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Computers, News

Acer Spinning Swiftly – Introducing the New Spin 3 and Swift 3

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Acer in 2019 impressed with the ultra-thin, ultra-light Swift 7. Even the Swift 5 became a fan favourite with plenty of power on offer and even more value to give. Our favourite in their line-up was also the Swift 5, to be honest. It was a perfect workhorse for the likes of us.

This year, they kick it off with updating two line-ups. They kick off with the Acer Spin 3 and the Acer Swift 3.

We start with the Spin 3 first. The Spin series is Acer’s answer two Lenovo’s very popular and very highly rated Yoga series. The Spin is Acer’s two-in-one line up, in short.

The Acer Spin 3

The new Acer Spin 3 has a new look and body to match its new internals. Not only is it more powerful, it is lighter too at 1.5kg. Yes, more powerful from the latest 10th Generation Intel Ice Lake Core processors. You get to choose between a Core i5 or a Core i3, no Core i7 option here. But they are the entry level class 2-in-1 type notebooks for Acer anyway.

Source: Acer

Both does not feature a discrete GPU, but Intel’s Iris Plus Graphics is a big improvement over the older Intel HD Graphics integrated GPU. Iris Plus Graphics also allows you get working on Adobe’s Photoshop and Premiere Pro averagely at least.

You can opt for up to 8GB in RAM. Of course, if that is not enough, you should be able to open it up and add more yourself. The Intel Core i3 model only comes with a 4GB RAM, which most likely is not enough.

The 14-incher is slightly smaller than before with a tinier bezel around the Full HD display. Like before though, you still get a stylus packed in with the notebook PC. Like before too, there is a dock for the stylus so that you do not lose it.

Speaking of stylus though, the touch screen is WACOM digitised. They are the best in touch screen and digital drawing industry. On the Acer Spin 3, you get up to 4096 pressure levels thanks to the WACOM developed digitiser. You can draw with your fingers too, but why do that when you have a nice stylus?

Source: Acer

Technically on the Acer Spin 3, there are about four speakers on the device. Acer says that there are always two speakers that will face you for better audio projection. We believe them on that front of course. They also included Acer’s very own True Harmony technology and tuning for a premium audio experience.

With all that power packed in the Acer Spin 3, Acer quotes a battery life of up to 13-hours in a typical case. Considering modern battery life – that is a pretty decent battery life to boot. If you run out of battery life on the Acer Spin 3 though, the notebook PC is a quick charging one. You get 90 minutes of run time out of 15 seconds in charging.

Of course, a modern notebook PC has to have modern peripherals to keep you connected. WiFi 6 capabilities is a given of course. This has two antennas to keep connections stable and strong though. It has all the right ports as well, including a Thunderbolt 3 port to power another monitor if need be. If not, this can be your biggest power bank in the world. It can charge your devices even with the power turned off; not something plenty of notebook PCs can do actually.

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The Acer Spin 3 is available now starting from MYR 2,799 (Intel Core i3 variant) and MYR 3,299 (Intel Core i5 variant). Both are only available in Silver colour. Silver is still a premium looking colour though. If you are spending on the more powerful Core i5 variant, stocks are available now. For the Core i3 variant, Acer says that the stocks are arriving and will be shipped out as soon as it is available later this month. You can visit Acer’s webstore to purchase one, or their online marketplace partners for more information.

Acer Swift 3 in Two Flavours

One of the most popular series in Acer’s line-up must be the Acer Swift series. The Swift series is Acer’s thin and light offering that caters to all kinds of users. The Swift 3 caters to the mid-range market that is looking for something that will not break the bank yet practical and powerful enough to work on all kinds of projects.

Source: Acer

That has been the Swift 3 and it is the Swift 3 still now. The new Swift 3 comes in either an Intel guise or an AMD guise though, for your discerning choice. To make things easier for you, the cheaper one is the AMD variant.

We will start with the AMD variant with that. It comes with a Ryzen 4000 Mobile series that was just announced not too long ago by AMD. Specifically you get an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U CPU with eight cores and 16 threads. Yes, quite a powerful chipset for your money. You get up to 8GB of RAM. Unfortunately you cannot upgrade or add additional RAM sticks into the PC, so you have to make do.

Still, at least you are getting a powerful AMD Radeon Graphics GPU to work with. That should make games like DOTA 2 a breeze to play. That should also make some Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop work pretty nicely on board.

Source: Acer

From that powerful processor you get about 11 hours of battery life. That may not sound like a lot of time to work on the PC, but it is enough to at least last you a whole day in the office or campus, if you are a student. As if the PC is not fast enough you get 512GB in SSD storage too, out of the 14-incher.

There are two Intel variants for the Acer Swift 3. There is the more powerful Intel Core i7 (10th Gen) and an Intel Core i5 variant. On the Swift 3 that comes with Intel’s 10th Generation Core i7-1065G7 CPU, you are getting an NVIDIA GeForce MX250 discrete GPU. This makes it the most powerful Notebook PC that is recently announced by Acer.

The 14-incher also comes with up to 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM for maximum performance with a 512GB SSD storage. All this is packed in a package that is slightly under 1.2kg and can last up to 16-hours on a single charge. If you are a workaholic, this can last you through a workday in the office and more outside the office. Keep it charged, you can go all night without a charger to prepare that beautiful slideshow for your latest project. We are not responsible for your all-nighter, nor do we encourage that. We encourage a balanced and healthy work-life separation and balance.

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In a more budget friendly guise is the Acer Swift 3 with Intel’s Core i3-1035G1 CPU. You do not get a discrete GPU with this, you make do with Intel’s trusty UHD Graphics GPU. It is not as terrible as we put it. It still works nicely with Adobe Photoshop especially with 8GB of onboard RAM. It is also fast enough with 512GB of SSD on board. Of course with Intel, you get Thunderbolt on the USB Type-C ports.

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All the available Acer Swift 3 are now available via Acer’s webstore or their retail partners. There are some limited colour options to each variant though. If you are planning to get the top-of-the-line Acer Swift 3 with Intel’s Core i7 and MX250 that sets you back MYR 4,299, you only can get it in Glacier Blue. Not a bad colour, quite funky. For the Intel Core i5 variant, setting you back MYR 3,099 you get to choose between Steel Grey, Millenial Pink, and Glacier Blue. The Swift 3 with AMD’s Ryzen 5 will set you back MYR 2,599 and comes in either Pure Silver, and Mauve Purple.

Computers, Gaming, News

Dell Gaming Comes Back with More Power

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Dell’s gaming line up has always been one the company’s most compelling offerings when it comes to budget gaming systems. The Dell Gaming line up inherits some of the DNA of the older Alienware devices before the brand adopted its new Legend Industrial design.

This year, the line up continues to have the sleek build that we’re familiar with in Dell gaming laptops. This year’s comes a little sleeker with the Dell G3 15 coming in at 21.6mm thick and 365.5mm by 254mm in size. It’s also slightly lighter weighing at least 2.34kgs. The G5 15 comes in a little bit thicker at 24.5mm while maintaining the other dimensions.

This year, the G3 15 and G5 15 are both getting refreshed with the latest generation Intel Core i processors with options for the Core i5 and Core i7. The laptops also have options for NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards ranging from the GTX 1650 Ti to the RTX 2060. The Dell G5 15 comes with an additional configuration with support for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q design.

On the display side of things, the Dell G3 15 and the Dell G5 15 come with a 1080p, Full HD panel. These panels have configurations supporting 60Hz, 144Hz and 300Hz refresh rate. Both models come with single and dual storage configurations supporting up to 1.5TB of memory out of the box.

Connectivity wise, the G3 15 and G5 15 both support WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth. There is an additional option for WiFi 6 which will be available at a premium. Both models also have different configurations for ports. You can look at the official specifications for detailed information.

The Dell G5 15 comes with a chassis with 12 zone RGB lighting. This is not available on the G3 15 or models of the G5 15 with the RTX 1650 Ti.

Pricing & Availability

The Dell G3 15 will be available globally starting on May 21, 2020. Prices will start at USD$779.99 (MYR3,375.50).

The Dell G5 15 will be available starting the same day with prices starting from USD$829.99 (MYR3,591.88).

Malaysia will only be getting the Dell G5 15 for now. It will be available starting 26 May, 2020 with prices starting at MYR4,499.

Official Specifications

Dell G3 15

Dell G5 15

Computers, News

Dell Announces New XPS 15 & XPS 17 with 10th Gen Intel Processors & NVIDIA Graphics

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Dell’s XPS series continues to be one of the company’s most popular device line ups. In recent years, the line up was revitalised with a new, slim form factor and a more compelling feature set. Even more recently, Dell has been continually increasing the ability of the XPS series to cater to the mobile workforce while appealing to those that need a powerful laptop with a slim form factor.

This year, the XPS series is getting an even more compelling feature set with more power packed internals, large form factors and the same thin and light design that has become an XPS signature. The new additions to the line up join a newly refreshed XPS 13 which was introduced earlier at CES 2020.

Dell XPS 15

The Dell XPS 15 brings a unique balance of portability and performance to XPS series. It comes in slightly larger than the successful XPS 13 and packs more powerful insides. The XPS 15 is continuing the ethos of the series with premium build quality and it gears itself to catering for a user requiring an increased level of power to remain productive.

The new XPS 15 comes in a sleek 13.57-inch by 9.06-inch body with a thickness of only 0.71 inches. However, the sleek dimensions didn’t hinder Dell from packing in as many ports as they could in the 15. It has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, 1 USB Type-C port with support for USB 3.1, a full sized SD card reader, and a 3.5mm combo jack.

When it comes to displays, the new 15 comes with a 15.6-inch display. Depending on its configuration, it can either be a 4K UHD+ panel with touch support or a Full HD+ panel. The display choices are all Dolby Vision certified, support HDR and covers 100% of the Adobe RGB gamut and 94% of the DCI P3 colour gamut.

The XPS 15 will be powered by the 10th generation Intel Core i processors ranging from the Core i5 to the Core i9. This will be complemented by an NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 Ti in addition to the built-in Intel UHD Graphics. It will support up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage. It comes powered by either a built-in 56Wh or 86Wh battery.

Dell XPS 17

The XPS 17 is the hulk of the series packed with power for creators. It shares most of the same specifications of the XPS 15. This includes options for processors which also range from the Core i5 to the Core i9 with up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage.

The display options on the XPS 17 are also similar albeit in a larger 17-inch size. However, in addition to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 Ti, the XPS 17 has an additional option for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. Connectivity wise, the Dell XPS 17 shares the Bluetooth 5 and WiFi 6 connectivity of its smaller sibling.

The XPS 17 shares the sleek form factor of its siblings as well. Although, it measures a larger 14.74 inches by 9.76 inches with a slightly heftier 0.77-inch thickness. However, with the larger measurements come a larger number of ports. It comes with four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a full sized SD card reader and a 3.5mm combo port. It also has a slightly larger battery coming in at 56Wh or 97Wh.

Both new members of the XPS family come with Dell’s Creator edition recommendations but the XPS 17 is the only one that is part of the NVIDIA’s RTX Studio program.

Pricing & Availability

The XPS 15 will be making its way globally starting at USD$1299.99 (MYR5,626.31). It will be available starting May 13, 2020. It will be arriving in Malaysia starting on May 15, 2020 for MYR7,999.

The XPS 17 will run you USD$1,499.99 (MYR6,491.52). It will be available internationally in Summer 2020. As of now, the XPS 17 will not be available in Malaysia.

Official Specifications

Dell XPS 15

Dell XPS 17

Computers, Gaming, News

Alienware Lands with New Line Up Spearheaded by the Area 51m R2

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Alienware saw a return to the spotlight last year thanks to a large, power packed champion: the Area 51m. The new form factor paired with a major redesigned pushed the Alienware offerings into the spotlight. The new Legend design language brought a sense of imposing elegance to the new offerings which enhanced their offerings.

This year, Alienware is continuing with their Legend design and is packing more performance into their products.

Alienware Area 51m R2

The Alienware line up continues to be spearheaded by the Area 51m R2. This year’s Area 51m R2 comes in the same larger than life form factor as last year. However, it has a slimmer silhouette coming in at 1.7 inches at its thickest and 1.089 inches at its thinnest. It’s 15.85 inches by 12.565 inches in size and comes in at only 4.7kgs at its most specc’d out. However, the slimmer body of the R2 isn’t lacking in ports it comes with 2 USB 3.2 ports, 1 USB 3.2 with powershare, 1 card reader, 1 Thunderbolt 3 Port, an Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port, an HDMI port, 1 Audio Out, a microSD card reader and a global headset port.

The Alienware Area 51m R2 comes with a 17.3-inch display with options for Full HD and UHD panels. These display panels are also available with NVIDIA G-SYNC and come with up to 300Hz refresh rate. It also has options for Tobii Eyetracking. The panels support 100% Adobe RGB gamut and RGB gamut where compatible. Otherwise, the panels cover 72% of the NTSC gamut.

The new refresh also comes equipped with 10th generation Intel Core i7 or Core i9 processors for power. This is complemented with up to 64GB of RAM. Storage wise, the Alienware Area 51m R2 comes with options for single storage, dual and even RAID0 Plus configurations of up to 4TB. Graphics wise, the laptop is available with the AMD Radeon RX 5700M, NVIDIA GeForce GTX1660 Ti, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER or the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER.

Alienware m15 & m17

Alienware’s m15 and m17 are also getting a new refresh. The new offerings retain the Legend design language but come with more power so users can be productive and game on the go. They also come in the same, familiar size that users have already fallen in love with.

The Alienware m15 and m17 both come with the latest generation of Intel Core i processors with i5, i7 and i9 options to choose from. They also come packed with gaming and graphical prowess with the choice of AMD RADEON RX5500M or NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX1650 Ti, GTX 1660 Ti, RTX 2060, RTX 2070, RTX 2070 SUPER and RTX 2080 SUPER. They also come with up to 32GB of RAM. This is complemented with up to 4.5TB of storage in either single, RAID0 or RAID0 Plus configurations.

The displays on the Alienware m15 and m17 are similar to the Area 51m options. The only difference would be in the m15’s smaller 15.6-inch size and an additional OLED option for UHD resolution. Both the m15 and m17 have options that include Tobii Eyetracking technology too. They also share a similar number of ports as the Area 51m.

Alienware Aurora R11

Together with the laptops, Alienware is also refreshing the Aurora with the latest Intel Core i processors. The R11 will be coming with options with the Core i5, Core i7 and Core i9. It comes with options for up to 32GB of RAM in both 2933MHz and 3200MHz flavours depending on your performance needs. It will also be sporting up to 4TB of storage. These will be available in Single, Dual and Intel Optane configurations.

On the graphics front, the Aurora R11 will be able to handle single and dual GPU configurations. Alienware is offering NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards ranging from the GTX1650 to the RTX2080 Ti and AMD options ranging from the RADEON 5600 to the RADEON VII for single graphics card configurations. For dual graphics configurations, users can choose from the RTX 2070 SUPER with NVLink SLI, RTX 2080 SUPER with NVLink SLI and RTX 2080 Ti with NVLink SLI.

Being a tower, the Aurora R11 comes with a a slew of ports including a headphone jack/line out port, microphone/line in port, 2 USB Type A v3.2, 1 USB Type A v3.2 with Powershare Technology and a USB Type-C v3.2 with Powershare technology on the front of the tower. On the back, there are 6 USB Type A v2.0, 1 USB Type-C v3.2, 2 USB Type A v3.2 and various surround sound ports on the back. It has an RJ-45 Killer E3000 Gigabit ethernet port as do all the Alienware offerings.

Pricing & Availability

The Alienware Area 51m R2 will be available globally starting on June 9, 2020 starting at USD$3,049.99 (MYR13,202.69).

The m15 and m17 will be available globally starting on May 21, 2020. The Alienware m15 is priced starting at USD$1,499.99 (MYR6,493.10) while the m17 will be priced from USD$1,549.99 (MYR6,709.54).

The Auroro R11 wil be available from May 13, 2020 with prices starting at USD$1,129.99 (MYR4,891.26). Alienware mentioned that there will be additional configurations available starting May 28, 2020 for as low as USD$879.99 (MYR3,809.12).

Only the m15, m17 and Aurora R11 will be available in Malaysia. The m15 R3 will be available starting 22 May, 2020 with prices starting at MYR9,899. The m17 R3 will be going on sale at the same time with prices starting at MYR12,199 while the Aurora R11 will be available starting 30 June, 2020 with prices starting at MYR6,999.

Computers, News

Update Your Life with HUAWEI’s New MateBook Line-Up

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The Intel 10th Generation Core platforms have been out for a while now. Plenty of manufacturers have already taken advantage toward updating their line-up with the newer processors. Of course, newer is better and faster. One of the notebook PCs that we wanted to see updated though, was HUAWEI’s MateBook line-up. Until now, that is.

HUAWEI MateBook X Pro

The HUAWEI MateBook X Pro was one of the best value-for-money notebook PCs you can find in the market at its launch. The MateBook X Pro is exactly what it sounds like. It is a modern top class thin and light PC to haul all your work in one place. While thin, it was no slouch too.

Source: HUAWEI

The new 2020 version is a continuation of all those qualities from 2018. It gets the new Intel 10th Generation Core platform in the from of a Core i7-10510U processor (up to). Not top-of-the-line, but still a vastly powerful CPU for a body no thicker than 2 cm. That is thinner than most keyboard you can find the market even. You have up to an NVIDIA GeForce MX250 GPU if you have the urge to take it gaming. No, you may not run today’s AAA titles that well, but it is designed to be a workhorse, not a gaming PC this HUAWEI MateBook X Pro.

Still, up to 16GB of RAM does not hurt especially if you need to have multiple windows and browsers open at the same time. The MX250 would help you too if you ever need to quickly edit a video. Where it shines though is when you want to just wind down and watch a movie on HUAWEI’s beautiful 3K resolution display. It is also touch optimised just in case you are wondering. It even has four speakers for you to enjoy more than just music.

Of course, being a HUAWEI notebook PC, you still get the benefit of using HUAWEI Share. just tap and share a photo between your HUAWEI smartphone and your PC. We especially love this function when used with a HUAWEI smartphone.

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The HUAWEI MateBook PC will be available in Malaysia 16th May 2020 onward. It is available in Space Grey and Emerald Green colour options when it is available. The new HUAWEI MateBook X Pro will start from MYR 7,999. If you are looking for something more budget friendly, you might want to look at something else. If you go for this though, you are entitled to a free HUAWEI Sound X Bluetooth speaker, a HUAWEI Bluetooth Mouse, a backpack, and HUAWEI’s Band 4 fitness tracker. For more information on the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, you can visit their website.

HUAWEI MateBook 13

By far one of our favourite Notebook PCs from HUAWEI, the MateBook 13 was an embodiment of what would be a perfect working laptop for us. It is small, light, powerful, and durable. Sure, it had an odd shape thanks to the odd display ratio. But its 13-inch display was beautiful at 2K resolution.

Source: HUAWEI

They kept that 2K resolution on the 13-incher though. There is a new 10th Generation Core processor now. You still get up to 16GB of RAM to work with too, so it is still no slouch. You still get a discrete GPU in the NVIDIA GeForce MX250 for not just your entertainment. It is good enough to work with for light video editing.

One of our favourite things on the MateBook 13 was its very thoughtful fingerprint sensor embedded with the power button. It is not the first time we see this design anywhere, but we appreciate that subtlety and functional form. The other thing was that it was light. The new one, is a mere 1.3kg. It is not as light as some of the thin and light that we see out in the market, but the GPU is worth some cooling, trust me. Plus, it is an all-aluminium body. Of course, HUAWEI Share is that other thing we liked about it.

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The MateBook 13 will be available at the same time as the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro. It is only available in one colour option though. It is only available in Space Grey, which is actually not a bad colour to go with. You can get your hands on one for MYR 4,999. You get all the same free gift as the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro offer excluding the HUAWEI Sound X Bluetooth speaker. For more information on the HUAWEI MateBook 13, you can check out their website, or webstore.

MateBook D 14 & 15

Meant to be the more budget choice and targeted toward the student segment, the MateBook D 14 and 15 are the ones to go for if you are just looking to get work done on the go without much fuss. They are not the smallest or lightest things you can carry around, but they get the job done.

Source: HUAWEI

They are still no slouch too though. You get up to an AMD Ryzen 7 3700U CPU on the 15-incher and up to an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U for the 14-incher. Both get Full HD displays still. Both also gets Radeon Vega GPUs to work with and game with. The 14-inch MateBook D 14 gets Radeon Vega 8 while the MateBook D 15 gets the Radeon RX Vega 10.

You still get up to 16GB of RAM for both devices though. You also get a 512GB SSD to work with, so these MateBook D notebooks are not what you would call slow as well. You also get a fingerprint sensor embedded to the power button, so it is not less premium than the more expensive MateBook 13 or MateBook X Pro. Of course, the HUAWEI MateBook D 14 and D 15 gets HUAWEI Share out-out-of-the box. If you already own a HUAWEI device, that is a bonus that you will want to have.

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The HUAWEI MateBook D 14 and D 15 will be available at the same time with the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro and HUAWEI MateBook 13. It is only available in Mystic Silver. At least you do not get a headache of choosing what colour suits your lifestyle. It will set you back MYR 2,899. You are entitled, while stocks last, for the same free gifts as the HUAWEI MateBook 13 offer. For more information, you can check out their website, or webstore.

Computers, News

The 2020 MSI Creator 17 With Mini LED – A World First

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Creators, in a lot of sense, are like gamers. Before you deny, let us look at the facts. People in the creative industry, especially designers, videographers, photographers, or 3D artists need a powerful PC. The more power, the better. Gamers need a lot of power as well to get the best sort of experience in the gaming world – a sort of immersive escape from the real world.

Creators, especially ones that are in the 3D design space needs a lot of computing power to render 3D spaces and designs. Gamers play a lot of 3D games and need plenty of rendering power from their PC to render whatever that is coded into the game smoothly and beautifully, as intended by the designers. Conclusion? Gamers and creators are nearly the same people.

The difference is that gamers prefer a display that does not glare into their eyes. Colours, although important, are quite secondary. They prefer higher refresh rates than colour accuracy because that may affect their performance in an online multiplayer match up. Creators on the other hand prefer colour accuracy, quality and resolution over anything else. The more accurate the colours and resolution, the better. They need a true to life representation of colours to do their jobs.

That is the reason why creators need PCs with specialised monitors to work with. The old days of the creative industry was to get a gaming PC and hook it up to a colour accurate monitor. Not anymore.

Source: MSI

With the new MSI Creator 17, you are now getting a display like no other. They call it a Mini LED display. The technology of which, we have not understood fully yet. What we know though is that it is supposedly better than OLED and IPS displays in terms of colour reproduction. It is DCI-P3 100% certified, which also means you get very accurate colours.

The 17.3-inch Mini LED display pushes up to 4K in resolution. It is also a Display HDR 1000 display with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. That is bright; really bright. You might want to consider lowering the brightness in a dark room, else you get blind.

The MSI Creator 17 packs the power too with an NVIDIA GeForce 2080 SUPER (up to) and Intel’s 10th Generation Core i7-107875H processor. You can choose to slot in two SSD’s within the notebook for an uninterrupted workflow. They did not mention how much RAM you can get it with, but we can safely assume that you can slot in at least a 32GB RAM stick into it.

For more information and pricing of the Creator series notebook PCs, you should contact MSI directly for a quote. If not, you can find more information on MSI’s products in their website.

Computers, Gaming, News

The Evolution of the MSI 6 Series (GE66 Raider & GS66 Stealth) – the Dragons Meets the Comet

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Comet Lake, or Intel’s 10th Generation of Core processors is upon us. It only makes sense that we start seeing the notebook PC versions of these very potent processors. For MSI, it is the 6 series that breaks daylight with their brand-new power units.

MSI GE66 Raider

Source: MSI

The first of the gaming notebook PCs that broke daylight is the GE66 Raider. To begin with, there is a new chassis that contains the dragon like performance hardware inside. You get a new RGB lighting at the mouth edge of the bottom half clam. It is like a ‘go faster’ stripe on a car, it makes it ‘go faster’.

Only, unlike a ‘go faster’ stripe, the 15-inch MSI GE66 raider packs a faster, more powerful 10th Generation Core i9 Processor and an even more powerful GPU in the form of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER. Take this with a pinch of salt though – there are not confirmed spec sheet for Malaysia just yet. At this point, we only know that it is coming and what it looks like.

MSI GS66 Stealth

Thin and light is what everyone in the industry is gunning for theses days. That is the aim of the MSI GS66 Stealth. The older generation GS65 that this replaces has some golf accents that divides two worlds. Some thinks that it is a tad too tacky, some thinks it looks good.

Source: MSI

I, for one, prefer the brand new GS66 Stealth Core Black that makes it look like an actual stealth bomber in a way. It looks like any other notebook PC that means business in the business world. They remind me of the ruggedness that is associated with the indestructible Lenovo ThinkPads if I am so bold to say.

The new GS66 Stealth packs a cooling technology like no other. It has something they call MSI Cooler Boost Trinity+. The system is a combination of an optimised airflow system and a 0.1mm thin blades for maximum airflow out of a body no thicker than 2cm. That is the total thickness of the 15-inch MSI GS66 Stealth by the way.

Now you start wondering how this petite notebook PC packs Intel’s 10th Generation Core i9-10980HK power unit and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (Max-Q). All that power is supported by two 16GB (up to) onboard RAM, making an effective 32GB of RAM size. With up to 2TB of SSD space – you can easily separate work and play with no fuss of running out of space. All this power translates to the beauty on the 15.6-inch Full HD 300Hz nearly 100%sRGB display.

Computers, Gaming, News

ASUS Unveils New Republic Of Gamers (ROG) Line Up Powered by 10th Generation Intel Processors & NVIDIA GeForce RTX SUPER GPU

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ROG or Republic of Gamers has become one of the most popular gaming brands in the world. It has become ASUS’ most valuable brand when it comes to performance laptops and PCs geared for gamers. This year, ASUS breathes new life into its gaming laptop line up with new form factors, better specifications and an all new cooling system.

The new ROG line up will be powered by the latest and greatest 10th generation Intel Core processors paired with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX SUPER. It will feature the one of the industry’s first displays with 300Hz refresh rate and speedy performance thanks to DDR4 RAM. It will also feature ASUS’s new Liquid Metal cooling solution which is touted to reduce temperature by 10°C to 20°C.

ROG Zephyrus Duo 15

Spearheading the new line up is the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. The new addition to the Zephyrus line up comes with a form factor that ASUS enthusiasts will be pretty familiar with. Adopting the second screen experience pioneered by the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo, the Zephyrus Duo 15 comes with the new ROG ScreenPad Plus.

The new ROG ScreenPad Plus makes the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 a device made for streamers and multitaskers. The new second screen isn’t just there to look at, users will be able to multitask better thanks to the touch screen. However, this 14.1-inch, 4K UHD screen plays second fiddle to the 15.6-inch PANTONE validated display which comes with a refresh rate of up to 300MHz.

The new Zephyrus flagship will be powered by the all new, 10th Generation Intel Comet Lake Core i7 or Core i9 processors. This will be paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX SUPER graphics processor and 16GB of DDR4 RAM.

ROG Zephyrus S Series

Following close behind is the Zephyrus S series which consists of the S17 and S15. The Zepyrus S series comes with a svelte 18.9mm chassis that houses power packed specifications. Both the S17 and S15 come support NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX SUPER graphics cards and Intel’s latest 10 generation processors.

The Zephyrus S series also comes with a display with a refresh rate of up to 300Hz refresh rate. This display is also PANTONE validated for colour accuracy on the S17. The S17 also comes with a full desktop-style keyboard with per-key RGB LED backlight and a NumPad. The extra room also allowed ASUS to include an integrated volume roller. It also comes with the ASUS’s AAS cooling technology which opens a large intake vent on the bottom end when the lid is opened.

The S15 comes with a smaller screen and a reinforced palm rest area. The extra strength provided by the honeycomb structure makes the palm rest flex resistant. The soft touch finish adds a smooth, fingerprint resistant layer.

ROG Zephyrus M15

M is for the masses. The Zephyrus M comes not only with an affordable price but also a range of configurations for any gamer. Starting with the 10th generation Intel Core i7, the Zephyrus M is slated to be the most affordable one of the range. It comes with display options ranging from a Full HD IPS panel with 144Hz to a 4K UHD panel. Customizability doesn’t end there; the Zephyrus M comes with a range of GPUs starting with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti to the RTX 2070.

While affordability is one of the hallmarks of the Zephyrus M, it doesn’t compromise when it comes to quality. The laptop’s slim chassis is made of structurally reinforced magnesium alloy. When it comes to sound, the M comes with an ESS Sabre DAC for crisp audio. It has two easily accessible M.2 slots and supports dual display outputs and Thunderbolt 3.

ROG Strix SCAR Series

Staying faithful to its e-sports roots, the refreshed Strix SCAR series comes with all the bells and whistles that you’d expect. From looks to its it specifications, the Strix SCAR 15 and 17 are made for gamers. It doesn’t shy away from showing its gaming inclination with customizable RGB LED lighting effects. This is, of course, complemented by an illuminated RGB ROG Logo on the lid.

The Strix SCAR series pushes its boundaries with up to an Intel Core i9 processor paired with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER on the Strix SCAR 15 or the RTX 2080 SUPER on the Strix SCAR 17.

ROG Strix G Series

Rounding up the new series of laptops is the ROG Strix G series. ASUS refreshes both the Strix G15 an G17 with better specifications and a new Electro Punk version. This new version comes on top of the Glacier Blue and Original Black versions og the Strix G.

Both models of the Strix G series come with the 10th generation Intel cores and the NVIDIA RTX SUPER Graphics. The G series tops out at the Intel Core i7 and the RTX 2070 SUPER. It also comes with display panels with 144 Hz and 240 Hz refresh rates.

Pricing and Availability

ASUS has not announced any pricing or availability at the time of the announcement. However, stay tuned and we’ll be updating you as we get the information.

Computers, Gaming, News

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 Brings New Gaming Experience to the Republic of Gamers

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The ROG Zephyrus has become ASUS’s go to series when it comes to pushing the boundaries of gaming laptops. Having first pushed the boundaries of portability and svelte design about 2 years ago, the line up is now looking to push boundaries when it comes to functionality. However, it still maintains

The new ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 adopts a form factor ASUS fans will be familiar with. We first saw this form factor when ASUS launched its ZenBook Pro Duo. That said, ASUS has optimised and enhanced the dual screen form factor for the power user and gamer. The new ROG ScreenPad Plus tilts up at a 13° angle when the lid is opened. This serves a two-fold purpose of making the the Zephyrus Duo 15 more ergonomic to use as well as allowing more airflow through the larger opening on both the top and bottom of the laptop thanks to ASUS’s Active Aerodynamic System (AAS).

The AAS system opens a 7 to 10mm vents that extend across the bottom of the laptop. This allows increased airflow to cool the processors and components. This is better fortified by the larger 28.5mm air intake across the top surface of the laptop’s base. This lies hidden behind the ROG ScreenPad Plus. This AAS Plus allows an additional 30% of airflow better cooling the components. This also helps keep the laptop even more silent at only 43dB even in performance mode.

The ROG ScreenPad Plus is a 14.1-inch 4K, UHD screen which spans the top half of the base of the laptop. The touchscreen display allows users to use multiwindows and even monitor things such as chat or even the OBS console while livestreaming. Of course, if you’re using things like Adobe Premiere Pro on the Zephyrus DUO 15, the ScreenPad Plus will be able to show you your timelines.

Users have the choice of speed or resolution when it comes tho the main display of the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. The main display is either a 300 Hz Full HD IPS LCD display with 3ms response times or a 4K UHD display with a 60 Hz refresh rate. The 15.6-inch display panels are PANTONE validated and have support for NVIDIA G-SYNC. The 4K UHD display covers 100% of the Adobe gamut while the FHD IPS covers 100% of the sRGB gamut.

On the insides, the new Zephyrus Duo 15 comes with either the 10th Generation Intel Core i9-10980HK or i7-10875H processors. This is paired with either a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER or RTX 2080 SUPER graphics cards. This comes with a built-in 16GB of DDR4 RAM with an extra SODIMM RAM slot.

Pricing & Availability

ASUS hasn’t announced any pricing or availability as of yet. However, we’ll keep you updated as soon as we get word.

Official Specifications

ProcessorIntel® 10th Gen Comet Lake i9-10980HK Intel® 10th Gen Comet Lake i7-10875H
GraphicsNVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2080 SUPER™, 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2070 SUPER™, 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM
Operating systemWindows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro
DisplayMain Screen: 15.6” PANTONE® Validated, supports Microsoft Hybrid Graphics / G-SYNC switching
– 4K UHD IPS 60 Hz Adobe 100%, non-touchscreen
– FHD IPS 300 Hz sRGB 100% 3 ms, non-touchscreen

ScreenPad™ Plus: 14.09”
– UHD (3840 x 1100) IPS 60 Hz NTSC 72%, touchscreen
Memory16 GB DDR4 3200 MHz onboard, plus 1 x SODIMM slot up to 32 GB (supports up to 48 GB total)
Storage2 x M.2 SSD slot (NVMe® PCIe®), PCIe® 3.0 x4 512 GB / 1 TB, supports RAID 0
KeyboardBacklit chiclet keyboard, supports n-key, per-key with 1.4 mm key travel
Audio2 x speakers, ESS + Hi-Res Audio (HRA) certification, supports smart amplifier, Nahimic Sonic Studio + ISST Microsoft Cortana (far-field mic array)
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth2×2 multi-antenna WiFi 6 (802.11ax) Bluetooth® 5.0
I/O Ports1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C™, DisplayPort 1.4, TBT, PD input 20 V/3A；output 5 V/3A
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (right)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (Bottom)
1 x HDMI (HDMI 2.0b support)
2 x audio jack: mic-in & headphone, plus mic-in
1 x RJ45 LAN
Battery90 Wh
Power Supply240 W power adaptor Supports USB-C™ Power Delivery 3.0 up to 65 W
Size36 x 26.8 x 2.1 cm
Weight2.4 kg
Computers, Gaming, News

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 17 Brings Supercharged Performance

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The ROG Strix SCAR series has been engineered from the ground up as a gaming laptop meant for professional gamers. It has always been about getting the most performance to get the edge over your competition. This time is no different. ASUS is supercharging the ROG Strix SCAR series with a larger, more powerful version of the popular, eSports centric gaming laptop.

The new ROG Strix SCAR 17 brings a larger 17.3-inch Full HD display with up to 3ms response time and 300 Hz refresh rate. The larger screen gives players a better, more immersive experience as they work on taking down the competition. The high refresh rate will enable them to have split second response to score that much needed win.

Of course, the SCAR 17 is no slouch when it comes to the processing power of the laptop. Powered by up to an Intel Core i9-10980HK paired with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER, the laptop should be able to handle any game or video processing that users throw at it. It also comes with up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM with 2 M.2 slots for terabytes of memory.

Coming along for the ride is a new, optimised cooling system and also the ROG Keystone II. Developed in collaboration with BMW Designworks, the system allows deep personalisation and also encryption. Users are able to use it as an encryption key for a hidden drive or for launching apps of their choice.

Pricing & Availability

No word on pricing or availability from ASUS just yet. However, stay tuned and we’ll update you when we do.

Official Specifications

ProcessorUp to Intel® Core™ i9-10980HK
Operating systemWindows 10 Pro
GraphicsUp to NVIDIA ® GeForce RTX™ 2080 SUPER
DisplayUp to 17.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS FHD 300Hz (3ms)
Memory &
storage		Up to 32 GB DDR4 3200 MHz SDRAM 2 x M.2 NVMe® PCIe® 3.0 x4 up to 1 TB SSD with RAID 0 support Up to 3 SSDs
Connectivity2×2 Intel® WiFi 6 (Gig+) (802.11ax) RangeBoost support Bluetooth® 5.1
Audio2 x 4.2-watt speakers Smart amplifier
KeyboardBacklit chiclet keyboard Aura Sync Per-key RGB
InterfacesLeft side I/O 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x Audio combo jack: Mic-in and Headphone out   Rear side I/O 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 X USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C™ (supports DisplayPort, no PD charging) 1 x LAN RJ45 jack 1 x HDMI (supports HDMI 2.0b), supports HDCP SPEC 2.2
SoftwareArmoury Crate GameFirst V Sonic Studio GameVisual Aura Creator
Accessories (Optional)ROG backpack ROG Delta Headset ROG Gladius II / ROG STRIX impact (alternative) ROG GC21 Webcam
Battery66 Wh
Dimensions39.97 x 29.34 x 2.79 cm
Weight2.9 kg