New Samsung microSD P9 Express targeted at gaming, professional workflows

Samsung Electronics has launched a new microSD Express card lineup, the Samsung P9 Express. This new family is designed to deliver next-gen gaming experiences and is optimised for leading platforms, including the Nintendo Switch 2.

Source: Samsung. The Samsung P9 Express is available in two memory capacities with 512 GB being the higher capacity. 

Based on the PCIe interface and NVMe protocol, the SD Express technology significantly enhances data transfer performance compared to UHS-I cards, making it ideal for environments that demand high-capacity processing and fast data transmission.

The P9 Express is ideal for dedicated console gamers who regularly enjoy a wide variety of games and downloadable content (DLC), often requiring additional storage beyond what is available internally. It is available in both 256 GB and 512 GB options to meet different gaming needs.

The P9 Express also provides an ideal solution for multiple users sharing a single console, where ample capacity is required for several different game installations, helping gamers overcome limited internal storage and enjoy a wide variety of titles without compromise. When used with a dedicated SD Express interface, the P9 Express delivers sequential read speeds up to four times faster than UHS-I²), enabling creators and professionals to efficiently move large volumes of data from devices to PCs, laptops, or workstations³). 

This combination of high-speed performance and reliability makes the P9 Express an excellent choice for both immersive gaming experiences and demanding professional workflows, such as editing, rendering and managing large media files. By leveraging ultra-fast transfer speeds, Host Memory Buffer (HMB) support, and advanced Dynamic Thermal Guard (DTG) technology, originally developed for solid state drives (SSDs), the P9 Express delivers a smooth gaming experience. 

The DTG technology intelligently monitors and regulates the card’s temperature, preventing overheating and maintaining consistent performance, even during long gaming sessions. The HMB support also enhances performance by efficiently utilising the host system’s memory to accelerate data access, further improving responsiveness during gameplay. 

With maximum sequential read speeds of up to 800MBps, up to 4x faster than conventional UHS-I cards, this combination ensures stability, allowing gamers to stay fully immersed in gameplay without throttling or interruptions. 

 To protect valuable data, whether it’s saved game progress for gamers or large media files for creators and professionals, the P9 Express features six-proof durability, safeguarding against water immersion, extreme temperatures, X-ray exposure, accidental drops, dust, and pressure. These robust protections ensure data integrity and sustainable performance, giving users peace of mind during extended gaming sessions as well as demanding professional workflows. Details 

 The 256 GB and 512 GB⁴ models will be available for purchase at Samsung.com and through authorised retailers in Singapore from 17 November 2025. The manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRPs) for the Samsung P9 Express are S$89 for the 256 GB model and S$171 for the 512 GB model. 

 

Samsung P9 Express Specifications

Interface		PCIe Gen 3.0 x1, NVMe 1.3, SD 7.1, SDR 1045
Hardware information	Form factor	microSDXC
	User capacity	256 GB / 512 GB 256,288,751,616 bytes / 512,644,612,096 bytes6
	Dimensions (mm)	15 x 11 x 1.1 (L x W x T)
	Weight	Approx. 0.25 g (card only)
Performance	Speed class	Class 10, V307
	Speed grade	Grade (U3)
	Sequential read speed8	(SD Express) 800 MBps (UHS-I) 90 MBps
Reliability	Temperature9	Operating: 0°C to 45°C Non-operating: -40° C to 85° C
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) certifications		FCC (IC), CE (UKCA), VCCI, RCM
Warranty		3 years limited10

2 Based on internal testing with the P9 Express microSD card 512 GB measured using a PCIe test board, compared to UHS-I microSD cards tested with PRO Ultimate microSD card 512 GB and Samsung readers. Actual performance may vary depending on the host device, interface, usage conditions, and other factors.

3 Compatible with devices with a microSDXC card slot and microSD Express host device. Transfer speeds may be limited to UHS-I speeds depending on the host device’s compatibility.

4 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Actual storage capacity may be lower than the labelled capacity. Part of the storage may be used for system files and other storage control purposes.

5 SDR104: 1.8 V signalling, Frequency up to 208 MHz, up to 104 MBps, maximum current consumption 800 mA (varies by test conditions). 

6 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Actual usable storage capacity may vary. User capacity measured with SD Formatter 3.1 tool with the FAT file system.

7 V30 : Video Speed Class means sustained video capture rates of 30MB/s(V30) which enable to support real-time video recording to UHS Bus interface products. Transfer speeds may vary by host device.

8 Performance results are based on internal testing conditions. Actual read speeds may vary depending on user environment.

9 Stated temperature is defined as the ambient temperature. Sufficient cooling airflow or effective heat-dissipation are recommended to be operated properly on heavier workloads within device operating temperature.

10 Warranties provided herein do not extend to any use of the product for or with continuous recording instruments or any other write-intensive devices, including without limitation security cameras, surveillance systems, dashboard cameras, black box cameras, Internet protocol/network cameras, continuous recording set top box devices and continuous data logging devices like servers, dedicated devices for benchmarking test, the primary drive for certain devices and any other excessive uses.

Xiaomi SU7 Ultra debuts in Gran Turismo franchise

Source: Xiaomi.

Xiaomi and Polyphony Digital at Round One of the Gran Turismo World Series 2025 that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra — Xiaomi EV’s top-of-the-line high-performance luxury electric vehicle (EV) — will debut in the Gran Turismo 7 racing simulator for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The SU7 Ultra is the the first Xiaomi model featured in the franchise, and reflects the rise of smart high-performance EVs in the automotive industry.

Gran Turismo is widely recognised as one of the world’s most authentic driving simulators, with engineering parameters mirroring real-world performance.

Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi highlighted at the partnership announcement event that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra as a standout in the smart EV segment. He said: "The Chinese automotive industry has progressed rapidly, and Xiaomi — a newly established player in the automotive sector — has already created an exceptional vehicle, Xiaomi SU7, as a pivotal part of its comprehensive smart ecosystem, which spans smartphones and wearables to home appliances.

"Beyond this, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Prototype has shattered conventional performance benchmarks at the Nürburgring. Witnessing these achievements, I am deeply moved by Xiaomi’s courage, curiosity, passion, and relentless dedication to realising such milestones. This spirit resonates profoundly with Gran Turismo and Polyphony Digital’s philosophy." 

Xiaomi EV's R&D team rigorously tests technologies like torque vectoring and adaptive damping at circuits including the Nürburgring Nordschleife, ensuring real-world safety and handling excellence translate to the driving experience. 

Lei Jun, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Xiaomi Group said: "We deeply resonate with Mr Yamauchi's visionary philosophy of building a better society through technology. This aligns perfectly with Xiaomi's mission to let everyone in the world enjoy a better life through accessible and innovative technology. Our shared values paved the way for this collaboration.

"Gran Turismo's worldwide reputation for uncompromising quality and experience makes us particularly honoured to have Xiaomi SU7 Ultra included. We look forward to introducing more Gran Turismo players and automotive enthusiasts to the capabilities of high-performance smart EVs like ours."

Xiaomi's first smart EV, the Xiaomi SU7, debuted in 2024. The top-of-the-line Xiaomi SU7 Ultra integrates proprietary innovations, including Xiaomi’s HyperEngine V8s (27,200 rpm; 578 PS; 635 Nm)*, a self-developed trimotor configuration system. 

Engineered with up to 21 carbon fibre components (5.5 m² coverage) for optimal weight distribution and luxury craftsmanship, the EV design merges performance with elegance. With 1,548 PS, a top speed exceeding 350 kmph, and a maximum 0–100 kmph acceleration of 1.98 seconds, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra holds multiple track records for four-door vehicles. 

Zhoucan Ren, Chief Test Driver and Head of Vehicle Dynamics Development at Xiaomi EV, stated: "Our team will maintain a continuous presence at the Nürburgring to relentlessly refine our products and push the boundaries of what's possible in high-performance luxury vehicles."

*Rpm stands for revolutions per minute; PS for pferdestärke, a way to measure horsepower, and Nm or Newton metres is a unit of measurement for torque. All are indications of engine performance.  

Thailand’s biggest Dota 2 tournament is the final ESL One for 2024

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading esports and video game entertainment company, today announced ESL One Bangkok 2024 powered by Intel, a US$1,000,000 Dota 2 tournament that will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from December 9 to 15. 

Source: EFG. Poster for ESL One Bangkok 2024 powered by Intel.

Featuring twelve of the world’s best Dota 2 teams, this year marks the first time the global Dota 2 tournament has been hosted in Thailand. The tournament heralds the return of ESL One powered by Intel to the Asia-Pacific region after a successful iteration in 2023. Over 335,000* concurrent viewers tuned in online last year to watch Azure Ray win in front of a sold-out crowd in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“We’ve had Bangkok and its amazing fans on our shortlist for some time, and are super excited to finally have the opportunity to be able to bring world-class Dota to this passionate fanbase,” said Tobias Fjellander, Product Manager, Dota 2 at ESL FACEIT Group. 

“We’re looking forward to welcoming Dota 2 fans from Thailand, Singapore and the region to Bangkok this December, for what’s set to be the biggest Dota 2 tournament ever hosted in the country.”

ESL One Bangkok 2024 powered by Intel will kick off with open qualifiers from November 11-14, followed by closed qualifiers on November 15-17. Eight teams from the closed qualifiers, along with four teams from the ESL Pro Tour leaderboard, will advance to the group stages, played out across December 9-11. The best eight teams from the group stages will advance to the playoffs, with the final three days of the playoffs held live in Royal Paragon Hall, Bangkok, December 13-15.

Details

Tickets to watch the ESL One Bangkok 2024 playoffs across December 13-15 are now available, with ticket prices starting at S$61 for three-day tickets. Premium add-on tickets, featuring an event goodie bag containing an event tee, mousepad and collectible coin, cost S$58. 

In addition to watching the playoffs live, ticket holders will also gain access to additional activities, including exclusive signing sessions with pro teams, a Dota 2 cosplay showcase featuring local cosplayers, and access to partner booths.

Fans can purchase tickets via https://esl-one.com/bangkok/.

Visit pro.eslgaming.com/tour/dota2/ for updates.

*According to escharts.com

Marvel-themed gaming chairs from TTRacing

TTRacing has launched a Marvel collection in tandem with the Deadpool & Wolverine movie, which opened in Singapore on July 25.

The TTRacing Deadpool X Wolverine Edition features comfortable, stylish gaming chairs inspired by the distinctive red and yellow designs of Deadpool and Wolverine. Designs are embroidered with Deadpool and Wolverine motifs, showcasing details from Deadpool’s iconic red and black suit as well as Wolverine’s adamantium claws.

In the film, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine dons a comic-accurate yellow and blue costume for the first time. Deadpool is also seen in a brighter shade of red with larger black circles on his mask, reminiscent of his 1990s comic book design.

Source: TTRacing. The TTRacing Deadpool X Wolverine Edition features the Swift X Pro model,
which has a unique design and high-quality craftsmanship.

The TTRacing Swift X Pro - Deadpool Edition, priced at S$339, features the black and red aesthetic of Deadpool's tactical suit, along with high-quality stitching. A playful touch is added with Deadpool's catchphrase, Time to make the chimichangas, on the pillow.

The Swift X Pro - Wolverine Edition, also priced at S$339, has vibrant yellow and deep blue accents reminiscent of Wolverine's iconic design. The sleek lines and geometric patterns reflect Wolverine's rugged, battle-ready aesthetic, with every stitch crafted to enhance the carbon fibre textured polyurethane fabric. A Wolverine abstract art piece on the back emphasises this character's distinctive features, while the pillow features claw motifs.

Details

Get the Deadpool and Wolverine gaming chairs at https://ttracing.sg/

Epson rolls out smart gaming projector

Epson has launched the EH-TW6250 Smart Gaming Projector, the most affordable in its 4K PRO-UHD entry range. Designed to offer an immersive big screen entertainment at home for movie nights and casual gaming with a screen size of up to 500", Epson’s new offering is capable of brightness of up to 2,800 lumens and has an input lag* of under 20 ms.

This all-in-one home entertainment projection solution features scene adaptive gamma correction, frame interpolation, HDR10/HLG support, as well as 3LCD technology providing equal white and colour light output for smooth, colour-correct, and high-resolution images.

Inspired by the popularity of video streaming, Epson’s EH- TW6250 Smart Gaming Projector comes integrated with Android TV as well as a built-in 10W speaker. To further improve the user experience, the projector also features video casting of entertainment apps and other content directly from Chromecast built-in. The front-facing 10-watt speaker also features a bottom-facing sound chamber, designed to improve audio spread, and is fully enveloped in a specially designed enclosure for exceptional audio clarity.

The EH-TW6250 Smart Gaming Projector features a simple and clean design, neutral colours and soft lines. Installation is designed to be easy and seamless. A proprietary sliding keystone function enables users to change the size of the screen with a built-in sliding keystone bar, it can be mounted even in limited spaces. The projector also features a wide +/- 60% vertical lens shift, so it can be placed on shelves or within any corner of the room.

Source: Epson. The new EH-TW6250 Smart Gaming Projector is designed for movie nights and casual gaming.

Users can connect accessories to the HDMI ARC port, or via Bluetooth with the use of the Epson ELPAP12 Android TV Dongle.

“Epson’s new EH-TW6250 Smart Gaming Projector allows more users to experience the bright and vivid images made possible with our 4K PRO-UHD technology at a more accessible price point,” said Derek Tan, Head of Sales and Marketing, Epson Singapore.

“We believe that users will truly be able to elevate their home entertainment experience with this flexible and easy-to-install all-in-one offering.”

Details

The EH-TW6250 Smart Gaming Projector will be available in Singapore starting 9 March 2023. Visit the website or contact your nearest Epson Authorised Dealers for more information.

*Input lag of 20 ms and under requires users to activate FAST mode.

Basilisk V3 Pro is Razer's most advanced mouse to date

Razer, the global lifestyle brand for gamers, has launched the Basilisk V3 Pro, a wireless gaming mouse built for performance and complete customisability. The gaming mouse features a Razer HyperScroll Tilt Wheel, Razer Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3, 10+1 programmable buttons, and Razer Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor, plus wireless charging.

“The Basilisk V3 Pro is our most feature-rich gaming mouse to date, with all the bells and whistles to blow the competition out of the water,” said Chris Mitchell, Head of the PC Gaming Division at Razer.

“Essentially, the Basilisk V3 Pro gives gamers every feature they could ever want, and more customisation options than ever before.”

Powered by Razer Chroma RGB, the Basilisk V3 Pro features 13-Zone Chroma Lighting with Full Underglow, giving gamers the ability to customise each zone from over 16.8 million colours and countless lighting effects, while experiencing greater immersion as they respond dynamically to over 200 Chroma-integrated games. With the use of the Razer HyperScroll Tilt Wheel, players can either speed through content in a free spin until stopped, or switch to tactile mode for more precision and satisfying feedback.

Best-in-class precision, high-intensity low-latency gaming, improved durability, and speed sum up the Basilisk V3 Pro. Achieving a complete resolution accuracy of 99.8%, the Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor offers a sensor solution equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) driving functionality such as Smart Tracking, Motion Sync, and Asymmetric Cut-off. With the Smart Tracking feature, the Basilisk V3 Pro auto-calibrates across different surfaces so that it is able to maintain a consistent lift-off distance no matter what surface it’s used on, even glass.

In addition, the Basilisk V3 Pro sports Razer Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3 for absolutely zero double-clicking issues and no debounce delay while still featuring a more tactile feel, and an even longer click lifespan. These switches are rated for a click lifecycle of up to 90 million clicks, increasing durability by over 25% compared to the previous switch generation.

The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro also incorporates Razer HyperSpeed Wireless for a 2.4 GHz connection so that gamers can enjoy an ultra-responsive experience with speeds 25% faster than other wireless tech. Thanks to multidevice support, gamers can streamline their setup and free up a USB port by connecting both a compatible wireless Razer keyboard and the Basilisk V3 Pro to a single dongle. Also boasting Bluetooth connectivity as well as a Type C connection, this allows for more versatility and seamless device switching. The Basilisk V3 Pro is additionally compatible with Razer’s newly-released 4K Hz HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, supporting a true 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate.

Along with the Qi-certified Basilisk V3 Pro (when the Wireless Charging Puck is attached), Razer also announced the new Razer Mouse Dock Pro with an Integrated 4K Hz Transceiver. Gamers can replace the regular mouse cover puck with the wireless charging puck (included with the Mouse Dock Pro) in a compatible Razer mouse and charge the mouse by placing it onto the dock. Magnets ensure the mouse stays secure while charging.

Source: Razer. The new Basilisk V3 Pro.

The Mouse Dock Pro also features an integrated Razer HyperPolling 4K Hz Transceiver for true 4K Hz wireless polling rate, and eight Razer Chroma RGB Lighting Zones.

Details

Basilisk V3 Pro

Manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP): US$159.99 / S$249 / RM799

Mouse Dock Pro

MSRP US$69.99

Wireless Charging Puck

MSRP US$19.99

Basilisk V3 Pro + Wireless Charging Puck Bundle

MSRP US$169.99

Basilisk V3 Pro + Mouse Dock Pro Bundle

MSRP US$199.99

Razer Mouse Dock Pro + Razer Wireless Charging Puck Bundle

MSRP S$119 / RM369

SuperGamerFest celebrates e-sports in SEA

PVP Esports has unveiled the programme for its virtual gaming and e-sports festival and awards show SuperGamerFest (SGF). Hosted by avid gamers based in Singapore – local musician and Dota fanatic Sezairi and host and streamer Victoria Cheng – the five-day festival is set to entertain audiences across Southeast Asia with celebrity showdowns, e-sports fun, exclusive interviews and the inaugural SuperGamerFest Awards.

Source: Singtel/PVP Esports. Main banner for SuperGamerFest.

Key highlights include: 

E-sports action as part of the Regional Grand Finals of the PVP Esports Community Championships 2020: Season 2. Country champions across eight countries* for the Open and Campus categories will battle it out to be Regional Champion for game titles Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Valorant.

From 9.30 am Singapore time (SGT, GMT +8) on 5-6 December (Mobile Legends) and 12-13 December (Valorant)

Exclusive interviews with back-to-back The International (TI) champions OG; CEO of one of the world’s largest e-sports organisations Team Secret, John Yao; Twitch Co-Founder Kevin Lin speaking for the first time since his departure from Twitch; and F1 driver for Red Bull Racing Alex Albon, who will share the impact gaming has had on his life. 

Sezairi will catch up with players, from OG over a candid chat as they share their triumphs and struggles as professional e-sports players competing at the highest level for Dota 2. Yao will provide an insider’s look into the e-sports industry – not just as a professional player but also advice for those who are keen to enter the industry as professionals.

An Intimate Chat with OG: 5.15 pm SGT, 11 December

An Insider’s Look at the Esports Industry with John Yao: 9pm SGT, 11 December

Kevin Lin: Life beyond Twitch: 8.20 pm SGT, 12 December

Alex Albon: Game on, Race on: 8.50 pm SGT, 12 December

Star-studded celebrity showdowns, featuring regional top-tier streamers and gaming influencers with a combined social following of 39 million across Southeast Asia. Fans will want to stay tuned for rounds of hilarity and good-natured fun as the gaming heroes and celebrities from the region take on popular games Among Us and Human: Fall Flat.

Human: Fall Flat: From 5.30 pm SGT, 11 December

Among Us: From 7:30 pm SGT, 11 December

The inaugural SuperGamerFest Awards. The awards are Southeast Asia’s first regional gaming content and e-sports awards created to celebrate the achievements and passions of creators and e-sports professionals. 

Shortlisted nominees across the region will be revealed on PVP Esports’ Facebook page in late November.

As part of the SGF Awards show on 12 December, the evening will feature guest performers SGAG – Singapore’s homegrown comedy platform, Australian YouTuber Wendy ‘Wengie’ Huang and additional special appearances from the world of sports and entertainment.

From 7 pm, 12 December

A rich repository of content on-demand for fans will also be exclusively available on the SuperGamerFest 2020 microsite. This includes interviews with industry stalwarts: former VP of the Houston Rockets’ e-sports team Clutch Gaming Sebastian Park – also known as the first dedicated e-sports front-office executive in North America and in the NBA; EVOS founder Hartman Harris sharing his thoughts on the future of e-sports in Southeast Asia, and Dota 2 coach from SK Telecom’s T1 - Park “March” Tae-won. 

Additionally, the content library will feature bonus team videos from renowned regional and global e-sports organisations like FaZe Clan and additional educational content meant to improve player knowledge and tips on navigating the gaming entertainment industry.

Available on demand from 5 – 13 December

Throughout the festival, fans can also look forward to being the first to hear exclusive industry announcements, plus a variety of pre-event and on-stream contests where they will stand a chance to win limited-edition prizes such as the Huawei Nova 7SE, Freebuds Pro and Watch FIT, GSP 601 and GSP 602 Professional Gaming Headsets by EPOS Audio and gaming peripherals from Xtrfy.

Powered by Singtel and Globe, Singtel’s joint venture in the Philippines, SGF is supported by partners AIS, Dunia Games, MaxStream, EPOS Audio, Xtrfy, Huawei, Royal Ergonomics, Redbull, preferred streaming partner Twitch and production/venue partner Ebenex Live. SGF is produced by event and festival production firm Branded and gaming and e-sports experts Yup.gg and is part of the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) annual Singapore Media Festival. 

PVP Esports is a regional e-sports league based in Singapore. It is also home to the PVP Championship and PVP Community (Campus and Open) Championships.

Details:

Admission to SGF is free.

Source: Singtel. Programming schedule for SuperGamerFest.

Hashtag: #SuperGamer2020 

*Participating countries for PVP Esports Community Championships (Season 2): Brunei (Open only), India, Indonesia, Malaysia (Campus only), Myanmar (Open only), the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Singtel announces Season 1 champions for PVP Esports Corporate Championship

Teams from Singapore and Indonesia have swept the championships in the corporate category of Singtel’s 2020 regional PVP Esports Community Championships (Season 1).

Singapore teams DeloitteOne (from Deloitte) and TurretHeist (DBS) took the top regional spots in the Corporate Championship for Dota 2 and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang respectively, while HZL Legion (RM Djamiah Putra) from Indonesia snagged the crown in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG): Mobile. 

Each winning team walked away with over S$5,000 in cash and prizes.The grand finals, held over the weekend of 5-6 September, were organised as a fully-online event in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, with teams from the respective countries competing remotely from their homes.

The PVP Esports Community Championships (Season 1) attracted over 1,300 teams from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, which battled for a combined prize pool valued at over S$70,000.

Cindy Tan, Head of Business & Marketing, Singtel’s International Group said: “During this period of COVID-19 and social distancing measures, the virtual world of e-sports and gaming has continued to thrive, bridging physical distances and offering a welcome form of entertainment when many of us might be housebound.

"We're pleased that the PVP Esports Community Championships have provided a platform to connect colleagues and schoolmates even in these unprecedented times, uniting them over their shared passion for gaming. With 5G on the horizon, digital entertainment offerings like esports will enable us to deliver even great experiences to our customers in the future. As Season 2 approaches, we look forward to more exciting e-sports action with new game Valorant and adding Brunei and Myanmar to our regional tournament. Congratulations once again to the Season 1 winners!”

As Tan has mentioned, gamers have more to look forward to in Season 2, with changes made to the game lineup and tournament categories. The PVP Esports Community Championships (Season 2) will introduce a new Open category, while Riot Games’ new first-person shooter PC game Valorant will make its PVP Esports debut, joining the perennial favourite Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

The competition is also set to heat up across a wider swathe of the region. Participation is thrown open to two more countries, Brunei* and Myanmar, with a S$78,000 prize pool of cash and other prizes up for grabs.

Created by Singtel, PVP Esports is ASEAN’s first multigame, multicountry e-sports platform. Guided by its core values of passion, sportsmanship and healthy gaming, PVP Esports seeks to continually grow the regional esports ecosystem through its initiatives and tournaments.

In 2018, PVP Esports debuted with a professional championship and in 2019, introduced amateur e-sports leagues for the gaming community, launching the PVP Corporate League for working professionals across the region. In 2020, the league was rebranded the PVP Esports Corporate Championship.

Singtel is Asia's leading communications technology group, providing a portfolio of services from next-generation communication, technology services to infotainment to both consumers and businesses. For consumers, Singtel delivers an integrated suite of services, including mobile, broadband and TV. For businesses, Singtel offers a complementary array of workforce mobility solutions, data hosting, cloud, network infrastructure, analytics and cybersecurity capabilities. The Group has a presence in Asia, Australia and Africa and reaches over 700 million mobile customers in 21 countries. Its infrastructure and technology services for businesses span 21 countries, with more than 428 direct points of presence in 362 cities.

Source: Video playback of the PVP Esports Corporate Championship Season 1 finals for PUBG: Mobile. Screen grab of PUBG: Mobile gameplay.

 

Details:

Qualifiers will be held at the local level for each country from mid-October 2020, and the country champions will battle it out for the ultimate glory at the Season 2 Regional Finals in December 2020. Teams from Singapore can register now for Season 2. Registration closes on 18 October 2020 for the Open Championship.

Registration details for the other countries will be announced shortly. Check the website or Facebook for updates. Join their Discord channel.

PVP Esports Corporate Championship: Season 1 winners

Dota 2

Champion: DeloitteOne (Deloitte), Singapore

First Runner-up: Flyer (Telkomsel), Indonesia

Second Runner-up: San-U-sa (Advanced Info Service), Thailand

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Champion: TurretHeist (DBS), Singapore

First Runner-up: PGEsports (PetrokimiaGresik), Indonesia

Second Runner-up: Starlighters (Ace Saatchi & Saatchi), Philippines

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds: Mobile 

Champion: HZL Legion (RM Djamiah Putra), Indonesia

First Runner-up: XO Motor (XO Motor Limited Partnership), Thailand

Second Runner-up: Devilish Gaming (Blag Events Production), Singapore

*Brunei will only participate in the Open Championship.

Razer Southeast Asian-Invitational 2020 action to be streamed on SISTIC Live

Razer, the global lifestyle brand for gamers will work with Singapore’s largest ticketing agency, SISTIC, to elevate the inaugural Razer Southeast Asian-Invitational 2020 to greater heights.

The largest Southeast Asian e-sports tournament of the year, the SEA-Invitational 2020 will see national athletes compete in three major titles – PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG Mobile), Defense of the Ancients 2 (Dota 2) and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) ahead of e-sports’ inclusion in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam next year. The company said 10 countries, over 400 teams and 3,000 athletes are taking part.

To bring the action to more people, SISTIC will partner with Razer to stream the playoffs and championships for the SEA-Invitational on its newly-launched streaming platform. SISTIC Live supports broadcasts and video-on-demand of art, sports, cultural and entertainment productions.

Fans who sign up to view selected Razer SEA-Invitational matches on SISTIC Live stand to win prizes such as Razer Gold (virtual credits for games and entertainment), Razer Silver (Razer's loyalty points for gamers, redeemable for Razer products and third-party products) and Razer peripherals.

“As new forms of entertainment develop, audiences adopt new formats to be entertained. We are remodelling how SISTIC can support both physical and online events. We are extremely keen to explore e-sports, a genre that enjoys strong online viewership and live streaming globally,” said Joe Ow, CEO, SISTIC.

“The Razer SEA-Invitational is a great opportunity for us to showcase the quality of SISTIC Live’s platform and reach out to a wider audience.”

Source: Razer. Poster for the inaugural Razer Southeast Asian-Invitational 2020.

Dual-headquartered in the US and Singapore, Razer has 16 offices worldwide. The company has built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.

Razer’s hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops. Its software platform, with over 80 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimiser and launcher). Razer Gold is one of the world’s largest virtual credit services for gamers, and Razer Fintech is one of the largest offline-to-online digital payment networks in Southeast Asia.

SISTIC provides ticketing services to more than 1,200 activities and events each year for Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Macau. The company has a customer base of over 2 million and an average website monthly page view of more than 4 million.
Details:

The SEA-Invitational will kick off on June 26 and culminate in grand finals from July 10-12, 2020. Viewers can tune into Team Razer’s social channels on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch for the live streams. Live streams will also be available on SISTIC Live. More information will be announced closer to the date.

Explore the SEA-Invitational 2020 agenda

Hashtag: #thisisesports

Razer Kraken Ultimate is the new premium gaming headset

Razer, the global lifestyle brand for gamers, has introduced the Razer Kraken Ultimate, a competitive gaming headset featuring pinpoint positional accuracy greater than 7.1 surround sound.

Source: Razer. The Razer Kraken Ultimate competitive gaming headset.

Powered by THX Spatial Audio technology and custom-tuned 50 mm drivers that produce a more natural sound curve, the Kraken Ultimate delivers a realistic, immersive soundscape that allows users to use any nuance in sound to their advantage.

THX Spatial Audio technology is an advanced positional audio solution that delivers pinpoint accuracy and greater than 7.1 surround sound. Producing sound in a 360-degree sphere allows for better awareness and heightened immersion during competitive gameplay. THX Spatial Audio optimises the unique sound design and engineering of every game and delivers a natural listening experience by adjusting its virtual speakers to match the audio source’s actual distance and location in-game. This can help to reduce brain and ear fatigue, as users are able to decipher where every sound is coming from instinctively, letting them stay focused longer.

Featuring custom-tuned 50 mm drivers, the Razer Kraken Ultimate produces powerful, detailed, super-clear sound and a punchy bass. Tuned to deliver a more natural sound curve, the resulting audio is the richest, most immersive, and lifelike within the Kraken line.  A new Discord-certified microphone and active noise cancelling technology further ensure crystal-clear team communication.

The Kraken Ultimate features aluminum and steel construction with cooling gel-infused ear cushions for lightweight durability and long-lasting comfort. Its ultra-soft padded headband with bauxite aluminum frame is well-equipped to handle the rigours of transport and extensive gaming. Cooling-gel cushions help reduce heat buildup and also contain hidden eyewear channels for gamers sporting corrective or blue-light glasses.

"We have built the Kraken Ultimate to address the needs of gaming audio at its roots,” said Alvin Cheung, Senior VP of Razer’s Peripherals business unit.

“Powered by THX Spatial Audio, its custom-tuned drivers deliver superior sound, housed in signature Kraken comfort. Combined with an active noise cancelling microphone for crystal-clear team comms, this headset has the winning edge that gamers are looking for.” 

The Kraken Ultimate also features highly visible backlit earcups powered by Razer Chroma, supporting 16.8 million colours and a suite of lighting effects controlled from within Razer Synapse 3.

Razer also introduced the Kraken X USB at the same time. This addition to the Kraken X family offers green earcup lighting and 7.1 virtual surround sound via its USB connection – all in a 275 g lightweight design, for all-day gaming comfort and immersion.

Razer Kraken Ultimate

Headphones

● Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

● Impedance: 32 Ω @ 1 kHz

● Sensitivity (@1 kHz): 112 dB

● Input power: 30 mW (maximum)

● Drivers: 50 mm, with neodymium magnets

● Inner ear cup diameter: 65 mm

● Connection type: USB Digital

● Cable length: 2 m

● Approximately 390 g

● Oval ear cushions: Designed for full-ear coverage with cooling gel, for sound isolation and comfort, now with Razer Chroma RGB underglow lighting

Microphone

● Frequency response: 100 Hz – 10 kHz

● Signal-to-noise ratio: > 60 dB

● Sensitivity (@1 kHz): -38 ± 3 dB

● Pickup pattern: Unidirectional electret condenser microphone (ECM) boom

● Click-to-Mute function

On-earcup controls

● Analogue volume control wheel

● THX Spatial Audio on/off toggle

Audio usage: Devices with USB Connector

Audio + microphone usage: Devices with USB Connector

Razer Kraken X US

● Green earcup lighting

● Oval leatherette cushions

● 275 g

● Bendable cardioid microphone

● 7.1 surround sound on PC for accurate positional audio

● Custom-tuned 40 mm drivers

Details:

Razer Kraken Ultimate retails for US$129.99 (manufacturer's suggested retail price, MSRP)
Razer Kraken X USB is priced at US$59.99 (MSRP)

Put together a team for GeForce Cup Pacific

GeForce Cup, the pinnacle of NVIDIA-owned e-sports competitions, will kick off next month in GeForce-certified iCafes across the Asia-Pacific region.

GeForce Cup Pacific by NVIDIA and Colorful will kick off in October and feature Counter-Strike:
Global Offensive (CS:GO) battles in Australia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar,
New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. As the successor to the well-known GeForce Xtreme Tournament (GEXT), GeForce Cup Pacific is expected to draw thousands of gamers from the region, with winners taking home more than US$20,000 in prizes from the regional finals in January 2020.

Source: NVIDIA. The GeForce Cup Pacific kicks off in Asia in October.

“GeForce Cup Pacific will take regional gamers to another level. The tournament will be
streamed live to allow gamers and e-sports enthusiasts around the world to follow the
development online,”  said Raymond Teh, VP of sales and marketing for APAC at NVIDIA.


“The cooperation with Colorful and NVIDIA in 2018 was a great success and Colorful is thrilled to
join GeForce Cup again in 2019. We dedicate to build a great platform for e-sports qualifiers, to
help them become professional e-sports players and win pride and honour. On behalf of Colorful
Group, I give my best wishes to GeForce Cup to achieve success again in 2019!” said Wan Shan,
CEO of Colorful Technology.

GeForce Cup Pacific is sponsored by Colorful and supported by AOC, Kingston, NZXT, and
Thermaltake.

Details:

Registration is now open at select GeForce-certified iCafes.

Locate an iCafe

Hashtag: #FRAMESWINGAMES

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare available for beta testing across two weekends

Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is now available in beta for PlayStation 4. Throughout the weekend, Activision company Infinity Ward will be logging feedback and gameplay information ahead of the game’s global launch on October 25. Infinity Ward is the studio that created the Call of Duty franchise.

The recent Modern Warfare 2v2 Gunfight open alpha was the largest alpha or beta in Call of Duty history on PlayStation 4. The two players versus another two players (2v2) battle mode is a new feature for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This Modern Warfare beta will deliver a deeper look at Modern Warfare’s multiplayer universe, including close-quarter 2v2 gunfight gameplay, traditional 6v6 multiplayer and large-player count experiences on massive maps featuring a wide array of vehicles.

Alphas and betas are part of the software development cycle. An alpha release is an early version of software that is launched to get feedback to improve the software for formal release. A beta release is a pre-release version of software that has been enhanced after alpha release feedback. It is typically much closer in look and feel to the final release. Such releases may be closed - offered to a small group of players - or open to the public.

The beta will expand in weekend 2* to include all gaming platforms, and for the first time in Call of Duty history, feature crossplay testing as fans across console and PC will be able to play the Modern Warfare beta together prior to next month’s launch.

The beta test will feature a suite of new multiplayer modes that redefine the Call of Duty sandbox, ranging from close-quarter 2v2 gunfights, to epic Ground War mode supporting up to 64 players, night gameplay maps, and a fully immersive Realism mode.

“With Modern Warfare, we’re bringing the gaming community together like never before. Starting with the beta we are going to be soliciting player input and feedback that will help us to polish and refine the day one experience at launch,” said Patrick Kelly, Creative Director and co-Studio Head, Infinity Ward.

“Starting this weekend we’re planning to give players access to a new features and maps each day. Then next weekend, we will introduce crossplay, enabling players to connect with friends and other gamers across platforms. We are also planning to expose more new content and ways to play in the second weekend. In all, we can’t wait for the community to jump in both weekends.”

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is scheduled for release globally October 25 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The title features a fully-optimised PC version, developed in partnership with Beenox, which will be available exclusively on Battle.net, Blizzard Entertainment’s online gaming platform.  

Details*:

Players will have two weekends to participate, with new content and playlists rolling out throughout the beta.

Weekend 1
PlayStation 4-exclusive open beta
September 13 – 17

Weekend 2
Beta featuring cross-platform testing
September 20 – 21: early access, PC and Xbox One; open beta, PlayStation 4
September 22 – 24: open beta, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One

Get more details

Enjoy custom light effects with Philips Hue Play

Source: Signify. Philips Hue Play light effects now available in Singapore.

Signify, the lighting provider, has launched Philips Hue Play in Singapore. This compact light bar can be positioned to create an immersive lighting experience.

Used by itself, Philips Hue Play provides an indirect light effect. It can be mounted as a backlight or positioned to offer accent lighting.

With Philips Hue Sync, available on both PC and Mac, users can synchronise Hue Play to what is seen onscreen, for example during movies, while gaming or listening to music.

Now available in black and with customisation capabilities, Philips Hue Play allows users to choose from 16 million different colours to create the perfect ambience to suit every mood. Pairing the system up with Hue Sync on a PC or Mac will allow Philips Hue Play to become an extension of your gaming and entertainment experience, lighting the surroundings with the colours displayed on-screen.

Philips Hue Play is ready to use out of the box. Simply plug it in to a power outlet, connect it to the Philips Hue bridge*, and control the system’s light output through the Philips Hue app on an Android or iOS device. A smart plug management system allows users to extend Philips Hue Play effects to up to three pieces using only one power socket.

In January 2018, Signify announced its first partnership for Philips Hue Entertainment with Razer, the lifestyle brand for gamers. To provide gamers with a new level of spatial immersion, the companies integrated the Philips Hue Entertainment API and tools with the Razer Chroma RBG lighting ecosystem.

This has enabled gamers to synch their Philips Hue colour-capable smart lighting with any Razer Chroma-enabled devices, including laptops, keyboards, mice and mouse mats. Game developers have curated lighting effects that change dynamically during gameplay. The effects are available in-game for Overwatch, Quake Champions and other popular game titles.

Details:

Philips Hue Play is sold in an extension pack (S$99) or double pack (S$209). Prices are inclusive of GST.

Philips Hue Play is available in Singapore at selected retail outlets including Tangs, Challenger, Courts, Best Denki, Gain City, Selffix DIY outlets, Telestation and GamePro at Marina Square; and on Lazada Singapore.

*The Philips Hue bridge is sold separately, typically at the same outlets.

NVIDIA Gamescom Game Ready Driver offers up to 23% performance boosts for popular games

NVIDIA has announced real-time ray tracing for blockbuster game franchises such as Minecraft and Dying Light 2, with more to come. Bloodlines 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Watch Dogs: Legion were some of the upcoming AAA ray-traced titles shared.

The company also released a Gamescom Game Ready Driver with software optimisations for Apex Legends, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, Strange Brigade and World War Z. The driver increases frame rates by up to 23%. Game Ready Drivers are the gold standard for the gaming industry, delivering unprecedented game support, frequent performance optimisations, and new features to enhance the experience.

The new driver has features based on feedback and requests from the GeForce community, including an Ultra-Low Latency mode for faster input response, an Integer Scaling display mode for pixel art games, and a new GeForce Experience Freestyle sharpen filter.

Ultra-Low Latency mode gives gamers the ability to get the low latency feeling of high frame rates, without having to compromise their graphics quality settings or resolution to get there. The technology sends frames to be rendered just before the GPU needs them. This further reduces latency by up to 33%.

The Low Latency Mode is being released in beta with support for all GPUs in DX9 and DX11 games. For DX12 and Vulkan titles, the game decides when to queue the frame.

Integer Scaling preserves detail on pixel-art games when the resolution is increased, thanks to a hardware-accelerated programmable scaling filter available in NVIDIA's Turing. Gamers with a GeForce RTX or GeForce GTX 16-Series GPU who have installed the new Game Ready Driver, can enable an Integer Scaling beta in the NVIDIA Control Panel, in the “Adjust Desktop Size and Position” Display menu.

NVIDIA Freestyle allows gamers to apply and stack custom filters to personalise their gaming experience. The new Sharpen Freestyle filter has improved image quality and performance compared to the existing “Detail” Freestyle filter. NVIDIA says the performance impact is roughly half that of the prior filter.

Freestyle gives gamers the ability to customise the amount of sharpness, from 0 to 100%, and apply this customisation on a per-game basis using the in-game overlay. "We believe sharpness is based on personal preference and varies from game to game, so with Freestyle we designed a simple solution that remembers your settings in each game," NVIDIA said in a statement. NVIDIA Freestyle also supports over 600 games - DX9, DX11, DX12 and Vulkan API games.

The new driver supports three new G-SYNC Compatible gaming monitors, and has day-zero game support for Remnant: From The Ashes. The newly-validated models are the ASUS VG27A, ACER CP3271, and ACER XB273K GP. G-SYNC Compatible displays are gaming monitors that deliver a baseline variable refresh rate (VRR) experience that makes gaming smoother, clearer, and more enjoyable.

First introduced in the Studio Driver in July, the new Game Ready Driver further supports 30-bit colour across all product lines, including GeForce and TITAN, allowing seamless colour transitions without banding. With 24-bit colour, a pixel can be built from 16.7 million shades of colour. Thirty-bit colour enables a pixel to be built from over 1 billion shades of colour, which eliminates abrupt changes in shades of the same colour.

Applications that currently take advantage of 30-bit colour include Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, Autodesk RV, Colorfront Transkoder, Assimilate Scratch, and Foundry Nuke.

As part of the Game Ready programme, NVIDIA has added Optimal Playable Settings (OPS) for even more games. These now include Wolfenstein Youngblood, Dota Underlords, F1 2019, The Sinking City, BATTALION 1944, Gloomhaven, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Pathologic 2, Rune 2, Observation, Beyond Two Souls, Heavy Rain, DEAD OR ALIVE Xtreme Venus Vacation, Blood of Steel, and Attack on Titan 2.

To optimise the game, open GeForce Experience, click on the game tile in the Games Tab, and hit “Optimize”.

Explore:

Get a list of all G-SYNC, G-SYNC ULTIMATE, and G-SYNC Compatible gaming monitors

Details:

Install the GeForce Game Ready 436.02 WHQL drivers at the GeForce Experience Drivers tab. Windows Hardware Quality Labs or WHQL refers to hardware that is certified to run with Windows.

NVIDIA launches GeForce RTX SUPER Series

Source: NVIDIA. The
GeForce RTX 2060.

NVIDIA has supercharged its lineup of gaming GPUs with the new GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER and GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER – delivering best-in-class gaming performance and real-time ray tracing for today’s and next-generation games.

The result of nearly a year of architectural and process optimisations, the new GeForce RTX SUPER GPUs deliver the fastest gaming performance, and the best power efficiency of any gaming GPU in their class. They also offer gamers an uncompromised combination of performance and cutting-edge
features.

“The ecosystem driving real-time ray tracing is immense – tens of millions of GPUs, industry-standard APIs, leading game engines and an all-star roster of game franchises,” said Jeff Fisher, Senior VP of the PC business at NVIDIA.

“This killer lineup of SUPER GPUs delivers even more performance for demanding PC gamers and ensures that they’re prepared for the coming wave of real-time ray tracing blockbusters.”

Ray tracing is an advanced graphics technique used to produce ultrarealistic visual effects. Only GeForce RTX GPUs use a hybrid architecture of advanced shading, programmable ray tracing and
compute cores to deliver ray-traced games in real time, NVIDIA said.

Ray tracing is supported in industry-standard APIs, including Microsoft DirectX Raytracing (DXR) and Vulkan, as well as in the game engines used by developers to create games, including Unreal Engine, Unity, Frostbite, id Tech, Northlight, and 4A Engine.

Computex and E3 in June marked a milestone for real-time ray tracing as a growing number of developers announced that they will be using it to create visuals in upcoming games. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Control, Cyberpunk 2077, Doom Eternal, Sword and Fairy 7, Watch Dogs: Legion, and Wolfenstein: Youngblood joined the list of major titles that will be using ray tracing. Battlefield V, Metro Exodus Quake II RTX, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Stay in the Light (early access) are already shipping with ray tracing support.

The new SUPER series of RTX GPUs join the existing GeForce RTX 2060 (starting at US$349, the first step up to RTX performance) and the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti (starting at US$999, the highest-end gaming GPU).


In addition to being the only GPUs capable of real-time ray tracing, GeForce RTX GPUs deliver an order of magnitude increase in artificial intelligence (AI) processing performance with NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (up to 130 Tensor TFLOPS of horsepower), and are also the only ones that support advanced features including mesh shading and NVIDIA adaptive shading (NAS).

NAS also supports variable rate shading, including motion and content adaptive shading for the highest performance and image quality, as well as foveated rendering, which puts the detail where the gamer is looking when used in combination with eye-tracking. These techniques help to deliver next-generation VR experiences.

All NVIDIA GPUs come with GeForce Experience, an application that makes PC gaming more accessible and provides unique, easy-to-use in-game features. GeForce Experience includes NVIDIA Highlights, which automatically captures the best gaming moments; NVIDIA Ansel, which lets gamers take in-game screenshots; and NVIDIA Freestyle, which lets gamers customise their games’ appearance with more than 15 post-processing filters and 38 different configurations including settings for image sharpening, colour blindness and photorealism. There is even a special night mode, which reduces the amount of blue light emitted, so they can get to sleep more easily.

Details:

• GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER GPU - starting at US$399, available July 9

○ Up to 22% faster (average 15%) than RTX 2060

○ 8GB GDDR6 - 2GB more than the RTX 2060

○ Faster than GTX 1080

○ 7+7 TOPs (FP32+INT32) and 57 Tensor TFLOPs

• GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER GPU - starting at US$499, available July 9

○ Up to 24% faster (average 16%) than RTX 2070

○ Faster than GTX 1080 Ti ○ 9+9 TOPs (FP32+INT32) and 73 Tensor TFLOPs

• GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GPU - starting at US$699, available July 23

○ Memory speed cranked up to 15.5Gbps

○ Faster than TITAN Xp

○ 11+11 TOPs (FP32+INT32) and 89 Tensor TFLOPs

For a limited time, starting on July 9, qualifying purchases of a GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER, or GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER-based graphics card or desktop PC will include a copy of two games that support real-time ray tracing, Control and Wolfenstein: Youngblood. a value
of US$90.

The GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, RTX 2070 SUPER and RTX 2080 SUPER GPUs will be available as custom boards, including stock-clocked and factory-overclocked models, from top add-in card providers such as ASUS, Colorful, EVGA, Gainward, Galaxy, Gigabyte, Innovision 3D, MSI, Palit, PNY, and Zotac and as Founders Editions from www.nvidia.com. Look for the GeForce RTX SUPER GPUs in gaming systems built by Acer, Alienware, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, as well as by leading system builders worldwide.

Explore:

Watch the product video

CEE is poised to show off gadgets and games

• GAMEX's Singapore Robo Fight (Level 4, Gamex Booth 8601)
• Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile (Level 4, Gamex Booth 8601)
• Courts launches Singapore’s first air-con subscription service (Level 4, Booth 8113)
• Gadgets trade-in extended to corporate customers (Entrance at the front of Hall 403)
• Hot deals: Singtel GOMO - Free Best Denki S$20 voucher
• New products: OPSH Ultra Sound System Series, Klipsch T5 earphones, Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL

Get ready for gadgets and gaming at the 4th Consumer Electronics Exhibition (CEE). Held from 23 - 26 May 2019, CEE 2019 is organised by Exhibits Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sphere Exhibits, the events and exhibitions arm of Singapore Press Holdings.

Highlights include:

Singapore Robo Fight 2019 (Level 4, Gamex Booth 8601)

Control mini battle robots around obstacles with a smartphone to search and destroy enemies. Every battle robot has a camera with augmented reality so that the gamer’s smartphone can detect, track and attack enemy robots with various virtual weaponry.

The top two winners at the local qualifiers at CEE will represent Singapore at the upcoming World Cyber Games in Xian, China. Winners at the local qualifiers stand to win over S$3,000 in cash prizes.

Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile (Level 4, Gamex Booth 8601)

PUBG Mobile as the main competition title at GAMEX. Participants will rally themselves in squads of four to fight for glory and a chance to win over S$1,000 in cash prizes.

Source: CEE website. Banner for

Discover Microsoft (Level 3, Booth 318)

At the Create zone, discover how Microsoft Surface and Microsoft Office 365 are designed to unlock creativity. At the Play zone, find out why games play best on Xbox One. Fight the dangers of an ever-changing world in Anthem, and survive through the apocalypse in Metro Saga.


Singapore’s first air-con subscription service at Courts (Level 4, Booth 8113)

Instead of paying up-front for air-conditioners and extra for repairs and maintenance, users can pay a monthly fee to get it all. Courts is partnering electrical appliance brand Midea* for the subscription service at CEE. Users pay a monthly fee of between S$29 and S$99 per month for six years to cover the cost of the air-con units, unlimited repairs plus regular cleaning and maintenance.

Gadgets trade-in extended to corporate customers (Entrance at the front of Hall 403)

Consumers trading in their old gadgets for cash vouchers has become a regular feature at tech shows. For the first time, companies can now enjoy the same benefits at CEE 2019 for their old laptops, tablets, desktops, phones and monitors. Corporate users need to fill in an online form and arrange for a viewing appointment. Once the parties agree on the value of the trade-in, the company will be issued cash vouchers when it brings the gadgets to CEE 2019 for redemption. The vouchers can be used for purchases at select retailers at CEE 2019. 

GOMO by Singtel (Level 3 Summit, Booth 3S05)

Switch your number to GOMO by Singtel at CEE 2019, and get a S$20 Best Denki voucher on top of a free GOMO travel SIM worth S$20. This offer is exclusive to CEE. GOMO by Singtel is a no-contract SIM-only plan offering 20 GB of data monthly for S$20 which has been making waves with Millennials. GOMO subscribers also get 200 minutes of talktime, 200 SMS and free incoming calls.

..And more

Gamers will be treated to CEE-exclusive deals on the Super SXFI holographic audio technology with the Creative SXFI AIR C, while Dell is offering deals on its high-security Dell Latitude 5590 business laptops.



New products include:

OPSH Ultra Sound System Series (Level 4, Booth 8460)

Home-grown furniture brand OPSH takes its first dip in the tech world by launching its brand-new OPSH Ultra sound system at CEE 2019. This modular soundbar can be customised to fit into furniture. With Bluetooth connectivity, powerful speakers and a built-mic, users can even take their calls at the soundbar.  

Klipsch T5 earphones (Level 3, Booth 311)

First announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in the US this year, this new range of earphones from Klipsch makes its debut here at CEE 2019 before its launch in the US. The T5 Sport is ideal for the active with long-lasting battery and ear wings that keep the earphones in the ear. The T5 Neckband is great for the executive who prioritises voice clarity and long battery life while demanding minimalism. And for music lovers, there is the T5 Wired that takes all the great features from the previous line of Klipsch R6 earphones and makes them even better. 

Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL (Level 4, Booth 8105)

These just-released mid-range smartphones are packed with a powerful camera, fast-charging adaptive battery, and built-in Google Assistant.

Details:

CEE 
Suntec Singapore Convention Centre
Level 3: 11 am - 9 pm
Level 4: 12 pm - 9 pm

Check out purchase-with-purchase offers

Register for Singapore Robo Fight  

Register for PUBG Mobile

*This author owns Midea air-conditioners from Courts and they are exceptionally quiet, extremely cold, and have so far only needed servicing once in nearly two years.

Game Ready driver available for Battlefield V: Firestorm

Source: Battlefield V website. Still from Battlefield V: Firestorm.

NVIDIA has released a new Game Ready driver (GRD) for Battlefield V: Firestorm, the new battle royale mode for Battlefield V. Game Ready drivers are available on or before launch day for most major titles and are tuned for best performance and flawless gameplay. Every Game Ready driver is also Microsoft WHQL-certified.

The driver will also provide optimisations for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as well as optimisations for NVIDIA DLSS and DXR Ray Tracing for Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

This driver also brings new additions to the list of G-SYNC Compatible displays, including:
Asus VG258 25" display and the Asus VG278QR 27" display. NVIDIA has also introduced support for NVIDIA Surround when using G-SYNC Compatible displays. That means three G-SYNC Compatible monitors can be run simultaneously.

The G-SYNC Compatible programme aims to bring consistency and educate consumers on which displays will provide a good entry-level variable refresh rate (VRR) experience. Under the programme, NVIDIA works with monitor OEMs to validate the experience on monitors that support the AdaptiveSync protocol. Those that pass are designated as G-SYNC Compatible.

Last week, NVIDIA released its first Creator Ready driver (CRD), which has the same version number as this GRD. Depending on the alignment of application updates and NVIDIA driver release schedules, GRDs and CRDs may have the same release version though the GRD version can also be higher than the CRD version.

In 2014, NVIDIA created the Game Ready Driver programme to provide the best day-zero gaming experience. In order to accomplish this, the release cadence for Game Ready drivers is driven by the release of major new game content.

In similar fashion, NVIDIA is now offering the Creator Ready Driver programme. CRDs provide extensive testing against creative applications and are released on a cadence to best support the needs of content creators.

The company separately launched the GeForce GTX 1660 on 14 March.

Starting at US$219, the GTX 1660 features 6 GB of GDDR5 VRAM, 1,408 CUDA Cores, and a boost clock of almost 1.8 GHz. On average, it is 35% faster than the GTX 1060 3 GB at 1080p, and compared to the Maxwell-architecture GTX 960, 130% faster.

This means the GTX 1660 delivers the performance necessary at 1080p to play the latest games at smooth, enjoyable frame rates, with rich graphical detail.

The GTX 1660 is based on the same Turing-architecture technology as the GTX 1660 Ti, offering:

- Improved performance and capabilities in the latest games, and those coming soon 

- Support for Adaptive Shading technology, which further improves performance in supported titles

- Works with G-SYNC Compatible gaming monitors

- GPU hardware accelerator engine for video encoding (NVENC) compatibility for single-PC broadcasting

- Supports technologies like Ansel, Freestyle, GameStream, GeForce Experience, Highlights, and ShadowPlay

The GeForce GTX 1660 is available now add-in card providers, including Asus, Colorful, EVGA, Gainward, Galaxy, Gigabyte, Inno3D, MSI, Palit and Zotac.

Details:

Pricing starts at US$219 and will vary based on partner designs, features and region. Find a retailer for:

Australia/New Zealand

Indonesia
 

Malaysia

Singapore

Thailand

The Philippines

Vietnam