Category Archives: Computer Hardware + Systems Articles!

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This is where you will find our articles on computer hardware like CPUs, graphics cards and monitors, to computer systems like laptops and gaming desktops!

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2021 Acer Spin 3 + Spin 5 : What You Need To Know!

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Acer just introduced the 2021 Spin 3 and Spin 5 convertible laptop models, with the latest Intel processors!

Take a look at both new Spin 3 and Spin 5 laptops, and find out what they offer!

2021 Acer Spin 3 + Spin 5 : What You Need To Know!

The 2020 Red Dot Design Award-winning Acer Spin 5 was just refreshed, and so is its sibling – the Acer Spin 3.

Convertible Design

They are both convertible laptops, with 360-degree hinges that lets them transform into different form factors to suit your requirements.

You can take notes in the tablet mode, watch movies in the tent mode, or use the clamshell mode for a more ergonomic typing experience!

Performance

Both models offer the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and come with up to 16 GB of LPDDR4X memory and 512 GB of fast PCIe NVMe SSD storage!

The 2021 Acer Spin 5 models, in particular, come with the latest PCIe Gen 4 SSD, which offers double the transfer speed of PCIe Gen 3 SSDs.

Both models are Intel Evo platform-certified, which means they have designed to deliver better CPU, GPU and Wi-Fi performance, instant wake-up, and longer battery life!

This gives you a desktop-like computing performance, in a slim and light convertible form factor.

High Resolution Touch Display

The 2021 Acer Spin 5 offers a 13.5-inch QHD IPS display, with an impressive 80% screen-to-body ratio, with multi-touch and AES pen support.

The 2021 Acer Spin 3, on the other hand, comes with a 13.3-inch WQXGA IPS display, also with multi-touch and AES pen support.

Both displays support 100% sRGB colour gamut, and DC dimming, which allows for no-flicker image quality in low light conditions!

Acer Active Stylus

Both 2021 Acer Spin laptops come with the Acer Active Stylus in a built-in dock, that gives it a 90 minute battery life with just 15 seconds of charging!

With two configurable buttons, this active stylus supports 4,096 pressure levels, and offers a pen-to-paper like writing experience!

Antimicrobial Coating!

The 2021 Acer Spin 5 laptop is coated with a BPR and EPA-compliant silver-ion coating on the keyboard, fingerprint reader and palm rest, with its touchpad and display are protected by Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass.

Both the antibacterial coating and the antimicrobial glass inhibit and reduce bacterial growth on all surfaces that we may touch.

This is an important feature, because the Acer Spin 5 laptop will actually reduce the amount of bacteria we come into contact!

Embedded Fingerprint Reader

A fingerprint reader is embedded directly into the touchpad, giving you an easy and secure way to verify your identity using Windows Hello, without typing in a password.

This is very useful when you are using the laptop in public, where typing out a password is not recommended.

High-Speed Connectivity

Both 2021 Spin 5 and Spin 3 laptops come with Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 built-in, for the fastest possible WiFi connectivity with lower latency.

On top of that, it all comes with dual Type-C with Thunderbolt 4 ports. These are ultra-fast ports that offer data and video transfers of up to 40 Gb/s – four times faster than USB 3.2!

Both these Thunderbolt 4 ports also allow you to output up to two 4K external displays for even greater productivity.

Light + Tough

The 2021 Spin laptops are built with an aluminium chassis, offering a slimmer profile and lighter weight.

The Spin 5 is only 14.9 mm thin, and weighs only 1.2 kg, while the Spin 3 is just 15.9 mm thin, and weighs only 1.4 kg.

Not only will they fit comfortably into any tote or laptop bag, you will have no problem carrying them in your hands for hours on end.

Ultra-Long Battery Life

Both 2021 Spin 5 and Spin 3 laptops have a long 15-hour battery life, based on the MobileMark 2014 test.

They also support fast charging technology, to keep you going wherever you are. A quick 30 minute charge will give you 4 hours of use!

2021 Acer Spin 3 : Specifications

Specifications	Acer Spin 3 (Core i7)	Acer Spin 3 (Core i5)
Model	SP313-51N-714D	SP313-51N-56CM
Display	13.3-inch IPS touch display 2560 x 1600 pixels Supports multi-touch and AES pen
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Processor	Intel Core i7-1165G7	Intel Core i5-1135G7
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Memory	16 GB LPDDR4X	8 GB LPDDR4X
Storage	512 GB PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD
Wireless	Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX 1650i Bluetooth 5.1
Ports	1 x HDMI 2.0 port with HDCP support 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (Type A) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (Type C) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 port (Type A) 1 x microSD card reader 1 x 3.5 mm headphone jack
Camera	Acer HD webcam (720p)
Stylus	Acer Active Stylus Pen – 4096 pressure levels – 2 configurable buttons – up to 100 minutes battery life
Battery Life	Up to 15 hours
Warranty	2-year local warranty + 1st year international travellers warranty
Dimensions	302 mm wide 222.5 mm deep 15.9 mm thick
Weight	1.4 kg

2021 Acer Spin 5 : Specifications

Specifications	Acer Spin 5 (Core i7)	Acer Spin 5 (Core i5)
Model	SP513-55N-74VY	SP513-55N-53Q7
Display	13.5-inch IPS touch display 2256 x 1504 pixels Supports multi-touch and AES pen
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Processor	Intel Core i7-1165G7	Intel Core i5-1135G7
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Memory	16 GB LPDDR4X	8 GB LPDDR4X
Storage	512 GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Wireless	Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX 1650i Bluetooth 5.1
Ports	1 x HDMI 2.0 port with HDCP support 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (Type A) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (Type C) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 port (Type A) 1 x microSD card reader 1 x 3.5 mm headphone jack
Camera	Acer HD webcam (720p)
Stylus	Acer Active Stylus Pen – 4096 pressure levels – 2 configurable buttons – up to 100 minutes battery life
Battery Life	Up to 15 hours
Warranty	2-year local warranty + 1st year international travellers warranty
Dimensions	300 mm wide 235 mm deep 14.9 mm thick
Weight	1.2 kg

2021 Acer Spin 3 + Spin 5 : Price + Availability

Both the 2021 Acer Spin 3 and Spin 5 convertible laptops are available with immediate effect at these price points :

2021 Spin 3 (Core i5) : RM3,999 (about US$964 / £696 / A$1286 / S$1297)
2021 Spin 3 (Core i7) : RM4,999 (about US$1205 / £871 / A$1608 / S$1621)
2021 Spin 5 (Core i5) : RM4,599 (about US$1108 / £801 / A$1479 / S$1491)
2021 Spin 5 (Core i7) : RM5,599 (about US$1349 / £975 / A$1800 / S$1816)

Here are some online purchase options :

Malaysia : Acer eStore | Acer Shopee Official Store

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2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro Productivity Tips!

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Here are some great tips on how you can ramp up productivity with the 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro.

Don’t forget to SHARE these tips out!

2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro Productivity Tips!

Today, we are going to share with you some great tips on how you can ramp up productivity with the 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro.

These tips are great not just for remote workers and content creators, but also students and other people working from home.

Please don’t forget to SHARE these tips with your friends!

Flagship Performance

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro is built around the Kirin 9000E, the world’s first 5nm 5G mobile SoC that has an 8-core CPU, with a 22-core GPU and two Neural Processing Units.

And it comes with 8 GB LPDDR4x memory and 256 GB built-in storage, with the option of adding an NM card for additional storage (up to 256 GB).

So right off the bat, you have all the processing power and memory capacity you need to get A LOT of work done right on the tablet.

Multi-Screen Collaboration

Hardware performance aside, one of the 2021 MatePad Pro’s key features is its multi-screen collaboration capability when used with a HUAWEI laptop like the MateBook X Pro.

Mirror Mode : Your laptop display is mirrored onto the MatePad Pro, which can now be used as a writing or sketching pad.

Whatever you write or draw on the MatePad Pro with the M-Pencil is instantly synced in real-time to the laptop screen.

Extend Mode : You can drag a task from your laptop to the MatePad Pro, turning it into a second monitor instantly.

For example, you can video conference on one display, while edit notes or check files on the other display. This makes the MatePad Pro a great “workmate” for your laptop!

Collaborate Mode : Using the collaborate mode, you can use the laptop keyboard and mouse on both the laptop and the MatePad Pro.

In addition, you can easily drag and drop files and texts between the laptop and the MatePad Pro!

Bottom Dock + Service Widgets

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro introduces a new Bottom Dock that not only displays frequently-used apps, but also recently-used apps.

In addition, it features new Service Widgets that can display real-time information, so you can quickly and conveniently access certain app features without launching those apps!

Those Service Widgets can be placed anywhere, and are fully customisable so you can personalise your tablet as you wish!

Make Full Use Of M-Pencil (2nd Generation)

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro comes with the 2nd Generation M-Pencil, which features a transparent tip design, platinum-coated nib, and a rounded hexagonal shape for a more comfortable grip.

It has 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and supports tilt writing, with ultra-low latency of just 9 ms.

Make use of its support for HUAWEI FreeScript to transform your handwritten jotting into machine-encoded text in real time.

The new 2nd Generation M-Pencil also supports Double Tap to Switch tools, which is very convenient.

For example, if you make a mistake while writing or drawing, you can just double tap the M-Pencil to switch to the eraser mode.

Don’t forget its other built-in features like Instant Shape and Instant Table. All you need to do is just start drawing, pause and then let go – it will automatically give you the shape you want!

2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro : Price + Freebie Tips!

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro is available for sale in Malaysia, in the Matte Grey colour.

It has an official launch price of RM 3,999 (about US$970 / £686 / A$1,253 / S$1,286). Here are online purchase options :

Every purchase of the 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro will entitle you to these great freebies :

HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard
50 GB HUAWEI Cloud Storage (3 months)
HUAWEI Video VIP Access (1 month)

Also, here is a list of AppGallery apps that HUAWEI is recommending that you try out on your MatePad Pro tablet!

Tools + Education	Photo + Video	Entertainment	Gaming	Shopping
Nebo	Canva	HUAWEI Video	Bullet Angel	Shopee
WPS Office	MIX	TikTok	Call Me Emperor	Lazada
Docx Reader	Picsart	SYOK	Garena Free Fire	Mudah.my
Kahoot	Beautycam	BIGO Live	Mobile Legends	ZALORA
Lingokids	Photobook	MICO	State of Survival	GO SHOP

If you download these participating apps from now until 31 July 2021, you will stand the chance to win a HUAWEI P40 Pro, HUAWEI Band 4 and more!

Find out more about the HUAWEI AppGallery Promo here!

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Dell UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022) : All You Need To Know!

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Dell just introduced the UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022) for the new Work From Home normal!

Here is what you need to know about the new Dell WB7022 UltraSharp Webcam!

Dell UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022) : All You Need To Know!

More than 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the Work From Home (WFH) normal appears to be here to stay, at least for now.

To ensure that those who need to remotely work have the best possible video conferencing webcam, Dell just introduced the UltraSharp Webcam.

With nine patent-pending technologies, the Dell UltraSharp Webcam offers 4K image quality, built-in AI tracking and other video conferencing features.

4K Webcam With World’s Best Image Quality

Dell claims that the UltraSharp Webcam offers the world’s best image quality, courtesy of the large 4K Sony STARVIS CMOS sensor and the multi-element lens that captures more light to deliver “crystal-clear video”.

It supports frame rates of 24 and 30 fps at the full 4K UHD resolution. It also supports the higher 60 fps frame rate, at the lower 1080p and 720p resolutions.

It’s not just about the hardware. It’s also about the software embedded into the UltraSharp Webcam.

Its Digital Overlap HDR capability lets the Dell UltraSharp Webcam preserve true-to-life colours and balance exposure.

Meanwhile, its 2D/3D video noise reduction capability eliminates grainy images, making you look good even in low light conditions.

AI Auto-Framing

The Dell UltraSharp Webcam has AI Auto-Framing capability built-in. This feature uses Artificial Intelligence to keep you focused and centred in the frame.

You don’t have to manually adjust the webcam. It will track your movements and shift the frame to keep you centered, even if you stand up!

5X Digital Zoom + Three Fields of View

The Dell UltraSharp Webcam supports up to 5X digital zoom, as well as three fields of view – 65°, 78° and 90°.

This allows you to fit multiple people in the same conference call, or focus exclusively on you in a crowded place.

Smart Security Features

The Dell UltraSharp Webcam supports Windows Hello, allowing you to sign-in quickly and securely usual facial recognition.

It also has Dell ExpressSign-in capability built-in, allowing Dell PCs to detect your presence as you approach and automatically log you out when you step away, offering you an extra level of security.

Finally, it comes with a magnetic privacy cover that securely snaps onto the lens, or the back of the webcam.

Webcam Mounting Solutions

The Dell UltraSharp Webcam comes with two mounts in the box :

a magnetic mount
a tripod adaptor

The magnetic mount makes it easy to attach to the top of any desktop or laptop monitor, without obscuring the display.

And if you need to mount it on a tripod, simply slide the webcam off the magnetic mount and slide it into the tripod adaptor!

Dell UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022) : Specifications

Specifications	Dell UltraSharp Webcam
Model	WB7022
Camera Resolution + Frame Rates	4K : 24 / 30 fps 1080p : 24 / 30 / 60 fps 720p : 24 / 30 / 60 fps
Sensor	8.3 MP Sony STARVIS CMOS
Field of View	65, 78, 90 degrees
HD Digital Zoom	Up to 5X
Autofocus	Yes
Auto-Light Correction	Advanced Digital Overlap (DOL) HDR 3D + 2D Video Noise Reduction – Temporal Noise (3DNR) – Spatial Noise Reduction (2DNR)
Auto White Balance	Yes
AI Auto-Framing	Yes
Microphone	No
Lens Cap	Yes (Magnetic)
Windows Hello	Yes
Dell on Dell	ExpressSign-In
Certification	Microsoft Teams, Zoom
Other Optimised Apps	Skype for Business Go To Meeting Google Meet Google Hangout Blue Jeans Slack, Lifesize
OS Support	Windows 10, macOS
Plug & Play Support	Yes
Connectivity	USB C – comes with USB-A to USB-C cable
Material	Anodised Aluminium
Webcam Dimensions	42 mm wide 90 mm long
Mount Dimensions	32 mm wide 64 mm deep 9.4 mm high
Warranty	3 years

Dell UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022) : Price + Availability

The Dell UltraSharp Webcam (WB7022) is available for purchase at the official price of US$199 / RM 1,122 (about £144 / A$266 / S$268).

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Gaming Influencer Fail : Jaja zuber Teaches A Valuable Lesson

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Gaming influencer, Jaja zuber, just taught brands a valuable lesson in viral marketing through influencers.

Find out what happened, and what brands need to learn about hiring influencers…

Gaming Influencer Fail : Jaja zuber Playing PUBG PC?

Jaja zuber is, in her own words, a part-time actress and a full-time streamer. So she’s basically one of the thousands of game streamers who are trying to become the next PrestonPlayz or Pokimane.

She appears to be quite popular, with over 129,000 people following her Facebook page, where she streams her gameplay.

So it’s not surprising to see a tech brand partner with her. However, what they probably did not expect was the reaction to her photo, which came with this description :

I can play PUBG PC on Acer Nitro 5 at high fps without feeling lag and the cooling fan system that can activate CoolBoosts which further increases the speed for heavy usage. It is also fast for multitasking use.

Acer Nitro 5 is powered by 11th Gen Intel Coreᵀᴹ i7 processor. You can get this from Acer E-Store or official Acer certified stores on Shopee.

See if you can spot the mistakes she made in this photo, that has since gone viral!

At first glance, it looked like just another gaming influencer’s sponsored post. She is seen gaming on the laptop, to show her fans just how awesome the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop really is.

To be fair, we are kind of jealous she got her hands on the 2021 Acer Nitro 5. It looked like an awesome gaming laptop with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics!

However, Jaja zuber did not appear to take this sponsorship seriously, and screwed up this shot. Many gamers, including her fans, pointed out that :

She was not playing PUBG PC, as claimed. She was either using PUBG Mobile on emulator, or just using a YouTube video.
She was not using a mouse at all, so how could she even play PUBG? This is why some claimed she was “pretend playing” using a YouTube video.
She had her hands on the WASD keys and the arrow keys – both serving the same functions.
Her left hand was elevated uncomfortably over the WASD keys – no one games like that!
She initially called it the Spin 5 in the second paragraph, before correcting it to Nitro 5.

All those mistakes derailed the whole point of the sponsorship – to convey her sponsor’s message that the 2021 Acer Nitro 5 is a serious challenger to gaming laptops from other brands.

It garnered thousands of laughs and over 1.4K comments criticising the mistakes in the photo, and asking if she was using telepathy to aim the gun.

It didn’t help that the picture in the background showed a boy who looked like he was “not impressed” with her actions.

Gaming Influencer Fail : Jaja zuber Teaches A Valuable Lesson

Tech brands have long shifted emphasis from traditional media to the influencers, who boast a loyal fanbase. The idea is their fans will buy whatever it is that they are promoting.

However, not all gaming influencers are alike. Some influencers rely on their gaming skills, some rely on their personality or looks, while others focus on their commentating skills.

To be clear, Jaja zuber must be doing something right – she has 129,000 followers, so give her some credit for that. How many of us have even 1,000 followers?

And the saving grace is that her photo went viral, and is inspiring copycat troll posts like this. Like it or not, it is driving interest in the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop. Now, more people are aware of it.

However, brands need to look beyond the fanbase and consider the skills these influencers bring to the table.

Mobile vs PC

This may seem obvious, but why pick PUBG at all for this shot? After all, people can play PUBG Mobile on their smartphones too.

Gaming influencers who are being paid to promote a gaming laptop should really select a FPS game that is exclusively on PC.

There are so many out there – Valorant, DOOM Eternal, Borderlands 2, Overwatch, etc. which Jaja zuber could have used to ensure that she is targeting the right audience – PC gamers.

Influencers Need To Do Their Homework

It is obvious that Jaja zuber is not a techie, because she wrongly mentioned “CoolBoosts” in her sponsored post. It’s actually “CoolBoost”.

She also said that the 2021 Acer Nitro 5‘s cooling system activates CoolBoost to increase speed for heavy usage. It’s really the other way around – CoolBoost increases fan speed by 10% for 9% better CPU and GPU cooling.

It’s okay not to know tech stuff, but influencers should do their homework – all that is plainly stated in the official Acer Nitro 5 page!

After all, they are being paid for this project, or receiving the laptop as sponsorship.

Influencers Should Be Authentic

I would posit that influencers gain fans because they come across as “authentic” and “approachable”. People feel influencers are “just like them”.

Brands probably believe that works better too, which is why they are pouring money into influencers instead of traditional media which may feel “standoffish”.

But how authentic can influencers be, if it turns out that the photo was make-belief, as the Jaja zuber photo obviously was?

So the lesson, I suppose, is for influencers to just be themselves, be authentic. There’s no need to fake the shot.

Don’t Censor Criticism

So a mistake was made. Just admit it and move on. Censoring your fans or trolls will only spur more blowback.

Again, be authentic. You are only human. You make mistakes like the rest of us.

Real Influence Or Just The Perception?

Brands are focused on the influencer industry because they have large fan bases. Marketing departments love it, because it is easier to “sell to the boss” or include in KPI reports.

But when it comes to the tech or gaming industry, does a large fan base really translate into sales?

Think about it for a minute. Just because you enjoy watching a gaming influencer play PUBG, are you really going to buy a gaming laptop just because she says it’s great?

People are not that “simple”. When it comes to large purchases that cost several months of minimum wage, they are going to want to know MORE, before they make the leap.

They are going to read up on these products, and ask their techie friends for opinions. They will not just going to buy something expensive just because a gaming influencer posts a picture and says it’s nice.

More so when the gaming influencer chose to highlight a game that can be played on any smartphone!

That’s why I believe that influencers are great at changing the perception of a brand, but poor at directly translating that into sales.

Brands that focus only on influencers will probably not see their sales needle move much.

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Acer Aspire Vero : The First Earthion Laptop!

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Acer just unveiled the Aspire Vero – their first sustainability-focused laptop based on their Earthion platform!

Find out what the Acer Aspire Vero offers, and what the Earthion platform is all about!

Acer Aspire Vero : The First Earthion Laptop!

The Acer Aspire Vero is the first sustainability-focused laptop based on their new Earthion platform.

That Acer Earthion platform is part of their pledge to achieve 100% renewable energy use by the year 2035, which they undertook when they joined the RE100 initiative.

The RE100 initiative is a global corporate renewable energy intuitive that is committed to achieve 100% renewable energy use. The Acer Group has already achieve 44% renewable energy use by 2020.

As the first product from the Acer Earthion platform, the Acer Aspire Vero reimagines what the computer manufacturing process of the future will look like.

Sustainability-Focused Design

Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic is used throughout its chassis and keyboard caps. And the Aspire Vero ships in a box made from 80-85% recycled paper pulp, and plastic bagging is replaced by paper sleeves. Even the laptop bag is made with 100% industrial recycled plastic!

The emphasis on sustainability is carried over in the design language too. All graphics on the shipping box are printed with soy ink, and the notebook itself has no paint on its chassis, reducing its impact on the environment. The laptop is also held together by easily-accessible, standardised screws for easier disassembly.

11th Gen Intel Core Performance

The Acer Aspire Vero is powered by the latest 11th Gen Intel Core processor with Iris Xe graphics, with up to 1 TB of M.2 SSD storage.

It boasts Intel Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity, a USB Type C port, two USB 3.2 ports and a HDMI 2.0 port for video out.

Acer Aspire Vero (Earthion) : Specifications

Here are the specifications of the Aspire Vero – Acer’s first Earthion laptop :

Specifications	Acer Aspire Vero
Model	AV15-51
Operating System	Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Display	15.6-inch IPS display – 1920 x 1080 pixesl – 250 nits max. brightness
Processor	11th Gen Intel Core processor
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Memory	Onboard Memory + 1 x DDR4 SODIMM
Storage	Up to 1 TB M.2 SSD
Wireless	Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.1
Audio	Two microphones Two speakers

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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HONOR MagicBook X 15 : What You Need To Know!

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HONOR just launched two new MagicBook X 15 laptop models. Let’s take a closer look and see what they really offer!

HONOR MagicBook X 15 : What You Need To Know!

Together with the HONOR 50 and HONOR 50 Pro smartphones, HONOR also launched two new MagicBook X 15 laptop models.

These basic laptops are part of the HUAWEI 1+8+N strategy, back when HONOR was a HUAWEI subsidiary.

And these two models appear to be a legacy of their HUAWEI heritage. We will show you why we say that…

Legacy Of HUAWEI Ban Persists

Despite being new models, the HONOR MagicBook X 15 are still powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core processors from 2019.

This appears to be a legacy of their HUAWEI heritage – HUAWEI was banned from purchasing new processors from Intel since September 2020.

They had already stocked up many processors in advanced of the ban, but can no longer purchase newer Intel processors.

The new HONOR, which was sold to Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology, is no longer affected by this ban. But it looks like they were not able to source for the latest Intel processors in time.

Performance

There are two HONOR MagicBook X 15 models, based on their processor and storage configurations :

10th Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB storage
10th Gen Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage

HONOR claims that they come with a Supersized Shark Fin 2.0 Fan with up to 38% higher air intake, for better cooling performance.

They use DDR4 memory and come with a PCIe NVMe SSD, but that’s standard for laptops these days.

Display

The HONOR MagicBook X 15 comes with a large 15.6-inch display, with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Thanks to its narrow 5.3 mm bezels on the left and right side, this display offers a 87% screen-to-body ratio.

Battery Life

The 2021 MagicBook X 15 models come with a 42 Wh battery, which HONOR says will deliver just over 7.5 hours of 1080p video playback or just over 7 hours of web browsing.

They will come with a new compact 65 watt fast charger that weighs just 200 grams. It can recharge the battery to 53% in just 30 minutes.

Other Features

Despite its low cost, it boasts an aluminium alloy body, which allows for a thinner profile and a lighter weight at just 1.56 kg.

It also comes with a fingerprint sensor built into the power button, that lets you quickly log into Windows.

Finally, it supports Multi-Screen Collaboration – another legacy of its HUAWEI heritage.

HONOR MagicBook X 15 : Price + Deal

The HONOR MagicBook X 15 is available in Malaysia starting 19 June 2021, at these price points :

Intel Core i5, 8GB + 512GB : RM 2,899 (about US$700 / £504 / A$929 / S$938)
Intel Core i3, 8GB + 256GB : RM 2,299 (about US$555 / £400 / A$737 / S$744)

On its launch date, every purchase of the MagicBook X 15 will come with :

Intel Core i5 : HONOR laptop backpack + Bluetooth wireless mouse
Intel Core i3 : HONOR laptop backpack

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2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro : What You Need To Know!

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HUAWEI just launched the 2021 MatePad Pro, which runs on the new HarmonyOS 2!

Here is what you need to know about the 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro tablet!

2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro : What You Need To Know!

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro looks superficially like the 2020 HUAWEI MatePad Pro, but they are quite different beasts altogether.

It is now much bigger 12.6-inch tablet, built around the Kirin 9000E mobile platform and runs on the brand new HarmonyOS 2 operating system!

Flagship Performance

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro is built around the Kirin 9000E, the world’s first 5nm 5G mobile SoC.

It has a triple-core CPU architecture, with a boosted Cortex-A77 core at 3.13 GHz, three high-speed Cortex-A77 cores at 2.54 GHz, and four low-power Cortex-A55 cores at 2.05 GHz.

It has a 22-core Mali-G78 GPU, and two Neural Processing Units – one Big-Core NPU and one Tiny-Core NPU.

Memory + Storage

The 2021 MatePad Pro comes with 8 GB LPDDR4x memory and 256 GB built-in storage, with the option of adding an NM card for additional storage (up to 256 GB).

Large OLED Display

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro sports a massive 12.6-inch OLED display, with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.

Thanks to its ultra-narrow 5.6 mm bezels, this FullView Display offers a 90.1% screen-to-body ratio.

On top of that, it has a colour accuracy of ∆E < 0.5, making it a great portable second monitor for professional photographers!

Improved HUAWEI Share Capabilities

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro offers improved HUAWEI Share, offering the next level of device connectivity :

You can not only mirror your HUAWEI smartphone onto your tablet, you can also transfer and share files across multiple devices even laptops, simply by dragging and dropping them!

2nd Generation HUAWEI M-Pencil

HUAWEI is introducing the 2nd generation M-Pencil with the MatePad Pro. This optional stylus has a much lower input lag – as low as 9 ms, with 4,096 levels of pressure and tilt sensitivity.

Designed to give you the natural writing experience, it offers the feel of a real pencil on paper. It also supports HUAWEI FreeScript, which transforms handwritten content into machine-encoded text in real time.

If you need to switch into different modes like Instant Shape or Instant Table, all you need to do is double-tap it!

HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard

The HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard is a full-sized keyboard with a key travel of 1.3 mm; and supports Bluetooth and wireless charging.

This magnetically-paired keyboard quickly converts the MatePad Pro into a full-fledged laptop, offering greater working productivity.

Large Battery + Super Fast Charging

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro tablet comes with a large 10,050 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery built-in for a very long battery life.

On top of that, it supports 40 watt SuperCharge, when used with a 40 watt HUAWEI Super Fast Charger.

2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro : Specifications

Here is how the 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro compares to the 2020 MatePad Pro!

Specifications	MatePad Pro 2021	MatePad Pro 2020
Display Size	12.6-inch	10.8-inch
Display Panel	OLED	LCD
Display Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels
Max. Brightness	400 nits	540 nits
Colour Gamut	DCI-P3
Operating System	HarmonyOS 2	EMUI 10.1 (Android 10)
System Platform	HUAWEI Kirin 9000E	HUAWEI Kirin 990
Memory	8 GB	6 GB / 8 GB
Storage	256 GB	128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB
External Storage	256 GB NM Card
Front Camera	8 MP selfie camera
Rear Cameras	13 MP main camera 8 MP wide-angle camera	13 MP main camera
Connectivity	WiFi-AX Bluetooth 5.2 USB Type C	WiFi-AC Bluetooth 5.1 USB Type C
Stylus	Optional M-pencil Gen 2	Optional M-pencil
Fingerprint Sensor	No
NFC Support	No
Audio	8 Speakers HUAWEI Histen 7.0	4 Speakers HUAWEI Histen 6.0
Battery	10,050 mAh	7,250 mAh
Charging	40 W SuperCharge	20 W fast charging
Dimensions	286.5 mm wide 184.7 mm tall 6.7 mm thick	246 mm wide 159 mm tall 7.99 mm thick
Weight	609 g	492 g

2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro : Price + Deal!

The 2021 HUAWEI MatePad Pro will be available for sale in Malaysia from 18 June 2021 onwards, in the Matte Grey colour.

It has an official launch price of RM 3,999 (about US$970 / £686 / A$1,253 / S$1,286). Here are online purchase options :

Malaysia

It is available for pre-order from 10 to 17 June 2021, with the following free gifts :

2nd Generation HUAWEI M-Pencil
HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard
HUAWEI Classic Backpack
50 GB HUAWEI Cloud Storage (3 months)
HUAWEI Video VIP Access (1 month)

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AMD @ Computex 2021 : Everything They Announced!

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AMD unveiled a WHOLE SLEW of new products and technologies at Computex 2021!

Here is a recap of everything AMD announced at Computex 2021!

AMD @ Computex 2021 : Everything They Announced!

On 1 June 2021, AMD kicked off their virtual Computex 2021 press conference, announcing a whole slew of new products and technologies!

Let’s take a look at what AMD announced at Computex 2021!

3rd Gen EPYC Beats Intel Xeon Scalable!

AMD President and CEO Dr. Lisa Su showed how the dual-socket 3rd Gen EPYC 7763 system beat the dual-socket Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 system by 50%!

2P Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 delivered 201,334 Java operations per second
2P AMD EPYC 7763 delivered 301,297 Java operations per second

This is because the EPYC 7763 has far more cores than the Xeon Platinum 8380 – 64 cores versus just 40 cores!

AMD RDNA 2 Coming To Automotive + Mobile!

AMD is working to bring the RDNA 2 gaming architecture to industry leaders in the automotive and mobile segments :

Tesla Model S + Model X

The new infotainment systems in the Tesla Model S and Model X are powered by an AMD Ryzen Embedded APU, with an AMD RDNA 2-based GPU capable of AAA gaming!

Samsung Exynos

The next-generation Samsung Exynos SoC will feature custom AMD RDNA 2-based graphics IP, that will introduce raytracing and variable rate shading capabilities to flagship mobile devices!

AMD Ryzen 5000G Desktop APUs

Dr. Lisa Su also announced that they are introducing two AMD Ryzen 5000G series desktop APUs, that will be available to the DIY market starting 5 August 2021.

AMD Ryzen 7 5700G

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G has an 8-core, 16-thread processor, with a base clock of 3.8 GHz and a boost clock of 4.6 GHz.

It has 4 GB of L2 cache, and 16 GB of L3 cache; and 8-core integrated Radeon graphics clocked at 2.0 GHz.

This 65 watt desktop APU will have a launch price of US$359.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G has an 6-core, 12-thread processor, with a base clock of 3.9 GHz and a boost clock of 4.4 GHz.

It has 3 GB of L2 cache, and 16 GB of L3 cache; and 7-core integrated Radeon graphics clocked at 1.9 GHz.

This 65 watt desktop APU will have a launch price of US$259.

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 Series Desktop CPUs

While not mentioned in the main Computex 2021 press conference, AMD also launched the Ryzen PRO 5000 series desktop processors based on the Zen 3 core!

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 G-Series (65W)

Ryzen 7 5750G : 8 core, 16 thread, 3.8 GHz to 4.6 GHz, 4 MB L2, 16 MB L3
Ryzen 5 5650G : 6 core, 12 thread, 3.9 GHz to 4.4 GHz, 3 MB L2, 16 MB L3
Ryzen 3 5350G : 4 core, 8 thread, 4.0 GHz to 4.2 GHz, 2 MB L2, 8 MB L3

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 GE-Series (35W)

Ryzen 7 5750GE : 8 core, 16 thread, 3.2 GHz to 4.6 GHz, 4 MB L2, 16 MB L3
Ryzen 5 5650GE : 6 core, 12 thread, 3.4 GHz to 4.4 GHz, 3 MB L2, 16 MB L3
Ryzen 3 5350GE : 4 core, 8 thread, 3.6 GHz to 4.2 GHz, 2 MB L2, 8 MB L3

You can get the full details in this official AMD deep dive into the Ryzen PRO 5000 series desktop processors!

AMD Radeon RX 6000M Series Mobile Graphics

Scott Herkelman, Vice President & General Manager of AMD Graphics Business Unit, officially announced the introduction of the Radeon RX 6000M series mobile graphics for laptop gaming.

AMD Radeon RX 6800M

Their flagship model has a 2.3 GHz game clock and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, and is designed to deliver 120 fps gaming at 1440p.

AMD says that it will offer significantly better performance than the competition :

40% to 70% better gaming performance than the GeForce RTX 2070 at 1440p Max Settings.
14% to 40% better gaming performance than the GeForce RTX 3080 while gaming on battery.

AMD Radeon RX 6700M

This model has a 2.3 GHz game clock and 10 GB of GDDR6 memory, and is designed to deliver 100 fps gaming at 1440p.

AMD Radeon RX 6600M

This model has a 2.177 GHz game clock and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, and is designed to deliver 100 fps gaming at 1080p.

AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR)

FidelityFX Super Resolution, or FSR for short, is AMD’s spatial upscaling technology that is designed to boost frame rates, while delivering a high-quality gaming experience.

Think of it as AMD’s version of NVIDIA’s DLSS. But while DLSS is proprietary, FidelityFX Super Resolution is open-source, and will be supported on both AMD processors and GPUs as well as NVIDIA GPUs!

More than 10 game developers plan to integrate FSR into their top titles and gamer engines in 2021.

AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) will be available starting 22 June 2021.

AMD Advantage Gaming Laptops

Think of AMD Advantage as a marketing programme, based around a “design framework” of premium gaming features.

Amplified Performance : AMD Ryzen processor + AMD Radeon RX 6800M graphics + AMD Radeon Software for gaming at 100 fps at 1080p
Premium Displays : 144Hz+ with LFC, low latency, AMD FreeSync Premium, 300 nits+ brightness, IPS / OLED panels, 100% sRGB / 72% NTSC minimum
Built To Game : NVMe SSD, less than 40°C WASD keyboard temperatures when gaming, >10 hours binge watching on battery

AMD 3D Chiplet Technology

AMD continues to build on their packaging technologies with their new 3D Chiplet technology, developed in collaboration with TSMC.

It enhances their existing chipset architecture with 3D stacking using a hybrid bond approach that provides over 200X the interconnect density of 2D chipsets and more than 15X the density of existing 3D packaging solutions.

This new 3D chiplet technology also consumes less energy than current 3D solutions, and is the most flexible active-on-active silicon stacking technology.

In Computex 2021, Dr. Lisa Su showed off the 3D vertical SRAM cache bonded to an AMD Ryzen 5000 Series processor prototype.

AMD is on-track to begin production on high-end computing products with 3D chiplets by the end of 2021.

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Qualcomm Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows 10 : First Look!

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Qualcomm just announced the Snapdragon Developer Kit for Windows 10, build in collaboration with… of course, Microsoft!

Here is what you need to know about the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows 10!

Qualcomm Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows 10 : First Look!

The path to the Qualcomm Snapdragon Developer Kit for Windows 10 started in September 2020 when Microsoft announced the expansion of their App Assure Program to Windows 10 PCs powered by Snapdragon compute platforms.

Microsoft also optimised Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Teams and Visual Studio Code for the Snapdragon compute platforms.

Then December 2020 saw the introduction of x64 emulation preview for Windows 10 PCs, to the Windows Insider Program.

Qualcomm and Microsoft will share more about this new Snapdragon dev kit at the Build 2021 session. But here is a first look at the developer kit!

Qualcomm Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows 10 : Availability

The Qualcomm Snapdragon developer kit for Windows 10 will be available for sale at The Microsoft Store in Summer 2021!

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Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 For Entry-Level Laptops!

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Qualcomm just introduced the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 – a new compute platform for entry-level laptops!

Here is what you need to know about the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2!

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 For Entry-Level Laptops!

On 24 May 2021, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. launched their Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 – their second-generation entry-level compute platform!

This new computer platform will allow brands to introduce always-on, always-connected Windows PCs and Chromebooks with enhanced camera and audio capabilities, integrated LTE connectivity, AI acceleration and more!

Always On, Always Connected!

Devices powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 are Always On, Always Connected, just like your smartphone.

Its power-efficiency allows the device to stay in connected standby mode for weeks, keeping you connected whether for work, school or entertainment.

Improved Performance

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 delivers up to 10% faster system performance over “most competing platforms”, with up to twice the battery life of those platforms – up to 19 or more hours of continuous use!

Built-In Artificial Intelligence

The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 comes with the fifth-generation Qualcomm AI Engine built-in, to accelerate security applications and more accurate voice recognition, amongst other uses.

Enhanced Camera + Audio

This new Qualcomm compute platform is also designed to enhance camera and audio quality, with virtual surround sound, echo cancellation and noise suppression.

Enterprise-Grade Security

Windows devices powered by this new compute platform are Microsoft Secured-Core PCs, with support for Windows 10 Hypervisor.

Its always connected LTE capability also allows faster manageability for IT administrators managing enterprise and education laptops.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 : Key Specifications

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen features eight Kryo 468 CPU cores, running at up to 2.55 GHz; with support for two LPDDR4x memory channels (up to 2133 MHz).

It comes with the Qualcomm Spectra 255 image signal processor, the Qualcomm Hexagon 692 DSP, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X15 LTE modem built-in.

It supports 4G LTE, as well as 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 : Availability

Devices based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 are expected to be commercially available this summer 2021.

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China Boycotts GIGABYTE Over Low Quality Claims!

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GIGABYTE scrambled to issue an apology, after they were boycotted over their claims of “low quality” manufacturing in China!

Find out what’s going on between GIGABYTE and China!

GIGABYTE Trips Over Claims Of Low Quality Manufacturing In China!

This brouhaha started over the GIGABYTE’s claim that they choose to avoid “low cost” and “low quality” manufacturing in China, manufacturing their laptops instead in Taiwan.

Here is our English translation of what GIGABYTE posted :

MIT

Made In Taiwan Demanding High Quality

Strict quality control is assured by adhering to Taiwanese manufacturing. Unlike other brands that opt for low cost and low quality OEM manufacturing in China, GIGABYTE is committed to creating outstanding and powerful components and laptops.

As a local Taiwanese manufacturer of components and laptops, we guarantee that 90% of our laptops are made in Taiwan, assuring you of high quality control and high quality products.

China Boycotts GIGABYTE Over Low Quality Claims!

Once Chinese netizens discovered what GIGABYTE posted, their outrage was soon made manifest.

On 11 May 2021, the Communist Youth League of China responded with this short message on Weibo – “GIGABYTE, who gave you the courage to say this?”

They also highlighted the part that said, “Unlike other brands that opt for low cost, low quality OEM manufacturing in China…”

Chinese e-commerce companies – JD, Tmall and Suning – swiftly removed all GIGABYTE products from their platforms.

GIGABYTE Quickly Issues Apology

The official Weibo account of AORUS GIGABYTE E-Sports quickly issued a statement of apology, stating :

A few days ago, parts of the text published on our official website are seriously inconsistent with the facts. This was a result of poor internal management of our company.

We sincerely apologise for the discomfort caused to you. At the same time, we also thank gamers and consumers for their attention to our company.

GIGABYTE’s product business includes boards, laptops, computer peripherals, accessories, etc, with production lines all over mainland China, and its production capacity accounts for more than 90%. GIGABYTE is proud of the quality of Chinese production. Chinese production have helped GIGABYTE in creating excellent products and high-quality experiences for customers around the world. The product quality has withstood the test of the market and consumers for many years.

GIGABYTE has been operating in mainland China for more than 20 years, and will conduct a thorough review of the inappropriate remarks and carry out corrective actions to comply with national principles. GIGABYTE will strengthen internal management and training to ensure that all employees are aware of the problem and pay attention to it.

GIGABYTE Technology
11 May 2021

We are not sure if the Chinese authorities would consider this post an official apology, as it was posted by AORUS GIGABYTE E-Sports, which belongs to Ningbo Zhongjia Technology and Trade Co. Ltd. – a subsidiary of Taiwan Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd.

Officially, GIGABYTE Technology hasn’t issued any statement.

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2021 Dell Latitude 5520 : Our In-Depth Review!

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Made with bioplastics from trees, the Dell Latitude 5520 is not only more powerful, it promises a longer battery life and other improvements.

Join us for a close look at the new 2021 Dell Latitude 5520 business laptop!

Dell Latitude 5520 : 15.6-inch Business Laptop

The Dell Latitude 5520 is a 15.6-inch business laptop powered by the latest 11th Gen Intel Core processor, with a longer battery life.

The first Dell laptop to be made with bioplastics from trees, it offers environmentally-conscious businesses a way to minimise their ecological footprint.

Dell Latitude 5520 : Specifications + Options

The Dell Latitude 5520 can be configured to suit your requirements.

Here are the options available in Malaysia. You may get different options in other countries.

Specifications	2021 Dell Latitude 5520
Display Size	15.6-inch
Display Options	Full HD IPS (1920 x 1200, 250 nits) HD TN (1366 x 768, 220 nits)
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)
CPU + GPU Options	Intel Core i7-1185G7 + Iris Xe Graphics Intel Core i5-1145G7 + Iris Xe Graphics Intel Core i5-1135G7 + Iris Xe Graphics
Memory Options	DDR4-3200 (8 / 16 GB)
Storage Options	PCIe NVMe SSD (256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB)
Audio	Realtek Waves MaxxAudio Pro audio 2 x 2 watt speakers Dual array microphones 3.5 mm audio jack
Wireless	Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (2×2) Bluetooth 5.1
External Ports	2 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type C) ports – with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 port with PowerShare 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 port 1 x HDMI 2.0 port 1 x 3.5 mm audio port 1 x RJ-45 Ethernet port 1 x microSD card slot 1 x (optional) micro SIM tray 1 x (optional) smart card reader
Camera	720p webcam only 720p webcam + IR camera 1080p webcam + IR camera
Fingerprint Sensor	Optional, integrated into Power button
Keyboard	Backlit keyboard with numeric keypad
Battery	3-cell 42 Whr lithium-ion battery 4-cell 63 Whr lithium-ion battery
Charger	45 watt USB Type C charger
Dimensions	357.8 mm wide 233.3 mm deep 19.87 mm thick
Weight	Starting from 1.59 kg

Dell Latitude 5520 : Box Contents

The Dell Latitude 5520 comes in a plain brown cardboard box, with minimal materials to waste. Inside, you will find :

Dell Latitude 5520 laptop
Dell Latitude 5520 quick user guide + safety and regulatory information
65 watt compact charger with USB Type C cable
Localised power cord

Next Page > Dell Latitude 5520 : A Closer Look!

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Dell Latitude 5520 : A Closer Look!

15.6-inch IPS Display

The Dell Latitude 5520 comes with a large 15.6-inch IPS display, with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It does not have touch capability, which is not needed by most business users.

It has a maximum brightness of 250 nits, which is good enough for indoor use. However, you may have issues using it outdoors in bright sunlight.

For companies on a budget, Dell also offers a HD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, and a lower brightness of 220 nits.

Built-In Privacy Shutter

Our review unit came with a high-resolution 1080p webcam, with an IR emitter and camera for Windows Hello facial authentication.

Dell also offers a cheaper 720p webcam, with and without the IR camera.

Both options come with a built-in privacy shutter – a critical feature for security-conscious business users.

Performance

Our Dell Latitude 5520 is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor – a 4-core, 8-thread processor with 12 MB of cache and Iris Xe graphics.

You can also opt for the Core i5-1145G7 or the Core i5-1135G7 – both 4-core, 8-thread processors with Iris Xe graphics.

The processor and its integrated graphics are kept cool by the Dual Opposite Outlet fans, with side venting for improved airflow and cooling performance.

Our unit came with 16 GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory running at 3200 MHz, and a 512 GB Western Digital SN730 NVMe PCIe SSD.

Ports

Despite its large 15.6-inch form factor, the Latitude 5520 is slim at just under 20 mm.

Even so, its slightly thicker chassis lets Dell fit in more ports than slimmer designs like the XPS 13.

On the left side, you will find two Thunderbolt 4 (USB 3.2 Gen 2) Type C ports, both of which support PowerDelivery and DisplayPort output.

The Latitude 5520 is charged using a USB Type C cable, so it must be plugged into one of these two USB Type C ports.

There is a large row of cooling vents, and a slot for the optional Smart Card reader.

On the right side, you will find a microSD card reader, a 3.5 mm microphone and headphone combo port, with two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A ports.

And next to them are a full-sized HDMI 2.0 port, an RJ-45 LAN port, and a wedge security lock.

Keyboard + Touchpad

The Dell Latitude 5520 has a full-sized backlit keyboard, with a numeric keypad.

Business users will love the numeric keypad, but it may need some getting used to for those who are migrating from “regular laptops”.

The touchpad is reasonably sized, but offset to the left – something you may need to get used to.

Connectivity

Our Dell Latitude 5520 comes with the Intel AX201 module, which offers Wi-Fi 6 connectivity with 2×2 antennas and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity.

On top of that, it comes with an RJ-45 LAN port built-in, giving you access to the best and fastest possible network connectivity.

Audio

The Dell Latitude 5520 features two front-firing speakers with 2 watts power output, powered by Realtek Waves MaxxAudio Pro.

It also comes with a 3.5 mm microphone / headphone combo jack, and dual microphone array.

Next Page > Dell Latitude 5520 : Performance + Verdict!

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Dell Latitude 5520 : Performance

Our Dell Latitude 5520 is powered by the 28 watt Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor, with 4 cores and 8 threads, and Iris Xe Graphics with 96 Execution Units.

This processor has 12 MB of L3 cache, a 3.0 GHz base frequency that ramps up to 4.8 GHz during intensive tasks.

Our review sample came with 16 GB of DDR4-3200 memory – in dual memory channels, of course, and a 512 GB Western Digital SN730 SSD.

Work Performance : PCMark 10

The Intel Core i7-1185G7 is a 28 watt processor that can be configured to run at a lower TDP of 12 watt – to improve battery life and reduce thermal output.

Dell left it at the full 28 watt TDP for maximum performance, so it delivered PCMark 10 scores in excess of 4800.

This makes the Dell Latitude 5520 about 15% faster than the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, which uses the Intel Core i7-10510U 25W processor, and 25% faster than the XPS 13, which uses a down-clocked Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor at 15 W.

Gaming Performance : 3DMark Time Spy

The Dell Latitude 5520 is not meant to be a gaming system, but it has surprisingly decent gaming chops.

The Intel Core i7-1185G7 comes with integrated Iris Xe Graphics, with 96 execution units and maximum clock speed of 1.35 GHz.

That gave it a 3DMark Time Spy score just shy of 1190. That makes it about as fast as the NVIDIA GeForce MX350, and a little faster than the Radeon RX Vega 5 integrated graphics used in Ryzen 4000 Mobile processors.

Battery Life : YouTube + Modern Office

Our Dell Latitude 5520 came with a 4-cell lithium-ion battery, that has a rated capacity of 63 Whr.

To test its battery life, we locked the brightness at 50% – higher than the average of 40% – to see how it performs in these worst-case scenarios :

YouTube Streaming

The Dell Latitude 5520 lasted 8 hours 18 minutes streaming YouTube videos in the theatre mode using Wi-Fi, before its battery dropped to 10%.

PCMark 10 : Modern Office

The Dell Latitude 5520 lasted a phenomenal 11 hours before it powered off while running the Modern Office benchmark!

Battery Recharging Speed

Its 45 watt compact fast charger supports ExpressCharge Boost, which lets it deliver up to 35% charge in about 20 minutes, or up to 80% charge in an hour.

In our test, its fast charger took 29 minutes to charge from 10% to 35%, and took about 82 minutes to hit 80%. For a full charge to 100%, it took 142 minutes.

Here are our recorded recharging time from 10% :

16% – 6 minutes 36 seconds
22% – 13 minutes 38 seconds
25% – 17 minutes 25 seconds
31% – 23 minutes 53 seconds
35% – 29 minutes 15 seconds
40% – 35 minutes 12 seconds
45% – 41 minutes 19 seconds
51% – 48 minutes 18 seconds
60% – 59 minutes 34 seconds
66% – 65 minutes 22 seconds
71% – 71 minutes 19 seconds
76% – 77 minutes 19 seconds
81% – 83 minutes 14 seconds
90% – 95 minutes 16 seconds
95% – 107 minutes 18 seconds
100% – 142 minutes 10 seconds

This gives it a battery life : recharging time ratio of 3.5 : 1 for video streaming, and 4.7 : 1 for office work.

As a general rule of thumb, you will need to recharge its battery about 17 minutes for every hour of battery life.

Dell Latitude 5520 : Verdict

The Dell Latitude 5520 is not a sleek ultralight laptop like the XPS 13, it is a large, powerful business laptop.

Its large 15.6-inch display makes it a great desktop replacement, and yet is surprisingly thin and light – it is less than 2 cm thick, and weighs only 1.6 kg.

We strongly recommend the Full HD IPS panel, over the low-resolution HD TN panel option, which would look blurry / blocky on such a large display.

Built around the latest 11th Gen Intel Core processor, with integrated Iris Xe Graphics, it offers more than enough processing power for business users for many years to come.

Business users will appreciate the availability of at least two USB-C and two USB-A ports, as well as an actual RJ-45 LAN port and a HDMI 2.0 port too!

If you input a lot of numbers, you will also appreciate the keyboard which comes with a numeric keypad, which is not available in most consumer laptops.

On top of that, the Latitude 5520 comes with a built-in physical shutter for the webcam – a must-have for security conscious users!

If you are a road warrior, we definitely recommend getting the 4-cell battery for extended battery life, which should last you about 11 hours!

All-in-all, this is a solid, no-nonsense business laptop that lets you get work done as quickly and efficiently as possible, no matter whether you are working from home, or on the road.

Finally, we should mention Dell’s truly excellent onsite warranty. With the Latitude 5520, you get 3 years of ProSupport and Next Business Day Onsite Service!

For people who count on their laptops to make a living, NBD onsite service is a MUST!

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Epson EcoTank L3150 / ET-2710 Review : Editor’s Choice!

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If you want a cheap colour printer that can print great photos for mere pennies, we give you – the Epson EcoTank L3150, also known as the EcoTank ET-2710 in some markets.

Find out why we gave this affordable multifunction colour printer our Editor’s Choice Award!

Epson EcoTank Family : A Quick Primer!

Pearly Lee, Product Manage of Epson Malaysia explains the key features and benefits of the Epson EcoTank printer family. Note their vast advantages over their laser and ink cartridge printer rivals.

The EcoTank M-series has 24 times lower power consumption, and deliver 28 times lower overall cost per print compared to laser printers, with a single Epson EcoTank Monochrome bottle yielding 6,000 black and white pages!

The EcoTank L-series colour printers, on the other hand, delivers incredibly low cost per print of 0.52 sen (0.13 cent) per page for black, and 0.94 sen (0.24 cent) per page for colour.

How did they do that? A set of 4 Epson ink bottles yields 4,500 black and white pages and 7,500 colour pages!

In this review, we are going to take a look at the mainstay of the L series – the EcoTank L3150 (also known as EcoTank ET-2710 in some markets).

Epson EcoTank L3150 : Price + Availability

The Epson EcoTank L3150 is available for purchase with a recommended retail price of RM 599, which is about US$140 / £110 / A$199 / S$195. Here are some online purchase options :

Malaysia : RM 599 | RM 599 | RM 599 | RM 599 | RM 599
Singapore : S$260 | S$266 | S$269 | S$279
United Kingdom : £179.99
Australia : A$364 | A$379

And here’s where to check how much the Epson 003 / 103 / 104 ink bottles cost :

Malaysia : Black | Cyan | Yellow | Magenta
Singapore : Set of 4 | Black | Cyan | Yellow | Magenta
United Kingdom : Black | Cyan | Yellow | Magenta
Australia : Price Check

And here’s where to buy Epson Photo Papers :

Malaysia : Premium Glossy 4R | Economy A4 | Premium Glossy A4
Singapore : Premium Glossy 4R | Economy A4 | Premium Glossy A4
US : Premium Glossy 4R | Premium Letter | Value 4R | Value Letter
UK : Premium Glossy 4R | Premium Glossy A4 | Premium Semi-Gloss A4
Australia : Premium Semi-Gloss 4R | Ultra Glossy 4R | Glossy A4 | Ultra Glossy A4

Epson EcoTank L3150 : What’s Inside The Box?

The Epson EcoTank L3150 comes with everything you need to print right out of the box. All you need is paper :

One Epson EcoTank L3150 printer
One set of Epson 003 ink bottles (CMYK)
One set of Epson L3150 user guides and software CD
One set of power cable and USB data cable

Next Page > Key Features + Specifications

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Epson EcoTank L3150 : Key Features

The Epson EcoTank L3150 is the mainstay of the EcoTank L-series of multifunction colour printers, offering the ability to scan, copy and print in colour wirelessly.

Colour Scanning + Copying

Flip open the top cover, and you will find a high-resolution colour scanner, with a resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi, and a 24-bit colour depth.

This built-in scanner lets you make black and white or colour photocopies, albeit only at a lower resolution of 600 x 600 dpi.

Colour Printing

The Epson EcoTank L3150 uses Variable-Sized Droplet technology to deliver a maximum print resolution of 5760 x 1440 dpi, at up to 33 pages per minute (black) and 15 pages per minute (colour).

But its call to fame is its EcoTank system, with CYMK colours – cyan, yellow, magenta and black – that delivers incredibly low cost per print.

A single set of four Epson 003 ink bottles (Epson 103 / 104 in some countries) will let you print up to 4,500 pages (black) and 7,500 pages (colour).

That works out to just 0.52 sen (0.13 cent) per page for black, and 0.94 sen (0.24 cent) per page for colour!

USB + Wireless Connectivity

Like other printers, it can be connected to your computer through a USB cable. However, it is not even necessary to use the cable.

The EcoTank L3150 has WiFi-N connectivity built-in, so you can just plug in the power cable and start printing wirelessly from your computer, or even your smartphone or tablet.

In fact, you can even print remotely from your devices through Google Cloud Print!

Paper Support

The Epson EcoTank L3150 supports printing on paper up to A4 or Letter, with a maximum weight of 80 g/m2 for plain paper.

But it supports photo paper, which are much thicker and heavier. Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper, for example, has a paper weight of 225 g/m2.

It also supports 4R borderless printing – that’s 4 inch x 6 inch, preferably using the Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper.

The print quality on plain paper is acceptable for presentations, but not for photos – they appear dull as you can see in the video above.

For photo printing, you must use photo paper. The print quality on photo paper is worlds apart from what you can get on plain paper. The colours are deeper and a lot more vibrant, and your photos will actually look like photos!

The video may not show it, but the detail in the photo is amazing. As long as you print with high-resolution photos, the printer will deliver colour print resolution of up to 5760 x 1440 dots per inch!

The print-outs do come out a little darker than our display. But that’s easily corrected by adjusting the exposure in the photos before printing.

But without a doubt, the Epson L3150 offers a very cheap photo printing solution. The cost of printing a large A4 photo is only 75 sen (about 18 cents), including both photo paper and ink!

Epson EcoTank L3150 : Specifications

Specifications	Epson EcoTank L3150
Printer Type	Multi-Function (Print, Scan, Copy)
Printing Technology	Piezoelectric Inkjet
Nozzle Configuration	Black : 180 nozzles Yellow : 59 nozzles Magenta : 59 nozzles Cyan : 59 nozzles
Print Direction	Bi-Directional
Maximum Print Resolution	5760 x 1440 dpi (Variable-Sized Droplet Technology)
Minimum Ink Droplet size	3 picolitre
Automatic 2-Sided Printing	No
Print Speed	4×6″ Photo (Border) : 69 seconds 4×6″ Photo (Borderless) : 90 seconds A4 Black (Draft) : 33 ppm A4 Black (Simplex) : 10 ipm A4 Colour (Draft) : 15 ppm A4 Colour (Simplex) : 5 ipm
Paper Support	Premium Glossy Photo Paper : 20 sheets Envelope : 10 sheets Postcard : 30 sheets A4 / Letter Paper (80 g/m2) : 100 sheets
Print Noise	Plain Paper : 52 dB(A) Premium Photo Paper : 38 dB(A)
Ink Bottle Yield	Black : 4,500 pages Cyan + Magenta + Yellow : 7,500 pages
Maximum Paper Size	215.9 mm x 1200 mm
Scanner Type	Flatbed Colour Scanner
Scanner Sensor	Contact Image Sensor (CIS)
Optical Resolution	1200 x 2400 dpi
Scanner Bit Depth	48-bit input, 24-bit output
Scan Speed	Black, 200 dpi : 11 seconds Colour, 200 dpi : 28 seconds
Maximum Scan Area	216 mm x 297 mm
Copy Size	A4 / Letter
Copy Resolution	600 x 600 dpi
Copy Speed	Black : 7.7 ipm Colour : 3.8 ipm
Connectivity	Wired : USB 2.0 LAN : No Wireless : WiFi-N (with Wi-Fi Direct)
Power Consumption	Operating : 12 W Standby : 4.3 W Sleep : 0.7 W Power Off : 0.3 W

Next Page > Verdict + Award | Where To Buy!

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Epson EcoTank L3150 : Our Verdict + Award

When Epson first revealed their EcoTank system, we were very impressed. Finally, we could now print to our heart’s content without breaking the bank.

The Epson EcoTank L3150 is not only highly affordable at just RM 599 (about US$140 / £110 / A$199 / S$195), it offers really low printing costs.

A single set of ink bottles, which costs less than RM 90 (US$21 / £16 / A$29 / S$29) will let you print up to 24 reams of paper – 12,000 pages. That’s A LOT of printing!

Of course, the ink usage and cost is higher if you print in high quality. But even if you get half the rated capacity, it’s so cheap you wouldn’t even bother with “compatible ink” options.

The Epson EcoTank L3150 is a great photo printer, just not on plain paper. You must print photos on photo paper. We cannot stress this enough.

The print quality on plain paper lacks the vividness and deep colours you can get from photo printers with 6-ink or 8-ink print systems, or if you use photo paper.

Photo paper not only delivers the vibrant colours and incredible print resolution, it is also thicker. The recommended Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper, for example, has a paper weight of 225 gm.

Malaysia : Premium Glossy 4R | Economy A4 | Premium Glossy A4
Singapore : Premium Glossy 4R | Economy A4 | Premium Glossy A4
US : Premium Glossy 4R | Premium Letter | Value 4R | Value Letter
UK : Premium Glossy 4R | Premium Glossy A4 | Premium Semi-Gloss A4
Australia : Premium Semi-Gloss 4R | Ultra Glossy 4R | Glossy A4 | Ultra Glossy A4

While the L3150 is officially limited to 80 gm plain paper, it supports much heavier photo paper. So unofficially, it will support art card and heavier plain paper stocks.

The Epson EcoTank L3150 is, ultimately, an affordable multifunction printer for the family or SOHO.

It lets you freely print and make colour copies without worrying about the cost; with the ability to scan full A4 / Letter documents.

We cannot stress the very low cost of ownership enough, because many competing printers are cheaper, but kill you with their high printing costs.

On top of that, it offers fast and convenient wireless printing capability, not just on the same wireless network, but literally from anywhere in the world!

Because it offers a great combination of features, excellent print quality, and low cost of ownership, we believe the Epson EcoTank L3150 deserves no less than our Editor’s Choice Award! Great job, Epson!

Epson EcoTank L3150 : Where To Buy

The Epson EcoTank L3150 is available for purchase with a recommended retail price of RM 599, which is about US$140 / £110 / A$199 / S$195. Here are some online purchase options :

Malaysia : RM 599 | RM 599 | RM 599 | RM 599 | RM 599
Singapore : S$260 | S$266 | S$269 | S$279
United Kingdom : £179.99
Australia : A$364 | A$379

And here’s where to check how much the Epson 003 / 103 / 104 ink bottles cost :

Malaysia : Black | Cyan | Yellow | Magenta
Singapore : Set of 4 | Black | Cyan | Yellow | Magenta
United Kingdom : Black | Cyan | Yellow | Magenta
Australia : Price Check

And here’s where to buy Epson Photo Papers :

Malaysia : Premium Glossy 4R | Economy A4 | Premium Glossy A4
Singapore : Premium Glossy 4R | Economy A4 | Premium Glossy A4
US : Premium Glossy 4R | Premium Letter | Value 4R | Value Letter
UK : Premium Glossy 4R | Premium Glossy A4 | Premium Semi-Gloss A4
Australia : Premium Semi-Gloss 4R | Ultra Glossy 4R | Glossy A4 | Ultra Glossy A4

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2021 HUAWEI MateBook X Pro Laptop : A Quick Preview!

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HUAWEI just unveiled their 2021 edition of the ultra-premium MateBook X Pro laptop!

Take a look at the 2021 MateBook X Pro laptop, and find out what it offers!

2021 HUAWEI MateBook X Pro Laptop : A Quick Intro!

First, let’s start with this official HUAWEI promotional video that showcases the key features of the new 2021 MateBook laptops!

It consists of not just the MateBook X Pro , but also two MateBook D 15 variants, the MateBook D 14 and the MateBook 14!

2021 HUAWEI MateBook X Pro : Specifications

The newly-refreshed 2021 HUAWEI MateBook X Pro has these key specifications

Specifications	HUAWEI MateBook X Pro
Display	13.9-inch FullView Display – 3000 x 2000pixels, 260 ppi – 450 nits max. brightness – 91% screen-to-body-ratio – 100% sRGB colour gamut – 1500:1 contrast ratio – 10-point touchscreen
OS	Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Processor	Intel Core i5-1135G7
Memory	16 GB LPDDR4x
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Storage	512 GB PCIe SSD
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6, 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.1
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes, integrated into Power button
Ports	2 x USB Type C 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A 1 x 3.5 mm audio port
Webcam	720p recessed camera
Speakers	2 x 2 watt speaker
Battery	56 Whr
Power Adaptor	65 W USB-C power adaptor
Dimensions	304.0 mm wide 217.0 mm deep 14.6 mm thick
Weight	1.33 kg

2021 HUAWEI MateBook X Pro : Key Features

Let’s take a look at its key features…

13.9-inch FullView Display

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook X Pro comes with a 13.9-inch FullView Display, with a 3K resolution of 3000 x 2000 pixels.

This is a premium 10-point touch display, with a maximum brightness of 450 nits; and a decent colour gamut of 100% sRGB.

It also has vey narrow bezels which give it a 91% screen-to-body ratio – hence the name, FullView Display.

Performance

It is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor with integrated Intel Xe Graphics.

It comes with 16 GB of LPDDR4x memory, and a fast PCIe NVMe SSD with 512 GB of storage.

Battery + Charging

All that is powered by a large 56 Whr battery, which is paired with a compact 65 watt USB Type C fast charger.

This charger can be used to charge other USB Type C devices, and supports HUAWEI SuperCharge for certain HUAWEI smartphones.

Connectivity + Ports

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook X Pro has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity built-in, but comes with the same ports as the 2020 version.

On the left side, you will find two USB Type C ports, with a 3.5 mm audio port. The USB C ports can output to external 4K displays at up to 60 Hz.

On the right side, you will find single USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A port. This is basically a USB 3.0 port.

Keyboard + Touchpad

The 2021 MateBook X Pro comes with a full-sized, ten-keyless keyboard, and a large touchpad.

Pop-Up Camera

Like the 2020 MateBook X Pro we reviewed, the 2021 MateBook 14 comes with a pop-up camera, hidden under a special camera key on the keyboard.

It pops up when you press on it, and pressing it again hides it. This is a great security measure because the camera is physically blocked until you actually need to use it – no hacker will be able to surreptitiously use it to take your photos or videos!

There is only one problem with such a design – it takes photos and videos at an unflattering upward angle. You will also always appear to look upwards on video conferences, and videos that you record.

HUAWEI Share Multi-Screen Collaboration

The 2021 MateBook X Pro supports HUAWEI Share for multi-screen collaboration.

It basically lets you connect your smartphone, and use it directly on the MateBook D 15!

You can control the apps and files on your phone directly on the laptop, even drag and drop files!

The only downside? It is limited to HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones with NFC.

HUAWEI MeeTime

The 2021 MateBook X Pro also supports HUAWEI MeeTime, which is their version of Apple FaceTime – a free, proprietary video call service.

It offers some advantages over its competitors – FaceTime, WhatsApp, etc. but can only be used by HUAWEI devices.

2021 HUAWEI MateBook X Pro Laptop : Price + Deal!

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 comes in the Emerald Green colour, with an official launch price of RM 6,899 (about US$1,679 / £1,209 / A$2,171 / S$2,228).

The first 1,500 customers to pre-order one from 20 to 23 April 2021, will receive free gifts worth RM 800 :

HUAWEI Backpack Swift
HUAWEI Bluetooth Mouse Swift
City Travel Gift Package
Microsoft Office 365 (1 Year Subscription)

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2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 Laptop : A Quick Preview!

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HUAWEI just unveiled their 2021 edition of the higher-end MateBook 14 laptop!

Take a look at the 2021 MateBook 14 laptop, and find out what it offers!

2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 Laptop : A Quick Intro!

First, let’s start with this official HUAWEI promotional video that showcases the key features of the new 2021 MateBook laptops!

It consists of not just the MateBook 14 , but also two MateBook D 15 variants, the MateBook D 14 and the MateBook X Pro!

2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 : Specifications

The newly-refreshed 2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 has these key specifications

Specifications	HUAWEI MateBook 14
Display	14-inch FullView Display – 2160 x 1440 pixels, 185 ppi – 300 nits max. brightness – 90% screen-to-body-ratio – 100% sRGB colour gamut – 1500:1 contrast ratio
OS	Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Processor	Intel Core i5-1135G7
Memory	16 GB DDR4-3200
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Storage	512 GB PCIe SSD
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6, 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.1
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes, integrated into Power button
Ports	1 x USB Type C 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A 1 x HDMI 1.4b 1 x 3.5 mm audio port
Webcam	720p recessed camera
Speakers	2 x 2 watt speaker
Battery	56 Whr
Power Adaptor	65 W USB-C power adaptor
Dimensions	307.5 mm wide 223.8 mm deep 15.9 mm thick
Weight	1.49 kg

2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 : Key Features

Let’s take a look at its key features…

14-inch FullView Display

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 comes with a 14-inch FullView Display, with a 2K resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels.

This is not a particularly bright display, with a maximum brightness of 300 nits; but it has a decent colour gamut of 100% sRGB.

It also has vey narrow bezels which give it a 90% screen-to-body ratio – hence the name, FullView Display.

Performance

It is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor with integrated Intel Xe Graphics.

It comes with 16 GB of DDR4-3200 memory, and a fast PCIe NVMe SSD with 512 GB of storage.

Battery + Charging

All that is powered by a large 56 Whr battery, that HUAWEI claims will last 11 hours of non-stop 1080p video playback.

It is paired with a compact 65 watt USB Type C fast charger, that can be used to charge other USB Type C devices, and supports HUAWEI SuperCharge for certain HUAWEI smartphones.

Connectivity + Ports

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity built-in.

On the left side, you will find a single USB Type C port, with a 3.5 mm audio port and a HDMI 1.4b port.

The HDMI 1.4b port can handle up to 4K displays, but only at up to 24 fps. To display at 4K @ 50 fps / 60 fps, you need HDMI 2.0.

On the right side, you will find two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A ports. These are basically USB 3.0 ports.

Keyboard + Touchpad

The 2021 MateBook 14 comes with a full-sized, ten-keyless keyboard, and a large touchpad.

Pop-Up Camera

Like the MateBook X Pro we reviewed, the 2021 MateBook 14 comes with a pop-up camera, hidden under a special camera key on the keyboard.

HUAWEI Share Multi-Screen Collaboration

The 2021 MateBook 14 supports HUAWEI Share for multi-screen collaboration.

It basically lets you connect your smartphone, and use it directly on the MateBook D 15!

You can control the apps and files on your phone directly on the laptop, even drag and drop files!

The only downside? It is limited to HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones with NFC.

HUAWEI MeeTime

The 2021 MateBook 14 also supports HUAWEI MeeTime, which is their version of Apple FaceTime – a free, proprietary video call service.

It offers some advantages over its competitors – FaceTime, WhatsApp, etc. but can only be used by HUAWEI devices.

2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 Laptop : Price + Deal!

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook 14 comes in the Space Grey colour, with an official launch price of RM 4,899 (about US$1,192 / £859 / A$1,542 / S$1,583).

The first 1,500 customers to pre-order one from 20 to 23 April 2021, will receive free gifts worth RM 800 :

HUAWEI Backpack Swift
HUAWEI Bluetooth Mouse Swift
City Travel Gift Package
Microsoft Office 365 (1 Year Subscription)

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2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 Laptop : A Quick Preview!

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HUAWEI just unveiled their 2021 edition of the MateBook D 14 laptop!

Take a look at the 2021 MateBook D 14, and find out what it offers!

2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 Laptop : A Quick Intro!

First, let’s start with this official HUAWEI promotional video that showcases the key features of the new 2021 MateBook laptops!

It consists of not just the MateBook D 14 , but also two MateBook D 15 variants, the MateBook 14 and the MateBook X Pro!

2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 : Specifications

The newly-refreshed 2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 has these key specifications

Specifications	HUAWEI MateBook D14
Display	14-inch FullView Display – 1920 x 1080 pixels, 157 ppi – 250 nits max. brightness – 84% screen-to-body-ratio – 45% NTSC colour gamut – 800:1 contrast ratio
OS	Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Processor	Intel Core i5-10210U
Memory	8 GB / 16 GB DDR4-3200
Graphics	Intel UHD Graphics
Storage	256 GB / 512 GB PCIe SSD
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6, 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.1
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes, integrated into Power button
Ports	1 x USB Type C 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A 1 x USB 2.0 Type A 1 x HDMI 1.4b 1 x 3.5 mm audio port
Webcam	720p recessed camera
Speakers	2 x 2 watt speaker
Battery	42 Whr
Power Adaptor	65 W USB-C power adaptor
Dimensions	322.5 mm wide 214.8 mm deep 15.9 mm thick
Weight	1.38 kg

2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 : Key Features

Let’s take a look at its key features…

14-inch FullView Display

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 comes with a 14-inch FullView Display, with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

This is not a particularly bright display, with a maximum brightness of just 250 nits; and it only has a colour gamut of 45% NTSC.

But it is large, with narrow bezels that give it an 84% screen-to-body ratio – hence the name, FullView Display.

Performance

It is powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10210U with integrated Intel UHD Graphics.

It comes with either 8 GB or 16 GB of DDR4-3200 memory, and a fast PCIe NVMe SSD with 256 GB or 512 GB of storage.

Battery + Charging

All that is powered by a decent 42 Whr battery, paired with a compact 65 watt USB Type C fast charger.

The charger can be used to charge other USB Type C devices, and supports HUAWEI SuperCharge for certain HUAWEI smartphones.

Connectivity + Ports

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity built-in.

On the left side, you will find a single USB Type C port, with a USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A port and a HDMI 1.4b port.

The HDMI 1.4b port can handle up to 4K displays, but only at up to 24 fps. To display at 4K @ 50 fps / 60 fps, you need HDMI 2.0.

On the right side, you will find a 3.5 mm audio port, and a single USB 2.0 Type A port.

We have to wonder though – why stick with super-old USB 2.0, instead of the much faster USB 3.0 port?

Keyboard + Touchpad

The 2021 MateBook D 14 comes with a full-sized, ten-keyless keyboard, and a large touchpad.

Pop-Up Camera

Like the MateBook X Pro we reviewed, the 2021 MateBook D 14 comes with a pop-up camera, hidden under a special camera key on the keyboard.

HUAWEI Share Multi-Screen Collaboration

The 2021 MateBook D 14 supports HUAWEI Share for multi-screen collaboration.

It basically lets you connect your smartphone, and use it directly on the MateBook D 15!

You can control the apps and files on your phone directly on the laptop, even drag and drop files!

The only downside? It is limited to HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones with NFC.

HUAWEI MeeTime

The 2021 MateBook D 14 also supports HUAWEI MeeTime, which is their version of Apple FaceTime – a free, proprietary video call service.

It offers some advantages over its competitors – FaceTime, WhatsApp, etc. but can only be used by HUAWEI devices.

2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 Laptop : Price + Deal!

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 14 comes in the Mystic Silver colour, with an official launch price of RM 3,499 (about US$850 / £609 / A$1,095 / S$1,129).

The first 1,500 customers to pre-order one from 20 to 23 April 2021, will receive free gifts worth RM 800 :

HUAWEI Backpack Swift
City Travel Gift Package
Microsoft Office 365 (1 Year Subscription)

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2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 15 Laptops : A Quick Preview!

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HUAWEI just launched their 2021 edition of the MateBook D 15 laptops in two variants!

Here is a quick preview of both variants of the 2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 15 laptops!

2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 15 Laptops : A Quick Intro!

First, let’s start with this official HUAWEI promotional video that showcases the key features of the new 2021 MateBook laptops!

It consists of not just the two MateBook D 15 variants, but also the MateBook D 14, the MateBook 14 and the MateBook X Pro!

2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 15 Laptops : Two Variants

In their 2021 refresh, HUAWEI is offering the MateBook D 15 in two variants – the 11th Gen Edition, and the 10th Gen Edition.

As you can pretty much surmise, they are basically the same laptop, just powered by either the 11th Gen Core i5 processor, or the older 10th Gen Core i5 processor.

To make it easier for you to compare them, we created this table comparing their key specifications :

Specifications	HUAWEI MateBook D15
	11th Gen Edition	10th Gen Edition
Display	15.6-inch FullView Display – 1920 x 1080 pixels, 141 ppi – 250 nits max. brightness – 87% screen-to-body-ratio – 45% NTSC colour gamut – 800:1 contrast ratio
OS	Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Processor	Intel Core i5-1135G7	Intel Core i5-10210U
Memory	8 GB / 16 GB DDR4	8 GB DDR4
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce MX250 Intel UHD Graphics
Storage	512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6, 2×2 MIMO	Wi-Fi 5, 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.1	Bluetooth 5.0
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes, integrated into Power button
Ports	1 x USB Type C 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A 2 x USB 2.0 Type A 1 x HDMI 1.4b 1 x 3.5 mm audio port
Webcam	720p recessed camera
Speakers	2 x 2 watt speaker
Battery	42 Whr
Power Adaptor	65 W USB-C power adaptor
Dimensions	357.8 mm wide 229.9 mm deep 16.9 mm thick
Weight	1.56 kg

2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 15 Laptops : Key Features

Let’s take a look at their key features…

15.6-inch FullView Display

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 15 comes with a large 15.6-inch FullView Display, with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

This is not a particularly bright display, with a maximum brightness of just 250 nits; and it only has a colour gamut of 45% NTSC.

But it is large, with narrow bezels that give it an 87% screen-to-body ratio – hence the name, FullView Display.

Performance

HUAWEI offers two variants, with different CPU + GPU options :

11th Gen Edition : Intel Core i5-1135G7 with Intel Xe Graphics
10th Gen Edition : Intel Core i5-10210U with NVIDIA GeForce MX250

They both come with fast DDR4 memory, and a fast PCIe NVMe SSD with 512 GB of storage.

Battery + Charging

All that is powered by a decent 42 Whr battery, paired with a compact 65 watt USB Type C fast charger.

The charger can be used to charge other USB Type C devices, and supports HUAWEI SuperCharge for certain HUAWEI smartphones.

Connectivity

The 11th Gen Edition supports faster Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, while the 10th Gen Edition supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

Ports

On the left side, you will find a single USB Type C port, with a USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A port and a HDMI 1.4b port.

In case you are wondering, the HDMI 1.4b port can handle up to 4K displays, but only at up to 24 fps. To display at 4K @ 50 fps / 60 fps, you need HDMI 2.0.

On the right side, you will find a 3.5 mm audio port, as well as two USB 2.0 Type A ports.

We have to wonder though – why stick with super-old USB 2.0, instead of the much faster USB 3.0 ports?

Keyboard + Touchpad

The 2021 MateBook D 15 comes with a full-sized, ten-keyless keyboard, and a large touchpad.

Pop-Up Camera

Like the MateBook X Pro we reviewed, the 2021 MateBook D 15 comes with a pop-up camera, hidden under a special camera key on the keyboard.

HUAWEI Share Multi-Screen Collaboration

The 2021 MateBook D 15 supports HUAWEI Share for multi-screen collaboration.

It basically lets you connect your smartphone, and use it directly on the MateBook D 15!

You can control the apps and files on your phone directly on the laptop, even drag and drop files!

The only downside? It is limited to HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones with NFC.

HUAWEI MeeTime

The 2021 MateBook D 15 also supports HUAWEI MeeTime, which is their version of Apple FaceTime – a free, proprietary video call service.

It offers some advantages over its competitors – FaceTime, WhatsApp, etc. but can only be used by HUAWEI devices.

2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 15 Laptops : Price + Deals!

The 2021 HUAWEI MateBook D 15 comes in the Mystic Silver colour, with these official launch prices :

11th Gen Edition : RM 3,899 (about US$947 / £678 / A$1,218 / S$1,258)
10th Gen Edition : RM 3,299 (about US$802 / £574 / A$1,030 / S$1,064)

The first 1,500 customers to pre-order the 10th Gen or 11th Gen Edition from 20 to 23 April 2021, will receive free gifts worth RM 800 :

HUAWEI Backpack Swift
City Travel Gift Package
Microsoft Office 365 (1 Year Subscription)

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2021 Acer Nitro 5 : Ryzen 9 + RTX 3080 FTW!

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Acer just introduced the 2021 Nitro 5 gaming laptop, powered by Ryzen 9 and GeForce RTX 3080!

Here is what you need to know about this new super-fast Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop!

2021 Acer Nitro 5 : Ryzen 9 + RTX 3080 FTW!

The 2021 Acer Nitro 5 just got a MASSIVE upgrade! You can now opt for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX mobile processor, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics!

It even comes with two DDR4-3200 slots with up to 32 GB memory, and two M.2 slots of PCIe NVMe SSDs! On top of that, it comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Killer Ethernet E2600 connectivity built-in.

The 2021 Nitro 5 boasts a 15.6-inch IPS display with a 165 Hz refresh rate with a QHD resolution, or a stupendously fast 360 Hz refresh rate with a FHD resolution. Both options offer a 3 ms response time for minimal ghosting.

To ensure the 2021 Nitro 5 can withstand even the most intense gaming sessions, it features a revamped thermal system with dual fans and four exhaust fans. On top of that, Acer CoolBoost and NitroSense lets you monitor fan speed, and increase it when you need that extra performance.

It also comes with a multitude of ports – a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port with power off charging capability, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and HDMI 2.1 port and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The 2021 Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop sure looks fantastic, doesn’t it?

2021 Acer Nitro 5 : Specification Comparison!

Acer is introducing six variants, in three phases, and here are their key specifications :

2021 Acer Nitro 5 : Pre-Order Deals!

As part of their Zero to Nitro campaign, Acer Malaysia is offering these pre-order deals for the 2021 Nitro 5!

27 to 29 April 2021

Get RM 200 TNG e-Wallet top-up, a Predator Hybrid Backpack, a Predator Galea 350 gaming headset and a Predator Mousepad worth RM 967 when you purchase :

Acer Nitro 5 with AMD Ryzen R7 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 [8GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, 15.6” 144Hz FHD] @ RM 4,899

You can pre-order it at the Shopee Official Store and Acer e-store!

10 to 12 May 2021

Get RM 200 TNG e-Wallet top-up, a Predator Utility Backpack, a Predator Galea 350 gaming headset and a Predator Mousepad worth RM 967 when you purchase :

Acer Nitro 5 with AMD Ryzen R7 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 [16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, 15.6” 144Hz FHD] @ RM 5,799
Acer Nitro 5 with AMD Ryzen R7 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 [16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, 15.6” 165Hz QHD] @ RM 6,399
Acer Nitro 5 with AMD Ryzen R7 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 [16GB RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, 15.6” 165Hz QHD] @ RM 8,999

You can pre-order them at the Shopee Official Store, Acer Certified Store – NBP and Acer e-store!

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Acer Nitro QG241YP : 165 Hz Gaming Monitor Preview!

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Acer just introduced the Nitro QG241YP gaming monitor, which boasts a 165 Hz refresh rate with HDR10 support!

Here is what you need to know about the new Acer Nitro QG241Y gaming monitor!

Acer Nitro QG241YP : 165 Hz Gaming Monitor

The Acer Nitro QG241YP is a 23.8-inch gaming monitor, with a VA panel that supports up to 165 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms VRB response time.

It also features AMD FreeSync Premium technology for smooth, tear-free gaming; and HDR10 with Black Boost technology for greater immersion.

In addition, it comes with ComfyView, BlueLightShield and Low Dimming technologies to help reduce eye strain during long gaming sessions.

The Nitro QG241YP has wide vertical and horizontal viewing angles, but can be tilted for a better viewing angle, or attached to monitor arms using its VEGA mount.

Acer Nitro QG241YP : Specifications

Specifications	Acer Nitro QG241YP
Display Size	23.8-inch
Panel Type	VA
Max. Resolution + Refresh Rate	HDMI : 1920 x 1080 @ 144 Hz DP : 1920 x 1080 @ 165 Hz
Response Time	1 ms VRB
Contrast Ratio	100 million : 1 max (ACM)
Max. Brightness	250 nits (cd/m²)
HDR Support	HDR10
Adaptive Sync	AMD FreeSync Premium
Viewing Angle	178° horizontal, 178° vertical
Max. Colours	16.7 million (8-bit)
Colour Gamut	72% NTSC
Input Ports	1 x HDMI 2.0 1 x HDMI 1.4 1 x DisplayPort
VESA Mount	Yes, 100 x 100 mm
Speaker	Optional (2 watt x 2)
Adjustments	Tilt : -5° to 20°
Power Consumption	Off : 0.4 W Sleep : 0.5 W On : 20 W

Acer Nitro QG241YP : Price + Launch Deal!

The Nitro QG241YP will retail for just RM 749 (about US$181 / £132 / A$237 / S$243), but Acer is offering it at just RM 699 for two days!

You can get this awesome deal even lower at just RM 653!

Here are purchase options in other countries (prices as of 14 April 2021) :

Singapore : $320.13 | $341.81 | $341.81

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NXP iMX 8M Plus To Use Kingston eMMC Memory!

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Kingston just announced that their eMMC memory has been selected to be used in the NXP iMX 8M Plus reference board!

NXP iMX 8M Plus To Use Kingston eMMC Memory!

On 8 April 2021, Kingston Technology announced that their eMMC embedded memory will be featured in NXP iMX 8M Plus evaluation kits.

Although Kingston did not reveal which eMMC part was selected, the picture they released appears to show the EMMC08G-MB29, which boasts these key features :

8 GB capacity
3D TLC in pMLC NAND memory
eMMC 5.1 standard
11.5 x 13 x 0.8 mm package size

They will be used as storage in the NXP iMX 8M Plus reference boards, which will be used for development and engineering verification.

NXP iMX 8M Plus : What Is It?

The NXP iMX 8M Plus is an application processor – a System-On-a-Chip (SoC) designed for infrastructure solutions like smart home, intelligent city and industrial IoT devices.

two or four ARM Cortex-A53 processors (up to 1.8 GHz)
a neural processing unit (NPU) operating at up to 2.3 TOPS
ARM Cortex-M7 controller (up to 800 MHz)
32-bit DDR4 and LPDDR4 interface (up to 4.0 GT/s)
dual image signal processors (ISP) : up to 12 MP, up to 375 MPixels per second
two MIPI CSI camera interfaces
two Gigabit Ethernet LAN interfaces
two USB 3.0 / 2.0 with Type C PHY
PCI Express Gen 3 support
14 nm FinFET process

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Scammer vs Scalper : Five RTX 30 Series Cards Gone!

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A scammer just cheated a scalper out of FIVE GeForce RTX 30 series cards in a COD deal!

Find out how he got cheated in a Cash-On-Delivery exchange, and learn from his mistake!

Scammer vs Scalper : Five RTX 30 Series Cards Gone!

Scalpers have been taking advantage of the graphics card shortage, and massive increase in GPU mining, to make a killing on every graphics card they lay their hands on.

But the high prices and massive profits associated with graphics cards have also attracted scammers, who prowl online marketplaces looking for their greedy marks…

One scalper today shared how he was cheated of five NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics cards. What was even more shocking – he got scammed in a Cash On Delivery deal!

What Did The Scalper Lose?

The scalper lost five GIGABYTE graphics cards :

RTX 3070 AORUS Master (S/N : 210841066018)
RTX 3070 AORUS Master (S/N : lost)
RTX 3070 Gaming OC (S/N : 210841068841)
RTX 3070 Gaming OC : (S/N 210341039296)
RTX 3060 Gaming OC : (S/N 210441056468)

How Much Did The Scalper Lose?

We have no idea how much the deal was supposed to be, but he was quoting freaking high prices of :

RM4,699 (~US$1,135) for ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3060
RM5,500 (~US$1,329) for ASUS RTX 3060 Ti TUF Gaming

As you can tell, that is something like 2.5X more than what the cards really cost.

Based on that, we guesstimate that the entire deal was probably “worth” RM 34,000 (~US$8,200) to the scalper.

How Did The Scammer Fool The Scalper?

Here’s the interesting part – how the scammer fooled the scalper in a Cash On Delivery (COD) deal.

The scalper is not very clear about certain aspects, but from what we can gather with some investigations of our own…

The scammer arranged to meet the scalper in a shopping centre, probably to gain his trust.
He made an Instant Transfer, which failed. He probably set the transaction limit low.
He blamed the bank transfer transaction limit, and said he would ask his wife (???) to change the limit.
He then offered to transfer the money via a CIMB IBG GIRO transfer.
The scammer likely initiated a Scheduled Transaction (which can be cancelled), and showed the scalper the online transaction receipt.
By giving the scalper only a glance at the transaction receipt, or covering up the scheduled part of the receipt, he conveys the impression he had already transferred the money.
To his credit, the scalper checked his own bank account and saw that the money was not deposited.
The scammer then called the bank in front of the scalper, who confirmed that a GIRO transfer cannot be cancelled.
The scammer sent the scalper a picture of his identity card and bank transaction receipt (probably through WhatsApp), to seal the deal.
Once he walked away with the five graphics cards, the scammer quickly deleted the picture of his identity card and the bank transaction receipt, and cancelled the scheduled transaction.

So that was how the scalper went from potentially making a killing on his five GeForce graphics cards, to getting slaughtered by a scammer in a Cash On Delivery deal!

The scalper wondered if there was “Black Magic” involved. The truth is – the scammer used his greed to stop him from just walking away with his cards.

What Do We Know About The Scammer?

The scalper provided these details about the scammer who cheated him of his five graphics cards :

Surname : Ng
Race : Chinese
Identifying Features : Scar below right eye, tattoo on back of neck
Identity Card Number (partial) : 800831
State of Origin : Johor
Mobile Number : 013-277-6995
Vehicle Type : Honda HRV (Charcoal colour)
Vehicle Number Plate : 3553 or 5335

We have to point out that we cannot vouch for the authenticity of the scalper’s claims, or the details he shared.

Scammer vs Scalper : The Original Post

This was what the scalper posted on the issue :

*Scammer Alert *

Chinese Guy , Have Scar below right eye , tattoo behind neck
Beware of this person phone number 013-277-6995 Surname NG
IC No 800831, ic from Johor, Driving Honda HRV Charcoal Colour car plate could be (3553 or 5335) security doesn’t allow to take the file , too blur , i can only remember that, This person contacted me at Carousell ,mainly fishing graphic card seller in Carousell, couldn’t speak english , starting he will text in malay , He is scamming a lot of Graphic Card , Im a seller , i met him and COD at Cheras Connaught Avenue and Eko Cheras, his tactic is he will make instant transfer first , then failed, then he say he will ask his wife to change the limit , and then he will transfer you CIMB IBG GIRO transfer, and cancel it (after you leave) , i did check my bank account , money is not in, after that just in front of you he call the bank , the bank said once GIRO transfer has been made it cannot be cancel , he will ask u to snap his car plate no , but later give more excuse say that his wife drove away the car, but he came alone, im not sure is there any Black Magic ,he will keep on mentioned about his Wife he will send you the receipt and ic , he was nervous too , after he send me his ic , his uc image face was totally covered , after sending u the receipt he will quickly leave within a sec but he will delete the IC and Receipt , after the next sec you leave , so u are not able to trace him. mainly talking about mining have few farm in Seremban, and how do police trace using a thermal gun, evolving from using old bitcoin mine machine to graphic card, want to get 60 pieces, as a victim , i know that this is very stupid but I hope that no one will be the next victim after me.
5 pieces of graphic card has been scammed
rtx 3070 aorus master SN210841066018
RTX 3070 AORUS MASTER SERIES NUMBER LOST
RTX 3070 GAMING OC SN210841068841
RTX 3070 GAMING OC SN210341039296
RTX 3060 GAMING OC SN210441056468

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NVIDIA Reflex Guide : How To Reduce System Latency!

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NVIDIA Reflex is being integrated into games, reducing system latency for GeForce graphics cards.

Find out what NVIDIA Reflex is all about, and how to use it to reduce system latency in supported games!

NVIDIA Reflex : What Is It?

NVIDIA describes Reflex as “a revolutionary suite of GPU, G-SYNC display and software technologies” that measure and reduce system latency.

System latency is basically the click-to-display latency – the delay between a key press or a mouse click to the actual action appearing on the display.

It is important for competitive e-sports gamers, because high system latency can impact their performance :

Delayed responsiveness : When you move your mouse, but your aim on the screen lags.
Delayed shots : When you shoot, the shot and weapon recoil lags.
Delayed enemy positions : peeker’s advantage is impacted by system latency

NVIDIA Reflex : How Does It Reduce System Latency?

A careful reading will reveal that the key to this technology is the NVIDIA Reflex SDK – a new set of APIs for game developers.

The NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer, which is being integrated into the new 360 Hz G-SYNC Esports monitors, is only eye-candy, and not necessary for Reflex Low Latency Mode to work.

Once integrated into a game, the Reflex Low Latency Mode adjusts the game engine work to complete “just in time” for rendering. This eliminates the GPU render queue, and reduces CPU back pressure.

Like NVIDIA Ultra Low Latency (NULL) mode, Reflex prevents the CPU from processing faster than the GPU, eliminating extra frames from being queued up for rendering, which would normally increase render latency.

The difference really is this – by integrating with the game, the NVIDIA graphics driver can control the amount of back pressure the CPU receives from the render queue and other later stages of the pipeline.

This makes NVIDIA Reflex superior to NULL, but only with games that integrate the SDK.

NVIDIA Reflex : How Much System Latency Does It Reduce?

This NVIDIA chart shows the amount of system latency that Reflex shaves off in the first four games to support it.

The biggest improvement was seen with Destiny 2 and Fornite – system latency was down by about ⅓.

System latency was down by 22% in Apex Legends, and 18% in Valorant.

NVIDIA Reflex : Requirements

Reflex is only supported by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 900 series graphics cards onwards, using the GeForce Game Ready 457.09 driver or newer.

It is currently supported on these games :

Apex Legends
Destiny 2
Call of Duty : Warzone, Black Ops Cold War
CRSED : F.O.A.D.
Enlisted
Fortnite
Mordhau
Overwatch
Rainbow Six Siege
Valorant
Warface

NVIDIA Reflex : Automatic, With Max Performance Option

There is really nothing much to set for NVIDIA Reflex. Games that support it will enable it by default, if it detects the presence of a compatible NVIDIA graphics card.

The latest GeForce Experience also comes with an automatic performance tuning option, that will turn on low latency options for supported games.

NVIDIA Ultra Low Latency mode is still there, to support games that do not support Reflex.

It is recommended that you enable NULL by selecting the Ultra option. Reflex Low Latency mode will automatically take priority over NULL in games that support it.

There is, however, a “hack” of sorts for those who want to squeeze every last microsecond of latency out of the pipeline.

The NVIDIA Control Panel has a Power Management Mode option that defaults to Adaptive, allowing the GPU to clock down and save power when the load isn’t high.

You can set this to Prefer Maximum Performance, to override the power saving feature. This forces the GPU to always run at the higher clocks, reducing latency in CPU-bound instances at the expense of higher power consumption.

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NVIDIA Resizable BAR : What You Need To Know!

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NVIDIA finally released Resizable BAR support, and it is currently limited to RTX 30 series graphics cards only.

Here is what you need to know about Resizable BAR, and how to get your FREE performance boost!

NVIDIA Resizable BAR : What Is It?

Resizable BAR is an optional PCI Express feature, that can deliver a small but free boost in performance for the graphics card.

CPUs are traditionally limited to a 256 MB I/O memory address region for the GPU frame buffer. This of it as an “data dump” for stuff like textures, shaders and geometry.

Since this “data dump” is limited to 256 MB, the CPU can only send texture, shader and geometry data as and when the GPU requires them.

This introduces some latency – delay from when the GPU requires the data, and the CPU send them.

Turning on Resizable BAR or Smart Access Memory greatly expands the size of that data dump, letting the CPU directly access the GPU’s entire frame buffer memory.

Instead of transferring data when requested by the GPU, the CPU processes and stores the data directly in the graphics memory.

Graphics assets can be transferred to graphics memory in full, instead of in pieces. In addition, multiple transfers can occur simultaneously, instead of being queued up.

Do note that Resizable BAR will not increase memory bandwidth.

What it does is let the CPU directly access the entire GPU frame buffer memory, instead of using the usual 256 MB “dump”. That reduces latency because the graphics assets are now accessible by the GPU at all times.

NVIDIA Resizable BAR : Delayed From February 2021!

AMD was first out the door with Resizable BAR in November 2020, launching it as Smart Access Memory.

It gave their Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card a free performance boost of up to 16% in some games, but no effect in other games.

You can check out the performance difference in our article, RX 6800 XT Smart Access Memory Performance Comparison!

On 12 January 2021, NVIDIA announced that they will be able to introduce Resizable BAR support in GeForce drivers from Late February 2021 onwards.

They finally released Resizable Bar support on 30 March 2021, through GeForce Game Ready Driver 465.89.

It will be limited to their GeForce RTX 30 series graphics cards and laptops, but will work with both Intel and AMD CPUs.

However, it’s not as simple as just installing GeForce Game Ready Driver 465.89.

The newly announced GeForce RTX 3060 will ship with support for Resizable BAR. However, older GeForce RTX 30 series cards will need to have their VBIOS updated from March 2021 onwards.

The motherboard must also be updated with Resizable BAR support. According to Intel, this will be limited to 11th Gen platforms, and select 10th Gen platforms.

So ironically, Resizable BAR will first work on GeForce RTX 30 series graphics cards paired with AMD Ryzen 5000 processors and AMD 500-series motherboards!

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HUAWEI MateStation S : Why It’s Perfect For WFH!

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You may not know this, but HUAWEI just launched the MateStation S, which is just great for the new WFH normal!

Find out what the HUAWEI MateStation S offers, and why it is perfect for WFH!

HUAWEI MateStation S : Why It’s Perfect For WFH!

The HUAWEI MateStation S is their first-ever desktop PC, and is designed for the new WFH (Work From Home) normal.

What do we mean by that? Desktop computers are known for offering excellent performance, but are usually bulky, expensive and lack wireless connectivity.

The HUAWEI MateStation S changes that by offering desktop performance in a small package, with wireless connectivity and smart sharing capabilities.

In other words, you don’t have to worry about wires, space or battery life. Just plunk it anywhere at home, and you can start working!

Meanwhile, the HUAWEI AX3 Dual Core router with Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi Mesh capability is also coming soon, at just RM 199!

Super Compact!

The HUAWEI MateStation S is super compact. At 9 cm wide and 29 cm tall, with a cubic volume of just 8.6 litres, it is just a third of a standard PC case!

With a stylish star trail design, you can place it on your desk, under it, or even on a nearby bookshelf!

6-Core Powerful Performance!

The HUAWEI MateStation S is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G, a 7 nm processor with 6 cores for excellent multi-tasking performance.

It also comes with integrated 7-core Radeon Graphics, dual-channel memory, and a PCIe x4 NVMe SSD, which delivers ultra-quick start up and response times thanks to its 32 Gbps throughput.

Users have the option to add extra SSD / HDD and even RAM, if they wish to upgrade it after purchase. It comes with two M.2 2280 slots.

23.8-inch FullView Monitor!

It comes with a 23.8-inch FullView monitor, with ultra thin bezels that delivers a 90% screen-to-body ratio.

To ensure eye comfort during long hours of use, the monitor is flicker-free and TÜV Rheinland-certified for low blue light emissions.

Ultra-Quiet Cooling System

To ensure minimal noise impact on your home environment, the MateStation S comes with an ultra-quiet cooling system.

The fan features vertical blades, and works in tandem with a “high-density bionic heat sink” to deliver superior cooling performance at low noise levels.

The fan usually has a noise level of only 22 dB. Even at full throttle, it maxes out at 28 dB, so it won’t disturb anyone sleeping nearby.

Integrated Wireless Connectivity!

Unlike many desktops, the HUAWEI MateStation S offers the wireless connectivity of a laptop.

It comes with WiFi-AC – 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band with 2×2 MIMO – and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity built-in.

So you can easily connect to the Internet and other devices, without worrying about cables!

But in case you need LAN connectivity, it also comes with an RJ45 Ethernet port!

Smart Connectivity!

The HUAWEI MateStation S supports improved HUAWEI Share capability, allowing you to easily share files, images and even text between two devices using drag-and-drop or a simple tap.

You can also connect your smartphone and open three mobile app windows on the large display at once. This allows you to handle multiple tasks on one display, improving your productivity.

For instance, you can attend a video call on one mobile app screen, and take notes on a second screen, while chatting with colleagues on a third screen.

Loads Of Ports!

The HUAWEI MateStation S offers loads of ports – something laptops lack, and many users desperately need.

In The Front

3.5 mm audio jack
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type A) port
USB 2.0 (Type C) port

We should point out that this USB Type C port in the front supports 18 watt fast charging for your smartphone, so you can plug it in to charge while using the MateStation S!

In The Back

Audio input port
Audio output port
Microphone input port
HDMI port
VGA port
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type A) ports
2 x USB 2.0 (Type A) ports
RJ45 Ethernet port
Serial port

The HDMI port connects to any monitor or TV, while the VGA and serial ports offer backward compatibility with many commercial and industrial devices, like projectors and bar code scanners.

Smart Keyboard!

The HUAWEI MateStation S comes with a HUAWEI Wired Keyboard with a built-in fingerprint sensor.

This makes it the world’s first desktop to feature a fingerprint power on and unlock capability! A single touch is all it needs to power on and log-in.

This is a full-sized keyboard with a numeric keypad, and a scissor key mechanism that offers 2.5 mm key travel.

Each key measures 16.05 x 6.05 mm, offering a comfortable touch type experience with tactile feedback.

HUAWEI MateStation S : Price + Availability

The HUAWEI MateStation S is available for sale with immediate effect at these launch prices :

Desktop + Keyboard : RM 2,488
Desktop + Monitor + Keyboard : RM 2,999

Every purchase of the full bundle (including monitor) will receive FREE GIFTS worth up to RM 855* upon purchase.

* Terms and conditions apply, while stocks last.

Shop now at the HUAWEI Online Store, or learn more about the HUAWEI MateStation S.

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AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 Mobile Processors Revealed!

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AMD just introduced the Ryzen PRO 5000 mobile processors, with new Zen 3 cores for professional laptops!

Here is EVERYTHING AMD has revealed so far about the new AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 mobile processors!

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 : Zen 3 For Mobile Business Laptops!

The AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 uses the new AMD Zen 3 architecture, and is fabricated on the 7 nm process.

The Zen 3 architecture delivers 19% more instructions per cycle (IPC) over the last generation, thanks to these new features :

improved load / store performance and flexibility
L3 cache doubled to 16 MB vs. 8 MB in 4000 Series
unified L3 cache accessible to all cores
wider issue in floating point and integer engines
Zero Bubble branch prediction

The new mobile processors also uses a single, monolithic die, which eliminates the I/O latency between dies.

Placeholder : AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 tech briefing video coming soon!

In addition to its improved performance, the AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 mobile processors also come with these AMD PRO technologies :

AMD PRO security provides a multi-layered approach to security features by embedding defenses at every level, from silicon through operating system.
– AMD Memory Guard, automatically enabled on Microsoft Secured-Core PCs, helps enable data and identity protection, while
– AMD Shadow Stack helps provide hardware enabled protection against malware attacks.
AMD PRO manageability enables a full manageability feature set for simplified deployment, imaging and management that is compatible with modern IT infrastructures.
AMD Ryzen PRO processors offer full support for Microsoft Endpoint Manager to deliver a flexible and integrated cloud management solution.
AMD PRO business ready technologies bring enterprise-grade computing solutions designed for quality and reliability, in addition to platform longevity.
AMD Ryzen PRO processors feature 18-months of planned software stability and 24-months of planned availability.

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 : Models + Specifications

AMD announced three Ryzen PRO 5000 models to replace the three Ryzen PRO 4000 models from last year.

Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U : 8C/16T | 15W | 1.9 to 4.4 GHz | 20 MB cache
Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U : 6C/12T | 15W | 2.3 to 4.2 GHz | 19 MB cache
Ryzen 3 PRO 5450U : 4C/8T | 15W | 2.6 to 4.0 GHz | 10 MB cache

For easier comparison, here is a table comparing their key specifications :

Specifications	Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U	Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U	Ryzen 3 PRO 5450U
Process	7 nm
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	6 / 12	4 / 8
Base Clock	1.9 GHz	2.3 GHz	2.6 GHz
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.2 GHz	4.0 GHz
L2 Cache	4 MB	3 MB	2 MB
L3 Cache	16 MB		8 MB
TDP	15 W

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 : Availability

According to AMD, enterprise customers will be able to purchase the new Ryzen PRO 5000 laptops from top PC vendors like HP and Lenovo starting in Q2, 2021.

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HP Launches Virtual Showroom In Southeast Asia!

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HP just launched their first virtual showroom in six countries across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia!

HP Launches Virtual Showroom In Southeast Asia!

On 9 March 2021, HP officially launched their HP virtual showroom in six countries across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia!

HP created their virtual showroom in collaboration with Intel and Lazada, touring their latest PC and print innovations to customers in the comfort of their homes.

The HP virtual showroom offers HP virtual showroom, each with a 360-degree view of multimedia content, including animation and videos. This lets customers get as close to real life as possible.

The experience begins with a wide-frame scene of a lifestyle apartment building set in the city as lights from the windows illuminate the night. You can explore this virtual world whenever you want, and wherever you are.

HP Virtual Showroom Highlights

Here is a section of highlights in the new HP virtual showroom :

For Gamers

OMEN 30L Desktop PC with a powerful processor and graphics, and a large front fan to keep it cool
HP X24c Gaming Monitor, with ultra-wide viewing angles, and smooth, a 144Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync technology
OMEN Laptop 15 with desktop-class graphics performance
OMEN Sequencer Keyboard, OMEN Photon Wireless Mouse and OMEN Mindframe Prime Headset

For Productivity

The HP Spectre x360, with 90% screen-to-body ratio and premium design
HP Spectre Rechargeable Mouse 700, with easy-switch technology and a laser sensor.
HP 24mq 23.8 Display with up to 178° ultra-wide viewing angles and vibrant colour.
HP OfficeJet Pro 9010 All-in-One Printer, with fast colour printing and automatic 2-sided scan and copy.
HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2776 All-in-One Printer, with wireless connectivity.

For Artists

HP ENVY Laptop 15, with its 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and durable 360-degree geared hinge that switches between laptop, tent and tablet mode.
HP Color LaserJet Pro that produces sharp, black text and crisp colour graphics.

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Dell XPS 13 (9300) Review : Incredible Ultra-Light Laptop!

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The Dell XPS 13 (9300) features the first-ever InfinityEdge display with Gorilla Glass 6 protection.

Find out why we think it’s an incredible ultra-light laptop worthy of our Reviewer’s Choice Award!

Dell XPS 13 (9300) : Featuring The InfinityEdge Display

The Dell XPS 13 (9300) continues the evolution of the XPS 13 line, with an ultra-light chassis built from machined aluminium and woven glass fibre, with Gorilla Glass 6 protection.

With the first-ever InfinityEdge display, the XPS 13 (9300) offers a 13.4-inch display in an 11-inch form factor, that fits neatly on an airplane’s seat tray.

Dell XPS 13 (9300) : Colour Options

Our unit comes in the Frost White colour with an Arctic White woven glass fibre palm rest.

Dell also offers the Platinum Silver colour option, with a Black carbon fiber palm rest.

Dell XPS 13 (9300) : Specifications + Options

Specifications	XPS 13 9300
Display Size	13.4-inch
Display Options	4K touch screen (3840 x 2400) Full HD touch screen (1920 x 1200) Full HD non-touch (1920 x 1200)
Display Features	WLED backlight 60 Hz refresh rate 500 nits max. brightness 35 ms response time 1200:1 contrast ratio
Colour Gamut	4K : 90% DCI-P3 Full HD : 100% sRGB
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 Home
CPU + GPU Options	Intel Core i7-1065G7 + Iris Plus Graphics Intel Core i5-1035G1 + UHD Graphics Intel Core i3-1005G1 + UHD Graphics
Memory Options	LPDDR4X-3733 (8 / 16 / 32 GB) LPDDR4-3733 (4 GB)
Storage Options	PCIe NVMe SSD (512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB)
Audio	Realtek ALC3281-CG audio chip 2 x 2.5 watt speakers Dual microphone array 3.5 mm audio jack
Wireless	Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 (2×2) Bluetooth 5.1
External Ports	2 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type C) ports – with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1 x 3.5 mm audio port 1 x microSD card slot
Camera	HD webcam
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes, capacitive 500 dpi sensor
Keyboard	Backlit keyboard 19.05 x 18.05 mm key pitch
Touchpad	1300 x 722 pixel resolution
Battery	4-cell 52 Whr lithium-ion battery
Charger	45 watt USB Type C charger
Dimensions	296 mm wide 199 mm deep 14.8 mm thick
Weight	1.27 kg (touch screen) 1.20 kg (non-touch)

Unboxing The Dell XPS 13 (9300) Laptop

The Dell XPS 13 (9300) comes in a premium white cardboard box. Once you fully unbox it, you will find these items :

Dell XPS 13 (9300) laptop
Dell USB Type C to USB Type A dongle
45 watt charger with integrated USB Type C cable
Power cord with localised plug
XPS 13 9300 Quick Start Guide + Safety and Regulatory Information

Dell XPS 13 (9300) : Hands-On Experience!

This Dell XPS 13 (9300) is an eminently thin and light laptop. It offers a 13.4-inch display in an 11-inch form factor that weighs only 1.27 kg, and is less than 15 mm thick.

It easily fits into the smallest laptop bag, and even a large handbag. And when you can fly again, you will love how it fits onto the airplane’s seat tray!

Once you try it out, you will find it hard to go back to regular laptops – you will find them heavy and unwieldy!

Next Page > Dell XPS 13 (9300) : A Closer Look!

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Dell XPS 13 (9300) : A Closer Look!

13.4-inch Display In 11-Inch Form Factor

This Dell XPS 13 (9300) model comes with a 4K UHD+ touch display, with a resolution of 3840 x 2400 pixel, a colour gamut of 90% DCI-P3 and DisplayHDR 400 certification.

The incredibly high resolution and wide colour gamut allow your high resolution photos and HDR content to really pop.

Dell also offers a Full HD+ display, with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels and 100% sRGB colour gamut; in both touch and non-touch options.

All three display options are 25% brighter at 500 nits, and are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6 against scratches and impact.

Cameras + Security

The thin bezel at the top conceals two cameras – a regular 720p webcam, and an infra-red camera for facial recognition.

So you can either unlock the XPS 13 using the IR camera and Windows Hello, or the fingerprint sensor, which integrated into the power button.

While its 720p webcam may be rather low in resolution, it uses a new 4-element lens for sharper image quality. It also supports temporal noise reduction to improve video quality in low-light conditions.

We hope that Dell would look at upgrading it to a 1080p camera, with a physical or electronics privacy shutter.

Performance

Our Dell XPS 13 (9300) is powered by the Intel Core i7-1065G7 – a 4-core, 8-thread processor with 8 MB of cache and built-in Iris Plus Graphics.

You can opt for a Core i5-1035G1 or the Core i3-1005G1, both of which come with integrated UHD Graphics.

A redesigned cooler keeps things cool, using a single heat pipe and evaporator design with dual condensers and GORE thermal insulation. The hot air is exhausted through the hinge at the back.

It can get a little toasty from the hot exhaust when you use it on your lap, especially if you’re doing compute-intensive tasks like rendering videos.

It also comes with 16 GB of dual-channel LPDDR4X memory running at 3733 MHz. The memory is soldered onto the motherboard and cannot be upgraded.

Our unit came with a 1 TB SK hynix PC611 PCIe NVMe SSD, but you can opt for a smaller 512 GB SSD, or a larger 2 TB SSD.

Ports

Due to its ultra-slim profile – 14.8 mm at its thickest point, the XPS 13 has very limited ports.

On the left side, you will find a microSD card reader; as well as a single Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type C) port, which supports Power Delivery and DisplayPort output

On the right side, you will find a 3.5 mm microphone and headphone combo port, with a second Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type C) port, which also supports Power Delivery and DisplayPort output.

You can plug the USB Type C charging cable into either Thunderbolt 3 port. But unless you are using it on-the-go, you really only have one free port to use.

The good news is Dell actually bundles the XPS 13 (9300) with a free USB Type C to USB Type A dongle, so you can use your USB Type A drives and devices (including cables) with it.

Keyboard + Touchpad

The Dell XPS (9300) comes an edge-to-edge keyboard, and a 17% larger touchpad for maximum working comfort. The keyboard is backlit, and comes with larger key caps!

It definitely offers a far superior typing experience to the horrible butterfly switch keyboard used in Apple MacBook Pro laptops.

Connectivity

Our XPS 13 (9300) comes with the Killer AX1650 module, which offers Wi-Fi 6 connectivity with 2×2 antennas, and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity.

It is much too thin to support a LAN port, but you can add LAN connectivity using a USB-C dongle.

Audio

The two long stripes on both sides of the XPS 13 are not cooling vents, but ports for its 2.5 watt stereo speakers, which are tuned with Waves MaxxAudio Pro.

Its 3.5 mm microphone / headphone combo jack is also optimised with the 360-degree Waves NX 3D virtual surround sound with head tracking.

Finally, its dual microphone array is powered by Waves MaxxVoice Pro, which supports VOIP and is Cortana Farfield-capable.

Next Page > XPS 13 (9300) Performance, Verdict + Award

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Dell XPS 13 (9300) : Performance

Our Dell XPS 13 (9300) is powered by the 15-watt Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Ice Lake) with 4 cores and 8 threads, and Iris Plus Graphics with 64 Execution Units.

It comes with 8 MB of cache, and has a 1.3 GHz base frequency that ramps up to 3.5 GHz during intensive tasks.

Our review sample came with 16 GB LPDDR4X-3733 dual-channel memory, and a 1 TB SK hynix PC611 PCIe NVMe SSD.

Work Performance : PCMark 10

The Intel Core i7-1065G7 is a 25 watt processor that can be configured to run at a lower TDP of 15 watt – to improve battery life and reduce thermal output.

At the full 25 watt TDP, it should deliver PCMark 10 scores in excess of 4700. It is obvious now that Dell configured it for the cooler 15 watt TDP. This is why benchmarks are important.

This makes the Dell XPS 13 (9300) about 7.6% slower than the HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, which uses the Intel Core i7-10510U processor.

Gaming Performance : 3DMark Time Spy

The integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics sounds powerful on paper – with 64 Execution Units – but it is only about as fast as the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 / GeForce 940MX.

So this is most definitely NOT a gaming laptop, although you should have no problem playing older games and games that are not 3D graphics-intensive like DOTA 2.

Battery Life : YouTube + Modern Office

The Dell XPS 13 (9300) comes with a 4-cell smart lithium-ion battery that is rated for 52 Whr.

Dell claims a battery life of up to 18 hours and 49 minutes with the Full HD+ display, and up to 12 hours and 13 minutes with the 4K UHD+ display.

In our general use, we have no problem working a full day on it without recharging, which makes it really convenient when travelling.

That said, we locked the brightness at 50% – higher than the average of 40% – to see how it performs in these worst-case scenarios :

YouTube Streaming

The Dell XPS 13 (9300) lasted 8 hours 15 minutes streaming YouTube videos in theatre mode using WiFi, before its battery dropped to 10%.

PCMark 10 : Modern Office

The Dell XPS 13 (9300) lasted 6 hours 36 minutes before it powered off while running the Modern Office benchmark.

Battery : Recharging Speed

Its 65 watt fast charger took about 52.5 minutes to hit the mid-point (55%), but 2 hours 23.5 minutes to fully recharge its battery from 10%.

Here are the times it takes to recharge from 10% :

15% – 5 minutes 57 seconds
20% – 11 minutes 53 seconds
25% – 17 minutes 45 seconds
30% – 23 minutes 22 seconds
35% – 29 minutes 25 seconds
40% – 35 minutes 8 seconds
45% – 41 minutes 22 seconds
50% – 46 minutes 56 seconds
55% – 52 minutes 39 seconds
60% – 58 minutes 27 seconds
65% – 64 minutes 13 seconds
70% – 70 minutes 15 seconds
75% – 76 minutes
80% – 81 minutes 58 seconds
85% – 89 minutes 41 seconds
90% – 100 minutes 50 seconds
95% – 118 minutes 45 seconds
100% – 143 minutes 20 seconds

This gives it a battery life : recharging time ratio of 3.45 : 1 for video streaming, and 2.76 : 1 for office work.

As a rule of thumb, you will need to recharge its battery about 22 minutes for every hour of battery life.

Dell XPS 13 (9300) : Verdict + Award

The Dell XPS 13 (9300) is a really great ultra-light laptop for people who are always on-the-go.

It packs serious processing power, memory and a huge SSD with the latest wireless connectivity built-in, in a very thin and light package.

It is less than 15 mm at its thickest point, and weighs less than 1.3 kg. But this is something you have to hold in your hand to actually get a feel of how much engineering went into the XPS 13.

Even the latest 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro, powered by the new Apple M1 SoC, is larger, thicker at 15.6 mm and weighs more at 1.4 kg!

The extremely thin profile offers some challenges to first time users – limited physical ports. Yet the XPS 13 (9300) managed to squeeze in an extra microSD card reader over the new 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1).

Even so, you will have to live with just two USB Type C ports – one of which is not available when you recharge its battery. Fortunately, the XPS 13 (9300) comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 wireless connectivity.

Thankfully, Dell threw in a free USB-C to USB-A dongle, so at least you have ready access to your USB Type A drives and devices out-of-the-box.

Security-conscious users will love the fingerprint sensor and IR camera, which allows for easy and secure logins. However, the webcam lacks a physical shutter, and the lid clearance is too tight to safely use a third-party shutter.

As far as battery life is concerned, the XPS 13 (9300) will last more than full day’s work without recharging. After a while, you will get used to leaving the office without the charger!

All-in-all, the Dell XPS 13 (9300) is an engineering marvel that must be experienced to truly understand. If you want the very best Windows 10 ultra-light laptop money can buy, this should be right at the top of the list.

That is why we wholeheartedly award it our Reviewer’s Choice Award!

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Dell for sending us this review unit, and making us part of the #DellInsideCircle

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PS4 Consoles Now Used To Mine Cryptocurrency?

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Is it possible that cryptocurrency miners are now using Sony PS4 consoles to mine Bitcoin or Ethereum?

Take a look at the viral photo, and tell us what you think!

PS4 Consoles Now Used To Mine Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency miners have turned the gaming world upside down, buying up graphics cards and even gaming laptops in bulk. As long as it has a GPU, they are snatching it up!

But their demand for more computing power does not seem to be sated, and it appears that they may have turned their attention to PS4 consoles!

Take a look at this viral photo of a very ghetto-looking mining rig made up of sixteen PS4 Slim consoles.

How Much Money Can This PS4 Mining Rig Make?

We have no idea if it’s actually running, or just a work in progress though, because we never heard of anyone actually mining cryptocurrency on the PS4.

The PS4 and PS4 Slim use a custom AMD Radeon 7970M GPU, with 18 compute units and 8 GB of GDDR5 memory with 176 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

It is roughly 20% slower than the AMD Radeon 7970M mobile GPU, but cryptomining is less about processing power, and memory bandwidth.

So let’s just call PS4 Slim equivalent to the Radeon 7970M for mining purposes, which delivers a hash rate of about 8.35 H/s.

Each PS4 console would be fast enough to generate 0.00013896 BTC worth US$7.62 per month.

And that 16-console PS4 mining rig above would generate about 0.00222336 BTC worth US$121.92 per month.

Even if they are stealing electricity, that’s really not a lot of profit, to be honest…

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AMD Smart Access Memory (Resizable BAR) Guide

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Find out what AMD Smart Access Memory is all about, and how to turn it on for a FREE BOOST in performance!

Smart Access Memory : PCIe Resizable BAR for AMD!

Smart Access Memory is AMD’s marketing term for their implementation of the PCI Express Resizable BAR (Base Address Registers) capability.

What does that mean exactly?

CPUs are traditionally limited to a 256 MB I/O memory address region for the GPU frame buffer. This of it as an “data dump” for stuff like textures, shaders and geometry.

Since this “data dump” is limited to 256 MB, the CPU can only send texture, shader and geometry data as and when the GPU requires them.

This introduces some latency – delay from when the GPU requires the data, and the CPU send them.

Turning on Resizable BAR or Smart Access Memory greatly expands the size of that data dump, letting the CPU directly access the GPU’s entire frame buffer memory.

Instead of transferring data when requested by the GPU, the CPU processes and stores the data directly in the graphics memory.

Graphics assets can be transferred to graphics memory in full, instead of in pieces. In addition, multiple transfers can occur simultaneously, instead of being queued up.

While this AMD graphic above suggests that Smart Access Memory will widen the memory path (and thus memory bandwidth) between the CPU and GPU, that is not true.

Smart Access Memory / Resizable BAR will not increase memory bandwidth.

AMD Smart Access Memory : Performance Gains

According to AMD, enabling Smart Access Memory will give you a small but free boost of 5% to 11% in gaming performance.

Here is a summary of the test results from our article, RX 6800 XT Smart Access Memory Performance Comparison!

You can expect up to 16% better performance in some games, but no effect in certain games. But overall, you get a free boost in performance. There is simply no reason not to enable Smart Access Memory.

1080p Resolution (1920 x 1080)

1440p Resolution (2560 x 1440)

2160p Resolution (3840 x 2160)

AMD Smart Access Memory : Requirements

Since Smart Access Memory is just an AMD implementation of PCI Express Resizable BAR. Therefore, it can be be implemented for all PCI Express 3.0 and PCI Express 4.0 graphics cards and motherboards.

However, AMD is currently limiting it to a small subset of components, having validated it only for their new Ryzen 5000 series CPUs, select Ryzen 3000 Series Processors and Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards.

So this is what you currently require to enable AMD Smart Access Memory :

Hardware

AMD 500 Series Motherboards
AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Processors, or
AMD Ryzen 3000 Series Processors (except Ryzen 5 3400G and Ryzen 3 3200G)
AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series Graphics Cards

Software

AMD Radeon Software Driver 20.11.2 or newer
Latest Motherboard BIOS (AMD AGESA 1.1.0.0 or newer)

AMD currently recommends these X570 motherboards, because they have updated BIOS available :

ASUS X570 Crosshair VIII Hero WIFI (US|UK|AU|SG|MY)
ASRock X570 Taichi (US|UK|AU|SG|MY)
GIGABYTE AORUS X570 Master (US|UK|AU|SG|MY)
MSI X570 Godlike (US|UK|AU|SG|MY)

AMD Smart Access Memory : How To Enable It?

If you have all of those supported components above, and updated your motherboard BIOS, you need to manually enable Smart Access Memory.

Now, the method will vary from motherboard to motherboard, and it probably won’t even be called Smart Access Memory.

Instead, look for variations of Above 4G Decoding, or Resizing BAR, or Resizable BAR, or Re-Size BAR Support.

AMD Generic Method

AMD has provided these generic steps to enable Smart Access Memory :

Enter the System BIOS by press <DEL> or <F12> during the system startup.
Navigate to the Advanced Settings or Advanced menu.
Enable “Above 4G Decoding” and “Re-Size BAR Support“.
Save the changes and restart the computer.

Step-by-Step Method For ASUS Crosshair VIII Hero

In our guide, we are using the ASUS CROSSHAIR VIII Hero (AMD X570) motherboard, as an example :

First you will need to turn off CSM (Compatibility Support Module), or make sure it’s disabled.Go to the Boot menu and look for a CSM / Compatibility Support Module option.

Set CSM (Compatibility Support Module) to Disabled.

Go to the Advanced menu and look for the PCI Subsystem. In other motherboards, look for PCIe / PCI Express configuration options.

Enable Above 4G Decoding.

This will give you access to the Re-Size BAR Support option. Set it to Auto.

Now go to the Exit menu, and select Save Changes & Reset.

It will ask you to confirm the changes. Just verify both, and click OK.

After the motherboard reboots, AMD Smart Access Memory (PCIe Resizable BAR) will be enabled for your Ryzen 5000 series CPU and Radeon RX 6000 series graphics card!

CSM Warning For GIGABYTE AORUS X570 Master

AMD currently recommends these X570 motherboards, because they have updated BIOS available :

ASUS X570 Crosshair VIII Hero WIFI (US|UK|AU|SG|MY)
ASRock X570 Taichi (US|UK|AU|SG|MY)
GIGABYTE AORUS X570 Master (US|UK|AU|SG|MY)
MSI X570 Godlike (US|UK|AU|SG|MY)

CSM is disabled by default for the ASUS, ASRock and MSI motherboards. However, it is enabled by default in the GIGABYTE AORUS X570 Master.

If you installed Windows without first turning CSM off, it will be configured as non-UEFI. It will NOT boot if you enable Resizable BAR Support (Smart Access Memory).

You will need to reinstall Windows with CSM support disabled.

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Smart Access Memory Now Enabled For Ryzen 3000 CPUs!

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AMD just enabled Smart Access Memory for select Ryzen 3000 desktop processors!

Find out what Smart Access Memory does, and how to enable it for a FREE boost in performance!

Smart Access Memory Now Enabled For Ryzen 3000 CPUs!

When AMD launched the Radeon RX 6700 XT graphics card, they also mentioned that Smart Access Memory is now enabled for Ryzen 3000 desktop processors, except :

AMD Ryzen 5 3400G
AMD Ryzen 3 3200G

This would give those older processors a small but FREE boost in performance, when paired with Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards and AMD 500 series motherboards.

To enable Smart Access Memory for your Ryzen 3000 / 5000 series PC, please follow the steps!

Unfortunately, AMD has not enabled Smart Access Memory for Radeon RX 5000 series graphics cards, or AMD 400 series motherboards yet.

Smart Access Memory : How Does It Boost Ryzen 3000 Performance?