RØDE’s NT1 is quite legendary in the podcasting community. It is Rode’s oldest product namesake and what kickstarted the brand 30 years ago. If you are into recording gear, the Rode NT1 can be likened to the Shure SM58 for podcasters. Unlike the Shure though, the Rode is a condenser.
The latest RØDE NT1 is in its fifth generation now and comes with a few upgrades that makes it a must have for studio works. While some might say that it is a podcasting or radio mic, it can be used for other things like vocal recording too. To some extremes, the condenser can be used to record musical instruments.
You want to use this mic for all sort of recording also because it is the first condenser in the world that offers 32-bit float digital output. That also means that the mic can pick up loud sounds without clipping. For the laymen, that means that you are not going to get any sort of distortion even if you go above the usual threshold that 24-bit recording allows. In production terms, that also means you can capture more nuances in your recordings.
Source: RØDE
Inside the condenser is RØDE’s precision engineered HF6 1-inch large-diaphragm gold-sputtered capsule to capture everything you can throw at it consistently. Because it is a condenser, it is rather sensitive too. In that case, the internal shock mounting should eliminate any unwanted noise or rattles in recording situations. At 4dBA, the RØDE NT1 is also the quietest studio condenser you can find in the world. That means you do not get too much hissing on the mic as you work with it. Alongside the 32-bit float digital output, the audio is recorded at 192KHz resolution, the highest digital resolution you can currently get for audio.
Within the Rode NT1, you can find the built-in DSP for APHEX audio processing. There is also a built-in compressor and noise gate to set certain a floor and ceiling for your recordings with the RØDE NT1. There is also a built-in two-step high-filter and Aural Exciter for even more fine tuning in your recordings.
For the first time ever for RØDE’s NT1 as well, it features both an XLR output alongside a USB output. They call it the Dual Connect output and both outputs exit from the bottom of the mic. This means that you could work with the regular mixer if you already spent on a digital interface. If it is your first NT1, you can save some money on the digital interface and plug it directly into your PC for your recordings. You can even get the NT1 to record at 32-bit float format when you plug it into your PC directly.
Source: RØDE
Source: RØDE
Source: RØDE
Source: RØDE
Source: RØDE
Source: RØDE
The 5th generation RØDE NT1 will be available in either black or silver colour options. It is available for pre-order in select regions. You can check with your local retailers if you want to get your hands on one. It will set you back US$ 249 (MYR 1,103*). As legendary condensers go, the asking price could be a reasonable one. More information on the RØDE NT1 5th generation can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.43 as of 21/02/2023 on xe.com
Creators are a unique bunch. They are very much like gamers. They require a lot of power in their PC for all kinds of things they need to do with their PC. They require specialized hardware to be in their PC for their work. Weirdly enough, in the modern era of work, they require all the power they need to be packed in a single portable slate of a device.
Creators are also rather distinct to gamers. While they want all the power in the world in their backpacks, they want subtlety as well. They want a laptop that can stay discreet and quiet even under load. They want something that looks rather regular compared to the over-the-top looks of a gaming PC. Instead of blacks and reds, they want silvers and whites.
While it all sounds impossible, HP seems to have figured something out. They have created and launched the ZBook Studio G9. On paper, it is one of the most powerful laptops made for the studio in the world. It also looks like a regular laptop with no extraordinary vents or gills for cooling purposes. You do not even have to attach it to anything for it to work with the beast lurking inside.
Source: HP
Source: HP
Source: HP
Source: HP
Source: HP
The beast inside is a 12th generation Intel Core i9 (up to) paired with an NVIDIA RTX A5500 or an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (up to). You also get up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM to take advantage of Intel’s 12th generation Core processor speeds. To keep everything properly cooled is HP’s owne Vaportforce Thermal technology that works with new curved metal blades to dissipate enough heat to keep the ZBook Studio G9 working optimally.
Displaying Windows 1o Pro in all its glory, or whatever software you use for work, is a 16-inch display that they call HP DreamColor display. It offers 120Hz refresh rate and 16:10 aspect ratio. You also get WQXGA (up to 2,560 x 1,600 pixels) in resolution with the brilliant display, so you have more canvas to work with. The ZBook Studio G9 is also equipped with Bang & Olufsen tuned speakers so that you can quickly process audio data with the highest level of accuracy even when you are on-the-go.
All of this power is wrapped in an MIL-STD 810 certified body. That means it can handle simple spillages or even the occasional drop; accidents happen. The entire laptop also weighs 1.73 kg, which is not a lot of weight for a laptop that carries so much weight within its svelte body.
The HP ZBook Studio G9 will be available in Malaysia July onward with prices announced then as well. There are no colour options for the laptop, it only comes in silver. The bonus is that it is made entirely out of aluminium. If you want one, you have to contact your HP representative to get a quote. For more information on the ZBook Studio G9 though, you can visit their website.
Apple is just fresh off their most recent launch of the new M1 Ultra chip in a very expensive Mac Studio. In their most recent launch event, they also released a certain display made for the studios at a much more affordable rate than their premium Pro Display XDR. They launched an MYR 6,999 monitor called the Studio Display with 5K resolution and three options for a stand and mount.
The monitor works exclusively with USB Type-C ports with one of them being a Thunderbolt 3 port that feeds the display feed from Mac devices. But the fact that it is a Thunderbolt supported device should also mean that any PC users can enjoy the clarity that is offered by a 5K display.
Apple says to MacRumors that PC users can use the Studio Display with little to no issues at all. Thunderbolt capability means that any PC with Thunderbolt and display capability on its USB Type-C port can output a display on the Studio Display. So far so good, anyone looking for a studio display with more than 4K resolution on tap. They did say that there are certain limitations though.
Despite the Apple A13 Bionic chip they are putting in the Studio Display, it does not do anything that a regular display does not. There are no smart elements to this display like Samsung’s Smart monitors for work. It only works when there is another Mac or PC connected to it. Except, a PC will not be able to take full advantage of what the display has to offer.
There is a native firmware that runs on the Studio Display. The firmware is what runs the webcam, its Centre Stage function, True Tone, Spatial Audio, or any other functions that might require a firmware to work with. All of those requires MacOS to run.
That also means that the only thing you are going to be using the Studio Display as just that, a display. Apple also said that the resolution will also depend on what system it connects too. That could also mean that you might not even get the 5K resolution that is promised by the display.
The 27-inch Apple Studio Display starts at MYR 6,999. There are three mounting and stand option for the new 5K resolution monitor. Its availability date in Malaysia has not been confirmed thus far, but an official pricing also means that it will be available not too long after the United States gets their share of the new Apple displays. More information on the Apple Studio Display can be found on their website.
No, Apple did not introduce two computing solutions in the Apple event today. They only introduced one computing solution. It is one Mac Studio, and a Studio Display. The Studio Display is just that, a display, not a computing device.
Apple Studio Display
Source: Apple
It might as well be though; it packs enough hardware in it to house Apple’s iOS or iPad OS. Yes, it packs Apple’s A13 bionic System on a Chip (SoC). It is a slightly older generation chipset, but still a capable one at that.
The chipset is not used to power an operating system within the display though. It is used to run centre stage capabilities on the built-in 12-Megapixel camera with ultra-wide lens. The powerful chip also allows the six-speakers built into the display to have Apple’s Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos for an immersive audio when you need it for entertainment.
The main highlight is the 27-inch 5K (5,120 by 2,880 pixels) IPS panel. They say it features 1 billion (10-bit) colours at a wide DCI-P3 colour gamut. This should mean that it features a highly accurate colour reproduction, a sort of requirement if you want to seat it in professional workflows. You can even configure it with something they call Nano-texture coating that acts as an anti-glare coating without the display losing its gloss and colour saturation.
Source: AppleSource: AppleSource: AppleSource: AppleSource: AppleSource: Apple
Like any good display there are plenty room for I/O expansions on the Stuido Display. Unfortunately, they are all USB Type-C ports. Besides the mandatory power cable for the 27-inch display, you only need on small USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3 capable cable to come out from the back to your Mac. It does not support HDMI or DisplayPort, which is rather sad. At the same time, the Thunderbolt port also outputs 96W to keep your MacBook charged when it is plugged it.
The way you work with the Studio Display can be very flexible too. There are three stand options for the Studio Display. You can choose to work with it with a very basic tilt-adjustable stand, a stand with tilt and height adjustment, or a simple VESA ready mounting behind the display.
Price and Availability
The Apple Studio Display will be available in the United States (US) from the 18th of March onward. It is available in a few configurations. There are not confirmed dates for its availability in Malaysia. We are guessing that it might come somewhere in April.
You can opt for a regular glass display without coating at MYR 6,999 or one with the anti-glare Nano-texture coated glass at MYR 8,299. There are three stand or mount configuration to choose from as well. Unfortunately, they do not seem interchangeable. You also want to add MYR 1,600 to the price tag if you want the stand with both tilt and height adjustments. More information on the Studio Display can be found on their website.
Apple Mac Studio with M1 Ultra
Source: Apple
There is no M2 here, not when they have not touched on the Mac Pro. We do not want to say that there is nothing ground-breaking here too, because it is an interesting solution to a problem that Apple created for themselves when they shifted to their own silicon platform for all their computing needs. At the same time, there is nothing too ground-breaking or too surprising on this new Mac Mini lookalike.
Let us get one thing straight though, it is not a Mac Mini. It just looks like one from certain angles. It is also taller than a Mac Mini with more vented ports. Where the Mac Mini stops at the M1 SoC, the Mac Studio starts from an M1 Max, not even an M1 Pro variant here. It is not even priced like a Mac Mini.
There is no need to introduce the M1 Max SoC. It is the same one that you can find on the MacBook Pro. The M1 Ultra though, needs a small introduction, but not that much, you will see our point. Like the M1 Pro and M1 Max, the M1 Ultra is based on the same architecture that the M1 is built upon. They just managed to make it larger than the M1 Max. The result is more processing cores, more GPU cores, more power consumption, and in theory, more power delivered for the MacOS it powers.
Source: Apple
Very much like the M1 Max and M1 Pro chipsets though, the M1 Ultra is not truly unique on its own. The only really interesting thing about it is that it is basically two Apple M1 Max SoCs glued together by a connecting bridge that Apple claims to be unique to Apple and no one else. You can hardly refute that claim though, you have never seen the likes of Intel and AMD gluing two of their chips together to make a single larger operating chip. You might see Qualcomm trying to follow suit with their future computing solutions, but we do not see that happening anytime soon.
The result is the M1 Ultra doubles its processing speed from the M1 Max allowing for up to more than triple the CPU performance and nearly five times more GPU performance (Apple claims). It doubles the memory bandwidth allowing for up to 128GB in unified memory, and we expect it to also double the power consumption. They did not specify that, but it makes sense.
Source: Apple
Double the power also means twice the heat to manage, which also means that the Mac Mini-esque Studio block gets proper cooling and ventilation to keep the M1 Ultra happy at pace. Thanks to all of that, the Mac Studio is capable of handling 18 simultaneous 8K ProRes video streams in one go for a smooth multi-camera workflow when you need it. Then again, Apple ProRes is Apple’s proprietary video format that should be optimised to Apple’s chipsets and use case. But 18 streams is, at the very least, properly impressive.
According to Apple, the Mac Studio is also capable of handling up to 5 displays. According to the presentation, the Mac Studio can work with up to four Pro Display XDRs and one 4K display. To afford that kind of set-up requires you to spend upward of MYR 100,000 though. The more sensible set up for an editing studio would be a two-monitor editing set-up and a 4K presentation display. If you are going to go all Apple on that, it is still about MYR 40,000 onward.
Still, we should not steal any limelight from the star of the show, the Mac Studio. It packs six Thunderbolt 4 capable USB Type-C ports (four at the back, two up front) and one HDMI port. As per their presentation, it supports up to five displays at the same time. For content creators, there is an SDXC card slot up front for a much more fluid workflow when you need it. Of course, if you work with CF Express cards, you still need a reader.
Price and Availability
You can buy the new Apple Mac Studio in two main configurations – M1 Max, or M1 Ultra. The M1 Max Mac Studio starts at MYR 8,799, which is the price of a decent gaming PC. The M1 Ultra variant of the Mac Studio starts at MYR 16,799, which can be more expensive than a high-end gaming PC. You can top out the Mac Studio with and M1 Ultra with 64-core GPU, 128GB in unified memory and 8TB in SSD storage. That will set you back MYR 32,799. If you really want to, you can add Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro into the package and pay nearly MYR 35,000 for on Mac Studio with M1 Ultra.
It will be available in the US from the 18th of March 2022. As per the Studio Display, there are no confirmed local (Malaysia) availability dates for the Mac Studio currently. We are guessing as well that it would hit the Malaysian shores somewhere in April or May. More information on the Apple Mac Studio can be found on their website.
The content creator market is a hot one these days. Everyone wants a piece of the action in the content creator space. Of course, it is not like the Microsoft Windows platform was not an appealing platform for content creators in the first place. The Windows PC platform is still one of the most popular platforms in the content creation industry.
That was Windows 10 though. It was a versatile platform that could run anything you ask it to. It could do about anything you want it to with little compatibility issues. Because Windows 11 is pretty much Windows 10 in basic architecture, you should expect pretty much the same compatibility and versatility from Windows 11 devices.
Except, before we even see Windows 11 devices from manufacturers hitting shelves, Microsoft kind of jumped the gun a little and introduced their own Windows 11 devices. We want to say these could be reference devices, but it does not look like Microsoft is interested in creating references devices. Instead, these devices are built to compete and be as premium and powerful as Windows wants them to be for their purposes. The new Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is the very culmination of what Windows envisions a prefect creator class device should be.
First, it is powerful. You get to spec the new Surface Laptop Studio with up to an 11th generation Intel Core i7-11370H. You also get up to 32GB of RAM to work with, which is ample when it comes to video editing, photo editing, and even 3D workloads. On the graphics department, you can opt for a very powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU for an even more seamless workflow. You can store all the works of art in a 2TB SSD (up to).
Source: Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Of course, you get the highest standards of Windows 11 experience for creators with the new Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. The touch screen display does not just tilt open and close like the regular laptop you might be used to. There is a second hinge in the middle part of the display shell that allows the display to swivel a bit more. You can bring the display closer to you, for example, to have better access to the touch sensitive display. You could also use the Surface Slim Pen 2 to draw on it when you need to. Or use it as a tablet completely, when the mood takes you.
The display is not just some random cheap display too. It is a bright 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow Display that refreshes up to 120Hz, in case you are in the mood for gaming. It is a 3:2 aspect ratio displays at 2,400 x 1,600 pixels; odd, but it is a creator first display. With Dolby Vision as well, you can be proud at whatever film edits you would want to show your clients on the display.
The webcam you get on the Surface Laptop Studio is capable of Full HD resolution for crisp looking video calls. For good measure, the Surface Laptop Studio also comes with Windows Hello face authentication feature on the Surface Laptop. Of course, the Windows 11 device must have far-field mics for voice command and crisp audio for video calls. It also packs four Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos certification. Of course, for smooth, uninterrupted video calls, you have WiFi 6 capabilities on the Surface Laptop Studio.
The new Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio with Windows 11 will be available in select regions 5th of October 2021 onward. Prices start from US$ 1,599.99 (MYR 6,703*) and tops out at US$ 3,099.99 (MYR 12,990*). There are no other colour options other than Platinum on the Magnesium and Aluminium built Windows 11. There are no confirmations on when the Surface Laptop Studio will arrive in Malaysia currently, but we are keeping our ears close to the ground. More information on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.19 on xe.com as of 23/09/2021
Innovation is ASUS’ middle name. Well, not really. But they are one of the most innovative PC manufacturers of late. They were the first and still the only manufacturer that offers a dual function touchpad that works as a mouse tracking pad and an extra number pad at the same time. They are the only manufacturer currently that ships some of their notebooks with two displays in a notebook PC. At this point, when ASUS launches new devices, we are basically asking, “what will be the next big thing?”.
OLED is not a new technology. By now you would have known and understood the power of an LED display and what it can offer in terms of colour reproduction and contrast, in comparison to regular LCD displays. It is not a new technology on ASUS devices too, in a sense. They have integrated the OLED technology into their ZenBook before this.
ProArt StudioBook Pro 16 OLED
Source: ASUS
The top-of-the-line ProArt notebook PC is the no compromise notebook for the creatives that needs the power for 3D CAD work. The OLED display that is splashed on the new ProArt StudioBook Pro measures in at 16 inches as per its name. The 16:10 display pushes 4K (3,840 x 2,400) UHD resolution into your face. The 4K UHD OLED display also boasts 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage with up to 550 nits in maximum brightness. At ΔE<2 as well, the pantone validated display should be a lot of help for creators.
Inside the 16-incher’s chassis you can find either a very powerful AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX (W5600, up to), or an industrial 3rd generation Intel Xeon W-11955M (W7600, up to). Alongside the choice of two processors, the ASUS ProArt StudioBook Pro 16 can be specced with up to 64GB in 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM. At the same time, you can pack the StudioBook Pro with up to 4TB of PCIe SSD from the factory to ensure you have ample storage for all of your work and quick access to the files you need. Speaking of storage, the SD card reader on the StudioBook Pro is capable of reading SD cards at 985 MB/s for an extra smooth, extra fast workflow.
In terms of graphics, you get NVIDIA power for both variants of the StudioBook Pro. The notebook can be packed with up to an NVIDIA RTX A2000 GPU (A5000 of W7600 Intel variant), which is made specifically made for the studio environment. Thanks to modern machinery as well, you get the benefit and power of a full HDMI 2.1 port on the notebook.
Source: ASUS
While all these are well and good, it does take away from the interesting innovation that ASUS has fitted into the StudioBook Pro though. The innovation is on the surface of the keyboard on the ASUS ProArt StudioBook Pro 16. On the keyboard surface of the StudioBook Pro is not just a keyboard and touchpad combo. The touchpad does not need to double as a numpad as well, because this has dedicated physical numerical keys. The innovation comes in a form of a small circular dial that sits just below the keyboard.
They call it the ASUS Dial and it is brilliant for the creative industry. Using dials to have more granular and finer controls over your creative software, or even volumes, is nothing new. But having that packed in a notebook and having it accessible wherever you deploy your mobile workstation without extra accessories is new. This is what the ASUS Dial is though, a dedicated, built-in dial that is compatible with Adobe’s suite of apps. The implementation is not limited to Adobe though, imagine working with CAD software to create your next big project. The Mousepad also has a third middle button now just to really suit content creators for their projects and apps.
ProArt StudioBook 16 OLED
Source: ASUS
There is also the ASUS ProArt StudioBook 16 OLED, a less bonkers version of the ultimate creative working laptop. The ASUS ProArt StudioBook 16, visually, shares the same design cues with the more expensive and powerful ASUS ProArt StudioBook Pro 16. The StudioBook 16 even features the same ASUS Dial that the Pro variant gets. The touchpad also features the third middle mouse button.
You still get a 16-inch 4K (3,840 x 2,400) UHD OLED display that boasts the same colour accuracy as the pro variant. The difference lies in the hardware that powers the device. While you can still opt for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX AMD powerhouse if you are team red, the Intel variant only goes up to a Core i9-11900H processor. While it is no workstation powerhouse, the latest generation Tiger Lake Core i9 processor is still a respectable and mighty powerful processor for the notebook.
Graphics wise, the Intel variant stops at NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3060 while the AMD variant goes up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. Both the notebooks support NVIDIA’s studio driver, these are creator-centric notebooks after all. You still get to pair the powerful processors with up to 64GB 3200 MHz DDR 4 RAM for smooth operations especially when you are relying on creative apps and 3D rendering projects. With up to 4TB in SSD storage as well, you are not going to be really wanting more storage space for your ongoing projects. On top of all of that is a super-fast SD Express 7.0 SD card reader with up to 985 MB/s read speeds.
Price and Availability
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
There are no announcements on the availability of the new ProArt StudioBook series with OLED displays just yet. There are no mentions on pricing either but remember these are made to be the ultimate portable workstation for content creators. In that regard, you can expect them to come at a premium. With that kind of price premium, its availability in Malaysia might be even more delayed. However, if you are a production house in need of powerhouse like the ProArt StudioBook series with OLED displays, you can try ringing up ASUS to come up with a deal.
