Tag Archives: ROG

Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate Officially Available in Malaysia – Pre-Order Starts 8thAugust!

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ASUS’ ultimate smartphone that is over-engineered for gaming, the ASUS ROG Phone 5 actually launched earlier in the year. The device specifically launched in Malaysia in the month of March 2021. If you consider the ROG Phone 5 selling first in the beginning of March 2021, that was six months ago. We understand your confusion in this case.

While the ROG Phone 5 series did launch in March 2021 (even we wrote about it), there is one device in the series that has not been really on sale. That device is the ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate, the ultimate iteration of ASUS’ ROG mobile gaming powerhouse. For months as well, there were no mentions of the device ever coming to Malaysia to the point that some thought that it was only a myth.

We now can assure you that the ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is real and will be reaching your hands very soon in August 2021. Like the launch in March 2021, the ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate will also be an online exclusive. It might as well be with the current condition in Malaysia.

ROG phone 5 ultimate pre order
Source: ASUS

Before we go into the pre-order details though, we have to talk about the device just to remind ourselves what the ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is, and why you might want one still.

The ASUS ROG Phone 5 series is known to push smartphone hardware to absolute limit on paper. While all of them comes with Qualcomm’s most powerful System on a Chip (SoC) to date; the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip, the most budget friendly variant of the device comes only with an 8GB RAM.

We say only, because one step up from that is a 16GB RAM option. 16GB RAM is a lot of memory for a smartphone, more than even Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra at its best. The Ultimate variant of the ASUS ROG Phone 5 comes with an even bigger memory module at 18GB. Why do you need 18GB of RAM for a smartphone? At this time, we do not know yet.

Its storage module is not as crazy though at 512GB in built-in storage for the Ultimate variant. The ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate also features something called ROG Vision, a customizable LED display embedded in the back plate of the device. As far as we can tell as well, everything else about the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is similar to the other devices in the range. They are still the most extreme on a modern smartphone though.

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Source: ASUS

It has a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with the highest possible colour accuracy in a smartphone display that boasts Full HD+ in resolution. While that may not sound like a lot, the display refreshes at up to 144Hz, comparable to modern PC gaming monitors today. It also samples at 300Hz for a super-fast 1ms response on the display itself for near instant interaction with the interface and games.

It is also one of the only flagship spec devices that comes with a super large battery. It packs a 6,000mAh battery pack. That is as large as a small to medium sized powerbank today and is nearly double what regular smartphones pack today. You can charge other flagship smartphones with this mobile ROG powerhouse.

You could not get the ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate anywhere though, when the other ROG Phone 5 devices launched. Even Malaysia’s website says that the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is “Coming Soon” at the time of writing. It will not be “Coming Soon” for much longer though.

The ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate will finally be available to buy in Malaysia from the 8th of August 2021 onward. Well, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate starts its pre-orders from that day all the way to the 21st of August 2021, to be specific. It will ship out toward the end of the month of August 2021 too. It will be priced at the anticipated price of MYR 4,999, which is no small amount of money for a smartphone that only comes in Matte White colour option.

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

Of course, you are not just buying the smartphone though, at that price. If you choose to wait this long and pre-order your ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate, you are getting a treat from ASUS. You are eligible for an ROG Strix Go Core headphone in Moonlight White to match your ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate for free. You also get the Ultimate Fan Gift Box alongside your device. All in all, you are getting a total of MYR 1,099 worth of goods on top of your Ultimate gaming smartphone.

You can pre-order your ASUS ROG Phone 5 Ultimate from ASUS’ official stores on Shopee and Lazada. Again, the device is exclusively available online at this time. As mentioned, the MYR 4,999 device will be available for pre-order from the 8th to 21st of August 2021. More information on the ASUS ROG Phone 5 is available from their website.

Computers, Gaming, News

[COMPUTEX 2021] ASUS Announces All AMD ROG Strix G15 & G17 Advantage Edition Laptops

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AMD announced a slew of items at their COMPUTEX 2021 keynote. One of the many things that they announced was the AMD Advantage Design framework. In this framework, AMD has outlined certain criteria which they believe will provide gamers with the best experience. One of the hallmark criteria is the utilisation of AMD’s Ryzen Mobile processors together with their newly announced Radeon RX6000M graphics processors. The new combination allows the new laptops to take advantage of smart access memory and smart shift among other optimisations that come with using a complete AMD setup.

ASUS is one of the first partners that are jumping on the AMD Advantage bandwagon with two new editions of its popular ROG Strix G line up. The new ROG Strix G15 and G17 come with AMD’s most powerful Ryzen 9 5900HX processor paired with the newly announced Radeon RX 6800M. The new GPU brings along with it AMD’s new RDNA 2 architecture which has been packing performance. It also brings AMD’s newly announced FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) which allows light to be simulated more realistically allowing for more immersive gaming.

The laptops come with up to 32GB of high performance DDR4-3200 RAM and up to 1TB NVMe SSD memory. The Strix G Advantage edition also comes with an additional M.2 slot that allows users to add more memory should the need arise. Their performance is matched with ASUS’s implementation of Liquid Metal thermal compound and the new Intelligent Cooling. The cooling system allows for better airflow without the increased noise.

Like other Strix G laptops, the ROG Strix G Advantage Edition laptops come display options for any gamer. Users can choose from options with 300Hz refresh rate, WQHD resolution with high colour accuracy. To complete the package, it comes with twin Smart Amp speakers that fire sound directly from behind the keyboard. These speakers are Dolby Atmos certified and can produce 5.1.2 channel surround sound.

Pricing & Availability

The ASUS ROG Strix G Advantage edition will be making its way to the market in the third quarter of 2021. No pricing has been announced just yet.

ASUS has no plans at this time to bring the ROG Strix G Advantage edition to Malaysia.

Computers, Gaming, News

ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and S17 Are the Ultimate Gaming Notebooks You Want in 2021

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The introduction of Intel’s new Tiger Lake 11th Generation Intel Core processor is actually more significant than you think. While the desktop variants may not have seen that much in terms of progress, the mobile variants have. The most powerful mobile processor Intel houses now is the Intel Core i9 instead of the good ol’ Intel Core i7.

In that case, if you want the ultimate gaming notebook, you might want to look for that golden number ‘9’ on your notebook. There is not that many manufacturers out there that would offer you that kind of power though, mostly because they cost so much. But ASUS, they are a little different, especially when it comes to their in-house skunk works gaming department that is the ROG.

While ROG already makes some compelling choices for gamers in the ASUS ROG STRIX series and ROG Zephyrus G series line-up, those are not really the ultimate tools for the modern gamer. Above the Zephyrus G line-up there are even thinner and even more powerful stuff. These are the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

At the higher end of the gaming spectrum is the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 gaming notebook. Like the previous high-end gaming notebook, there is liquid metal technology in this one too. While it doesn’t pack the innovative keyboard hinge that S17 has, this one is still a highly powerful machine that you can game with and work with at anytime, anywhere.

The ROG Zephyrus M16 packs the new Intel Core i9-11900H processor. The range-topping Intel processor is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU for an amazing gaming experience and also seamless content creation. This combination also powers an industry-first, fast 16-inch 165Hz refresh rate 3ms display that pushes WQXGA (16:10) resolution. You even get 100% of DCI-P3 for great colour accuracy, important when you are creating content on-the-go.

With up to 2TB in SSD storage, you should not be wanting more in terms of storage for all your games and even content creation needs. You also get up to 32GB of RAM, which is sort of an overkill for gaming, but perfect for content creation. What makes the whole package more interesting is that it comes with a USB Type-C charger that charges at 100W, so you do not have to lug around a heavy package to get the notebook working. They say also you can get about eight hours in battery life with the Zephyrus M16.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is said to be available in Malaysia at the end of June 2021 onward, barring any shipping delays (NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD). There is no official pricing just yet at this time but ASUS says that pricing should be announced June onward.

ASUs ROG Zephyrus S17

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

At the top of the ladder you get the very innovative, very powerful ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 with Intel’s Core i9-11900H processor. The powerful CPU is paired with a very powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. The very powerful GPU can power up to a 17.3-inch QHD display at up to 165Hz in refresh rate.

The ample 16GB (up to) of RAM should help the notebook trundle along nicely even when you render 4K videos. With up to 2TB of storage with up to 2 extra NVMe PCIe 3.0 M.2 slots, there should be no worries with storing all your games alongside your contents. On top of that, a 100W USB Type-C charger should keep the notebook running happy and fast while remained plugged in. The charger can also charge the notebook to 50% in just 30 minutes.

The notebook also features an innovative hinge that lifts the keyboard for a larger opening for increased airflow. The newly designed fan also helps airflow for the notebook. The lifted keyboard also allows for a better and more comfortable typing experience.

The availability ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 has yet to be announced at this time. That also means there is no official pricing for the device at this time. We are keeping our ears close to the ground for any sings of availability of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 though.

Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

ASUS ROG 2021 Notebook Series Ups the Ante with RTX 30 Series

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Last year NVIDIA announced their next generation GPUs, the GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs that they claim to have the largest generational gap over the older series. It is inevitable then for fans to be asking for the mobile variant of the GPUs to be put in the ever popular and growing gaming notebook market. They are also asking for more budget friendly variants like the RTX 3060 Ti and updated variant of the GTX 1650 and GTX 1660 Ti.

That is not all though, new CPUs are also introduced in 2020 and early 2021. AMD came swinging hard with the new AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPUs with Zen 3 architecture making them the most powerful consumer level CPU overall currently on sale. Intel pushed their own boundaries with their 10nm architecture 11th Generation CPUs early in 2021 too. To be fair though Intel came with the mobile variant of the 11th Generation Core processors early in 2020 before the desktop variants were introduced in 2021.

TUF Gaming F15 and F17 (FX506H-CHN021T, FX706H-CHX065T, FX506H-MHN103T)

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

ASUS kicks of with the new TUF Gaming notebooks, both in 15-inch and 17-inch flavours. You get to choose between an Intel Core i5-11400H and an Intel Core i7-11800H for the ASUS TUF Gaming F15’s (FX506H) processor. That powerful GPU also comes paired with either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB of GDDR6 RAM.

To ensure that you get a smooth gaming performance too, RAM is at up to 16GB for the top-of-the-line TUF Gaming F15 with room to spare. For storage you get a single SSD with 512GB in capacity. The storage is also expandable still with free extra NVMe PCIe 3.0 M.2 slot.

The 15-inch and 17-inch variants both get a 144Hz IPS display that pushes Full HD in resolution. For even more immersive gaming, the TUF Gaming F15 and F17 packs DTS Audio and speaker calibration. Of course, a great gaming experience today also means stable internet connection, and the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and F17 packs WiFi 6 capabilities alongside Bluetooth 5.2 for extra stable wireless peripheral connection. With 90WHrs 4-cell battery, the TUF Gaming F15 and F17 may not last a whole day, but at least a few hours of use away from the wall socket should be enough for you to get your emails and whatever else done.

The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 with 11th Generation Intel Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 will be available mid of June 2021 onward at MYR 4,199. The TUF Gaming F17 with 11th Generation Intel Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 will be available at the end of June 2021 at MYR 4,299. The TUF Gaming F15 with 11th Generation Intel Core i7 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 will be available at the end of this month (May 2021) onward at MYR 5,599.

TUF Gaming Dash F15 (FX516P-EHN006T, FX516P-EHN007T)

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

For extra portability, you might want to look at the ASUS TUF Gaming Dash F15, a thinner and lighter TUF gaming notebook like no other. At 2kg, it is no ultrabook. Still, it is a light gaming device with the power to match.

You get the 11th Generation Core i7-11370H processor that also has an Intel Iris Xe Graphics integrated GPU for general usage at lower power draw. For all the high-performance stuff though, this thing packs a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU. Thanks to the integrated GPU, the notebook draws minimal power from the 76WHrs battery and ensures that the notebook can last longer than your average gaming notebooks.

The powerful NVIDIA GPU though powers the 15.6-inch IPS display to push Full HD into your face. You even get fast 144Hz refresh rate to ensure you still have the necessary competitive advantage in any gaming situation. With up to 8GB of RAM, you can be sure that gaming is a smooth and snappy experience.

The ASUS TUF Gaming Dash F15 will be available in two colour options – Eclipse Grey and Moonlight White. The new gaming laptop will be available this month (May 2021) onward. The thinner and lighter TUF Gaming notebook will set you back MYR 4,799.

ASUS ROG Strix G15 and G17 (G513Q-CHN019T, G512Q-CHN020T, G712Q-CHX022T, G512Q-CHN096T)

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

The new ASUS ROG STRIX G15 and G17 packs up to the highly acclaimed AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor. With AMD’s processor, the ROG STRIX G15 and G17 is also a powerful creator class GPU. Pair that with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 and you get a capable video editor and gaming notebook that you can take with you anywhere you want.

You get up to 8GB in RAM and up to 512GB in SSD storage. If those are not enough though there is an extra available slot for you to expand your RAM and SSD storage still. An extra 8GB and an extra 512GB of SSD storage would do you nicely for the ASUS ROG STRIX G15 and G17.

You get to choose up between 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch display sizes for the new ASUS ROG STRIX series. Both sizes are IPS displays that churns out Full HD in resolution too. Of course, for the extra smooth feel and edge in competitive gaming, the displays refreshes at 144Hz.

For all your connectivity needs there is the usual WiFi 6 that should be standard today. It also packs Bluetooth 5.1 for an extra stable wireless peripherals experience. You can find a USB Type-C port, but unfortunately Thunderbolt is not supported on the AMD based notebook.

The ROG STRIX G15 and G17 notebooks with either an AMD Ryzen 5-5600H or the AMD Ryzen 7-5800H will be available this month (May 2021) onward. The AMD Ryzen 5 variant of the ASUS ROG STRIX G15 will set you back MYR 4,199. The AMD Ryzen 7 variant of the ASUS ROG STRIX G15 and G17 will sell for MYR 4,499 and MYR 4,599 respectively. There is also an Elctro Punk special edition ASUS ROG STRIX G15 with AMD Ryzen 7-5800H that comes with its own set of colour matching accessories like a mousepad, a gaming mouse, and a backpack for MYR 4,799.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA401Q-HHZ078TS, GA401Q-CHZ083TS, GA401Q-EK2023TS)

Source: ASUS

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, in our books, is one of the notebooks that put AMD’s Ryzen processors name in the gaming laptop map. The first Zephyrus G14 was a brilliant product that received many accolades. That packed the older generation AMD Ryzen 3000 series mind you.

The new one of course packs the new AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS processor to boot. You get to work with up to NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU for all of your gaming and content creation needs. Both the CPU and GPU are supported by an 8GB RAM that you can easily expand with an extra RAM slot in the thin and sturdy body with the very recognisable Matrix LED shell. Storage wise, you get 512GB in SSD with an extra expansion slot too.

The powerful CPU and GPU combination pushes games to up to 144Hz (120Hz for WQHD variant) on the 14-inch IPS display that comes with the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14. You get to spec your Zephyrus G14 with up to WQHD display too if you need the extra resolution for content creation purposes. On both the Full HD and WQHD displays, you get 100% coverage of DCI-P3 for a super deep colour accuracy and Pantone validation as the cherry topping.

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 will be available in Eclipse Grey and Moonlight variants. The ROG Zephyrus G14 with NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1650 GPU will come with a non AniMe Matrix shell while the rest of the variants get the AniMe Matrix panel on the shell of the notebook for extra personalisation. The new AMD Ryzen 7 powered ROG Zephyrus G14 notebook is available this month (May 2021) onward and will start at MYR 4,799 and tops out MYR 6,499.

Gaming, News

ROG Strix Gets A Skateboarding Makeover in Nyjah Huston Edition

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ASUS has been hard at work expanding the influence of the Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand. It’s done this with collaborations with the likes of DJ and producer, Alan Walker and even design firms such as ACRONYM. Their latest collaboration brings together the skateboarding and gaming worlds. The ROG Strix has gotten a makeover befitting 6-time overall and current reigning world skateboarding champion, Nyjah Huston.

Source: ASUS

The ROG Strix SCAR gets new design accents inspired by some of the signature items skateboarders are familiar with. The vent on the back of the Strix SCAR is framed with a metallic bars akin to the bars on the skate park. More importantly, the laptop’s new design takes Nyjah’s unique style and emblazons his insignia side by side the ROG logo. The skateboard inspired accents continue on the main body of the laptop with a grey and black color and customised keycaps that bring more of Nyjah’s signature style.

Like previous collaborations, the design flair isn’t just on the ROG Strix SCAR itself. The Nyjah-ROG collaboration starts from the packaging with an imposing skull and backed by two skateboards – Nyjah’s logo signature – with the letters R-O-G embossed across it. The taglines for both ROG and Nyjah are emblazoned on the packaging as well across the skull. These accents are only visible under UV light.

The ROG Strix SCAR 17 was the centrepiece of this collaboration. The new Strix SCAR 17 comes with an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor which is complemented by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series graphics processor. It also has a Full HD IPS display with a 360Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time – a first in a gaming laptop. The SCAR 17 is also one of the first laptops to come with liquid metal cooling and has optical-mechanical keys on its keyboard.

Pricing & Availability

Source: ASUS

While you may be dying to get your hands on the special edition of the Strix SCAR 17, the laptop is a one-of-a-kind created especially for the world champion skateboarder and will not be available commercially. However, you can get a piece of the collaboration with a special ROG x Nyjah Huston wallpaper and Instagram filter.

Android, Gaming, Mobile, News

ASUS Unveils the ROG Phone 5 series; Prices Start at MYR2,999

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ASUS is arguably one of the first companies to make a gaming smartphone. The original ROG Phone launched back in 2018 to much acclaim and praise and with a customised chipset from Qualcomm. This year, ASUS refines its ROG Phone series with more features and more affordable price points.

The ROG Phone 5 series is the first in the ROG Phone family to officially be introduced with more than one entry into the line up. The series will consists of the ROG Phone 5, the 5 Pro and the 5 Ultimate which are differentiated by a few features and key specifications. On the outside, the ROG Phone 5 series continues to inherit the ostentatious design queues which have become its signature. Over on the back you have the angular accents of the camera modules and the angular design of the new ROG Dotted Matrix Design which allows for some extensive customisation. The Pro and Ultimate variants, this is replaced by angular lines which surround the ROG Vision screen.

Specc’d to Game

When it comes to the phone itself, the ROG Phone 5 series comes equipped with a Samsung AMOLED screen. The screen is a 6.78-inch Full HD+ display with a resolution of 2448×1080 pixels. The phone boasts one of the only displays with a 144Hz refresh rate. On the protection side of things, it comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for better scratch and shatter resistance.

The new entries are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with either 8GB, 16GB or 18GB of RAM with up to 512GB of internal storage. It doesn’t seem to support memory expansion with a microSD card – making it the third flagship this year to eschew the microSD card. The ROG Phone 5 Pro and Ultimate are available with 512GB of internal storage with 16GB and 18GB of RAM respectively. The ROG Phone 5 caps out at 256GB with 16GB RAM. The series is also the first in the ROG Phone series to support 5G connectivity.

Perfecting Audio

The new ROG Phone continues to support better audio features by not only retaining the 3.5mm audio jack but also introducing even more audio centric features. Of note is the inclusion of a high-end ESS9280AC Pro DAC on the 3.5mm jack for better audio fidelity. It also supports symmetrical dual front-facing speakers. These are some of the largest speakers on smartphones coming in at 12x16mm. ASUS promises a louder, more rounded experience with these speakers. Also along for the ride this time is a DIRAC tuned AudioWizard with customizable equalizer for your perfect sound. DIRAC is providing optimisations on the ROG Phone 5 series to minimise crosstalk and widen the sound stage of the audio experience on the ROG Phone 5.

Of course, the ROG Phone 5 series comes with all the bells and whistles of its predecessors including improved Air Triggers and motion controls. In addition, ASUS is also introducing a new AeroActive cooler which come with two physical buttons for the triggers when plugged in.

Accessories, Accessories, Accessories

As with previous ROG Phones, ASUS is bringing a whole slew of gaming oriented accessories to enhance the ROG Phone 5. The first, is the AeroActive cooler which helps cool the phone down during intense gaming sessions while allowing you to charge the phone. This year, there are actual buttons on the AeroActive Cooler to provide a more tactile experience when it comes to using the triggers.

This year sees an improved ROG Kunai 3 controller. The controller allows you to have the versatility to play in a more console like way on the gaming smartphone. If you’d rather a more attached experience, the ROG Clip gives you a controller with a clip for the smartphone. It can attach via the USB-C port on the side of the ROG Phone 5.

ASUS has also opted to include more audio centric accessories this year with the ROG Cetra II earphones which comes with active noise cancelling with ambient mode. The wired earphones come with LSR drivers for premium sound quality and embedded microphones. ASUS also introduced the ROG STRIX GO BT with the ROG Phone 5. The wireless headphones come with up to 45 hours of battery life and AI noise cancelling microphone technology.

For those looking to upgrade from the ROG Phone 3, take note that not all accessories are forward compatible. Notably, the TwinView Dock 3, Mobile Desktop Dock and AeroActive Cooler 3 are not supported. The Kunai GamePad II, on the other hand, is partially supported by the 5.

Pricing & Availability

The ROG Phone 5 series will be available starting March 2021. The regular ROG Phone 5 will be retailing for MYR2,999 (USD$726.84) for the 8GB/128GB version and MYR3,799 (USD$920.73) for the 16GB /256GB version. Both will be available in Phantom Black and Storm White. These versions do not come with the AeroActive Cooler. Internationally, the ROG Phone 5 will be retailing for €799 (USD$950.16) for the 8GB/128GB, €899 (USD$1,069.02) for the 16GB/256GB version and €999 (USD$1,187.94) for the 16GB/256GB version.

The ROG Phone 5 will be available for pre-order in Malaysia from 11 March 2021 to 25 March 2021. Pre-orders of the ROG Phone 5 will come with a free Kunai 3 GamePad. You can pre-order the phone exclusively on the ASUS store on Shopee.

The Pro will be retailing for MYR4,499 (USD$1,090.39). It will be available only in Phantom Black and comes with the AeroActive Cooler in the box. The Pro will be available starting in May 2021. Internationally, it will be costing €1,199 (USD$1,425.83).

The Ultimate will be retailing for MYR4,999 (USD$1,211.51). It will be available only in Storm White and will come with the AeroActive Cooler in the box. It also comes with the limited edition ROG Ultimate Fan Gift box which hosts a whole bunch of ROG swag. Internationally, the Ultimate will be costing €1,299 (USD$1,544.75).

Android, Editorial, Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile

ASUS ROG Phone 5: Everything You Need to Know

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Update (10 March 2021): More rumors are continuing to surface about the ROG Phone 5 in the days leading up to its release. The first is that the new gaming phone will have a variant with 16GB of RAM. Something we highlighted in our original article. In addition to this, we’ve got our first look at the phone thanks to leaker @IshanAgarwal on Twitter. It seems like the phone will be coming in a new, sleek white color similar to the Zephyrus G14/15. The official renders also show a new AeroActive Cooler with a slight redesign.

ASUS’s ROG Phone is arguably one of the most popular gaming phones on the market. ASUS launched the first ROG Phone to much fanfare in 2019 creating a new niche for loud, gamer-proud devices. They also pack specifications and software features that allow users to get the most out of their phones when it comes to performance and comes with software optimizations for gaming. Don’t forget the plethora of gaming-centric accessories that is now a signature of the ROG Phone lineup.

In the past, ASUS has announced their gaming smartphone closer to mid year. However, this year, the company has already announced that they will be revealing their new entry into the ROG Phone line up on March 10 at 7pm. With that in mind, we thought it’s be an opportune time to round up the rumours and everything else we know so far about the ROG Phone 5.

Bringing New Design Cues from Successful Laptops

Yep. You read that right. No you didn’t miss a ROG Phone somewhere in between. Instead, ASUS has decided to skip straight to 5 as the number 4 in Mandarin and other Chinese dialects sounds similar to the word for death.

With that out of the way, let’s get down to business. You’d have realised that ASUS has been teasing the ROG Phone 5 for about a week now. If you’ve been paying attention, it looks like the AniMe matrix from the ROG Zephyrus G14 is coming along for the ride. It seems to be the hallmark design feature of the phone and will be replacing the RGB logo which was one back of the phone.

From the leaks, it looks like this may be complemented by a small display. The small strip could be used as a notification ticker or possibly in a similar way that the HTC One Ultra used it for interactive features. However, there’s no confirmations so far on the functionality of the display.

This would be an excellent complement to the triggers that we already know will be coming to the ROG Phone 5. It also seems like there is an extra red button on the phone’s lower left edge. Keep in mind, that the ROG Phone series has historically come with a side mounted USB-C port.

Asus Rog Phone 5 Live Hands on Video

Specc’d to Kill

As is the usual, it seems like the ROG Phone 5 is specced to kill – in a matter of speaking. We know the phone will be coming with a Snapdragon 888 processor. However, what we don’t know is whether the processor will come with a special build like previous years. Typically, ASUS and Qualcomm have launched the ROG Phone 5 with a “plus” or + variant of the year’s top processor. However, this year, the ROG Phone seems to be coming with the run of the mill Snapdragon 888.

We know from TENAA documentation that there will be an 8GB version of the smartphone, possibly the Tencent or STRIX version which we’ve seen in the past. However, we also have an inkling through rumours that ASUS is likely to have a 16GB and 12GB versions as well. Of course, they will be using the UFS 3.1 standard of memory for that snappy runtime. We will definitely see versions with 256GB and 512GB of internal storage however we wouldn’t put it past ASUS to offer a whopping 1TB version too perhaps paired with 16GB of RAM.

When it comes to the battery, we know for a fact that ASUS hasn’t shied away from large battery capacities. This year’s ROG Phone seems to be coming with a 6,000mAh battery if rumours are to be believed. ASUS is apparently achieving this by doubling up on 3,000mAh battery modules. Of course, the phone will be able to support up to 65W Fast Charging and come with Quick Charge 4, USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 and maybe even reverse charging. However, we don’t expect to see wireless charging in the ROG Phone 5 if ASUS keeps to its trends.

Source: ASUS

On the display front, it looks like ASUS might be equipping the ROG Phone 5 with a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen. However, rumours point to the gaming smartphone only coming with a Full HD+ resolution. That said, the display may be getting a boost from the HDR10+ feature it’s rumoured to be touting. It also looks like the smartphone will be coming with Android 11 out of the box.

Thanks to DxO Mark’s audio review, we know that the ROG Phone comes with stereo speakers and a 3.5mm audio jack – hooray~! In addition, it looks like the phone will be equipped with an ESS DAC for better quality sound and it will also have at least four microphones. On the optics side of things, not too much detail is known. However, we do have leads showing that the phone will be coming with a triple sensor setup. It will be fronted by a 64-megapixel main sensor. The remaining sensors are unknown but if we are to go with what came in the ROG Phone 3 and similar phones this year, we’re betting on an ultrawide sensor and a macro sensor.

Pricing & Availability

While nothing much has been said about the price, we’re expecting ASUS to maintain the general price point of the ROG Phone 5. The ROG Phone came with a price tag of $999 in the U.S. and €999 in Europe at launch. In Malaysia, pricing was about MYR4,499 at launch.

However, given Samsung’s move to make the barrier to ownership a little lower this year, we can probably expect that ASUS may do the same; either with a lower specc’d entry or a very slight price decrease. We’ll have to wait and see.

eSports, Gaming, News

ROG Masters Asia Pacific eSports Tournament Goes Online for 2021 Season

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ASUS kicking off a region wide eSports Tournament called the ROG Masters Asia Pacific eSports Tournament which will see eSports athletes from the region compete for a grand prize of USD$10,000. The tournament kicks off in March 2021 with matches happening throughout until the finals in April 2021. Given the current global situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament will be held entirely online.

ROG Masters APAC 2021 Teaser Video | ROG

This year, the game of choice is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). The competition will involve 15 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. It’s open to enthusiasts, amateurs and professionals across the region. All you have to do is register at rogmasters.gg. Registration opens on February 8 2021.

The competition will be held in three stages over the two months. Kicking off the competition is the Country Qualifiers which will see all the registered teams face-off for a shot in the Country Finals starting on the first week of April 2021. The Country Finals will see professional teams from each country seeded into the battlefield allowing enthusiasts and amateurs to climb further up the ladder. Teams in the Country finals will then stand a chance to head to the Regional finals where they will battle it out for the grand prize.

Matches for the Country finals will be streamed on ASUS ROG’s official YouTube and Facebook pages. The Malaysian Finals will be live-streamed on 4 April 2021. The APAC Finals will be live-streamed at the end of April 2021.

Teams that rise above the rest in the Malaysian Finals will stand to win USD$800 for first place and USD$400 for second place. These prizes also include ASUS ROG Swag. Teams in the APAC finals will then be vying for the USD$10,000 grand prize. The top 3 teams will be awarded USD$10,000 for the grand prize, USD3,500 for the runner up and USD$1,500 for third place.

Get to registering fast for your chance as registrations close on 28th February 2021.

Computers, Gaming, News

ROG Zephyrus ACRONYM Edition Lands Brings New Focus on Gamers

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ASUS ROG announced their AMD powered Zephyrus G14 back at CES. The laptop is the first laptop in their line up to come with what they are calling the AniMe Matrix which brings a whole new level of personalisation. It’s also the one of the most powerful 14-inch gaming laptops in the market right now.

The company is upping the ante in a collaboration with ACRONYM, a design agency, to create a special edition Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop. The new edition of the ROG Zephyrus G14 will be modeled in a sleek black with ACRONYM’s signature design flairs accenting the laptop. The ROG ZEPHYRUS G14 ACRONYM RMT01 utilizes leading edge machining, finishing, engraving and painting techniques for a premium finish.

The collaboration with ACRONYM is the latest in a series of collaborations that ASUS has undertaken since the launch of the G14. Previously, ASUS announced a special collaboration with renown DJ Alan Walker. The new ROG x ACRONYM edition is also ASUS’s reaffirmation to their commitment that a gamer is not just a gamer, but a creator.

Pricing & Availability

The special ROG x ACRONYM Edition of the Zephyrus G14 is available now in Malaysia for MYR11,299.

Computers, News

The New ASUS ROG STRIX gaming Notebooks with Liquid Metal Cooling Comes to Malaysia!

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Standing out in the world today is difficult. This statement cannot be truer in the gaming notebook PC segment. Everywhere you look, gaming notebooks look very similar to each other. At this point too, every gaming notebook have nearly the same design language – understated, simple, clean. Do not get us wrong though. We are not saying that they look bad, quite the opposite. There is nothing wrong too with the ‘blended in’ look and goal.

Still, we also understand that there are some who still wants something outrageous. There is still a market for a ‘different’ looking hardware. Something that stands out, but still looks decently fitting in a meeting room anyway. Something like an ASUS ROG STRIX.

The SCAR Edition

The ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR Edition has always been one of our favourite series of gaming notebooks. The new ROG STRIX SCAR 15 for 2020 comes with an Intel Core i7-10875H CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (up to) combination for raw horsepower in AAA titles. You get up to 16GB (8GB x 2) RAM configuration within the beastly body of the STRIX SCAR 15 as well for a crazy amount of Google Chrome tabs open at the same time.

Of course, as with the SCAR 15 naming scheme, you get a 15.6-inch Full HD display. It is an amazing display to work with though. 240Hz refresh means you can see everything clearly. 3ms response time means there is no noticeable delay from input to action. 100% sRGB means you get colours and depth like no other.

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

Of course, all these things combined will produce a vast amount of heat. In addition to ASUS’s cooling technology, ASUS have replaced the thermal paste for the CPU and GPU with liquid metal for better cooling efficiency and effectiveness.

STRIX G – for Gaming

The liquid cooling technology does not stop at the SCAR edition ASUS ROG STRIX notebooks though. The ASUS ROG STRIX G15 and G17 also gets the liquid metal treatment for better cooling in heavy usage. We start with the STRIX G15.

The ASUS ROG STRIX G series comes packing with plenty of power still. It is no SCAR, but it still has the power of an Intel Core i7-10750H hexa-core processor. The combination of the powerful CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is still plenty enough to run AAA games at higher settings. You still get 16GB (8GB x 2) of RAM memory too, to take advantage of the powerful CPU and GPU.

Storage comes in a 1TB SSD flavour. In case that is not enough, there is two more M.2 slots for upgrades. HDD tray? That is so last year.

  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS
  • Source: ASUS

The ASUS ROG STRIX G15 comes with a reasonably fast 15.6-inch Full HD display too. You get 144Hz out of it still. It is no pantone validated display though. Still, the IPS technology is known for its highly accurate and vibrant colours.

The ASUS ROG STRIX G17 on the other hand comes with a larger 17.3-inch Full HD display. It refreshes at 144Hz as well. It is a much faster responding display at 3ms response time though. This would be the one that you want to work with if you are into accurate colours too at 100% sRGB colour gamut rating.

Pricing & Availability

The ROG STRIX SCAR 15 starts at MYR 7,499 (G532L-VAZ069T) and tops out at MYR 7,999 (G532L-WAZ085T). The ASUS ROG STRIX G15 and G17 starts at MYR 6,699 (G512L-VHN146T) and MYR6,199 (G712L-UH7082T), respectively. The ASUS ROG STRIX G17 tops out at MYR 6,699 (G712L-VEV067T) though. The ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR Edition and STRIX G series is now available in Malaysia.