Megapixel (Telephoto) f/2.4, 1/3.94″, 70mm, 1.0µm Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) 3x Optical Zoom 12-Megapixel (Ultrawide) f/2.2, 1/2.55”, 13mm, 123˚FOV, 1.4µm Super Steady Video LED Flash Auto-HDR Panorama 8K Video recording (24fps) 4K Video recording (30/60fps) 1080p Video recording (30/60/240fps) 720p Video recording (960fps) Gyro-electronic image stabilization (EIS) Stereo Sound Recording FRONT: 10-Megapixel (Wide) f/2.2, 26mm, 1.22µm Dual Pixel Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) 4K video recording (30/60fps) 1080p (30fps)
Sensor	Accelerometer Proximity Fingerprint (Ultrasonic, under display) Gyroscope Compass Barometer
Miscellaneous	Dual SIM/eSIM
Retail Price (Malaysia)	MYR 4,099 (128GB) MYR 4,299 (256GB)
Retail Price (US)	USD$ 299.99 (128GB) USD$ 349.99 (256GB)

User Interface

Samsung’s Galaxy S22+ comes with the brand new One UI 4.1 based on Android 12. It brings together some of the best elements from One UI and stock Android. Samsung has adapted Android in a way that highlights some of the key elements of One UI and makes Android feel more fine-tuned than before. It really complements the premium feel of the Galaxy S22+ overall.

Samsung’s One UI 4.1 thoughtfully takes features like Dynamic Widgets, the Theme Palette and increased privacy controls and fine-tunes it for Samsung devices. Samsung makes the features fit overall One UI 4.1 more naturally than any other Android skin out there. The UI itself has been updated and refined to look and feel more premium.

That said, the software itself feels a lot more stable than before. Just last year with the Galaxy Z Flip and S21, the experience was initially somewhat compromised with random reboots and crashes. However, with the S22+ it didn’t feel that way. In fact, after using it for over 2 weeks, none of the apps we were using crashed nor were there any random reboots. The software feels lighter as well. It’s snappier and smoother. It feels like Samsung has optimised the animation and transitions from previous One UI iterations into the version we experienced on the S22+

Performance

Being a Samsung flagship, we’re expecting some of the best performance that we can get from the Galaxy S22+. To be honest, it does deliver but, like the design, it doesn’t feel as revolutionary as we were expecting. This could be due to the anticipation we had for the Exynos 2200 and the XClipse graphics. However, overall, the S22+ did provide pretty outstanding performance during our review period.

Multitasking & Productivity

Samsung’s flagships have become a mainstay when it comes to smartphones that allow you to multitask like a boss, and the Galaxy S22+ continues to build on that heritage. It brings along with it all the productivity features you can think of including Samsung’s DeX, an extended multiwindow mode and even split-screen multitasking.

During my time with the Galaxy S22+, it became my driver. I was getting WhatsApp and Telegram messages as well as emails from multiple accounts on it. It was safe to say that it was put to the test when it came to multitasking and to all its credit, I was able to multitask without much hassle. In fact, the experience was so much smoother than the Note10+ which was my daily driver before.

I was able to reply to emails and messages while copying and pasting between them. In fact, I could even do this while editing a slideshow or document without thinking twice. Samsung’s extended multiwindow allowed me to put my conversation in a floating bubble while I had my emails and Microsoft PowerPoint open. Speaking of Microsoft, Samsung’s Link to Windows is another boon when it comes to multitasking. I was able to reply to messages on my phone – SMS included – without looking at the screen on my Windows 11 laptop. In fact, I was able to use some of my Android apps in Windows natively. Of course, these were simply mirrored from my phone, but it helped when there was pertinent information in those apps that were needed.

Samsung’s DeX took seamless multitasking to another level. It allowed me to drag and drop items into my gallery or folders on my phone without needing to physically plug my phone into the computer. As a matter of fact, I was able to even work on a loaned laptop (with DeX installed) without opening or saving sensitive information on the loaned laptop thanks to DeX.

Call Quality & Connectivity

Connectivity and call quality are, unsurprisingly, one of the best we’ve experienced so far on a Samsung flagship. The calls coming in LTE and 5G are pretty crisp and clear. The audio was warm and felt pretty natural. Of course, this also depended on the quality of the connection. Since Malaysia is only in its rollout of 5G with its 3G network has been sunset, the connectivity on 5G was spotty and subject to the rollout. However, the quality of the 5G connectivity was pretty stable and speeds were quick where available.

When it comes to connectivity, the Galaxy S22+ comes with all the options you could want including Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6 and even GPS. All of them work splendidly with stable connectivity. In fact, Samsung’s smart connect feature ensured that I always have connectivity when it came to messaging. It would allow messaging apps to jump on 4G or 5G when the WiFi is unstable. This allowed my messaging apps to be automatically connected to the most stable connection available. WiFi6 support also meant that DeX was much more stable when connecting wirelessly.

Gaming

The Galaxy S22+ isn’t touted as a gaming phone but it should be. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and the Adreno 730 give the smartphone enough juice to run even the most taxing games like Genshin Impact without much hassle. The high 120Hz refresh rate also lends itself to enhancing the experience on the Galaxy S22+. The dual speakers and Dolby Atmos sound allow an even more immersive experience, particularly when paired with a good set of wireless earphones.

During my time with the Galaxy S22+, gaming on the smartphone was enjoyable. Touch controls were snappy and responsive and this held true even for Bluetooth controllers. The high refresh rate and deep, vibrancy of the display also allowed for a more enjoyable visual experience. HDR compatibility meant that dark scenes were not just black but filled with detail.

For review purposes, I tried Genshin Impact, PUBG, Wild Rift and Pokemon UNITE on the S22+ and all of them played beautifully. There was no frame tearing in situations where the screen was filled with animation from multiple players like in Wild Rift and Pokemon UNITE. The animation was smooth and uninterrupted. The detail in the animation while gaming was also next level. It was able to render details I’m more used to seeing in console and PC level gaming.

The S22+ didn’t struggle with performance. However, when it came to cooling, it did get a little warm when gaming. While it didn’t overtly affect the gaming experience it did get warm enough to be noticeable and a little uncomfortable in my opinion. The heat was concentrated in the area immediately beside the camera enclosure. However, it did rapidly cool down after a few minutes post gaming session.

Battery Life

The new 4nm architecture of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 does lend itself to better power efficiency in the Galaxy S22+. However, I think most of the power efficiency we see in the S22+ comes from Samsung’s optimisations of One UI. One UI used to be notoriously power-hungry because of all the background processes it had. In One UI 4.1, that has been optimised to help with battery life. In fact, some of these optimisations come directly from stock Android 12. The software now intelligently puts programs and apps running in the background to sleep if you’re not actively using them. While this can lead to a small delay when it comes to chatting apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, the impact on battery life is significant.

During our review period, the smartphone consistently delivered between 10 to 12 hours of battery life with regular use. This included syncing multiple Gmail accounts, multiple chat apps and emails as well as light camera use and gaming in my case. Since we couldn’t go out much during the time, GPS and navigation use were pretty limited. However, it wouldn’t have impacted the battery life too much as it usually is plugged in when I’m driving. The battery managed to chug along for about 4 to 5 hours when it came to extended gaming sessions. Of course, the dip in battery life is thanks to the increased brightness, processor performance and refresh rate of the display.

Display

Like all of Samsung’s Flagships nowadays, the Galaxy S22+ comes with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. The panel is vibrant and has ample contrast. In fact, it seems like the panel is brighter than before but also seems to have better colour accuracy. During the review, I used the display in both its vibrant and natural modes. There is a huge difference between the two settings. The natural mode is more muted and natural when it comes to colour reproduction while the vibrant setting makes it more contrasted; more akin to the AMOLEDs of the past.

That said, when using the display for reading articles and comics, I preferred to use the natural setting as it felt less straining to the eyes. However, when it came to video content, the vibrant setting allowed more details to be seen especially in HDR-compatible content. When it boils down to it, the display of the S22+ is one of the more adaptable displays available on a smartphone. It’s able to accommodate the user when it comes to different content types as mentioned here.

It also enhances the immersiveness of content particularly gaming. The vibrant colours and HDR compatibility allow you to feel in the moment when gaming. The Ful HD resolution of the display strikes an important balance between resolution and battery life. While the Full HD+ resolution of the display is adequate, we feel like Samsung scaled too far back on the S22+ with the Full HD resolution. Instead, they should have used the same QHD+ display in the Ultra to further differentiate the S22+ and to add more value for the money spent.

Cameras

The Samsung Galaxy S22+ comes with a triple camera setup – the same we saw in the S21+. However, unlike the Galaxy S21+, it comes with a larger, 50-megapixel main sensor. Yes, I said larger 50-megapixel sensor. The overall size and pixel size of the S22+’s sensor is larger than the S21+’s 64-megapixel sensor. It’s an important distinction as the larger sensor and pixel size allow more light to be absorbed which translates to more detail and sharpness in the picture.

The pictures taken on the S22+ are notably sharp with a lot of details preserved even in low light. The smartphone processes the images to be vibrant and saturated. That said, the quality of the pictures changes from sensor to sensor. It goes without saying that the larger 50-megapixel sensor produced the best quality pictures.

Samsung has packed the camera with tonnes of features. This round they were focusing on low light photography, and they’ve made noticeable improvements when it comes to the quality and detail that is reproduced in the pictures taken. However, it feels like there’s a little bit more work needed to take the camera to where they want to be.

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During our review, I used the S22+ as my main camera for events and even when spending time with my family. It performed well and was able to respond quickly which is really important when it comes to taking pictures of a toddler.

The video from the S22+ is also pretty good. Shooting at 4K and 1080p produced really crisp detailed videos in the correct lighting. In low lighting, the videos were dramatic but lacked some depth and detail which is expected in such conditions. However, it’s still one of the best performers when it comes to smartphones. To be honest, we’ve yet to see any Android smartphone which is on par with the S22+. What amazes us is that this isn’t their true technological flagship and they still managed to get the camera to perform this well.

A new flagship experience with more of the same outward design proving that fine tuning may do the user experience well

Samsung’s approach to the Galaxy S22+ series proves that they have the capacity to produce amazing user experiences in both the hardware and software of their devices. The Galaxy S22+ brought some of the most compelling software features and paired it with capable hardware that helps elevate the experience significantly.

The Galaxy S22+ is the sweet spot in the series bringing both the size in hardware and software and comfort when it comes to viewing and manoeuvring the phone. It’s the goldilocks of the three S22 devices we have today. With Samsung’s commitment to actually supporting the new S22 series for at least 5 years, the S22+ is an amazing proposition when it comes to getting something that will be able to stand the test of time. It’s also got the versatility to be your companion when you’re out having fun and your sidekick when you need to be productive.

Accessories, Editorial, Lifestyle, Mobile, Reviews

The Sony WF-L900 LinkBuds In-Depth Review – You’re Not Here, But You’re Not There

April 14, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Let us first clarify what the title means for a second. It is really a reflection of the experience of the pair of earbuds itself, nothing to do with its build or even sound quality. It is a Sony headphone after all, one that retails for MYR 849.

This is an odd pair of kit. Sony is famous with their noise cancelling offerings. There is the very famous WH-1000XM4 and the WF-1000XM4. These are the best pair of noise cancelling headphones money can buy currently.

So, what was Sony thinking when they made the WF-L900 LinkBuds? Their marketing blurb says that it is the only headphones you will never have to take off. They also said that it is permanently on transparent mode.

On paper, you are getting a lot less than the WF-1000XM4 noise cancelling earbuds. The price tag is a little lower too for sure, but MYR 849 is not exactly cheap still. Is the asking price a fair one? Would this be a pair of headphones we never knew we needed? Would you be better off with a WF-1000XM4 instead? Let us find out

Design

The first thing that greets you, when you open your box made from the recycled paper, is not the two pairs of earbuds. It is the clamshell style case. It also looks like one.

The outer shell is made entirely out of what Sony claims to be recycled plastic. It looks the part too; most recycled plastic panels have the same texture and look. It feels grainy and smooth at the same time. It feels expectedly premium too.

Because it is made mostly of plastic, it is much lighter than what we expected. Curiously, the case can still charge the LinkBuds at least twice over. There is no wireless charging for this device though, that could explain its weight.

There are no magnets to keep the cap closed. The hinge is spring-loaded and swings open when you press the button at the front. There is a pairing button sitting beside a USB Type-C port. The case is very minimal, and very tiny.

Then you open it and find the LinkBuds with two large domes staring back at you with the chromed rings. The recess on the case for the ear loops looks oversized at first, until you rummage through the packaging to find extra ear loops. No multiple inserts for the ear tips here, there are no ear tips to begin with

The recess for the main body of the buds is quite shallow making cleaning as easy as dabbing the seats with a piece of cloth or tissue paper. The recess is also where you see the infrared sensors that senses the earbuds and two charging pins.

The earbuds are also designed with minimalism in mind. There are no additional magnets other than the ones in the ring drivers here. The LinkBuds themselves feature two recess that are made to be caught by latches on the case to secure the earbuds in the case, in case the magnets are not enough.

The earbuds, at 4g, is feather light. You can keep it in your hands, walk around, drop it and not feel a thing. You can put it into your ears, and then forget about it the entire day even when the battery runs out. Trust me, it happened to me.

Fit and Finish

Their odd shapes make for an odd fitting. Unlike regular earbuds, fitment of the LinkBuds really depends on the size of the ear loop that presses against the inner part of your ear. The ring part goes into the hole, but you cannot push it all the way in. Instead, it simply rests on your ears.

With a good fit, the LinkBuds should feel natural in your ears. It should stay in place even with heavy headbanging. After some time, you forget that it is in your ears.

Features

Of course, the most important feature of the Sony LinkBuds is its transparency mode. It allows you to keep your music on but be completely aware of your surroundings.

Always Transparent Mode

The transparency mode is a permanent feature. There is no proper way to seal the headphones. You can sort of stuff things into the middle of the ring, but we do not recommend that.

Because there is no artificial processing, you are getting clean, natural sounding ambient noise. You can have a completely normal conversation with your peers without taking off your headphones or stopping your music.

Oddly enough, there is a Speak-to-Chat function built into this pair of headphones. We never needed it and kept it off. I have tried ordering coffee with the set of headphones without any issues. I can have full conversations with my friends with the headphones on as well.

Oddly Intuitive Wide Tap Area Gesture Control

There are no touch controls on either bud. Accidentally turning down your volume, pause your music, or launch Google Assistant or Alexa by adjusting your earbuds is a thing of the past. There is a still gesture control. You need to tap right next to your ear to get it working. It does not work on a single tap too, which is another great way to prevent accidental inputs. It is either a double tap or triple tap, and it works well for us.

It is rather intuitive once you know what to do. Sure, you can only fit up to four commands in this case for the LinkBuds. Four is enough for most use cases.

The system is not perfect though. Despite the ‘wide’ moniker, you cannot tap too far away from the headphones to register an input. You want your taps to be distinct as well.

IPX4 Construction

Water resistance is important on this pair of headphones. In our minds, this is the type of headphones you wear for extended periods. There are already a few instances where we left the case in the car when we are out and about with the earphones in our ears.

You might take it for a quick run around your neighbourhood too. In that case, it will be exposed to the elements. It can take rain, shine, or even sweat with no issues.

Sony Headphones App

This being a premium Sony product, it gets Sony’s Headphone app. It is different from other headphones we are used to though. Obviously, The WF-L900 LinkBuds does not feature noise cancellation. You will find the ambient noise slider or toggle.

The controls for the Sony LinkBuds are more simplified than what we are used to as well. You still have control over the EQ presets, which we left to Bass Boost. You can change the gesture controls, DSEE settings, speak-to-chat function, and Sony 360 Reality Audio on the app. The ear analysis feature remains too. It works, but the difference is not night and day.

Performance

While part of the MYR 849 that you are paying is for the unique qualities of this truly wireless earphones, its main purpose is a personal listening gear. For that, it should also still perform like a Sony should. We are happy to report that it does, though with some trade off.

The Sony V1 Processor

It is the same one you can find on the more expensive and slightly older WF-1000XM4. It is missing a few key features on this model though.

You do not get to take advantage of the noise cancelling algorithm on the V1 anymore, for obvious reasons. But you also lose DSEE Extreme. In its place, it is still DSEE audio upscaling technology, which is still good, but not DSEE Extreme good.

The Calls

It is a strange experience, using the LinkBuds for calls. The person at the other end of the line sounds clear and crisp, enough at least for you to make up the words they are trying to convey. The person on the other end did not report any issues with the call quality. We did not try to use only one side of the earphone because I always seem to forget that I have the earphones on in the first place.

The strange part is that you are listening to the person on the other end, but you are also hearing the rest of the world at the same time. Sure, you can just concentrate on having a conversation with your friend, because he is in your ear. But when the environment gets noisy, it gets a little difficult to have a conversation since you are also very much receiving the noise from all around you.

In most cases, if you can hear your music, you should be able to hear into your calls very nicely.You hardly need to worry about privacy too.

Adaptive Volume

Adaptive volume is the unique feature of this pair of earphones. In effect the algorithm adjusts the volume of the audio according to your environment. If your environment gets a little louder, your audio becomes louder too.

You might not notice the volume increase and decrease too much in most cases though, since everything is done in accordance with your environment. It is rather seamless too; you hardly notice that the volume has changed at all. Then again, that is the whole point.

Much Enjoyment, Much Awareness

The experience that is offered by the LinkBuds can be more likened to the experience you get from open backed earphones. You get a rather wide, open feel to your music and audio. It feels like audio fills up the space around you. It is a different experience.

We use Tidal for most of our music listening and testing. The songs we used for the test is Freya Riding’s “Lost Without You”, Video Game Orchestra’s “Final Fantasy VII Medley”, “3 Hour Drive” by Alicia Keys Ft. Sampha, and Post Malone’s “Circles”. No, they are not necessarily what audiophiles would pick, but some of them represent some of the most popular music genres and styles today. We kept our volume to about 50% in most of our use case.

You can make out the bass lines on songs like “Circles” and “3 Hour Drive”, but they are not punchy at all. You do hear some of the details with Bass Boost turned on, but once you turn it off, it feels like the lower frequencies disappear. For Freya Riding’s “Lost Without You”, we get quite a natural reproduction of Freya Riding’s unique vocals. Her voice comes out very clear and you still can hear the depth of her voice in the song itself. On an orchestral reprisal that is the “Final Fantasy VII Medley”, you do miss some of its drama because the earphones lack that punchiness in the lower frequencies. It is far from terrible though; the music still sounds clear and crisp.

We use Spotify as our main podcast listening platform and the experience is a good one. You are still completely aware of what is happening around you, but you are also getting entertained. You lose a little bit of that radio voice, but the most important part of a podcast is usually its content.

The thing is, while we do want to give a hard time for it not having a thumping low-frequency punch, we still quite like the audio experience on the LinkBuds. Audio feels more natural thanks to the open back concept. Rather than getting as choke full of sounds pumped into your ear, music is lightly fed to your ears. It is a unique experience.

Battery Life

The Sony open back earbuds is quoted to have a battery life of up to 5.5 hours in regular listening mode. With the case, it is supposed to get up to 12 hours extra battery life. Our app says we have logged about 19 hours of listening time on the WF-L900 LinkBuds. We have only charged the device once since we got the device, which also means we have extracted more than the promised battery life.

Then again, we left the WF-L900 at half volume at most times and we hardly ever activate the wide area tap function. Adaptive volume was on, but again, volume is at 50% most of the time. We pick up calls with it too, which is supposed to drain its battery a little more. Our calls are placed with volumes above 75% most of the time just so that we can hear the other person clearly.

We believe that the batteries will last about 5 hours in a single use, especially when you leave the headphone on 70-75% volume. Our use case allows the battery life of the device to extend a little more than the quoted battery life, which is good when you do not want to take your headphones off.

You want to remember that each earbud only weighs 4g. It is one of the lightest pair of truly wireless headphones in the market, and it offers a battery life that matches some of the more premium offerings in the market. In that regard, the battery life is impressive.

The Sony WF-L900 LinkBuds – Unique is The Word, But There is a Little Bit More to It

In short, we enjoyed the Sony WF-L900 LinkBuds. It is a unique product, and it is not made for everyone. Inevitably, there will be “why do I need that?” questions. You don’t.

This is a unique product that fulfils a very specific need and solves a very specific problem. It is for the people who wants an earphone to be constantly in their ears. It is for people who wants a little more seamlessness in their day. It is for the people who are constantly on the go.

There are some compromises with this pair of headphones. It does not offer DSEE Extreme, just regular DSEE. There is Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, but we hardly notice its effects in our use time. It offers less battery life as well than the WF-1000XM4. The biggest drawback is that it lacks low-end punch.

You still get quite decent audio experience though, excellent high-end notes and crisp mid-range tones. At the same time, you are completely aware of what is happening around you while enjoying tunes or even podcasts. It is water resistant, important when you are constantly on the move. It is light and hardly noticeable in your ear once it goes in. You never have to take it off your ears until it needs a charge.

The MYR 849 goes into excellent audio while being able to go through the day completely uninterrupted. It buys a unique convenience, a sort of hybridization of lifestyles. It keeps you in the loop, while you are drifting away in a calm land. It keeps you focused, and entirely separated from everything that is happening around you simultaneously. It is weird, but it is a good kind of weird, and we like that.

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