Fitbit Charge 5 Now Official; Pre-Order Price At RM878

Not long after two significantly major leaks, Fitbit has unveiled its new Charge 5 fitness tracker. And much like what was unofficially revealed prior to this, the wearable will sport a new design, a full colour display, ECG capability, and plenty of other features – greatly exceeding those that are offered by its predecessors.

The new fitness tracker is 10% slimmer than the Charge 4, and comes with a 1.04-inch AMOLED touch screen with Always-On capability and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. On each side of its body are capacitive touchpads for user interaction, and can be used as a shortcut to activate the onboard Atrial Fibirilation (AFib) feature by pressing on both pads for 30 seconds. However, Fitbit noted that this feature would only be enabled some time after launch via an update.

As mentioned earlier, the Charge 5 comes with a variety of health and fitness monitoring capabilities which includes sleep tracking, a heart rate sensor to calculate Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Resting Heart Rate (RHR), a SpO2 sensor for blood oxygen saturation monitoring, an ElectorDermal Activity (EDA) sensor to track stress levels, and an Electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor. The latter may first require an approval from the local ministry of health before it is made available to users once the wearable arrives in Malaysia.

Features-wise, the device will feature plenty of onboard workout trackers, stress relief sessions, and the new Daily Readiness Score app and subscription. Other than that, it also comes with smartphone notification and quick reply functions, GPS (+GLONASS) tracking, compatibility with both Android and iOS platforms, and is water resistant of up to 50 metres of depth. Fitbit claims that the fitness tracker can last up to 7 days of use with the Always-On and SpO2 features deactivated, and would take two hours for a full charge.

The new wearable is offered in Black, Lunar White and Steel Blue, and is also offered with a variety of watch straps that are made of silicone, leather, and nylon. Speaking of straps, included in the box are two different band sizes for small and large wrists.

The Fitbit Charge 5 is priced at RM878, and is slated to ship out by late September 2021. Pre-orders for the new fitness tracker are now open via the brand’s official Malaysian website. Keep in mind that in order to use the new Daily Readiness Score, you are required to have a Fitbit Premium subscription which is available at RM39 per month.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Pre-Order To Begin On 19 August; Price Starts At RM3,999

Alongside the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Watch4 Series, Samsung has also announced the pre-order program for another new device that it has announced last week at the Galaxy Unpacked August event. Just like its higher-end sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip3 will also be available for pre-order in Malaysia starting from this Thursday, 19 August onwards.

True to the information from last weekend, the Z Flip3 will indeed be priced at RM3,999 for the 128GB model while the 256GB variant goes for RM4,199. Regardless of the storage option, the Z Flip3 is certainly much cheaper than the original Z Flip which was released in Malaysia last March for RM5,888.

Meanwhile, pre-order customers will be provided with an e-voucher worth RM 600 that they can spend at Samsung Malaysia’s e-Store. Additionally, they will also receive Samsung Care+ 1-year protection plan for their new Z Flip3 which is in line with the global announcement last week.

That being said, the Samsung Care+ protection that will be provided in Malaysia is full coverage as opposed to certain markets. To last until 21 September, the pre-order program for Z Flip3 will be available through Samsung Malaysia’s e-Store as well as physical Samsung Experience Stores and Authorized Partners all over Malaysia.

Samsung Galaxy A22 LTE Now Available For Pre-Order In Malaysia At RM899

Just weeks after releasing the 5G variant in our market, Samsung’s official stores on two popular local e-commerce platforms have since listed the Galaxy A22 LTE. While they might share the same name, there are some noteworthy differences between the LTE and 5G variants of the phone.

For example, the Galaxy A22 LTE is running on MediaTek Helio G80 while the 5G model is equipped with a slightly more powerful MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip. The LTE model also has a slightly smaller 6.4-inch HD+ screen as compared to the 5G variant which has a 6.6-inch FHD+ display but the A22 LTE does feature a 90Hz Super AMOLED panel while the A22 5G comes with an LCD TFT panel.

In Malaysia, both variants carry the same 128GB internal storage but memory-wise, the 5G has more RAM at 8GB while the LTE model is limited to 6GB. There is also a 48MP f/1.8 camera on both devices but the LTE model also offers optical image stabilisation which is something that is not available on the 5G model.

Even though both devices have a 2MP /f2.4 depth camera, the A22 LTE also has an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a dedicated 2MP macro camera while the A22 5G only has a 5MP ultra-wide camera. The 5G model also has a lower resolution 8MP selfie camera as opposed to the same camera on the LTE model which is equipped with a 16M sensor.

Regardless of your choice, both the A22 LTE and 5G come standard with a 5,000mAh battery alongside the support for 15W fast chargers. In terms of pricing, the Galaxy A22 LTE goes for RM899 which is RM100 less than the Galaxy A22 5G.

In conjunction with the phone’s release in Malaysia, Samsung will include a free soft case for each pre-order of Galaxy A22 LTE. Since the phone is not listed yet on Samsung Malaysia’s official website at the time this article was published, you may want to head on to Samsung’s official store on Lazada and Shopee instead.

Huawei Vision S Now Available For Pre-Order In Malaysia For As Low As RM 2,799

Huawei today officially launched the Vision S smart display in Malaysia which is said to be the first market outside of China to receive the Harmony OS-based device. Powered by the company’s own Honghu 818 processor, it can be obtained with either a 55 or 65-inch screen.

Alongside 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage, the Vision S also comes standard with a 4K LCD panel with a Direct LED backlight that has a 120Hz refresh rate and a maximum brightness level of 350 nits. Additionally, Huawei also stated that the panel has DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage of 92% alongside low blue light and flicker-free technology.

In terms of audio, the Vision S relies on two 10W speakers together with another two 10W tweeters. The smart display also comes with Huawei Histen sound enhancement alongside the support for Dolby Atmos and DTS contents.

Outside of these hardware features, a lot of additional features within Vision S do require a supporting Huawei phone or tablet though. One such example is the OneHop Projection in which users can swiftly mirror their Huawei device to the display by tapping on its NFC-equipped remote control.

Similarly, Vision S also supports Huawei Share which allows users to wireless share contents from their phone with the smart display. Additionally, you can also use your device to control the Vision S itself.

Another interesting feature of the Vision S is its 13MP camera that can be easily attached and detached from the display. Through the camera, users can make high-resolution video calls through Huawei’s MeeTime platform.

As for the pricing in Malaysia, the 55-inch variant of Vision S goes for RM 2,999 although pre-order customers can purchase it for RM 2,799 from now until 12 May. This particular offer can only be obtained through Huawei Store Online and Huawei’s official store on Shopee.

On another hand, the 65-inch model is priced at RM 3,999 and Huawei will be providing the first 1,000 pre-order customers with a free Huawei Wi-Fi AX3 router. If customers choose to pre-order their Vision S through Huawei Store Online and Huawei’s official store on Lazada by 2 May 2021, they will also receive a Huawei FreeLace Pro.

The actual release date for the Vision S 65-inch variant will be on 3 May before followed by the 55-inch model on 13 May. If you need further information, do check out Huawei Malaysia’s official website right here.

vivo X60 Series Pre-Order Begins In Malaysia; Price Starts From RM 2,699

First launched in China last December, vivo today has begun accepting pre-orders for the new X60 and X60 Pro in Malaysia. As noted in our previous report, the Malaysian variant of both devices is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 instead of Samsung Exynos 1080.

For starters, the X60 is equipped with a 6.56-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display which also has a 120HZ refresh rate and housed a 32MP punch hole selfie camera. On another hand, the X60 Pro also has a similar screen size, refresh rate and selfie camera as well but its display has curved edges which are missing from the standard X60.

On the specs sheet, X60 and X60 Pro looked as if they have the same rear camera setup since both of them have a 48MP main camera as well as a 13MP telephoto camera and another 13MP ultra wide-angle camera that also acts as a macro camera. However, only the Pro model has a gimbal stabilizer for its main camera although all the rear cameras on both devices do come with Zeiss optics.

Somehow, vivo has decided not to include the 8MP periscope telephoto that was present in the Chinese variant of the X60 Pro to the unit meant for the Malaysian market. Meanwhile, both the standard and Pro version of the X60 Series devices in Malaysia are equipped with 12GB of RAM and 256GB internal storage as well as the support for 5G connectivity.

While both of them do support the 33W FlashCharge charger, the X60 carries a slightly larger 4300mAh battery as opposed to its Pro counterpart which has a 4200mAh battery instead. Price-wise, the vivo X60 can be obtained for RM 2699 while the X60 Pro goes for RM 3,299.

Available for pre-order from now until 26 March, vivo Malaysia provides additional freebies for the early adopters of the X60 Series devices through selected platforms. For example, vivo Malaysia’s own online store is giving away a robot vacuum while the brand’s official store on Lazada and Shopee is giving away an X8 smartwatch.

At the same time, the company is also providing the Protection Plus package which includes a 1-year extended warranty and a 1-year screen crack protection to all pre-order customers of X60 and X60 Pro. This regardless of whether they purchase these devices through vivo Malaysia’s official online stores, vivo concept stores, or participating dealers.

There is also a gift box and luggage bag but if you need further clarification, you can always reach out directly to vivo Malaysia through its official Facebook page.

2021 Edition of Samsung’s The Frame 4K Smart TVs Now Available For Pre-Order In Malaysia

You may remember in our previous report regarding the new Neo QLED Smart TVs that Samsung is launching in Malaysia this month. As the story goes, they will not be the only new Samsung Smart TVs that are coming to our shores though as the company is releasing the 2021 iteration of The Frame QLED 4K Smart Lifestyle TV over here as well.

Revealed alongside the Neo QLED lineup back in January, the 2021 version of The Frame is said to be 46% thinner than its predecessor. Samsung has also upgraded the internal storage for The Frame from just 500MB to 6GB which allows them to store up to 1,200 UHD images.

Additionally, 2021’s The Frame Series also comes standard with the equally new Eco Remote Control which doesn’t require AA or AAA batteries to functions but relies on its built-in solar panel or users can also choose to charge the remoted directly using its USB-C port.

While Samsung Malaysia’s website has listed five different screen sizes for 2021’s The Frame, the site is only taking pre-orders for the variant with 50, 55, and 65-inch screen at the moment. Price-wise, the 65-inch variant of 2021’s The Frame can be obtained for RM 9,499 while the 55 and 50-inch options are available for RM 6,999 and RM 5,799 respectively.

If you aiming for the 65 and 55-inch model, do note that Samsung Malaysia is currently giving away free soundbars for pre-orders until this Sunday, 28 March. To learn more, just head on to its official website.

ASUS ROG Phone 5 Pre-Order Coming To Shopee On 19 March

Almost immediately after it was officially unveiled to the world, ASUS has begun accepting pre-orders for its new gaming phone, the ROG Phone 5 in Malaysia ahead of the phone’s release in April. At that time, the pre-order can only be done through physical dealers but that is about to change later this week as gamers will soon be able to pre-order the device via Shopee.

In today’s announcement, ASUS stated that the ROG Phone 5 pre-order on Shopee will take place on 19 March. That being said, the exact starting time mentioned on the listing is 11:59 PM on 18 March, in case you are really eager to book your unit.

Just like the initial early-bird units, gamers that pre-order ROG Phone 5 through Shopee will also receive ROG Kunai Gamepad alongside their new gaming phone. We have confirmed with ASUS Malaysia that the price of the phone for the Shopee pre-order program also remains as RM 2,999 for the 8GB/128GB setup and RM 3,799 for the 16GB/256GB option, despite the inaccurate figures stated on the listing.

ASUS Malaysia’s representative also pointed out that only 400 units will be made available through the pre-order program at Shopee. For those who are wondering about the higher-end ROG Phone 5 Pro and Ultimate models which will only be available in May, unfortunately, the company has no announcement for them at the moment.

Acer Nitro 5 with GeForce RTX 3060 Now Available For Pre-Order At RM 4,999

First announced back at CES earlier this year, Acer is about to release its newly refreshed Nitro 5 gaming laptop to Malaysia shortly. In general, it will be the first gaming laptop from Acer Malaysia to feature the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics.

At this moment, the 2021 Nitro 5 will be offered with only one set of specifications which include GeForce RTX 3060 graphics and Intel Core i7-10750H processor. In addition to that, Acer Malaysia has also equipped 8GB of RAM and 512GB internal storage into the laptop.

The 2021 Nitro 5 also comes 15.6-inch IPS display with Full HD native resolution and a refresh rate of 144Hz. Other components that have been packed into the 2.3kg gaming laptop include a 4-zone RGB keyboard, Killer Ethernet E2600 controller, Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX201 module, and 57.5 Whr 4-cell battery.

Price-wise, the new gaming laptop is listed for RM 5,499 but at the moment gamers can obtain it for RM 4,999. However, those that are interested to take advantage of this RM 500 discount promo which also inclusive of a 3-years subscription for McAfee Live Safe and Predator Urban backpack need to do it fast though as it is only valid through Shopee and Lazada until 17 March 2021.

Samsung Neo QLED Smart TVs Price In Malaysia Starts At RM 8,499; Pre-Order Opens Now

Samsung has begun to accept pre-orders for its new Neo QLED 8K and 4K Smart TVs lineup in Malaysia. In case you missed our previous report, the company has recently updated its catalogue to include the new Smart TV series which was announced at CES earlier this year.

Available in four different models, not all screen sizes that we listed earlier is part of the Neo QLED’s first batch of release in Malaysia though:

65-inch QN900A Neo QLED 8K: RM 24,999

75-inch QN800A Neo QLED 8K: RM 24,999

75/65-inch QN90A Neo QLED 4K: RM 19,999 / RM 13,999

85/75/55-inch QN85A Neo QLED 4K: RM 22,99 / RM 16,888 / RM 8,499

With only one variant priced at under RM 10,000, clearly the Neo QLED commands a rather premium price tag. Meanwhile, Samsung Malaysia is offering a free soundbar set to customers that pre-order any of these Neo QLED Smart TVs from today until 28 March 2021.

Depending on the specific model of Neo QLED Smart TVs, pre-order customers would be provided with a range of soundbar starting from the A450 2.1 3-speaker setup up to the premium Q800A 3.2.1 8-speaker system (shown above) that supports Dolby Atmos. To learn more about the pre-order, just head on to Samsung Malaysia’s official website.

Red Magic 5S Available For Pre-Order In Malaysia For RM3099

The Nubia Red Magic 5G launched in its home country of China back in March 2020. A similar phone, the Res Magic 5S, is making its way to our shores. And it looks like the phone retains much of what we have seen before.

To start, the Nubia Red Magic 5S comes with a 6.65-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display. This comes with 144Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate, numbers that go well with a gaming phone. There’s also an in-display optical fingerprint sensor. It also has a pair of shoulder keys, which the company claims has a 320Hz touch sampling rate, which is a small 20Hz improvement over the Red Magic 5G.

On the inside, the phone packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, which comes with its own elaborate cooling system. Powering it is a 4500mAh battery that supports 55W fast charging. We’ll get to its RAM and storage in a bit.

For its cameras, the Nubia Red Magic 5S comes with a 64MP main camera, an 8MP wide-angle camera, and a 2MP macro camera. In front, it comes with an 8MP camera that refreshingly isn’t sitting in a notch.

When it becomes available here, the Nubia Red Magic 5S will only come in its 8GB + 18GB configuration. And it will have a price tag of RM3099. It is available for pre-order from the ZTE official stores on both Lazada and Shopee. According to the former’s listing, it will be officially available on 12 February 2021.

Amazfit GTS 2 Mini Smartwatch Pre-Order Now Open In Malaysia; Priced At RM399

Amazfit will be introducing three new smartwatches soon at CES 2021, including newer versions of its GTS 2 and GTR 2 line-ups. To kick things off, the brand has revealed that the first of the upcoming wearables, the Amazfit GTS 2 Mini, will launch in Malaysia soon – with pre-orders now already available via its official Shopee store.

The GTS 2 Mini features an Always-On 1.55-inch AMOLED display with 301 ppi resolution and covered with curved borderless 2.5D glass. Its body is made from sturdy yet lightweight aluminium alloy and comes with a water resistant rating of 5ATM. The device measures at 8.95mm and is just 19.5g in weight.

The upcoming wearable is available in three colour choices: Flamingo Pink, Sage Green, and Midnight Black. For further personalisation, onboard are over 50 specially designed watch faces and also support custom backgrounds from the user.

In terms of features, the Amazfit GTS 2 Mini comes with a variety of health tracking capabilities including heart rate, blood-oxygen saturation, sleep, stress and even menstrual cycle monitoring. For sports, the smartwatch features over 70 built-in modes ranging from running, cycling, swimming, and more.

Like most smartwatches, the GTS 2 Mini also includes features such as call and message notifications, remote camera shutter, and media playback controls. Amazfit claims that the watch is capable of lasting up to 14 days on a single charge, and up to 21 days on power-saving mode.

As mentioned earlier, the watch is slated to be released in Malaysia sometime soon and is priced at RM399. Those interested to own the new Amazfit GTS 2 Mini can pre-order the device via the brand’s official store on Shopee.