Split Fiction, the latest game from Hazelight Studios, is just around the corner. In preparation for launch, the studio has now revealed detailed PC system requirements for the game. While higher than the likes of A Way Out and It Takes Two, the minimum specs required are very reasonable. 

Hazelight Studios and its leader, Josef Fares, are well known for their co-op focused games. Back in 2021, It Takes Two ended up winning the Game of the Year award, and No Way Out made waves thanks to its consumer-friendly co-op pass, allowing players to invite a friend to join them in the game online without having to buy two copies. The Friend Pass returns for Split Fiction, so you only have to buy one copy of the game and then you and one other person can play through it all, whether you are doing so online or in couch co-op.

The minimum PC requirements for Split Fiction includes:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-6600k or AMD Ryzen 5 2600k
• RAM: 16GB
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 – 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 – 4GB
• Storage: 85GB

The recommended PC requirements for Split Fiction includes:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-11700k or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
• RAM: 16GB
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 – 8GB or AMD Radeon 6700 XT – 12GB
• Storage: 85GB

The minimum requirements target 1080p/30FPS with low settings, while the recommended requirements are for 1440p/60FPS at High settings.

Split Fiction will be available on PC, PS5 and Xbox starting from the 6th of March.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up Split Fiction when it drops next week?

The post Split Fiction PC system requirements announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Sharkoon has launched its best looking fans yet. The new Shark Mirror RGB PWM fans are perfect for those looking to spruce up their build without spending a fortune. While a lot of ARGB fans nowadays come in at over €20 per fan, Sharkoon has kept prices well within a reasonable range at €9.90.

The SHARK Mirror RGB PWM is a powerful, RGB-illuminated fan that delivers precise performance within a speed range of 500 to 1,500 rpm. If needed, there is even a reverse edition available. In addition, thanks to the infinity mirror effect, the fan looks especially stylish in any PC case, matching the aesthetics provided by some of the more expensive fans on the market.

The aerodynamic fan blades of the SHARK Mirror RGB PWM ensure a maximum airflow volume of up to 99.52 m³/h. Even at full power, the SHARK Mirror RGB PWM does not exceed 26.8 dB(A), making it near silent whether your system is running under full load or idling.

The Sharkoon Shark Mirror ARGB fans are available in black or white, with a recommended retail price of €9.90.

KitGuru Says: If you want to kit your system out with ARGB without breaking the bank, the Shark Mirror looks to be the perfect option.

The post Sharkoon’s new Shark Mirror fans offer ARGB goodness on a budget first appeared on KitGuru.

As some of you may have seen, this week we published a review of the Montech HyperFlow Silent 360 AIO cooler, both on the KitGuru website and our YouTube channel. In this review we explained that the HyperFlow Silent 360 AIO cooler has some issues in regards to the new AMD mounting system that Montech adopted.

The HyperFlow Silent is compatible with all current Intel and AMD desktop platforms,  ranging from Intel 115X up to the latest Intel 1851 socket. And it's compatible with AMD, AM3, AM4, AM5.  You get the upper mounting bracket for AMD installation, two Intel backplates – one for LGA 1700 and 1851 sockets – and then one for 115X, 1200 and so on.

While other publications who have already tested this cooler appear to have used Intel platforms, we found performance of the cooler on an AMD 9950X to be rather disappointing. Especially considering the Arctic Liquid Freezer 3, the MSI MAG CoreLiquid i360, and the Be Quiet Light loop were all outperforming it with lower fan speed and noise output. Even the original HyperFlow ARGB measured 6 degrees cooler, too.

Reducing noise output to 40 decibels puts everything on a level playing field and the true thermal performance can be measured. But again, the HyperFlow Silent is at the bottom of the pile out of the coolers we have tested so far on the 9950X. It's a massive 8 degrees C hotter than the Lian Li HydroShift LCD360S, 6 degrees off its older brother, the original HyperFlow ARGB, and even the Arctic Liquid Freezer 3, which uses an almost identical fan speed at 40 decibels.

So performance of our sample on AMD is disappointing. To validate these figures we ran the same test several times and the HyperFlow Silent was within a degree either way each time. The only anomaly we noted was how the mounting pressure and thermal paste spread looked after each mount. Upon removal of the cooler, the thermal paste looked noticeably thicker on the right hand side of the CPU, so it's likely that the contact wasn't perfect.

To take things further, we also checked performance on our new Intel Core Ultra 9 285K system. The performance gap between the original HyperFlow ARGB and the HyperFlow Silent Is much closer here at maximum fan speed, but with noise normalised at 40 decibels, the original hyper flow ARGB cooler outperformed the Silent, but only by three degrees C – meaning the deficit is halved this time. However, this was only a quick experiment to give feedback on performance to Montech, so these are not to be classed as official test figures, and we are still working on gathering data for this platform.

At this point, it was clear to us that performance on AMD AM5 CPUs didn't seem to add up. But KitGuru reviewer and cooling expert James Dawson thought he had the solution after weeks of in-depth testing and analysis. As well as changing fans between the original HyperFlow ARGB and this new Silent version, there had been another hardware change, and that's the upper mounting bracket used for AMD AM4, AM5 installation.

The new Silent cooler uses a 4 point mounting system. This slides onto the CPU block, and then it's mounted to the CPU socket. Instead of these four points using spring loaded screws, the older ARGB cooler uses a two point mounting system with two hooks that mount directly to the plastic upper mounting bracket that comes pre-installed to AMD motherboards.

Image credit: Anandtech

If you think of the AMD die layout of the CPU, there's the two smaller CCD dies side by side (as shown above). So, with this mounting system, the probability of getting a poor mount or uneven mounting pressure side to side, is higher than with the original system. In a nutshell, depending on how the screws are tightened, there is potential for a uneven mount. To re-iterate, that's critical for AM5 CPUs like the 9950X with the side by side layout of the CCDs.

With that in mind, James actually re-mounted the cooler using the older 2 point mount from Montech's original HyperFlow ARGB cooler, and ran the thermal tests again.

You can see above that reverting back to the ARGB mount with the Silent 360 has a significant impact on thermal performance. At maximum fan speed, using the HyperFlow ARGB mount brings the average temperature of the Silence 360 cooler down by a huge 7 degrees C, and that puts performance more in line with the original HyperFlow ARGB. It's ultimately the same story when the fan speed is lowered to 40 decibels noise output, where using the original ARGB mount on the Silent 360 brings the performance level of this new cooler in-line with the original ARGB cooler. That's what we were expecting from the outset considering both coolers use the same core design.

We reached out to Montech and explained what we'd found in terms of performance between the new Silent 360 and the original ARGB cooler. They then carried out some of their own testing and found similar results. Montech then set the following statement:

“After reviewing James’ feedback and conducting additional internal testing, we’ve identified that the poor AMD performance is largely due to the new mount.”

Montech went on to say:

“As a result, we’ve made the decision to hold all unshipped units and revert to the ARGB version’s original mount. For units that have already been shipped or are on store shelves, we will provide customers with the updated mount upon request—no questions asked—via rma@montechpc.com.”

At this point we felt we were fully able to share our findings with the readers and viewers and published the video review on Thursday 27th February. Commentary from the public seemed positive and the audience were happy that Montech were actioning possible replacements for these coolers to rectify performance issues on AMD platforms.

However, on Friday 28th February, Montech asked us if we could take the video review down as they wanted us to test a second unit, suggesting that our original model's radiator could have been damaged and that subsequent performance data indicated the issue could be more complex than just an update to the mounting system. We are quite confident based on checking the cooler extensively before testing that it has received no damage during shipping.

We were asked to wait for a replacement unit, with Montech's updated mounting system, as any customer will receive it when ordering online. Whether it will be exactly the same as the original ARGB cooler's mounting system, or if it will be tweaked in some way, we are unable to confirm until we receive a new unit ourselves.

For those customers who have a version of this cooler without an updated mount, you can still email Montech to get a replacement at the email address above, which will hopefully improve cooling performance on the AMD platforms.

Once we get the completely new revision from Montech, we can follow up on our testing so far, and report back to our audience. Right now, I would advise anyone even considering this cooler to wait a while longer until we get complete confirmation from Montech as to what is going on. As our data shows, buying one of these coolers for use with an AMD platform, with the current mount system, will not translate to great real world performance.

KitGuru says: Stay tuned for our update as we test a second sample from Montech, complete with the final mounting system.

The post Montech HyperFlow Silent 360 AIO Cooler – IMPORTANT UPDATE first appeared on KitGuru.

The Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 has proven its overclocking prowess, shattering six performance records, including four world records and two first-place positions in the single-GPU category.

Safedisk, Asus's in-house extreme overclocker from South Korea, was the author of these new records. Utilizing a variety of test setups, including systems powered by Intel i9-14900KF, Ryzen 9 9950X, and even a 96-core Threadripper PRO 7995WX, Safedisk pushed the ROG Astral RTX 5090 to its limits, employing both air and liquid cooling to achieve record-breaking results. While the card ships with a conservative 2.58 GHz boost clock, it's capable of much more.

Safedisk effortlessly shattered world records in 3DMark Port Royal (44,338 marks), Fire Strike Extreme (58,393 marks), and Unigine Superposition at 1080p (36,287 points) and 8K (24,816 points) resolutions. With various configurations, the ROG Astral RTX 5090 maintained a stable 3 GHz clock speed even with air cooling. In Time Spy Extreme (28,717 marks) and GPUPI (41s and 673ms), where results are limited to single-GPU configurations to avoid the scaling advantages of multiple GPUs, the ROG Astral RTX 5090 reigns supreme. When equipped with a liquid cooling pot, the card reached an astounding 3.45 GHz core clock and a memory frequency of 35 Gbps (17.5 GHz effective).

In addition to the overclocking records, Asus has also highlighted the safety benefits of its innovative connector design. Recent investigations revealed that some RTX 50 and RTX 40 GPUs cannot detect if individual power pins are drawing excessive current. As you might know, a poorly seated or damaged cable could lead to a single pin carrying the entire current load, potentially causing it to melt without warning. Asus has addressed this concern in the ROG Astral RTX 5090 and ROG Matrix RTX 4090 by incorporating additional shunt resistors. This allows for per-pin current monitoring via software, enabling the detection of power distribution anomalies and alerting the user if a cable needs to be reseated.

KitGuru says: For now, the ROG Astral RTX 5090 graphics card should stay as the record holder, but with Galax's RTX 5090 HOF Edition probably coming out soon (given pictures of these cards have already leaked online), there's a good chance some of these records will soon be broken.

The post Asus sets six new overclocking records with its ROG Astral RTX 5090 graphics card first appeared on KitGuru.

While Monster Hunter Wilds has gotten off to a great start sales-wise, PC players are hammering the game in the Steam reviews section due to performance issues. Capcom has already responded to the complaints, promising improvements. 

Right now, there is a large disparity between performance players had during the Monster Hunter Wilds beta and the day-one release version on PC. Unfortunately, Capcom doesn't have a lot of ‘good' suggestions for improving performance right now, outside of updating your graphics drivers, turning off compatibility mode and adjusting your in-game quality settings.

If issues persist after that, then Capcom requests that people head to the Troubleshooting & issue reporting thread on the Steam Community forum. It is unclear exactly what is causing Monster Hunter Wild's performance problems right now and the situation is quite surprising, as previous RE Engine titles have all ran fairly well on a wide range of hardware.

KitGuru Says: Have you tried Monster Hunter Wilds already? How is the game running on your system? 

The post Monster Hunter Wilds players suffer PC performance issues at launch first appeared on KitGuru.

Monster Hunter Wilds has launched and already seems to be a massive hit. On PC alone, the game garnered over 1 million concurrent players in the hours after launch. 

According to SteamDB, within hours of the game going live on Steam, the game surpassed 987,000 concurrent players. As the day has progressed, that number has only grown, reaching a peak of 1.3 million concurrent players. To make this figure more impressive, it only counts Steam players. If we add PS5 and Xbox players to the mix, we are likely looking at a concurrent player count in the range of 2 to 4 million.

While the game has been a sales success so far, it hasn't come without its problems. The Steam user reviews for the game are negative, with just 41% of reviews being positive. The most common complaint is optimisation, as the game is very difficult to run in comparison to Monster Hunter World. These issues should be addressed with patches in the weeks and months ahead. Hopefully Capcom makes its plans clear soon.

By Monday, we'll no doubt see Capcom announcing historic launch weekend sales figures for Monster Hunter Wilds based on its success so far.

KitGuru Says: Monster Hunter Wilds is off to a good start. Have any of you jumped in already? How are you finding the game so far? 

The post Monster Hunter Wilds surpasses 1.3 million concurrent players on Steam first appeared on KitGuru.

Razer has joined forces with Mojang Studios, the creators of Minecraft, to deliver a unique collection of gaming peripherals that seamlessly blend Razer's design with the franchise's iconic blocky aesthetic. This collaboration is aimed at Minecraft enthusiasts and gamers seeking to enhance their experience with high-performance peripherals that exude Minecraft charm.

Starting with the Razer BlackWidow V4 X – Minecraft Edition, this RGB mechanical gaming keyboard features clicky, tactile switches, six dedicated macro keys, and a distinctive Minecraft-themed design. It even includes an exclusive in-game item, the Ender Dragon Shawl, to personalize your Minecraft adventures further.

For those looking for a Minecraft headset, there's the Razer Kraken V4 X – Minecraft Edition, a wired RGB gaming headset. This headset, like the BlackWidow V4 keyboard – Minecraft Edition, also includes the Ender Dragon Shawl in-game item. The mouse chosen to receive a Minecraft Edition was the Razer Cobra, a lightweight and wired RGB gaming mouse equipped with durable and precise optical switches. Like the other two peripherals, it includes an in-game item, the Overgrown Arm. Lastly, the Razer Gigantus V2 – Medium – Minecraft Edition, a soft mouse mat designed for smooth gliding, features a Minecraft-themed design and provides a comfortable and stylish surface for gaming. This edition also includes the Overgrown Arm in-game item.

All of Razer's Minecraft-themed peripherals are now available: the Razer BlackWidow V4 X – Minecraft Edition costs £169.99/$169.99/€199.99, the Razer Kraken V4 X – Minecraft Edition costs £99.99/$99.99/€109.99€, the Razer Cobra – Minecraft Edition costs £59.99/$59.99/€69.99, and the Razer Gigantus V2 – Medium – Minecraft Edition costs €39.99.

KitGuru says: Are you a fan of Minecraft? Would you consider getting one of these Minecraft-themed peripherals?

The post Razer partners up with Mojang for Minecraft-themed gaming peripheral collection first appeared on KitGuru.

MSI has released a trio of next-generation power supply units designed to power demanding gaming rigs and workstations: the MEG Ai1600T PCIE5, MPG A1250GS PCIE5, and MPG A1000GS PCIE5. These PSUs boast cutting-edge features and robust certifications to ensure exceptional efficiency, stability, and compatibility with the latest hardware.

All three models (MEG Ai1600T PCIE5, MPG A1250GS PCIE5, and MPG A1000GS PCIE5) have earned 80 Plus, Cybenetics, and PPLP certifications, underscoring their commitment to efficiency and performance. They fully comply with the latest ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 standards, ensuring compatibility with current and future hardware, including Nvidia's power-hungry RTX 50 series graphics cards. These PSUs are built to handle even the most extreme workloads, from multi-GPU configurations to AI and machine learning applications, delivering reliable power regardless of the load.

MSI has incorporated several features to ensure these PSUs can keep pace with the demands of modern systems. Dual 12V-2×6 connectors provide ample power delivery for the latest graphics cards, enabling smooth operation of even dual Nvidia RTX 50 series GPUs in demanding AI and machine learning applications. Full compliance with the PCIe 5.1 standard ensures compatibility with future generations of graphics cards and other PCIe 5.0 devices. High-quality components and advanced design ensure optimal efficiency and stability for gaming and professional workloads. These PSUs can withstand up to 240% total power excursion, providing headroom for demanding transient loads and ensuring stable operation. Efficient cooling and noise-reduction technologies deliver a quiet and reliable experience, even for power users.

To celebrate the launch, MSI is offering a special Monster Hunter Wilds Game Bundle promotion. From February 28th to March 28th, 2025, customers who purchase eligible MSI PSUs will receive a free game code for the PC standard edition of Monster Hunter Wilds. In addition to the game bundle, MSI has partnered with SignalRGB, a leading RGB lighting synchronisation software, to offer a unique integration with Monster Hunter Wilds. SignalRGB users can enjoy real-time dynamic lighting effects that respond to in-game events, such as battles, achievements, and environmental changes, creating a more immersive and personalised gaming experience.

KitGuru says: Will you take advantage of the ongoing Monster Hunter Wilds campaign and get an MSI PSU?

The post MSI launches three new high-capacity ATX 3.1 PSUs first appeared on KitGuru.

It is AMD launch day, with the company revealing the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards in full. As always, Sapphire is hot on the heels of the launch with its own custom-cooled models, and they look to be their best yet. 

Sapphire has new Nitro+, Pure and Pulse RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards hitting the market. The Nitro+ version will cost a little more, but you'll get the fastest out-of-box clock speeds, a beefy triple-fan cooler and a dual-layer all-metal black plate that lets you hide your power connector.

The Sapphire Pure model is for fans of all-white graphics cards offering a sleek white and black aesthetic with a hint of ARGB on the logo. Finally, the Sapphire Pulse model offers a slimmer all-black cooler.

The Sapphire TriXX software has also received a significant upgrade, introducing clean UI design to help gamers quickly find settings for overclocking, hardware monitoring, performance and efficiency profiles, as well as adjustments for the ARGB LEDs on your graphics card.

You can find the technical specifications for RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT in the table below:

GPU	Sapphire RX 9070 Nitro+	Sapphire RX 9070 XT Nitro+
RDNA 4 Compute Units	56	64
HW RT Accelerators	56	64
HW AI Accelerators	112	128
Peak AI TOPS	1165	1557
Boost Clock	Up to 3010 MHz	Up to 3060 MHz
VRAM	16GB	16GB
Total Board Power	220W	304W
Connectivity & Display	PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b	PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b

The Sapphire Pulse and Pure models offer the same specs, but with different clock speeds. For instance, the RX 9070 XT Pulse and Pure models offer up to 3010MHz boost clock speeds out of the box, and up to 2700MHz on the RX 9070 version.

Sapphire's RX 9070 series graphics cards will be available starting on the 6th of March.

KitGuru Says: Sapphire has an excellent reputation for its custom AMD graphics cards and that looks to continue with the new RX 9070 series models. Are you thinking of making the jump to AMD's latest GPU? 

The post Sapphire reveals RX 9070 Nitro+, Pure and Pulse series graphics cards first appeared on KitGuru.

First announced at CES last month, today AMD is finally launching its new generation RX 9070 series graphics cards. Based on the RDNA 4 architecture, these new GPUs aim to offer improved AI performance and RT acceleration at a lower price than an RTX 50 series GPU. 

The new RDNA 4 GPUs at the heart of the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT feature up to 64 Compute Units / 4096 Stream Processors. Clock speeds can boost up to 3GHz and AMD has made the wise choice to pair the GPU with 16GB of 20Gbps DDR6 memory and 64MB of Infinity Cache, so gamers won't have to worry about hitting VRAM limits.

Compared to RDNA 3, AMD has enhanced the memory subsystem, improved Scalar Units, and increased efficiency to reach higher clock speeds. According to AMD, RDNA 4 delivers 2x raytracing Throughput per CU. On top of that, AMD has also enhanced the architecture with new AI Accelerators, delivering 2x FP16 performance and 4x INT8 performance.

You can find the technical specifications for RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT in the table below:

GPU	RX 9070	RX 9070 XT
RDNA 4 Compute Units	56	64
HW RT Accelerators	56	64
HW AI Accelerators	112	128
Peak AI TOPS	1165	1557
Boost Clock	2.52GHz	2.97GHz
VRAM	16GB	16GB
Total Board Power	220W	304W
Connectivity & Display	PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b	PCIe 5.0, DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b

Compared to an RTX 3080 at 4K, the RX 9070 is said to be as much as 26 percent faster. This is the average score based on benchmarks across 30 games. You can also see RX 9070 vs AMD's previous gen RX 7900 GRE in the slide above, showcasing big improvements in titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, Final Fantasy 16, and more.

These new graphics cards will also be the first to support AMD's new FSR4 technology, which utilises AI accelerators to improve visuals and performance for the first time, bringing the technology closer to matching the bar set by Nvidia's competing DLSS technology.

Board partners like Sapphire, XFX, Acer, PowerColor, Asus, ASRock and Gigabyte are already confirmed to be launching custom-cooled versions of these graphics cards. They will become available worldwide starting on the 6th of March, with prices starting at $549 for the RX 9070 and $599 for the RX 9070 XT.

KitGuru Says: Are you considering making the jump to an RX 9070 or RX 9070 XT? 

The post AMD announces $599 RX 9070 XT, RX 9070 at $549 first appeared on KitGuru.

For over a decade, work has progressed on a Minecraft film adaptation in one way or another. Finally, we got our first official trailer last year. While quite controversial in its execution, further previews have painted the film in a greater light. Ahead of its premiere on the 4th of April, the ‘Final’ trailer for A Minecraft Movie has now been released.

While the film still appears to suffer from rather obvious use of greenscreen, the final trailer for A Minecraft Movie presents what could be a solid enough time for families and fans of the game – appearing much more like a film about Minecraft and its world, compared to the initial showing which seemed somewhat less in touch with the core of the series itself.

It will be interesting to see how the film performs at the box office when it releases, as due to the overwhelming popularity of Minecraft as a brand it could very well give the Super Mario Bros. film a run for its money.

Regardless, A Minecraft Movie will likely wind up as the second highest-grossing adaptation all time at the very least, taking the spot from the current runner-up (Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s $483 million) – though whether it will beat Mario’s $1.3 Billion haul is yet to be determined. We will have to wait and see.

KitGuru says: What did you think of the final trailer? Could the film be solid? How much do you think it’ll make at the box office? Let us know down below.

The post A Minecraft Movie gets ‘Final Trailer’ ahead of April premiere first appeared on KitGuru.

Ever since Microsoft began to support the PlayStation with its games, the question has arisen as to whether the company would utilise all of the unique hardware in its competitor’s console. It seems they are supporting all of it and more, with the upcoming Forza Horizon 5 confirmed to offer DualSense haptics on PS5 as well as ray tracing support for the PS5 Pro.

Taking to their blog, the team at Playground games officially detailed the upcoming PS5 release for Forza Horizon 5, confirming that the title will launch on the 29th of April – or the 25th with ‘Advanced Access’.

More interestingly, we’ve gotten details on the PS5-specific features, with the studio confirming that Horizon 5 will make full use of the DualSense and its haptics/triggers. Beyond this, the PS5 is set to get two graphics modes: Performance (60fps) and Quality (30fps).

Being the first Microsoft game to come to the console since the release of the PS5 Pro, Playground Games have also confirmed that both modes will see a boost on the Pro system, with Performance mode upping the overall ‘visual fidelity’ while the Pro’s Quality mode adds ray traced car reflections to Races and Free Roam – a first for the series on console.

Arbitrary early access aside, Forza Horizon 5 represents the biggest Xbox game to come to PlayStation so far, and as such it will be interesting to see how the game’s overall reception pans out.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the PS5 Pro features? Which mode would you pick? Let us know down below.

The post Forza Horizon 5 will include ray tracing on PS5 Pro first appeared on KitGuru.

Approximately nine months ago, Montech launched its first AIO CPU cooler – the HyperFlow ARGB. It was available in 240mm and 360mm sizes, in black or white colour schemes and was reasonably priced at around £85 for the 360mm version. Now Montech is back with a new HyperFlow Silent which, according to Montech, has whisper-quiet performance but ditches the RGB lighting. It’s a budget AIO for the cooling purists, but does its low noise output mean performance is compromised? Let's find out.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
01:18 Overview and pricing
03:01 Close up look
07:54 Compatibility / Accessories
09:12 New AMD Test platform
11:37 Testing Thermals and Noise output
13:24 First Anomaly
13:41 Checking deeper
14:31 James works out the problem
15:46 James tests out his ‘solution’
16:35 Montech response to our findings
17:48 Closing thoughts

Features:

• According to Montech the HyperFlow Silent offers whisper-quiet performance from a reduced noise pump and fan blades capable of achieving 45.18dBA noise output while its 27mm thick radiator and 72.3 CFM of airflow provide optimal heat transfer.
• The innovative ring-type fan blades reduce noise output to 24.8 decibels even at their maximum speed of 2200 RPM.
• HyperFlow Silent is available in 240mm and 360mm size in black or white. The pump block has a metal finish for a sleek look and pre-installed fans for a quick and simple installation process.
• The versatile design means that the HyperFlow Silent is compatible with the latest AMD and Intel desktop platforms and comes with a 6-year extended warranty for peace of mind.

Specifications:

• CPU Socket Compatibility: Intel LGA1151/1200/1700/1851/20XX, AMD AM3/AM4/AM5
• Radiator Material: Aluminium
• Radiator Dimensions: 397 x 120 x 27 mm
• Radiator Tube Length: 400mm
• CPU Block Dimensions: 68.8 x 68.8 x 53 mm
• Pump Speed: 3100 RPM +/- 10% PWM
• Cold Plate: Copper
• Pump Connector: 4-pin PWM
• LCD Screen: N/A
• Pump Noise: 28.8 dBA
• Pump LED: N/A
• VRM Fan: N/A
• Fan Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 28 mm
• Fan LED: N/A
• Fan Speed (PWM): 2200 RPM +/- 10% PWM
• Fan Max Airflow: 72.3 CFM
• Fan Max Air Pressure: 3.12 mmH2O
• Fan Noise: 24.8 dBA
• Fan Bearing: Rifle
• Fan Connector: 4-pin PWM
• Warranty: 6 years

The post Montech HyperFlow Silent 360 AIO – we helped them fix it! first appeared on KitGuru.

Following the conclusion of the purchase of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, the console maker began to bring a number of the publisher's back-catalogue to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. While we’ve yet to see any classic CODs come to Game Pass, the Microsoft Store on PC has seen a ton of activity – with the OG Black Ops 1 having now been added.

Available right now on the PC Microsoft Store for $39.99, 2010’s Call of Duty Black Ops 1 has been added; though is seemingly missing its DLC.

Interestingly, while much of the game’s description remains the same from decades past (including the reference to “last year’s” Modern Warfare 2), the top of the page does note the fact that “This is a classic Call of Duty experience, cross-platform Multiplayer is not supported.”

As mentioned, this isn’t the first Call of Duty to be added to the Microsoft Store, and like those prior additions, there has yet to be any official wording on a Game Pass launch.

Given its lack of cross-play, paying for the Microsoft Store version of any older Call of Duty seems like an unwise decision.

That said, if Microsoft does eventually bring these titles to Game Pass, then a bunch of classic CODs could receive second lives over a decade after their peak.

KitGuru says: Do you think Microsoft is gearing up for a Game Pass release? If not, then why are they being added? Which classic Call of Duty is your favourite? Let us know down below.

The post Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 has been added to the Microsoft Store first appeared on KitGuru.

Prior to its release on the Xbox Series X|S last year, Microsoft confirmed that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle would also be swinging its way onto PS5 in 2025. While we have yet to get a concrete release date, one insider has now claimed that the game is planned for launch sometime this April.

In an article discussing Microsoft’s recent increase in adoption of AI for game development, industry insider Tom Warren offered a small tidbit on the planned release timing for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5, writing (paywalled) “we're now waiting to hear if Indiana Jones is going to make Microsoft's target of an April release on PS5.”

As mentioned, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle first released in early December of last year for the Xbox Series X|S and PC. At the time, it was stated that PS5 players would get to enjoy Indy’s latest adventure some time in Spring of 2025.

While we have yet to get official confirmation, April would make some sense as it would land somewhat in the middle of Spring. That said, with Microsoft recently confirming that Forza Horizon 5 is launching at the end of April, it would be odd to have both titles release within the same month.

Given how Forza Horizon and Indiana Jones are two entirely different games in completely separate genres however, it’s possible that neither title will cannibalise sales from the other.

KitGuru says: Are you more excited for Forza or Indiana Jones? Will it arrive in April? What enhancements do you expect to see for the PS5 Pro? Let us know down below.

The post Indiana Jones reportedly coming to PS5 in April first appeared on KitGuru.

The PlayStation VR2 hasn't made very many headlines since launch, in large part due to low sales, which in turn led to a drought of significant game releases. That may finally start to change, as the headset is finally getting a much needed price cut. 

Today, Sony announced that the PlayStation VR2 headset will get a significant price cut. Starting in March, the headset will be priced at £399, a near £200 price cut compared to launch. Sony will be selling a bundle including the headset, controllers, a pair of headphones and a copy of Horizon: Call of the Mountain at this £399 price point.

It is clear that Sony's goal here is to boost adoption of its latest VR headset, which failed to meet initial sales expectations. Nobody really knows why Sony expected to sell millions of these headsets at its original price point, especially when you factor in the fact that it was more expensive than the PS5 console also required to use the headset. However, the situation is now finally starting to improve, with the headset merely costing about as much as a PS5 Digital Edition system.

If you buy a PlayStation VR2 headset now, you won't be restricted to only using it with the PS5. Last year, Sony released an update and a special dongle allowing the headset to be used with PC, so you can access PSVR2 exclusives on console, as well as a much larger range of VR titles available on services like Steam.

KitGuru Says: Would you consider picking up a PSVR2 at its new price point? 

The post PlayStation VR2 gets a much needed price cut first appeared on KitGuru.

This year's Pokemon Presents stream didn't have too many surprises but Game Freak did announce a new game – Pokemon Champions, a PvP battle focused Pokemon game with crossplay across Switch and Mobile devices. 

Pokemon Champions takes out all of the exploration and Pokemon-capturing mechanics in order to purely focus on battles. It appears to be a spiritual successor to Pokemon Collesium and Pokemon Stadium but with more modern Pokemon designs and new mechanics like Mega Evolution and Terastalized Pokemon forms.

The game will have a multiplayer focus, with no plans for a single-player campaign. To ensure a broad player base, the game will be available for both Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms, like iOS and Android. There will be full crossplay between the mobile and Switch versions of the game.

On top of all that, the game also connects to Pokemon Home, so you can import Pokemon you've collected from other titles in the series and use them in Pokemon Champions without having to go through any extra effort to unlock them.

There is no release date yet for Pokemon Champions, but we expect to get more information on it later in the year.

KitGuru Says: Would you be interested in Pokemon game purely focused on PvP battles? 

The post Game Freak announces Pokemon Champions for mutltiple platforms first appeared on KitGuru.

Today during the annual Pokemon Presents livestream, The Pokemon Company gave us the latest update on their next major game, Pokemon Legends Z-A. Unfortunately, the game won't be coming out as early as we expected, with it now having a late 2025 release window. 

Initially thought to be releasing this summer, Pokemon Legends Z-A is now destined for a late 2025 release date. While not currently announced for the Nintendo Switch 2, the new release window means the game will assuredly be available in enhanced form on Nintendo's new system, which is due to launch later this year. The game will still also be playable on the original Nintendo Switch, but like Arceus, Scarlet and Violet, it is likely to look very rough and run with a very choppy frame rate.

Unlike Pokemon Legends Arceus, which was set well in the past, Pokemon Legends Z-A has a more futuristic setting, with a massive sprawling version of Lumiose city, far different to the version of the city we previously saw in Pokemon X & Y back in the day.

The starter Pokemon you'll get to pick are roughly in line with what you would expect. Players will be able to choose from Chikorita, Totodile and unfortunately for anyone who is a Cyndaquil fan, you'll have to settle for Tepig instead as your fire-type starter.

The battle system in Pokemon Legends ZA has evolved a little from Arceus too. You can see in the trailer that now, Game Freak has implemented dodging and positioning mechanics, so whether you land or miss an attack will be firmly within your control. You'll also be able to try and dodge incoming attacks, adding a new dynamic we've not really seen before in a Pokemon title.

KitGuru Says: I really enjoyed Arceus, but it was rough to play on the Switch console. I am hoping that with the Switch 2, we'll get much better frame rates and more anti-aliasing for Pokemon Legends Z-A. 

The post Pokemon Legends Z-A gets new gameplay trailer, late 2025 release date first appeared on KitGuru.

Nvidia's upcoming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti could launch with two memory configurations like its predecessor. Recent reports suggest that Nvidia will launch the GPU with 16 GB and 8 GB, each with different memory configurations and potentially even different power connectors.

According to Wccftech, the 16 GB variant, identified as PG152 SKU 15, will feature GDDR7 memory clocked at 28 Gbps. As for the 8 GB model, designated as PG152 SKU 10, will reportedly use GDDR6 memory. Both cards are rumoured to have a 128-bit memory bus, resulting in a total bandwidth of 448 GB/s for the 16GB model.

Interestingly, some RTX 5060 Ti cards are said to feature the new 12V-2×6 power connector, while others will stick with the traditional 8-pin connector. This suggests a tiered approach, with higher-end models adopting the new connector and more budget-oriented variants retaining the older standard. Both models are expected to have a 180 W TDP.

The timing of the RTX 5060 Ti launch date is also reported. According to Wccftech, the 16 GB variant of the RTX 5060 Ti will arrive in the second half of March, with the 8 GB model following in April. However, VideoCardz sources claim otherwise, with the same date for the RTX 5060 Ti (no mention of which model) and the RTX 5060 launching in April.

KitGuru says: Will Nvidia launch two RTX 5060 Ti cards as it did with the RTX 4060 Ti, or will it simply launch it with 16 GB and have an RTX 5060 with 8 GB?

The post Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti expected to launch in late March in 8GB and 16GB variants first appeared on KitGuru.

4A Games is making some internal changes. Previously, 4A Games spanned multiple teams, including a studio based in Ukraine. With 4A Games Ukraine now spinning off to work on a new IP, the studio is rebranding. Now known as Reburn, the studio has revealed an all-new game – La Quimera. 

La Quimera (translated as ‘The Chimera' in English), is a new Sci-Fi shooter built by former developers behind the Metro games. Set in Latin America (hence the Spanish title), the game promises an all-new campaign written by Nicolas Winding Refn, who previously wrote Drive and The Neon Demon.

The game will intertwine Latin American folklore with ‘advanced weaponry and technology' influenced by Sci-Fi properties. It is quite the mash up that promises to deliver equal parts horror and action.

The studio behind the game, Reburn, currently has around 110 employees, many of whom have experience working on the Metro and Stalker games. It is also worth noting that while previously part of 4A Games, Reburn is actually an independent studio. Their new game can already be wishlisted on Steam, but there is no release date at this time.

KitGuru Says: As a huge fan of Metro and Stalker, I'll be looking forward to this. The game has already been in development for five years at this stage, so I've got my fingers crossed for a 2025 launch. 

The post Former Metro devs reveal new Sci-Fi horror IP ‘La Quimera’ first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD has done very well with its hardware game bundles in recent years and that isn't stopping in 2025. This week, AMD has launched its latest hardware bundle, offering up free copies of Capcom's highly anticipated Monster Hunter Wilds. 

If you are thinking of buying a Ryzen 9000 or Ryzen 7000 series CPU, or a Radeon graphics card, you could be eligible to receive a free copy of Monster Hunter Wilds. On the CPU side, the list of eligible products for this promotion includes:

• Ryzen 9 9950X
• Ryzen 9 9900X
• Ryzen 9 7950X
• Ryzen 9 7900X
• Ryzen 7 9700X
• Ryzen 7 7700X
• Ryzen 7 7700
• Ryzen 5 9600X

If you are in the market for a graphics card instead, then you're in luck. The bundle also applies to Radeon RX 7700 XT, RX 7900 XT, RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX graphics cards.

At this point in time, the upcoming Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs are not included in the promotion but we expect that to change when they actually become available in the coming weeks.

This bundle will be running for quite a while, so you have some time to claim it. The bundle will be live until the 26th of April. You can find the list of participating retailers, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up a new AMD CPU or GPU soon? Will you be taking advantage of the Monster Hunter Wilds bundle? 

 

The post AMD is bundling Monster Hunter Wilds with range of Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs first appeared on KitGuru.

Cooler Master is well known for its peripherals, PC cases, CPU coolers and even gaming monitors. This week, they are adding gaming chairs to that list, but this isn't your standard racing seat affair. Instead, Cooler Master has opted to release one of the few gaming chairs on the market with a massage function. 

The new Hybrid M chair from Cooler Master has one big selling point that sets it apart from others on the market. The Hybrid M comes with its own massage function with a number of settings to target key muscle groups. Precision massage heads are used and Cooler Master has also taken extra steps to make sure they don't get too noisy. When not in use, the massage heads completely retract to preserve the sleek gaming chair aesthetic.

Speaking on the new chair, Cooler Master CEO, Jimmy Sha, said: “We saw a big opportunity to do more for our customers. Gamers, creators, and enthusiasts are multitaskers— they balance work, play, and creativity every day. So why not offer them a chair that multitasks, too? The Hybrid M provides premium comfort with its ergonomic design while delivering a variety of massage programs that rejuvenate the body and keep users performing at their best.”

The Hybrid M features a 14,400 mAh rechargeable power bank to power the massage system, so you'll need to charge it up once in a while depending on how often you use it. The upside to this is you won't need to run a cable from your chair to an electrical outlet and potentially hinder your movement. Using Cooler Master's mobile app, you can also create your own presets and customise settings.

Here are some of the key features of the Cooler Master Hybrid M chair:

• Ergonomic 3D armrests, an integrated headrest, and a magnetic lumbar support provide optimal comfort and adjustability.
• MuscleFlex mesh backrest and perforated PU seat base enhance breathability, ensuring long-lasting comfort.
• Cold-molded foam cushioning adapts to the user’s body shape, offering tailored ergonomic support.
• A reinforced steel frame and aluminum base ensure lasting structural integrity, built to withstand years of use.

The Cooler Master Hybrid M will be available starting this week, priced at €899.99.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I do like this idea, but I would also like to see more gaming chairs offering a retractable footrest to go with the common recline function. Add one of those and this would potentially be one of the most comfortable, do-it-all chairs on the market. 

The post Cooler Master’s new Hybrid M doubles as a massage chair first appeared on KitGuru.

The next wave of games heading to GeForce Now have been announced. This week will see seven games joining the library, including the PC Game Pass version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and the deck-building rogue-like hit, Balatro. 

Balatro was one of the best games of 2024 and has only grown in popularity since thanks to the release of console and mobile ports. Just this week, the game landed on PC Game Pass, so now, you can freely stream it via GeForce Now. The Steam & Xbox App versions of Halo: The Master Chief Collection are also joining the library, so you can finish the fight anytime, on any device.

Here are the games joining GeForce Now this week:

• Balatro (New release on Xbox, available on PC Game Pass)
• The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store)
• The Evil Within 2 (Epic Games Store, Steam, and Xbox available on PC Game Pass)
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Steam and Xbox, available on PC Game Pass)
• Murky Divers (Steam)
• Somerville (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store)

Nvidia has also given us a preview of what's coming to GeForce Now next month. There are 17 guaranteed games, excluding any surprises that may pop up in the coming weeks:

• Dragonkin: The Banished  (New release on Steam Mar. 6)
• Split Fiction (New release on EA App and Steam, Mar. 6)
• Split Fiction: Friend’s Pass  (New release on EA App and Steam, Mar. 6 App)
• Assassin's Creed Shadows (New release on Steam and Ubisoft Connect, Mar. 20)
• Wreckfest 2 (New release on Steam, Mar. 20)
• Killing Floor 3 (New Release on Steam, Mar. 25)
• Atomfall (New release on Steam and Xbox available on PC Game Pass, Mar. 27)
• The First Berserker: Khazan (New Release on Steam, Mar. 27
• inZOI (New release on Steam, Mar. 28)
• City Transport Simulator: Tram (Steam)
• Dave the Diver (Steam)
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II (Steam)
• Motor Town: Behind The Wheel (Steam)
• Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator (Steam)

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of subscribing to GeForce Now for a month to give it a try?

The post Halo, Balatro and more join GeForce Now this week first appeared on KitGuru.

Monster Hunter Wilds is launching this week, complete with support for DLSS and other RTX features. As a result, it is also time for a new Game Ready driver.

The latest Nvidia Game Ready driver is now available to download. This update brings a few notable additions. For starters, we have day-one optimisations for Monster Hunter Wilds, which launches tomorrow with support for DLSS Frame Generation, Ray-Traced Reflections and Nvidia Reflex to reduce latency.

The second big addition is Multi-Frame Generation support for NARAKA: Bladepoint. The PvP game now supports Nvidia's RTX 50-exclusive Multi-Frame Gen technology to boost frame rates further. According to Nvidia's own tests, the RTX 5090 can run the game at over 900 frames per second at 1080p with Multi-Frame Gen enabled.

This week's driver update also adds support for 29 more G-Sync Compatible displays, including models from Acer, AOC, Asus, LG and Philips. You can find full details on that, HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you picking up Monster Hunter Wilds tomorrow? Have you installed the new driver in preparation? 

The post Nvidia rolls out new Game Ready driver for Monster Hunter Wilds first appeared on KitGuru.

8BitDo is expanding its controller lineup with an interesting product, the Ultimate 2 Wireless. This new gamepad introduces cutting-edge “TMR” (tunneling magnetoresistance) technology for its thumbsticks, promising precision and responsiveness that surpasses even the most advanced Hall effect sensors.

Hall effect sensors have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their resistance to stick drift, but TMR technology represents a significant leap forward. TMR sensors offer superior sensitivity and responsiveness by using tiny electromagnets to detect thumbstick position, which will help it become the new standard for gaming controllers.

The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 is designed for PC and Android platforms. This is a notable departure for 8BitDo, whose original Ultimate controller was specifically designed for the Nintendo Switch. The upcoming release of the Switch 2 might explain this shift in focus, as the company may be holding back on new products for the aging Nintendo console.

The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless has a magnetic charging station and a wireless 2.4GHz USB dongle. Thanks to its “8Speed” wireless technology, the Ultimate 2 offers a 1000Hz polling rate in wireless and wired connections. Further enhancing its versatility, the controller features trigger mode switches that users can adjust the trigger travel distance, enabling faster presses for competitive gaming. Two back buttons and an additional set of bumpers provide further customization options, all programmable to execute your preferred in-game actions.

The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless is one of the few controllers to feature TMR joysticks, but from what we know, it's the cheapest. Priced at £49.99/$59.99, it's now available to pre-order in black, white and blue.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you in the market for a new PC controller? Does the new 8bitdo Ultimate 2 meet your criteria?

The post 8bitdo unveils the Ultimate 2 wireless controller with TMR joysticks first appeared on KitGuru.

Biwin has partnered with OC Lab to launch the new OC Lab Gold Edition DW100 RGB DDR5 memory kits, the world's first dual EXPO profile DDR5 memory sticks. Whether you choose the EXPO DDR5-8000 CL34/36 profile or the DDR5-6400 CL28 profile, changing between the two is as simple as flipping a switch.

According to TechPowerUP, the Biwin OC Lab Gold Edition DW100 DDR5-8000 is available in CL34 and CL36 with a 32GB (2x 16GB) capacity. For those seeking a balance of speed and responsiveness, the kits also include a secondary EXPO profile at DDR5-6400 CL28, prioritising low latency for smoother gameplay and faster application loading.

Biwin claims these kits have undergone rigorous tests and die selection to minimise the trade-off between frequency and latency that often plagues high-performance memory. The company added that these modules can be manually overclocked even further, reaching an impressive 8400 MT/s with CL34 latency. The secondary EXPO profile at DDR5-6400 CL28 adds another layer of versatility. Optimised timings and efficient voltage control provide further overclocking headroom while maintaining stability, allowing users to achieve even lower latencies. As per Biwin, reaching 8000MT/s at CL30 and 6400MT/s at CL26 under optimal conditions is possible.

Beyond raw performance, the Biwin OC Lab Gold Edition DW100 prioritises stability and reliability. A sophisticated 10-layer PCB design minimises electromagnetic interference and ensures stable data transmission. An unlocked PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit) dynamically adjusts voltage based on demand, guaranteeing consistent power delivery and aiding in thermal management. The three-fin heat spreader design further enhances cooling, maintaining optimal operating temperatures even under heavy loads. Stress testing at 1.45V and 1.50V revealed average temperatures below 50°C, showcasing the kit's exceptional thermal performance.

The Biwin OC Lab Gold Edition DW100 series also makes a visual statement with its sleek black design accented by gold elements, adding a touch of luxury to any build. Customisable RGB lighting with eight zones allows further personalisation, creating a cohesive and dynamic aesthetic. These new kits will join the Biwin DW100 family and will be available in late March, starting at $169.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Should other companies follow the approach of adding distinct EXPO profiles for different use cases?

The post Biwin launches the world’s first dual EXPO profile DDR5 memory first appeared on KitGuru.

In the past week, Marvel Rivals saw its first major controversy when it was revealed that one of the support studios for the highly-successful live-service title was pulled from the project, with its developers being laid off as a result. In the wake of this, publisher NetEase has shared its latest fiscal earnings reports, with revenue surpassing $11 Billion.

As part of the company’s latest fiscal earnings report, NetEase revealed that during FY2024 the publisher made over $11.5 billion in revenue. Of course, this didn’t all come from the success of Marvel Rivals, but the live-service hero shooter was certainly a major component – with them confirming the title has been downloaded over 40 million times so far.

In discussing Marvel Rivals specifically, during the company’s conference call CEO Ding Lei stated: “If we launch a game product that isn't suited for market demand, we will aggressively and decisively discontinue it; we will also boost our investment in projects that meet quality and efficiency standards.”

Lei continued, “Game production is time-consuming and it may take three or more years to ship a game. So, during the entire process, from the start of the project to its completion, it is critical to constantly adapt to the market. Depending on the circumstances, support for a project may be increased or withdrawn entirely.”

The lack of a more concrete and candid response is a shame to see, but not surprising. Hopefully this won’t be the last time that NetEase addresses this disturbing situation.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the whole Marvel Rivals situation? Has it soured your opinion of the game? Let us know down below.

The post NetEase responds to Marvel Rivals layoffs first appeared on KitGuru.

In the past few years, publisher Nacon has developed a following thanks to their string of unique and fun games which typically manage to do a lot on a AA budget. As part of their annual tradition, the publisher/accessories manufacturer has confirmed their next Nacon Connect is set to go live in a week’s time.

Releasing a teaser trailer onto YouTube, the team at Nacon officially announced the 2025 edition of their Nacon Connect livestream.

Set to go live on the 6th of March at 6PM UK time, the stream will include many upcoming games, including but not limited to:

• Hell is Us
• Edge of Memories
• Dragonkin: The Banished

Being a hardware manufacturer, fans can also expect a couple new accessory announcements – in particular on the controller front.

As mentioned, Nacon has amassed a reputation in recent years for their high quality AA releases. That said, the publisher has had a few stinkers in the past, most recently the critically panned Lord of the Rings: Gollum.

On the other hand, the company has also been responsible for the likes of The Sinking City; the WRC series; Steelrising and RoboCop: Rogue City – so all-in-all a mixed bag, but an interesting one nonetheless.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the showcase? What are your expectations for Hell is Us? What’s your favourite 3rd party accessory manufacturer? Let us know down below.

The post Nacon Connect 2025 officially announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Call of Duty recently saw itself in some hot water when it was discovered that a number of the game’s voice actors were replaced in response to their requests for protections against AI. Unfortunately, it seems as though wanting to replace VAs with AI is the latest trend, as EA’s Apex Legends has now found itself in a similar controversy.

As posted by the French voice actor for Apex Legends character Wraith (Pascale Chemin), the artist claimed that a new agreement was shared which would require the actors to allow for their performances to be used for generative AI purposes, writing on Instagram (as translated by ResetEra user Rouk’):

“Before being even called in for a recording session of a video game, the studio sent me (and the 31 other VA in the casting) a mail containing an annex of confidentiality and handover directly from the publisher. I needed to accept these terms before being able to go work. I thought so when I read through them and a legal expert specialised in audiovisual confirmed it: these terms weren't acceptable. I was now forced to give up the role I had been working on for almost 6 years. In no way could I force the rest of the casting members to do the same, but one thing was certain: if we all refused, it could maybe have an impact. Otherwise, it would have been in vain.”

Chemin continued, “Without any hesitation, the 31 other VAs all refused to sign this annex. We wrote a collective letter of refusal that we sent to the publisher and are waiting for an answer. If we aren't united now so that a clause that protects our voices can be officially added in our contracts – and not just for us here, but for every video game dubbing studios – we'll never get one and we'll be heading for a disaster.”

The message concluded with: “Of course, to refuse to work in the present day is nonsensical. There is barely any work available for some (many) of us, if any, and we are increasingly struggling with money. Yes, a salary would be welcome. But we aren't simply asked to work. We are asked to give up our expertise to train the generative AI that will replace us tomorrow. We are asked to agree to what we specifically fight against. We are asked to shoot ourselves in the foot. We are asked to support AI.”

While the VA didn’t explicitly name the game being referred to, the claim that the title released 6 years ago (and the list of other French VA’s named) all but confirms that they are referring to Apex Legends.

As mentioned, it seems as though all major game publishers are now pushing for any and all uses of AI in their games for the sake of money. Hopefully those affected continue to speak out against it.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the recent influx of generative AI? Will this cause the bursting of this current gaming bubble? Let us know down below.

The post Apex Legends reportedly trying to replace its voice actors with AI first appeared on KitGuru.

Biwin has entered the Gen5 SSD arena with the X570 PRO, a drive which sits in the company's Black Opal premium gaming product line. Rated at up to 14,000MB/s for Sequential reads, it is the current flagship of the company's SSD range.

Powered by a Silicon Motion SM2508 8-channel controller, the X570 PRO uses 232-layer 3D TLC NAND together with an LPDDR4 DRAM cache chip (the size of which is based on drive capacity at the ratio of 1GB per 1TB). At launch, the X570 PRO range consists of three capacities; 1TB, 2TB and a flagship 4TB (the drive we are reviewing here) model.

Biwin rates the Sequential read performance of all three capacities as up to 14,000MB/s. As for Sequential writes, the 1TB and 2TB drives are rated up to 13,000MB/s and the 1TB drive, 10,500MB/s.

Random reads are quoted as up to 2000K IOPS for the 4TB and 2TB drives with the 1TB drive getting a rating of up to 1600K IOPS. Random writes are quoted as up to 1600K IOPS for all three drives.

The endurance figures quoted for the range are impressive with the 4TB drive getting a 3,000 TBW rating, 1,500 TBW for the 1TB drive and 750 TBW for the 1TB model. The drives are backed by a 5-year warranty.

Physical Specifications:

• Usable Capacities:  4TB.
• NAND Components: 232-layer TLC NAND.
• NAND Controller: Silicon Motion SM2508.
• Cache: 4GB LPDDR4.
• Interface: PCIe Gen 5 x4, NVMe 2.0.
• Form Factor:  M.2 2280.
• Dimensions: 80 x 22 x 2.5 mm.
• Drive Weight: 9g.

Firmware Version: FWX1221A

The post Biwin Black Opal X570 PRO 4TB Gen5 SSD Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Sonic Rumble is SEGA’s take on the party game genre, with the upcoming free-to-play title adapting the Fall Guys style of gameplay – but with a heavy dosage of Sonic. Initially planned to release sometime during this past Winter season, the team has now confirmed that Sonic Rumble is instead launching in Spring.

Making the announcement on the game’s official site, SEGA confirmed that “Sonic Rumble is coming this spring! Before it crosses the global release finish line, we're packing it with some exciting new content and features to deliver the best experience for our players.”

They continued, “We would like to extend a huge thank you to our players and Sonic fans for their patience in waiting for the global launch of Sonic Rumble. The team is committed to delivering a memorable experience for Sonic fans with even more new game mechanics, new features, and more exciting content to look forward to.”

Alongside the delay, the team shared an updated roadmap, showcasing some of the features planned ahead of and during the global launch, including but not limited to:

• Quick Rumble (single round quick play)
• Rival Rank (ranked mode)
• New Crews feature (aka clans)

Given that this is the first game from the Angry Birds team (Rovio) since they were acquired by SEGA, it will be interesting to see how Sonic Rumble performs when it launches on mobile and PC some time this Spring.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to Sonic Rumble? Could it be a success? What’s your favourite Sonic mobile game? Let us know down below.

The post Angry Bird studio’s Sonic Rumble has been delayed to Spring first appeared on KitGuru.

be quiet! is breathing new life into its popular Pure Rock CPU cooler series with the launch of five new models: Pure Rock 3 Black, Pure Rock 3 LX, Pure Rock Pro 3 Silver, Pure Rock Pro 3 Black, and Pure Rock Pro 3 LX. This refresh introduces exciting new features, including the company's first foray into dual-tower air coolers for mainstream systems, new fan configurations, and enhanced compatibility with the latest CPUs.

Leading the charge are the Pure Rock Pro 3 models, marking be quiet!'s first dual-tower air coolers designed for mainstream users. Despite their compact size, these coolers boast a 250W TDP, thanks to a combination of six high-performance heat pipes, a nickel-plated base, and optimised fan configurations. The standard Pro 3 has a silver and black aesthetic, while the Pro 3 Black offers an all-black stealthy look. Both models feature two Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM fans with funnel-shaped air inlets for enhanced airflow and quiet operation. The Pro 3 LX, also sporting an all-black design, comes equipped with two Light Wings LX 120mm PWM fans, featuring ARGB lighting while packing similar cooling performance. Even at full speed, all Pure Rock Pro 3 models maintain a maximum noise level of 34.8 dB(A).

Thanks to a user-friendly mounting kit, installation is a breeze. The asymmetrical design and adjustable front fan height ensure excellent compatibility with RAM and VRM heatsinks. AMD AM5 users can use the offset mounting option, which centers the cooler's base plate over the CPU's hotspots for optimal thermal performance. Moreover, the Pure Rock Pro 3 coolers can be used with liquid metal thermal paste for those looking to improve their cooling setup further.

For those seeking a more traditional single-tower design, be quiet! offers the Pure Rock 3 Black and Pure Rock 3 LX. Both models feature an all-black aesthetic and four high-performance 6mm heat pipes with HDT technology, delivering a 190W TDP cooling capacity suitable for many modern CPUs. The Pure Rock 3 Black includes a pre-installed Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM fan, while the Pure Rock 3 LX has a Light Wings LX 120mm fan with customisable ARGB lighting, complementing the all-black heatsink and heat pipes. Given they only come with one fan, the noise level is lower, as both models generate no more than 31.2 dB(A) at maximum fan speed.

Installation is straightforward, thanks to a pre-installed mounting bridge and convenient screw placement. Offset mounting is also supported to enhance compatibility with the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs. The Pure Rock 3's compact footprint maximises compatibility with RAM and VRM heatsinks, making it an ideal choice for space-constrained builds. The entire Pure Rock 3 lineup will be available for purchase starting March 11th starting at £27.99/$34.90/€34.90.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Of all new Puro Rock 3 CPU coolers, would you consider any as an upgrade for your setup?

The post be quiet! launches Pure Rock 3 CPU cooler first appeared on KitGuru.

Klevv's CRAS C910 is a Gen 4 SSD aimed at the mainstream market. It combines decent performance at a competitive price point, landing at under $100 for the 2TB model we are reviewing today. UK availability is more scarce, but is this drive one to consider?

The CRAS C910 model range consists of four capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB (the drive we are reviewing here), and a flagship 4TB model. The drive uses Essencore-branded 3D TLC NAND, which is looked after by a Realtek RTS5772DL, a PCIe 4 x4 eight-channel controller with a rated interface speed of up to 1600MT/s.

Klevv rates the C910 Sequential read performance as up to 5,000MB/s for the 500GB and 1TB drives and up to 5,200MB/s for the 2TB and 4TB models. Sequential writes are quoted as up to 3,700MB/s for the 500GB drive and up to 4,800MB/s for the other three models.

Random 4K read performance is rated as up to 545,000 IOPS for the 500GB drive, 620,000 IOPS (the fastest of the range) for the 1TB drive, up to 560,000 IOPS for the 2TB drive and 540,000 IOPS for the 4TB drive. When it comes to random writes, the 1TB and 2TB drives are the fastest at up to 615,000 IOPS, next up is the 4TB drive at up to 600,000 IOPS and the 500GB drive gets 510,000 IOPS.

The endurance for the 2TB drive is rated as 1,400 TBW.

Physical Specifications:

• Usable Capacities: 2TB.
• NAND Components: Essencore 3D TLC NAND.
• NAND Controller: Realtek RTS5772DL.
• Cache: none, HMB technology.
• Interface: PCIe Gen 4 x4, NVMe 1.4.
• Form Factor: M.2, 2280.
• Dimensions: 80 x 22 x 3.4mm (with heatshield).
• Drive Weight: 10g (with heatshield).

Firmware Version: VF001C4E.

The post Klevv CRAS C910 2TB SSD Review first appeared on KitGuru.

FSP has impressed us greatly with its latest generation PCIe 5.0 power supplies. The company is launching its most efficient yet with the new MEGA TI PSU series, offering up to 1650W capacity, ATX 3.1 compliancy and dual PCIe 12V-2×6 connectors for the latest generation graphics cards.

The MEGA TI series is built for uncompromising performance, featuring Interleaved PFC topology and high-performance MOSFETs and SiC diodes from Infineon for exceptional power regulation. With FSP’s proprietary Micro Tolerance Load Control technology, voltage regulation is maintained at an ultra-precise ±0.5%, surpassing Intel’s ATX 3.1 standards. Certified with 80 PLUS Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium ratings, these PSUs ensure minimal power loss, lower heat output, and near-silent operation, making them an optimal choice for high-performance systems.

To ensure support for the latest generation graphics cards, the Mega TI PSU series features two PCIe 12V-2×6 connectors, alongside additional 8-pin options. The PSU features a fully modular design, so you only need to plug in the cables you need, reducing clutter in your case. As far as noise goes, the FSP MEGA Ti PSU is one of the first to achieve the Cybenetics LAMBDA 230V A++ certification for offering best-in-class acoustic performance.

As you would expect from a high-end PSU, these units are built with high-quality Japanese capacitors, and feature a host of protection measures, including OCP, OVP, SCP, OPP, UVP and OTP.

The FSP Mega Ti 1350W PSU will be available priced at $399 and the 1650W version will go for $459, not including taxes.

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KitGuru Says: Are you in the market for a high-capacity power supply for a new build? Are you considering FSP for it? 

The post FSP debuts its most efficient power supply yet – the Mega Ti first appeared on KitGuru.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the eagerly anticipated remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, is due to launch in late August, so it is a bit soon to be talking about PC system requirements. Still, that hasn't stopped Konami from releasing PC specs well ahead of time, and confirming that the game will require a ray-tracing capable graphics card. 

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will have ray-traced lighting by default, meaning you'll need at least an RTX 20 series GPU, or an AMD RX 6000 series GPU in order to play. This isn't uncommon in the current gaming landscape, as other major titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Star Wars Outlaws have also launched with ray-traced lighting effects as the default option. As a result, the need for an RTX series or AMD equivalent GPU is growing by the day, leaving those still running on a GTX series GPU, or an older AMD Radeon GPU in a difficult position.

In the table below you can find the full minimum and recommended PC system requirements for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. At this point in time, Konami does not have an AMD graphics card listed but we expect that to change closer to the August launch date for the game.

	Minimum	Recommended
OS	Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit OS required)	Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit OS required)
Processor	Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Memory	16GB RAM	16GB RAM
Graphics	RTX 2060 Super (or newer)	RTX 3080 (or newer)
DirectX	Version 12	Version 12
Storage	100GB	100GB
Additional notes	SDD recommended	SDD recommended

Like most other modern games too, the install size is large, coming in at 100GB and an SSD is recommended. While many modern games can still be played on a hard drive, issues like crashes, stutter, mismanaged textures and others are much more noticeable when running today's storage and memory-hungry games on an HDD.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will release for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on the 28th of August.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up the MGS 3 remake? What do you think of the PC system requirements?

The post Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater PC system requirements revealed first appeared on KitGuru.

The latest episode of the Official Xbox Podcast has dropped, and it has brought around one particularly big headline – Fable has been delayed from 2025 to 2026. As it turns out, this could have something to do with Microsoft's evolving multiplatform strategy, as rumour has it that Fable will now launch on PC, Xbox and PS5 simultaneously. 

During Microsoft's battle with the FTC to secure permission to acquire Activision Blizzard and the Call of Duty IP, Microsoft made it clear that it had no plans to make Call of Duty exclusive and spent much time painting the picture that exclusives are actually bad for business. In 2024, Microsoft took things a step further, bringing titles like Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment and Grounded to rival console platforms. since then, titles like Forza Horizon 5, Doom: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones have also been confirmed for release on PS5.

Speaking on Microsoft's expanding multiplatform games strategy, Xbox Game Studios head, Craig Duncan, said on the latest Xbox Podcast that this approach is “good for gamers” and that it is “good for our studios”. Microsoft's approach now is to give its first-party games “the chance to reach the broadest audience possible”, which means taking a step back from its singular device approach to include the likes of PS5 and Nintendo Switch, as well as PCs.

Interestingly, it has been claimed by a few sources that Fable, which was just pushed back from 2025 to 2026, was already planned to come to PS5 next year. As a result, it is now expected that Fable will be one of the first Xbox titles to launch on PC, Xbox and PS5 simultaneously, doing away with the ‘timed exclusive' approach we've seen from Microsoft so far with titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The iffy part? Microsoft still wants to sell Xbox consoles and is planning a new generation, which seems somewhat pointless given the company's SEGA-style approach moving forward.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Would you still buy an Xbox console if Microsoft were to start bringing its first-party games to rival consoles day-and-date with PC and Xbox? 

The post Xbox Studios head confirms multiplatform strategy amid rumours of Fable for PS5 first appeared on KitGuru.

We are just days away from the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom's massive next-gen follow-up to Monster Hunter Worlds, which launched back in 2018 and went on to become the franchise's biggest game in the west so far. There are high hopes for Wilds to capture that same level of interest and now with pre-loading available, the unlock times for the game have been revealed. 

If you want to play Monster Hunter Wilds as soon as possible, then you will need an Xbox Series X/S or PS5 console. Due to concerns around datamining, the game on PC will have a global unlock time, while on console, the game simply unlocks at midnight on the 28th of February in whatever region you are in.

For those of us on PC, the game will unlock at 5AM UTC. Here in the UK, that means the game will become playable at 5AM on the 28th of February. In the US, that works out to 12AM EST on the 28th of February or 9PM PST on the 27th of February if you are on the west coast.

If you have the game pre-ordered and are looking to dive in as soon as possible, then you will be happy to know that you can download it ahead of time. Pre-loading for the game is now live on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, so you'll only have to sit through a quick patch download at launch, rather than waiting for the entire game to install.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you picking up Monster Hunter Wilds this week? Have you already got the game preloaded and ready to go? 

The post Monster Hunter Wilds preloading now live, global unlock times announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Given the massive $300 million hole left in WB Games' balance sheet in 2024 due to the unsuccessful launches of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Quidditch Champions and Multiversus, we had a feeling that some form of restructuring would be taking place. Now, WB Games has confirmed plans to close down three of its game development studios, including Monolith Productions.

Monolith Productions, Player First Games and WB Games San Diego are all closing down. Whatever projects they were working on, like Monolith's Wonder Woman game, have been cancelled but the likes of NetherRealm, TT Games and Rocksteady have survived the fallout. The biggest shock here to fans is the closure of Monolith, who developed excellent games like Shadow of Mordor and its innovative Nemesis system, as well as classics like F.E.A.R. and Condemned.

Speaking on the studio closures, a Warner Bros spokesperson gave the following statement to Kotaku:

“We have had to make some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises – Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC and Game of Thrones. After careful consideration, we are closing three of our development studios – Monolith Productions, Player First Games and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them.”

“The development of Monolith’s Wonder Woman videogame will not move forward. Our hope was to give players and fans the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities. This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games. We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions. As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world class studios and getting our Games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond.”

Unfortunately, this likely means that the Nemesis system, which Warner Bros locked down with a patent, will not be used again for at least another decade. The patent is due to expire in the 2030s and Warner Bros just fired the very people responsible for building it, so they are unlikely to get much use out of it themselves.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I'm not shocked to see some WB Games studios closing down, but I am shocked that Monolith Productions got caught in the crossfire. With that said, it sounds like development of the Wonder Woman game wasn't going to plan behind the scenes, as it had just been rebooted in 2024.

The post WB Games shuts down Monolith Productions, cancels Wonder Woman game first appeared on KitGuru.

At this point, all of the Xenoblade Chronicles games are available to play on Nintendo Switch, with one notable exception – Xenoblade Chronicles X. Nintendo quietly announced a Switch port for the game back in November and now, just ahead of its re-launch next month, we have an extensive overview trailer for the game. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is heading to Nintendo Switch on the 20th of March, completing the collection of Xenoblade Chronicles titles on the system. This game originally launched exclusively for the Wii U back in 2015, and due to that console's lacklustre sales record, not many fans had the chance to experience this one.

 

Fans have been asking for Xenoblade Chronicles X on Nintendo Switch ever since the console's first year on the market, which saw the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This release will mark the first time that the complete Xenoblade Chronicles collection will be available on one platform. As the Nintendo Switch 2 is confirmed to be backwards compatible with Switch 1 titles, that means all of these games will remain playable well into the future.

In Xenoblade Chronicles X, you play as one of the last surviving members of the human race following Earth's destruction. Players will find themselves on the planet Mira, learning to pilot Mechs to survive and join the ranks of the BLADE organisation. It acts as a prequel to the later Xenoblade Chronicles games and was well received by fans for its gameplay and large open-world.

KitGuru Says: The Xenoblade Chronicles games are some of my favourite JRPGs but due to Xenoblade Chronicles X only being on Wii U, I never had the chance to play it. I'm glad to see that finally change next month and hopefully, all of the Xenoblade games get a performance update for the Switch 2, as they look particularly rough on the original system in handheld mode. 

The post Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition shown off in extensive gameplay trailer first appeared on KitGuru.

Back in 2014, Monolith Productions impressed us all with Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and its central game mechanic – the Nemesis System. The technology allowed for dynamic NPCs that would hunt the player character down and level up if it managed to beat you, adding an interesting twist to gameplay that could be used to improve hundreds of other games. Unfortunately, WB Games patented the technology and as a result, developers aren't able to produce a similar system for at least another decade. 

Warner Bros filed the patent for the Nemesis System back in 2016, one year ahead of the release of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. As the patent was approved, that means Warner Bros has exclusive rights to use this technology for 20 years after the filing date. The patent will not expire until August 11th 2036.

The situation goes a little beyond that though. This week, Warner Bros made the decision to shut down Monolith Productions and cancel the studio's upcoming Wonder Woman game, the only other title in production to make use of this technology. With the studio shutting down and the developers behind the system being forced to find work elsewhere, it is unlikely that even WB will make use of this patent again anytime soon.

Warner Bros could potentially license out the patent, but most publishers don't exactly like giving out a piece of their pie to a third-party. A good example of this is NetEase with Marvel Rivals, as we recently learned that the game was almost scrapped due to the company's CEO not wanting to give Disney their licensing fee.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This is a good example of the patent system being used for the wrong reasons. Rather than locking down an innovative technology and making good use of it, WB has squandered its opportunity and taken something cool away from the gaming community, much like Namco did back in the 90s with its patent on ‘playable mini games during loading screens'. 

The post Warner Bros ‘Nemesis System’ patent won’t expire until 2036 first appeared on KitGuru.