Hopefully no issue. I've expressly avoided launch purchase due to sporadic failure rate reports.

Time to get 36 months GPU.

The price of a good crypto trade.

End of the year, lots of impatient traders/investors looking to liquidate when they should have hold. Someone’s loss is another person’s profit.

Patience always wins. Did I mentioned I waited until now before getting a Series X?

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 6 2021, 05:06 PM

Enough breathing space I hope? Frontside will remain open for both consoles to breathe.



I promise I'll clean the dust bunnies and other dusty bits.



Warranty registered, i pray I dont have to see that warranty page again. Touch wood.

GamePass Ultimate till April 2024. At the cost of one Xbox Series X/S game. Yes, please!

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 6 2021, 11:21 PM

Dunno if this is a silly question but I’m gonna risk it: is there a way to VPN only the XSX console without resorting to VPN-ing the router, turning the entire home network into US soil.

I know VPN apps are not allowed in the MS Store from within the console itself. I was hoping I could use the console, since already connected to the TV, as streaming device for HBO MAX & Disney+ subs I already have. Talked to NordVPN tech support, they say it’s either I VPN the router, resulting in the entire home network becoming US soil , or hotspot off another PC that is wired to the router, running VPN. Both options are problematic to me. If this isn’t possible, looks like I’m stuck with streaming from Fire Stick 4K Max for my shows. Matrix Resurrection is coming to HBO MAX day one with theatrical release so need to hurry a bit.

Gonna look into this further, I have the Asus AX88U. Do you think it's configurable?

Shame, I checked my router, no such feature on my RT-A88U.

I'll have keep using my Fire Stick 4K Max with my NordVPN then.

More or less what the steps NordVPN tech support explained to me.

In short, create a hotspot on a PC wired physically to the router, turn on VPN on that PC, get XSX to login into that VPN-ed hotspot created on that PC, voila!

Unfortunately that is not a long term solution for me. I cannot leave a PC running every time I got the itch to watch a show on Hulu or HBO Max.

TripleB's option is much more elegant and permanent, ie; I can leave the VPN running indefinitely if I can tunnel the XSX console to only accept a VPN-ed connection, without VPN-ing the entire home network.

I could just turn VPN on and off by the Asus app on my phone, but that introduces rubberbanding connection between a tunneled VPN connection and back to local connection un-VPN-ed. Or I could just do what I'm currently using now, stick with my current dedicated streaming device ( that is not the XSX, it's currently a Fire TV 4K Max) and just live with it.

The whole reason why I'm keen in pursuing a VPN-ed XSX is that my Microsoft account is already a US account. VPN-ing that account on my XSX just makes sense, and opens up all the features currently enjoyed by US-located user with their XSX. It's infuriating seeing I can download the HBO Max and Disney+ app on the console itself and not able to do anything about it just because I'm stuck in here. I'll be happy to subscribe if HBO Max and Hulu is available here locally. Disney+ is available here but not at the highest quality settings with 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Disney+ Malaysia version only max out at 1080p 5.1 audio, due to the service provider running the streaming service under a web browser protocol wrapped in an app-like interface.

VPN-ing the XSX also means I can simplify my setup/routine.

Currently it's: turn on Fire TV 4K Max , turn on NordVPN on Fire TV 4K Max, wait till it has secured a firm connection with NordVPN USA, then only can boot up HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+.
If I can VPN only the XSX: turn on SXS with the controller.....done. VPN is done automatically on router, and permanently too if I can tunnel that VPN specifically only for the XSX.



This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 8 2021, 10:29 PM

Thank you for those insights.My current setup (XSX for gaming, FireTV 4K Max for streaming) already allow me to do so, I'm just looking for a way to get rid of the Fire TV 4K Max from this equation, and have XSX absorb the streaming (TV shows & movies, not game streaming) duties.

XCloud, I can already use my mobile devices, and those are with OSes that allows NordVPN app to be installed and tunnel out for XCloud. Not entirely fond of the streaming quality. Still prefer natively installed gaming.

I will look into SmarrtDNS as you suggested. Thank you, and you linked to NordVPN's guide too, awesome!

Apologies to everyone for hijacking the space here for my queries. Not surer how relevant the questions are towards XSX related things are.

I'll shut up now.

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 9 2021, 10:13 AM

NordVPN has been flawless for me. It was initially subbed for my WFH needs, then mind start to wonder what else I can do with it.

Now it's been 3+ years since I've started subscribing with them. My yearly sub expires around Black Friday, and NordVPN has been very generous with their offerings to returning subscribers, add Black Friday savings on top of that............sahweet!

Besides entertainment, I use these streaming services as an excuse to occupy time as lower cost/hour for entertainment.

Let me explain. My personality is the type that try to make full use of what I'm using/buying/subscribing until I've extracted every single drop of usage out of it. I use my shoes until the holes in them are uncomfortable for me to walk in them. Fashion isn't the reason to buy another pair of shoes, unlike youth these day requiring matching shoes to outfits by color/brand, cost be damned, must buy them.So when I do the maths, I calculate that I get more value of entertainment/dollar or RM spent compared to video games. I get to rewatch shows, discover new shows/movies and all at low cost of subscribing to them. Compared to video games, only recently video games have adopted the subscription "all you can play for a monthly fee" like the streaming services have been doing. Before that , we all had to buy games and trying to extract last bit of value from them, resell them when we 100% them. I treat videogames as perishables, so the subscription service like GamePass is exactly the thing I was looking for after getting so much value from my streaming services subs.

These streaming services also serves as a distraction: away from the need to buy every video games titles on Day One, or worse....... "preorder". It works so well with my routines that once I've grown tired of following and watching seasons of shows or movies I've missed, by that time, it has been 3-6 months since the launch of a new game I may be interested to play, that title has been discounted after being so long out in circulation. This method doesn't work with "games as a service" or online multiplayer games", you're basically herded to play when the game devs add new events , or when your peers pressure you to play " to level up" or worse......" to get that silly pink unicorn armor/gun/knife. I only play bespoke narrative-driven games like Uncharted. Even Halo Infinite, I'm only anticipating to play single player campaign mostly. If I do play multiplayer, it's on my own time, not a set time, not in a set clan, not in a set group.

So you see, being distracted away from new game releases by making full use of my subbed streaming services, saves me in the long run.

This method doesnt work with those "die2 must be the first to play, else, some arbitrary value set by oneself is lost for not being the early ones to play" personalities. A personality trait I see most in Youtube or other video game streamers. I dont know any of them, and I dont care for any of them.

I play when I want, at the schedule I set for myself to play them. Sometimes I take even longer time to finish them, just for the heck of it.

I dunno, maybe its my crypto-trading behavior is affecting my attitude towards everything in life, including games. Squeezing value out of everything, holding out until the very last minute, and doing it at my own pace. I play the long game in everything, including video games.

Dunno if any of these makes sense. Apologies for the long ramblings.

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 9 2021, 05:38 PM

Holy Shit, did anyone tried The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 Experience?



I thought it was gonna be a bunch of tech demo with a few cutscenes thrown in,....... if games with UE5 gonna look like THAT, jack me into the Matrix any time!

I mean, I kept up with the Lumen and Nanite tech demo on the PC side, but those are with pretty bland textures, not like this UE5 Experience.

The car chase with gun shooting demo, you can differentiate the rendered elements fall apart with LOD quality dropping when the action ramps up, but the city exploration demo when you fly around the city or walk slowly, the LOD kept up and stayed up in high quality even when inspected up close, impressive!

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 10 2021, 05:09 PM

Leveraging on my long dormant interest of photography, I wonder if these makes a good light base if placed underneath the XSX shining upwards? It's USB powered, which can always be powered by the XSX's USB ports at the back. So, it's only turned on when the XSX is on.

It's just a shame to hide all that nice XSX Halo Infinite design on the console in the darkness of the cubicle of the entertainment cabinet.

I was worried about heat from the light, when I got reassurance from the seller that these are cold lights. The type used in small light boxes to photograph small models.

I'd love opinions if I've made a serious mistake getting these. I can always repurpose it if it is.

From VPN to streaming to DIY lighting. Sorry if I'm a bit of a handful. Curse of the wandering mind......

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 11 2021, 01:35 PM

RGB? Like those lights at tom yam shop ? I was never a fan of Phillips Hue TVs.

Naaaaah, I prefer the image to cut off at the thin bezel of my C1 OLED, not to continue past the bezel with more lighting. I also prefer that "image suspension" look of the inky black OLED. Image look suspended in the air when your background around the OLED are completely dark. And I game in the dark, just the way I like it. Getting out of the gaming area is like accidentally staring directly into the sun after a solar eclipse.

The plan is to have the light base just like how companies present their wares in conventions, with lighted panels under their rare items being displayed. Of course at conventions, they're also behind see-through perspecs to prevent visitors touching these rare items, but I'm not going to suffocate the XSX doing that. I see lots of PS5 perspecs/acrylics covering sold in Shopee, I hope those consoles are never accidentally turned on while under those perspecs/acrylic covers. Or any sort of covers. Watch those temperatures!

Hence why I prefer cubicles in entertainment cabinets. Less dusting required.....although from previous images I posted, they're not entirely dust-free either. Need to do more dusting, but I'm just lazy.

It arrived. Ordered Friday, got today. Need to find a way to clean up or hide the cable snakes at the back. The light is indeed non-heat emitting. The back wall of the cabinet is removable though.

I think PS5 has the option to turn off the USB ports, not sure the XSX has that feature. Which means my XSX is perpetually lighted, until I actually turn off or unplug the power cable?

Moved the light base USB cables to a powered USB hub with smart power switch activated by voice. "Google/Siri/Alexa, turn off the power", off goes the light bases.

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 12 2021, 12:29 PM

This setup I can move the consoles anywhere with it being lighted up.

I may move it to another spot soon and the light base will go everywhere the console goes.

Technical analysis of the Matrix Awaken Unreal Engine 5 demo by Digital Foundry is out.



As an enthusiast of the cinematic, filmic genre of games, THIS is what I've been waiting for. Time to move the bar forward. We are not in the SNES days where we're limited by the power of the machine it is running on, and forced to be more design-oriented to overcome the technical limitations.

Don't get me wrong, Persona 5 and Cuphead are still my two favorite games when they come out, I'm still emulating Persona 5 on my PC (because Atlus refuses to put the game on other platforms, and I sold off my old PS4). I still play Cuphead when I feel like being challenged bullet-hell-wise.

It's time to move the bar forward. The limitations have been lifted. The only excuse for low-poly games now are if it fits a certain design philosophy that you wanna pursue with your game.

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 12 2021, 05:57 PM

Anybody got recommendations for wireless headphones that works on both XSX and PS5?

Narrowed it down to SteelSeries Arctis 7X and Audeze Penrose X. Only the Xbox version of these two models work across both consoles.

Arctis 7X, the only source for this locally is a seller on Shopee selling them USED for RM500+. Not my cup of tea, I prefer new. And since no one stocks this locally, new on Amazon totals up to RM103X with shipping.

Audeze Penrose X, local stock is by the two audiocentric audiophile stores, namely Stars Picker and Jaben, both "preorder only", Stars having the shorter preorder wait. RM13xx.

Or should I just plug a 3.5mm wired headphones into the respective controllers and call it a day? Since multiplayer and chat is no use to me.

I give up.

Even Stars Picker is quoting me "2 weeks - a month"now for the Penrose X. Jaben? A big fat "one month".

I just prefer my purchases to be brand new.

I ended up Bluetooth-ing my Plantronics headset to the TV, intercepting the audio stream before it goes to the AVR via eARC to the AVR. Sounds tiny compared to the AVR but I can game without waking up the dead with my home theater setup late at night.

Not ideal, but when life throws everything in your way to stop you from getting a better setup, you improvise. If I want to keep gaming on the HT setup, I either need the neighbours to go away, or I move away to a more desolate location.

I'm still keeping my eyes out for ways to get the Penrose X or the Arctis 7X. My only motivation to get the Penrose X was how close the price was from getting the Arctis 7X (MYR10XX shipped from Amazon) to the quoted Penrose X price from StarsPicker & Jaben at MYR15XX. I can get them straight from Audeze for MYR16XX, tax notwithstanding though. I dont mind the Arctis &X if I can get them at USD149 MSRP. But I'm denied on all fronts, cant get 7X or the Penrose X NEW at good prices. Should I wait it out for the 15XX from StarsPicker/Jaben? Haih........

I know, but what to do, no choice but to endure the BT audio. Or play only daytime.

Already have the 7X in cart in Amazon, still unsure to proceed or not.

Are those people on FB selling new or used? I see nobody on Shopee or Lazada selling 7X now. Only used.

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 13 2021, 07:47 PM

9X doesnt come with the wireless USB dongle that allows use of the headset on PS5 IIANM. Only Wireless Xbox protocol built in, Bluetooth and wired. Bluetooth headphones doesnt work with PS5. On the opposite side, PS5 uses wireless USB that doesnt work with Wireless Xbox protocol.

What a mess! That's why I prefer PC. Everything can cucuk if got drivers.

This post has been edited by KomradMikhail: Dec 13 2021, 08:27 PM