Gaming – Tech Raman

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i Review |15IMH05 | i5 10th Gen | 8GB RAM

Lakshmi — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 10:47:43 +0000

Legion series is Lenovo’s purebred gaming laptops but they have also made gaming laptops more affordable under IdeaPad brand. If you are looking into this portfolio you can choose between Intel and AMD. The Intel-powered is marked by 3i whereas the AMD models drop the “i” from the name. What I got here for review is Intel i5 10th gen with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650Ti GPU. Keep reading our Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3i review to see if this makes for a perfect affordable gaming laptop.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 15IMH05 Specifications:

Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-10300H @ 2.50Ghz Comet Lake 8 MB L3 cache, 4 cores
Graphics adapter: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 Ti (4 GB GDDR6 dedicated)
Memory: 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM Samsung M471A1K43DB1, dual channel upgradable
Display: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080, 60Hz (120Hz options available)
Storage: 1TB SATA, 256GB NVMe SSD
Connections:
Networking: Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201 Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 45 Whr Li-ion (3-cell)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera: 720p with privacy shutter
Audio: 2 x 1.5 W Stereo Speakers with Dolby Audio
Size: 359 x 249.6 x 24.9mm
Weight: 2.2 kg

Design and Build Quality of IdeaPad Gaming 3i

I got a mixed feeling when it comes to the design. The Onyx Black color with matte finish is unassuming devoid of any extra flashy add-ons or logos barring a simple Lenovo logo in the top left corner. It has a PC and ABS plastic chassis but gives a rock solid feel when you handle it. There is no flex to complain about. Within the restrained mood, what is appealing is the angled corners and the sides of the lid slightly drooping downwards with a lid line, it manages some sort of characteristics to what would have been otherwise a standard plain vanilla look.

When you open the lid, you are reminded the Ideapad Gaming branding in blue on the single-wide hinge. The color matches with the blue backlight of the keyboard but is more subtle. The side bezels are thin. The top bezels is slightly thicker but it also accommodates a 720p web camera. It comes with a privacy shutter built-in. If you are someone who get paranoid or wary of prying web camera looking at you when not in use, you can just shut it out with the slider on top of it.

I kind of have a Russian tank feel to this laptop – they are sturdy not very visually enhanced but still have something that assures you with the quality.

Ports

The left side has almost everything to offer, there’s the power jack, an RJ45 Ethernet port, an HDMI port, one USB Type-A port, one USB Type-C port, a headphone jack, a Novo hole and a power indicator.

The right side has just one additional USB Type-A port. There is no card reader. Usually, have seen gaming laptops come with two USB type A ports but you need to content with two here. Also, the machine lacks Thunderbolt 3 port.

Display of Ideapad Gaming

You get a large 15-inch IPS panel with 1920 x 1080 resolution. The model I received has a 60Hz refresh rate but you can pay a more and upgrade to 120Hz. If you don/t mind paying the extra, would be wiser to go for the 120Hz panel for gaming. It also has an anti-glare coating.

While the colors are decent not exemplary, texts are sharp would have preferred a bit more bump to the 250nits brightness level. The viewing angles are good too.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard has a nice clicky response to it. I used it for a couple of hours of typing and I find it comfortable to use. A number pad is included. The keys have a blue font on it and the backlit is also blue in colour. You cannot customize the RGB-key lighting, so you are stuck with the blue colour. The touch pad is decently large enough, it does not have a physical left and right mouse buttons. It supports Windows 10 gestures, like two-finger scrolling and three-finger tabbing.

Lenovo vantage software gives an option to disable the trackpad while gaming so you won’t end up accidentally firing shots or aim shifts. The best part is if you set this option in the software, it works only when the game is launched and in other use cases the trackpad would work normally.

you can disable the trackpad using the Lenovo Vantage software so you don’t accidentally fire or shift your aim when you’re gaming. This only works when a game is launched, so you can just keep this setting on at all times without worrying about losing trackpad functionality when you’re working.

Lenovo Vantage App

Let’s talk a bit about the Lenovo Vantage app. Every brand in the gaming laptop arena, have their own software to customize and optimize the machine for your needs. With Lenovo Vantage app you get a lot to fiddle around your machine.

You can toggle thermal modes for the laptop between performance, balance and quiet mode, there is also an automatic switch to performance mode when launching games and switch back when exiting the game. There is a Network boost functionality, you can add your games to the list and it gets prioritized in terms of network speed on your network.

There are other options like touchpad lock which we talked about earlier, auto close apps that close and frees up resources when you launch a game. You can also enable rapid charge, which allows the battery to charge faster than usual. In the battery settings, there is also a conservation mode, which when enabled will charge the battery only to 55-60% of capacity thus ensuring the longevity of battery life. Wifi Security mode, Dolby toggle is also found. Miscellaneous Options include, enabling or disabling keyboard backlight, mouse settings, function key switches and microphone settings.

Speakers

The speakers are places on the sides of the Ideapad gaming. They are fairly loud but lacks bass. It supports Dolby and the feature can be enabled or disabled in the Lenovo Vantage app.

Performance of Ideapad Gaming 3i 15IMH05

Ideapad Gaming series offers various models as I said in the beginning and you can customize it for your needs if you are buying from their website’s build your own option. I will stick with the machine am reviewing which is powered by Intel® Core™ i5-10300H @ 2.50Ghz CPU and combines NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 Ti GPU with 4GB of VRAM and 8GB of RAM. (It has a dual-channel and you can top it to a total of 32GB RAM)

In 3DMark Time Spy, the laptop scores 3673 points and in Time Spy Extreme it delivered 1671. In PCMark 10 extended, the IdeaPad Gaming 3i scores 4,855 points. This are the synthetic benchmark scores which puts this Ideapad Gaming machine capable for every day tasks. I did some video editing though not the top of the chart performer, I could edit couple of my videos on Premier pro at ease.

Though the RTX 1650 Ti is not the powerful GPU from Nvidia, you can’t disown it, it still has in it. If you are aiming to mix gaming and work and a machine for multimedia editing, this variant proved to be fairly good in my use. This could be a good mid-level gaming machine. I used it for some of my video rendering and real-life use cases and it proved it to be a good reliable workhorse.

Notably, the machine was quieter even while gaming. The thermal designs were well done too. They have a dual fans, which are placed under the WASD keys and thus making sure those keys doesn’t get hot during longer gameplay.

Battery life of Ideapad Gaming 3i

The laptop has a 3 Cell Li-Polymer Internal Battery with 45Wh. Lenovo claims 7 hours of battery life. We all know, none of the laptops would deliver the claimed result conducted in lab testing.

If you are indulging on normal tasks like browsing, youtube etc, it gives around 4-5 hours of battery life. Do note this is with brightness around 60% and in balanced mode battery settings. The battery life might vary depending on your use if you stream more, game, it is obvious you will see a faster drain. Plus, if you are a gamer, you would know playing with AC power on will always give you better gaming performance. Even in some situation if you do play without a power source, Lenovo claims it would give you an hour of intense gaming.

Verdict on Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3i review

Finally, the question you would want to know and probably why you are reading this review. Should you buy Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3i? When it comes to gadgets especially laptops there is no one magic model one can suggest or fit everyone’s needs. If you are buying Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3i, for sure it won’t disappoint in terms of performance. It has lots of positives to talk about in spec to cost value propostion. Do carefully make the right model decision or build your own from the Lenovo website to suit your needs.

Pros: What works for Ideapad Gaming 3i

Sturdy build quality
Good neat design
Good keyboard
Decent display
Webcam with privacy shutter
Quieter fans
Good thermal design
Decent battery life
Customization options

Cons

No RGB lighting customization for keyboard
Only NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti option

Gamer's Alert: Lenovo and Intel’s Legion of Champions Returns

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 18:23:05 +0000

Lenovo, the world’s leading PC and smart device manufacturer, has announced the opening of registrations for the Legion of Champions Series IV (LoC IV). The e-sports competition in partnership with Intel is now in its fourth series. The Asia Pacific esports competition, will see gamers from 12 markets in the region, for the first time including Australia and New Zealand who will battle it out at this year’s LoC. The competition will see teams compete in the popular Battle Royale title PUBG. As with previous editions, regional finalist teams for LoC IV will face-off in an intense international Grand Finals showdown, which will be held in Bangkok, from 12 – 14 December 2019.

The Legion of Championship now in India

For the first time ever, LoC is coming to India in grand fashion with an all India qualifier leading to a LAN finale in Bangalore, the winner of which will win the right to represent India at the LoC finals in Bangkok. The total prize pool for Indian competitors is INR 10 Lakhs (USD14,100). Both LoC and LoV qualifiers will take place on the Rise of Legion platform – Lenovo’s flagship online esports league – offering teams a chance to compete with other enthusiasts around the world till 1^st November 2019. Shortlisted teams will advance to the local group stages across all markets.

The Legion of Championship IV Prize money

Local champions and grand finalists will be competing for a total combined prize pool of USD$89,100 (Appox INR 63 Lakhs) across two games – the largest of any LoC tournament yet. The India Qualifiers for LOC IV PUBG has a prize pool of INR 10 Lakhs, divided between all 10 Finalists attending the LAN finals to be held at Comic Con Bangalore on 16^th and 17^th November. At the end of LOC IV in Bangkok, the winning team for PUBG will walk away with USD$4,000 and USD$10,000 worth of Legion devices, while the winners for CS:GO will walk away with USD$5,000 and USD$12,500 worth of Legion devices At LoC III, held earlier this year, more than 8,000 gamers participated in front of 16,000 on-site attendees. The events are designed to foster Asia’s growing gaming community, and to further strengthen relationships between like-minded gaming enthusiasts. The Legion gaming PC range by Lenovo has been developed through active collaboration with the gaming community itself, with its latest innovations offering purposeful design with modern avid gamers’ needs in mind– stylish and sophisticated on the outside, yet savage on the inside, delivering supreme performance for work and play. In addition, this year’s LoC is also calling for the best female gamers in the region to compete in the Legion of Valkyries (LoV), LoC’s first ever all-female tournament, where female gamers will be battling it out in the gaming arena playing CS:GO. The top LoV finalists in the region will then join the LoC IV Grand Finals in Bangkok as a full-fledged female team. The LoV has been developed to create additional opportunities for female gaming enthusiasts, both experienced and amateur, to showcase their talent Spectators can expect to experience the grit and tenacity of the gamers as they band together to seize the championship title. Those who wish to participate and compete in this epic gaming tournament may also take part in the Rise of Legion walk-in tournaments, LAN party, and cosplay contests. Follow the epic journey at https://www.legionloc.com/.]]>

Asus ROG Zephyrus M GU502 review | GU502GU model – i7-9750H, GTX 1660Ti

Lakshmi Rajan — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 13:55:06 +0000

Asus has a tradition to refresh their laptop portfolio and showcase them in the Computex Expo held annually. This year too they unleashed an updated range of ZenBook and VivoBook models and the talk of the town a new dual-screened laptop called the ZenBook Pro Duo. The ROG Gaming laptops also gets a refresh and one among the new list is the gaming ultraportable, the Zephyrus M GU502 which I got here. Within the Zephyrus series, there are a couple of sub-series and the M series sits between the top tier S series and the more affordable G series. Phew, that’s quiet a wide portfolio Asus has in their laptop section. If you are looking at a compact and light gaming machine with the latest hardware inputs and features, the M GU502 should get your attention on it but is it worth the buy? Go ahead read my review that would help you make the decision. The test unit I have has the following specifications:

	Asus ROG Zephyrus M GU502GU
Screen	15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080 px resolution, IPS, 144 HZ, matte, AU Optronics AUO82ED panel
Processor	Intel Coffee Lake-R Core i7-9750H, six-core
Video	Intel UHD 630 and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti 6GB 80W (GeForce 430.86)
Memory	16 GB DDR4 2666 MHz
Storage	512 GB SSD (M.2 80 mm PCIe x2 – Intel 660p SSDPEKNW512G8) + 1 extra M.2 80 mm slot
Connectivity	Intel 9560 AC 2×2 WiFi with Bluetooth 5.0, Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit LAN
Ports	3x USB-A 3.1, 1x USB-C gen 2 with DP and charging, HDMI 2.0b, LAN, headphone/mic, Kensington Lock
Battery	76 Wh, 230 W power adapter, 65W USB-C adapter included in some regions
Size	360 mm or 14.17” (w) x 252 mm or 9.92” (d) x 18.9 mm or .74” (h)
Weight	1.91 kg, .80 kg power brick and cables

Build and Design:

The M GU502 GU is a work and play device and is obvious at the first look. You can camouflage it as your regular work machine in any serious work meetings without giving away the gamer in you. It’s sturdily helped by magnesium alloys construction of the main chassis and the underside. The lid has a brushed matte finish, very typical of many Asus laptops. There is the ROG logo on the lid, that glow RED while in use. It doesn’t get too bright and flashy and while I personally like it but if you want to turn it off there is no manual setting for it. The power button also has a small but prominently bright red LED indicator. There is a honeycomb metal construction beneath the trackpad and armrest to prevent any additional flex and gives a rock-solid feel to the machine yet make it relatively lightweight. Talking about the trackpad, its right on the middle and is large. The armrest gives a very relaxed feel while using, more on that when I talk about the keyboard. The choice of a mix of magnesium, aluminium and plastic at the right places helps to maintain the light weight yet provides the sturdiness and there is no flex whatsoever even when pressed harder. It weighs 1.91 kg, the power brick is a bit too hefty. There are also RGB LEDs hidden inside the AAS system, and they’re tied to the keyboard’s illumination, which means there’s no direct control over them and no way to turn them off independently, at least as far as I can tell. The GU502 does away with the AAS ((Active Aerodynamic System) an implementation we have seen in GX502, where a mechanical hinge lifts the back of the laptop to provide for extra roominess for fresh air to be sucked in and thus improving cooling. Still, the rubber footings at the back of the GU502 is slightly raised to give a bit of slant and airflow. Coming to the ports, there is a wide range of ports for connectivity and few omissions. On the left, there is the power port for charging placed in the middle, a placement I disagree with. Also, there is a LAN port, a full-size HDMI port, a USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 port and two separate 3.5mm audio jacks for headphone and a microphone. On the right side, there are two USB-A 3.1 ports and a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port, with DisplayPort 1.4 and features PD charging support. Yes, you can charge the laptop with a suitable power bank when in an emergency. There is also a Kensington security lock slot. Unfortunately, there is no fingerprint scanner for sign-ins and no face unlock since there is no camera on the laptop. You have to be satisfied with an external webcam. There is no Thunderbolt 3 support or card-reader.

Keyboard and TrackPad

I was quite at ease with the keyboard on the GU502 but that might be also due to the fact I been reviewing many of the Asus ROG lineups of late. Even for those who are new to the machine, they should find the layout convenient. It offers good feedback, has a neat layout and spaced out well. The layout has a nicely spaced keys of 15x15mm size, the function keys are slightly smaller at the top, the arrow keys are smaller in size compared to the main keys. The right also has a column of keys for Home, Page up and down, End and Function. The multimedia keys sit at the top for quick access to adjust the volume, control the microphone and launch the armoury crate. There is an LED light beneath individual keys. The markings also glow except for the function key markings. The LED illumination can be adjusted from the Asus’s Aura subsection of Armoury Crate where you can find close to 8 different lighting effects. You can also sync the lighting with external compatible peripherals and in-game scenarios. The trackpad is fairly large and is Elan touchpads. It’s a plastic surface and I have no nitpicks on the quality and working on the pad. It’s good, there is no sluggishness or any issues with it. [gallery link="file" ids="14796,14797,14798"]

Display of Zephyrus M GU502

The Zephyrus M GU502 has a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS panel with 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. A 6.2mm thin bezels surrounding the screen which translates to 81% screen to body ratio. There is a matte coating on the display, something I prefer personally. The bottom bezel flaunts the ROG Zephyrus etched on it. I had put the machine more for video editing than gaming and I really liked the display for it, thanks to the Pantone colour validation. It produces the entirety of the sRGB colour spectrum. It gives a true to life visuals which are very important for creators who work on illustrators or video editors. Even for gaming, the display comes good. There is no GSync. If you want a workaround, it would be possible with external monitors via USB-C >> DP adaptors if you are hell bend on it. Also, a point to note, when the system is unplugged, the screen’s refresh rate lowers to 60Hz and resets to 144 Hz when plugged back. This is programmed to save battery. There is a setting to turn the auto switch off each time.

Performance

Powering the machine is the powerful 9th generation Intel Core i7-9750H processor with 6GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti graphics and 16GB RAM to kick off. My unit had 512GB SSD storage, if you want to increase further there is a second M.2 slot that can handle up to 1TB. As I mentioned earlier, I had put the machine intensely on many of my video editing projects on Premiere Pro during my travel and I never once missed my desktop back home. It was able to handle the heavy editing at ease. Even playing e-Sports titles like Apex legends or PUBG handled very well and you should be able to play Battlefield V and others too. Clearly, this laptop is a perfect blend for work and play. But when we pack such a hard ware in an 18mm thin body, there would be some compromises. I was using the laptop on a balanced mode, and the fan noise was quietly audible. The chassis also tends to heat when you burn it too heavy games. So intense gameplay on a long stretch might take a hit on the performance. To its credit, the heat dissipation doesn’t pass through the keys and you don’t fee any discomfort while using them in prolonged use. There is a silent mode though if you want a quieter use. But overall, the NVIDIA GTX 1660Ti should satisfy the gaming enthusiasts. The speakers are placed at the bottom. Thanks to the raised footings on a flat surface, they are quite loud. Everyday performance is butter smooth.

Asus Zephyrus M GU502 Internals

With 15 Frearson screws, it’s a laborious process to unscrew the back panel. Most of the space inside is occupied by a red Asus motherboard and the laptop’s 76Wh battery beneath it takes the big slice of the pie too. There are two speakers nested on rubber housing. The 16GB RAM is soldered to the motherboard. There is one extra RAM slot to pitch in another 16GB since the machine handles 32GB in max total. There is a space for an extra PCIe NvMe solid-state drive chip in case you want to add up more than the 512GB you get out of the box. There is also a network of the coiled thermal module. Since you are reading this, let me tell you not to open the back panel it would void the warranty. You can take it to the Asus service centre if you want to upgrade.

The battery life of Zephyrus GU 502

As noted in the previous section, the laptop comes with a 76Wh rechargeable Li-ion battery which Asus claims can last for up to 6 hours on web browsing. In my real use case, It was under 4 hours while just browsing and working on articles. But then in my experience, the gaming laptops never deliver incredible battery life at least not the machines I have come across till date. Still within the segment and considering the work and play positioning of the laptop, it’s a bit of a downer. Charging the laptop from near zero back to full took close to two full hours.

Verdict:

On a final note, the Zephyrus M GU502 is a great multi-purpose machine. For people like me who would want a power-packed machine that can disguise as a work laptop and also satisfy the gamer in me discreetly this is the kind of notebook to look at. Its a practical laptop with sturdy and solid built offers good portability for creators and avid gamers in them. ]]>

HyperX Alloy Elite RGB Gaming Keyboard – Features | Specs

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 18:51:20 +0000

HyperX, the gaming arm of Kingston Technology has brought to India the HyperX Alloy Elite RGB gaming keyboard, which is its first RGB mechanical gaming keyboard in India. For beginners, RGB keyboards provides in numerous possible colors to take your gaming setup to a highly personalized next level. The HyperX Alloy Elite RGB is now available in India at an MRP of ₹15,999 with a twi year warranty and free technical support. The keyboard sports a solid stee frame with features like Game mode, N-key rollover and anti-ghosting functions. The RGB color combinations are enabled via a user-friendly HyperX NGenuity software that allows backlight color customization for each key on the Alloy Elite RGB. It offers up to three custom lighting profiles that can be saved directly to the keyboard’s on-board memory for on-the-go lighting. The Alloy Elite RGB is a mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX key switches with dedicated media buttons, USB 2.0 pass through, quick access buttons. Additionally, the Alloy Elite RGB keyboard also features a comfortable, detachable wrist rest, and supplemental textured, titanium-colored keycaps.

Hyper X Elite Elite Alloy RGB Gaming Keyboard Features:

RGB lighting effects
Three custom profiles for Lighting combinations.
·HyperX NGenuity software for advanced customization
Solid steel frame
CHERRY® MX mechanical key switches
Comfortable, detachable wrist rest with soft-touch coating
Additional titanium-colored textured keycaps

Key Specifications of HyperX Alloy Elite RGB:

Key switch type: Cherry MX (Red, brown and blue)
Type: Mechanical
Backlight: RGB (customizable colors with 3 custom profile settings)
Key color combinations: 16,777,216
Light bar: 2,500,000 colors
Media Keys: 6,000,000
Light effects: Per key RGB lighting and 4 brightness levels
On board memory : 3 profiles
Connection type; USB 2.0 (2 USB connectors)
USB 2.0 pass through
Polling rate : 1000Hz
100% anti-ghosting
Key rollover: N-key mode
Media control: yes
Game mode: yes
OS compatibility: Windows 10/8.1/8/7
Key switches

· CHERRY MX RGB Blue: Clicky, 50cN actuation force

· CHERRY MX RGB Brown: Tactile, 45cN actuation force

· CHERRY MX RGB Red: Linear, 45cN actuation force

Braided cable, 1.8m

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Is OnePlus 6 the Best Affordable Gaming Smartphone available now?

Lakshmi Rajan — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 07:13:03 +0000

Gaming on Smartphone is a rage now especially with titles like PUBG Mobile making it more immersive as well as addictive. No wonder, we have specialised Gaming Smartphones like Razer phone and Asus ROG phones designed for Gamers in mind. While the dedicated Gaming phones would remain a niche market, many would prefer their Smartphone to be equally good at playing too. For a top notch good gaming performance, the Smartphone should be equipped with the best of the available hardware and the best of the flagship Smartphones provide you exactly that. While we have the likes of Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note 8, Huawei P20 Pro (let me stick faithfully with Android) has enough muscles to push the gaming boundaries, you also have to dig deep into your pocket to own them. Or you can settle for the best affordable flagship for your Gaming needs which has the best processing power available in the market now for gaming , yep am talking about the OnePlus 6.

Why I feel OnePlus 6 is an ideal Gaming Smartphone

Immersive display:

6.28 inches Optic AMOLED display
83.8% screen-to-body ratio
1080 x 2280 pixels
402 ppi density
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
19:9 ratio
DCI-P3

Display plays an important role in satisfying a gamer’s needs. A big screen with vivid display would make for an enriching gaming experience. The OnePlus 6 comes with a bigger 6.28-inch Optic AMOLED display with a fullHD+ display with a 19:9 aspect ratio, the display is bigger but due to the tall aspect ratio the form factor is also good at handling. The DCI-P3 color profile offers wider gamut of colours than sRGB.

Hardware muscle power:

The better the processing power and graphic capabilities, the better your phone would be at handling the games. The OnePlus 6 is equipped with the best Snapdragon processor available right now – the Snapdragon 845 with Adreno 630 GPU. The combination is the best we have now for enhanced gaming experience. The graphics processing is extremely good and the phone can easily handle any games available right now in Android world and also is a breeze to use.

Gaming Mode:

I hate being interrupted by notifications and calls between my calls. The OnePlus 6 has a gaming mode especially for people like me who want an uninterrupted gaming session. The Gaming mode gives you option to block notifications, answer calls via speaker in case you want to still talk while playing. We can add the games to the gaming mode feature. There are few other features also in the gaming mode which I will talk below. There is also an option to disable automatic brightness while you play games you have added to the Gaming mode. I quiet liked this nifty feature which turned off the annoying change in adaptive brightness while playing games. The Gaming mode setting is available on Settings > Advanced > Gaming mode.

Network Boost:

The Gaming mode has a toggle for network boost. Games like PUBG mobile which are online games require good data network connectivity while playing game or you risk being busted in the middle of the game, the network boost feature prioritises the network for your games by limiting other app’s network usage while the game mode is turned on.

Gaming Battery Saver:

There is also a battery save mode baked into the gaming mode with an option for low and high. If you choose the low setting, the resolution of games will be limited, if you opt for high setting resolution and game FPS will be limited or reduced. Of course, this mode won’t be ideal for all games but for those games that work well on low resolution and FPS you can turn it on and save battery. With all these features and a beast of a hardware power, OnePlus 6 is the best available affordable Gaming smartphone you can buy right now.]]>

SoundBot SportsBot SS301 Gaming Combo Review – Starter kit for Gamers

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 18:55:35 +0000

Beginner or a serious gamer, the need for a good gaming accessories are there for everyone who are into gaming. SoundBot is a California based personal gadget brand, who have a lineup of speakers, headphones, cable accessories but also ventured into gaming scene with the SportsBot SS301 gaming combo which is a value pack aimed at casual gamers with a tight budget. What you get in this combo is a

Keyboard
Over-the-ear headphone
Mouse with 4-levels of DPI resolution

All the three accessories are treated with blue LED lighting for that ‘cool’ gaming look and feel.

SportsBot SS301 – Keyboard:

With a sharp and angular designs, the SportsBot keyboard hits the gaming mode instantly. There is a 3 LED brightness setting to enhance the experience. For the more fun element it also has the breathing light effect option for those seeking that uber cool LED sway when punching certain key combinations.

There are total 114 keys with dedicated set of multimedia keys for music controls, email and homepages. A windows key lock and a scroll lock helps in any unwanted key mishaps during game play. The key spacing are good and the footings are not slippery even while you are vigorously punching keys during intense gaming. On a down side, the key markings are almost black when there is no LED back light and unless you are very familiar with the keys you would need the glow for easy key identification. The material used for the keyboard also looks too ‘plasticky’ , though it looks good when you look at it.

SportsBot SS301 – Mouse

The optical mouse compliments the keyboard with the blue lighting and offers good grip. It has an ergonomic design with the fingers hugging nicely on the mouse for smoother operation. A bit of texture on the panel makes it non-slippery and also adds to the visual appeal. The scroll wheel is fairly smooth and there are 4 DPI settings. A lower dpi gives a better accuracy while the higher setting fastens the movement. You can toggle between 800, 1200, 1600 and 2000 setting. There are four mouse buttons – right and left buttons on the top which offers good response. There are two addition buttons on the left side. The mouse is a good offering in the combo and I kind of like it for my everyday computer use.

SportsBot SS301 – Headset

Now let’s move to the last of the combo – the headset. Again, the angular and sharp design language is carried into the headset too to give the entire set an uniform identity. The blue dots might seem an overkill for few but then there are many backers for such lighting especially those who play in low light and like to see there console lit-up. But again, the build quality is not much to talk about with the headset too much of being plastic but then let’s not forget the price it is available for. The headband has a decent padding for a comfortable use and the faux-leather ear cushions are decent enough for an entry level headset. Being a lightweight headset, you don’t feel it weighing down you during long hours of game play. The mic stick is also there for your in-game talks and has a decent audio quality. The headband offers a degree of length adjustment for your desired level. I was surprised to find the 3.5mm and a USB plug combination which you don’t see in many headsets at entry level segments. The LED glows when you plug in via USB. The headset offers a decent bass and while it might not offer an amazing audio quality, it does its job well for casual gamers at this price range.

Verdict:

If you are a casual gamer but on a tight budget and still want a gamer mode with jazzed up cool blue LED lights for the gaming ambience, the SoundBot SportsBot SS301 Gaming combo would suit your demands. It’s a value pack starter kit for gamers.]]>

Acer brings the Predator Gaming Series to India

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 10:30:01 +0000

Acer Predator 15 and 17 notebooks are powered by the 6th gen Intel Core i7 processors with NVIDIA GeForce graphics. The Predator 15 notebook line up comes with a 15.6 inch display with a choice of fullHD or 4K (3840×2160) resolution panels. The Predator17 notebooks feature 17.3-inch FullHD displays. Both the models can support up to three displays including one NVIDIA G-Sync monitor. Acer claims the notebooks have advanced cooling and stellar audio capabilities to up the gaming experience. They also come with DDR4 memory, PCIe solid state drives. On visual terms. the notebooks flaunts red accents on the black chassis with symmetric lines and soft texture coating for better looks and ergonomics. The notebook also features ‘Killer DoubleShot Pro’, a new technology that enables Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections to work together. The ‘Killer Network Manager’ determines the attributes of each link and dedicates connections to each and every app. Predator FrostCore technology claims to keep the temperature at bay and plus there is also a Asus exclusive swappable Cooler Master fan module, which can be inserted into the optical drive bay for cooling down the system during gaming sessions. The notebooks also come with Asus Predator DustDefender technology which employs dual high-speed fans with reverse rotation to remove dust build up that can block the air circulation. For gaming freaks, the notebook offers customization and control of gaming features including macro programmable keys for up to 15 in-game shortcuts and adjustable lighting controls. The keyboard is divided into four lighting zones for better demarcation and also the intensity of light in the zones can be customized. Plus, there is a dedicated physical key that can lock both the window key and touchpad to prevent accidental invoking while gaming with other accessories. The Predator notebooks also gets the cool look with the sporty red accents to compliment the black chassis with symmetric lines and soft texture coating for extra grip and gaming ergonomics. The Acer Predator Notebook series starts at an MRP of Rs 1,79,000/- If you prefer gaming on desktops, Acer has also announced the Predator G6 and G3 desktops, powered by 6th gen Intel Core i7-6700K processors, a whooping 64GB of DDR4 dual-channel memory, NVIDIA’s® GeForce® GTX 980 and running on Windows 10 OS. The desktop is complimented with SteelSeries APEX RAW keyboard, SteelSeries Sensei RAW gaming mouse. To be available from the month of May, the G series Desktop pricing starts at Rs 1,20,000. Also made available in the Indian market is the World’s first curved 34-Inch Acer Predator X34 Gsync Gaming Monitor and the high-end Predator Z35 is a 35-inch curved ultra-widescreen G-Sync display with a VA panel. The Acer Predator range of monitors starts from Rs 39,000 and goes upto Rs 1,10,000 for the top of the line Z35 Curved Gaming Monitor. Acer also had brought in the other gaming peripherals in the Predator series like mouse, headset, mouse pad etc. So if you are a gamer, these are exciting times. ]]>

Logitech PowerShell Controller Review [Hands-on]

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 12:06:19 +0000

With iOS7, Apple paved the way for the App developers to adapt their games to integrate and make provisions for accessory makers to come up with officially-certified accessories for iOS devices. Apple’s MFi program authorizes the Apple certified official accessories and with the opening of the API for external controllers, now Game app developers can access and insert support for the game controllers. Apple also has a set of ‘framework’ for the developers outlining a two specific sets of controller types: a “standard” controller with a d-pad, four buttons, and left/right shoulder buttons, and an “extended” game controller with two analog pads and two sets of shoulder buttons. The mandate is that the Touch has to be compulsory part of the gaming experience and the ‘standard’ controller to be supported even if the developers opt for the ‘extended’ layout.

PowerShell Design and Buttons layout

Logitech PowerShell Controller is one of the first to hit the market as gaming controllers for iOS device and it has a ‘standard’ controller layout. So we get a Directional pad on the left along with a ‘Switch’ that latches up to the iPhone’s lock button. On the right side are four face buttons, named “A,” “B,” X” and “Y,” as well as a pause button. On the top on either sides are a two shoulder buttons identified as “L” and “R”. The bottom has a micro USB port for recharging the integrated battery. On the left there is a metal button switch to enable the battery and on the right side there is a port for headphone adapter. The adapter is quiet large and an eye-sore and sticks out oddly when connected. It is required if you have to connect connect any of your headphone with the controller. All the buttons are analog and not digital which is good. More importantly, the buttons are pressure sensitive too which is again nice while playing certain games. For eg. a lighter press can make a character walk and a little more pressure can make it run. It again comes handy in racing games where applying a little more pressure on the button can burn the tyres on tracks. The controller connects to the iPhone through the lightning connector and it can be spotted bending outward on the inside of the controller. The Logitech PowerShell Controllers looks and feels sturdy. It definitely is very durable and should last longer. It also easy to tug the iPhone to the controller case and to remove it. [gallery columns="5" link="file" ids="6937,6938,6939,6940,6941"]

Extended battery:

PowerShell controller has a built-in 1500mAh battery. The battery can be used to charge the iPhone thus doubling as a powerbank when in need. There is a metal button which when pressed charges the phone. The game controller keeps working even while it is charging the iPhone.

Compatible Devices:

Logitech PowerShell Gaming Controller is compatible with only iPhone 5/5S and iPod Touch 5th generation devices.

User Experience:

The controller works with MFi certified games which are coded to work with the controllers. There are some 100 odd games to choose from currently with some 15 making for good picks. More games has to be gamer-controller supported if the accessory has to find more user base. Unfortunately, Apple has failed to categorize separately the MFi certified games that support the game controllers. Logitech PowerShell Controller with its ‘standard’ set of layout requires a combination of buttons and iPhone touchscreen to get most games get going. At times I wished Logotech had opted for the ‘extended’ layout and included an Analog stick atleast. It would have made the PowerShell Controller truly power packed for gaming experience. Still the PowerShell controller works neatly with the buttons on disposal. It takes a bit of time to warm up to get used to the controller after playing extensively the games on the touchscreen. Asphalt 8: Airborne was a great game to play and I thoroughly enjoyed playing it with the controller. It synced well with the button layout and enhanced the gaming experience. Though it cannot be said with all the games. It runs down to picking the best compatible game that gives the optimum gaming feel with the controller. Accelerometer works with the controller and the best gaming productivity comes with the combination of mixing tilt, touch, and buttons. Once you get the hand on the layout and how it works with the particular game, you start enjoying. Logitech has made clear cutout sections to access volume, on/off, and camera access and so all the iPhone/iPod device functionality are retained and accessible even while you are playing. There is a red color-LED indicator on the back that glows when the iPhone is charging through the extended battery of the controller. Though there is no way to know how much charge is left in the pack.

Logitech PowerShell Controller – To buy or Not

The PowerShell Controller comes at a MRP of $99.99 in US, though it can be found for as less as $66 in certain e-commerce sites. In India it comes at a MRP of Rs 8,995. It can be picked for around 6K at e-stores. It’s still early days for gaming controllers but there are early birds who aim to strike the market. Logitech definitely is a company who looks dead serious to take the early mover advantage in this category. PowerShell Controller is very robust, has a good form factor and is very durable. Though the choice of ‘standard’ layout by Logitech does not provide the full gaming console experience but the buttons on disposal works neatly in combination with the touch and accelerometer functionality of the iPhone device. So is it worth picking? It depends on the kind of gamer you are. If you have a keenness for retro-gaming and an early adopter of technology, this PowerShell controller is worth a try.]]>