Chef Jensen was bragging about the DLSS 3 technology at GTC, so let’s start with the RTX4090’s performance.

Before we announce the test results, let’s explain the specs and features of the RTX4090, as well as what DLSS 3 is and what the difference is compared to the previous generation flagship RTX3090Ti.

The RTX40 series uses for the new Ada Lovelace architecture, replaced by a 4nm process from Samsung 8nm to TSMC, compared to the GA102 core area from 628mm² down to 608mm², more integrated and the transistor count skyrocketed to 76.3 billion. However, the RTX4090, the first flagship graphics card in the 40 series, does not use the full version AD102 chip. NVIDIA has reservations about the RTX4090, meaning that higher end cards such as the RTX4090Ti will follow.

With the graphics architecture diagram, the full spec AD102 should be 12 groups of GPCs, 72 groups of TPCs and 144 groups of SMs with 18,432 CUDA cores with 144 3rd generation RT Core RT cores and 576 4th generation Tensor cores, 576 texture units, 192 ROP units, 18MB of L1 cache, 96MB of L2 cache, 36MB of registers. 96MB L2 cache, and 36MB register file.

On the other hand, the RTX4090 has been streamlined somewhat from the full AD102 core, with 1 group of GPC and 4 groups of SM units neutered, 2048 stream processors less compared to the full AD102 architecture, as a number of 16,384 stream processor units in total, and a slightly lower RT Core and Tensor Core count.

But even so, the RTX4090 still crushes the RTX3090Ti in every specification, especially in terms of stream processors, core frequency has been significantly increased, if only comparing the number of stream processors, the RTX4090 is 1.52 times higher than the previous generation RTX3090Ti, so the theoretical performance has been improved by at least 50-60%. Furthermore, the RTX4090 still maintains the same 450W as the RTX3090Ti, which is inevitably thanks to TSMC’s 4nm process.

In addition to the usual upgrades, the RTX40 series adds support for AV1 encoding, which will undoubtedly be a benefit to video creators with special needs. the RTX40 series cards have a new optical flow unit within the core, which, if enabled with the new DLSS 3, additionally allows for real-time frame fill for games in addition to the original multi-frame composite super resolution, bringing better silky-smooth gaming experience. Considering the extra latency that the frame fill process brings, NVIDIA has also introduced Reflex low latency technology to synchronise the CPU and GPU, eliminating useless frames from the GPU rendering queue to ensure optimal responsiveness. In addition, the RTX40 Series graphics cards have been upgraded to fourth generation Tensor units and third generation RT units which further enhanced the RT performance.

According to NVIDIA, the 3rd Generation RT Core, which is used in the Ada Lovelace architecture core, not only doubles ray and triangle intersection performance, but also more than doubles the peak RT-TFLOP performance. The 3rd generation RT Core also features the new Opacity Micromap (OMM) engine and Displaced Micro-Mesh (DMM) engine, which further improves performance and reduces computational overhead for better ray-tracing performance, and the 4th generation Tensor Core with the Ada Lovelace architecture core introduces the FP8 Transformer engine from the professional-grade H100 data centre GPU for even more Ai power.

The Ada Lovelace architecture core introduces Shader Execution Reordering (SER) on the SM unit for better shader work scheduling and sequencing, which allows rendering to be performed according to different load requirements, enabling more uniformly loaded images to be rendered and reducing work overhead.

This SER feature will be made available to developers as an API. NVIDIA also claim that the addition of SER will deliver up to twice the performance improvement of RT Core and an enhanced experience for ray-tracing games. According to NVIDIA, the new SM (Streaming Multiprocessor) can deliver up to twice the performance and power efficiency, which is a significant upgrade.

In addition to the 3rd gen RT Core, 4th gen Tensor Core and SM (Streaming Multiprocessor) upgrades, the Ada Lovelace architecture brings the new 8th gen NVENC dual hardware encoder, which integrates support for the AV1 video encoding format, allowing for the encoding and decoding of the AV1 format in addition to the traditional H.264 format. The new 8th generation NVENC Dual Hardware Encoder integrates support for AV1 video encoding format, allowing for encoding and decoding of the AV1 format in addition to the traditional H.264 format, effectively improving productivity for creative users and game streamers. According to NVIDIA, the 8th gen NVENC dual hardware encoder is 40% more efficient in AV1 than H.264, which is a significant improvement.

In terms of performance, the Ada Lovelace architecture(AD 102) has 96MB of L2 cache, which provides a significant increase in data hit rate. With the current stage of effective graphics memory bandwidth enhancement, the upgrade to a larger capacity L2 cache can further

improve data hit performance and bring about a performance upgrade. According to NVIDIA, the addition of a large capacity L2 cache brings about higher gains in a range of GPU operations, especially in ray tracing scenarios.

A series of upgrades to the Ada Lovelace architecture also brings new DLSS 3 technology exclusivity and experience enhancements in terms of NVIDIA Reflex.

DLSS 3 includes DLSS 2 (DLSS Super Resolution) and the new DLSS Frame Generation technology, which relies on the Ada Lovelace architecture’s independent optical flow and Tensor Core’s AI algorithm. During the operation of a technology, the Optical Flow Acceleration (OFA) is used to generate frame information from a series of data obtained from the optical flow processor, while the AI algorithm is responsible for further optimisation of the frames, thus adding more frames to the game and improving the frame rate.

DLSS 3 generates 3/4 of the pixels of the first frame of the game and the entire second frame of the game directly, which is equivalent to using 1/8th of the computing power to complete the entire calculation process, and by cycling through this process, the frame rate can be increased while saving resources overhead, further leading to a better gaming experience.

DLSS 3’s frame generation technology will also be used to reduce rendering and operation latency by integrating NVIDIA Reflex. According to NVIDIA, DLSS 3 will integrate NVIDIA Reflex and a range of other technologies to deliver a rendering and manipulation experience that matches or exceeds the native experience.

Let’s take a closer look at the performance of the RTX4090 graphics card through professional testing software, with the following test platform configuration.

Test Bench:

3DMark Performance test

The 3DMark includes include PortRoyal, TimeSpy and TimeSpy Extreme to test the performance of DX12 at 2K resolution, 4K resolution and ray-tracing performance respectively.

Through the 3DMARK benchmark can be seen, RTX4090 performance has been improved across levels, compared to RTX3090Ti in theoretical performance increased by about 40% respectively, this is only the theoretical performance difference under DX12 games, we are going to test the different game performance differences, let’s check it out.

Gaming test

As we know, the previous generation RTX3090Ti is a graphics card that cannot play Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K resolution without DLSS enabled, but if the RTX4090 can handle Cyberpunk 2077 at more than 60 fps under 4K, it means that the RTX4090 will fully open the 4K era. For this flagship graphics card, the game benchmark session was not considered at 1080p and 2K, but directly on 4K resolution for testing. The games we chose are CS:GO, Cyberpunk 2077, DOTA2, Monster Hunter: World, PUBG, Red Dead Redemption 2 and World of Tanks under 4K maximum graphics setting.

In terms of gaming, the RTX4090 has a larger lead in most 4K games compared to the RTX3090Ti. The reason for its modest improvement in individual games should be that the graphics card is less stressed, has a lower graphics card footprint, and the stress is all on the CPU. At 4K resolution, the RTX4090 is able to exceed 60 fps and reach close to 90 fps without DLSS, with DLSS 3.0 on it is even possible to reach more than 100 fps, while the RTX3090Ti is still unable to reach 50 fps and requires DLSS to be enabled.

DLSS 3.0 test

We have also tested the recently updated DLSS 3 project, and from the 3D Mark results, we can see that the ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC can achieve a very noticeable improvement in performance thanks to the DLSS 3 technology. We have also obtained test versions of several games that support DLSS 3 and will be testing some of these games to experience the improvements that DLSS 3 technology can bring.

According to Nvidia’s official introduction, more than 35 games and apps have already announced that they will soon support DLSS 3 technology, including popular gaming titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 and RacerX. For this DLSS 3 game test, we will use Cyberpunk 2077, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered and A Plague Tale: Requiem. Please notice that the DLSS version for RTX3090Ti is v2.5

As you can see through a range of figures, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC we tested has very strong power and performs even better in a range of games.

Productivity performance benchmarks

AV1 codec

As AV1 has become the new standard encoding used for decent video content. And the reason is simple. It is because AV1 codecs can achieve the same picture quality as other mainstream codecs at a lower bitrate. AV1 codecs has higher video compression algorithm to enable creators saving a lot of space on their hard drives.

EPIC PC is currently uses DaVinci Resolve 18 for long video editing. This software supports Nvidia’s AV1 hardware-accelerated codec. A 4K MP4 video of around 10GB in size can be exported in around 40 seconds.

H.265 hardware accelerated codec

Also for this 10GB size 4K footage, encoded in H.264 and exported to MP4, this ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC took roughly 35 seconds to process, while the RTX3090Ti took 70 seconds, which is twice as slow..

Industrial design benchmarks

For a test that leans further towards the needs of professional users, we used SPECviewperf 13 for a comparison test of the two cards.

The comparison tests also show that the ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC is an all-round improvement card in comparison to the RTX3090Ti. achieving an all-round advantage in a series of benchmark tests of the industrial needs.　　

Through hands-on testing in various aspects such as gaming, video creation and benchmarking with professional tools, we can see that the ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC has the latest technological advantages and all-round performance improvements compared to the previous generation flagship model RTX3090Ti, and its strong performance also brings users excellent experiences.

Thermal and power consumption benchmarks

With a room temperature of 28±2°C and an open test bench, we tested this ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC card and the temperature was stable at around 71°C at around 30 minutes, while the total power consumption of the card was around 440W, which is a relatively good performance.

Summary

As the flagship of the new generation card, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC shows us very strong performance. With the new Ada Lovelace architecture of the AD 102-300 display core, it brings a full jump in gaming and productivity compared to the previous generation RTX3090Ti. The addition of new technologies such as DLSS 3 provides an immersive experience with clearer picture quality and smoother graphics, making it a must-have for enthusiast gamers.

For gamers, content creators and other users, the ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC’s power and large 24GB VRam will enhance the experience and help users to create more creative inspiration.

The ASUS ROG Strix RTX4090 OC also has a very cool looking, with a semi-retro rounded enclosure and RGB glowing grille at the rear for a Cyberpunk industrial level design, as well as a decent cooling performance. If you’re thinking of upgrading your old graphics card, this is definitely a great choice.

EPIC PC RATE SCORE : 93/100

ASUS ROG STRIX GEFORCE RTX4090 OC OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE

The MSI Creator Z16 Hiroshi Fujiwara Limited Edition is the first collaboration that MSI has done with a fashion designer, but coming in at $4,000 AUD, can this machine perform as well as its price-tag, or will it be relegated to people with deep pockets who are just after the design? please check out the video below! Please ‘like’ and subscribe to my channel, and don’t forget to click the ‘bell’ icon to get the latest video updates.

We have a raffle at the end of the video, please take part, thank you!

The ROG Falchion wireless keyboard we got this time is an extremely simplified style product, with a compact style of 68 keys, light and easy to carry, 65% key arrangement compared to 60% arrangement style to increase the most important directional keys and Page up/down and other practical keys, the full keyboard is made of PBT material, support translucent RGB AURA SYNC, keycaps are PBT The keyboard supports N-key rollover and the biggest highlight is the touch volume bar on the left side, which can be edited separately for other functions to aid gaming.

So, let’s dig into the detail!

Package Appearance

Package Front

Package Back

Internal Package

The accessories are included a package content card, manual, sticker, a Type-C-A adapter and a Type-A-C cable

Product Analysis

Keyboard Main body looking. Also comes with a polycarbonate protection case

The polycarbonate cover front and back looking
An adhesive pad with the ROG logo on the inside

Staggered brushed design on the bottom with ROG eye logo

When the case pad is underneath, there are openings on the side at the volume slider

The bottom support foot is a single segment design

On the top side are the on/off switch, Type-C connector and 2.4G wireless receiver storage slot, the slot has the Magnetically-attached design to avoid the loss

The wireless receiver

Quad-sides view of the keyboard

Take off a keycap, we can find the actual Cherry MX RGB Red switch

The net weight of the keyboard is 525g

The full weight of the keyboard and back cover is 677g

The keyboard is connected by both wired (Type-c) and 2.4G wireless but unfortunately does not support Bluetooth for easy multi-platform adaptation. The volume slider on the left side is responsive and can also be set to match different sliders for different applications.

RGB Backlight effects

Software Usability

ASUS peripherals are integrated into the Armoury Crate, allowing you to change AURA SYNC, lighting effects, and keyboard-related settings via Armoury Crate

The Keys settings in Armoury Crate

The Touch panel settings, this slider bar supports four different actions, swipe up, swipe down, top tap and bottom tap, which can be tied to each of the four functions

The Power settings allow the user to adjust the on/off and sleep time of the light effects, as well as an instant battery level display

The usage experience

Let’s start with the key experience, Cherry’s MX Red has been around for a long time, and as a gaming keyboard, the lack of a paragraph feel to the strikes does feel like something is missing, but the silence does solve a pain point for many users, and the quick rebound, as well as the easy trigger, is really an easy way to increase hand speed. Secondly, from a gamer’s point of view, the 68-key configuration does meet most of the usage scenarios, but unfortunately, it is extremely unfriendly to users who use function keys in the office area, and symbols and functions that require 2-3 layers of key combinations to press out must take a long time to get used to, which is why keyboards like the HHKB are simply not suitable for the average user. Plus, Falchion’s keycaps are slightly higher than Cherry’s, making the overall keyboard taller, it is best used with a handrest, whereas the Asus does not come with it and users need to purchase one separately. Once again, as a portable gaming keyboard, it’s a real shame that there’s no Bluetooth, although the 2.4G wireless is effective in reducing latency, the good thing is that the hibernation wake up time is very quick. As for battery life, ASUS officially says it can last up to 450 hours with the lights off, but unfortunately, the 4000mAh battery really won’t last that long, after close to 2 months or so of testing we found that the real usage time is around 320 hours without RGB, turned RGB on and adjusted to a moderate brightness (50%), it will support about 1 week around of moderate use. When testing the key conflict, we found that the Falchion did not achieve N-key rollover, and under the game ‘DJMAX Respect V’, any combination of 7 keys could not be pressed at the same time, this means that the keyboard is very unfriendly to multi-key music games

Disassembling analysis

This time, we disassembled the Falchion keyboard. Compared to other brands, the Falchion does not have many locking screws, which makes it relatively easy to teardown, and we also found very interesting things, which will be explained below.

All parts after disassembly

The main control board front and back

The Touch panel part is a touch-sensitive strip that often used on monitors for menu adjustment

The STM32L412 from STMicroelectronics is used as the main control chip

The wireless chip is one of the interesting things we found, the CC2640R2F from Texas Instruments. This chip is actually a Bluetooth wireless MCU and supports Low Energy BT version 5.1. But for some reason, Asus has not enabled all the features of this chip

Very sexy white PCB

The second very interesting point is the lithium-ion battery used in this keyboard, model C11P1707, 4000mAh, which is actually used for Asus  ZenFone Max M1, and this battery has not been modified at all for any connection, directly using the original BTB interface, we tested replacing a battery of the same model, the keyboard can light up and successfully identify the power in Armoury Crate. In other words, if the battery decays after more than 1 year of use, it is possible to solve the problem of lack of battery life by replacing it with customers themself. In theory, a C11P1706 battery with the same interface but a higher capacity of 5000mAh may also be directly replaced, but unfortunately, we did not have this battery and were unable to test

SUMMARY

Overall, this keyboard stands out in its category and is very well positioned in the market. In this current climate, more users prefer a lightweight and portable keyboard design language, and ASUS’ move into the 65% size at this time is indeed a major trend, after all, the bar for custom keyboards is now getting lower and lower, and pricing at around AU$239 is not stable in the Australian market, but this wireless keyboard competing with the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini does have some price advantages. In terms of portability, the use of a 4000mAh battery and the support of fast charging does greatly extend the usage time, which really dispels the blind distrust of many users towards wireless keyboards and breaks the spell of “not only office peripherals deserve to have long battery life”.

EPIC PC RATE SCORE : 96/100

EPIC REWARD: EPIC RECOMMENDED, DESIGN AWARD

ASUS ROG FALCHION OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE

So, let’s dig into the detail!

The Package Appearance

Package Front

Package Back

Package Sides

The internal packaging
The black and red colour scheme is still covered in Mayan patterns, complemented by the ROG logo that can be seen everywhere

The design of the opposite door is still the flagship, with the product placed in the middle

The space in the middle of the headset body is made with a monument-like design, on which players are welcomed into the elite community, full of ceremony

The contents of the accessories – includes 2 x D-shape lightweight earmuffs, a 3.5mm detachable microphone, a Type-c extension cable, an instruction manual and a warranty card

The main body of ROG Theta 7.1
The overall design combines the previous flagship ROG Centurion and ROG Delta

Front of the headset with microphone

Two sides of the headset with microphone

The headset weighs 604g, about twice as much as the Delta and 1/3 as much as the Centurion

The Left and right symmetrical design

5-levels Headband expansion arm

The rotating structure of the headset and its extension length

The extra-soft headband inside is a padded foam mesh fabric similar to the ROG Hybrid ear cups, which breaths well

The famous ROG logo on the headband

The headset is complemented by a cooling grid on both sides

At the bottom of the right side of the headset, there is a slider for switching between PC and phone and a 2-in-1 microphone volume potentiometer

On the bottom left side of the headset, there is a separate microphone jack

The D-shape earmuffs have a ROG logo integrated

The ROG logo with RGB translucency design

Software Analysis

Asus has integrated their peripheral controls into the ROG Armoury II software, if users are using an Asus motherboard, they can also use the Armoury Crate directly to control.

The main page of the control panel
Users can utilise this software to adjust almost all functions including Sampling options, EQ adjustment, bass boost, sound selection, virtual surround, channel selection and microphone AI noise reduction options

The RGB settings of the headset can also be adjusted under the Lightning tab

The AURA Sync settings

Disassembling Analysis

The greatest selling point of these headphones is the true 7.1 + separate DAC design. To see what’s inside, we decided to take it apart

The headphone unit part has to be disassembled from the inside of the rotating structure

Snap-in construction of the headset section, locked by a Phillips screw

The headband part

The extra pair of lightweight D-shape earmuffs

The body of the headphones, with the 8 units clearly visible. These are 40mm front units, 30mm centre units, 30mm left and right units and 30mm rear surround units. As all units are independently driven, the subwoofer section could be simulated by an algorithm, meaning that it is also sounded by these units

Remove the headset casing to reveal the motherboard components. The headset is a semi-modular design with relatively neat internal routing

Disassembly of the right half part includes rotating structure, motherboard and housing

Disassembly of the left half part

The motherboard model name and version number

The AURA 82UA0 RGB controller chip

Potentiometers and diverter switches side

The SupremeFX CODECs S1220 conroller chip, Realtek ALC4042H QFN Audio CODEC IC and Wolfson WM8960G stereo audio codec driver chip

ESS Sabre 9601K amps

The Hearing Analysis

Test premise: EPIC PC does not compare the listening experience of PC peripheral headphones with Hi-Fi/Hi-End or Monitor-grade headphones. All comparative terms used in the test are comparisons between PC peripherals.

Compatability
This headset has excellent support and compatibility with the new generation of gaming consoles and mobile devices due to its Type-c interface.

On the Android platform, we tested with the ROG Phone 3. Because they are Asus’ own products, Theta 7.1 can be directly recognised by the ROG Phone 3 and automatically optimised to the game. Although PUBG Mobile does not support a 7.1 soundtrack, in-game footsteps are slightly amplified, making it easy to determine the location of enemies, and the reverberation of gunfire is great in terms of distance and proximity. And in ‘Genshin Impact’, players can enjoy the game’s high-quality music, vocals and effects. Theta 7.1 performs impeccably in both ‘Deemo’ and ‘Cytus II’, as well as ‘Lanota’.

The apple platform lives up to its nobility. To hear quality music on the iPhone with Theta 7.1, we not only need an expensive Hub with a Lightning connector that comes with a chip and has Apple certification, but we also need to purchase Apple’s hi-res lossless music service. With all these front-end items taken care of, we finally got a taste of the quality of these headphones on the iPhone, which actually doesn’t sound much different from the Android platform. Incidentally, the iPad Pro, which comes with a Type-c port, is also directly compatible with this headphone.

Listening experience
The audition tracks include popular male/female voices, rock music, small compilation strings, and large-scale symphonies. All Hi-Res quality 88200Hz 24bit, around 4kbps. This headphone is very well tuned to music, the high frequencies are not sharp and harsh but slightly softer, the sense of transparency is perfect, no EQ adjustment, the mid-range is rich and the resolution is very strong; the low frequencies are simulated but surprisingly thick and layered, good sinking, and no sense of passage and fading. Without EQ on, the vocals are relatively forward and the nasal resonance is very well reproduced; for pop songs, the vocals are slightly overshadowed by the instruments and seem underpowered; in classical music, the beautiful vocal performance in opera is outstanding, especially in the baritone, tenor and florid soprano, and in Mozart’s “der höllerache”(from “die zauberflöte” K. 620 II), Diana Damrau’s florid part brought me goosebumps, very stunning!

On Desktop/Laptop during gaming
To know that the ROG Centurion is already outstanding. Keep in mind that the ROG Centurion was already very good, while the Theta 7.1 upgraded the rear and side speakers to 30mm, but neutered the original 40mm subwoofer and changed it to a virtual approach, making the bass, while present, underpowered by its shorter duration. In the FPS genre, the headset reinforces the weighting of footsteps and players can reinforce their judgement with the ability to adjust the position of the surround points in the software, while the AI noise-cancelled microphone does filter out the noise of keyboard taps to ensure efficient communication between players. This is equally suitable for RTS and MOBA games. In theory, larger units can improve the quality of fine sound, but in games, it actually has very little impact, as the sound is calculated by simulation and is a collaboration between several units, the difference is actually minimal when distributed evenly. To sum up, if you already have a true 7.1 headset like the ROG Centurion or Razer Tiamat, the relative improvement of the Theta 7.1 is considerably limited.

Overall

Overall, Theta 7.1 doesn’t bring a quantum leap in the gaming experience because its predecessor, the ROG Delta, was already quite good and because most current competitive games don’t support 7.1 surround sound. Since Virtual 7.1 was already at the top of its game a few years ago, the upgrade to Theta 7.1’s DAC is only icing on the cake. The relatively heavy weight also reduces the player’s immersion, increases fatigue, and puts pressure on the cervical spine. It also means that Theta 7.1 will not be chosen by true gaming players at all.

When it comes to the price, the AU$549 “price tag” will dissuade the majority of consumers, and perhaps the quality of this extreme material build-up will be perfectly unleashed in a AAA gaming masterpiece. Even though Theta 7.1 has great compatibility and can be used across multiple platforms, it is still a wired product. As the quality of this headset is already top of the line in the PC peripheral world, with luxurious materials, multiple device support, a high price tag and ROG’s faith added, limiting the users to high-end gamers with deep wallets. Asus has rarely innovated in terms of peripherals anymore, will such a ROG series continue to capture the hearts of all gamers or will it gradually fall by the wayside with the brand premium? It’s up to the gamer to choose in the future.

EPIC PC RATE SCORE: 92/100

EPIC REWARD: EPIC DESIGN AWARD, EXTREME POWER AWARD

 
 
 

ASUS ROG THETA 7.1 OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE

This time, the Keris mouse focuses on a lightweight design, with no external holes but honeycomb support inside to reduce the weight, and a sensor fitted with a maximum of 16,000 dpi and a 1000Hz polling rate. It also inherits the same interchangeable Micro switch design(push-fit switch sockets) as the Gladius II series, and the interchangeable magnetic side buttons allow for more personalisation of the mouse. The mouse comes with RGB lighting effects and supports Asus AURA Sync. The included cable uses a Type-C connector and the Asus’ own ultra-soft ‘Paracord'(similar to Razer’s SpeedFlex cable).

So, let’s dig into the detail!

Package Appearance
The outside packaging
New mouse features are printed on the back of the packaging

The inside packaging

The mouse, connection cable and the replacement side buttons

Instructions menu, ROG stickers, replacement feet pads and Omron switches

Product Analysis
In terms of size, this mouse is a medium-small, mid-rear bulge setting and is only suitable for right-handed grips, which will take some time to get used to in larger hands

In terms of materials, the mouse has a zoned setting, with a matte finish on the PBT polymer buttons and left/right side grips and a smooth surface on the rest of the mouse

The scroll wheel is made of translucent plastic and the RGB light effect can be projected directly through the wheel

The ROG logo on the back has the same effect and brightness is guaranteed

The mouse feet pads have a novel design, with a triangular design spread over the four corners, the reflective prism is in the middle, the DPI toggle button on the upper left and the pairing button is next to it; the switch on the right is responsible for switching between wireless and Bluetooth modes, at the bottom is the USB receiver storage slot, a very thoughtful design

The front looking – Cable connection with Type-C connector

The back looking

The side-looking
The included side keys have a black translucent design and are magnetically replaceable. But the keys feel very loose in the hand

The interchangeable side keys are available in two colours: grey and pink

The weight of the mouse is 115g with cable, the weight of the mouse itself is only 81g

Software Analysis
The ROG products are now managed by Armoury Crate
Button settings

Performance settings
Users can change the 4 DPIs up to 16000, Polling rate, Button response time and turn Angle snapping on/off

Lightning settings
The mouse supports ASUS AURA SYNC and the brightness can be adjusted here

Calibration settings
This setting allows users to calibrate the lift gap between mouse and mousepad

Power settings
This allows users to monitor the battery level and set up the power saving profile

Firmware update
this allows users to keep the latest firmware of this mouse

Performance Test
The Teflon footpad provides an ultra-smooth feeling, but they are not as comfortable to use as the larger ones, and had it not been for the included set of replacements, we would have thought for a moment that this was the result of Asus saving cost.

We have tested the mouse on the most popular mouse pads: Fine coated pad, aluminium, soft silicone pad, fine fabric cloths thin/thick pad and coarse fabric cloths thin pad.

The tests are based on the mouse’s start, Smoothness, Brake, and Transparency.

Fine coated pad
Start: Medium level on both Static friction and dynamic friction
Smoothness: Very smooth
Brake: Very easy to brake and good positioning accuracy
Transparency: Very good contact, no heightened sense of passage that results in misalignment on the Z-axis

Aluminium pad
Start: Very low level on both Static friction and dynamic friction
Smoothness: Extremely smooth, but the maintenance is relatively difficult. The Teflon feet skates will be frayed quickly by the aluminium surface
Brake: Very easy to brake and good positioning accuracy
Transparency: Very good contact, no heightened sense of passage that results in misalignment on the Z-axis

Soft silicone pad
Start: This textured pad makes the higher static and dynamic friction feeling
Smoothness: Very smooth
Brake: Very easy to brake and good positioning accuracy
Transparency: a relatively thin thickness of the cushion, the material is quite solid and the permeability is good

Fine fabric cloths thin pad
Start: Low static friction and very high dynamic friction
Smoothness: Extremely smooth
Brake: Very easy to brake and good positioning accuracy
Transparency: A thin pad with soft material and good permeability

Fine fabric cloths thick pad
Start: Very low level on both Static friction and dynamic friction
Smoothness: Very smooth
Brake: Easy to brake, positioning is accurate after calibration, the resistance is light. Muscle memory is easier to form and more friendly for novices
Transparency: A thick pad with soft material and good permeability

Coarse fabric cloths thin pad
Start: Very low level on both Static friction and dynamic friction
Smoothness: Extremely smooth
Brake: Easy to brake and relatively accurate positioning
Transparency: A thin pad with soft material and good permeability

This mouse is powered by the PAW3335 optical engine, still one of the mainstream solutions in wireless gaming mouse today, and it also has the ability to compete with Logitech’s HERO 12K. Some may question why the PAW3399 was not used, after all, Logitech’s HERO and Razer’s FOCUS+ series use the PAW3399 as a custom engine with 20,000 ultra-high DPI which is not that particularly practical.

Disassembling Analysis
The backplate is locked with only two screws to reduce weight, under the round rubber plugs on each side

The inside looking of this mouse

The mouse bottom case & inside after decomposition

The main left/right button switch board

Microswitch
The two main buttons are using the ROG Micro Switch which has a 70 million click lifespan with a gold-coated mechanical structure, this micro switch comes in a cool red translucent case with the ROG logo on it. The sound is crisp and clean with a clear sense of passage and great feedback from the switch bounce.

The interchangeable design

The complimentary interchangeable microswitch from Omron

The mainboard with side button micro switches
The 2 blue-dots microswitches used by the side buttons are from Kailh, the model is ‘CMI126603D09’ with 30 million click lifespan and 60 ± 15 gf operation force

The roller encoder comes from Kailh’s 12mm series (CEN981212R01), 10-25 gf.cm, 800,000 lifecycles

The roller

The sensor is PAW3335 from PixArt, which has 16000 cpi, 400 IPS and 40 G acceleration speed

The ultra-low-power microcontroller chip STM32L412 from STI

The CC2640 SimpleLink Bluetooth Wireless MCU from Texas Instruments

Usability Analysis
To test the line correction, frame loss, and smoothness, we are using the mouse test from Areson

This mouse without line correction function enabled

This mouse with line correction function enabled

The Frame loss control and the smoothness control are also quite good

Enotus Mouse Test

Finally, we are using the powerful MouseTester v1.5
By using its powerful plot function, we are tested several mouse performances

xCounts vs Time
While the average line is smoother, which means it’s more linear on the mouse track movement; while the points of the counts are much closer to the line, which means the jitter of the engine is lower. As the graph shows, the result of this performance is acceptable in different CPIs

1600 cpi is under a normal use level, jitter is not large and relatively stable

800 cpi, jitter is low

800 cpi, jitter is low

1600 cpi, jitter is a little bit unstable

3200 cpi, jitter is average

6400 cpi, jitter is under control

12800 cpi, jitter is surprisingly under control

16000 cpi, jitter is still under control

X vs Y
This function is to detect mouse frame loss, As the graph shows, the result of this performance is good

xyVelocity vs Time
The unit of velocity is m/s. This test is mainly to look at the acceleration of the mouse. As the graph shows, the point of ROG Aeris is better for curve fitting, which means the jumped-like rapid acceleration rarely appears, The line of fit is coherent and also has a dense distribution

If there is a good device that allows the mouse to move at a constant speed, in this case, the speed line is straight, if the engine has acceleration, it will fluctuate, so this is the most ideal test method. The result of this performance is quite good

Summary
As a mid-sized wireless gaming mouse, the Keris Wireless is more suitable for FPS design type games. The lightweight design and excellent hardware quality bring players a very smooth and comfortable experience, and the interchangeable micro-action design can meet the different needs of users. The Bluetooth and wireless connections are responsive and stable, and the battery life, while slightly lower than the official claims, is still reasonable.

Pricing is a little on the expensive side for a mid-sized mouse at AU$139 – after all, the Glorious Model O Wireless is only AU$129 in Australia at 69g – and gamers may prefer to spend a little more on a larger, two-handed mouse like the Logitech G Pro wireless or Razer Viper Ultimate.

In terms of overall quality, the Keris wireless has improved the internal structure of the buttons to avoid the springing sound caused by reverse vibration, removed the non-slip rubber pads like the Gladius II which were very prone to ageing and breaking on the left and right sides, and replaced them with a frosted PBT design to reduce the likelihood of oiling. These details really bring this mouse to the next level of quality.

For a more detailed hands-on experience with this mouse, check out our review video below

EPIC PC RATE SCORE: 91.5/100

EPIC REWARD: EPIC DESIGN AWARD

ASUS ROG AERIS WIRELESS GAMING MOUSE OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE

We’ve got the latest wireless gaming mouse — The ROG Keris from Asus, what new features does this mouse bring to the table? Let’s check out the video below! Please ‘like’ and subscribe to my channel, and don’t forget to click the ‘bell’ icon to get the latest video updates.

Seeing this reminds us of the world’s first keyboard with a linear optical axis – the BENQ Zowie CELERITAS II, using a switch from Flaretech™, a switch we covered in our previous Huntsman review, which allows the full range of 0° to 90°, depending on how deep you press the switch. It’s the same as the trigger button on a gamepad.

And this new ‘analog optical’ technology from Razer features a light intensity design with adjustable trigger depth: 1.5mm to 3.6mm any way you like.

This switch also allows you to employ WASD to simulate the joystick on the handle, truly ‘press as deep as you can and go as far as you can’

The ‘DUAL-STEP ACTUATION’ allows you to instantly multi-task each button, e.g. tap and press to the bottom for different actions, allowing for more consistent moves in FPS or MOBA games and eliminating the need for complex operations with multiple buttons, which can be very effective in improving a player’s EAPM (Effective Actions Per Minute).

The Synapse software allows you to customise the trigger feel to best suit your needs. Different profiles can be activated to enable different trigger depths to be used in different games.

So, let’s dig into the detail!

Package Appearance

Package Front

Package Back

Package Side

Upon opening the package, we find the manuals, stickers and keyboard main body

Product Analysis

Keyboard Main body looking. Topcase is made of aluminium

The Razer magnetic plush leatherette wrist rest – RGB included

6 non-slip foot pads under the hand rest

The new hand rest is more flexible and made of smoother material than the Razer Blackwidow Elite hand rest

The dual USB connectors are coloured green

The type-c header comes with a Type C-A adapter

Take off a keycap, we can find the actual Razer Analog optical switch

This keyboard has three different height adjustment levels:

Level 1 – Normal height

Level 2 – Higher height

Level 3 – Highest height

There is a USB Type-A port on the left side of the keyboard, making it easy for players to access their devices and use a USB stick or joystick is still relatively convenient. Unfortunately, this generation is not equipped with a cable management slot, the cable outlet is fixed on the upper left side because there are two cables so there is no way to manage the cable freely, both cables are made of braided material, resistant to pulling and soft enough, the length is around two meters, which is perfectly sufficient for players to use for cabling.

Keyboard status indicators

The media control keys and the volume knob

This time Razer has used double-shot PBT keycaps to prevent oiling, adding a thicker surface and a frosted feel to the keys to give them more texture and reduce wear and tear, but also increases the thickness of the keycaps, which slightly affects light transmission

The satellite keycap uses the contact clip type inside the top case

Backlight effects

Software Usability

We can find the Huntsman v2 analog keyboard under Razer Synapse 3

The main keyboard controller interface
We can switch the mode between ‘Standard’ and ‘Hypershift’
‘Gaming mode’ can be turned on and off to enable the no-disturb mode

The ‘Quick remapping’ function is to simulate the controller joystick by using ‘WASD’ keys

We can change the Chroma effect for this keyboard and setup the per-key RGB

The customised profile can be saved as a different name and transferred to the keyboard

Macro setting

Usage Experience

The switch feels strange on this keyboard, the pressure count doesn’t give us the impression that it’s only 40g. although we can change the trigger distance in the software, the first part of the trigger stroke is still heavy, very much in the style of a Cherry white shaft, but after the trigger and all the way to the bottom of the press, the feel is even heavier. The good thing is that this very flexible linear switch allows for very good control of the downward pressure, which is good for controlling the paddle press in SIM type games. In <Forza: Horizon 4>, the throttle control was very smooth and could be controlled more precisely by lowering the trigger and increasing the length of the linear control; in <Lock On: Flaming Cliffs 2>, the mapping of the Throttle Lever and rudder paddle was done well and tested to be very useful. It doesn’t have the feel and force feedback of a physical controller, but it still controls the force perfectly. It has to be said that this keyboard is instead amazing in drop-based music games. In <DJMAX: Respect V>, where you couldn’t Full combo some ‘Maximum’ or ‘Super Core’ difficulty songs with the Razer yellow switch before, after switching to this keyboard, BOOM! ALL FULL COMBO! The accuracy has also improved.

4Key mode: THE ONE(SC)

6Key mode: ANIMA(Maximum)

6Key mode: BLACK MIND(Maximum)

6Key mode: AXION(SC)

6Key mode: AXION(Maximum)

Of course, the feel is a matter of opinion, because there is no such thing as “perfect compatibility” in the world. When it comes to the typing aspect, this keyboard is one of the two extremes. Some people who write very long texts daily prefer an extremely short trigger stroke and enjoy the feeling of their fingers “floating” across the keyboard, while some programmers who code 24 hours a day prefer a more flexible keyboard with a slightly longer stroke. The Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is closer to the latter, and the adjustable trigger length accommodates those who prefer shorter triggers, so it satisfies a lot of people’s pain points!

SUMMARY

In 2018, we did a review of Razer’s first Huntsman keyboard with an Optical switch, where we said ‘The Razer Opto-Mechanical™ switch did not meet our expectations’, and also did a comparison of several Optical switches, including of course the big name ‘Flaretech’. But today, we can say that Razer’s Analog switch has done a better job than the Flaretech switch, with a pleasing design of two-stage triggering and analogue joystick functionality that is refreshing to gamers, and many difficult gameplay techniques can be easily achieved with this keyboard. Overall, this sincere keyboard not only brings a lot of novelty to the user but also a hefty price tag? AU$380 is officially priced at a significant premium to even Corsair’s flagship keyboard, the K95 Platinum, but instead of dwelling on the price, the new features bring an experience that no other brand can bring anytime soon. At a time when money is hard to come by for a graphics card, how about a peripheral upgrade?

EPIC PC RATE SCORE : 95.5/100

EPIC REWARD: EPIC RECOMMENDED, DESIGN AWARD, EPIC EXTREME POWER

RAZER HUNTSMAN OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE

We’ve already tested Intel’s latest generation i7-11700K, and the results are as predictable as you can expect. Without further ado, let’s check out the video below! Please ‘like’ and subscribe to my channel, and don’t forget to click the ‘bell’ icon to get the latest video updates.

Razer pays tribute to the famous Koss Pro-4AA in design — an 1970’s headset, cute round-shaped shell, sponge earmuffs, dual-sided height adjustment rods, the position of the volume potentiometer and the wire connector are almost the same. This visual impact is similar to a colour-contrasting design, which is abrupt but harmonious, and also bringing a touch of elegance to the intensive Esports.

KOSS PRO-4AA

Razer Blackshark V2 X

The Package Appearance

Razer Blackshark V2 X Tech Specs from Official Website
https://www2.razer.com/au-en/gaming-audio/razer-blackshark-v2-x

Package Front

Package Back

Package Sides

The headset main body and the accessories include:
User manual, Razer 7.1 surround sound activation card, sticker

Audio splitter cable and the collection bag

The main body of Razer Blackshark V2 X has an old fashion design on the outside.

The head beam angle cannot be twisted. The head beam part is made by a thick and single-layered form pad, which can fully stick to the head and provides comfortable pressure.

The material inside the earmuffs is officially described as breathable memory foam

The volume potentiometer

The Razer Hyperclear cardioid microphone

The microphone mute button

The headset comes with a 3.5mm combo header, an extension splitter cable also provided
The material of these cables are the standard rubber cable

The total weight of Razer Blackshark V2 X is 270g includes the extension cable (30g around)

The Product Disassembling

The Razer Blackshark V2 X has used a pair of 50mm 3 in 1 driver which has a 12 Hz – 28 kHz frequency response, 32Ω at 1 kHz impedance and Sensitivity at 1khz is 100 dB SPL/mW

The 50mm TriForce unit
This customised unit has integrated with three individual high, mid and low audio frequencies replications

The I/O connector boards

The earmuffs

The height adjustment rods

Software Analysis

The RAZER SYNAPSE software is not supported, we have to use the Razer 7.1 Surround Sound software to enable the full performance of this headset.

User should visit https://www.razer.com/71-surround-sound to download the software and use the activation code to unlock the features. It’s like an upgraded version of the previous Razer Surround software, but if the user wants to customise the position of the virtual speakers, a paid upgrade called ‘Razer THX SPATIAL AUDIO’ is also available. Unfortunately, this upgrade only supports under US and Singapore store

The Hearing Analysis

MUSIC MODE
7.1 Surround Sound MODE OFF
Turn off the 7.1 Surround Sound mode will keep the headset under stereo mode. However, this ‘tri-band’ unit is specially designed for playing games, the high-freq level is a bit sharp and crispy. The mid-freq is quite good but also been limited, the human voice will be pulled very thin, resonance and reverberation will be infinitely lowered to ensure the purity. Also, the low-freq is basically nothing.

7.1 Surround Sound MODE ON
Turn on the 7.1 Surround Sound mode will increase the sound field a little bit but not really improved a lot. It will bring the human voice to the back.

GAMING MODE
7.1 Surround Sound MODE OFF
Turn off the 7.1 Surround Sound mode will narrow the background music down for some AAA games, it’s not designed for enjoying the elaborated musical composition for full orchestra.

7.1 Surround Sound MODE ON
Under the virtual surround mode, this headset will exert its Esports power. Simple design, precise positioning and lightweight is the Blackshark V2 X’s designing language. When we playing CS:GO, this headset can quickly and accurately feedback the enemy’s footsteps and the volume of the distance, experienced players can judge the approximate location of the enemy on the map and the type of the guns they used through the echo of the gunshots in the distance.

MOBILE PHONE EXPERIENCE
Most of the MOBA or PUBG liked games on the mobile phone are not supporting 7.1 or virtual 7.1 channels headset, plus, the decent phones are getting rid of the headphone jack unless you using an adapter. However, playing FPS game on a phone with the Razer Blackshark V2 X headset, compared with the ordinary Bluetooth earbuds or wired earphone, the unique comfort of the headset, no delay without the wireless transmissions and the clear game sound effect brought by the large 50mm unit will get a larger sound field for precise positioning. Also, the noise reduction microphone will allow players to communicate with their teammates to enhance the gaming experience.

Overall

First of all, we think the Razer Blackshark V2 X is a good Esports headset. Putting aside some design flaws, the appearance is classic enough. Although there is no RGB effect, it is not a problem to attract a wave of fans.

At the same time, the only 240g overall weight and the comfortable wearing experience are also highlights that deserve recognition. And from the perspective of sound performance, the quality of the unit is also quite good. Although the gaming performance is not perfect at all, because it’s designed for Esports, there’s nothing more to be complaints about.

Finally, is this headset worth buying? In Australia, you can get it for only $99! and this will be the Razer’s most cost-effective gaming headset in the retail market. With the traditional analogue connection, players can use it on most of the gaming devices, mobile phones, PC and laptops etc. If you want to buy a cheap and practical Esports designed product, the Razer Blackshark V2 X is actually a perfect device to consider.

EPIC PC RATE SCORE: 93.5/100

EPIC REWARD: EPIC RECOMMENDED, DESIGN AWARD, BEST VALUE

Razer Blackshark V2 X OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE

Product Specification

MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK Tech Specs from Official Website
https://www.msi.com/Laptop/Alpha-15-A3DX/Specification

Product Unboxing

Package Appearance
The outer packaging is still packed with a yellow recycled carton

The inner box is made of black cardboard. The new green Alpha logo and MSI is printed in the middle of the box

The side of the inner box has the specs and model number printed on the label as usual

The laptop is protected by a thick and shock-proof foam, and the main body is wrapped by a double-layered suit which has an anti-static layer and a black fabric layer

Accessories bag contains an instruction manual and some M.2 mount screws

Product Analysis

Compared to the GP65 series, Alpha 15 has the same design on the A panel. The only difference is the Alpha logo is actually printed on the panel and it won’t light up

The D panel has a similar design, or they are using the exact same case

The maximum opening angle is about 140°

The 144 Hz Free-sync supported B panel has a thin-bezel design, using a full-sized keyboard and a large-sized Key-separation designed touchpad

The RGB Per-key keyboard comes from Steelseries

The AMD Ryzen & Radeon sticker

The Alpha 15 nameplate sticker

The large touchpad

There is a small triangle shape design next to the arrow key

The HD camera supports 30fps@720p and the microphone is next to it

The rear side of the laptop has a GT series like design, which increases the cooling area

The power supply is the 180W ADP-180MBK from Delta, the output is 19.5, 9.23A

I/O Analysis

The laptop front side – the three indicators in the middle are wifi, battery, and hard drive

The laptop rear side – The vent is not a symmetrical design

The laptop right side – I/O is 2 x USB3.2 Type-A Gen1, a full-size SD (XC/HC) card readers and the power jack

The laptop left side – I/O is the Kensington lock port, Killer Gb LAN, an HDMI(4K @ 60Hz), a mini DP, a USB3.2 Type-A Gen2 and headphone + microphone port

Disassembling Analysis

From the back vent we can see through the black colourised heatsink

Quickly removed all screws from the D panel, the inside of this laptop is shown below — the heatsink with 7 heat pipes is covering the CPU, GPU and their power supply chips

The D Panel plate

The back side view of the Alpha 15. The ram area is covered by an isolated pad

The ram and SSD area. Only 1 SSD slot and 2 so-dimm slots are implemented

The 2.5″ HDD area. This socket allows users to put an extra 2.5″ HDD/SSD for storage expansion

After removing the motherboard, we can see the Keyboard ribbon cable and the touchpad PCB

The motherboard front/back

The AMD Ryzen CPU – YM3700C4T4MFG with Radeon RX Vega 10 GPU. FP5 socket, Max Turbo 4.0GHz 4 core / 8 Threads

The AMD RadeonT RX5500M Graphic chip

The wireless chip – a rare AzureWave AW-CB375NF 2×2 802.11AC with Bluetooth v5

The Samsung 16G (2 x 8G) DDR4 2666 So-dimm

The 6-Cell 51Wh Battery BTY-M6H manufactory by Simplo

The Giant-sized speaker, this version is not certified by Dynaudio

SSD is from Western Digital, SN520 NVMe PCIe Gen3 x 2, Up to 1700/1400 MB/s Read/Write speed

The 7-pipes designed Heatsink with black colour finished design

The exhausting fans are from Aavid Thermalloy
PAAD06015SL 0.55A 5VDC N426

PABD07012SH 1.0A 5VDC N425

Thermal & Noise Analysis

We are running Aida64 pressure test get a CPU and GPU temperature recording

After boosting CPU and Graphic card, we have taken this snapshot of the thermal distribution of the computer

Aida64 Single CPU Burnning test without activate Cooler Boost Fan
CPU Temperature ~78°C

Aida64 Single CPU Burning – Cooler Boost Fan activated
CPU Temperature ~79°C
It’s quite interesting because when Cooler Boost mode has been activated, the temperature has risen by 1°C

Aida64 CPU & GPU Burnning test without activate Cooler Boost Fan
CPU Temperature ~71°C

Aida64 CPU & GPU Burnning – Cooler Boost Fan activated
CPU Temperature ~70°C
It’s also interesting because when Cooler Boost mode was active this time, the temperature dropped by 1°C

Noise Level when idle ~48dB

Noise Level when full loading ~51.7dB

Noise Level when Cooler Boost mode activated ~65.4dB

Noise Level when Cooler Boost mode activated | in front ~56.7dB

Hardware & Software Introduction

AIDA64 Summary

HWiNFO64 System details

Aida64 CPU details

Aida64 Motherboard Details

Thaiphoon Burner – Memory Details

LAN chip – Killer E2600 Gigabit LAN
WIFI Card – Realtek 8822CE 802.11AC with Bluetooth v5

Screen Panel – 15.6″ FHD Panel, 1080P 144Hz manufactured by AUO

The MSI Alpha 15 desktop wallpaper

AMD Radeon Settings

MSI Dragon Center
Mode Settings – Gaming

Mode Settings – Creator

Mode Settings – User Scenario

Mode Settings – General Settings

Monitor

MSI Ambient RGB Link

MSI My Device

Live Update

Tools

Steelseries Engine 3 RGB Keyboard Settings

Normally the AMD platform is very susceptible to overheating, but this time, what we did not expect is that the temperature control of AMD Ryzen 3 platform is constantly stable. Even if the laptop is running at full speed, the overall temperature does not exceed 85°C. Compared with the same level Intel platform, which frequently exceeds 95°C overheating and throttling, the Ryzen 3 platform remains at about 79°C and does not have a large fluctuation. The result is very good.

Run-time Benchmark Test

CPU-Z snapshots

CPU-Z Benchmark – according to the result, there is around 80% performance compared with a desktop version

CPU-Z Onboard AGPU detail

GPU-Z Onboard AGPU snapshots

GPU-Z RX5500M

AIDA64 Memory & Cache benchmark

Cinebench R15 Results – Single core & multi-core

Cinebench R20 Results – Single core & multi-core

FURMARK test result

Aida64 GPGPU Benchmark

SSD Benchmark – Aida64

ASSSD 1G/10G test

Crystal Disk Info

PCMark : 4,910

PCMark Web results

3DMark Fire Strike : 10,342

3DMark Fire Strike Extreme : 5,657

3DMark Fire Strike Ultra : 3,123

3DMark Time Spy : 3,976

3DMark Time Spy Extreme : 1,819

3DMark Sky Diver : 21,713

3DMark Port Royal/VRS : Not Supported

3DMark API Overhead : Not Supported

Unigine Superposition (Normal 1080P) : 7,893 | Avg FPS : 69.04

Unigine Superposition (Extreme 1080P) : 2,447 | Avg FPS : 18.30

SUMMARY

In general, Alpha 15 is a mid-range mainstream gaming laptop with a relatively balanced configuration. Although the performance of the RX5500M is not perfect, it meets our expectations. This card has similar performance compared with a desktop GTX1060 6G, and it beats the AMD RX580 mobile version and is much better than the Nvidia GTX1650 mobile version. This means that AMD has returned to the mid-range market for gaming laptop graphics cards, indicating that AMD ’s massive counterattack is coming, and also adding a little competition to the gaming graphics card battlefield. It’s a good start.

The price of AU$1,599 is pretty good, plus its stable thermal control and overall performance, the MSI Alpha 15 will be very competitive in the recent gaming laptop market.

EPIC PC RATE SCORE: 84/100

EPIC REWARD: EDITOR’S CHOICE & VALUE AWARD

MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK OFFICIAL WEBSITE: HERE