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Asus ROG Fusion II

Asus ROG Fusion II 300, ROG Fusion II 500 Gaming Headphones With Quad DAC, AI Noise Cancellation Launched In India.

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On Tuesday, Asus launched the ROG Fusion II 300 and ROG Fusion II 500 in India. The new gaming headphones feature virtual 7.1 surround sound and ESS 9280 Quad DAC technology for high-resolution audio. Beamforming microphones powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are also included in the Asus headsets. Both the ROG Fusion II 300 and Fusion II 500 have RGB lighting and a variety of customization options to please gamers. A dedicated Game Chat volume control and a 3.5mm headphone jack are included with the ROG Fusion II 500. Both of these features are not available on the ROG Fusion II 300, which is the less expensive model.

Asus ROG Fusion II 300 & Asus ROG II 500: Specifications And Features

The Asus ROG Fusion II 300 and ROG Fusion II 500 are very similar in terms of specifications. The gaming headsets are equipped with dedicated Quad ESS 9280 DAC amplifiers that are said to provide lossless audio processing. To deliver spatial sound, each of the four DACs dedicates its processing to a subset of the audible frequency range – low, mid, high, and ultra-high. According to the company, its DAC technology has a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 130 dB. This is higher than the 90-100dB SNR provided by a typical DAC.

Asus Essence 50mm drivers are included with the ROG Fusion II 300 and ROG Fusion II 500, with a frequency range of 20 to 40,000 Hz. The headsets are also said to provide virtual 7.1 surround sound for a “realistic” experience, thanks to the integrated ROG Hyper-Grounding technology.

Asus ROG Fusion II
Image source: gadgets360cdn.com

Asus has also included AI noise cancellation in the AI beamforming microphones. The headsets also have Discord and TeamSpeak certifications and are advertised as being able to create an acoustic zone that focuses on users’ mouths while filtering and distracting background noise from all directions. Furthermore, AI noise cancellation technology is claimed to reduce up to 90% of background noise, including chatter, keyboard clicks, and mouse clicks. The headset microphones, on the other hand, are not visible and are hidden beneath.
The headsets have Aura RGB lighting, and gamers can use Armory Crate software to create over 16.8 million color combinations and six preset lighting effects. Static, Breathing, Strobing, Music, Color Cycle, and Rainbow are some of the effects available. The ROG Fusion II series includes two types of ear cushions: ROG Hybrid Ear Cushions and ROG Protein Leather Ear Cushions.
Dedicated buttons for turning on and off the built-in microphone and virtual 7.1 surround sound are included on the gaming headset. On one of the ear cups, there’s also volume control.

Game Chat volume control is also included with the Asus ROG Fusion II 500, allowing gamers to adjust the volume of in-game audio and voice chat using a slider on the ear cups. The ROG Fusion II 500 has USB Type-C, USB Type-A, and 3.5mm jack ports. On the other hand, has USB Type-C and USB-A connectivity but no 3.5mm headphone jack. Both the ROG Fusion II 300 and the ROG Fusion II 500 are 310 grams.

Price And Availability

In India, the Asus ROG Fusion II 500 and Fusion II 300 will be available from leading online stores, authorized Asus outlets, and partner brick and mortar stores beginning in March 2022. The ROG Fusion II 500 costs $22,999, while the ROG Fusion II 300’s price has yet to be determined.

Battlegrounds Mobile India

First Impressions of Battlegrounds Mobile India: PUBG Mobile Similarities and Differences (Early Access)

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Battlegrounds Mobile India Early Access launched on Thursday, with the Battlegrounds Mobile India game available in beta through Google Play. We were able to obtain it and play a full match. It’s clear that Battlegrounds Mobile India is essentially PUBG Mobile with a few minor tweaks, which we’ll go over shortly. We don’t know how long the open beta will last or when it will be released, as it was made available just ahead of the previously scheduled June 18 release date. Here is the initial thoughts on the Battlegrounds Mobile India Early Access build.

If you’re a fan of PUBG Mobile, you’ll feel right at home when you launch Battlegrounds Mobile India on your Android device. You are greeted with the same home screen and background music as in PUBG Mobile after logging in or creating an account with your previous PUBG Mobile credentials. The best part is that you can import your in-game data from PUBG Mobile. We will soon publish the how-to. Interestingly, there were prompts asking if the player was over the age of 18 and if they were in India, and unfortunately, it appears that you can do this as simply as ‘yes’ without needing any verification.

We immediately entered Erangel with the Traverse – Insectoid theme from Season 19 and heard the safe gaming narration stating that this is a simulation, that it does not represent real life, and that we should not spend long hours playing. This appears to happen every time you start a match of Battlegrounds Mobile India. Unsurprisingly, the match was filled with bots, with not a single real player to be found. It was like reliving the early days of PUBG Mobile.

Battlegrounds Mobile India
Image Source: cdn.insidesport.co

The Erangel map in Battlegrounds Mobile India is the same as the one in PUBG Mobile, and you can pick up familiar weapons and equipment with the same customizable controls. The game, which is only available in India, has the advantage of being a quick and smooth experience with no lags, frame drops, or ping issues. However, the experience may differ slightly when actual players on the same server are present.

Battlegrounds Mobile India retains the same maps, weapons, game mechanics, and overall appeal as PUBG Mobile, but is repackaged for Indian users. It does, however, make a few minor changes. The game’s blood is now green rather than red. At the top left, where the number of players who are “Alive” and the number of players you “killed” is displayed, “Alive” and “Finished” are now displayed. Another precaution in the name of safety? Battlegrounds Mobile India does not allow you to select a server because the option has been disabled. It is unknown whether or not this option will be available in the future.

As previously stated, Krafton opened beta testing for Battlegrounds Mobile India for a limited number of users on Thursday, and we were able to gain access to the game.

Battlegrounds Mobile India required 6.06GB of storage on the device we tested it on (OnePlus 7 Pro) and is currently at version 1.4.0. It needs permission to access the phone’s storage, and no other permissions were requested. If you use in-game chat, you will be asked to grant microphone access. Krafton has not yet announced a release date for the game, and it is unclear how long it will be in open beta.

Alienware

Alienware launches x15 R1 and x17 R1 gaming laptops with exceptional cooling technology.

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Alienware has launched the brand new x15 and x17 of the x-series gaming laptops that are going to mark a new level of exceptional capability, design, quality, and performance. The company has always challenged itself to come up with something better and far more impressive every time with a new launch. With these new gaming laptops of the x-series, Alienware is presenting its thinnest 15” and 17” gaming laptops. The company has collaborated with Intel to help successfully design the thinnest form factor for such gaming laptops.

The newly launched laptops feature patent-pending cooling technologies, high-level performance components, and other designs so that one can play any latest games with minimal discrepancy. Alienware wanted to design something that will redefine the experience of mobile gaming and do more than just a thin laptop. With this massive breakthrough with x15 and x17, x15 became the world’s most powerful sub-16mm 15” gaming laptop.

Alienware Cryo-Tech Cooling Technology

Fast heating of a gaming laptop is an issue faced by every gamer and that’s why advancements in thermal technologies are requested. Alienware’s main focus was to expand these thermal limitations and in doing so they invented new engineering methods to resolve the issue. The Alienware Cryo-Tech cooling technology has been redefined by introducing Element 31[1]. It is an exclusive thermal interface material placed between the CPU and its elements. This will help in dispersing heat and prevent the spike in temperatures from affecting the performance of the laptop.

Alienware
Image Source: laptopmag.com

The x-series laptop offers HyperEfficient Voltage Regulation to extend high performance during long hours of gaming and more heat dissipation. Alienware has also designed an exclusive Quad Fan that blows air to the system, chassis, and internal hotspots to constantly cool the system. These new laptops are also featuring Smart Fan control technology which uses AI to enhance the application-based performance of each fan independently. With this newly cooling technology, gamers can enjoy a high-level gaming experience keeping their system cool and quiet. 

Sleek Design

The new x-series laptops are designed very intricately keeping in mind every single detail adding up to its classic appearance. These laptops are featuring Alienware Legend 2.0 design identity which comes with a Dark Core that first appeared in Alienware m15 R5/R6 gaming laptops. The main purpose of this improved design is to enable high performance with the thin form factor.

These laptops have a continuous series of bold stadium lighting, illuminating the rear hexagon venting system (Alienware Arena). The laptops are designed in a way that mainly focuses on maximizing thermal benefits which explain the venting system both on the top and base of these x-series laptops. The thinness of x15 is 15.9mm while that of x17 is 20.9mm.

High Performance

Both the x15 and x17 gaming laptops are powered by 11th Gen Intel Core H-series mobile processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series Laptop GPUs. The graphics power supported by x15 and x17 is 110W and 165W respectively. The laptops have Thermal Control Circuit Offset which will allow the user to set a temperature for the CPU and the system will assure that the CPU temperature remains within the range. There are five options for power states that the users can choose from, namely, Full speed, performance mode, balanced mode, battery saver, and quiet mode.

The keyboards are also redefined as x17 features the CHERRY MIX keyboard which has a 3.5mm ultra-low-profile design with German stainless steel mechanical components for a better experience. The laptops also have Windows Hello IR camera ensuring quick and safe login and DirectX Raytracing providing FHD 360 Hz speed to 4K-UHD HDR400. The gamers can also personalize the lighting zone from Alienware Command Center. The packaging material of the laptops is coming from recycled products as a part of Dell’s 2030 Moonshot Goals.

For both the models, limited config models are already available and for full config models, gamers have to wait till 15th June. The starting price of the laptops are 1,999.99 (x15) and $2,099.99 (x17). Along with these, the Alienware m15 R6 and Dell G15 systems are also made available at $1,299.99 and $949.99 respectively.

OnePlus 9R 5G

OnePlus to Incorporate Gaming Triggers in its New 9R 5G to Better the Experience for the Gamers

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OnePlus smartphones are known for their high definition camera quality, and with every new launch, it has something exciting to offer. The company is now all set to launch its flagship smartphone in India, which too, is going to incorporate the gaming triggers for its client base who love to play games on their smartphones. The company will launch its 5G smartphone, the OnePlus 9R, in India on 23rd March, and it has already revealed the first look of the product through a teaser on its official Twitter account.

OnePlus 9R 5G

A few days ago, OnePlus confirmed the launch date for its flagship smartphone, 9R 5G, in India, i.e. 23rd of March. The smartphone that claims to provide a “robust flagship experience” to its users, will share the launch date with two other smartphones from the OnePlus 9 series, i.e. OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro phones.

OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau, revealed that the premium device is going to offer support for 5G and will provide “smooth scrolling, immersive gaming controls, and a superior viewing experience.” The company claimed that it wants to reach a wider range of customers, so the prices are going to be quite affordable. Though Lau did not give any numbers about the prices, he confirmed that the premium smartphones will be under a mid-price range.

“With the OnePlus 9R, we are looking to go even further to bring out a balanced handset with the latest technology and class-leading industrial design that can deliver a superior user experience overall and can also offer fast and smooth experiences for daily usage and heavy gameplay,” Lau said.

OnePlus 9R 5G Features

According to some of the reports, the new premium smartphone is mounted with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 processor. But believing some other sources, it will come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SoC. The OnePlus 9R 5G is going to have a 90Hz display and will offer a high refresh rate display. The smartphone is also going to boast an HD+ resolution screen. Like its other contemporaries, the teaser reveals multiple rear cameras, and the front camera will be a punch-hole design. Also, the OnePlus 9 series smartphones will have a 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charging support.

OnePlus 9R 5G
Image Source: indianexpress.com

Good News for the Gamers

OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 9R 5G will be a special phone. It will provide support for 5G technology, but at the same time, it will be enhancing the gaming experience for game lovers as the new phone is incorporated with gaming triggers. Though these triggers are not quite visible in the OnePlus teaser it has posted on its official Twitter account, a picture posted by @thebookisclosed has given more than a hint about the triggers. Some of the reports have also confirmed that the smartphone is going to have those gaming triggers.

From the picture, we have concluded that the triggers are detachable. But the picture doesn’t give any information on if the smartphone will come with some other gaming accessories, or the gaming triggers are the only accessories that the users will get. Also, there is no hint on whether the other two flagship mobiles, i.e. OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, will also be able to run the gaming triggers, or these are only built exclusively for 9R.

The games like PUBG, Fornite, and FreeFire have given a boost to smartphone gameplay. The launch of a smartphone with gaming triggers can be good news for gamers. The speculations are that the new OnePlus 9R will enter into a competition with other gaming smartphones like ASUS ROG and Black Shark.

Esports

Esports streaming will help change the mindset of people towards gaming.

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In India, when it comes down to action and strategy-based competitive gaming, the current generation has a huge potential. But somewhere the amount of infrastructure for esports or hype for taking it as a career lacks the stigma and hence continues to struggle. Though the amount of gaming expertise is increasing in India along with many new esports startups emerging, Indian esports has a great potential that is not yet unleashed. With the Asian Video Games 2022 around the corner, the preparation for participation or excitement as an audience accelerates with time.

Addressing the culture of esports in India, Akshat Rathee, cofounder of Nodwin Gaming speaks about esports and how streaming video games is more than just delivering content to the audience. Breaking the orthodox belief, many Indian gamers have been successful in choosing their career in esports. But, even today, esports or video gaming is considered not more than recreation by most Indians. Rathee’s main message to the Indians is esports is more than just a source for recreation and through esports streaming, the mentality of common people can be moulded and more Indians will be able to take it up as a career.

Esports streaming as a career

Rathee gives a very strong and impactful explanation of how the mentality of Indian people towards sports has changed with time. He says, before 1983, the hype for cricket was not as much as we witness now. The love for cricket and an enormous follower base started building up after Indian won the World Cup in 1983. So, once a sport that wasn’t even a topic of discussion in most Indian households now sends their kids for cricket coaching. And, the most significant reason for this change in perception is the victory of 1983. Because it gave people evidence to believe that investing in sports might bear a fruitful result.

Esports
Image Source: indianexpress.com

Rathee says, “With greatness and nice performances which might be publicly obtainable, comes the need for glory and legitimacy. ” It’s not just cricket that has become very popular in India, but after Viswanathan Anand became a famous Chess player and won several tournaments representing India, the followers kept increasing. This is how Rathee explains the importance of streaming as esports is no different from cricket, tennis, or chase. Indian will be waiting for the video game records in Asian Video Games 2022 and some of the esports titles that are most likely to be added are Counter-Strike: International Offensive, DOTA 2, etc.

Esports is more than Asian Video Games

While India bagged a bronze medal in Asian Video Games 2018 in esports, the participation is predicted to increase by several folds this year. As Rathee said, a sign of triumph escalates the enthusiasm among people. But, the interest in Asian Video Games 2022 doesn’t account for how many Indians are exactly inclined towards esports. There are many video gaming opportunities that are eventually opening up for potential Indian gamers who could play at a professional level. But, there should be overwhelming participation in esports like we observe in cricket or football.

A few days ago, ASUS announced the ROG Academy Programme to bring out the best of Indian video gamers and train them at a professional level. Many similar initiatives are taken by many other companies out there to improve the gaming culture in Indian and put it out there that it can be chosen as a valid profession. There are many great Indian gamers who with proper training and infrastructure can give a tough competition worldwide especially in tournaments of CS: GO, Valorant, PUBG, etc.

Streaming as a profession

Streaming enables a content producer to deliver quality content to the audience. In India, gaming content that reaches out to common people is negligible. Two reasons for this is there aren’t many streaming companies in India (recently a few startups have been established) and even today most Indian people have not accepted gaming as a profession.

When PUBG wasn’t banned in India, many famous streamers like Mortal and Dynamo Gaming had huge popularity in India. But, when speaking of esports, it is more than just playing PUBG. So, the overall esports culture has to be uplifted so that apart from avid gamers, esports content reaches out to the general public.

Google Stadia

Google announced the shut down of Stadia in-house game development studios

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On 1st Feb 2021, Google announced to shut down its internal game development for Stadia for not being able to meet high rising costs of the same. “Creating best-in-class games from the ground up takes many years and significant investment, and the cost is going up exponentially,” said Phil Harrison, VP, and general manager of Google Stadia, in a blog post. From now on, Google’s game streaming service will be entirely dependent on the titles of other external game developers and game publishers. It is really unfortunate to witness the internal cloud-based game streaming service of Google shut down within a couple of years.

When Stadia was launched in 2019, the internal game development unit was expected to make titles for the service. But, with a heavy chest, the company has declared yesterday about shutting the internal game development unit. The in-house game development is costly and monetarily the company is not planning to invest in it. Phil Harrison also mentioned that Jade Raymond, Head of Google Stadia’s Games and Entertainment, will quit the company.

About Google Stadia

Google Stadia is a platform where one can play any online modern games using your smart devices. One doesn’t need to download or install the Stadia platform. Anyone who wants to play online games on Stadia can do it from television using a Chromecast Ultra, desktop, laptop, smartphone ( currently Pixel 3 and 3a models). If one has an internet speed of at least 35Mbps, Google Stadia can stream 4K resolution gameplay with HDR at 60fps.

Google Stadia
Image Source: pcgamer.com

In 2019, the company revealed the full online gaming platform where it provides two different options for playing games. One needs to buy a $10 per month Stadia Pro subscription. The user can either access Stadia’s game library on a remote server or can download and install the games on the computer. Some of the available games on Google Stadia are Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle, Baldur’s Gate 3, Borderlands 3, Cake Bash, Celeste, Crayta, The Crew 2, etc.

Future prospect of Google Stadia

Google launched the Stadia platform with the hope to stream online games across the globe. The best advantage of playing in Google Stadia is you don’t have to download or install any software and have access to the game anywhere and anytime. Recently with the success of Cyberpunk 2077, Google Stadia has proved the flexibility of this online game streaming service at a global level. Though the internal game development studio has been shut down, Google will still invest in the Stadia platform to give its users and potential customers the best cloud gaming experience ever. In the blog post by Harrison, he also mentioned that Google Stadia will still work to stream games on every possible screen in the future.

Google Stadia in 2021 has plans to invest and help the independent game developers take advantage of the Stadia platform and deliver their games directly to the players. Stadia’s gaming infrastructures are impressive and thus Google here has an opportunity to partner with interested gaming companies who want a streaming service for their games. In this way, Stadia can become a long-term sustainable solution for many game developers out there and big enterprises in the gaming industry as well. The internal development team, SDG&E will move to different roles in the Stadia. Currently, Google Stadia will focus more on establishing strong partnerships.

Other gaming opportunities

With Google Stadia’s in-house game development shutting down, new opportunities are also rising simultaneously in other companies. Asus in partnership with AFK Gaming has launched the ROG Academy Programme in India. This new program is bringing immense opportunities for all the budding game developers to participate in this contest and win existing opportunities. The gaming culture is constantly evolving in India and abroad thus opening new windows of opportunities and taking gaming seriously as a profession. The independent game developers can also use Google Stadia to stream their games and deliver them to the users if they are good enough. With time, more chances will come in the way of game developers in the upcoming years.