14-18 : Tokyo
Eat all the stuff
Buy all the stuff
Meet all the friends
18-20 : Narai-juku
Photos, hiking, hot baths
20-22 : Tsumago-juku & Magome-juku
More photos, hiking and hot baths
22-23 : Takayama and Shirakawago
Hida beef, morning market
Sightseeing
23-25 : Kanazawa
Wet market and fresh seafood
Machiya stay
25-30 : Kyoto, day trip to Takeda Castle Ruins
Day trip to the IRL Laputa Castle in the Sky
All the touristy spots in Kyoto
Night walks and photos
Morning jogs along the river
30-1 : Osaka + USJ
Kuromon market
USJ and Harry Potter
Food, last min shopping
the Gassho Zukuri we stayed at in Ainokura
izakaya!
HOTELS COST
Tokyo – Tokyu Stay Shibuya SGD$551.10 (divided by 2)
Narai-juku – Minshuku Shimada JPY 126,000 (divided by 6)
Tsumago-juku – Fujioto Ryokan JPY 162,000 (divided by 6)
Takayama – Sumiyoshi Ryokan JPY 49,368 (divided by 6)
Kanzawa – “Kurohoro” Private Machiya Holiday House JPY 114,000 + 10,356 + 3,000 (divided by 6)
Kyoto – Kyoto Granbell Hotel SGD$427.37 (divided by 2)
Osaka – Hotel THE FLAG Shinsaibashi ?
TO BUY
Yoshida Kaban – Porter
Kayanoya dashi
Traveller’s Notebook
Lion cooling feet pasties
Eye warming mask
2nd hand and new camera lenses
I’ve had the pleasure of testing out the game TITANFALL 2 together with 3 other influencers, they will be issuing their challenges in their own videos in the next few days, so make sure you click their portraits below and hop over to their social media.
Send me a 30s video clip of your best moment in TITANFALL 2 – it could be your frag highlights, or some sick grappling and wall-running manoeuvres – and I’ll choose the winner on 31st December 2016 by SGT 2359.
Challenge videos from Sodafiz, Yurith and Blysk coming soon [Now updated with their video links!], meanwhile click their portraits to be directed to their social media!
Before I begin my post, let me qualify that this is not a professional spec and stat review, I did not do the testing the hardcore way – shutting down background programs, repeated tests under the same conditions etc.
This review is more about real world performance, in real world games, and how the card performs in my computer.
My comparisons are also going to be very specifically vs the GTX970
But of course, I’ve needed to run tests, so that I can examine the numbers and use them to figure things out.
Here are some links for you, as well as the card specs
Key facts about GeForce GTX 1060
· Crafted for speed and optimized for performance per watt: GeForce GTX 980-level performance with only 120 watts of power
· GeForce GTX 1060 custom boards starting on-shelf July 19, MSRP starting at $249
· Great for overclocking: Easy to overclock to 2GHz, on average 15% faster and over 75% more power efficient than the closest competitive product
· Simultaneous Multi-Projection come to UE and Unity game engine: More than 30 games are already in development, (including Unreal Tournament, Poolnation VR, Everest VR, Obduction, Adr1ft and Raw Data.)
Here’s my unboxing videos, if you’re interested to see how the FE looks packaged
Let’s start with my computer hardware and set up.
I use a 3 monitor set up, you can see the models and how I set them up in the screenshots below.
My 1060 is connected via DVI-D to my BenQ XL2411T, which is a monitor that can go up to 144hz.
My 970 is connected to my BenQ RL2450H by DVI and by HDMI to my HP2311.
My XL2411T is running on 120Hz (any higher and my other monitor shuts off, I’m not sure why).
Overall table of comparison of Firestrike
Here are my OLD computer hardware specs, and some results based on 3D Mark tests that I ran.
As you can tell, I was using 2 gfx before this, I had a 560Ti on the 2nd PCIE x8 slot, and my 970 on the PCIE x16 slot.
Not shown is my 600w cooler master power supply.
Even a year + ago, on may 23 2015, my CPU was the bottleneck.
Fast forward to TODAY, these are my current specs and test results.
750w FSP power supply not showm
The 1060 shows up as a “Generic VGA” because I’m using direct downloaded drivers which don’t show the make and model.
As you can tell, I’ve shifted my 970 to the PCIE x8 slot, and put the 1060 in the PCIE x16 slot.
Looking at the numbers, there isn’t really THAT BIG a difference between my previous set up and this current one. There’s roughly a 200 point increase in the 3D score, and some decreases in the other scores.
And just for kicks, I did yet another test, taking out the 970 totally, and simply leaving the 1060 in.
And here’s where we see a bigger jump in the scores. I’m churning out 5 digit scores now.
So from this I can only conclude that the 970 might be throttling the performance of my 1060, and that my CPU is definitely bottlenecking my performance.
SO, that’s it for the number heavy bits… on to…
2. REAL WORLD PERFORMANCE
I play mainly 2 games right now, World of Warcraft and DOTA 2.
I also stream at 720p and 2000 bitrate.
All feedback is based on having my 1060 in the main slot, and 970 on the second slot, dedicated to physx
A) World of Warcraft
Here are my settings and in game FPS.
Running on full screen mode, at 120 FPS, my in game frame rate is a steady 90+, in fact, most of the time it hovers around 96-98.
On my previous set up, I was getting almost only half the FPS with a range from 40-60.
A fun fact about my XL2411T monitor : While most FPS gamers buy this for the 120/144hz refresh rate, I actually bought it specifically to play MMOs – Wow and FFXIV. I get “carsick” when I play MMOs on low FPS, because the tearing and floaty graphics kill my eyes.
B) DOTA 2
I don’t play DOTA 2 on the highest settings, and I don’t require it on 120Hz. I’m pretty used to 60Hz play, and it gives me a flat 120fps when my stream is not on.
With my 970, I wasn’t getting 120, I was getting around 80.
C) Live Streaming on Twitch
On my old set up (I removed the 560TI and use my 970 as a solo card), streaming was pretty decent, but still not up to standard.
Software wise, I’m using XSplit, but will probably try to do some texting on Shadowplay sometime in the near future.
I was streaming on 2000 bitrate, 720p @30fps, and my system would choke now and then.
It still could manage to run and stream 2 games at once – I would tax my system by playing WoW whilst queuing for
Streaming DOTA 2 is generally not a very intensive thing, and I was managing this with minor problems – my in game FPS would drop to 40 fps, which is actually pretty jerky to play, but not that bad to watch on stream. It thus wasn’t very enjoyable to stream and play simultaneously.
I tested the new set up on the old stream settings (2000 bitrate, 720p @30fps) as well as the new settings (2600bitrate, 1080p @ 30fps) for quite a few games each, and here are my findings.
With my 1060, I can do 80fps in game, whilst streaming at 2600/1080/30. Whereas streaming on 2000/720/30 gives me 90FPS.
Streaming WoW on 2600bitrate, 1080p @ 30fps gives me an in game fps range of 60-80+. It doesn’t go over 90 fps, but the game play is smooth.
3. Summary/Overall Thoughts
Overall, of course there’s a noticeable difference in the performance of my graphics, but it’s also quite obvious that my CPU is a bottleneck.
I think it would be really fun to see what kind of stats I can get with the latest gen i7. Judging by the 3D mark scores online, I’m about 5000 points off firestrike – I do see stats of 15k.
In the meantime though, the biggest differences I see are when I play WoW, and when I stream. So I’m going to go out on a limb and conclude that you will see the best improvement on mid-high graphics intense games with the new card, if you were using a 970 previously.
If you’re looking for a new laptop, I’ve got a special 20% discount code for readers of my blog, and my Facebook fans.
This is only applicable for purchases made on the Lenovo Singapore webstore right now though!
Details at the end of this post 😉
*************
I’ve had the pleasure of using the ideapad Y700 for the past couple of weeks, and even brought it with me on my trip to Japan.
I’m not sure about you, but when I heard “Lenovo”, I instantly associated it with “office notebook”, and all the images of a blocky black version immediately came to mind. I was pleasantly surprised to unwrap this beauty, which had red accents, and a backlit keyboard, together with some rather sexy curves and a rubberized surface.
The entire bundle of goodies that I received – the ideapad Y700, Lenovo Headset, Mousepad, Mouse, and Samsonite backpack.
Stock photo taken from Lenovo Singapore website
I do my work on a 13″ Macbook Pro, but I have found it impossible to play games on. I tried firing up DOTA 2, but my program dock refused to go away, and I didn’t want to change my settings because it’s a pain to change them back when I play on my desktop. Also… 13″… I might as well just play Vainglory on my tablet to scratch my MOBA itch.
I previously lugged around an 18″ dual graphic card Alienware laptop, but, let me tell you this, because I don’t think you’ll have the pleasure of doing so yourself, that carrying a 7kg laptop plus it’s 1kg adaptor around through customs, IS NOT FUN.
It’s kept my arms toned and my collarbones chiseled, but it’s also given me lots of literal headaches.
And there’s also the time when I stuck my very expensive headset in with it into the bag for a short while, and the laptop promptly fell over and broke one ear cup. 😥
SO.
I had more or less given up on travelling with a gaming laptop, and decided to just play fallout shelter for the rest of my life on my MIpad when I was offered a shot at the ideapad Y700.
Here are 3 reasons why the ideapad Y700 is my new go-to for gaming on the go.
1. Depending on the specs you choose, its weight starts at 2.6kg. While this might sound like quite a lot, it’s actually very manageable if carried in a backpack. And I’m not saying this just because I’m used to struggling with 7kg!
It leaves you with a sufficient amount of energy to carry a keyboard, mouse, mousepad and headset along with it in your backpack.
I normally opt to just bring a mouse and mousepad with the laptop though, because of the excellent sound system (reason no. 2) which negates the need for a headset;
and the tactile, backlit keys with numpad
Here’s a comparison pic with my Macbook Pro. [The comparison is purely just for size, I know there’s no real comparing a Y700 with a mbp in terms of specs simply because their purposes are so different. However, the mbp is considered a portable laptop, so putting the Y700 next to it will give you a better idea of what to expect.]
2. It’s very sleek and compact, but the screen is surprisingly expansive for a 15″ laptop. Coupled with the amazing JBL speakers, this makes your entertainment super immersive. I’ve been using the sound at 34, and I’ve been worried about disturbing my neighbours, until I realised that because of the way it’s built, you get the max experience from sitting in front of the computer, and quite little noise pollution from the sides and back.
Here are a few pictures which show you the locations of the speakers on the laptop:
The Subwoofer on the bottom of the laptop, which makes a HUGE difference to your media and entertainment!
The JBL logo on the dashboard
The view from the back of the laptop, you can see the honeycomb grilles extend all the way round to the back
3. Since it calls itself a GAMING laptop, the specs have to live up to the claim.
Admittedly, I haven’t managed to play much on it at this point in time other than music and DOTA 2, which arguably aren’t very intensive. Even so, It’s been a terrific experience. I will be adding more information into further reviews, after I’ve had more time with it.
Here is the spec sheet of the model that I’m using (there are 3 different sets of specs that you can choose for the ideapad Y700)
Intel® Core™ i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz
Windows 10 Home
Up to 5 hours’ battery life with standard battery
16 GB DDR4 memory
15.6” frameless Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 IPS, anti-glare display
1 TB HDD with integrated 8 GB
WiFi 2*2 AC + Bluetooth® 4.0, LAN 1000M
NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 960M graphics
Starting at 2.6 kg (5.7 lb) / 25.95 mm (1.02”)
2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0 with always-on charging , 4-in-1 card reader (SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC), 2-in-1 audio combo jack, HDMI
There are 3 ideapad Y700 that you can choose from, the main difference being the RAM and the HDD.
The most expensive model has just been added TODAY! So mine is the SGD$1899 one, right in the middle.
Here is a screen grab straight from their site for your reference
**************
20% DISCOUNT CODE FOR MY READERS!!
Step 1 :Click this link to go to the Lenovo ideapad Y700 *Important to complete your purchase through this link or you won’t get the discount!* Step 2 : Add your preferred ideapad Y700 model to cart and continue to customise, or add to cart directly Step 3 : enter FURRYFISH in the eCoupon field for your 20% discount!
Introducing the Grace 10, with Sponsor from E-Huge Technology
Best Denki’s representative with Hello Kitty on stage
Microsoft Singapore’s spokesperson testing the audience on the colour of Hello Kitty’s nose
Lucky draw winner!
The 4 players responsible for the Hello Kitty Grace 10 from E-Huge Technology, Microsoft, Achieva and Best Denki
file folder icons, all Hello Kitty-ized!
a glossy black exterior, with pink and white accents
Kimchi and I dropped by the Hello Kitty Grace 10 launch, a limited edition collaboration with Sanrio, and powered by Windows 10. It is exclusively distributed by Best Denki in Singapore, and goes for 379SGD each.
As a tablet itself, it doesn’t boast the highest specs –
resolution 1280 x 800
RAM 2GB DDR
Cameras 2M front and back
CPU Bay Trail-T Z3735F
But what it lacks in specs, it makes up for in fashion and practicality.
The price gets you a Pigo keyboard as well, which brings the total weight to 800g (the protective case+keyboard is 200g, the tablet itself is 600g), and gives you the option of using it as a tablet, or a laptop.
Windows 10 complements this switch perfectly by allowing you to use it in tablet or laptop modes (apps scale according to what mode the tablet is in), and to sweeten the deal, Microsoft office mobile apps are downloadable FOC, or if you’re looking to get an Office 365 subscription together with the tablet, Best Denki is offering a 20SGD discount, in addition to a complimentary Microsoft wireless mouse.
I do have to admit that I’m not a great Hello Kitty fan, but I’m definitely attracted to the idea of a 800g handbag (and shoulder) friendly laptop replacement with windows 10 capabilities!
The view from the back of the laptop, you can see the honeycomb grilles extend all the way round to the back
