Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora released back in late 2023 to a somewhat mixed reception, with the open-world game from Ubisoft Massive being praised for its visuals, though critiqued for its relative mundanity. In a surprise and unexpected announcement, Ubisoft has revealed that Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is getting a massive update later this year.

In alignment with the game’s upcoming anniversary (and the expected release of the 3rd Avatar film), Ubisoft has announced that Frontiers of Pandora will be getting a massive free update on the 5th of December, taking to its socials to say:

“Experience the Western Frontier from a new perspective, with the new Third Person mode, New Game+ and quality of life improvements.”

Explaining these upcoming additions in more depth, Frontiers of Pandora’s Creative Director Omar Bouali confirmed that the NewGame+ mode will allow you to “replay the story with your inventory and skills, face tougher enemies and unlock a new skill tree and stronger gear.”

By far the biggest addition however will be the new 3rd person mode, which according to the director features reworked “animations, controls and camera systems to make sure it all feels just right.”

As mentioned, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora launched to a somewhat mixed reception. Since then however, the game has seen a decent amount of post-launch support, including both paid and free updates.

That said, this upcoming update will easily be the game’s biggest yet. It will be interesting to see what players think of the upcoming update and all of its additions when it arrives later this year.

KitGuru says: What did you think of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora at launch? Are you looking forward to the upcoming additions? Does a game like Avatar lend itself more to a 1st or 3rd person perspective? Let us know down below.

Ready or Not is a tactical first person shooter from the studio Void Interactive. Depicting “a modern-day world in which SWAT police units are called to defuse hostile and confronting situations,” the game received some controversy back during its early access launch. That said, in the years since its 2021 release, the game has grown massively – with Ready or Not having now officially sold over 10 million copies.

Making the announcement on their socials, the team at Void Interactive revealed that “It's been four days since Ready or Not was released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, and we've officially sold over 1 million copies across console platforms!”

Given that the team announced ahead of the console release that Ready or Not had surpassed 9 million copies sold, the total number of units now stands at a strong 10 million.

Unfortunately, the console launch has been met with some controversy, as alterations have been made to the contents of the PC version in order to align it with the other systems – leading to the game currently sitting at a Mostly Negative recent rating on Steam.

That said, recent controversies aside, Ready or Not has proven itself to be yet another massive indie success story. It will be interesting to see where the game, and Void Interactive goes from here.

KitGuru says: Have you played Ready or Not? What do you think? Are you bothered by the recent changes? Let us know down below.

It’s always interesting to see the different ways that video game publishers talk about the industry to different audiences. In the case of Ubisoft, the company has shared some rather out-of-touch thoughts on monetisation, telling investors that microtransactions make “the player experience more fun.”

As part of the company’s latest annual financial report (shared by MP1st), Ubisoft discussed the publisher’s ‘group business model and strategy’, claiming to utilise “monetization and engagement policies that respect the player experience and are sustainable in the long term.”

According to the publisher, “At Ubisoft, the golden rule when developing premium games is to allow players to enjoy the game in full without having to spend more.”

That said, in a follow-up which is rather contradictory to its own words, the publisher continued, “Our monetization offer within premium games makes the player experience more fun by allowing them to personalize their avatars or progress more quickly, however this is always optional.”

Though far from the most egregious publisher to take advantage of microtransactions, Ubisoft is perhaps the most notorious for implementing such monetisation techniques in solely-single player games – from aforementioned cosmetics, to XP boosts, skips and more.

Of course, such language is far from uncommon when it comes to investor speak, with pretty much all shareholder meetings giving insights into a company’s true intentions behind every move. 

Still, it is interesting nonetheless to hear what publishers are saying to those who aren’t as in tune with the industry, and how they say it.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Ubisoft’s statement? Is it more of the same corpo speak? Or does this represent a doubling down on MTX? Let us know your thoughts down below.

Well, I have realized that I am getting more fond of reviewing gaming keyboards, and I have a really exciting product at my desk. Now, MechLands isn't as mainstream as some of its competitors, but they have come up with really awesome keyboards, one of which is the Vibe99, which is claimed to be one of the most impressive budget-oriented option by the company, so let's take a look into it. MechLands Vibe99 - Aesthetics, RGB & Performance All Into One Package With a Dedicated TFT Screen This is the first time I have come across a TFT screen on […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/review/mechlands-vibe99-wireless-gaming-keyboard-review/

The new SSDs from TEAMGROUP come in two flavours, the more traditional Graphene model which you will use one of your motherboard's M.2 heatspreaders and the T-FORCE GE PRO AirFlow I which…

The Japanese police have made a ransomware decryptor available, for free, that will allow victims of Phobos and 8-Base to recover any files encrypted by those ransomware attacks.  It may also work…

Very few major multiplatform multiplayer games made the jump to Switch but Warframe made its mark as one of the biggest and most significant, showing that ‘live service' games can function on Nintendo's platform without issue. Digital Extremes is planning to support the Switch 2 as well, but a lack of dev kits is holding back progress. 

As reported by Eurogamer, Digital Extremes CEO, Steve Sinclair, recently spoke about the plans for Warframe on Switch 2, confirming that the studio plans to “take advantage” of the improved hardware. However, he also notes that there is a “backlog” of devkits, indicating that Digital Extremes is one of a large number of third-party studios still waiting to receive Switch 2 dev kits to proceed with ports.

Earlier this month, rumours indicated that there was growing unrest amongst third-party studios, as the rollout of Switch 2 dev kits has been very slow. This is in part due to the fact that Nintendo prioritised production of consumer units to avoid issues with scalpers at launch. A huge backlog of Switch 2 consoles were produced for the launch and steady supply has been dropping across the globe every few weeks since launch.

This isn't an entirely new rumour. Prior to Nintendo officially announcing the Switch 2 console, reports indicated that just a select few studios received dev kits. Looking at the launch, it appears that CD Projekt Red, IO Interactive, SEGA, Square Enix, WB Games and Capcom did get access prior to the console's launch. This led to launch titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Yakuza 0 Director's Cut, Street Fighter 6, Bravely Default HD Remastered and HITMAN: World of Assassination.

KitGuru Says: Hopefully the devkit drought can be resolved, as a lack of hardware for developers could result in a lacklustre launch-year for third-party games on Nintendo's new console. 

From Software has been busy lately with the release of Elden Ring: Nightreign and finishing up work on its Switch 2 launch exclusive, The Duskbloods. As it turns out, the studio has a secret third game in the ‘advanced stages of production'. 

According to MP1st, a site that has been quite active in the leaker scene recently, From Software has a game codenamed ‘FMC' deep in production. The game is so far along that it is expected to release ‘no later' than 2026.

As for what this mystery game could be, the codename hints at it being related to either Dark Souls or Armored Core, as both series have been developed with codenames starting with the letter ‘F'.

For years, there have been rumours of a Dark Souls 3 remaster, as a follow-up to Dark Souls Remastered. Why would they skip Dark Souls 2? Well, Souls fans didn't really like Dark Souls 2, although I would argue that this makes it more of a prime candidate for a remaster with a few changes sprinkled in.

KitGuru Says: Would you like to see From Software return to Dark Souls after such a long absence? 

CD Projekt Red has announced a new collaboration for Cyberpunk 2077. This time around, CDPR has teamed up with Morefun Studios to bring a taste of Night City to their game, Arena Breakout: Infinite.

Arena Breakout: Infinite is the PC-exclusive evolution of the mobile game, Arena Breakout. The full-fledged PC version is very different to the mobile original, offering more advanced gameplay and additional game modes. Recently, the game received its Season Two update, adding in new bosses, maps and gameplay features.

In the near future, the game will also get content themed around Cyberpunk 2077. The upcoming collaboration will see several items from the Cyberpunk universe being earnable in-game to use in future fights.

As Arena Breakout: Infinite is a multiplayer game, this Cyberpunk collaboration is likely to be limited-time only, so if you are a player, be sure to get the items while you can.

KitGuru Says: Do you play Arena Breakout: Infinite? Are you looking forward to the Cyberpunk collaboration?

At Computex last month, AMD introduced the world's first block FP16 stable diffusion model, a breakthrough model that combines the accuracy of FP16 with performance of INT8. Now, this ongoing collaboration between AMD and Stability AI is proceeding to a new phase, with SD 3.0 Medium now available to download and run on Ryzen AI 300 or Ryzen AI MAX+ laptops.

AMD's Ryzen AI 300 series processors come with a built in Ryzen AI XDNA 2 NPU, which has enabled local AI on the go thanks to strong performance. The SD 3.0 Medium model delivers a significant increase in image quality and is optimised for the Ryzen AI XDNA 2 NPU, but you'll also need to ensure your system has at least 24GB to run it according to the minimum system requirements. If you meet those requirements today, then you can try out the latest improvements by downloading Amuse 3.1 by Tensorstack and running it in HQ mode. Once in HQ mode, you'll be able to toggle the ‘XDNA 2 NPU Stable Diffusion 3″ setting.

Stable Diffusion 3 Medium and will run on 24GB laptops while consuming only 9GB of memory. The use of this data type allows high quality, local AI image generation to be available on laptops with under 32GB of memory in a high precision format and without excessive quantization. Furthermore, a 2-stage pipeline powered by the AMD XDNA 2 NPU enhances the output from a 2MP image to a 4MP resolution.

KitGuru Says: Do you use generative AI tools on your PC? 

Today we're checking out MSI's MPG 272URX monitor. Utilising a 4th Generation QD-OLED panel from Samsung, this screen boasts a 4K resolution and 240Hz refresh rate, much like the MPG 321URX, but now over a more compact 27in screen size. It still promises 1000 nits of peak brightness, effectively instant response times and infinite contrast, so let's dive in and see what this screen is all about.

With the new 4th Generation panels, also referred to as ‘2025 QD-OLED', Samsung isn't making huge changes compared to previous iterations of the technology. The company claims improved durability and better burn-in protection thanks to the new EL 3.0 panel structure, while that also allows for higher pixel densities – as we see here with the 4K resolution over the 27in screen size – without sacrificing brightness.

Apart from that, we're expecting the MSI MPG 272URX to perform similarly to the 3rd Gen 321URX, though it does also boast support for DisplayPort 2.1 at the full UHBR20 bandwidth, meaning you can drive 4K/240Hz without DSC as long as you have a compatible GPU.

Specification:

• Display Colors: 1.07B, 10 bits
• Dynamic Refresh Rate Technology: G-Sync Compatible
• Activated Range: 48~240Hz
• HDR Support: DisplayHDR True Black 400
• Adobe RGB / DCI-P3 / sRGB: 98% / 99% / 138% (CIE1976 Standard)
• Panel Size: 26.5″
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Panel Resolution: 3840×2160 (UHD)
• Pixel Pitch (H x V): 0.153 (H) x 0.153 (V)
• Refresh Rate: 240Hz
• Response Time: 0.03ms (GtG)
• Viewing Angle: 178° (H) / 178° (V)
• Curved: Flat
• Brightness: SDR: 250
• HDR: 450 (Typ.) (True Black 400 with 10% APL)
• Contrast Ratio: 1500000:1 (Typ.)
• Frameless Design: Yes
• Adjustment (Pivot): -90° ~ 90°
• Panel Type: QD-OLED
• DCR: 100000000:1
• Active Display Area (mm): 589.97 (H) x 332.93 (V)
• Surface Treatment: Anti-glare
• Video Ports:
  • 2x HDMI 2.1 (UHD@240Hz)
  • 1x DisplayPort 2.1a (UHBR20)
  • 1x Type-C (DP alt.) w/ 98W PD
• USB Ports:
  • 2x USB 5Gbps Type-A
  • 1x USB 5Gbps Type-B
• Audio Ports: 1x Headphone-out
• Kensington Lock: Yes
• VESA Mounting: 100 x 100 mm
• Power Type: Internal Power Board
• Power Input: 100~240V, 50/60Hz
• Adjustment (Tilt): -5° ~ 20°
• Adjustment (Swivel): -30° ~ 30°
• Adjustment (Height): 0 ~ 110 mm
• Warranty: 3 years (including panel burn-in)

Firmware tested: FW.013

In recent years, the number of people using AI to find answers, rather than using traditional Google Search, has risen by a huge amount. The saying ‘just Google it' is being replaced with ‘ask ChatGPT'. The next frontier is politically controlled AI, with President Donald Trump announcing plans for ‘Truth Social AI', an alternative to Elon Musk's Grok, which is heavily used across the X platform. 

Over on X, Grok has already proven to be politically aligned. After sending out a bunch of left-leaning replies that challenge Musk's right-wing views, Grok had been reprogrammed and when it came back, users found it spewing out replies referencing Hitler and delving into right wing conspiracy theories. In a world where more people than ever are seeking answers from AI, having one that actively promotes political ideology is dangerous. Grok had to be taken offline again while its newfound fascination with Hitler was fixed.

As AI becomes the dominant interface between people and information, the next logical step was politics getting involved. Politicians aren't just using AI, they are building their own. Donald Trump announced this month that his Truth Social platform will debut Truth Social AI. It's not just politicians like Trump showing interest in AI either, here in the UK, the Labour government has put together an action-plan for AI growth in the country.

The core issue for the future? When every political or cultural group starts building its own AI model trained on selectively curated data to match a belief system, we could descend even further into a post-fact and post-truth environment.

The dangers of society's over-reliance on social media for information became glaringly obvious a decade ago, when the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke. Through harvesting user data on Facebook in the 2010s, information brokers like Cambridge Analytica were given enormous power and that data was eventually sold to political campaigns. According to PolitiFact, during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, Cambridge Analytica data was used for months in an effort to swing US voters. Similar data was also believed to have been used during the Brexit campaign in the UK. Official investigations led by the UK government found that “no significant breaches” took place.

Despite the dangers of social media overuse being well established, the wider social media landscape has continued to grow at an estimated rate of 5.7% each year. The AI boom is even bigger, with projections showing that the AI industry will be worth 5x more over the next five years.

AI can have a dangerous effect in this politicised social media environment. While AI tools like ChatGPT can be good for quickly collating information from across the web and presenting it in an easy-to-understand way, these systems are not perfect and have been known to make mistakes. In some cases, ChatGPT can fabricate information entirely with so-called AI ‘hallucination'. A few lawyers – smart, well-educated people by most standards – got caught out by this when they presented legal filings with citations invented by ChatGPT and were subsequently fired.

Aside from inventing facts, highly politicised AI poses the threat of ‘fragmenting' the truth. Imagine a left-leaning AI trained exclusively on progressive ideals and current ideas about social justice, or a right-leaning bot trained to suppress a country's ‘uncomfortable history' and present nationalistic viewpoints, or a system trained entirely on the viewpoints of one religious group. People are already susceptible to avoiding critical thinking when taking on the information AI feeds them. As a result, the danger of politicised AI systems is largely in the ability to present people with programmable worldview confirmation, on demand 24/7.

If AI is going to be the next great interface for information, then its integrity matters. A misaligned AI from a politician or media outlet has the power to spread falsehoods faster, more believably, and at a greater scale than any traditional campaign ad. Misinformation was already an issue with social media in general, but with AI, the system can now talk back and shape the perception of reality in real time.

In the future, we expect to see AI being implemented in plenty of industries. Political campaigns could use AI chatbots to answer questions from potential voters, influencers are already exploring using their likeness to produce personalised AI chatbots, or to replace themselves online entirely, and fringe groups could create AIs that centre around niche occult interests or promote conspiracy theories.

At KitGuru, we value clarity, evidence, and honest analysis. That means recognising when AI becomes less about truth and more about narrative control. As AI tools become more integrated into our daily lives, it is vital we ask – who trained this model? And what data was used?

KitGuru says: At this point, I feel like we all know someone who's answer to everything is ‘just ask ChatGPT', with little thought given to where the AI is getting the information from. Do you regularly use AI tools either in work or at home? How do you feel about the rapid adoption of this technology?

Prior to the launch of the Xbox One, Microsoft put a great deal of emphasis on the Xbox’s ability to be your one-stop-shop for all kinds of media. A decade on and countless strategic changes later, Microsoft has unceremoniously shut down its Movies and TV store – both on Windows and Xbox.

As reported by The Verge, the long-running Movies and TV app – which has been available on both Xbox and Windows since 2015 – has unceremoniously been shut down, with anyone trying to access the app being met with an error.

According to Microsoft, “Downloads will continue to be available on Windows and in HD max resolution” for content which you purchased previously, however you can no longer buy anything from the store.

With the rise of digital media over the past decade, it perhaps makes sense that Microsoft would discontinue this program – especially as subscription services are all the rage nowadays.

That said, given the fact that Microsoft / Xbox has been cancelling video game projects left and right (while laying off thousands of employees) this latest move could be part of something larger.

We will have to wait and see whether Microsoft offers any additional information on this decision.

KitGuru says: Did you use the Movies and TV app at all? Why do you think Microsoft is discontinuing the service? Do you bother buying films and TV shows digitally, or do you prefer streaming services? Let us know down below.

The Ghost Recon series has been one of Ubisoft’s long standing franchises, with the first game launching all the way back in 2001. While the series remained a big part of the publisher’s offerings, 2019’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint received a rather mixed reception. Interestingly, it seems Ubisoft is going back to the drawing board – having announced that a first-person Ghost Recon game is in the works.

As reported by Gamefile and shared by Insider-Gaming, Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot recently confirmed to shareholders that a new Ghost Recon game is in the works, saying:

“Our objective is to also make strong progress in the growing market, generally speaking, by continuing to enhance our current experiences that we offer—and capitalizing on upcoming launches, such as The Division and Ghost Recon.”

Elaborating on this a bit further, Guillemot revealed that the aforementioned Ghost Recon title will be a “first-person-shooter-type” game.

For context, many of the earlier Ghost Recon titles were indeed first-person shooters. That said, the success of 2017’s 3rd-person ‘Ghost Recon Wildlands’ saw Ubisoft commit further to such a perspective with 2019’s Breakpoint.

Given the fact that the Ghost Recon series appears to be returning to its roots somewhat, it will be interesting to see what the next entry winds up looking and playing like – and whether fans will embrace this return.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this revelation? Did you prefer the first or 3rd person Ghost Recon games? What are your expectations for the next entry? Let us know down below.

Last year, Ubisoft released Star Wars: Outlaws, the first open-world game set in a galaxy far, far away. Unfortunately, the game failed to meet publisher expectations. Explaining the reason for Outlaws’ lack of success, Ubisoft’s CEO blames the Star Wars brand for being “in a bit of choppy waters.”

During the company’s most recent investor meeting, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot was asked about Star Wars: Outlaws and its relative lack of sales.

According to the executive (as transcribed by GameReactor), “Outlaws was released at a time when the brand that it belonged to was in a bit of choppy waters.”

While this indeed may be the case, many of the criticisms surrounding Outlaws pertained to the game itself, and not the Star Wars brand.

Since its release, Outlaws has seen a solid amount of support. That said, the game was criticised back during its launch due to numerous bugs, relatively basic gameplay and an extremely rigid stealth system.

While many of these issues have been resolved since, it’s fair to say that at least some of Outlaws’ failings rest on Ubisoft’s own shoulders.

I’ve previously spoken on some of the reasons as to why Outlaws failed to meet expectations (the editorial of which can be found HERE), but regardless, it will be interesting to see whether Ubisoft ever chooses to share sales data for Outlaws, given enough time.

KitGuru says: What did you think of Outlaws at launch? Is it worth picking up nowadays? Why do you think the game failed to meet sales expectations? Let us know down below.

FBC: Firebreak is the latest project from Remedy Entertainment – the team behind beloved titles including but not limited to Alan Wake, Max Payne and Control. Being the first live-service styled title from the studio, FBC’s launch was somewhat mixed. That said, the team have now detailed their future plans for the co-op shooter – with the first major update set to arrive in September.

Taking to their Steam page, the team at Remedy spoke on “What is next for FBC: Firebreak,” writing:

“It has been approximately four weeks since we launched FBC: Firebreak. During that time, we have released four patches that improve the game and partly address your feedback. Now that the game is live, our community plays a big part in shaping the future of the experience. This is just the start.”

The first major update is set to go live during late September and will bring with it a range of additions and improvements, including but not limited to:

• A better onboarding experience for new players
• Three new Heavy guns
• A retooling of the game’s weapon upgrade system
• New weapon mod system
• New Crisis Board which “fundamentally [changes] how you experience FBC: Firebreak content”
• More dynamic and ‘surprising’ runs
• Brand new Job

Beyond the September update, Remedy has confirmed that another major patch is planned for Winter, though “We need to see what’s working for you and to hear from you again before we can be certain that we’re prioritizing the right things.”

Being the first live-service game from the studio, it was always going to be somewhat of a rocky road at launch. That said, hopefully the team at Remedy remains committed to making FBC: Firebreak a game worth coming back to time and time again. Hopefully the upcoming September update is just the beginning.

KitGuru says: What did you think of FBC: Firebreak during its launch? Are you looking forward to the upcoming updates? Let us know down below.

After a successful launch in Asia that left many fans in the West feeling envious, Razer has announced that its fan-favourite Pokémon Collection is making its way to new markets. The collection resulting from the collaboration with The Pokémon Company International is now available in the US, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

The colourful collection is built around four of Razer's popular PC gaming peripherals, each getting a themed makeover featuring Pikachu and the original Kanto starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. By combining the timeless appeal of these characters with established gaming hardware, the collection is aimed squarely at fans who want to add a unique and vibrant flair to their setup.

Leading the charge is the Razer|Pokémon BlackWidow V4 X, a mechanical gaming keyboard featuring clicky, tactile switches and a chassis adorned with a pattern of the three Kanto starters. This is joined by the Razer|Pokémon Cobra, a lightweight wired gaming mouse sporting a bold Pikachu design and durable optical switches. To complete the set, the wired Razer|Pokémon Kraken V4 X headset features a Poké Ball motif on the earcups. At the same time, the medium-sized Razer|Pokémon Gigantus V2 mouse mat brings all the characters together in a colourful tableau designed for smooth, sweeping movements.

These peripherals are now available at the Razer webstore. The BlackWidow V4 X themed keyboard is now available for £169.99/$169.99/€189.99, the Razer|Pokémon Cobra for £59.99/$59.99/€69.99, and the Razer|Pokémon Kraken V4 X headset for £99.99/$99.99/€109.99. Pricing and availability of the Razer|Pokémon Gigantus V2 mouse mat are still unknown.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you a fan of Pokémon? Interested in any of the Razer Pokémon-themed peripherals?

Just last week, rumours emerged over Intel's upcoming Arrow Lake Refresh, with some suggesting it would bring not only higher clock speeds but also an upgraded NPU to the desktop to improve local AI peformance. However, according to a new report, those plans have been scaled back, with the refresh now looking to be a minor upgrade.

Initially, reports suggested the refresh would see desktop (S-series) and high-end mobile (HX-series) CPUs get a faster NPU, more specifically, the same unit found in the Copilot+ approved Lunar Lake chips. This was seen as a significant upgrade that would bring enhanced AI capabilities to Intel's product stack. Now, well-known leaker Jaykihn, who had previously corroborated the NPU upgrade rumour, has reversed course, stating that the plan has been cancelled.

With the NPU upgrade seemingly off the table, the Arrow Lake Refresh is shaping up to be a simple clock speed bump. This also pours cold water on any earlier, more ambitious speculation about SKUs with increased core counts. The current consensus is that the refresh will be a modest frequency boost targeted exclusively at the unlocked K and KF-series processors at the top of the stack.

This scaled-back approach is also expected to be reflected in the product's branding. Leakers suggest Intel will keep the refreshed chips under the existing ‘Core Ultra 200' series banner, rather than creating a new 300 series. This would avoid making a small, confusing generation gap before the next major architecture arrives.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: The improved NPU made the Arrow Lake refresh a bit more interesting, but now we're unsure if that improved NPU will even make an appearance. If that proves to be the case, it looks like we'll have to wait for Nova Lake for a significant update.

MSI is once again first out of the gate, rolling out a new beta BIOS that features AMD's latest AGESA 1.2.0.3F firmware. While the new update promises the usual stability and compatibility improvements, the changelog contains an interesting bit: support for an unannounced series of Ryzen 9000F processors.

Based on the AGESA 1.2.0.3F changelog shared on MSI forums (via VideoCardz), the key takeaway from this release is the explicit mention of support for the AMD Ryzen 9000F series. AMD has yet to officially announce any F-series variants for its new Zen 5 lineup, so their appearance in an official MSI changelog is the strongest hint yet that they are on the way, and perhaps sooner than we think.

Beyond the new CPU support, AGESA 1.2.0.3F also brings general system stability enhancements. MSI is also touting improved compatibility with the latest high-capacity DDR5 memory, building on its early support for 64GB modules. This allows users with compatible 800-series motherboards to install up to 256GB of system memory.

For now, the new beta BIOS appears to be rolling out first for MSI's B850 motherboards, with other models expected to follow soon. The changelog also mentions “mitigation of security issues”, though AMD has not yet detailed these. As is always the case with beta releases, most users should probably wait for the stable version.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Does your motherboard already have a new BIOS with the AGESA 1.2.0.3F firmware? Will you update it right away, or will you be waiting for the final release?

AMD has been the undisputed king of the high-end workstation CPU market since it first unleashed Threadripper, and it looks like that reign is set to continue. With the official launch of the new Threadripper Pro 9000WX series just around the corner, the first Cinebench R23 score for the flagship 9995WX has surfaced, and the numbers are immense.

According to a leak from nApoleon (via HXL), the 96-core Zen 5-based Threadripper Pro 9995WX achieves a staggering 173,000 points in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test. To put that into perspective, that's roughly 46% more than its stock predecessor, the 7995WX, which typically lands around the 120K mark in the same test.

Image credit: nApoleon

However, this performance comes at a cost, and that cost is power. The report claims the CPU was pulling 840W from the wall during the test, over twice as much as the chip's official 350W TDP, suggesting that to unleash its full potential, you'll need a capable PSU and a robust cooling solution to keep it from throttling.

Perhaps the most impressive part of this result is how it stacks up against the previous generation's overclocking records. The last gen 7995WX needed extreme cooling solutions like liquid nitrogen to break the 180K score barrier. The fact that the new 9995WX can get close to that figure, presumably on more conventional cooling, speaks volumes about the architectural improvements of Zen 5.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: How high do you think the AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX will score when overclocked using liquid nitrogen?

As a society, we have technically advanced into the USB 4 era - but that doesn't mean that everyone suddenly owns motherboards or laptops with the latest ports on them. USB 3.2…

ASRock's journey into the gaming monitor segment has been very recent. The company introduced its first gaming monitor within the "Phantom Gaming" lineup in 2022, just three years back, and since then, they have been really aggressive in this space, introducing new designs with the latest technologies, and at very competitive price points. Since the first launch, the company has introduced a total of 21 monitors, featuring OLED, IPS, and VA panels. These range from 24.5, 27, 32, 34 inch designs with refresh rates starting at 100Hz, all the way up to 520Hz. ASRock also has four ultra-wide curved monitor, […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/review/asrock-pg27ffx2a-27-fhd-ips-gaming-monitor-fast-520hz-at-300/