AMD Announces Partnership With MediaTek With Development Of RZ600 Series Wi-Fi 6E Modules

AMD and MediaTek recently confirmed their partnership with each other by announcing that they are currently developing a new series of Wi-Fi 6E modules, dubbed the RZ600 series. The new Wi-Fi modules are expected to appear in next-generation Ryzen-powered laptops, as well as desktop PC components, starting in 2022 and well into the future.

The RZ600 Series Wi-Fi 6E modules will comprise two models: the RZ616 and RZ608, and both modules will house MediaTek’s Fliogic 330P chipset. Specs-wise, both modules will support the latest Wi-Fi 6E 2×2 and the latest Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity standards. What sets the two apart lies in the supported channels: the RZ616 module will support the new 6GHz spectrum at 160MHz channel bandwidths, with PHY rates of up to 2.4Gbps. The RZ608 module, on the other hand, supports the 6GHz spectrum at bandwidths up to 80MHz, and just half the maximum PHY rate of the RZ616, at 1.2Gbps.

On top of that, the new RZ600 series modules are small and M.2-ready, with the RZ616 available in two sizes, 2230 and 1216, while the RZ608 is only available in the 2230 configuration.

We’ve mentioned in the past that this isn’t the first AMD and MediaTek have gotten into bed together. To that end, the RZ608 module has already been around for a while and was ultimately rebranded as the MediaTek MT7921K. On that note, it is possible that the RZ608 module being listed here is an updated version of the original that only supported Wi-Fi 6 and not Wi-Fi 6E.

Also, in the case of MediaTek, the semiconductor maker has been around the block with several other major technology brands, including NVIDIA and Google.

Kioxia Claims “World’s Smallest” Title With BG5 Series PCIe 4.0 SSDs

Kioxia recently launched its BG5 series of client SSDs. While the storage medium may seem nothing out of the ordinary, Kioxia claims that it is also the world’s smallest PCIe NVMe Gen4 SSD in the world.

Specifically, the BG5 series comes in the usual M.2 form factor, but instead of just a standard 2280 length, Kioxia’s new family of SSDs is also available the 2230 form factor. As mentioned, the SSD also uses the PCIe 4.0 interface, which is exceedingly rare among memory and storage makers. Further, the SSD uses Kioxia’s 112-layer BiCS5 3D NAND memory with a 1.2GT/s interface, and is available in three storage capacities: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

In terms of performance, the BG5 PCIe 4.0 SSDs aren’t the fastest we’ve seen on the market, with maximum sequential read and write speeds of 3500MB/s and 2900MB/s, respectively, plus random read and write speeds of 500000 IOPS and 450000 IOPS. We’re guessing that’s the price Kioxia had to pay in order to cram in all the PCIe 4.0 related technology, into a form factor that is usually reserved for AX Wi-Fi modules.

Speaking of downsides, it should be noted that the BG5 series SSDs do not come in the Ball Grid Array (BGA) form factor, meaning that any OEM or laptop maker who wishes to solder the storage modules onto their laptop PCBs are out of luck.

At the time of writing, Kioxia did not specify pricing or availability dates for the BG5 series, but it has stated it is currently sampling the product to several key industry players and customers.

Apple Watch Series 7 Receives General Release Date: Malaysia’s Status Still Unknown

Of all devices that were launched during the California Streaming event last month which also include iPhone 13 Series, iPhone 13 Pro Series, 6th generation iPad mini, and 9th generation iPad, there are still some mysterious elements regarding Apple Watch Series 7. For example, its actual rollout date was not revealed by Apple during the event but that has just changed this evening.

The company has announced that Series 7 will be made available in selected markets starting from 15 October onwards. Interesting enough, more than 50 countries and regions are part of the first-wave markets for the new smartwatch including the usual suspects such as the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and China.

Despite the large group of first-wave markets, it seems that Malaysia is not part of it though as Apple Malaysia’s website still listed the Series 7’s availability as “later this year” at the time this article is published. As a comparison, Apple websites for Singapore and Thailand have noted that customers will be able to order Series 7 through them starting from 8 October.

On another hand, Series 7 is not listed on Apple’s websites for Indonesia and Vietnam. We are now reaching out to Apple to find out more about the watch’s availability in Malaysia and will keep you posted once we receive further updates.

Gungrave GORE Brings A Sequel To The Series In 2022

Gungrave was a popular name back in the early 2000s, but faded into obscurity after. The name came back again in 2019, when a trailer for a new sequel appeared. And now, it looks like the game has, at the very least, a release window.

The new trailer has a dark but wacky intro, and shows off a sprinkling of new gameplay footage, but that’s about it. Though as part of that last bit, we see that Bunji Kugashira, a recurring villain in the first two games almost two decades ago, will be playable. Though it doesn’t look like he has a unique moveset, as his attack animations look the same as Grave’s.

Speaking of which, despite the modern graphics, it looks like Gungrave GORE will have the same kind of gameplay as the original. While it looks like the quintessential gameplay style of the series, it’s bound to rub some people the wrong way, the same way the originals did back in the day.

At any rate, Gungrave GORE is developed by South Korean studio IGGYMOB, and published by Prime Matter of the Embracer Group. It doesn’t yet have a specific release date. Instead, it will be released sometime in 2022, for both generations of both consoles, as well as PC.

Fossil Gen 6 Smartwatch Series Now Official; Price Starts From US$299

The Fossil Gen 6 line-up is now official. As you may recall, the listing for the new smartwatch series was accidentally leaked on Amazon two weeks prior, revealing much of its specifications and design. 

As previously reported, the Gen 6 is one of the first wearables to be equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chipset. This variant is claimed to offer faster performance in terms of processing speeds and charging, as well as more efficient power consumption when compared to the standard chip. Paired together with the SoC is 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage capacity. Fossil says that the Gen 6 will come with Wear OS 2 upon launch, but noted it would still receive the new Google-Samsung developed Wear OS sometime next year via a firmware update.

The smartwatch is available in two different designs: a standard stainless steel case by Fossil, and the more elegant-looking Michael Kors edition. Both are available in 42mm and 44mm sizes, which also share the same 1.28-inch OLED touch display. On the right-hand side are three buttons, with the middle also functioning as a rotating dial. The new wearable is also rated 3ATM in terms of water resistance.

Found onboard the Fossil Gen 6 are heart rate and SpO2 sensors for health tracking, as well as miscellaneous sensors such as an accelerometer, altimeter, ambient light, compass, gyroscope, and off-body IR. Other than that, it also features a built-in speaker and microphone, Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi connectivity, as well as GPS and NFC support.

Fossil claims that the new wearable is able to last over 24 hours of usage in a single charge, which could be extended further by enabling the Extended Mode. When activated, the watch will then disable several built-in features in favour for a longer battery life. The Gen 6 also comes with fast charging support, which is said to be capable of topping up 80% charge in just 30 minutes.

The Fossil Gen 6 line-up starts from US$299 (~RM1,242) and is slated to be shipped out sometime by late September. Unfortunately, there’s no word on a local release at this current time.

Gigabyte Launches New AORUS Waterforce AIO Cooler Series

Gigabyte recently launched its new AORUS Waterforce AIO cooler series for the desktop DIY PC market. The new series comes in three sizes and feature similar designs, borrowed from the brand’s Waterforce X series.

Specifically, the three new AIO coolers are the Waterforce 240, Waterforce 280, and Waterforce 360. As their names suggest, the three coolers come in sizes of 240mm, 280mm, and 360mm. Much like their X-branded counterparts, the radiators are thinner than the standard AORUS AIO cooler but comes with better heat dissipation technology. On that note, the radiators are also connected to a radiator pump with a 330° rotatable cap, via two tubes with a 7.8mm diameter that Gigabyte says will improve water flow within by 37%. And therefore improving overall cooling efficiency by durability.

Again, like the Waterforce X series, the waterblock is also fitted with an AORUS ARGB lighting display with intelligent detection that shows users the current CPU temperature via different colours.

As for active cooling, each radiator model is equipped with either 120mm or 240mm fans, all of which are greased with Graphene Non lubricant ball-bearings that are designed to operate with ultra-low friction and noise. As a point of pride, Gigabyte says that its Waterforce 240 AIO cooler is able to effectively keep all the cores on Intel’s Core i9-11900K running at 5.1GHz ensuring that the accumulated never seemingly exceeds 81°C.

Malaysian Pre-Orders For Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Series Opening Soon; Price Starts From RM 899

Along with the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung Malaysia has also confirmed the local preorder price and date for the new Galaxy Watch4 series. Much like the former, orders for the upcoming smartwatches will be open this Thursday on 19 August until 21 September 2021.

The company revealed that the standard model of the Galaxy Watch4 will be priced at RM 999 for the 44mm variant, and RM 899 for the 40mm. The larger version will be available in Black, Green, and Silver colours, whereas the smaller version arrives in Black, Pink Gold and Silver options.

Meanwhile, the pre-order prices for the more premium Classic models of the Galaxy Watch4 are RM 1,399 for the 46mm size, and RM 1,299 for the smaller 42mm. Both of these are offered in only two colour options: Black and Silver.

Samsung noted that all four Galaxy Watch4 models that will be on preorder are only the Bluetooth versions of the wearable. The company did not mention whether it is planning to bring in the LTE version at a later date, but we can safely assume that the watches sport a slightly higher price tag when it does eventually arrive.

You can pre-order the new wearables via the brand’s official Experience Stores, Online Store, and authorised partners. As a special promotion, Samsung is also giving away e-vouchers for its official Online Store worth up to RM250 to those pre-ordering the new Galaxy Watch4 series while stocks last.

Intel Confirms 600 Series Chipset Support For Alder Lake-S, Raptor Lake-S CPUs

Intel appears to have provided confirmation that its upcoming 600 series motherboards will support both 12th generation Alder Lake-S and 13th generation Raptor Lake-S CPUs, when all three products launch in the future. The chipset board’s compatibility was discovered within documentation submitted to the SATA-IO, the body responsible for getting hardware vendors to adhere to SATA specifications and other accessories.

Breaking down the document further, it lists the model number and name of the product, Alder-Raptor Lake, along with four device IDs, 7AB0, 7ACB, 7A30, and 7A4B. Beyond that, however, there is no further information about the chipset board.

That said, the discovery does provide a bit of good news for the future; rather than create another motherboard chipset for each consecutive CPU generation, Intel has once again chosen to enable backwards compatibility between its 12th and 13th generation Core series lineup. Much like the Z270 chipset that supports both its 6th generation Skylake and 7th generation Kaby Lake processors, albeit with less features available for the former.

As for the CPU lineups themselves, we at least know that Alder Lake-S is set to be the second lineup to use a hybrid processor architecture, the first having been its 10th generation Lakefield CPUs that were recently discontinued, at least for its laptop segment anyway.

We also know that the Alder Lake-S will be the first CPU lineup to move away from the already archaic 14nm die lithography and into 10nm. Further, the new CPU series is expected to support the new DDR5 memory standard, as well as PCIe 5.0 and the possibility of a 14-core CPU as one of its offerings.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 5000 Series CPUs Rumoured For August Launch

After a long period of silence, rumours about AMD’s next-generation Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series CPUs have finally begun appearing once more. The most recent rumour now suggests that the HEDT CPU lineup could launch as early as next month.

According to MoePC, the new AMD Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series CPU goes under the codename “Chagall” and there are several unsubstantiated rumours to it. For a start, the Chinese site claims that the number of cores in each Threadripper 5000 series CPU remain unchanged. Of course, what is known is that the CPU architecture in the new HEDT lineup will be upgraded from Zen 2 to the current 7nm Zen 3 CPU architecture. With that, the top-of-the-line CPU in the series should offer up to 64-cores and 128-threads.

One other rumour is that the Chagall might also feature a slightly larger Inter-Chip Global Memory Interconnect (xGMI), up from 16GT/s to 18GT/s. This is similar to AMD’s EPYC 7003 server CPU series, which goes by the codename “Milan”.

Again, these are merely just rumours and unverified details. Therefore, until an official announcement from AMD is made, we highly recommend that you take this report with a large grain of salt.

Sony Unveils A New Variation Of Its Lamp-Like Portable Speaker Series

Some brands have the tendency to take some creative liberties with their portable speaker designs, with the more recent one featuring a form factor that resembles a book. Another product that falls into the “weird but cool” category is Sony’s LSPX series, which combines the functionality of a candle lamp and a 360-degree bluetooth speaker together. No, really.

As bizarre as it sounds, the product itself seems to be popular enough to warrant a new entry. Revealed just recently is the new Sony LSPX-S3, the third variation of its lamp-inspired speaker that was originally launched globally back in 2019. According to the brand, this new model sports a variety of hardware and features, as well as a more attractive price tag.

Unique to the LSPX-S3 (and the rest of the LSPX series) is an organic glass tweeter with three actuators that emits sound in all directions. Sony claims that the tweeter is capable of producing “well balanced midrange”, “clear high tones” and “clear bass” that can “fill every corner of the room” via its onboard 46mm speaker unit. It also comes with a built-in microphone for voice calls, but does not feature any onboard voice assistant.

In addition, the speaker comes with the brand’s LDAC technology that enables for high resolution audio transmission over a Bluetooth connection – ensuring an unhindered, lossless listening experience when connected to a compatible output device. You also have the option to enable stereo playback by linking two LSPX-S3 units together, or even connect it to your home’s existing (and compatible) multi-speaker setup.

It’s no denying that the main draw of this particular Sony product is its lamp-based function. Despite flickering like an actual candlelight, the LSPX-S3 relies on an LED light to create a cozy ambiance. This can be personalised by choosing between different lighting modes and brightness levels, including one where the light pulses along to music beats. Speaking of which, both lighting and audio customisation are handled by the Sony Music Center app for mobile devices.

Other than that, Sony says the LSPX-S3 is capable of lasting up to eight hours and charging is done via the onboard USB-C port. For battery conservation, the speaker also comes with a sleep timer that you can customise anywhere between 15 to 120 minutes.

The new Sony LSPX-S3 portable speaker is set to retail at US$350 (~RM1,466), with orders only opening sometime in August 2021. The brand has yet to confirm its global availability but seeing that its predecessor is already available in Malaysia, chances of it arriving to our shores is very likely. That being said, as reference, the older LSPX-S2 model is currently retailing at RM2,599 on Sony Malaysia’s website.

Secretlab Launches TITAN Evo 2022 Series Gaming Chair With Improved Design And Features

Secretlab announced its 2022 Series gaming chair lineup and from the looks of it, the brand is streamlining both its Omega and Titan series into a single chair. That chair is the TITAN Evo 2022 and it comes in three different sizes, along with a handful of new design upgrades and features.

In regards to chair size, the TITAN Evo 2022 is available in either Small (S), Regular (R), or Extra Large (XL). Each size is designed to accommodate individuals within a specific weight category. In addition, Secretlab says that the S and R models have been refitted with shorter hydraulics and “improved design engineering” that should allow users’ feet to stay flat on the ground.

Moving on, the TITAN Evo 2022’s seat now uses what the brand calls a Pebble seat base that is supposedly a combination of the seats from its Omega and Titan lineup. Then, as now, the chair’s upholstery is available in two textures: Secretlab’s new NEO hybrid leatherette and a new and imrpvoed SoftWeave Plus fabric. Regarding the former, the NEO hybrid leatherette is 12 times more durable than its standard PU leather, which we’re guessing means that the material won’t peel off so easily after prolong use.

As for the new and improved features, let’s start with the seat of the TITAN Evo 2022; it’s fitted with the brand’s proprietary cold-cure foam mix that it says helps to distribute a user’s weight easily and relieve pressure over long hours of sitting.

On another note, even the chair’s lumbar support system has been upgraded with a new 4-way L-Adapt system that not only enables users to adjust it in or out, but also up or down. Depending on how much lower or higher your spine is. In addition, the lumbar system also has a lattice of living hinges that Secretlab says can intelligently adapt to the curvature of one’s spine.

Of course, it comes as no surprise that the 4D armrests on the TITAN Evo 2022 are now magnetic and hot-swappable, courtesy of the new CloudSwap system. As for what’s available as a replacement to the original armrests, there is one custom-made model that is filled with a heat-dissipating gel, with more designs and materials to be announced over the chair’s shelf life. Lastly, the memory foam head pillow is now magnetic and snaps effortlessly onto the headrest of the TITAN Evo 2022, doing away with needless fiddling of straps.

AMD “big.LITTLE” Processor Fabrication Patent For Ryzen 8000 Series Discovered

It appears that AMD may be shifting the paradigm of its chip-making process for future Ryzen CPUs for the next decade. The company reportedly filed a patent in the US, detailing its use of the big.LITTLE design, otherwise known as heterogeneous computing.

For the record, the big.LITTLE processor concept has been a mainstay in mobile devices for several years now. That said, the main reason behind its existence is for better power consumption and as such, it isn’t widely applied to CPUs used in modern desktops.

In the case of AMD, the CPU and GPU maker’s patent, codenamed Strix Point, was filed back in 2019 and appears to be associated with its “Zen 5” based architecture. More importantly, the patent addresses a Zen 5 APU and features smaller cores, referred to as Zen4D in the filings.

Needless to say, the document is lengthy but apparently does not provide a detailed description of how AMD intends to execute the big.LITTLE CPU design in future Ryzen CPUs. To that end, we could see the CPU manifest itself in the form of AMD’s Ryzen 8000 series lineup, which is also expected to be based on an entirely new 3nm die lithography.

In any case, we’ll just have to wait and see what transpires over the next several years.

Honor 50 Series Launches In China; Price Starts From RMB 2399

Honor has officially launched its new Honor 50 series smartphones in China earlier this evening. As previously reported, the latest flagships consist of three variations: the standard model, the Pro, and the entry-level Honor 50 SE. And it appears that most of the information regarding the new series that was leaked last week turned out to be accurate as well.

First we have the Honor 50 Pro, which comes with a 6.72-inch OLED FHD+ curved display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and an under-display fingerprint sensor. Under its hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and a storage capacity of 256GB. Powering the phone is a 4,000mAh battery that supports a whopping 100W fast charging capability via USB-C. And as confirmed by the brand prior to this, the phone will feature Android 11 via Honor’s Magic UI 4.2 interface and also Google Mobile Services (GMS).

On the back of the Pro is a Huawei P50-like dual circular glass bumps which houses four different cameras. On the top circle is a sole 108MP main sensor, while below it is an 8MP ultra-wide, a 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor. Housed in the pill-shaped cutout on the phone’s display is a dual front-facing camera setup consisting of a 32MP and 12MP sensors.

Next up is the standard Honor 50, which features mostly the same hardware, features, and camera specs as the Pro – with some notable differences, of course. Its screen is smaller, coming at 6.57-inches, and its battery capacity is slightly larger at 4,300mAh. However, the phone only supports 66W fast charging capability via USB-C. Its rear imaging system is exactly the same as the Pro model, you can expect the same performance on the Honor 50. For selfies, however, the standard variant only comes with a single 32MP front-facing camera, housed in a punch-hole cutout on its display.

Last but not least is the Honor 50 SE, which shares an almost similar design language as its siblings. The more noticeable difference aesthetically is the number of cameras on its back, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and its flat but large 6.78-inch LTPS IPS LCD display with 120Hz refresh rate – making it the largest model among the three. Under the hood, you’ll be able to see some significant differences as well. Unlike the vanilla and Pro model, the Honor 50 SE comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 900 5G chipset, together with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. Powering the phone is a larger 5,000mAh battery, which also supports 66W of fast charging via USB-C.

Photography-wise, on the back of the SE model is a triple camera setup which consists of mostly the same sensors found on its siblings, except for the lack of a 2MP depth sensor. In front is a 16MP selfie camera housed in the display’s punch-hole cutout.

As for pricing, the Honor 50 Pro model will be offered in two configurations, with the 8/256GB version to retail at RMB 3,699 (~RM 2,380) and the 12/256GB at RMB 3,999 (~RM 2,574). Meanwhile, the standard version is offered in a total of three configurations, starting with the 8/128GB at RMB 2,699 (~RM 1,738), 8/256GB at RMB 2,999 (~RM 1,930), and 12/256GB at RMB 3,399 (~RM 2,188). Lastly, the Honor 50 SE is available in two configurations, an 8/128GB version at RMB 2,399 (~RM 1,544), and 8/256GB at RMB 2,699 (~RM 1,738).

Honor has revealed that the new series will indeed be shipped out globally, with Malaysia confirmed to be in the list. However, its expected local availability and pricing has yet to be determined.

MSI Refreshes Gaming Laptop Series With Intel 11th Gen H-Series CPU Lineup

MSI recently held a “Tech meets Aesthetics” event, where the Taiwanese PC and laptop maker announced that it had refreshed its laptop lineup, both for gaming and its Creator series, with Intel’s new 11th generation Tiger Lake-H series CPUs.

For its gaming lineup, the refresh includes MSI’s currently existing GS, GE, GF, GL, and GP series of laptops. Specifically, both the GS and GE series will have SKUs that accommodate Intel’s top-tier Core i9 CPU, while the top-of-the-line models released in the remaining three series will be fitted with the top-range Core i7 CPU.

With Intel’s latest Tiger Lake H-series CPU now powering MSI’s laptops, consumers who purchase them will gain not only to improved CPU performance, but also access to new features such as PCIe Gen4, Thunderbolt 4, and Wi-Fi 6E.

Then, as now, all of MSI’s Intel 11th generation gaming laptops are paired with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 Series Mobile GPUs. That list includes the recently launched GeForce RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti discrete GPUs that is only available for laptops.

As for their availability, MSI currently has the GE66, GL66, and GL76 available for preorder via its official Lazada store page, with the first batch expected to be available as early as next week. As for the other models, the brand says that they should come  sometime in June, although it did not specify an exact date.