Last year, if our friends asked us about building a PC or a gaming rig for themselves, we would have said that it is not a good time. We would have also told them to maybe get a gaming laptop instead, especially with prices of parts soaring out of control,
Fast forward to 2022 though and the PC component market has shown signs of recovery. Prices of GPUs and CPUs have dropped by 20-25%. While components are still sold above recommended retail prices, situations are not as bad as before and stocks are slowly becoming more available.
Source: ASUS
In terms of current component prices, it is a better time now to build your own PC. In the current market climate, there has never been a better time to build a PC because new components are launching left and right. It is an especially good time to build budget gaming rigs thanks to ASUS releasing the latest AMD Radeon GPU.
It is called the AMD Radeon RX 6400, and just as its numbers suggest, it is an entry-level GPU. It is still a modern AMD GPU though, and they say that it will do 1080p gaming rather well. We trust them on this and recommend that you stick to a 1080p gaming build on this.
It is meant for a budget rig, so you cannot expect miracles out of it. Still, you get 4GB of GDDR6 memory out of the card. You also get HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, which should allow you to have two monitors working simultaneously. It is also a PCIe 4.0 card, which also means that it should perform better than some of the AMD Radeon RX 5000 series GPUs.
Source: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUS
Of course, the GPU comes with AMD’s latest RDNA 2 architecture on the 2039 MHz clocked chip. The GPU can be boosted up to 2321 MHz when you need maximum power for your games. When the GPU consumes little to no power, its fans turn off for silent operation. The Radeon RX 6400 also comes with support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, AMD Fidelity FX technology, AMD Radeon Super Resolution, and AMD’s Smart Access Memory technology for even better gaming experiences.
ASUS’ AMD Radeon RX 6400 comes in two flavours – ASUS Dual Radeon RX 6400 and ASUS Phoenix Radeon RX 6400. The Dual variant comes with two fans for maximum cooling performance while the Phoenix comes with a single fan design. Currently only the ASUS Dual Radeon RX 6400 will be available in Malaysia for MYR 960. There are no confirmations on when the more affordable single-fan Phoenix Radeon RX 6400 will be available in Malaysia. More information on the AMD Radeon RX 6400 can be found on AMD’s website.
First, yes, we realise that the newly announced NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti is not in any way an affordable piece of kit. In fact, it is NVIDIA’s most expensive RTX 30 series GPU to date at US$ 1,999 which is nearly MYR 8,500 by today’s estimation. But this also is not a regular GPU made for the regular consumer.
To be fair, yes, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti broke cover a few days ago. It is still a brand-new piece of kit that hardly comes by though. While conditions in the market is not getting worse, it is not getting that much better either. Prices of GPUs are still quite inflated and item availability is still not great. So, does this mean that NVIDIA’s move in launching a new card going to screw us, customers over even more with an even more pricey GPU?
As it turns out, not really. Let us go into that a little bit later. For now, the GPU; the star of the show.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti is not really a new GPU. Like its siblings, the RTX 3090 Ti is more like a small improvement over the mighty RTX 3090. In some partner board cases, it is even bigger than the RTX 3090 which just makes them ridiculous to look at and to have.
As mentioned earlier, it is no ordinary consumer class GPU. The regular RTX 3090 was not a regular consumer class GPU either, so you should not expect this one to be at its asking price. NVIDIA targets not only the most demanding gamers with this card, they want the prosumers to also notice. It is made to chew applications like Maya, Blender, Cinema4D, and other 3D rendering software then spitting out masterpieces as quickly as you can conceptualize them. Of course, I am exaggerating a little bit here, but you get the idea.
It packs 10,752 CUDA cores with 24GB of onboard memory that is capable of 78 RT-TFLOPs, 40-Shader-TFLOPs, and 320 Tensor-TFLOPs. That basically means it can do a lot of calculations. The regular RTX 3090 only houses 10,496 CUDA cores in comparison. The result is a GPU that is overall 9% faster than the one that it evolves from. It is also about 50% faster than the most expensive GPU NVIDIA had before, the TITAN RTX.
All these not just enables gamers to game with up to 8K resolutions in smooth fashion. It also enables content creators to work even more seamlessly with 8K resolution contents. The demand for contents today has brought 8K resolution videos as standard. This would be the perfect GPU to work with for 8K contents.
Source: ASUS
The first of the board partners that have come out and announced their RTX 3090 (at least in Malaysia) is ASUS with their ROG Strix and TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti GPUs. The Strix is quite unique, a water-cooled GPU with its own AiO cooler that you need to find space for in your case, if you want one. The TUF Gaming GPU is a more regular GPU, but you still do need some clearance for it with a 3.2 slot heatsink. You can get the ROG GPU at MYR 11,000 and the TUF Gaming GPU from MYR 9,700, which is around the ballpark price of a high-end GPU these days.
So, What Does This Mean?
A quick Shopee search for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 GPU will bring you some clue to the answers. You would see prices of the previous halo product going anywhere between MYR 10,000 to about MYR 12,000. This would be considered a reasonable price before the RTX 3090 Ti showed up. Considering stocks are low, with demands that stocks could not meet, it is understandable these prices.
A few months ago, a quick search of the NVIDIA GeForece RTX 3090 yields result that hover anywhere between MYR 12,000 to even MYR 20,000 for a single GPU. This also means that GPUs have gone down in prices for the past few months and that is a good thing. But it is not necessarily good enough because GPUs are still sold way above their retail prices, just because they can.
Here is the thing though, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti marks an end of stock shortages in the GPU market, it is basically NVIDIA producing a new halo product because they can finally do it with ease. It is why the RTX 3080 Ti was released and the RTX 3090 Ti had to wait a few more months before it comes to light.
If you look closely, even with ASUS’ inflated pricing, the RTX 3090 Ti is priced lower than plenty of the current RTX 3090 GPUs you can find in the market. This should, in turn, drive down prices of GPUs that are currently out in the market even lower. At this point as well, retailers might not even be able to use the “stocks are still scarce” excuse to price their GPUs. There is enough GPUs to go around now, and prices should have come down to earth.
Sure, a halo product like this will still come in limited quantities. It is, after all, the most expensive GPU you can buy in 2022. But it does mean that you can go out and buy a GPU. It signals to us that you can start haggling down prices of the GPUs that you want from the retailers, at least a little bit. It also means that you have enough GPUs to go around now. It is now almost a reasonable time to go out and buy a GPU.
It’s a busy night for ASUS Malaysia as they take the stage to not only unveil the first-ever gaming tablet but also to introduce two new backpacks for gamers. While this may not be the company’s first rodeo when it comes to fashionable gamer gear, it’s the first time they have made it at an official event. The two new backpacks seem to be catering to two unique styles.
Source: ASUS
Built to Game: The ROG Ranger BP2701 Gaming Backpack
The first – the ROG Ranger BP2701 Gaming Backpack – is a large, loud gamer backpack with space for your whole rig. The 22L bag is made of durable, high strength 600D polyester that is lightweight, scratch-resistant and repels water. The bag itself weighs only 0.93kg. However, it’s built to accommodate up to 17-inch laptops with multiple pockets for accessories. The laptop is also accessible through a quick access zipper on the side.
The bag is emblazoned with a holographic ROG insignia and comes with mesh-covered back pads which allow cool air to circulate. These pads also mould themselves to fit the contours of your body with padded Lycra shoulder straps and a chest strap for support and comfort. The luggage strap on the back of the bag not only adds to the aesthetic but also allows you to quickly and seamlessly secure the ROG Ranger to larger luggage when travelling. It also has concealed pockets for ease of access and security.
Adaptable Versatility: The ROG Archer Backpack 15.6 BP1505
Together with the ROG Ranger, ASUS also announced the ROG Archer Backpack 15.6 BP 1505. The smaller, 16L backpack is built to be your daily driver. It’s made of durable Condura 610D fabric which also repels water. It’s built to be versatile seamlessly going between a briefcase, shoulder bag and backpack. The YKK zippers and Duraflex buckles bring added durability to the backpack’s versatility.
It comes with 3 compartments that allow you to carry more than just your 15.6-inch laptop. Thanks to the water-repelling material, you can even carry your water bottle in the ROG Archer with peace of mind. On the back, the ROG Archer comes with an ultra-breathable, high molecular weight polyethylene padding which will keep you cool even on hot days.
Pricing & Availability
Both the ROG Ranger BP 2701 Gaming Backpack and ROG Archer Backpack 15.6 are available starting in April 2022. They will be available from retail outlets and the ROG Stores on Shopee and LAZADA.
The Ranger will cost MYR469.00 while the Archer will retail at MYR399.00.
ASUS took the stage in Las Vegas during CES 2022 to unveil a brand new slate of devices. Among them was one of the more interesting devices we’ve seen from ASUS and specifically the Republic of Gamers in a while – the ROG FLOW Z13. The new tablet brings gaming prowess and specifications to a form factor that we’ve yet to see for any device carrying its specifications.
Source: ASUS
The ROG FLOW Z13 comes with a 13.6-inch IPS display with up to 4K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display comes with 100% coverage of the sRGB gamut with Pantone Validation and support for Dolby Vision HDR. Yes – like always, ASUS’s ROG goes over the top with all the bells and whistles for its first-ever gaming tablet. Together with the display, the FLOW Z13 comes with 16GB of onboard RAM with up to 1TB of M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD memory.
Here’s the kicker when it comes to the Z13, its body is only 1.2cm thick but it has specifications supporting up to an Intel Core i9 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti built-in. Yep – you read that right! BUILT-IN! You don’t have to hook up any additional accessories to get an RTX3050Ti GPU with the Z13. In fact, the ROG FLOW Z13 does support the ROG XG Mobile system we saw in the earlier ROG FLOW X13 with minor updates. However, adding on the XG Mobile system allows you to bump up to an RTX3080 with 16GB of GDDR6 RAM and 150W TGP. That’s a whole lot of power for a 13-inch tablet!
Source: ASUS
In addition to the insane CPU and GPU, the Z13 also supports stylus and touch inputs. It’s also not taking any hostages when it comes to connectivity. It comes with 1 USB 2.0 Type-A port, 1 Thunderbolt 4 port with DisplayPort support, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port with DisplayPort, G-SYNC and USB-PD support, 1 microSD card slot, a 3.5mm combo jack and, of course, the ROG XG Mobile interface.
Source: ASUS
The keyboard bundled with the ROG FLOW Z13 is an RGB backlit Chiclet Keyboard. It also acts as a folio cover as well. It also comes with a triple microphone array for better video conferencing with the 8-megapixel, 720p webcam. On the speaker side of things, it has a 2-speaker system with Smart Amplifier technology. It also supports Windows Hello fingerprint recognition.
Pricing & Availability
The ROG FLOW Z13 will be available in three configurations in Malaysia. The lowest-end configuration will be sporting a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX3050 and will retail for MYR7,999. A step up will get you the Core i9 with a higher RTX3050Ti. This will cost MYR8,799. The maxed-out version for Malaysia will come with the Core i9, RTX3050Ti and a 4K display with a 60Hz refresh rate. It’s going to set you back a whopping MYR15,999.
Source: ASUS
All variants of the Z13 will be bundled with a ROG Sleeve bad, the ASUS PEN and a ROG mouse. The higher-end variant will come with the XG mobile platform bundled together which comes equipped with an RTX3080 and expands the connectivity options available on the tablet.
The maxed-out ROG FLOW Z13 will be available starting in April 2022 while the other two are now available on ROG’s LAZADA storefront.
Official Specfications
Model
GZ301Z-CLD132W
GZ301Z-ELD236W
GZ301Z-ELC214W
Color
Black
Black
Black
Dimension (W x D x H)
30.2 x 20.4 x 1.20 ~ 1.20 cm
30.2 x 20.4 x 1.20 ~ 1.20 cm
30.2 x 20.4 x 1.20 ~ 1.20 cm
Weight
1.18 Kg
1.18 Kg
1.18 Kg
Processor
12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-12700H Processor 2.3 GHz (24M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 14 cores: 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores)
12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900H Processor 2.5 GHz (24M Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 14 cores: 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores)
12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900H Processor 2.5 GHz (24M Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 14 cores: 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores)
Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.2 (Dual band) 2*2 (*BT version may change with OS upgrades.)
Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.2 (Dual band) 2*2 (*BT version may change with OS upgrades.)
Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.2 (Dual band) 2*2 (*BT version may change with OS upgrades.)
I/O Ports
1x ROG XG Mobile Interface 1x Thunderbolt™ 4 support DisplayPort™ / power delivery 1x USB 2.0 Type-A 1x card reader (microSD) (UHS-II) 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort™ / power delivery / G-SYNC 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
1x ROG XG Mobile Interface 1x Thunderbolt™ 4 support DisplayPort™ / power delivery 1x USB 2.0 Type-A 1x card reader (microSD) (UHS-II) 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort™ / power delivery / G-SYNC 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
1x ROG XG Mobile Interface 1x Thunderbolt™ 4 support DisplayPort™ / power delivery 1x USB 2.0 Type-A 1x card reader (microSD) (UHS-II) 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort™ / power delivery / G-SYNC 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Camera
8MP camera and 720P HD Webcam
8MP camera and 720P HD Webcam
8MP camera and 720P HD Webcam
Mic
Built-in 3-microphone array
Built-in 3-microphone array
Built-in 3-microphone array
Keyboard Type
Backlit Chiclet Keyboard RGB
Backlit Chiclet Keyboard RGB
Backlit Chiclet Keyboard RGB
Aura Sync
YES
YES
YES
Speakers
2-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology
2-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology
2-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology
Audio Tech
AI noise-canceling technology Dolby Atmos Hi-Res certification Smart Amp Technology
AI noise-canceling technology Dolby Atmos Hi-Res certification Smart Amp Technology
AI noise-canceling technology Dolby Atmos Hi-Res certification Smart Amp Technology
CES 2022 (Consumer Electronics Show) earlier in the year graced us with many very exciting, very interesting devices. It is also sort of a confirmation that Intel’s 12th Generation mobile CPUs are coming hot. The question we left CES with was “when are they coming?”. ASUS answered first with their ROG Zephyrus M16 and Strix G series gaming laptops.
ROG Zephyrus M16
ASUS ROG’s Zephyrus gaming laptop line-up has been the brand’s pride and joy in pushing what is possible with gaming laptops. They introduce some of the most compact large format gaming laptops available to the gaming notebook market. For 2022, they have a new one for Malaysia.
While the Zephyrus S series laptops have been an elusive one to Malaysia, the Zephyrus M series have been a popular choice for the market. The new one for 2022 is promised to be even better. The improvements go beyond just popping a 12th Generation Intel processor and updated NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs into the notebook.
Source: ASUS
Of course, we must start with those. The ROG Zephyrus M16 packs a respectable 12th Generation Intel Core i9-12900H with a monstrous 14-cores to work with. Six performance cores on the CPU ensures that any heavy workload you need to work on with the ROG Zephyrus M16 gets chewed quickly and efficiently. You can pair that powerful CPU with an equally impressive NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (up to) for maximum attack on all the current AAA game titles. For even more performance on your games, MUX switch ensures that your games and applications get the best performance directly from the GPU when they need to.
To do the powerful hardware justice, up to 32GB (16GB + 16GB) of DDR5 RAM configuration is available on offer. For storage, you get up to 2TB in NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. There will be an extra 4th generation PCIe slot for your perusal too, in case 2TB is not enough for all your games.
The most visible update form the older Zephyrus M16 is its new display with ultra-thin bezels all around. You still get a 720p resolution webcam with IR blaster for Windows Hello, which is rather remarkable considering the bezel size. The narrow bezels contain a high-resolution 16-inch display that projects WQXGA resolution (2,560 by 1,600) at 16:10 aspect ratio. It is also Pantone validate and covers up to 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, which means you get highly accurate and vivid colours. With Dolby Vision HDR, movies and games will look extra crisp and details pop. It is a gaming display still, so it needs to be fast at 165Hz.
Like the Zephyrus that came before it, the ROG Zephyrus M16 can be charged via a USB Type-C PD charger that is also included in the box. That is not enough power to get your games up to speed though, you will need the proprietary charger for the laptop if you want to get the most out of the Zephyrus M16. There will be no HDMI 2.1 implemented here though, just a regular HDMI 2.0b port. You do get WiFi 6E capabilities on the laptop though. While WiFi 6E is not a standard offering in Malaysia just yet, it is good to know that your laptop will take it on as soon as the technology becomes available.
To top it all off, the Windows 11 laptop packs four speakers for maximum immersive experience without the need of additional external hardware. Two of the speakers are 2W dual-force woofers equipped with Smart Amp Technology to ensure deep, detailed low-end frequency delivery. The other two are 2W tweeters for crisp and clean mid and trebles.
Source: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUS
ROG Strix G Series (G15 & G17)
The ROG Zephyrus M16, as impressive as they are, could be a little rich. While you want a do-it-all laptop, the Zephyrus M16 might still be a little out of reach with prices starting from MYR 8,099. You can consider the ROG Strix G series that starts from MYR 5,399 in that case.
You can choose between a 15-inch display (G15) or a 17-inch display (G17) for the Strix. Underneath the iconic shell is a brand-new AMD Ryzen 6000 series mobile CPU with Zen 3+ architecture, a minor update from the highly acclaimed Zen 3 architecture that should mean more performance out of the processors. Specifically, you get an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H mobile CPU with eight high-performance cores with up to 4.7GHz of clock speed (boost). The mobile CPU comes with an integrated AMD Radeon graphics. But integrated GPU is never enough for gaming and high-performance computing. You get to pick up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU for when you need the extra performance in gaming. Of course, MUX switch comes to the Strix G series of laptops.
Source: ASUS
Memory wise there are a few configurations you can choose from with the ROG Strix G series. You can spec your G15 with up to 16GB of DDR5 on-board RAM with an additional slot for upgrade, in combination with up to 1TB of 4th Generation PCIe NVMe SSD also with an additional slot for an extra SSD. The G17 gets a 16GB RAM configuration in combination with up to a 1TB SSD.
Just as we mentioned earlier, you get to choose between to work with a 15.6-inch display or a 17.3-inch display with the Strix G series. For the smaller G15 variant, you can opt for a very speedy 300Hz 3ms response time Full HD IPS display that also boasts up to 100% in sRGB colour gamut coverage. Or you can go for a faster display from the G17’s Full HD display at 360Hz. The 17.3-inch display from the G17 boasts only 62.5% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut though.
No matter the choice of display size though, the ROG Strix G series comes with WiFi 6E as standard. Like its predecessors as well, the new 2022 variants of the ROG Strix G series can be charged via its USB Type-C port using an included PD charger in the box. Again, you want to use the proprietary charger when you want to get the most out of the laptop.
Source: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUSSource: ASUS
Prices and Availability
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 will be available March 2022 onward in two configurations. One comes with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU at MYR 11,499. The other configuration is also the most powerful one with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti at MYR 16,499. There will be a more budget conscious option available with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU available in April onward for MYR 8,099.
The ROG Strix G series, as mentioned, will be available in two sizes – 15-inch and 17-inch. The Strix G15 will be available March 2022 onward. For now, only the G15 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 8GB RAM + 512GB storage will be available for MYR 5,399. There is a special edition Electro Pink variant of the G15 available as well for MYR 5,599. The Strix G15 with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM + 1TB storage will be available on a later date alongside the Strix G17. There are no confirmed pricing for those yet too.
For more information on the ROG Zephyrus M16 and ROG Strix G series for 2022, you can visit ASUS’ ROG website.
ASUS’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) announced a partnership with IKEA to bring more gamer-centric furniture to complete your setup not too long ago. However, the partnership was exclusive to Taiwan and China until today. The ROG x IKEA gaming furniture is now available at IKEA outlets across Malaysia.
The collaboration comes in five new product ranges which IKEA dubs its gaming range: the UPPSPEL, LÅNESPELARE, MATCHSPEL, UTESPELARE and HUVUDSPELARE. The new product families have IKEA’s unique, minimalist approach with insights from ROG’s long relationship with gamers. The UPPSPEL, however, is a true co-developed product with ROG engineers working closely with IKEA product designers.
The new gaming range focuses on bringing ergonomic comfort to gamers while they work to take out their challengers and best their opponents. Gamers can choose from a wide range of furniture which covers a wide range of price ranges. IKEA is offering a choice of three gaming chairs which range from MYR299 to MYR699. While the ROGxIKEA gaming desk, UPPSPEL, will set you back MYR2,499. Each piece of furniture is designed while taking into consideration the unique needs of a gamer. IKEA and ROG have put thought into everything from ergonomics to ventilation for your gaming setup.
The partnership doesn’t simply cover gaming furniture. You’ll also be able to get accessories such as a mouse bungee, headset stand and mug to complete your epic setup. The best part is these items are all priced below MYR80. If you’re not looking to get a completely new set-up, these additions should be more than welcome.
As part of their launch, ROG and IKEA have set up vignettes and showrooms with ROG gaming PCs in IKEA outlets across Malaysia. The gaming rigs in the stores feature some of the best components from ROG paired with Kingston’s performance RAM and storage. The rigs are available for you to experience at IKEA Damansara, Cheras, Terbrau and Batu Kawan.
The ASUS ROG Phone 5s was launched in Taiwan just last month. Technically the device only became available in Taiwan very late last month on the 30th of September 2021. Then again, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate just landed in Malaysia not that long ago too.
Still, while the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate remains fresh, ASUS decided its time to launch their latest most powerful ASUS ROG Phone to date in Malaysia. If you have forgotten about the ASUS ROG Phone 5s, you get Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 888+ platform. Yes, it will be marginally more powerful than the ASUS ROG Phone 5 series.
Source: ASUS Malaysia
Source: ASUS Malaysia
Source: ASUS Malaysia
Source: ASUS Malaysia
Other than the System on a Chip platform that differs from the ROG Phone 5s and ROG Phone 5, there is not much else that separates the two devices. They virtually look the same, and you might think that they might be the same devices put side-by-side. The ROG Phone 5s also comes one regular variant, and one Pro variant, very much like the older ROG Phone 5. There is no Ultimate variant for this though.
You can regard the 5s Pro as the replacement to the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate though. The Pro variant comes with an overkill 18GB of RAM space and 512GB of storage. That is alongside the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+. You also get the little customizable ROG Vision OLED display at the back of the device with the ASUS ROG Phone 5s Pro.
Variants
Retail price
Availability
Warranty
Remark
Colour
SD888+/8GB Ram/128GB Storage
RM2,999
Oct-21
1 Year
Not included: AeroActive cooler
Phantom Black & Storm White
SD888+/16GB Ram/256GB Storage
RM3,799
Oct-21
1 Year
Not included: AeroActive cooler
Phantom Black & Storm White
Pro SD888+/18GB Ram/512GB Storage
RM4,999
Oct-21
1 Year
Included: AeroActive cooler ROG Vision: Coloured
Phantom Black
Accessories
Price
Availability
Warranty
ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad (for ROG Phone 5)
RM499
Oct-21
3 Months
LIGHTING ARMOR CASE (ROG5)
RM199
Oct-21
3 Months
AeroActive Cooler 5
RM149
Oct-21
1 Year
ROG Clip
RM149
Oct-21
3 Months
ROG Phone 5 Screen Protector
RM79
Oct-21
nil
ROG KUNAI 3 BUMPER
RM69
Oct-21
3 Months
ROG 1.8M USB-C TO C CABLE
RM59
Oct-21
6 Months
The ROG Phone 5s series will be available in Malaysia from the 21st of October 2021 onward. The device will be available in two colours – Phantom Black and Storm White. The top-of-the-line Pro variant will be available only in one colour option though, the Phantom Black. You also only get the AeroActive cooler bundled with the Pro variant. The regular device starts at MYR 2,999 (8GB + 128GB). There is also a second option (16GB + 256GB) that retails at MYR 3,799. The range-topping Pro variant meanwhile will be sold for MYR 4,999. For more information on the ASUS ROG Phone 5s and its Pro variant, you can visit their website. Or, you can pre-order your ASUS ROG Phone 5s or ROG Phone 5s Pro now.
August was an interesting month for ASUS. They launched a brand-new gaming laptop in collaboration with a big name in the new age world of EDM Music. That name is Alan Walker, if you have not guessed it yet.
At its global launch, we mentioned Malaysia will get to the notebook somewhere in September. We did not know specifically when though. We are excited about the laptop though, because we were mainly interested in the included box that packages the ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker SE. At the same time, it is one of the most striking looking collaboration pieces from ASU ROG. In other words, it looks stunning, and we dig its looks.
At today’s launch gambit of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 AW SE, we can tell you that you can get your hands on one today onward if you have MYR 7,999 to spare. The ROG Zephyrus G14 AW SE, admittedly, is more expensive than the regular ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14. To be specific, you are paying about MYR 300 over the most expensive ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 device available.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 AW SE packs a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS processor with Zen 3 architecture which is respectable enough. It also comes with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, which is also a respectable processor for gaming notebooks. The combination of which powers Windows 10 on a 14-inch QHD IPS display that refreshes at 120Hz.
Source: ASUS
In comparison, the top-of-the-line ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 features AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900HS Zen 3 processor. It also comes with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3060 GPU platform which packs a lot of punch. This package comes at the price of MYR 7,499.
Before you write off the new ROG Zephyrus G14 AW SE though, you should know that your money buys more than just a gaming notebook PC. Alongside your G14 AW SE are a few extra goodies that you will not find anywhere else in the PC market. You get an Alan Walker x ROG designed cap and socks. On top of that, you are getting a custom ROG laptop sleeve that has Alan Walker design all over it.
Those may not sound like a lot. You are also buying a sort of an audio sampling box to go along with your Alan Walker edition of the ROG Zephyrus G14. The sampler box allows you to be your own DJ and be more creative with music samples that is included with the built-in software. You can even load the samples into the software if you want and create your own tracks. On top of that also, you get a slew of custom Alan Walker inspired graphics to load up on the AniMe Matrix panel on the back of the display.
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 AW SE is now available for purchase across ASUS retailers nationwide. You can also purchase the laptop via their online retail partners, Shopee and Lazada. As mentioned, it will set you back MYR 7,999. For fans in Malaysia though, you get an extra special edition item to go along with your ROG Zephyrus G14 AW SE. As part of the 9.9 promotions, every order of the Alan Walker x ROG notebook is entitled to an ROG Slash Sling Bag worth MYR 399, while stocks last. More information on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 AW SE can be found on their website.
ASUS unleashed their ROG Zephyrus G14 with updated internals earlier this year in May, at least in Malaysia. The new powerhouse took over from where its predecessor left off. It packs AMD’s latest Zen 3 packed Ryzen 9 5900HS processor that maxes out at 4.3GHz. You also get NVIDIA’s power in a GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU platform. The package is more than capable of powering the 14-inch QHD IPS display at 120Hz.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 platform may not be the highest-end gaming laptop you can find in ASUS ROG’s arsenal of gaming notebooks. Obviously, it is also not the most expensive you can find. But it is one of the most versatile one to have. It is the perfect size for an ultra-light and thin laptop, and it fits in most bags with little fuss. You will not be craving for more power when you need to be productive too with a powerful and efficient AMD Zen 3 architecture. Paired to NVIDIA’s GPU, editing 4K videos on-the-go is a breeze. You can even colour correct with the highly accurate display at 100% sRGB coverage.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 then is the perfect notebook for both work and play. It is a formidable laptop in a production setting. It is the perfect notebook to bear the Alan Walker name.
If you do not know who Alan Walker is, you are in for a treat. A Google search of Alan Walker should be all you need to get introduced to the popular artist. But before you start wondering if Alan Walker has anything to do with gaming, let us introduce you to Live Fast, a song he produced for PUBG Mobile, and Ghost, a soundtrack from the game Death Stranding.
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
The Alan Walker edition of the ROG Zephyrus G14 has to be special though. That is why ASUS shoehorned an even more powerful AMD Ryzen 5900HS that packs 8 processing cores with up to 16-threads. The Zen 3 processor should be more than enough for aspiring content creators to work with. Its superior multi-threaded performance will make short work of any creative software you can throw at it.
Getting your games on is important though, especially when you need a quick break to get the creative juices going again. The brand-new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU ensures that you have great gaming experiences on-the-road especially on the 14-inch IPS display that refreshes at 120Hz. The fun does not stop here though when it comes to Alan Walker.
Alan Walker designed the packaging of the ROG Zephyrus G14 himself. The packaging is not the regular box that merely protects the notebook though. You can connect the box to the Zephyrus G14 via a USB Type-C cable and the box turns into a unique accessory. It becomes an ROG Remix sampler that houses 18 of Alan Walker’s own sound effects. It comes complete with conductive pads on the surface for users to trigger the sound effects.
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
The integration goes even deeper with a custom software developed and designed with Alan Walker and his team. The custom software allows users to start creating their own tracks or create remixes based on Alan Walker’s famous tracks.
It is an ROG product still though. You get an ROG x Alan Walker inspired animations on the ROG Zephyrus G14’s main display and its AniMe Matrix panel at the back. The animations will play accordingly based on the MIDI inputs that is selected from the Remix sampler. The notebook also comes with a custom boot animation and an exclusive Alan Walker wallpaper.
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
On the surface, the Alan Walker ROG Zephyrus G14 is laced with Alan Walker’s signature colours. The ‘A’ and ‘W’ keys features the producer’s logo too. The AniMe Matrix panel comes in a unique Spectre Blue shade on this special edition. Lining the AniMe Matrix panel are two fabric belts with one belt featuring reflective texts that compliments the Matrix LED panel.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker edition is scheduled to arrive in Malaysia in September 2021. There are no official pricing for the special edition gaming notebook at this time. The ROG Zephyrus G14 comes with a few special edition goodies in the package too like the baseball cap, a pair of socks, and an ROG laptop sleeve. More information on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker edition can be found on their website.
The ASUS ROG Phone 5 was launched earlier this year and it is the ultimate gaming smartphone with not just the most powerful smartphone processor you can find in a modern smartphone. We are talking about Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 5G platform here. But they squeeze up to 18GB of RAM into a smartphone. You are essentially getting the performance of a modern PC in the palm of your hands, and it still fits in your pockets.
The ASUS ROG Phone 5 packed a fast display too. At 144Hz, it is one of the fastest, if not the fastest, smartphone display you can get in a modern smartphone. It also came with one of the fastest responding displays you can find in a modern smartphone as well at 240Hz of touch sampling rate.
While all of that made the ASUS ROG Phone 5 series one of the most powerful and desirable smartphones in the market, the recipe is not unique to ASUS’ ROG Phone 5 series. Other flagship smartphones started using the same recipe in their smartphones. You still will not get RAM sizes as big as 18GB in most flagships from major manufacturers. But you will get the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G platform and even up to 512GB of storage onboard. You also get up to 240Hz touch sampling rate with displays that refreshes at up to 120Hz in most cases.
Source: ASUS
The ASUS ROG Phone 5s series takes things up a notch in power though. It now packs a specially tuned Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset. They call it the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ platform and it is marginally more powerful that its Plain Jane counterpart.
That is not all they improved though. They also made the 144Hz display a little faster to the touch. Instead of 240Hz in touch sampling, it now responds at 360Hz for an even faster 24ms latency from touch to action. It is still a Full HD+ display that measures at 6.78-inc though.
You also get mostly the same hardware as the current ASUS ROG Phone 5. The behemoth 6,000 mAh battery is still present to ensure you can work with it the entire day. You still get the high-resolution 64-Megapixel shooter supported by a 5-Megapixel macro camera and 13-Megapixel ultra-wide camera. Out front is a 24-megapixel shooter still.
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
We said that there is a series in the new line-up. That is because there will be two devices from the series – a regular ROG Phone 5s and an extreme ROG Phone 5s Pro. The difference between the two devices, at least in terms of visual, is found at the backplate. The regular ROG Phone 5s only packs the dot matrix RGB graphics at the back. The ROG Phone 5s Pro has the small OLED display that trickle down from the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. Of course, the Pro also gets the 18GB RAM + 512GB storage treatment that was signature to the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. Because the new ROG Phone 5s series shares similar dimensions with the original ROG Phone 5, you can use accessories that you have from the older ROG Phone 5 series.
ASUS says that the devices will launch on the 30th of September 2021 in Taiwan. The ASUS ROG Phone 5s (16GB + 256GB) starts at NTD 29,990 (MYR 4,559*). You can get the ROG Phone 5s in 512GB storage flavour too at NTD 33,390 (MYR 5,167*). The ROG Phone 5s Pro will set you back NTD 37,990 (MYR 5,773*) at launch. There are no specific dates for an international launch at this time. Considering that the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate just arrived in Malaysian shores, we think the ROG Phone 5s series might not come all that soon.
* Approximately based on exchange rate of NTD 100 = MYR 15.20 on xe.com as of 17/08/2021
