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The Sony WF-C700N In-Depth Review – Are You Sure It’s Only MYR 549?

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The Sony WF-1000XM4, in our opinions, is one the best, if not the best pair of wireless earphones you can find in the industry currently. It will set you back MYR 1,099. That kind of money offers you the best-in-class noise cancelling action with one of the best sounding wireless earphones you can buy.

MYR 1,099 is still a lot of money. Not everyone has that kind of money to spend or is willing to spend that kind of money for a pair of wireless earbuds. Spending less money most of the time will only get you subpar earbuds experience. That may not be the case with Sony’s latest wireless earbuds though.

Sony’s new WF-C700N was just announced not too long ago will set you back MYR 549, half the WF-1000XM4. It also offers Sony’s clever noise cancelling technology, and you get up to 7.5 hours of battery life in a single charge. The compact case offers another full charge of the earbuds.

What are you giving up for that kind of price though? Is it good enough for your money? Should you get one? We try to answer all of that.

Design

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The new WF-C700N is designed differently from Sony’s usual wireless earbuds. Instead of a bulkier case that offers more than a single extra charge on the earbuds, they decided to make it more compact than before. The result is a tiny pill like package that you can easily stow in your pockets without adding too much bulk. The entire thing is even smaller than the Linkbuds S  package.

The tiny package means that Sony must compromise on the size of battery they can pack into the case. It still packs a whole charge for the earbuds itself. The earbuds itself is also tinier than ever though, which also explains the more compact case size. How they extract a quoted 7.5 hours out of these earbuds is a wonder even to us.

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Still, we like the fact that Sony offers more colour options with their more accessible earbuds. You get to choose between the usual black or white colour options. You also get to choose between Sage Green and Lavender colour options, both rather attractive colours. We got the Lavender one and we have to say that we quite like the soft purple colour with matted texture.

The earbuds themselves are lightweight and are more compact than what we are used to from Sony. It is about the same size as the Sony Linkbuds S we think, but it feels smaller than that. You might not want to wear it in bed though.

To make the earbuds lighter and more compact than before, Sony resorted to physical tactile buttons for the earbuds. Using physical buttons means that it is a little more intuitive to work with and more responsive than touch sensitive buttons. Instead of needing two taps to get it to respond to you, a single click on either earbud registers as a control input. That is also why you do not want to wear it to bed.

Hardware

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The WF-C700N packs two tiny 5mm drivers on each side. Both ends also offer IPX4 water resistance ratings just in case you want to go to the gym with them on. There is no wireless charging case to talk about here in the interest of keeping the case as compact as possible.

Specifications

Sony WF-1000XM4
Driver Unit5mm Closed
Frequency Response20Hz – 20,000Hz(44.1kHz sampling)
Headphone typeWireless Earbuds
Battery (Continuous Music Playback)Unspecified capacity
Earbuds only – Max. 7.5 hrs(NC On) / Max. 10 hrs(NC Off)
W/ Case – Max 15 hrs (NC On) / Max 20 hrs (NC Off)
Miscellaneous Bluetooth 5.2
Active Noise Cancelling
DSEE
IPX4

Features

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It is a Sony product, of course it comes with Sony’s clever know-how with noise cancelling technology. But Sony headphones are more than just its noise cancelling. There is DSEE upscaling technology, and of course, they all work with Sony’s clever headphones app.

Noise Cancelling

You do not get the state-of-the-art V1 processor or Sony’s older QN1 processor that you have in the WF-C700N. In fact, Sony never mentioned what kind of processor you find with the little earbuds. Even then, WF-C700N offers superb noise cancelling technology. We think that it is even comparable to Sony’s higher-end offerings from the likes of the WF-1000 series; not the WF-1000XM4, more like the older WF-1000XM3.

The WF-C700N’s noise cancelling offers a decent amount of isolation. There is no disorientating anti-noise that we have noticed on the WF-C700N, which is always a plus. It keeps most loud noises away from your ears, which is a good thing. It deals with sudden noises quite well too, thanks to its clever algorithm. In some cases, where the noise floor is rather high, you will not get complete quietness, you still can hear the outside world but it is at a much more bearable noise floor.

Of course, it comes with ambient noise mode too. It is also controlled by Sony’s Headphones app. Like any other Sony’s noise cancelling gear, its ambient noise control is rather granular on the app. You can choose how much noise gets through and target human voice specifically to pass through the algorithm.

The ambient noise mode is as good as what we get from the WF-1000XM4 or even the WH-1000 series. It feels more natural than anything that Sony had to offer before at this price range. It almost feels like you are not wearing anything in your ears, since the earbuds are so light. The only giveaway is the amplified wind-noise or some scratchiness to the ambient noise mode.

Sony Headphones App

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The Sony Headphones app has not changed much for a while. As with our previous headphones review, the app layout and interface has remained pretty much the same as long as we know it. It is not the best-looking interface in the world, nor is it the sleekest feeling interface out there. It is highly functional though.

It offers control over everything you have on the earbuds. Most of the time, we control our noise cancelling and ambient sound mode on the app instead of the physical buttons. We could mess with the EQ too on the app. The app offers you a few EQ presets you might be familiar with if you have used the app before. You can also save your own custom preset for the EQ and store up to two different custom tuning. The app also offers you geolocation-based settings like any of Sony’s modern headphones. You can also control what the buttons on the earbuds do, unfortunately those settings are also pre-set, and you cannot change what each gesture does, which we find rather limiting. It is important to have the app if you want to keep your earbuds firmware updated. You can only update your earphones through the mobile app either on Android or iOS.

DSEE

It is not DSEE Ultimate, so the upscaling engine is not as powerful as what you would find on the Sony WF-1000XM4. Then again, the WF-1000XM4 is twice the price of the WF-C700N. any form of upscaling, if you are listening to Spotify mostly, is still a huge welcome.

If you have yet to understand what DSEE does, you can refer to Sony’s website or our previous reviews of Sony’s headphones. It is basically an intelligent system that fills missing pieces in compressed audio. Obviously, to do that Sony needs to rely on some machine learning algorithm.

We tested mostly with Tidal and Spotify. With Tidal, the upscaling does quite little to elevate the already excellent music experience from Tidal. With Spotify though, you can hear the difference in fidelity when you turn the DSEE on or off. With it off, Spotify runs at business as usual. With DSEE, your music from Spotify somehow sounds more full, more complete. There is a small added satisfaction and joy in listening to better audio, and that is what you get with DSEE on Spotify music. Of course, that applies to other music players that plays MP3 music too, since the upscaling system is embedded in the earbuds itself than your smartphone. You can turn it off or on via the Sony Headphone App too.

Performance

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Of course, this being a Sony gear, you can expect it to sound decent at least. We are happy to report that it does sound better than we expected it to be. We also mentioned that we were pleasantly surprised with the noise cancelling performance from the WF-C700N.

Sound Quality

While it does not have the DSEE Ultimate that the WF-1000XM4 packs, DSEE is still a great upscaling technology. That means that you get better than Spotify listening experience anyway. While Sony says DSEE Ultimate offers even better upscaling, from a listening perspective, you can hardly tell the difference between DSEE Ultimate or DSEE if you are not paying attention and if you do not know what you are looking for.

At the lower end frequency, the WF-C700N sounds excellent and powerful enough to give you plenty of details in songs like ‘Blinding Lights’ by The Weeknd. For orchestral performances like ‘Final Fantasy VII Medley’ Video Game Orchestra, the WF-C700N offers detailed enough highs that the music does come alive in your head. We tested the mids with Loren Allred’s ‘Never Enough’ and it sounded quite excellent at that too. We are testing the WF-C700N on Tidal at Master quality, so if you are on Spotify, you might want to dampen your expectations just a little bit. Still, even with Spotify, you get a rather bright audio quality from the WF-C700N without sacrificing too much bass details and qualities. If there is one word to describe the WF-C700N’s sound profile, we would say that it is balanced. You get plenty of dynamic range from the earbuds in whatever listening situation.

Battery Life

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Sony quoted 7.5 hours of battery life on the WF-C700N. The capsule that is the charging case is quoted to offer an extra full charge for the earbuds as well. That means a quoted total listening time of 15 hours.

In our tests, we never use the WF-C700N more than an hour or two on average. We did however get to use it for three hours straight at some point in our test. Within that week, we got to use the WF-C700N almost daily with total use in the region of up to 10 hours. In the test, we alternate between ambient noise mode and noise cancelling mode depending on the situation and leave our volume between 20% to 75%.

We never got the ‘low battery’ warning. In that case, we want to believe Sony regarding their 15-hour total battery life claims. You could extend on that 15-hours too by turning off noise cancelling or ambient noise mode while also turning down your volume. We charged the device only once in our two weeks review period.

Unlike the higher-end headphones, the WF-C700N does not have a proximity sensor that pauses your music automatically when you take it off. That could also explain why it is sold for less and offer an extensive battery life. There is also no wireless charging technology here, just a plain USB Type-C port.

The Sony WF-C700N – Not Quite the Baby WF-1000XM4 We Expected, But Better

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The Sony WF-C700N will set you back MYR 549, almost exactly half the cost of a Sony WF-1000XM4. On paper, it looks like it is half the product that is the high-end noise cancelling earbuds. When you use it, it does not feel like half the product the WF-1000XM4.

We cannot say that theWF-C700N performs on par as its higher end sibling. It is good though, nearly as good as. We really think it outperforms its asking price.

It offers a well-balanced sound reproduction. Compared to other earbuds at this price range, the Sony earbuds offers a more well-rounded listening experience with clear details at almost every dynamic range. It sounds clean and bassy without sacrificing other frequencies and muddling your music listening experience. Since it is water resistant, you get to use it anywhere too and at any time.

We like the tactile physical button, but there is some caveat to that. Unlike Sony’s WF-1000XM4, you cannot push the earbuds in at the center of the earbud’s body. You want to hold it around the physical button, which does not have a lot of space and leverage to secure your earbuds into your ears. Because it is a physical button, you might not want to wear it to sleep.

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We are highly impressed with the build quality despite its weight. It is a Sony product after all, build quality should be at its best here. At the same time, we are also impressed with its battery life. While we might have preferred more charges from the case, we also think that it is a good compromise in packaging size and weight, especially if you have an active lifestyle.

We really like the WF-C700N. At MYR 549, it is an inexpensive pair of wireless earbuds, which is already a bonus. It offers active noise cancelling, while not entirely on par with the WF-1000XM4, it is still decent and good enough thanks to Sony’s know-how in the field. It sounds great, better than most earphones you find in the same price range. It is light, and super compact, more so than Sony’s high-end offerings. It features physical buttons, which may not be to everyone’s liking. For what the Sony WF-C700N is offering though, we think the physical button is quite forgivable.

There are nearly no caveats with the Sony WF-C700N, you get more than what your money is paying for, we can say that for sure. It is worth every penny you spend on it and more if you can get it at a discounted price. Just for those, you should get one if you are looking for a premium piece of audio kit that is relatively inexpensive.

Accessories, Computers, Gaming, Mobile, News

Razer Introduces the BlackShark V2 Pro – The New Benchmark in eSports Audio

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Razer’s BlackShark is a popular choice among gamers. While it may not seem like it offers much in music experience, it is specifically made with gaming in mind. That means you get immersive, detailed audio in games. Its attached mic also offers clear communications when you need to talk to your friends or teammates in an intense battle. Now you can do get all of that done without being tethered to your PC.

They call it the BlackShark V2 Pro, and it follows the same recipe that made all the BlackShark that came before this one. Within the similarly designed earcups are the same Razer TriForce Titanium 50mm audio drivers as before. That also means that you are still getting a clear, detailed, immersive audio that fits your gaming needs.

You also get THX Spatial Audio tuning with the large 50mm drivers. That also means that you are getting a virtual surround sound audio with your games too. If it is shooters you are playing, you are going to be able to tell where the enemies are coming from just based on their footsteps.

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Source: Razer

You still get the same microphone as the wired BlackShark V2 for clear communications with your teammates, necessary when you are in a competitive environment. For comfort, you still get the same ultra-soft FlowKnit memory foam cushions on the earcups that relieve pressure to your head and offer breathability when things get intense. It is made for eSports after all.

Other than the blacked out three-headed snake insignia that is Razer’s signature logo and blacked out exposed wires connecting the earcups, the other difference between the BlackShark V2 and BlackShark V2 Pro is it lacks wires. It is a strictly wireless headphone; means you will not find a 3.5mm jack or AUX cables in the package. Because it is wireless, it does require a power source; a battery to operate. That means it adds a bit more weight to the hardware than the wired one. It now weighs 320g, nearly 60g more than the wired version.

While you do not have an AUX jack to plug it into, you still have two options to connect your headphones to your devices. You can connect your BlackShark V2 Pro via the Razer 2.4GHz  HyperSpeed Wireless dongle that offers minimal latency and the most stable wireless connection available for competitive gaming. You can also connect your Razer BlackShark V2 Pro with your smartphones via Bluetooth 5.2 that also offers low latency and stable connectivity, not as good as the wireless dongle though. The roughly 60g battery inside the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro offers up to 70 hours of battery life, allowing you to game entire sessions without worrying about the headphones dying on you.

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The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is now available via Razer.com, official RazerStores globally, and authorised resellers. You get to choose between the white or the black colour options. It will set you back US$ 199.99 (MYR 892*), which is quite a lot of money for a headphone, but it is Razer, and it is one of the best gaming headphones you can find in the current market. More on the BlackShark V2 Pro can be found on their website.

*Approximately based on the exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.46 as of 28/04/2023 on xe.com

Accessories, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Nothing Ear (2) Launches, Coming to Your Ears for MYR 599.

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Nothing does it again and launched their own set of wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2). This one picks up from the first, Ear (1) wireless headphones. It is even priced the same as the previous earbuds at MYR 599.

Right out of the gate, you can tell that this will be a better pair of earphones than before. It boasts Hi-Res Audio certification where the previous one did not. It also packs LHDC 5.0 technology for an even better near lossless audio experience with the Ear (2). There is also an app now, the Nothing X app, to even fine tune the earphones to your ears.

You still get an 11.6mm Dynamic driver inside the earphones. It is one of the bigger drivers you can find on a modern earphone. The large driver could mean that you might get punchier audio from the earphones. That driver is also housed in a new dual-chamber design that is meant to improve acoustics and airflow within the earphone’s case.

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Like the Ear (1), it comes with Noise Cancelling technology. Unlike the Hybrid Noise Cancelling technology you find in the first Nothing Ear, the Ear (2) features a personalized and adaptive Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology that offers better noise isolation and cancelling than before cancelling up to 40dB of noise. The mics also pick up ambient noise better than before.

Alongside the new noise cancelling technology, the Nothing Ear (2) also now features Dual Connection for you to easily connect and switch between two devices simultaneously and quickly. Of course, it has the new Fast Pair/Swift Pair technology that most modern wireless earphones offer today. The new mic algorithm with three high-definition mics and Clear Voice Technology is meant to pick up your voice better than before for crystal clear calls.

Where the previous earphones offer up to 24 hours of continuous listening experience with ANC turned on, the Nothing Ear (2) offers up to 22.5 hours with ANC on. With each charge, the Nothing Ear (2) offers 4 hours of listening experience at a time, which is also about an hour less than its predecessor. While that might seem to be a downgrade, you do want to remember that the Nothing Ear (2) is more feature packed than ever, which might be why its batteries lasts a little shorter than before.

You get better hardware installation than before too. Where the previous earphones offer IPX4 water resistance, the new Ear (2) offers IP54 water and dust resistance. The charging case offers IP55 water and dust resistance so you can keep the Ear (2) safe in the case.

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The Nothing Ear (2) is now available from all authorised dealers and resellers in Malaysia. There are no colour options available, just the plain white and transparent option you see. As mentioned, it will set you back MYR 599. More on the Nothing Ear (2) can be found on their website.

Accessories, Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

More Gaming Peripherals to Show You Alienware Allegiance

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You know Alienware as one of the first brands to cater its brand and hardware. Unlike Razer, Alienware delved into the PC gaming market by creating the most powerful PCs in its early days specifically for gaming purposes. This was back when games did not even look half as good as it is today. This was back when 3D graphics was still a blocky mess.

Back then as well, gaming peripherals were not really gaming peripherals at all. They were redressed regular mice, keyboards, and speakers for ‘gaming’ that has no real advantage or difference over regular peripherals. It is a very different story today.

Gaming peripherals are not just a more expensive version and RGB dressed regular peripherals. In 2023, they are purpose built gear to enhance both a gamer’s experience and performance in their chosen games. To think about it, while other manufacturers like ASUS ROG has been pushing their peripherals for a bit, Alienware has been silent about new gaming peripherals, until now that is.

Alienware Wireless Gaming Mouse (AW620M)

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To start with, you want a reliable gaming mouse. Something that is ergonomic that fits perfectly in the palm of your hands. You want it to be an extension of your arms and you want it to feel like it is a part of your limb, for it to be as light as possible.

The new AW620M gaming mouse is Alienware’s latest wireless symmetrical gaming mouse. This is not made for the left-handers, unfortunately. It is made specifically to be wielded by right-handers. It is oddly shaped to ensure that your right palm gets the best grip possible with the mouse without feeling as much as a strain. The right mouse button is also slightly longer than the left mouse button to accommodate the naturally longer middle finger. The mouse also features a thumb rest below the two extra buttons on the side.

The new gaming mouse packs Alienware’s sensor technology below their magnetic-force keyplates. What that means is you get Alienware precision and speeds with every click of the buttons. It is highly accurate and flexible to work with too at 26,000 DPI, 650 IPS, and 50G max acceleration capabilities. While the best way to work the mouse is with a wired connection with your PC, the 2.4GHz wireless dongle offers 1000Hz polling rate for a near lag-free experience for up to 140 hours on a single charge.

Alienware Wireless Gaming Keyboard (AW920K)

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Once you settle in on a gaming mouse, you want your keyboard to also match your set up and speed. You want a gaming keyboard that can also work wirelessly to keep that clean look on your desk. You also want your keyboard all-in-one keyboard for not just gaming. You want a single keyboard to be the control center of your entire desk set-up. This one does just that.

Alienware’s first wireless gaming keyboard is a mechanical keyboard with CHERRY MX Red switches for fast and fluid strokes and near instant presses. Working the switches are Alienware’s PBT double-shot keycaps that are beautiful and durable. Of course, underneath the switches are per-key AlienFX RGB lighting that shines through the keycaps’ letters. There is also a new Programmable Rocker Switch right beside a programmable dial as well to control media. You can program them via Alienware’s new Command Center.

You can use it with a USB paracord cable included in the box. You can also turn it wireless with a 2.4GHz dongle and work with it for 42 hours in that mode. You can also make it your Bluetooth 5.2 keyboard for up to three devices with a simple switch at the back of the keyboard. There is also a Tenkeyless (TKL) variant (AW420K) of the wireless keyboard if that is what you prefer to work with.

Alienware Dual Mode Wireless Gaming Headset (AW720H)

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Once you deal with your controls, you now want something that will sharpen and hone your senses. You need absolute focus and immersion when it comes to getting your senses tuned. You want a gaming headset that pulls you into the game world. You want an Alienware AW720H wireless gaming headset.

The AW720H Wireless Gaming Headset packs a powerful 40mm driver with hi-res certification and Dolby Atmos tuning for the most immersive experience you can get in a headphone. It offers 3D virtual surround sound for that all-important environmental awareness in your games. Attached to the headphone is an AI equipped noise-cancelling boom microphone for your communication needs. The mic reduces ambient sound in your physical environment to ensure that your speeches are extra crisp and clear even during an intense battle. If your teammates cannot hear you, you might want to get them to buy this pair of headphones too.

It comes with a 2.4GHz USB Type-C dongle to be plugged into your PC or your smartphone if you want. It will last up to 30 hours in wireless mode. If you prefer a wired connection, there is still the 3.5mm AUX jack. Or, you can go for the wired variant (AW520H) of the headset. There is no gesture control nonsense here either. There is a quick-access button array on either side of the ear cups to quickly control your headphones without exiting your games.

Price and Availability

Alienware’s latest Tenkeyless Gaming Keyboard AW420K is now available on their website at MYR 719. The new wireless gaming headset AW720H and wireless gaming mouse AW620M will be available by the end of March 2023 for MYR 679 and 369 respectively. You can choose between Alienware’s signature White or black colour option for the headset. The wired variant of the headset (AW520H) and the full-sized wireless gaming keyboard AW920K will be available in Q2 2023 onward with no price revealed. For more information on Alienware’s latest gaming peripherals, you can head to their website.

Accessories, Computers, eSports, Gaming, Lifestyle

Razer Unleashes the DeathAdder V3 Pro – The Best Got Better 

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Razer started out their life by making a particular mouse. The purpose of the mouse they made was also rather specific. It is made with performance in mind, it is made for gamers. It is made so that users of the mouse in question gets competitive advantage in games, be it multiplayer or single player games.  

At that time, the term eSports did not exist. The PC gaming industry was at its infancy and there were plenty of games that could be competitive games, but most games were focused on individual players. The term multiplayer only existed a little later with LAN capable games like Counter Strike. The Counter Strike franchise at this point is one of the most popular gaming titles available and is one of the biggest competitive gaming titles.  

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Source: Razer

Gaming peripherals grew with the rise of competitive gaming. Razer, one of the pioneers of gaming specific gears, thrived with that. Of course, their product list also grew. As technology improves too, so did their products. Today, there is a new kid on the block, and it could be their more spectacular gaming mouse to date. 

They introduced their DeathAdder V3 Pro, a wireless gaming mouse that is made specifically for competitive gaming. In other words, the DeathAdder V3 Pro is made specifically for eSports. 

It is lighter now, more than ever. The DeathAdder V3 Pro only weighs in at 63 grams (64g if you go for white colorway). It is ergonomically shaped to fit the contour of your right palm in the most natural way for more comfortable extended use cases. They have improved ergonomics here as well; everything has been raised a little to ensure that the wrist is more elevated and in a better position. The buttons, scroll wheels, and palm support is slightly moved and raised to ensure that everything is easily reachable. The grooves on the sides allow for better grip and tactility.  

All of these are done and designed with inputs from top eSports athletes Razer has access to. The contours and grooves are basically the result of plentty of development work with eSports athletes. The reduction in weight is also a direct result of that collaboration, obviously.  

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Source: Razer

While it is 25% lighter than before, it curiously boasts an extended battery life too. The built-in battery boasts up to 90 hours of use time. It is rechargeable via USB Type-C too, Razer also includes a Speedflex braided charging cable with the DeathAdder V3 Pro.  

The DeathAdder V3 Pro packs Razer’s Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor with up to 99.8% resolution accuracy for unrivaled speed and accuracy, even via wireless connection. The new sensor also packs AI Smart Tracking, Motion Sync, and Asymmetric Cut-Off for even better competitive experience in heated situations. The Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3 offers a zero double-clicking and no debounce relay to ensure that every click is registered as that, clicks, at the highest speeds for up to 90 million clicks. 

Razer’s DeathAdder V3 Pro features low-latency response times too thanks to Razer’s HyperSpped Wireless technology. Thanks to the new Razer HyperPolling Wireless Technology, the DeathAdder V3 Pro supports a polling rate of 1000Hz at 1ms intervals for responsiveness and smoothness comparable to wired mice. If that is not fast enough, you can get Razer’s HyperPolling Wireless Dongle for up to 4000Hz wireless polling rate.  

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The Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro is now available via Razer’s authorised retailers, Razer.com, and their official Shopee and Lazada stores. The wireless mouse is available in black and white colorways. If you want one, it is going to set you back MYR 749. For more information on the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, you can visit their website.  

Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

beyerdynamic Finally Gave into Peer Pressure – Introducing the Free BYRD TWS headphones 

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Wireless earphones are all the rage these days. We do not think it is the first time we start an article with that. We doubt it will be the last time too.  

It is a true statement though. Most smartphone owners today will, at some point, have owned a wireless audio solution. Most of them will have at least experienced truly wireless (TWS) headsets at least once by now. Most of them will succumb to the convenience of one and own at least one in their lifetime.  

There are also reasons why plenty of high-end audio gear manufacturers avoid offering TWS type headsets though. One of which is the fact that there will be some compromises with audio quality. Latency can also be an issue with TWS type headphones.  

Still, manufacturers can no longer ignore the appeal of one. beyerdynamic finally gave into that pressure as well. Welcome to the Free BYRD. Yes, it comes with a few tricks from Beyerdynamic that is meant to elevate the TWS headset experience. 

beyerdynamic | Free BYRD – Feature

The beyerdynamic Free BYRD is their first TWS type audio gear, which is why they are pulling all the stops to make this as good as they can make it. It packs a 10mm driver, which is rather large considering that even the likes of Sony have reduced their driver sizes to about 6mm with the new WH-1000XM4. A larger driver has its advantages though. Because it is bigger than the regular drivers found in similar devices, it can push more air and drive more air pressure into your ears for punchier and more detailed bass notes.  

The Free BYRD also features the latest aptX adaptive codec alongside AAC support. These codecs should work together with the 10mm drivers to produce sounds as they are intended and probably even better. beyerdynamic also introduces something they call MOSAYC. It is what they call “Attention to Detail with Mimi Sound Personalisation” to really elevate your listening experience. It automatically tunes the drivers to the listeners ears to create a more optimised listening profile. In that case, no two Free BYRD should sound completely the same. To customize the listening experience even more, there is the equalizer within the proprietary MIY app on Android and iOS.  

beyerdynamic Free BYRD man
Source: beyerdynamic

Of course, there is active noise cancelling (ANC) baked into the TWS earbuds. The hybrid ANC should really ensure that users block the world out. For the best experience, you want to find the best fitting ear tips for yourself. beyerdynamics includes five sets of differently sized silicone ear tips and three additional memory foam earpieces for use in sporting activities. In those cases, you can be sure that the Free BYRD can withstand all kinds of grimes and sweat with IPX4 certification. 

The Bluetooth 5.2 device with Google Fast Pair headphones offers Qualcomm’s dual 2-mic cVc technology. The new technology with four mics in total should offer highly natural phone calls with excellent pick-up. Obviously, the mics should also be excellent for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and even Apple’s Siri.  

In terms of battery life, the Free BYRD offers up to 11 hours of battery life from a single charge in total. You can wirelessly charge the Free BYRD if you have a wireless charging pad. Of course, it is also charged via USB Type-C. A quick 10-minute plug-in can also give you up to 70 minutes in music playback time, if you are in a rush. 

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The beyerdynamic Free BYRD is available in most of Europe via their official store on Amazon.com. It is available in Black and Gray colour options. It will set you back EUR€ 229, which is about MYR 1,029* or US$ 232**. The price range puts it squarely as a competitor of the Sony WF-1000XM4. Sadly, there is no word on its availability in Malaysia. Chances are, if you really want one, you have to get it from Amazon Europe and get someone to ship it to Malaysia for you. More information on the beyerdynamics Free BYRD can be found on their website.

*Approximately based on exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = MYR 4.49 as of 08/07/2022 on xe.com 

**Approximately based on exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = US$ 1.01 as of 08/07/2022 on xe.com 

Accessories, Gaming, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

ASUS ROG Unleashes Latest Headsets with Dual-Mode Connectivity

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Before we go ahead with the report, we must give you a little bit of a disclaimer. Not all the new headsets that ASUS ROG just introduced are built with dual-mode connectivity. Among the four options, you only have two headphones that gives you two connectivity options.

We are talking about wireless headphones here, the trend of the decade. Ever since audio solution providers started working with speakers that can be connected to devices via Bluetooth, the demand for wireless audio gear has skyrocketed. The number of products that cater to variety of wireless audio needs have also has exponentially multiplied over the years.

If you were to go out today and said you wanted a Bluetooth enabled headphone, you will be pressed for choices. There are too many out there to count from the budget options to the premium options. If you want the best of the best though, you had to have something like a Sony in mind. However, the current best-of-the-best from Sony is not really made for gaming.

In that case, you do want to turn to the gaming brands. You want to turn to the likes of ASUS’s ROG for example, the gaming skunkworks of the Taiwanese computing giant. They already make brilliant smartphones, the ROG Phone 6 is currently one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful smartphone in the world at launch. If they can do that, what about gaming headsets?

ROG Cetra True Wireless Pro & True Wireless

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    Source: ASUS
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We start with the most unique one in their range of new audio solutions, the Cetra True Wireless Pro. Yes, this one is the one where you get dual-mode connectivity built into the device. It is also a True Wireless (TWS) earphone, the little in-ear ones, not over-ear headphones; that is why it is such a big deal.

At its most basic form, the Cetra True Wireless Pro works as a Bluetooth headset. To ensure that users get the best audio experience, there is a built in Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound chip that lowers latency. The chip also allows for a high-quality 24-bit, 96 kHz streams to get through via Bluetooth. If you put the earphones into gaming mode, the ultralow-latency hits 45ms to ensure that you get near instant feedback from your games. The chip also facilitates the multiple ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) modes that you can choose from with the headset.

Rather than being a pure True Wireless headset, you can use it via a USB Type-C connection as well. To eliminate latency, wired headsets are always preferred. With smartphones today though, 3.5mm AUX tips are no longer a good option. So, you go with USB Type-C, which also allows ROG to pack more features into the headphone via the cable.

Within the cable is a hi-f- grade ESS 9280 DAC. That also means that the bundled cable is good for lossless audio with rather rich detailing and even spatial sound. It can process up to 130dB signal-to-noise ratio to ensure that you are not only getting the most accurate sound representation of any media you are listening to, but it also allows you to really pinpoint where sounds are coming from in your games.

The Cetra True Wireless Pro’s mics can filter over 500 million types of background noise. Its integrated AI Noise-Cancelling Microphone reduces up to 95% of noise while still allowing you to have clear communication with your teammates. Additionally, there are microphones inside your ears on the headset too to make for better ANC experience.

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Source: ASUS

With the ROG Cetra True Wireless, you get everything that the Cetra Wireless Pro gets, except for the USB Type-C cable and the dual-mode connectivity function. It is still a rather compelling option for mobile gamers though. You get to push it to low-latency mode too with Gaming mode. It still features Hybrid ANC technology to ensure that you are not distracted by what is happening outside your game time.

ROG Delta S Wireless

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    Source: ASUS
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If you prefer something that is more wholesome, something you want to use at home, something that covers your entire ears for a more comfortable fit and better seal, you go for an over-ear headset. What if you hate cable managing? What if your PC is placed in an odd location and plugging your cables in and out of the thing is a hassle? What is your console is far away from you? You get an ROG Delta S Wireless gaming headset.

The ROG Delta S Wireless is also a dual-mode headset. Instead of giving you the option to either having a wireless or wired connection though, it is dual-mode wireless connection. It offers the low latency, near instant, highly stable 2.4GHz wireless connection. At the same time, it offers the convenience of Bluetooth connection for you to work with for smartphones, if you wish to.

The idea of using 2.4GHz connection for your audio gear with a dongle is not only for the PC gamers, but also for the console gamers. Since it is made to handle up to 25m in distance, there should be little worry about where you place the connected PC or console within your house.

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Source: ASUS

It is a gaming headset, so there is naturally a built-in mic for team communications. It is not like any other mic that might feel like an afterthought in gaming headphones though. There are AI Beamforming mics that is hidden on the headphone that targets a good portion of area in front of the user’s mouth to pick up the user’s voice. The AI Noise Cancellation algorithm also ensures that the mics only pick up your voice and nothing of much else for clear team communications.

The Delta S Wireless packs a rather large driver too. At 50mm, it is larger than most regular over-ear headphones you can find in the market. There are 60mm drivers too, in the market to be fair. The ASUS Essence drivers, at 50mm, should be enough to deliver highly detailed and punchy low-frequency sounds though. They say also that the drivers should be able to facilitate highly detailed audios for all sorts of use case too with a 12o tit on the drivers in an airtight chamber. At the same time, there is ROG’s Hyper-Grounding technology to ensure that there is as little electromagnetic interference as possible on the audio signals to ensure that noise is minimized.

ROG Delta S Core

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    Source: ASUS
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    Source: ASUS
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    Source: ASUS

Again, if you prefer something more regular, more grounded, more basic solution with the least latency, wired connections are the way to go. In that case, the ROG Delta S Core is the one for you. The Delta S Core offers a universal 3.5mm AUX tip that is compatible with PCs, major gaming consoles like the PlayStation, the Nintendo Switch, and even the Xbox.

It still features the same 50mm drivers you find in its wireless sibling. Because there is no battery to weigh it down, it weighs only 270g. The ergonomic D-shaped earcups that is designed to closely match the shape of regular ears also ensures that you can game for extended hours without feeling fatigued.

The wired connection also allows for the headphone to pack virtual 7.1 channel surround sound with Windows Sonic. With virtual surround sound too, you can accurately place your enemies or teammates within your game just via audio signals. At the same time, the built-in microphone that are Discord and TeamSpeak certified ensures that you always have a clear line of communications with your teammates.

Price and Availability

The ROG Cetra True Wireless Pro is not available now. Currently, there are no confirmations on when it will be available in Malaysia. There is no information on its official pricing for the region yet too. Its regular counterpart, the Cetra True Wireless headset will be available in Malaysia soon for MYR 515. The two Delta S series headphones that are just announced will also be making it to Malaysia soon. The ROG Delta S Wireless headphone with dual-mode wireless connectivity will be available for MYR 899. The ROG Delta S Core will be available for MYR 388. More information on ROG’s latest gaming headsets can be found on their website.

Accessories, Computers, Lifestyle, Reviews

The Logitech Signature M650 In-Depth Review – The Cheaper, Quieter MX Anywhere

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We hardly review accessories like a mouse. That is because reviewing a mouse is not as easy as it seems. In plenty of occasions, the decision on buying a mouse always ends up in preference.

Mice also comes in all shapes and sizes. They are also made with specific functions in mind. You have gaming mice, productivity mice, portable wireless gaming mice, portable wireless productivity mice , quiet mice, and now there is even ergonomic mice.

Choosing the right mice for you is not as easy as it seems. It is not like you can build one from scratch as well, like you do with custom keyboards. Sure, there are ways to mod your mouse with custom switches and what not, but that is sort of it.

They have come up with this Signature M650. It is compact, so you can bring it anywhere you want. It is also a wireless mouse that can either be used with a dongle or Bluetooth. Better yet, that means you can use it with up to two devices at a click of a button. Because it is clever, it offers its own solutions and functions for different applications too. Best of all, it is quiet.

Is it worth its asking price though, at MYR 159? You can get a Logitech quiet mouse at about three times less than this one. For that kind of money, you can also get a gaming mouse that is a little bigger than this one. You can only use this wirelessly. At the same time, the battery is not even a built-in one, still a single AA solution at that. Is it any good? We find out.

Design

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Logitech knows a thing or two about making a good mouse. They start with plastics, because plastic is rather light and easy to work with in a mould. They are cheaper to make and replace too, obviously. They later add other materials to their mouse to add some textures and practical features.

In this case, while most of the Signature M650 is made of plastic, there is a sort of rubberised coating or material that surrounds the sides of the mouse. The rubberised sides are also textured with little dimples to add a sort of tactile feel to your fingers when you hold the mouse. At the same time, the textured surface adds a sense of grip and comfort to the hands. The mouse feels at home in your palms the moment you hold the mouse. Your thumb and fingers immediately find grip on the mouse.

Unlike Logitech’s ergonomic offerings, the Signature M650 is designed with some ambidexterity in mind. You can use it with your left and right hands. The only issue is that the extra buttons on the side does not get translated on the other side, so if you are using the mouse with your left hand, accessing the side buttons might be an issue.

While it is small, it is not as small as the typical ultra-compact and flat mouse. Compared to those, the Signature M650 is considered quite chunky. But the extra size can be appreciated thanks to the more ergonomic design. The top cover easily forms into your palms. At least for me it does, I do not have big hands. For those with larger hands, there is an ‘L’ variant of the mouse, though only available in Graphite colour option.

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We also like that the soft-touch texture design continues to the mouse wheel. The mouse wheel is covered with a sort of rubber or silicon material for that soft feel on your fingers too. Scrolling the mouse wheel feels like you are fiddling with those gummy candies than a mouse wheel. It is an odd, but quite comfortable feeling.

The under body is a single unit that forms from the side. The colours here are consistent with the sides as well. The only piece that is not part of the bottom of the mouse is the plastic cover that protects the AA battery and Logitech Bolt USB receiver. It also serves as continued flat plane of the bottom side of the mouse. The optical sensor is off-center, presumably to ensure that the AA battery can be fitted sideways to ensure that it is, in fact, compact.

Underneath the optical sensor is a power on/off toggle, which is pretty much expected from a wireless mouse. While Logitech says that the included battery can last up to 24-months, turning it off can extend its battery life. At the same time, you would not want any accidental inputs from your mouse when you are carrying it around.

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There is also a button above the optical sensor. It is the Signature M650’s Bluetooth pairing and switch button. A long press will kick the Logitech 650 into Bluetooth pairing mode. A quick press toggles it back to the Bolt Receiver mode.

The one we have here is the Rose variant, the pink one. There is the regular Graphite and Off-White colour options. These are the colours that are quite regular in Logitech’s product line-up though, so there is not too much to say about them. The pink on the Rose variant is soft and sweet though, not too overbearing, and because the bottom side is a darker shade of pink as well, it does not look cheap. The only concern with this colour option is how the colour will age.

The entire construction, while mostly made of recycled plastic, feels rather premium. The soft and smooth finish on the matte finished top feels like a quality product. While the sides may not be real rubber, the added texture feels like they belong there and durable enough to last years of abuse, even after your first battery gives out. Even the ‘logi’ logo feels like it will not fade at least until a year or two of use in. Of course, that really depends on how you use your mouse.

Features

Although this is a compact mouse, there are a lot of things that makes the Logitech M650 looks like a full-sized mouse on paper. The features on the mouse are designed for productivity even when you are out of your workspace. Of course, when you just want to wind down, relax, and just scroll through the net, this is one comfortable mouse to use as well.  

SmartWheel

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Where the MX series has the MagSpeed, the Signature M650 gets something called a SmartWheel. It is rather clever for quickly browsing through the net and even pages of documents. The SmartWheel scrolls like any other mouse wheel you might have used before. But it feels softer and smoother than the usual wheel. There is still some tactility and resistance when you scroll the wheel.

The smooth and soft feel of the mouse wheel is rather nice to work with. When you are browsing the internet, different scroll gestures give you different scrolling speeds. To be fair, there is only sort of two scrolling speeds with the SmartWheel – fast and slow. When you need to quickly scroll down the page to get to the part you want, a flick of the wheel makes it a sort of a MagSpeed wheel. Once you need to slowly look through the page, you can scroll through click by click. It works with your Microsoft apps too.

The wheel is not just to scroll up and down though. You can use it to scroll left to right too. You press and hold one of the side buttons and use the heel with it to scroll from side to side.

Multi Device

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You can use it with up to two devices wirelessly. One of them needs a USB type-A port to work with. That would be your laptop or PC to plug in your Logitech Bolt receiver.

The other device would need Bluetooth to use the Logitech Signature M650. As we mentioned earlier, it is just a matter of pressing a single button at the bottom of the mouse. Once it gets into pairing mode, Windows Quick Connect detects the mouse and allows you to get your mouse connected in just one or two clicks.

The Logitech M650 relies on a Bolt receiver, not the same unifying receiver that older or cheaper Logitech mice comes with. That also means that the Logitech M650 is supposed to be working with a lower latency time than older mice. You also cannot use Logitech’s older Logi Option software with it.

Silent Operator

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The Logitech Signature M650 is silent, but not as silent as we hoped. The main two buttons and scrolling wheel or middle button are all working silently. The side buttons, compared to the main two buttons are rather ‘clicky’. While it does not annoy us in the slightest, some of you might not like that very much.

Still, the main buttons are silenced without much sacrifice to tactility. There is a little bit of mushiness in every click of the three main buttons and even the scroll. But the tactility of a mouse click is still very defined. Every click feels sure and registered but a lot more muted in noise. Then again, Logitech has been making quiet mice for a long time, they know what they are doing.

Logi Options+

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If you are using the Logitech Signature M650 on your Windows or Mac, you can download something called Logi Options+. Why did they have to develop a new software? We do not know, but here it is. When you plug the Bolt receiver into your PC or Mac, a prompt will ask you if you want to install the app on your device.

The software sort of acts like a manual for you to refer to. It tells you what each button does for each application that it supports. The application also allows you to change what the secondary buttons and middle button does for each application if you want to. For example, you can change the side buttons to ‘select’ and ‘cut’ in Adobe’s Premiere Pro while the middle button can be a play/pause button.

You can toggle on something called ‘smooth scrolling’ with the mouse too. That way, scrolling your webpages or documents looks nice and smooth instead of the usual staggered feel. It is ‘off’ by default, so we turned it on because we liked it.

You can also control how fast your mouse goes on Logi Options without getting through Windows default settings page. You can go as slow as 400 dpi or as fast as to 4,000 dpi to avoid huge mouse actions.

Performance – Smooth Operator

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Once you know what each buttons do and get familiarised with all the applications you work with, the Logitech M650 becomes rather intuitive. It is still a compact mouse, which also means that you might still want to work with a bigger full-sized mouse when you can, I know I want to use a bigger mouse at home at least.

Still, when portability is concerned, a compact mouse is always appreciated. The Logitech Signature M650 is that compact mouse that does not compromise too much. The M650 retains a lot of functions that you can only find on bigger mice today. At the same time, it is ergonomic despite its proportions.

Having the option to use Bluetooth with a mouse like this is always appreciated especially when modern light-and-compact laptops usually come with no USB Type-A port or just that one port. Having the option to leave your only free USB Type-A slot is always best, and that is why Bluetooth is an important feature. This also gives you the option of leaving your bolt receiver plugged into your PC at home.

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While we would prefer to have a flush body with an internal non-removable battery, we understand that the trade-off must be made in favour of battery life. A single AA battery can keep the Logitech Signature M650 running for up to two years. We are not sure if a built-in battery can give the Logitech mouse that kind of battery life from a single charge.

The mouse is highly comfortable to use in any conditions. It lacks the heft of bigger mice, but it is still ergonomic enough that using it is rather comfortable even at extended periods. It feels almost natural to use.

We did not use the Logitech Signature M650 for gaming much, nothing intense anyway. The games we chose to play with the Logitech mouse are more titles like Cities: Skylines and Two Point Hospital. The two side buttons have no preset functions in this case, so there is not much in terms of extra features or functions within the game.

The Logitech Signature M650 – More Sensible, Still Clever

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We are not looking at a gaming mouse here. It is not meant to be one, nor made to be one. It is a general-purpose mouse that is meant to be used in a work environment, remote workstations, and even at home. It is a sort of all-in-one mouse that you can put to good use with your work PC and get it to work with your home PC as well, no need to bring your work PC home.

In that sense, while it might seem a little pricey, the Logitech Signature M650 is an excellent mouse. It feels durable and comfortable, more so than those mice you can find for MYR 39. Sure, for MYR 159 we think Logitech can do better in terms of packaging, but to be fair, the packaging will end up in the trashcan anyway. There is not much in terms of documentation either.

MYR 159 for this mouse does not just buy you a compact mouse. It does not just buy you a silent mouse either. It buys you some premium feel and functions that is comparable to something like a Logitech MX Anywhere, probably even better than it.

The Logitech Signature M650 is a good buy. Not because it is cheaper than Logitech’s MX Anywhere 3. It is a good buy because you are getting a great mouse for its asking price. If you are looking for a cheap, low-budget mouse, you are looking at the wrong place. If you are looking for something that you can use to streamline or enhance your workflow in and out of your office, something comfortable to use, and even something durable and reliable, the MYR 159 asking price looks like a bargain.

Accessories, Mobile, News

JBL Celebrates 75 Years by Launching the Tour ONE and Tour Pro+ TWS Noise Cancelling Headphones

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Plenty of companies celebrate their significant milestone with special edition products. It is quite normal that you get an anniversary edition of things, especially in the world of gadgets. What do you mean why? You get anniversary version of cars, why not tech?

Not too many celebrate their major anniversary by launching a product though, JBL is one of those companies. This year JBL celebrates their 75th year in business. While they might not have existed quite as long as some audiophile brands, 75 years in the industry is a long time. This is also in consideration that some of the players in the audio industry have just started dabbling in high-end audio in the last five years or even less.

Of course, having 75 years of experience in the industry, JBL is one of the foremost brands in the audio industry. In fact, they make some of the best and most value-for-money production level gear. They really know a thing or two when it comes to making audiophile stuff then.

To celebrate their 75 years in the industry, they launched two new high-end noise-cancelling wireless headphones, very fitting. They launched one JBL Tour ONE and one JBL Tour Pro+ TWS in Malaysia. As per their name, they are part of JBL’s Tour series of audio gear.

JBL Tour ONE

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    Source: JBL
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    Source: JBL
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This one will set you back MYR 1,699, about the same as the Sony WH-1000XM4 currently. In that sense, it goes up against one of the best in the business. You are going to ask the question; “why should I get this one instead of the Sony?”

The JBL Tour ONE offers what JBL calls the True Adaptive Noise Cancellation technology. The headphone cleverly monitors environmental sounds and automatically determines the amount of noise cancellation that needs to be pumped into your ears. You can even turn on the feature even if your headphone was not connected to your smartphone device. They call the feature SilentNow and you can just turn off the world with the feature.

The JBL Tour ONE is not just a one trick pony though. The JBL Pro Sound tuned driver features HARMAN’s clever Smart Audio Mode that switches your headphone’s audio profile according to what you are using your headphone for. The system will optimise the connection for either “normal listening”, “music mode”, or “video mode”. In “music mode”, the headphones automatically increase the fidelity of music for your enjoyment. Obviously, latency suffers and therefore watching videos with it might be less than ideal. In “video mode” then, latency is prioritised and minimised.

Battery life is not bad too. You get up to 25 hours of battery life with Noise Cancelling function on. Without Noise Cancelling, you double the battery life. If you run out of battery, a 10-minute charge gives you up to two hours of playback time.

JBL Tour Pro+ TWS

  • JBL Tour Pro TWS Image 1
    Source: JBL
  • JBL Tour Pro TWS Image 2
    Source: JBL
  • JBL Tour Pro TWS Image 3
    Source: JBL

For a more active lifestyle, an over-ear headphone may not be the most suitable tool you want to carry in your gearbag. You need something light, something portable, and quick to deploy. You want the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS headphones.

True to its name, it is a compact true wireless earbuds package that fits in your pocket like it belongs there. The 6.9mm dynamic drivers ensures that the small package can deliver big sounds though. All of that while still offering up to 30 hours in playback time (up to 6 hours on a single charge with Active Noise Cancelling on, 8 hours without Noise Cancelling). When you run out, you can simply put it on a wireless charging pad and quickly charge it. Either that or plug a USB Type-C charging chord to it and get one hour of playback time in just 10 minutes.

The JBL Tour Pro+ TWS also comes with Adaptive Noise Cancelling technology that either cancels out noise completely or lets noise in to your ears when you need to stay aware of the situation around you. Of course, the 3-mic beamforming technology mics that are on the earbuds also acts as the microphones for voice calls or voice chats. At the same time, Dual Connect + Sync also allows you to choose whether or not you pick up your calls and play music with either side of your earbuds. Fast Pair allows your Android device to quickly connect to the TWS headphones with no fuss. Of course, it is IPX4 rated, so you can take it to the gym and it is ready for the weather at least.

Prices and Availability

Both the JBL Tour ONE and Tour Pro+ TWS are now available via JBL’s own online store and official retail partners including Shopee and Lazada. The JBL Tour ONE headphone will set you back MYR 1,699 as per mentioned. The JBL Tour Pro+ TWS on the other hand will set you back MYR 1,099. Unfortunately, unlike plenty of JBL’s products, there are no colour choices on this one. More information on the JBL Tour ONE and JBL Tour Pro+ TWS can be found on JBL’s website.

Accessories, Computers, Gaming, Lifestyle, News

Razer Barracuda X is Everything the Modern Gamer Needs

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Wires are a pain to deal with. While the world of electronics has given us amazing things like the television, video games, smartphones, and even the computer, cable management has always been the bane of electronics. You need electronics to be tethered to a wall socket at least though, for power obviously.

The advancements that made the electrical battery the technology it is today though has led to the very rapid development that is wireless technology. Things like your smartphones and laptops, and even Nintendo Switch will not happen unless there is the magical block of stuff inside your devices that is called the battery. Wireless technology has also given us wireless headphones like the new Razer Barracuda X.

While wireless technology does have its limitations in terms of certain sound qualities, battery life, and even latency, most of them has been solved and improved tremendously over the years. All that culminates in the Barracuda X that can be used in any way you can imagine, without the hassle plugging cables in and dragging your devices across the room when you need to go take a leak.

Barracuda X 024 R2
Source: Razer

The Barracuda X is truly a versatile piece of kit. You can connect it to your PlayStation console, your PC, your smartphone, and even a Nintendo Switch at the same time. Of course, the Nintendo Switch requires a special HyperSpeed Wireless dongle that comes in the Barracuda X’s packaging.

Of course, there are a slew of cables, including USB-Type C extensions and cables for charging. Because nothing beats a wired connection in terms of sound quality and fidelity, there is a 3.5mm AUX cable included in the set too. For gaming, you get a detachable Razer HyperClear Cardioid microphone. There is a good reason why it is a detachable mic.

Barracuda X 165 R1
Source: Razer

The Razer Barracuda X is made with not just gaming in mind. It is made for gamers to use everywhere. You can tell, because it does not feature the regular outrageous or striking look of the regular gaming headset from Razer. Gone are the green, or white, or red, or yellow accents; you do not even have RGB on the Barracuda X. It looks and feels like the more subtle OPUS headphones. It does not have the Noise Cancelling technology, but it does share the same stealth design so that you can blend in when you use it outside of home.

Hardware wise, it packs Razer’s immensely powerful TriForce drivers which measures in at 40mm. That large driver should deliver rich, clear, and detailed audio that is mostly tuned for gaming. That does not mean you cannot enjoy music with it too though. Anything designed with gaming in mind should sound good in other conditions as well, especially when the headphone is capable of producing 7.1 surround sound. The high-power delivery also ensures immersive experience with a lot of volume. That should also alleviate the lack of noise cancellation technology.

  • Barracuda X 024 R2
    Source: Razer
  • TriForce Drivers
    Source: Razer
  • RAZER BARRACUDA X V05b
    Source: Razer
  • RAZER BARRACUDA X V03b
    Source: Razer
  • RAZER BARRACUDA X V02
    Source: Razer
  • RAZER BARRACUDA X DONGLE V02
    Source: Razer
  • Key Visual
    Source: Razer
  • Barracuda X 280 R1
    Source: Razer
  • Barracuda X 165 R1
    Source: Razer

At 250g, the wireless headphone is made with comfort in mind too. The lack of weight will allow you to be a lot more comfortable with the headphone in long gaming sessions and you are going to be gaming long and hard with the Barracuda X’s 20 hours of battery life. The memory foam ear cushion is designed so that it sits flush on the side of your heads and create a tight noise seal while remaining breathable. The overhead cushion is of course important in not just spreading the weight of the headphone properly, but to relief the pressure on top of your head.

The Razer Barracuda X is available now from Razer.com and authorised dealers across the nation. You can also get them from Razer’s Official Store on Shopee and Lazada. Unlike the Opus X, the Razer Barracuda X only comes in one colour option: black. At MYR 549 though, the headphone could be one of the best value for money gaming headsets from Razer. More information on the Razer Barracuda X can be found on from their website.