Gran Turismo 7 has received countless consistent free updates ever since the racing title first launched back in 2022, adding new vehicles; tracks; expanded modes; enemy AI and much more. While the free updates are set to continue with the upcoming Spec III patch, Polyphony Digital has now announced its first paid Gran Turismo 7 ‘Power Pack’ DLC.
Making the announcement during Sony’s most recent Japan-focused State of Play, Polyphony Digital confirmed that Gran Turismo 7 will be getting its first paid DLC in the form of the ‘Power Pack’.
50 new races across 20 themed categories “inspired by global automotive and motorsport traditions”
24-hour endurance racing “for players who crave the ultimate test of skill and stamina”
Full race weekends where you can “practice, qualify, and compete in the main event for a true racing simulation”
Gran Turismo Sophy 3.0 AI “for intense, tail-to-nose battles that push your limits”
5,000,000 in-game Credits
While the addition of 50 new races in particular is welcome to see for all those who enjoy GT for its single player ‘campaign’ experience, the limiting of Sophy AI 3.0 to those with the DLC is odd.
Depending on how complex this new version of Sophy is, PlayStation / Polyphony Digital may be able to justify its inclusion as part of the paid DLC. We will have to wait and see when the free Spec III update – and the Power Pack DLC – releases next month.
KitGuru says: What did you think of the State of Play? Do you welcome paid DLC coming to GT7? Should Sophy AI 3.0 be part of the free update instead? Let us know your thoughts down below.
It has been some time since we last looked at a power supply from Fractal, so today we check out one of their latest Ion 3 Gold units. The new range of Ion 3 power supplies are available in black (with the 1000W model also available in white) and are fully modular, are ATX 3.1 compatible, incorporate Japanese capacitors and are protected with a full 10-year warranty. The series is also 80 Plus Gold certified, though Fractal don't appear to be working with Cybenetics for any certification which is an oversight in my opinion as Cybenetics is the superior testing platform.
Fractal are releasing three units in this new range of power supplies, a 750W, an 850W and a 1000W. Scan have listed them for pre-order over HERE. UK release date is said to be sometime in December 2025.
750W Ion 3 = £99.98 inc. VAT.
850W Ion 3 = £109.99 inc. VAT
1000W Ion 3 = £139.39 inc. VAT (white and black options are the same price).
Fractal are working with Seasonic as the OEM for the new Ion 3 Gold series.
Key features:
ATX 3.1 compatible for next-generation components, supporting ATX 3.0 power excursion to ensure stability with upcoming graphics cards.
16-pin PCIe Gen5 12V-2×6 600W cable provides native support for modern graphics cards. Shortened sense pins improve reliability and powers down the GPU
if the connection comes loose.
80PLUS Gold certification delivers high efficiency, with reduced energy use and heat generation thanks to optimized power delivery.
Fully modular design simplifies installation with reduced clutter inside the system.
Zero RPM semi-passive mode keeps the fan off until 30% load and allows silent operation under lighter loads.
Fractal UltraFlex cables provide superior flexibility for clean cable management.
Unsleeved 24-pin ATX motherboard cable improves handling and routing.
140 mm Fractal Momentum fan with fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) ensures lower noise, cooler operation, and a longer lifespan.
Premium 105° Japanese capacitors provide maximum reliability and durability.
10-year warranty and full electrical protection suite offer long-term peace of mind.
Helldivers II is easily one of PlayStation’s biggest success stories in recent years, with the co-op PvE shooter selling over 15 million copies within its first year on the market across PS5 and PC. The game then received a major boost in eyes following its surprise arrival on Xbox in late August of this year. According to Sony, this most recent launch has helped the game see “a significant increase in sales of the title year-on-year.”
As part of Sony’s latest fiscal earnings report (transcribed by WindowsCentral), the console maker confirmed that the launch of Helldivers II on Xbox has been a success, saying:
“Helldivers 2, which was also released for Xbox in August of this year, is doing extremely well, not only attracting new users on Xbox, but also seeing increased engagement from existing users on PS5 and PC. This resulted in a significant increase in sales of the title year-on-year.”
Of course, it is worth noting that Arrowhead Game Studios have been heavily supporting Helldivers II since its launch on PS5 and PC last year, adding all sorts from new forms of progression to new enemy types; weapons; upgrades and much more – leading to bumps in engagement even before the game’s arrival on Microsoft's console.
All that said, it is safe to say that Sony’s experiment in bringing Helldivers II to Xbox seems to have paid off handsomely. It will be interesting to see where Sony and Arrowhead go from here.
KitGuru says: Did you pick up Helldivers II on Xbox? Was it worth the wait? What other PlayStation games do you hope to see Sony bring over? Let us know down below.
In recent months, rumours have been swirling around new hardware from Valve, the company behind Steam. Today, the curtain was officially lifted, revealing not only the Steam Frame wireless VR headset, but also a second-generation Steam Controller, which serves as a more traditional gamepad compared to the original. On top of all of that, Valve's Steam Machine is also making a grand comeback, this time as a first-party console to complement the Steam Deck.
The Steam Frame is, as previously predicted, Valve's wireless VR solution. Replacing the Index, this is a lightweight VR headset with Touch-style controllers and built-in sensors. It isn't just a VR headset though, it is its own PC, complete with SteamOS installed, so you can download and run traditional PC games and play them on a massive virtual screen.
Just like with the Valve Index, the Steam Frame is designed with comfort at the forefront. The dimensions of the headset are compact and slim, so you won't have too much weight hanging off your face. The headband is designed to easily slip on and off, and there is a tuning dial in the headset to help you fine-tune the fit.
Custom lenses have been created for the headset to create a large viewing window and keep the image sharp from edge-to-edge. Better yet, you'll have a total pixel count of 2160×2160, so you shouldn't even really notice gaps between the pixels, something that was an issue for early-generation VR headsets. Games will feel fluid too, with a full 144Hz refresh rate.
Just like the Steam Deck, Valve will have a ‘Steam Frame Verified' system in place, so you'll easily be able to tell at a glance which titles in your library, or on the Steam Store, can comfortably run on the headset.
Now the second announcement today is one we did not expect. Valve is bringing back the Steam Machine. It is a small cube-shaped PC, one that measures smaller than a banana, meaning it should be easy to integrate into most gaming set-ups. If you really don't want to see it, it should be small enough to stash behind your TV, or a plant, or just about anything. The faceplate of the Steam Machine is also removable, so you can swap out the plain black one for a custom one of your choosing.
Valve is promising 4K/60FPS gaming from the Steam Machine (with FSR), making it ideal for living room gaming. Under the hood, it is powered by a custom AMD chip with six Zen 4 CPU cores, alongside a semi-custom RDNA 3 GPU with 28 Compute Units, 8GB of VRAM and a 110W TDP. As you would expect, it comes with SteamOS pre-installed, and it has plenty of USB ports to hook up a controller, keyboard and mouse, along with any speakers or additional peripherals. Through its HDMI 2.0 connection, you can achieve 4K at 120Hz, or alternatively, you can use the DisplayPort 1.4 port for 4K resolution at up to 240Hz.
Just like the Steam Deck and Steam Frame, games on the Steam Store will all be subject to a verification programme, so you'll easily be able to filter your library, or the Steam Store, for games that will reliably run and play well on the system. As this is essentially a desktop PC, you can always exit the Steam Big Picture mode and access the full desktop, enabling you to install your own apps, get work done or browse the web.
To complement the Steam Machine, Valve has also announced its new Steam Controller. This is a lot larger than your typical Xbox or PlayStation style game pad, thanks to the addition of two large trackpad surfaces underneath the thumbsticks. It also has gyro controls, HD rumble and a wireless charging puck. Imagine a Steam Deck without the screen and the two controller halves smushed together and bam, you have the new Steam controller. It isn't quite as nice looking as the original to me, but if you are after a pad with lots of functionality, this one appears to have it in spades.
Unfortunately, we do not have pricing information just yet, but all three products are due to launch in ‘early 2026', so expect more news within the next few months.
KitGuru Says: Valve now has an entire hardware ecosystem for PC gamers, fully leveraging the power of the Steam platform. As we've seen with the Steam Deck, Valve is also likely to support these systems for a long time, so anyone buying won't have to worry about a ‘Gen 2' being just around the corner. Valve has shown a willingness to wait for technology to deliver truly meaningful upgrades, rather than jump at the first opportunity to push customers to newer, more expensive devices.
FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have announced the first expansion for Elden Ring Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows. Better yet, the DLC will launch for all platforms in just a couple of weeks.
The Forsaken Hollows introduces two new playable characters, Scholar and Undertaker, each offering distinct abilities. Scholar is an academic with powerful arcane skills and a talent for battlefield observation, while Undertaker is an abbess armed with strength and faith, tasked with sending foes to the afterlife.
Aside from the two new playable characters, the DLC also adds two more boss fights, and a new in-game event called The Great Hollow. In The Great Hollow, players will explore a vast cavity filled with ruins, temples and sacred towers that hint at an ancient civilisation, all while avoiding cursed crystals that drain life.
Elden Ring: The Forsaken Hollow is launching on December 4th for all platforms.
Each month, Sony reveals a new batch of titles for the PlayStation Plus Extra library, alongside new ‘classic' titles for PlayStation Plus Premium members. November 2025's line-up has just been announced, and as expected, Grand Theft Auto V is the headliner, but there are nine other titles also being made available at no extra cost.
Grand Theft Auto V will be available to PlayStation Plus Extra subscribers once again, marking the third time that the game has joined the library. It is likely to remain playable for a couple of months at least, but it will eventually be removed again, as Take-Two prefers to rotate games in and out of subscription services, rather than leave them in there long-term.
Here is the full list of titles joining PlayStation Plus Extra this month:
Grand Theft Auto V — PS5, PS4
Pacific Drive — PS5
Still Wakes the Deep — PS5
Insurgency: Sandstorm — PS5, PS4
Thank Goodness You’re Here! — PS5, PS4
The Talos Principle II — PS5
Monster Jam Showdown — PS5, PS4
MotoGP 25 — PS5, PS4
Those subscribed to PlayStation Plus Premium will get one extra ‘classic' game to install this month – Tomb Raider: Anniversary, specifically, the original PS2 version.
Subscribers will be able to download all of these titles starting on November 18th.
Bethesda surprised us all earlier this year with the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. As it turns out, they may have another big remaster cooking up – Fallout 3.
We've been hearing rumours about a Fallout 3 remaster for years. However, now that Bethesda has discovered this new method with Virtuos, allowing them to completely overhaul the graphics while leaving the underlying code untouched, a remaster is more feasible than ever.
With The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, the game essentially runs the original game under the hood, with an Unreal Engine 5 wrapper to handle graphics. This means that the entire game remains intact from the original release, with no extra work required to rebuild systems and mechanics. This also has the added benefit of carrying forward mod support.
While Bethesda has not publicly announced any plans for a remaster for Fallout 3, VGC claims to have heard that the project does exist and is being actively worked on, with plans to make it similar to the Oblivion remaster.
If true, it would help Bethesda bridge its massive gap between major projects. Right now, the company is hard at work on The Elder Scrolls 6, but as we learned recently, the game is still ‘a long ways off'. Unfortunately for Fallout fans, this also means that Fallout 5 is no closer to release, and likely won't see the light of day until after 2030.
While not a remaster, recently Bethesda did also release an Anniversary Edition version of Fallout 4, although the update has not been particularly well received amongst PC players.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, the new fighting game from Arc System Works, is getting another beta test soon. This time around, fans will get access to even more of the character roster, including Spider-Man for the first time.
The new beta test will be taking place on December 5th and will run right through to the end of December 8th, giving fans three full days to put the game through its paces. The previous beta test allowed fans to check out characters like Iron Man, Captain America, Storm, Doctor Doom and more. This new beta test is notable thanks to the addition of two more fan-favourite characters – Spider-Man and Ghost Rider.
In the announcement trailer above you can see some new gameplay for both Spider-Man and Ghost Rider, both of which will be in the full roster of characters at launch.
Unlike traditional tag fighters, Fighting Souls introduces a 4v4 system. Matches begin with one primary fighter and an assist character, but as battles progress, players unlock access to their full team. This mechanic is tied to mid‑match conditions such as damage thresholds and “Wall Breaks,” a feature borrowed from Guilty Gear Strive that transitions fights across multiple arenas.
There is no release date for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls just yet, but the full game will be launching on PS5 and PC sometime in 2026.
KitGuru Says: I became an Arc System Works fan through Dragon Ball Fighterz, and it looks like that same level of attention to detail is carrying over nicely to Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. We will no doubt see this game play a pivotal role at next year's EVO fighting game tournaments.
Corsair and the Call of Duty franchise are continuing their multi-year, cross-brand alliance with a new collection of hardware themed around Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The launch encompasses peripherals and systems from Corsair itself, as well as its subsidiary brands Scuf Gaming, Elgato, and Origin PC.
The new collection is extensive, featuring a wide range of themed professional controllers from Scuf. This includes the Scuf Valor Pro (both wired and wireless), the PlayStation 5-compatible Reflex Pro and Reflex FPS, and the PC-focused Envision Pro.
Corsair's own-branded gear includes a themed version of its K65 Plus Wireless 75% keyboard, which comes populated with pre-lubricated MLX Red V2 linear switches. This is joined by the HS80 RGB Wireless headset, the M75 Wireless ambidextrous mouse, and a large MM300 2XL mouse mat, all of which receive the Black Ops 7 treatment.
For the streaming market, Elgato is offering a themed Stream Deck MK.2 with 15 LCD keys, alongside a matching faceplate that can be purchased separately. Finally, Origin PC is providing two complete systems with the new branding: the Neuron mid-tower desktop and the Eon 16-X gaming laptop.
The entire Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 collection from Corsair, Scuf, Elgato, and Origin PC is now available. Those who purchase a qualifying product from the Call of Duty collection can receive a code to redeem in-game items (details HERE).
As for pricing, the K65 Plus Wireless costs £159.99/$169.99/€169.99, and the HS80 RGB Wireless headset costs £149.99/$169.99/€159.99. The M75 Wireless retails for £89.99/$99.99/€99.99, and the MM300 2XL mouse is priced at £39.99/$49.99/€49.99. You can also purchase a bundle that includes all of Corsair's themed products for £359.99/$399.99/€389.99.
For the controllers, the most affordable option is the Scuf Valor Pro wired, priced at £109.99/$119.99/€134.99. Next is the Envision Pro, priced at £179.99/$189.99/€209.99, followed by the Valor Pro wireless, priced at £199.99/$209.99/€229.99. The Reflex Pro is priced at £254.99/$269.99/€294.99, and finally, the Reflex FPS is £284.99/$299.99/€324.99.
Moving on to the Elgato gear, the themed Stream Deck MK.2 is priced at £149.99/$149.99/€169.99, and the faceplate is priced at £14.99/$14.99/€14.99. Lastly, the Neuron mid-tower desktop starts at around $2,500, and the Eon 16-X gaming laptop at $2,700.
KitGuru says: Are you a fan of Call of Duty? Planning on jumping into Black Ops 7 when it releases? Will you do so in fashion, with any of Corsair's new themed gear?
Silicon Power (SP) has announced its new flagship M.2 SSD, the XPower XS90. This drive is the company's fastest to date, built on the PCIe Gen 5 x4 interface and designed to handle demanding workloads from AI, high-end gaming, and professional content creation.
The XS90 drive's performance is attributed to a new TSMC-built 6 nm controller, paired with an LPDDR4 DRAM cache. Silicon Power is claiming sequential read speeds of up to 14,300 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 13,400 MB/s (10,500 MB/s on the 1 TB drive).
Interestingly, the product is being marketed with a no-heatsink design, making it compatible with a broader range of motherboards and laptops. However, given the high speeds, users will almost certainly need to provide their own cooling, such as a motherboard's integrated M.2 heatsink, to prevent thermal throttling.
The XPower XS90 will be available in 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB capacities. It supports the NVMe 2.0 protocol and ships in a standard M.2 2280 form factor. Silicon Power is backing the drive with a 5-year limited warranty.
KitGuru says: Although slightly slower (at least on paper) than most recently launched flagship PCIe 5.0 SSDs, if priced correctly, it can still become an interesting solution, especially now that SSD storage prices are increasing.
AMD has outlined its upcoming CPU core roadmap at its Financial Analyst Day 2025, confirming both the Zen 6 and Zen 7 architectures. However, the event was heavily skewed towards AI, leaving gamers with a sparse and vague outlook for the successor to RDNA 4.
According to the AMD roadmap shared by TechPowerUp, Zen 6 is officially slated to arrive next year. It will be built on TSMC's 2nm fabrication node and will again feature a split of standard Zen 6 and high-efficiency Zen 6c cores. AMD CTO Mark Papermaster stated that the architecture will deliver IPC gains, better efficiency, and expanded AI data support through more AI pipelines. This architecture is set to power the Epyc Venice, Ryzen Olympic Ridge desktop, and Ryzen Medusa Point mobile platforms.
For the first time, Zen 7 has also been officially verified on the roadmap, listed as a “Next-Generation” architecture on a “Future Node”. AMD is already flagging its heavy AI integration, noting that Zen 7 will include a new matrix engine. It is expected to appear around 2027, likely debuting in the EPYC “Verano” server platform. During the presentation, as reported by VideoCardz, AMD also shared some of the upcoming Ryzen codenames, confirming the Gorgon and Medusa series. The provided slide suggests Gorgon Point, rumoured to be a Zen 5 update, will be the focus for 2026, with the Zen 6-based Medusa arriving by 2027.
While the CPU details were clear, the gaming GPU roadmap was almost empty. AMD provided only two bullet points for the RDNA4 successor, confirming it will prioritise “enhanced AI and ray tracing” but gave no name or launch window.
KitGuru says: We still have to wait almost a year for the next major launch from AMD, but at least now we know when to expect the next performance leap.
Sony has been releasing PC gaming monitors for a while now, but this week, the company announced its first PlayStation-branded desktop display. The new PlayStation Gaming Monitor is exactly what the name implies, a desktop-sized gaming monitor intended to pair perfectly with a PS5 or a PS5 Pro.
The monitor delivers 1440p (QHD) resolution with HDR support and Auto HDR Tone Mapping when connected to PlayStation consoles. It runs at up to 120Hz on PS5 and PS5 Pro, while PC and Mac users can push it to 240Hz via DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1. Variable Refresh Rate is supported across platforms, ensuring smoother gameplay.
Sony has added integrated stereo speakers, a headphone jack, and multiple connectivity options, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 input, and USB Type‑A and Type‑C ports compatible with PlayStation Link adapters. A distinctive touch is the built‑in DualSense charging hook, allowing players to store and charge their controller directly on the monitor.
The monitor is VESA mount compatible and designed to fit seamlessly into multi‑platform setups. It was announced alongside the Pulse Elevate wireless speakers, which provide desktop audio and voice chat integration. With this release, Sony is positioning PlayStation not just as a console brand but as a broader ecosystem that extends into dedicated gaming displays and accessories.
While this monitor does appear to be an interesting product with very decent specs, even for PC gamers, the monitor will not be getting a global release. It will be available in Japan, but other regions have yet to be confirmed. Pricing has also not yet been announced, but we do know it will be an IPS display, not OLED. That should mean a lower price tag, perhaps around the $300 mark.
Reggie Fils-Aime may not be the head of Nintendo of America anymore, but he is still very active in the games industry, often speaking at events, consulting with publishers and giving interviews. Recently, he spoke a little about AAA support for the Switch 2 console, expressing surprise that Xbox hasn't gone ‘all in' on the console.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is a huge hardware upgrade over the original console, giving developers access to much more modern graphics technology, and support for things like DLSS, which can help boost performance, and even ray tracing. There have been a few major AAA games announced for the console already, but Xbox has so far only announced a few games. According to Reggie, Xbox should be looking to ship more games on the Switch 2.
“I’m surprised that Xbox has not yet fully embraced Switch 2 from a software perspective. Certainly some games could easily be ported over to Switch 2. And I’m surprised that we haven’t seen more of that. I thought there would be much more, especially during this timeframe leading into the Holiday. All through the fall, I was fully expecting some dedicated announcement. And I’m surprised it hasn’t happened.”
Microsoft has announced a couple of titles for Switch 2 so far, including Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition and even Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. However, games like Call of Duty, The Outer Worlds 2, Avowed, Halo and others are still yet to be announced for Nintendo's platform. There are older Switch 1 titles like Skyrim that could also benefit from an update for the Switch 2 hardware.
It is expected that Xbox will ramp up its support for the Switch 2 over time. There is one crucial thing that Reggie doesn't make note of in his comments, and that is the fact that Switch 2 development kits were in pretty short supply at launch, and Nintendo was very choosy with which studios got early access to the hardware.
Nintendo prioritised producing as many consumer units as possible to avoid issues with low stock and scalpers at launch, an effort that was largely successful. If you've wanted a Switch 2 in the last few months, it hasn't been difficult to find one. The downside to that is fewer studios were prepared to release titles within the first year and a few major games, like Borderlands 4 and Elden Ring, had to be delayed.
KitGuru Says: With Microsoft now fully focusing on multiplatform game development and doing away with exclusive games for its own console, I expect Xbox's support for the Switch 2 platform to ramp up over the next couple of years.
One of Ubisoft’s more underappreciated games in recent years was Immortals Fenyx Rising – an open world action-adventure title set in Greek mythology. Developed by Ubisoft Quebec, the Breath of the Wild inspired title resonated with some, but not enough to warrant a sequel. In case you missed it back when it launched in 2020, Ubisoft will be giving away the game entirely for free on PC via its Ubisoft Connect launcher.
Celebrating the 5 year anniversary of the unified Ubisoft Connect launcher, the publisher announced that they are giving away Immortals Fenyx Rising for free.
It is worth noting that as of right now, Ubisoft has not revealed how long this promotion will last, and so if you did want to get your hands on Immortals Fenyx Rising, you might want to claim it as soon as it is available on Thursday.
As mentioned, Immortals Fenyx Rising was a rather underappreciated title from Ubisoft. Despite being quite derivative in some ways, it offered a visually-pleasing world to explore, solid movement and combat and a humorous narrative. While a sequel will not come to pass, Immortals Fenyx Rising is certainly worth picking up, especially for free.
While the early days of the PlayStation 5 were hampered by supply issues, a global pandemic and more, the 9th-gen console has since more than made up for lost time. Despite still having plenty of years left in its life, the PlayStation 5 has now reached a new major milestone – having surpassed the Xbox 360’s total global sales with 84.2 million units.
As part of the company’s latest fiscal earnings report, Sony officially confirmed that the PlayStation 5 has now shipped/sold 84.2 million units – putting the console as the 9th best-selling so far in history while just about passing the Xbox 360’s lifetime sales of 84 million.
In terms of software, Sony confirmed that the recently-released Ghost of Yotei has sold a total of 3.3 million copies within its first month on the market.
Last but certainly not least, the console maker announced that its monthly active users has remained rather stable at 119 million accounts (an increase of 3 million compared to the same Quarter last year).
Whether the PS5 will be able to outsell the last-gen PS4 when all is said and done, we will have to wait and see. But with the PlatStation 5 currently 2 million units ahead of the PS4 when launch-aligned, it’s not an impossibility.
KitGuru says: When did you pick up a PS5? Will the console exceed the 100 million mark? How many units do you think it will sell by the end of its life? Let us know down below.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at the be quiet! Light Base 500 LX – a compact mid-tower that aims to blend clean design, strong airflow, and subtle RGB lighting. It comes with four pre-installed Light Wings LX fans, full support for modern back-connector motherboards and tempered-glass panels on both the front and side. In this review, we’ll see how it handles real-world builds – covering cooling performance, noise levels, and overall ease of use to find out if the Light Base 500 LX lives up to be quiet!’s reputation for silent, functional design.
Timestamps:
00:00 Start
00:56 Versions and Pricing
02:01 Overview / Fans
02:43 Size / I/O / Hardware Support
03:32 Panel removal
04:52 Cooling Support
06:28 Mobo / GPU / Cooler
07:05 Cable Management
07:54 A closer look / dust filters
09:11 The rear of the case
09:37 Right hand compartment / HUB
10:52 Drive support and various configurations
12:29 PSU Support
12:45 Accessories
13:28 Test System & Methodology
14:38 Noise and Thermal Performance
16:10 Cooling Performance and Closing Thoughts
be quiet! Light Base 500 LX Features:
Comes with four pre-installed 120 mm Light Wings LX PWM fans (reverse-blade intake design side mount, one forward blade rear exhaust) for optimal airflow and visual impact.
Supports high-end hardware, including up to 400 mm long graphics cards, radiators up to 360 mm, ATX motherboards including back connect, and up to 185mm tall CPU coolers.
It’s equipped with an ARGB & PWM hub (supports up to six devices) plus a front-panel ARGB control button for synchronised lighting control.
Designed to achieve clean builds and modern layouts with dual PSU positions (to accommodate back-connector motherboards), dedicated cable management channels, tempered-glass front and side panels, and side/bottom dust filters.
Front I/O: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen. 2 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.2 Type-A, Combined 3.5mm Mic/Audio jack, Power/Reset/RGB Control Buttons
LCD Screen: N/A
Thermal Performance Testing
To simulate thermal demand we run the Cinebench R23 multi-thread benchmark and 3DMark Speed Way stress test simultaneously in a loop for 30 minutes to load the system fully. This gives the CPU and GPU enough time to reach constant steady-state temperature. With this data, we can compare how the system handles the thermal demand and measure peak noise levels.
Thermal performance is measured with the case in various configurations, such as the default, with the tempered glass left-hand side panel removed and with the front panel removed to see how these configurations affect the CPU and GPU temperature. During testing, only stock case fans are used unless otherwise specified. All water pumps are set to maximum RPM and fans are set to a custom RPM curve by the Motherboard software/BIOS.
All temperature measurements are presented as Deltas – meaning the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU temperature giving us a Delta. Data shown in the charts represent the average component temperature over the length of the test as measured by HWiNFO and then the last 15 minutes of the data are calculated to get the average. The ambient temperature during thermal tests is between 19-20⁰C.
We tested the case thermals with a 360mm AIO as the exhaust at the top and in several different configurations. The default configuration shown in the charts is with the 360mm AIO at the top, 3 x 120mm side intake fans, 1 x 120mm exhaust fan and with all panels installed.
In our thermal testing, the Light Base 500 LX shows strong and balanced performance. With the default configuration and floor intake fans installed, we recorded a CPU temperature of 55°C over ambient and GPU temperature of 49°C under sustained load.
Removing the glass side panel had almost no effect on CPU thermals and only raised GPU temperatures by a single degree, while taking off the top mesh or removing the floor fans saw both CPU and GPU temps climb to around 57°C and 52°C over ambient respectively. That small increase highlights how the floor intake helps feed cool air directly to the lower section of the case, improving overall cooling efficiency.
Overall, the Light Base 500 LX maintains stable and predictable thermal performance, with sensible airflow tuning that benefits both CPU and GPU cooling without introducing excess noise.
Noise Output
In our noise testing, the be quiet! Light Base 500 LX delivers consistent results. With the default configuration and floor intake fans installed, we measured 37 dB(A) at idle and 48 dB(A) under full load. Removing the glass side panel or the top mesh didn’t change those numbers.
Removing the floor fans increases noise slightly to 49 dB(A). This is due to the CPU running slightly hotter, which in turn causes the system’s fan curve to maintain slightly higher RPMs. It’s a small difference, but it highlights how the floor intake contributes to more efficient cooling, helping the system stay quieter under sustained load.
Overall, the Light Base 500 LX maintains steady, predictable acoustics with only minor variation between setups.
Closing Thoughts
The Light Base 500 LX is a compact, well-built chassis that carries over many of the premium design traits we expect from be quiet!. For the most part, build quality is excellent, while the ARGB fan integration is subtle without being overdone. The dual-chamber layout works well in practice, keeping the build neat and airflow directed where it’s needed. The inclusion of four pre-installed Light Wings LX fans also helps deliver strong cooling and low noise levels straight out of the box.
Thermal performance is consistent and predictable. The side intake supplies cool air effectively to both the CPU and GPU areas, maintaining good temperatures without excessive fan noise. It’s a well-balanced design that prioritises acoustic comfort and efficiency rather than chasing extreme airflow figures. Adding floor fans boosts GPU cooling, but it's not essential; however, the recessed floor fan mount provides a great, clean visual appearance.
There are a few minor drawbacks to note. The side fan bracket can be a little fiddly to remove, and the drive installation process could be smoother. However, these are small issues in what is otherwise a high-quality, well-designed chassis. For users in the market for a compact mid-tower that combines premium build quality, quiet operation, and capable cooling performance, the Light Base 500 LX is a case we would recommend.
The be quiet! Light Base 500 LX is available to purchase now from Scan priced from £126.98 for the white version HERE and £117.98 HERE for the black version.
Pros:
Build quality is up to the usual high standard from be quiet!
4 x fans and RGB PWM hub included.
Cooling works well; the angled side fans help direct airflow to key areas.
Cons:
Installing storage drives is a bit fiddly.
Removing/installing the side fan mount is tight and awkward.
Fan hub takes up 3.5-inch storage drive space.
KitGuru Says: The be quiet! Light Base 500 LX is a compact, well-built dual chamber case with excellent acoustics and solid out-of-the-box cooling performance. A few small build niggles aside, it’s a refined, premium case that's worth buying.
When it comes to updating a console’s firmware, Nintendo is typically rather conservative, with most patches offering little more than stability improvements and bug fixes. That said, Nintendo has now released their first big post-launch Switch 2 update, introducing a bunch of welcome changes and quality-of-life improvements.
Added symbols above software icons displayed on the HOME Menu to indicate whether the software is a physical or a digital version.
When finding users to send a friend request to, the Search for Users You've Played With option under Add Friend now includes people you've interacted with in your friends' GameChat rooms
Various other GameChat improvements
Expanded accessibility (text-to-speech) features
New low latency audio mode for Pro Controllers
Various options have been reworded for added clarity
While this update does not introduce anything on that level, it is encouraging at least to see Nintendo trying to make its Switch 2’s UX experience more seamless.
Ever since the launch of the 8th generation of PlayStation / Xbox systems, we’ve seen general market trends change somewhat with regards to the lifecycle of a console. Despite being 5 years into its existence, Sony’s CFO has now confirmed that the PS5 is “only in the middle of the journey.”
“Our view is that compared to conventional console lifecycles. Looking at the PS4 lifecycle it seems to be getting longer and longer. Especially the PS4, which was launched in 2013 and it's been over a decade since then, but there are many active users enjoying the console… So from that perspective we believe that the PS5 is only in the middle of the journey and we are really planning to expand it even further.”
Whether this is indeed the case or not, we will have to wait and see, especially with rumours suggesting that the PS6 could arrive in 2028.
That said, given that the PS5 Pro still has plenty to offer (and is set to improve further in 2026 thanks to upcoming PSSR upgrades), it perhaps makes sense that Sony would want to keep their highly-successful generation going for as long as it makes sense.
The Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition has dropped for PC, PS5 and Xbox, but the update isn't being received particularly well on the PC side. Players have encountered new bugs on PC, as well as issues getting the newly-included Creation Club content working.
Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition is a package that includes the base game, all of the expansions, and a ‘Creations Bundle', containing 150 community-made mods from the Creation Club, all implemented into the game without any extra work needed. Unfortunately, the changeover to the Anniversary Edition has not gone as smoothly as Bethesda had hoped, with the ‘Creation Bundle' garnering a negative overall rating on Steam.
Some of the top-rated reviews right now say that Fallout 4 has become buggier since the update. Others have had issues getting the new creation club content at all and others are now facing crashes. A common complaint on the PC side is that the update has broken other mods, which isn't exactly uncommon for a heavily modded game after an update, but the newly included creation club content could be causing its own share of conflicts between files.
There were some initial issues with Skyrim when it received its Anniversary Edition upgrade years back but Bethesda was quick to resolve conflicts and due to the popularity of Skyrim modding, many popular mods were also updated to support the new version of the game. Time will tell if the same takes place with Fallout 4.
Microsoft has updated the Xbox Game Development Kit (GDK) with a suite of new features, suggesting that the next-generation Xbox could be a hybrid device that combines console and PC gaming capabilities. This follows rumours of such a device, Microsoft's own experiments with the ROG Ally X handheld, and its push for an ‘Xbox Full Screen Experience' on Windows.
A 10-minute video (via Windows Central) on the Microsoft Game Dev YouTube channel details the October 2025 GDK update, highlighting four key features designed to help developers prepare for this potential future. Starting with GameInput, this new API standardises input across keyboards, mice, Xbox gamepads, and custom controllers. It allows developers to use a single codebase for all input methods, ensuring a consistent experience across different device types—a crucial step for a hybrid platform.
Then, there's PlayFab game saves, which enable true cross-platform saves without requiring developers to build their own bespoke systems. While some games already offer this feature between consoles and PC (via Steam), PlayFab provides a unified, platform-agnostic solution that works out of the box. There's also the Xbox Game Package Manager, a tool that has been overhauled to streamline the process of making games ‘Xbox Play Anywhere' compatible. A single interface now handles packaging for both Xbox and PC, replacing a previously multi-step process that was prone to errors. Lastly, the Cross-Platform Gaming Runtime enhances social connectivity between platforms, enabling developers to integrate Xbox social features directly into non-Xbox versions of their games, including those on Steam.
While Microsoft has not explicitly confirmed that these updates are for a next-gen hybrid console, they certainly point towards a future Xbox experience that is far more PC-like.
It is no secret that 2025 has been a down year for Destiny 2, but we've yet to see Bungie or Sony publicly acknowledge it. That changed this week during Sony's latest earnings report, with executives confirming that the game hasn't met the expectations set at the time of Sony's acquisition of Bungie.
In a Q&A at the end of the earnings call, Sony CFO, Lin Tao, stated that “the level of sales and user engagement have not reached the expectations we had at the time of the acquisition of Bungie”. While fans have suspected for a long while that the Bungie acquisition has not gone well for Sony, this is the first time we've seen a public acknowledgment of goals not being met.
Here is the full statement from Tao (via Eurogamer): “Regarding Destiny 2, partially due to the changes in the competitive environment, the level of sales and user engagement have not reached the expectations we had at the time of the acquisition of Bungie. While we will continue to make improvements, we downwardly revised the business projection for the time being and recorded an impairment loss against a portion of the assets at Bungie.”
While Bungie was brought in to be the kingpin of live-service games for PlayStation, Sony is actually making the most of its money in this sector elsewhere. In particular, Tao cited games like Helldivers 2 and MLB: The Show as key contributors to Sony's growing live-service revenues.
KitGuru Says: Renegades is coming up soon, which should bring a spike to Destiny 2 and if its good, Star Wars fans who have not previously played Destiny may jump on board.
Ookla, the company best known for its online connection testing service, is moving beyond browser tabs and mobile apps, entering the dedicated hardware segment. The newly announced Speedtest Pulse is a portable network diagnostic device designed specifically for ISPs and enterprise IT departments that need to validate connections on-site.
The Speedtest Pulse is designed to address the common support headache where the root cause of a “slow internet” complaint could be anything from the ISP entry point to poor local Wi-Fi coverage or just an aging client device. Speedtest Pulse is intended to provide a standardised, smartphone-based validation tool for technicians in the field to isolate these issues.
At launch, the hardware focuses on its Active Pulse mode. This allows technicians to run immediate, guided tests during new installations or trouble calls. The system can determine whether the issue resides in the ISP, the local Wi-Fi environment, or a client device. It can then generate a performance report that serves as a baseline for that particular installation, which can be referenced later if problems arise.
Perhaps more interesting for long-term troubleshooting is the planned Continuous Pulse feature, though this is not scheduled to arrive until 2026. This future update will enable the Speedtest Pulse to function as a “leave-behind” probe, monitoring connection performance over time to detect intermittent faults that often disappear the moment a technician arrives on site.
The hardware leverages Ookla's existing global network of over 15,000 testing servers to ensure the results match what users see on their own devices. All data collected by the Pulse integrates directly with the company's Speedtest Insights platform for centralised analysis by support teams.
KitGuru says: For mainstream users, the Speedtest Pulse is overkill. However, for professionals who manage large IT parks or frequently work with networks, it should make their job much easier.
While Bungie had planned on releasing Marathon this year, a stolen art fiasco put those release plans on ice for months. At this point, we still don't have a new release date for the game, but public testing did resume in October and now, Sony has reaffirmed plans to launch it before the end of March next year.
As part of a recent earnings report call, Sony CFO, Lin Tao, reaffirmed the timeline for Marathon, stating that it is “fully dedicated to launching [Marathon] to schedule”.
Previously, Sony had announced plans to release Marathon within the current fiscal year, despite the delay over this Summer. At this point in time, Sony and Bungie are “analysing the performance” of recent playtests against various key performance indicators (KPIs) and will “make corrections” as needed to give the game the best chance of success at launch.
While Marathon is still on track to release in the coming months, it isn't all good news for Bungie. During this same earnings report, Sony also confirmed that the sales and overall player numbers for Destiny 2 have been cause for concern since the acquisition.
KitGuru Says: Marathon would have been in a pretty good position if it had released in September as planned, but now, it will be contending with the Steam release of Escape from Tarkov, as well as the recent breakout hit, Arc Raiders.
Elgato has partnered with Discord to release a special edition of its popular six-key controller, the Stream Deck Mini: Discord Edition. This marks a shift in strategy for Elgato, as this is its first product to be sold exclusively through select retail partners worldwide, rather than directly or through all standard channels.
The Discord Edition of the Stream Deck Mini is a standard six-key Stream Deck Mini but dressed in a Discord-themed chassis featuring the Clyde logo. It's designed to give Discord users tactile, immediate control over the app's core functions without needing to alt-tab out of a game or other application. The device supports real-time feedback on its keys, displaying who is currently speaking or showing unread notifications directly on the miniature screens.
Out of the box, the unit comes pre-loaded with a default Discord profile to get users started quickly, though it remains fully customisable via the standard Stream Deck software. Like any Stream Deck, it can also be used to control countless other applications, from creative tools like Photoshop to media players and streaming software.
As a sweetener, each unit includes a code for one free month of Discord Nitro. This offer is valid for new subscribers or those who haven't had an active Nitro subscription in the past 12 months. The Stream Deck Mini: Discord Edition is available now at select retailers, including Best Buy (Americas), Currys (UK/Europe), and JB Hi-Fi (APAC). Elgato has provided an interactive store locator on its website to help users locate participating stores.
Connexion
