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Samsung is reportedly planning to launch 24-inch QD-OLED panels in 2026

For years, gamers seeking the high contrast and low response times of an OLED display have had to opt for larger and more expensive screens of 27 inches or above. That might finally be about to change, as a new report suggests that Samsung is planning to produce a 24.5-inch OLED panel specifically for the mainstream gaming market.

The 24/25-inch form factor has long been the sweet spot for competitive and mainstream PC gaming. Many esports pros prefer its smaller size, as it offers a crisp, clear image at 1080p resolution, which is easier for mid-range graphics cards to drive. The lack of an OLED option in this popular size has been a notable gap in the market, forcing many gamers to stick with IPS and VA panels.

According to the report from Lonely City Hardware (via Notebookcheck), Samsung is looking to fill this gap with a 24.5-inch OLED panel. The panel will reportedly target a refresh rate in the 300-360 Hz range, which, combined with OLED's near-instantaneous response times, would make it a dream for competitive shooter players.

A smaller 1080p panel could be significantly cheaper to produce, finally bringing OLED technology to a more affordable price point. With 27-inch QHD OLED monitors currently starting at £400, these new 25-inch 1080p models could launch for less than £300, which would be a game-changer for the mainstream market.

KitGuru says: Would you consider getting a 1080p OLED monitor with a high refresh rate? If so, how much would you be willing to spend on it?

The post Samsung is reportedly planning to launch 24-inch QD-OLED panels in 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.
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Capcom head thinks PS5 prices are to blame for low Monster Hunter Wilds sales

If you take a look at the Steam reviews for Monster Hunter Wilds, you will probably come to the conclusion that the game's dwindling sales are due to unaddressed performance issues and a lack of optimisation. Capcom's leads think differently though, pinning the blame on the cost of PS5 consoles. 

In an interview with Japanese news outlet, Nikkei (via VGC), Capcom President, Haruhito Tsujimoto, was asked about Monster Hunter Wilds sales performance, saying that while the game did achieve Capcom's internal goal of 10-million copies sold in its first month, the company has run into trouble building on those initial sales. According to Tsujimoto, this is due to “barriers to the PS5”.

I struggle to understand this line of thinking. Yes, the PS5 is more expensive than a PS4. However, the actual sales numbers between the two consoles are very similar. Over its first five years on the market (2013-2018), the PS4 sold 82 million units worldwide. The PS5 has been on the market for just shy of five years and has sold over 80 million units so far. Clearly, Sony is having no trouble selling PS5 consoles, even at higher prices than the PS4, so I'm really not sure what ‘barriers to the PS5' Tsujimoto is imagining.

Monster Hunter Wilds (2025) was the follow-up to Monster Hunter World (2018), intended for high-end consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X/S) and PC. The game ultimately launched with dire performance issues, particularly on PC, where the game seems to entirely rely on Frame Generation to achieve decent frame rates. While Monster Hunter Wilds had great success at launch, negative word of mouth spread, and sales numbers have been dropping ever since.

While Capcom's president does not acknowledge the complaints around optimisation, the Monster Hunter Wilds development team actually has, albeit six months late. The team is now working on properly optimising the game to reduce both CPU usage and GPU usage, which should in turn enable better performance. However, the developers also warned that these changes could take a long time to develop and implement.

KitGuru Says: Monster Hunter Wilds should have been gunning for GOTY this year but given how little progress has been made on the issues that have been present since launch, I'd be surprised if it got a nomination. 

 

The post Capcom head thinks PS5 prices are to blame for low Monster Hunter Wilds sales first appeared on KitGuru.
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Halls of Torment is coming to consoles

Developer Chasing Carrots has just announced a massive slate of new content for its hugely popular horde-survival game, Halls of Torment. In a triple-whammy of news, the studio has revealed that the game is coming to PlayStation and Xbox and will be receiving both its first paid DLC and a major free content update alongside it.

The hit indie title, which has been a success on PC, will be making its way to consoles in the future, with versions for both PlayStation and Xbox in the works. The console editions are set to launch with all the content currently available in the PC version, bringing the Diablo-esque survivors-like experience to a new audience.

The game's first paid expansion is titled “The Boglands”. This DLC will introduce a new swampy stage filled with new enemies, two new playable characters (Crone and the Alchemist), and a host of new items and mechanics, including a new ‘Earth' element and ‘Decay' status effect, along with over 50 new quests. Alongside the paid DLC, all players will be receiving a major free update called “Bardcore”. This update will add a new playable character named Bard, six new abilities, new end-game artefacts, new music tracks, and a new manual level progression feature.

Both the new DLC and the free update are scheduled for release sometime in Q4 2025. The release date for the upcoming console version is still undisclosed, but we know it will include the DLC and the “Bardcore” update.

KitGuru says: Have you ever tried Halls of Torment? Are you planning on getting the paid DLC when it releases?

The post Halls of Torment is coming to consoles first appeared on KitGuru.
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Hollow Knight Silksong headlines new wave of Game Pass titles

The Xbox team is kicking off September with a stacked line-up of games. Naturally, the headliner is a game that many fans have been waiting on for years- Hollow Knight Silksong.

Hollow Knight Silksong is a sequel to the 2017 platformer, Hollow Knight. In this sequel, you play as Hornet, an agile protector of Hallownest. Players will explore a vast new realm that is “ruled by silk and song”.

The game was originally planned as an expansion to the original game, but later evolved into a full sequel, all developed by a small team of three developers from Australia. The game has been in development for five years but finally launches on September 4th for Xbox, PC and Nintendo Switch. On the Xbox and PC side, the game will be included in the Game Pass library at launch.

Here is the full list of titles coming to Game Pass over the next couple of weeks, including platforms and dates:

  • I Am Your Beast (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – Available Now
  • Nine Sols (Xbox Series X|S) – September 3
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 4
  • Cataclismo (PC) – September 4
  • PAW Patrol World (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 10
  • RoadCraft (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) – September 16

On September 15th, a few games will be leaving Game Pass for all platforms, including; All You Need is Help, Wargroove 2 and We Love Katamari Reroll+ Royal Reverie.

KitGuru Says: Will you be playing any of this month's new Game Pass titles? 

The post Hollow Knight Silksong headlines new wave of Game Pass titles first appeared on KitGuru.
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ASUS ROG Ally X Review

The ASUS ROG Ally X has been around for a year now. While we are late to the party, we decided to put it through our testing suite and see whether it's still the best Windows PC handheld around.

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Cyberpunk 2077 update teased

It looks like there may be yet another surprise Cyberpunk 2077 update on the way, as CD Projekt Red has teased an announcement for later this week. 

In a post this week, CD Projekt Red posted a “message for N.U.S.A. citizens”, dated September 4th 2025. The letter invites everyone to take part in a netrunner recruitment test but does not reveal anything beyond that.

In the Cyberpunk universe, N.U.S.A. stands for New United States of America. If you've played the Phantom Liberty expansion, then you will have already met a few high-ranking N.U.S.A. government officials, including President Myers. In the base campaign, we also encounter Netwatch, the group responsible for tracking down rogue netrunners.

Most of Cyberpunk 2077's free updates over the past year have focused on expanding the base game. However, with this note coming from a character who prominently featured in the Phantom Liberty expansion, it is possible that this update brings something to Dog Town, the locked off section of Night City where most of Phantom Liberty was based.

KitGuru Says: What are you hoping to see from the next Cyberpunk update? 

The post Cyberpunk 2077 update teased first appeared on KitGuru.
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Kojima will reveal future projects for Kojima Productions 10th Anniversary

Hideo Kojima is getting ready to celebrate a major milestone for his independent studio. Kojima Productions has announced a special 10th-anniversary event called “Beyond The Strand”, set to take place in Tokyo on September 23rd, 2025. More than just a retrospective, the event promises to offer attendees “a glimpse into future projects”.

According to the official announcement, Kojima himself will host the celebration at Toho Cinemas in Roppongi Hills. For fans in Japan, tickets will be allocated via a lottery system that opens today, September 2nd, at 5:00 AM BST. While details on a potential livestream for international audiences have not been announced yet, the studio has stated that more information will be released at a later date.

This announcement comes just a couple of months after the successful launch of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in June. With that project now complete, all eyes are on what's next for the legendary developer. Fans will be hoping that this event is where we'll finally get an update on his other projects, including the Xbox-exclusive horror title OD and the recently teased “action-espionage” game, Physint.

For the past decade, since he departed from Konami, Hideo Kojima has cemented his studio's reputation with the help of the Death Stranding series. While the “Beyond The Strand” event will certainly be a celebration of that history, the gaming world will be watching closely on September 23rd for any clues about the studio's next ten years.

KitGuru says: Will you be watching the “Beyond The Strand” event if it's publicly streamed?

The post Kojima will reveal future projects for Kojima Productions 10th Anniversary first appeared on KitGuru.
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MSI Datamag 20Gbps 2TB External SSD Review

The Datamag is MSI's first external SSD storage device. The drive uses a USB 3.2 Gen2 x2 (20Gbps) interface and fits neatly in the palm of the hand. Priced at around £140 in the UK for the 2TB model, we put it through its paces and find out if it's worth buying.

The tiny drive (it measures 66 x 13 x 6mm) is available in three capacities: 1TB, 2TB (the drive we are reviewing) and the flagship 4TB drive. The Datamag uses a Phison PS2251-U18 controller, which looks after 3D TLC NAND. MSI quotes Sequential read / write performance figures for the drive of up to 1,600MB/s and 1,500MB/s, respectively, so a little short of the interface's maximum speed.

The base of the drive includes a magnet, hence the mag part of the drive's name. MSI bundles two steel rings with the drive so it can be attached to non-magnetic surfaces.

Physical Specifications:

  • Usable Capacities: 2TB.
  • NAND Components:  3D TLC.
  • NAND Controller: Phison PS2251-U18.
  • Interface: USB 3.2 Gen2 x2.
  • Form Factor: External.
  • Dimensions: 66 x 13 x 6mm.
  • Drive Weight: 81g.

Firmware Version: PMAP.

The post MSI Datamag 20Gbps 2TB External SSD Review first appeared on KitGuru.
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T-Minus Zero Entertainment shut down by NetEase before they could ship their first game

Back in late 2023, a brand new studio known as T-Minus Zero Entertainment was established. Made in partnership with gaming giant NetEase, the studio was co-founded by Bioware Austin’s Rich Vogel and included alumni from the likes of Bethesda and Bioware. Unfortunately, the studio’s life has now been cut short – with T-Minus Zero Entertainment shutting down before they were able to get their first game out the door.

As reported by the publication ‘GameDeveloper.com’ T-Minus Zero Entertainment co-founder and studio head Rich Vogel took to LinkedIn to announce that the recently-established studio would be shutting down; writing:

“Every journey has its twists and turns, and ours with NetEase is coming to an end. We deeply appreciate NetEase for providing us with both ample runway and support – from helping us find potential investors to giving us the time and budget to develop our game into a fully playable hands-on demo. It has generated a lot of interest. However, despite this progress, current market conditions have prevented us from securing the funding we need at this time.”

T-Minus NetEase

As mentioned, T-Minus Zero is shutting down before they were even able to get their first game out the door. That said, while we knew very little about what the team was working on, they were previously confirmed to be developing a “third-person online multiplayer action game based on a new sci-fi IP.”

Of course, NetEase itself is unlikely to feel the impact of this cancellation, with the Billion Dollar publisher already owning many popular multiplayer titles including but not limited to Marvel Rivals; FragPunk; Once Human and Naraka Bladepoint.

Still, it is a shame to see yet another studio comprised of industry veterans shutting down before getting the opportunity to launch their first game.

KitGuru says: Are you disappointed by the news? Did you have any expectations for T-Minus Zero Entertainment? Let us know down below.

The post T-Minus Zero Entertainment shut down by NetEase before they could ship their first game first appeared on KitGuru.
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Win one of FIVE peripheral bundles from MARVO!

It is competition time! This month, we have teamed up with the peripheral experts at MARVO to offer up FIVE bundles for our readers.

There will be five winners for this competition, with each winner receiving a brand new MARVO Magma M40 keyboard with magnetic, Hall Effect switches, as well as a MARVO Niro 50 mouse.

The MARVO Magma M40 is an impressive keyboard, featuring new magnetic, hot-swappable switches with Hall Effect technology. The keyboard is also packed with soundproofing materials to make the typing experience quieter.

The MARVO Niro 50 mouse has tri-mode connectivity, so you can connect it via 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, or via a USB cable. It also includes a high-capacity battery for long-lasting wireless use and a lightweight design to aid with speedy manoeuvres in-game.

How to Enter:

Entering this giveaway is simple. All you need to do is head over to our competition posts on Facebook or X and reply with an answer to the following question – What was your first gaming mouse?

Winners will be picked randomly and announced within two weeks of the competition closing. You can enter on both Facebook and X to double your entries.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open worldwide, starting at 12PM BST on September 2nd and ending at 12PM BST on September 16th. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner(s) has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared outside of the bounds of this giveaway, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to everyone entering, we'll be back in a couple of weeks to announce the winners!

The post Win one of FIVE peripheral bundles from MARVO! first appeared on KitGuru.
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Insider offers additional details on upcoming Nintendo Direct

With many of the Switch 2’s launch window titles now being out and available for all to enjoy, fans have started to wonder what’s next for Nintendo and its current-gen console. Though yet to be officially announced, additional insiders have now corroborated previous rumours claiming that Nintendo is set to host a Direct sometime this month.

A couple weeks ago, the publication VGC claimed that Nintendo is planning to host a Direct showcase sometime in “mid-September” – around the same time as Mario’s 40th anniversary.

Corroborating these rumours, known insider NateDrake (NateTheHate) has since taken to Twitter to say: “Yes, there is a Nintendo Direct in September. When: The second week of the month, in the latter half on or around Sept 11 or 12th.”

Nintendo Switch

No further additional details were shared, neither regarding the direct itself nor Mario’s 40th anniversary. That said, Nintendo has historically hosted a Direct showcase during September and so this ‘unofficial’ confirmation does not come as too big of a surprise.

Aside from last year, Nintendo’s September Directs have typically been pretty large affairs, with the console maker using the presentation as an opportunity to show off many of its upcoming first-party titles.

Whether the upcoming Direct will be a general one, or a partner showcase, is currently unknown. That said, considering we’ve had Partner Showcases, Indie World Presentations and even a Pokemon Presents since the Switch 2’s launch, a mainline General Direct is certainly due its time.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the next Direct? Will we finally get an official release date for Metroid Prime 4? What other announcements do you hope/expect to see? Let us know down below.

The post Insider offers additional details on upcoming Nintendo Direct first appeared on KitGuru.
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Hollow Knight: Silksong launch price officially confirmed

After more than half a decade of hype, excitement and anticipation, Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally almost upon us. With the sequel set to launch in just a few days time, Team Cherry have now officially confirmed Silksong’s price and exact launch times.

Making the announcement on BlueSky, studio Team Cherry officially confirmed that Hollow Knight: Silksong will cost just $19.99 (19.99 Euros) when it launches on the 4th of September.

Speaking of launch, for those wanting to get in on the game as soon as possible, Team Cherry has now confirmed that Silksong will unlock for all at 4PM CEST (3PM UK time).

Interestingly, the game is unavailable for pre-order, and according to the studio, Silksong will not be pre-orderable – meaning you’ll have to wait until launch to pick the sequel up (assuming you hadn’t backed it on Kickstarter).

Hollow Knight Officially

Given how it's been 8 years since the launch of the original Hollow Knight, it is both surprising and welcome to see the price for Silksong remain highly affordable – especially as Team Cherry could easily have charged double the amount with little impact on initial sales.

In case you missed it, the original Hollow Knight recently surpassed its previous peak player count on Steam, more than doubling its figure to 45K CCU. Since then, even more fans have returned to the title in anticipation, with Hollow Knight now having peaked at over 71,000 concurrents.

With the original Hollow Knight being bigger than ever, and Silksong set to launch for a consumer friendly price, it’s safe to say that the upcoming sequel is set to have a massive launch come the 4th of September.

KitGuru says: Are you surprised by Silksong’s price? Why do you think Team Cherry aren’t taking pre-orders? How many copies of Silksong do you reckon they’ll sell in the first 24 hours? Let us know down below.

The post Hollow Knight: Silksong launch price officially confirmed first appeared on KitGuru.
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Hell is Us has become one of Nacon’s highest rated games ever

As a publisher, Nacon has sat comfortably in the AA space for quite some time now, with the French Holding Company known best for having published the likes of The Sinking City; the WRC series; Session: Skate Sim; RoboCop: Rogue City and perhaps most famously, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. That said, Nacon looks to be stepping up their publishing game, with the upcoming Hell is Us representing one of their highest rated games ever.

For the uninitiated, Hell is Us is a 3rd-person melee focused action-adventure title which was first announced back in 2022 alongside a 2023 release year. Of course, this did not come to pass, with the project seeing a lengthy delay. Finally however, the game was re-revealed in 2024 alongside its current September 4th 2025 release date.

This delay seems to have been to its benefit however, with critic reviews for Hell is Us currently sitting at a 79 on Metacritic and an 83 on OpenCritic – with particular praise being given to its atmosphere, exploration and Resident Evil-esque puzzles.

Hell is Us Games

As mentioned, Hell is Us currently sits as one of Nacon’s highest-rated games in the publisher’s history, with the only titles to surpass it reception-wise being WRC 9; Roguebook and Ravenswatch.

Of course, Nacon is simply the publisher of Hell is Us, with the Montreal-based Rogue Factor responsible for the development of the highly-praised title.

Even for Rogue Factor however, Hell is Us appears to be a clear step up in quality compared to their previous efforts. It will be interesting to see whether the unique atmosphere and vibes of the game manages to resonate with general audiences. We won’t have to wait long to find out.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to Hell is Us? Will you be picking it up day-one? What’s your favourite Nacon-published title? Let us know down below.

The post Hell is Us has become one of Nacon’s highest rated games ever first appeared on KitGuru.
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Corsair Void Wireless v2 Review – Lightweight competitor with great battery

Corsair’s Void line has been among my favorites for some time now —solid gaming audio, cool looks, and a price that doesn’t make my wallet cry. The Corsair Void Wireless v2, priced at $119.99, steps up from the old Void RGB Elite Wireless with a featherlight design, a mic that’s ready for prime time, and battery life that just keeps going. It’s got some quirks, especially for console players, but for PC gamers, this thing’s a steal. Let’s dive in and see what it’s packing. Design and features The Void Wireless v2 rocks that bold, angular Void style—like something out […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/review/corsair-void-wireless-v2-review-lightweight-competitor-with-great-battery/

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Pulsar launches new mouse designed in partnership with the Susanto brothers

Pulsar Gaming Gears has unveiled its latest esports mouse, the Susanto-X, born from a unique collaboration with two of Valorant's most well-known professional players, who also happen to be brothers: Jason ‘f0rsakeN' Susanto and Kevin ‘Xccurate' Susanto.

The Pulsar Susanto-X was co-designed with both brothers, leveraging their extensive experience to create a peripheral tailored for high-level players. This partnership resulted in an ultra-lightweight, symmetrical mouse, weighing just 50 g. Recommended for claw or relaxed claw grip, the mouse features customisable sensor settings, keys, and macros.

It's packed with the company's latest technology, including the new flagship “XS-1” sensor (32K DPI and 750 IPS), optical switches, and an 8000 Hz polling rate for near-instantaneous response times. Besides the mouse itself and the 8K dongle, the package also comes with a paracord cable and UHMW-PE dot skates (16 pieces).

The timing of the announcement is perfect, coming just a couple of months after f0rsakeN's run with his team PRX, where he was crowned the global MVP at the VCT Masters Toronto event in June. His brother, Xccurate, a former pro who is now a content creator for T1, also contributed with his insights to create a versatile shape that performs across multiple game titles. The Pulsar Susanto-X is now available to pre-order for $129.95/€149.90.

KitGuru says: Do you like the colour scheme of the Susanto-X mouse?

The post Pulsar launches new mouse designed in partnership with the Susanto brothers first appeared on KitGuru.
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Intel publishes new patent for “software defined super cores”

Intel is exploring a new approach to boosting single-threaded performance, according to a newly published patent. The patent, EP4579444A1, describes a technology called “software defined super cores” (SDCs), which could allow a CPU to dynamically fuse multiple smaller physical cores to work together on a single thread, effectively creating a temporary, more powerful virtual core.

According to the patent first shared on Reddit (via VideoCardz), the core idea is to overcome the diminishing returns of simply making individual cores bigger and faster with each generation. Instead, when a demanding single-threaded task is detected, the SDC system could assign it to a cluster of several smaller cores. These cores would then work in concert to execute the instructions of that single thread. At the same time, the OS and the application remain unaware of what's happening, seeing it only as one big and fast core.

Image credit: Intel patent

This differs from standard multi-threading, as it's specifically designed to accelerate a single, indivisible process, potentially aggregating the IPC of the fused cores without requiring an increase in frequency or voltage. The patent details how the system would divide the instructions and use mechanisms like a “Shadow Store Buffer” to ensure the program's instructions are executed in the correct order. However, achieving near-instant, low-latency communication between the fused cores is complex, as is determining how an OS would efficiently schedule tasks for the SDCs.

As with all patents, this is not a product announcement, and there's no guarantee that this technology will ever be used in a consumer chip. However, it offers a glimpse into how Intel is thinking about the future of CPU architecture. As the benefits of shrinking process nodes and simply increasing clock speeds become increasingly challenging, software-defined solutions like this could be the key to the next significant leap in single-core performance.

KitGuru says: Do you think we'll ever see Intel implementing the capabilities to create SDCs in its consumer processors? If so, when do you expect to see the first CPUs using them?

The post Intel publishes new patent for “software defined super cores” first appeared on KitGuru.
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Jonsbo’s latest case features a pillarless design and curved tempered glass

Jonsbo is launching a new variant of its BO400 chassis that aligns perfectly with the current trend for continuous panoramic builds. The new BO400 CG features a solid aluminium alloy frame similar to the original but replaces the front corner pillar with a seamless, curved glass panel, providing an unobstructed view of your PC components.

According to Guru3D, the key difference in this new ‘CG' (Curved Glass) model is the removal of the front-left metal column. In its place, a single piece of curved glass now wraps around the corner, meeting the main side panel to create a two-piece window that allows you to see into your rig.

Image credit: Guru3D

While the aesthetics have been updated, the case retains the same interior as the original BO400. In other words, it's a mid-tower chassis that can accommodate CPU air coolers up to 173 mm in height, PSUs up to 200 mm in length, and graphics cards up to 435 mm in length. The BO400 CG is also compatible with both standard and back-connect ATX motherboards, a nice feature for those aiming for a clean build.

For liquid cooling enthusiasts, there's room for two 360 mm radiators to be installed simultaneously. Additionally, the case comes with a built-in GPU bracket to prevent sagging.

KitGuru says: Do you prefer the new curved tempered glass trend over the more traditional flat glass panels?

The post Jonsbo’s latest case features a pillarless design and curved tempered glass first appeared on KitGuru.
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Keychron brings back gaming keypads with new Lemokey L0 HE

Keychron's gaming-focused brand, Lemokey, has just launched a new gaming keypad, a product we haven't seen from high-profile brands in some time. The new L0 HE 8K is a one-handed keyboard designed to provide gamers with a limited control set for their left hand, featuring the Hall Effect technology for reduced response times.

Unlike older gamepads that often used unique layouts, the L0 HE (via TechPowerUP) features 35 keys from the left side of a standard QWERTY keyboard. Additionally, a remappable metal knob on the right side allows you to configure it to your liking. At its core are the new Lime magnetic linear switches featuring a customisable actuation point (via web app) that can be adjusted in increments of 0.01 mm. The switches are topped with double-shot PBT keycaps that are opaque on top but have a transparent window on the side, allowing the south-facing RGB to shine through.

The L0 HE is a wired-only device via USB-C, which enables it to support an 8000 Hz polling rate. In addition, Lemokey boasts an impressive 256 kHz single-key scan rate, enabling near-instantaneous input detection. The chassis is built from a solid piece of CNC-machined aluminium and is packed with sound-dampening materials for a premium feel and sound.

Although it's hot-swappable, the L0 HE only supports Lime magnetic switches. The Lemokey L0 HE 8K is available in black with green accents for $159.99.

KitGuru says: With the new obsession of freeing up desk space, do you think gaming keypads will make a comeback?

The post Keychron brings back gaming keypads with new Lemokey L0 HE first appeared on KitGuru.
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Sony’s State of Play returns this week with new look at 007 First Light

IO Interactive officially revealed its James Bond game this year, titled 007 First Light. We already saw some gameplay over the summer, but we are now due for an even more in-depth look at the game during the next State of Play stream. 

Sony has announced that State of Play will return this week. The stream, used to make PlayStation-related announcements, will focus entirely on 007 First Light, featuring 30 minutes of gameplay. The stream takes place on September 3rd at 7PM BST.

The stream will take fans through the very first mission of the game, which doubles as one of Bond's very first outings as an agent at MI6. This mission includes everything you would expect, from a high-speed car chase to careful stealth sections, on-foot chases and shootouts.

007 First Light does not have a release date yet but given the amount of the game we've seen this year, I think it is safe to say that it will come out in 2026. IO Interactive already has plans for future games too, as the studio looks to build out its wholly original version of the James Bond character.

KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to 007 First Light? Will you be tuning in to see the new gameplay footage? 

The post Sony’s State of Play returns this week with new look at 007 First Light first appeared on KitGuru.
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CD Projekt Red grows as work on Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 continues

CD Projekt Red has been very transparent on the status of its upcoming projects. As part of CDPR's most recent earnings report, the company has confirmed that The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 teams are continuing to grow. 

The Witcher 4 has added another 60+ employees to the team. The Witcher 4 was already the biggest active project at CD Projekt Red, but the continued growth is a promising sign that development is progressing well. Cyberpunk 2, which is much earlier on in the development process, has also grown, gaining another 20 developers as work on the game continues.

CD Projekt Red has also continued bringing on more developers for its other projects, including a Witcher co-op spin-off game, and a remake for The Witcher 1, the only game in the series to not be available on console, in large part due to its CRPG roots. The remake will retell the events of the original game with better graphics and an updated combat system.

Currently, there are no release dates for any of CD Projekt Red's upcoming projects. The Witcher 4 is going to be the first to release, but the studio has already confirmed that the game won't be ready for several more years.

KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to The Witcher 4 or Cyberpunk 2 more? 

The post CD Projekt Red grows as work on Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 continues first appeared on KitGuru.
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Fairgames loses creative director months after studio head departure

Haven Studios has gone through some worrying changes in recent months. Back in May, it was reported that external playtests for the studio's first game, Fairgames, led to negative feedback. Then, just weeks later, Haven Studios founder, Jade Raymond, suddenly left the company, a move that caused one games industry analyst to proclaim that the game has been cancelled. The game hasn't actually been publicly cancelled yet, but it did just lose its creative director. 

Daniel Drapeau, the Game Director behind Fairgames, has left Haven Studios after four and a half years working on the project. Now Drapeau is a creative director at WB Games Montreal, the studio responsible for Gotham Knights. Sony and Haven Studios have not issued any public comment on this most recent departure and even Drapeau himself only quietly revealed the information with an update on LinkedIn.

Originally announced in 2023 as ‘Fairgame$', the multiplayer title is set to offer co-op heists with quick action-packed matches and live service elements. The game was one of at least a dozen ‘live service' titles greenlit under Jim Ryan's tenure as head of PlayStation. After Ryan departed, Sony began cancelling many of these projects, but Fairgames was one of just a handful to survive.

Fairgames is currently due to release in ‘Spring 2026' for PS5 consoles, assuming it doesn't get cancelled.

KitGuru Says: Haven Studios appears to be in a free fall at the moment. Maybe Sony will give an update on the status of Fairgames later this month, as rumour has it that a new State of Play showcase is due. 

The post Fairgames loses creative director months after studio head departure first appeared on KitGuru.
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Battlefield 6 drops ray tracing for better performance

When Nvidia launched its very first RTX series graphics cards in 2018, it brought real-time ray-tracing to the video game world. One of the first games to showcase RT effects was Battlefield V, and the series has included ray-tracing in its graphics options ever since. That won't be the case this year though, with Battlefield 6 removing ray-tracing in favour of greater performance. 

During an interview with ComicBook, developer Christian Buhl confirmed that ray tracing is not included in the Battlefield 6 options menu at launch. Buhl added that the team doesn't have “any plans” to introduce ray-tracing effects in the near future either.

The main reason for this feature's removal is to save on performance. Buhl says that the studio wanted to “make sure that all of our effort was focused on making the game as optimised as possible for the default settings and the default users”.

This decision was made “relatively early on” and won't be changing anytime soon. There have been games in the past that have added Ray Traced graphics months after launch, but I wouldn't necessarily expect that from Battlefield 6, unless there is some kind of vocal fan demand.

The decision is an odd one, as Battlefield 6 will be the first game in almost a decade to have a full single-player campaign.

Battlefield 6 is launching for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on October 10th.

KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to Battlefield 6? Do you want to see Ray Tracing in the game, or are you happy to go without it? 

The post Battlefield 6 drops ray tracing for better performance first appeared on KitGuru.
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Escape from Tarkov is finally coming to Steam

Escape from Tarkov is finally hitting V1.0 this year, with plans for a worldwide release on November 15th. Part of this launch is going to include a particularly big change, with Escape from Tarkov joining Steam for the first time. 

Since release, Escape from Tarkov players have had to download the game through Battlestate Games' own launcher, with all game purchases handled through the game's official website. Now with the game finally leaving beta, the studio is also bringing the game to Steam, the largest and most popular storefront for PC gaming.

The Escape from Tarkov Steam store listing is not live yet, but Battlestate Games' studio head, Nikita Buyanov, did confirm that the game will release on Steam and will be “available soon”.

It is unclear if those who already own the game will be able to transfer their purchase over to Steam, or if the Steam version will continue to use the Battlestate Games launcher. As with most MMOs, I would expect that the Steam version will also include the launcher that players are already used to.

KitGuru Says: Have you played Escape from Tarkov before? Are you planning on getting it when it comes to Steam? 

The post Escape from Tarkov is finally coming to Steam first appeared on KitGuru.
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AOC Agon Pro AG276UZD Review (4K/240Hz QD-OLED)

Today we're back with another QD-OLED review as we check out the AOC Agon Pro AG276UZD. Offering the same 4th Gen 4K/240Hz QD-OLED panel as the MSI MPG 272URX we reviewed recently, this screen promises high pixel density thanks to the 27in diagonal, 1000 nits of brightness in HDR, alongside other OLED benefits such as the near-instant response times and infinite contrast. Retailing for £700, we put this monitor through its paces and see what it can do.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
00:49 Pricing details
01:21 Design and first impressions
02:21 I/O + OSD
03:53 Things to know about QD-OLED…
04:53 Default panel testing
07:08 sRGB mode
07:36 Calibrated results
08:20 Response times + motion clarity
09:14 Real-world gaming experience
10:31 HDR performance
12:39 Closing thoughts

Pricing is a particularly interesting area for the AOC AG276UZD, given the OLED monitor space is starting to get fiercely competitive. The aforementioned MSI MPG 272URX, for instance, officially has a £999 MSRP, but has already been on sale multiple times in the last two months, and is currently listed for just £700. That means AOC will certainly have its work cut out to impress given how much we liked MSI's offering, but we will save judgement until we have put the monitor through our full test suite.

Specification:

  • Screen size (inch): 26.5
  • Screen size (cm): 67.31
  • Panel treatment: Anti-reflective (Glossy finishing)
  • Pixels per Inch: 166
  • Panel resolution: 3840×2160
  • Resolution name: UHD
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9
  • Panel type: QD – OLED
  • Max Refresh rate: 240 Hz
  • Response time GtG: 0.03 ms
  • Static contrast ratio: 1.5M:1
  • Viewing angle (CR10): 178/178
  • Display colours: 1.07 Billion
  • Brightness in nits: SDR: 250nits (APL 100%), HDR: 450 (APL 10%), HDR E/P: 1000 (APL 3%)
  • Sync technology (VRR): Adaptive Sync
  • Sync range: 48-240
  • Colour space (sRGB) CIE 1931 %: 145.9
  • Colour space (DCI-P3) CIE 1931 %: 99.3
  • Colour space (Adobe RGB) CIE 1976 %: 96.5
  • Flicker-Free: Flicker Free
  • KVM: 1x USB3.2 Gen 2 type C + 1x type B
  • Speaker power: 5 W x 2
  • Vesa wallmount: 100×100
  • Quick release function: ✓
  • Tilt: ­3.5° ±1.5° ~ 21.5° ±1.5°
  • Height adjust (mm): 130mm
  • Swivel: 18.5° ±1.5° ~18.5° ±1.5°
  • Pivot: ­90° ±2° ~ 90° ±2°
  • Power supply: External
  • HDMI: HDMI 2.1 x 2
  • DisplayPort: DP 2.1 x 1 (UHBR 20)
  • USB-C connectivity: USB-C 3.2 x 1 (DP alt mode, upstream, power delivery up to 65 W)
  • USB Hub: ✓
  • USB generation: USB 3.2 (Gen 1) (2 USB downstream ports) 5Gbit
  • USB type downstream: 2
  • USB fast charge port: ✓
  • Audio Output: Headphone out (3.5mm)

Firmware tested: V011

The post AOC Agon Pro AG276UZD Review (4K/240Hz QD-OLED) first appeared on KitGuru.
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