Acer announced their Orion X last week alongside a few new gaming laptops. The Orion X is a gaming desktop tower that weighs 9kg though. That also means that unlike a gaming laptop, if you buy a Predator Orion X, you only get the tower without any other peripherals. For you to start gaming with the Orion X, you still need a keyboard, a mouse, and probably speakers or headphones. The most important thing to get with a gaming desktop is a big ol’ gaming monitor, and Acer has announced some of them too.
Acer Nitro XZ452CU V
Source: Acer
Source: Acer
This is a little bit of a curious thing for us. We have always known Acer’s Nitro brand as the sort of entry-level gaming brand for gamers looking for the best value in gaming gear without spending a fortune. They do not need the best of the best, just something they can work with the money they are willing to spend.
This one feel more premium than it should though. It does not offer Full HD resolution. Instead, it offers a rather premium QHD resolution. It is not just QHD 1440p either, it is a 44.5-inch ultrawide 1440p resolution display. You get 5,120 by 1,440 resolution at 32:9 aspect ratio for more real estate on your monitor. That means you get to see more in your game world. You are not getting some cheap display panel that runs slower than snail too. You are getting 165Hz from this monitor with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for a fast, smooth gameplay that is free of screen tearing. Then there are the colours this thing offers. You get 90% in DCI-P3 of colour gamut coverage, meaning it offers a rather accurate and rich projection in terms of colours. It offers VESA certified DisplayHDR 400 rating meaning it offers up to 400 nits in brightness. That is not exactly bright, but in your gaming den, it still looks good. To keep your eyes from falling off, there is BlueLightShield Pro, Flickerless, Low-Dimming, and ComfyView technologies from Acer. It also has a KVM USB hub with a USB Type-C input for display, data, and even device charging all at the same time. It even has an RJ45 port if you want to hide your network cable.
All of these means you are getting a premium gaming experience. It is an Acer Nitro gaming device; therefore, we are expecting a rather small price tag as well. We think that the Nitro XZ452CU V could be the best valued premium gaming monitor you can buy when it is available. If you are looking for something more premium though, you can get your hands on something else, a Predator.
Predator X34 V
Source: Acer
As its name suggests, it is a smaller display at 34-inch compared to the 44.5-inch from the newly launched Nitro. It is still an ultra-wide panel, but just a little shorter than the Nitro. But it is a much nicer panel you get over the Nitro too.
Instead of a regular IPS, or run-of-the-mill VA panel, you get a brilliant looking OLED panel. The OLED panel offers 3,440 and 1,440 pixels to you at VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400, thanks to the OLED technology. It also offers 99% coverage in DCI-P3 colour gamut for the most vivid colours and image you can get currently.
It is a Predator gaming monitor; you can expect it to be fast. The 1800R curved panel offers 175Hz in refresh rate and Grey-to-Grey response time is brought down to 0.1ms for the most responsive and smoothest gaming experience you can get from a monitor. It comes with AMD’s FreeSynch Premium and Variable Refresh Rate technology for not only a tear-free gaming experience, but a reduced power consumption to save on your electricity bill (not a lot, but savings are still savings). It also offers Acer’s suite of eye protection technology like BlueLightShield Pro, Flickerless, Low-Dimming, ComfyView, and EyeSafe 2.0.
Price and Availability
The Predator X34 V and Nitro XZ452CU V will both be available in the North American markets in the fourth quarter of 2023. We are expecting that Malaysia would get the new monitors just a little later than the North American markets. The larger Nitro XZ452CU V, to no one’s surprise, will start at US$ 999.99 (MYR 4,438*), cheaper than the Predator X34 V. The Predator X34 V starts at US$ 300 more than the Nitro at US$ 1,299.99 (MYR 5,769*). There are no official prices for Malaysia just yet. More on Acer’s new Nitro XZ452CU V and Predator X34 V can be found on their website.
*approximately based on the exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.44 as of 24/04/2023 on xe.com
(2 May 2023) Update – Pre-order details for Malaysia added to the post.
Thin and light laptops have never been more relevant. In the wake of the pandemic, we’re often finding ourselves working remotely. This has changed what we’re looking for in a laptop. ASUS has decided to embrace this reality with its thinnest-ever laptop with the Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304). But that’s not all for the new Zenbook S 13 OLED, it’s also the most sustainable laptop yet from ASUS.
Redefining Thin & Light with a 1cm Profile complemented by a 1kg Weight
The Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) isn’t ditching the premium build and materials we love from ASUS. It ups the ante with a precision CNC-machined lid and keyboard deck. The magnesium-alloy lid is designed and machined to hold a Full HD, IR camera while reducing the thickness by 30%.
Source: ASUS
ASUS has also optimised the internal components of the new Zenbook. Using circuit boards with fewer layers and higher wiring density and more transistors, they have successfully reduced the bottom half of the laptop by 25%. However, they’ve kept performance in mind and have included an ultrathin fan that increases airflow for better cooling.
Even the keyboard deck has been slimmed down by 25%. This is done with a precision machined alloy and a super thin glass layer for the mousepad.
More Sustainable than Any ASUS Laptop
ASUS’s new Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) is also upping the ante when it comes to sustainability. The magnesium-aluminium alloy used in the laptop is a sustainably sourced post-industrial recycled (PIR) alloy. Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics are also incorporated in the laptop’s build. This is primarily seen in its keycaps and speakers. The latter specifically uses ocean-bound plastics.
ASUS has also created a special manufacturing process that they claim is greener than ever before. Their exclusive plasma ceramic aluminium material is made with pure water and electricity and omits the use of harmful organic compounds, strong acids and heavy metals. Instead, they use a low-impact bath-based method which gives similar results to harmful chemical treatments. These manufacturing choices have been recognised with the EPEAT Gold certification.
The Zenbook S 13 OLED is still sturdy and has increased wear resistance, corrosion protection, thermal management and hardness. It’s even certified with MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability.
Performance on-the-go with Intel Core Processors & a Complete set of I/O
The Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) isn’t just resting on its laurels. It comes with the latest Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. These 13th Generation Intel Core processors bring impressive performance while being more power efficient with up to 20 watts of boosted performance. These processors are complemented with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and an ultrafast PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD. The SSD comes in 512GB and 1TB configurations.
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
ASUS isn’t ditching critical I/O ports for clout with the Zenbook S 13 OLED. The laptop comes with a full complement of I/O ports. These ports include two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port and a 3.5mm audio jack. The USB-C ports are also used for charging the slim laptop and support connectivity with 4K external displays. This comes in addition to the Windows Hello-enabled FHD IR camera and WiFi 6E support with ASUS WiFi Master Premium.
Completing the Zenbook S 13 OLED offering is a 16:10 ASUS Lumina OLED display. The 2.8K display comes with a 0.2ms response time and a Delta E value of less than 1 which guarantees colour accuracy. It also covers 100% if the DCI-P3 gamut is Dolby Vision and VESA DIsplayHDR True Black 500 certified. Completing the multimedia package is a Harman Kardon-certified audio system with immersive Dolby Atmos sound and a smart amplifier combined with ASUS Audio Booster which can boost the volume by up to 5.25x.
Pricing & Availability
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED will be retailing internationally with prices starting at USD$1,399. It will be available in Basalt Gray or Ponder Blue.
In Malaysia, the laptop will be available in two variants:
Model
Specifications
Price (MYR)
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304)
Intel Core i5-1335U 16GB LPDDR5 RAM 512GB storage
4,999
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304)
Intel Core i5-1355U 16GB LPDDR5 RAM 1TB storage
5,999
Pre-orders for the Zenbook S 13 OLED are available open from 2 May 2023. Pre-orders of the laptop will be entitled to a free ASUS ZenScreen worth MYR1,099. The offer is available for the first 20 pre-orders of the Zenbook S 13 OLED.
We have reviewed Acer’s Swift 3 before. It is, in many ways quite a regular recipe for a budget thin-and-light laptop. It is really everything you can ask for in a very regular laptop you want to bring around for productivity.
To begin with, it is not that thin in the first place. Still, it is well built. It is also not the most powerful thing you can find in the market since there is no discrete GPU.
Now, the Acer Swift 3 OLED then. It is a slightly outdated product. Yet, it is still relevant since it is technically an updated version of the Acer Swift 3. It was released a few months ago, technically a 2023 product. While Acer released a few products in CES 2023, the Acer Swift 3 OLED will still be the latest Acer Swift laptop available at the time of writing.
It shares the same chassis with the 2022 Swift 3 and Swift 3X. You get mostly the same materials, which is not a bad thing. There is very little in terms of exposed plastic, save for the keyboard and the display’s bezel.
In this case, is the Acer Swift 3 OLED worth looking at? Is it for you? Is it worth its asking price? Should you wait for Acer’s latest laptops released in CES 2023?
Design
If you have come across our Acer Swift 3X and read through our Acer Swift 3 reviews before, they pretty much look the same. There are a few key differences though. Instead of 13-inch on your display, you have 14-inch on the display this time. With that, you get a larger 16:10 aspect ratio display with smaller bezels at the top, the sides, and the bottom. Thanks to that, the Acer logo now sits just above the keyboard, in-line with the DTS etching you see above the power button.
No, it is not a facial recognition capable webcam, but it is a Full HD webcam this time. Somehow, the punch hole for the camera looks smaller than before.
Everything else remains the same. The keyboard layout is familiar. The trackpad is the same exact size and build. Even the thermal vents are placed at the same top right corner of the bottom chassis. The only noticeable difference is the shell design. The Acer logo is smaller now and sits at the top of the shell. It is now a very plain grey, which we find rather boring.
Hardware
Within the familiar all-metal chassis is a very familiar 12th generation Intel Core processor as well. 13th Generation Intel processors are reserved for the next generation Swift laptops. Still, the Swift 3 OLED is an Intel EVO platform laptop.
Specifications
Acer Swift 3 OLED SF314-71-7980
As tested
Processor (clock)
Intel® Core™ i7-12700H 2.30 GHz tetradeca-core with Turbo Boost (up to 4.70GHz) 24MB cache
GPU
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
Display
14” OLED WQXGA (2880 x 1800) 16:10 aspect ratio
Memory
16GB LPDDR5 1TB PCIe® NVMe™ 3.0 M.2 SSD
Networking and Connections
Intel WiFi 6E Bluetooth 5.2 2x Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C® 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 2x Type-A 1x HDMI 2.1 1x 3.5mm AUX Jack
Battery
57W with up to 8 hours life (quoted) 100W Type-C power adapter
Operating System
Windows 11 Home 64-bit
Miscellaneous
FHD camera Backlit Keyboard Stereo Speakers Far Field Microphone DisplayPort over USB-C Thunderbolt 4 Windows Hello with Fingerprint Sensor
Features
The Acer Swift 3 OLED starts at MYR 400 premium (MYR 4,399 as tested) over the regular outgoing Acer Swift 3. Most of that extra money goes to the brilliant OLED display you get on the OLED variant of the laptop. You are also not really losing out in terms of features over the regular ol’ Swift 3.
Full HD Webcam
On top of the OLED display is a better webcam than before. Instead of the standard 720p webcam, it is a Full HD 1080p one. In theory, this should be an improvement.
The image you get from it is not the best. The edges are quite soft and dynamic range still. Colours look fine in favourable lighting conditions.
For most cases, in video calls specifically, it works. There is not much to complain about if you are just looking for a simple workaround in your remote working situation. If you want something better, or to use your webcam for streaming purposes, you are better off getting a separate webcam.
Fingerprint Sensor with Windows Hello
Like the older Swift 3, the fingerprint sensor is built into the power button. We think that the fingerprint sensor placement is the most sensible in this configuration. The distinct tactility on the power button is highly appreciated though. It at least prevents us from accidentally turning off our laptop.
USB type-C Charging, Thunderbolt 4, and HDMI 2.1
Thunderbolt 4 should not come as a surprise. It is technically an existing feature of the Acer Swift 3 and any modern laptop that comes with Intel’s latest CPUs. The capabilities of Thunderbolt 4 should also be known by now. You can strap a 4K monitor alongside any USB hubs with Thunderbolt 4.
The HDMI 2.1 port is also found on the 2022 variant of the regular Swift 3. It allows your Swift 4 to get up to 8K resolution of output. You might want to tamper your expectations in terms of performance though since there is no dedicated GPU on the Swift 3 OLED. Still, with HDMI 2.1 you can get your laptop to take advantage of 4K 120hz displays, which should be in the Swift 3 OLED’s range of capabilities even in gaming; just not AAA titles.
The Acer Swift 3 OLED now exclusively charges via USB Type-C. There is no proprietary charging port on the hardware. That also means you have an extra USB Type-C port to work with especially when the other is used as a charging port.
Both USB Type-C ports are Thunderbolt 4 capable ports, allowing you to strap up to two 4K monitors to the Acer Swift 3. You might want to make sure that the monitor can at least charge the Acer Swift 3 at 65W at least.
Same Keys as Before
It is not a perfect keyboard. We think that it could use a little more travel. The bottom out feels a little cushioned. We think that the keyboard feels a little mushy. While it is not hugely uncomfortable to type with the keyboard for long periods, we do think that a little more tactility would make it better.
Performance – The Power of Intel’s 12th Generation Core
The Acer Swift 3 OLED is technically a minor update of a 2022 product. You will not find Intel’s latest 13th generation Core processor lodged in the laptop. Instead, you get a 12th generation Core processor. Specifically, in our test unit, you get the Intel Core i7-12700H processor.
Multitasking & Productivity
The Intel Core i7-12700H is a proven processor in its own rights. While it is not the most powerful mobile processor you can find currently, it is powerful enough for the Swift 3 OLED. The laptop does not come packing a discrete GPU though.
It comes with Intel’s Iris Xe, which should be enough for 4K video editing purposes even. It should make short work of Photoshop and Lightroom. As of writing though, we could not get Adobe’s Lightroom to work on the laptop, which is a shame. That also means we could not fully take advantage of the brilliant OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. They also claim DisplayHDR 500 certification with up to 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, which should really reward content creators. At 2.8K (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) as well, it is not what you call an average display.
Still, if your aim is to get other things like emails and word processing done on the laptop, it will do the job just as well. The 16GB of RAM should be plenty enough for a ridiculous amount of open tab on your Google Chrome and to game with.
Entertainment & Gaming
This is where the OLED display also comes into a class of its own. The Swift 3 OLED, in terms of internal hardware, should allow for very smooth and painless streaming experience on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Via the app, Netflix can technically scale up to 4K in streams, but it will remain at 1080p Full HD in this case. Amazon Prime only does Full HD on any PC hardware.
From time to time, you might want to play some games. This is no gaming laptop, so you do want to adjust your expectations a little in terms of gaming performance. Keep in mind also that there will be a lot of heat when you play games, on top of plenty of noise. We tried playing games like Two Point Campus, CS:GO, and Undertale on the laptop.
With Two Point Campus, you want to keep your graphics settings at the lowest (very low) for a smooth experience. On very high settings you barely get 20fps out of the game, but everything looks just that much better.
Undertale is that game that you can play on any PC, no matter the performance. You get 30fps, which is sort of the maximum the game goes to anyway. The OLED display does make the graphics pop a little more and makes the game just a little more enjoyable though, which is nice.
CS:GO on the other hand can hit up to 40fps at times. Most of the time, you are only getting up to 30fps though. It is playable, but you will not be competitive without a GPU. You want to expect some input delays on the Swift 3 OLED too. To get more performance, you can just push the resolution down a little.
Battery Life
Acer quotes about 8 hours of battery life on the Acer Swift 3 OLED on their website. Inside, you can find a 57Wh Lithium-Ion battery. The charging adapter it comes with is rated at 100W, which is more than sufficient to charge the laptop. It is possible to use a 65W GaN charger with the Acer Swift 3 OLED.
In our use case, we have several Firefox and Microsoft Edge windows open with not more than 20 tabs open at the same time. At least two Microsoft Word windows are open most of the time. Screen brightness is usually at about 50% most of the time or less, it can get overly bright at 100%.
In our typical use case, we get nearly eight hours of battery life out of the Acer Swift 3 OLED. We are impressed enough with the battery life, though we think that it could use a slightly bigger battery to accommodate a full workday and a little more just in case you have extra work at the office and you forgot your charger at home.
Display & Audio
This is really the part where the Swift 3 OLED shines. When you put the Swift 3 beside any other laptop in its class without OLED displays, you can immediately tell that this laptop is special.
Acer quotes 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut and 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio with DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification. It refreshes at 90hz and it supposed to respond at 0.2ms, which is really near instant. You get 2.8K resolution on the 14-inch OLED panel, which is a lot of pixel for a laptop this size. It is even enough pixel for content creators to work with, especially if they specialize in working with photos.
Colours really pop on the Acer Swift 3 OLED, thanks to the capabilities of OLED displays. Any images you can put on the display are super vivid and lifelike thanks to the highly accurate colour reproduction. Watching shows on Netflix, Prime Video, and even Disney+ is a joy on the Acer Swift 3 OLED. You hardly get colour fringing or ghosting on the OLED display. Thanks to the HDR capabilities, darker scenes on shows like ‘The Witcher’ still packs plenty of detail. ‘Our Universe’ looks immersive and impressive at the same time with superbly rich colours. In that sense, you can also enjoy YouTube videos with no issues.
The DTS certified speakers are a little on the less powerful end of the spectrum. You do not get a lot of low-end frequencies, which is quite expected since there is no proper subwoofer installed here. On the mid and high frequencies, there is some clarity but not a lot of details. It is not the most powerful nor detailed set of speakers in the world, but it works. It is good enough if you are just looking to watch movies or listen to music while you browse the internet or work. For production purposes, you are better off with a decent pair of earphones.
The Acer Swift 3 OLED – That OLED Though
The Acer Swift 3 OLED starts at MYR 3,999. The one we have here will set you back MYR 1,000 more at retail (MYR 5,399 retail). You can get it at a massive discount via their online stores, but it is still a lot of money for a thin-and-light laptop without discrete GPU. The original Acer Swift 3 starts at MYR 3,599, which means you are paying the MYR 400 premium for a much better display.
The original Acer Swift 3 is not a bad laptop to begin with. There is no discrete GPU, but for a laptop that is supposed to do everything, everywhere, it is decent. The OLED upgrade highlights the high-resolution display aspect even more and made the laptop that much better to work with.
The OLED display with 16:10 aspect ratio helps with productivity. It is not a gamer product, but if you have enough for an eGPU, it might work. If not, watching movies on the OLED display is rather enjoyable. Provided, the speakers are not the best; it is and easy fix with a decent pair of headphones or Bluetooth enabled speakers. Even webpages with any form of designed visuals look really sharp on the display. The experience on the Swift 3 OLED might spoil you and your experience with other laptop displays in the future.
Is it worth the MYR 400 extra over the original Swift 3? We can safely say that the display experience is worth a little more than that. At MYR 3,999 though, we cannot call it budget friendly. If you go for the top-of-the-line option with a more capable Core i7 and 16GB of RAM, you are paying a premium of MYR 1,300 (MYR 5,399) over the Core i5 variant.
In that sense, we think you might be better off waiting for Acer’s latest Swift laptops that were launched during their CES 2023 keynote. At the same time, if you cannot wait for a few more months, we think that the Core i5 with 8GB RAM variant should be the better buy. You still get the gorgeous high-resolution OLED display, but with slightly less power. It is still enough power for you to get your photos edited, browse the internet, and watch movies comfortably.
Acer’s Predator Gaming has become one of the industry’s mainstays when it comes to the gaming scene. It comes as no surprise that Acer has opted to expand and streamline their lineup this year at their biannual Next@Acer event. Together with new naming schemes, the lineup is also updating the specifications and power in their gaming arsenal.
A Streamlined Predator Helios Lineup
The all-new Predator Helios lineup is not only coming with updated specifications. Acer has streamlined its naming dropping the 300, 500 and 700 series monikers. Instead, they’ve opted to use the screen sizes to denote each model of the laptop in the Helios lineup.
This year’s Predator Helios lineup consists of the Predator Helios 16 and Predator Helios 18 – for now. The two laptops bring the latest and greatest processors and GPUs from Intel and NVIDIA respectively. Together with configurations supporting up to the Core i9 or i7 HX processors and the RTX4080 Laptop GPU, the laptops are built for gaming. They also support up to up to 32 GB DDR5-4800 MHz RAM and up to 2 TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD storage.
Mini LED Makes its Helios Debut
Both laptops are also the first in the Predator Gaming lineup to sport Mini LED panels. These panels bring deeper blacks and higher contrast than previous Helios laptops. The 1,000,000:1 contrast and the 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut promise better colour reproduction and more immersive gaming. This paired with NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace architecture, DLSS and NVIDIA’s Reflex create one of the best systems to experience cutting-edge AAA games. Both versions come with a 16:10 aspect ratio. However, the Helios 16 comes with options for a WQXGA (2560×1600) display with 165Hz or 240Hz refresh rates or a Mini LED panel with a 250Hz refresh rate. The Helios 18 on the other hand comes with an additional WUXGA (1920×1200) with a 165Hz refresh rate.
The cutting-edge specifications also come with an enhanced cooling system. The new laptops come with dual custom-engineered 5th Generation AeroBlade 3D metal fans and rectangular vector heat pipes for better heat absorption and dissipation. This is paired with liquid metal thermal grease for even better cooling.
The new Helios 16 and Helios 18 also come with a newly redesigned chassis. The redesign brings together clean edges and a slimmer silhouette. The displays are also surrounded by thinner bezels for a more immersive experience. Of course, it’s completed with a mini LED backlit keyboard with 1.8mm key travel and anti-ghosting N-key rollover. The laptops also come with a complete set of ports on the back and the latest wireless connectivity including WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. They also have support for Thunderbolt and Intel Killer Ethernet.
New Predator Gaming Monitors
Together with the new laptops, Acer also announced two new Predator Gaming Monitors. The new Predator X45 and Predator X27U feature OLED displays with 98.5% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut and support for HDR10. Both also have support for AMD FreeSync Premium technology and sport 240Hz refresh rates and 0.01ms pixel response times.
The Predator X45 comes with a 45-inch UWQHD display with a resolution of 3440×1440 pixels. The curved monitor sports an 800R curvature giving a more immersive gaming experience. It also has a metal stand with a sleek, sturdy metal base. The Predator X27U on the other hand is a 27-inch flat panel with a WQHD resolution of 2560×1440 pixels.
Both of the monitors come with come outfitted with DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports. They also sport KVM switches which allow you to switch between desktop and laptop while maintaining the same keyboard and mouse setup. They also sport a USB Hub with USB Type-C for all the gadgets.
Pricing & Availability
Item
North America
EMEA
China
Predator Helios 16
USD$1,649.99 (MYR7,236.42) starting in March 2023
EUR2,399 (MYR11,082.19) starting in February 2023
RMB17,999 (MYR11,475.34) starting in February 2023
Predator Helios 18
USD$1,699 (MYR7,455.84) starting in April 2023
EUR2,499 (MYR11,544.15) starting in March 2023
RMB20,999 (MYR13,388.00) starting in February 2023
Acer’s s Swift lineup has been the cornerstone of the company’s thin and light laptops. This year, they’re taking their proven approach to thin and light laptops and supercharging it with more power and an even more premium build. It also looks like they’re streamlining the naming for the Swift family of laptops.
Acer Swift Go – The new Entry to Thin and Light
Acer’s new entry-level thin and light laptop – the Swift Go series – is looking to redefine its approach to thin and light machines. The new series makes its debut with two entries: the Swift Go 16 and the Swift Go 14. The new laptops bring the latest 13th-generation Intel Core processors with Intel’s Movidius VPU. The dedicated AI engine that comes with Intel Core and Movidius VPU gears the laptop for video collaboration and seamless integration.
The Swift Go 16 comes with a 16-inch, 3.2K OLED display with a 3000×2000 pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate while the Swift Go 14 comes with a 2.8K OLED display with a 2880×1800 pixel resolution with a 90Hz refresh rate. Both come with 500-nit peak brightness with 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification. They also have TUV Rheinland Eyesafe display certification.
Acer Swift 14 – Portable Premium Style with Productivity Front and Center
The Acer Swift 14 continues the legacy of the Swift series with its premium build and lightweight portability. The Swift 14 comes with a fresh new design which highlights the double anodized CNC-machined aluminium body of the laptop accented by diamond cut edges. The new materials don’t add much heft to the laptop with the Swift 14 coming in at only 1.2kg in weight and a slender 14.95mm thin.
Keeping things sustainable, the Acer Swift 14 comes with an OceanGlass trackpad made of reclaimed abandoned ocean-bound plastics. The OceanGlass trackpad looks and feels premium fitting the overall design of the new Swift 14.
It’s not just about the aesthetics with the Swift 14, Acer is packing the latest 13th Generation Intel Core H processors. The Swift 14 comes with configurations topping out with the Intel Core i7. This is paired with up to 2TB of internal memory and 32GB of RAM. Intel’s Unison also comes integrated with the laptop. This allows users to collaborate across operating systems. T
The Swift 14 comes with a touch-enabled, 14-inch display. Users will be able to choose from two options: a WQXGA display with a 2560×1600 pixel resolution or a WUXGA display with a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels. Both options come with Corning Gorilla Glass for added durability and even come with antimicrobial properties.
To top things off, the Swift 14 comes with a 1440p, QHD webcam with temporal noise reduction (TNR) and is complemented with dual speakers with DTS Audio and Acer’s PurifiedVoice.
Acer Swift X 14 – The Compact Powerhouse
Acer is keeping its Swift X lineup in the new, streamlined Swift family. This year’s addition – the Swift X 14 – is continuing the lineups power packed ethos. The Swift X 14 comes with the latest 13th Generation Intel Core H processors with configurations topping out with support for the Intel Core i7. It comes with 2 PCIe 4.0 slots which support a combined maximum of up to 4TB of memory with up to 64GB of RAM.
Of course, like its predecessors, the Acer Swift X 14 comes with a discreet GPU. This year it’s the NVIDIA RTX 40 series GPUs. The X 14 will have configurations supporting up to the NVIDIA RTX 4050 Laptop GPU at launch. The laptops come with NVIDIA Studio validation giving them access to stable Studio drivers. These drivers are also optimised to support the latest programs for content creation.
Of course, having such a powerful GPU necessitates good cooling. The new Swift X 14 comes with updated thermals that have better cooling than before. A larger fan draws in more air to keep the system cool. This works in tandem with the dual D6 copper heat pipes and the air-inlet keyboard to cool the system more efficiently.
The chassis has also been redesigned. The new, updated design allows for a larger battery for better, all-day battery life. It’s also sleeker and thinner than before. It’s designed to be more subtle and classy while being fully prepared for any workload.
It comes with a 14-inch 2.8K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The display is VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 certified and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut. It also has a 500-nit peak brightness for added clarity. The laptop is also equipped with a 1080p FHD webcam which supports Acer’s PurifiedView, PurifiedVoice and AI noise reduction.
While Samsung is the largest display manufacturer in the world, they are ironically not the most popular brand for TVs in the world. That title can go to LG Electronics, the other South Korean giant. They make some of the best or most recommended TVs if you are into gaming too, like the LG C2. There is a follow up to one of the best gaming TVs you can find in 2022; the new LG C3.
To be fair, LG did not only launch the C3 OLED evo. They also launched the G3 OLED evo, and Z3 OLED evo. All of them come with LG’s brand new α9 Processor Gen6.
Before we go into detail to what each letter and number mean, we have to talk about the new processor they fit into their latest TVs. The new α9 Processor Gen6 is LG’s most powerful TV processor you can get from LG at this point. They have improved the AI-assisted Deep Learning tech that enhances picture and sound at the same time better than before. The new AI Picture Pro is supposed to offer better upscaling better than before with better tone mapping that brings out details and depth in upscaled images better than before. HDR is finer tuned too with the processor understanding faces and objects better allowing for more realistic reproduction of people’s faces. In terms of audio, LG’s new TVs delivers a virtual 9.1.2 surround sound experience even without a soundbar.
On the G3 OLED evo TVs, LG fitted their Brightness Booster Max technology that offers a new light control technology and light-boosting algorithms that makes the display 70% brighter than ever before. It is OLED technology, so the processor can also control brightness pixel by pixel to ensure that there are no colour bleeding even against completely black backgrounds. In that sense, you get an even better contrast with the G3 over the older G2. All of that in a thinner and more compact package that becomes rather seamless when you mount it on the wall.
LG’s new TVs are also more sustainable than ever. Thanks to modern OLED technology, the new Z3, G3, and C3 does not feature backlighting unit which means the TV requires less materials in their production. The TVs are also made with more recycled plastics and will be shipped with more eco-friendly packaging made with recyclable materials.
Source: LG
Source: LG
Source: LG
Source: LG
With the new TVs, there is also a new WebOS to come along. The new WebOS will come to some of LG’s existing TVs later in 2023. The new WebOS version features a new All New Home user interface (UI) with more personalization options and more intuitive designs. With the new UI, there is the new ‘Quick Cards’ feature that offers users an even more direct access to their favourite contents and services sorted automatically into different segments. There is also an AI Concierge feature that offers a curated list of contents based on the contents that users have consumed in the past and search enquiries.
Of course, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support comes with the new TVs. The Dolby Atmos support also integrates seamlessly to LG’s latest Soundbars with IMAX and DTS:X tuning. LG’s latest TVs comes with HDMI 2.1a standard ports that offers high-resolution and high refresh rate compatibility from the latest GPUs and gaming consoles. They are all G-SYNC and FreeSync Premium compatible. At the same time, the new TVs offer variable refresh rate that can be enabled from Game Optimiser interface.
Availability
LG’s new TV line-up is not yet available in the market. They are on showcase for CES 2023 though, so if you are in Las Vegas, you can drop by and got LG’s booth to see them. There are no availability dates specified yet on the new TVs. There are also no official pricing specified yet too.
Gaming monitors need to be fast. In the early days of fast gaming monitors, OLED technology is quite unheard of. The reason is because OLED panels can only go so fast in terms of refresh rate. While OLED monitors offer colour accuracy and vibrance like no other, they are rather dimwitted in terms of refresh rate until a few years ago. Now though, OLED panels are some of the most sought after in gaming. Pretty soon you are going to be able to get you hands on one with 240Hz in refresh rate, faster than anything that came before it.
The monitors in question are LG’s latest 27-inch and 45-inch models introduced for CES 2023. You get the new 27GR95QE and 45GR95QE gaming monitors. While both have their similarities, they are built to serve different segments.
Both gaming monitors offer 240Hz in terms of refresh rate. Both monitors also offer 0.3ms in GTG response time, faster than almost anything that you can find in the market currently. Both are also NVIDIA G-Sync and FreeSync Premium compatible, making them rather versatile for whatever GPU you might have in your PC. At the same time, they both offer a DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage of 98.5%, something even content creators can highly appreciate. Both are capable of producing images at HDR10 standards with a contrast ratio of 1,500,000:1 for a higher level of detail than any gaming monitor you can find in their classes. Of course, they both sport the latest HDMI 2.1 standard alongside a DisplayPort 1.4 port.
Source: LG
Their difference lies in the shape and size of the panels. The 27-inch monitor is a flat screened 16:9 monitor that most gamers can appreciate. 27-inch is a rather standard size for gaming monitors and 16:9 is currently the most popular aspect ratio for most gamers. It is also the current standard size and aspect ratio in esports, which also means this would be suitable for most esports titles like Dota 2, or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). At the same time, its QHD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution is widely accepted as the most optimal resolution for displays at its size and for gaming purposes. Most GPUs today are also optimized for gaming at this resolution which also means that this might be the more popular option for the most serious gamers anyway.
If you want to take things a little further and get even more immersed in your games, you want the 45-inch behemoth that is the 45GR95QE. It is a curved display monitor with an 800R curvature (0.8m radius) That also means that it is more curved than almost anything that you might get in the market. Its shorter optimum distance also means you get to be closer to the action for an even more immersive experience than ever before. It packs WQHD (3,440 x 1440) resolution too to ensure that you still get all the details you need in the ultra-wide monitor.
Source: LG
Source: LG
Source: LG
Source: LG
LG’s UltraGear 27-inch and 45-inch OLED gaming monitors will be showcased in CES 2023 happening on the 5th of January 2023 all the way to the 8th of January 2023. There is no specific information regarding the market availability of the monitors currently. That also means we currently do not have any pricing information too. We are keeping our ears close to the ground for any updates though, so do watch this space. More information on LG’s range of UltraGear gaming monitors can be found on their website.
Samsung has announced the launch of Samsung OLED, it’s first entry into the world of OLED TV’s now available in Malaysia.
Samsung has unveiled its first line of OLED TV’s for pre-order in Malaysia
Better contrast, upscaling and 120Hz refresh rates with Samsung OLED
Samsung’s Neural Quantum Processor 4K promises deeper blacks, lighter brights and AI uspcaling.
Samsung’s new line of OLED TVs promises to bring stunning picture thanks to the new Neural Quantum Processor 4K. Edward Han, President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics is confident that the new TVs “…will once again raise the bar for cinematic experiences at home.”
Samsung OLED TVs uses multi-model neural networks to optimize screen brightness at pixel level with AI processing. We can expect deeper blacks and brighter lights with this technology. The processor also upscales images on screen to high definition 4K. The TV’s can appeal to gamers too as it offers 4K resolution at 120Hz refresh rates. Each TV comes with four ports with HDMI 2.1 support to connect your consoles and enjoy lag-free gaming.
Immersive soundscape with immersive scenes
Samsung complements the breathtaking visuals of the OLED TVs with Dolby Atmos® technology for a soundscape that travels around the screen, quite literally. Using dedicated multi-channel TV speakers all around the screen, Samsung’s Dolby Atmos technology is powered physically instead of virtually. With four speakers at the upper and lower sides, Samsung recreates positional audio with AI motion tracker technology, Object Tracking Sound (OTS). To enhance the home theatre experience, consumers can purchase wireless Samsung soundbars to leverage Samsung’s exclusive Q-Symphony.
Easy to set up and easy on the eyes
Premium materials and an ultra-slim form factor without losing performance
Samsung OLED TVs come in a form factor that outclasses the competition, without compromising performance or ease of use. Built from premium materials, the TVs feature minimalistic bezels and an ultra-slim body. It also has a slim flat back profile with flush-fit wall-mount solutions as thin as 7.5mm. The TVs come with the all-new Smart Calibration feature to set up your home cinema experience with one button. The feature perfectly calibrates the TV to your surroundings and environment using Samsung’s SmartThings home system for accurate image settings.
Pre-orders Samsung OLED TVs now and receive free Soundbar
Samsung OLED TVs (series S95B) are available for pre-order at RM10,499 for the 55-inch variant and RM14,499 for the 65-inch variant. To celebrate the launch of these TVs, all pre-orders made between 21st November to 4th December will receive a complimentary Samsung Soundbar, HW-Q600B, worth RM 2,599. Pre-orders are available on the Samsung Official Website.
Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFT in short, has been all the rage these days. Technically, it is no more than a digital asset with a unique digital signature attached to it. That also means that each NFT can be created as unique products of their own thanks to the wonders of a technology we call blockchain. It is the same technology that birthed cryptocurrencies that we know today.
While NFTs in grander schemes of things may not seem like a significant thing, it is a digital artists paradise. The ability to attach unique digital signatures to their creations means that they can create a digital artwork that can only be used by people who own the digital signature. Anyone who has the artwork in their smartphones without the digital signatures are technically thieves or using duplicates. It is kind of like viewing the Mona Lisa in its final resting place in the Louvre Museum in Paris, and a replica of it in Malaysia’s National Museum; they are different things.
Source: LG
NFT artwork is regarded as the modern art market today. The best part about NFT art is that because they are non-tangible, you can view them and display them anywhere you want them. You can set them to your smartphone’s wallpaper, if you like. Samsung and LG think that you might want them on your TVs.
Samsung announced a few months ago that their TVs will be one way of proudly displaying the NFT that you might have purchased. We think that the Samsung The Frame TV line-up will be the perfect place to properly display your beautifully and uniquely made NFT for times to come. LG also agrees with that and announced that their upcoming and existing TVs with WebOS 5.0 will be an NFT gateway for its users.
Source: LG
When you update your compatible TVs with WebOS 5.0, you get a new app on the TV interface. The app is called LG Art Lab and it is LGs one stop shop for all things NFT for your TV. You can buy and even sell NFTs on the marketplace. Your bought NFTs can be displayed on your TV as a wallpaper or screen saver. The portal also has a countdown function for new NFTs that are being released or scheduled to be released. The first of which is dropping on the 22nd of September 2022.
Unlike other NFTs though, the LG Art Lab does not operate on top of Ethereum or other popular blockchain technology. In fact, Art lab does not on top of blockchain at all. Instead, the platform is based on Hedera, a hashgraph network. LG claims that the Hedera network is much more efficient than blockchain based networks.
To purchase your NFTs on the Art Lab, you do have to have a an existing Wallypto app. You simply scan a QR code provided by Art Lab for a particular NFT to purchase it with the Wallypto app. You also need to own some USD Coin, a sort of stablecoin that is supposedly pegged to US Dollar.
Source: LG
The LG Art Lab is still rather new, which means that there may not be too much happening within the marketplace currently. LG says that they are going to be adding NFTs from artists on a monthly basis too. If you are a budding NFT artist, you might be able to sell some of your work on the marketplace too.
There is a caveat though. The LG Art Lab is currently only accessible to U.S. customers. In that case, if you are trying to find the NFT trading platform on your LG TVs in Malaysia, you might not be able to find Art Lab even after you have updated to WebOS 5.0.
Hot off their global announcements of brand new Zenbooks and Vivobooks, ASUS is bringing an out of this world lineup of Zenbooks to Malaysia. Spearheading the new lineup is the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition which celebrates the anniversary of the first ASUS laptop to break the stratosphere.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition
The new Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition celebrates the 25th anniversary of the ASUS P6300 laptop being launched into space. The P6300 spent 600 days in orbit aboard the Mir Space station. The laptop managed to stay in orbit and remain functional amidst power outages and fires aboard the Mir.
To commemorate the feat, the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is getting a make over. Aesthetically, the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition will be sporting a Zero-G titanium colour and is emblazoned with etchings which hearken back to the Mir space station. In addition to the unique design, the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition is also getting a durability update. It’s got SMC-S-016A durability which is 4 times stronger than the military standard we are now accustomed to.
The ZenVision Smart Display also makes its debut with the space themed Zenbook. The interactive 3.5-inch screen on the cover of the chassis allows you to express yourself in new ways. You can display custom messages and designs on the ZenVision Smart Display.
Powering the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition is Intel’s 12th Generation Core i7 H-series processor with Intel® Iris® Xe graphics. Complementing this is 16GB of RAM and PCIe Gen4 compatible SSD Storage. It comes with a 14-inch 2.8K OLED display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The display is also PANTONE validated and has a 90Hz refresh rate.
Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED
Together with the Space Edition, ASUS is also bringing a new Zenbook 14 Pro experience with two screens. The new Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED brings the dual screen experience that was once reserved for larger laptops to a more accessible size. The new Intel EVO certified laptop comes with a 14.5-inch OLED display with a 2.8K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate. Together with this screen is a next-gen 12.7-inch ScreenPad Plus secondary display with touch capabilities. ASUS also incorporates a new AAS Ultra auto-tilting design that helps with cooling and makes working on the dual screen setup more ergonomic.
Powering the new Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is Intel’s 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H. This is complemented by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti and 16GB of RAM. Completing the setup is a 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD.
Zenbook Pro 16X OLED
ASUS is also debuting its first creator focused Zenbook with the Zenbook Pro 16X OLED. The supersized Zenbook comes in a 2.4kg unibody carved out from aerospace grade 6000-series aluminium alloy. It’s also only 16.9mm thin. It’s also equipped with a PANTONE Validated, 16-inch 16:10 4K OLED display with a 60 Hz refresh rate, HDR and touch capabilities. It covers 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut.
The NVIDIA Studio certified laptop is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. This is paired with a 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H and 16GB of RAM and 1TB of PCIe 4 SSD storage. ASUS is also introducing their IceCool Pro cooling system to keep things chilly for the best performance. The two IceBlade fans cool the vapour chamber. Hot air is then vented to the exterior via the AAS Ultra mechanism.
The Zenbook Pro 16X also brings the creator centric ASUS Dial rotary controller. This feature was reserved for their ASUS ProArt lineup until now. The dial allows creators to easily access their brushes, settings and more with simple, intuitive controls for finer control of functions. In addition, it also has the all new White-RGB ASUS Intelligent Lighting System that allows interactive indicators for power or performance status.
Zenbook 14 OLED
Rounding up the new lineup is the Zenbook 14 OLED. The new Zenbook 14 OLED brings an elegant, lightweight design which features ergonomic, productivity focused features for the go-getter.
The Zenbook 14 OLED is running on Intel’s 12th Generation Core i7 and Core i5 processors with 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of PCIe Gen4 storage. All versions of the laptop come with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. It’s also fully equipped with a full array of ports including an HDMI and microSD card slot.
ASUS Numpad 2.0 also makes a return to the Zenbook 14. In addition, ErgoLift makes typing on the keyboard a more ergonomic experience keeping carpal tunnel syndrome at bay. Display wise, the Zenbook 14 comes with the same display as the Zenbook 14X OLED.
Pricing and Availability
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition will be available in two configurations. The i7 version will be retailing at MYR6,499 while the i5 version will be retailing at MYR5,599.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED will be available in two colours: Ponder Blue and Aqua Celadon. The i7 version of the 14 OLED will only be available in Ponder Blue and will retail for MYR5,599 while the i7 version will be priced at MYR4,399.
The Zenbook Pro 16X OLED will be available for MYR11,999 while the smaller Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED will be priced at MYR8,999.
All the laptops will be on display at the ASUS roadshow which is happening at MidValley Megamall until 29th May 2022. You may also be able to walk away with free gifts with every purchase made at the roadshow.
