GameMax has expanded its chassis portfolio today with the announcement of the Nex C56 and Nex C56 VC. Targeting the budget-conscious end of the dual-chamber market, these new mid-towers attempt to differentiate themselves from the sea of “fish tank” cases with an internal layout that angles the bottom intake fans.

Both chassis feature a “12° inclined airflow layout”, as described by GameMax. In practice, this means the fan mounts on the bottom and the sides of the motherboard tray are slightly angled towards the centre of the case, rather than sitting straight. The manufacturer claims this creates a more direct path for fresh air to reach hot components, specifically the graphics card, which is a common pain point in dual-chamber designs that often struggle with restrictive intake paths.

Two distinct variations are available at launch to cover different aesthetic preferences. The standard Nex C56 prioritises thermal performance, shipping with a fully mesh top panel to allow for heat exhaust and seven 120 mm ARGB PWM fans (space for up to 10x). This model is the more capable of the two in terms of raw cooling potential, supporting a “stack-effect” configuration. Alternatively, the Nex C56 VC (Vision Compact) goes all-in on the showroom aesthetic, replacing the mesh roof with a third tempered-glass panel and packing 4x 120 mm ARGB PWM fans (space for up to 7x). This creates a seamless “triple-glass” panoramic view, though builders will likely have to rely heavily on the side and bottom intakes to keep temperatures in check.

Despite being entry-level options, the specification sheet is surprisingly generous. Both cases support ATX motherboards and offer clearance for graphics cards up to 425 mm in length. Liquid cooling support is good, with space for dual 360 mm radiators, and the chassis includes a height-adjustable GPU anti-sag bracket, a feature often missing in this price bracket. Connectivity is handled via a front I/O panel featuring one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports. Storage options support up to 2x 3.5-inch HDDs and 2x 2.5-inch SSDs, hidden in the rear chamber.

GameMax is positioning these cases firmly in the entry-level segment, undercutting many competitors. The standard NEX C56 starts at just $69.99 for the black model, while the glass-topped NEX C56 VC is even cheaper at $59.99. Both versions are available in white for a $5 premium.

KitGuru says: These cases certainly look the part and the price tag is decent too.

The post GameMax introduces NEX C56 series with ‘inclined’ airflow design first appeared on KitGuru.

Asus has been expanding its ProArt sub-brand from monitors and motherboards into a whole ecosystem for creators, and recently, that expansion has reached the cooling sector. The company has officially announced the ProArt PF120, a high-performance 120mm case fan designed to compete directly with the industry's heavyweights like the Phanteks T30 and Noctua NF-A12x25.

The ProArt PF120 removes the RGB lighting common in gaming builds, offering an industrial aesthetic in both black and white colourways. Asus has utilised Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) for the fan blades, a material choice prized for its rigidity and resistance to thermal expansion. This allows for extremely tight tolerances, with the PF120 boasting a blade-to-frame gap of just 0.5mm to minimise turbulence and maximise pressure efficiency.

The fan operates at a maximum speed of 3000 RPM, at which it delivers a rated static pressure of 7.3mmH2O and an airflow of 104.8 CFM. Unusually, the frame thickness is 28mm. For the motor, the fan uses a three-phase, six-pole design within a brass bearing shield to reduce vibration. To keep cable clutter to a minimum, the units feature a patented daisy-chain interconnect system that allows users to link adjacent fans, passing power and PWM signals through a single cable.

For users who don't need the 3000 RPM jet-engine experience, the three-pack includes an inline cable controller. This allows builders to cap the maximum speed at three distinct presets: 1400 RPM for silent builds, 2200 RPM for balanced use, or the full 3000 RPM for maximum thermal dissipation. Pricing and regional availability have not yet been confirmed, but given the LCP construction and performance claims, we expect these to sit at the premium end of the market.

KitGuru says: Asus isn't the first name that springs to mind for case fans, but that could change if these perform as well as their spec sheet suggests. 

The post Asus challenges the performance fan market with new ProArt PF120 first appeared on KitGuru.

LG Display has released teasers showcasing its latest advancements in OLED technology. While the video focuses on highlighting the benefits of its “Primary RGB Tandem” tech, it has also confirmed that several long-rumoured panel specifications are now ready for mass production. With CES 2026 just around the corner, it appears the manufacturer is preparing to flood the market with new high-performance options for PC enthusiasts.

The most immediate takeaway from the new footage (via FlatPanelsHD) is a subtle rebranding. LG Display appears to be streamlining the nomenclature for its fourth-generation technology, dropping the clunky “Primary RGB Tandem” moniker in favour of the cleaner “Tandem WOLED”. This helps differentiate the stack from “Tandem OLED” solutions currently used in the automotive sector, which have a different structural composition. Interestingly, the video also makes a fleeting reference to “Primary RGB Tandem 2.0”, suggesting that an iterative update to the underlying tech is already in the pipeline for the coming year.

The other teaser explicitly references a 39-inch ultrawide panel sporting a “5K” resolution. Based on previous roadmap leaks, this is almost certainly the anticipated 5K2K (5120 x 2160) unit. At 39 inches, this resolution delivers a pixel density of approximately 142 PPI, bringing it in line with the text clarity of 32-inch 4K displays. Visuals from the clip also suggest a shift in display curvature. While LG's previous 34-inch and 39-inch gaming panels featured an aggressive 800R curve, this new flagship model appears to adopt a significantly gentler radius.

The manufacturer also nodded to the 27-inch 1440p panel with a native 540 Hz refresh rate (up to 720 Hz in Performance mode), a unit we have already seen deployed in the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQWP-W. Another confirmation taken from the teaser is the 27-inch 4K WOLED panel. This form factor has been dominated by Samsung Display's QD-OLED technology for some time, and LG's arrival in the WOLED stable marks a crucial catch-up move, offering consumers more choice in the 27-inch segment.

KitGuru says: Have you been waiting on new-generation panels before making the jump to an OLED display?

The post LG Display teases new Tandem WOLED panels ahead of CES 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.

Bandai Namco has released the PC system requirements for the upcoming anime-styled action RPG, Code Vein 2. The specifications confirm that aspiring Revenants will need significantly more robust hardware than the 2019 original to play the new game when it launches on January 30th, 2026.

First teased during Summer Game Fest 2025, Code Vein 2 expands on the “anime Dark Souls” formula with a new narrative centred on time manipulation, larger environments, and a deepened partner system. While the first game was known for being relatively lightweight, the sequel demands a modern rig to hit 60 FPS, even at 1080p. Bandai Namco has set 16 GB of RAM and Windows 11 as the absolute floor for entry. This effectively leaves Windows 10 users behind, a trend we are seeing more frequently in 2025-2026 releases. Storage requirements have also ballooned to 70 GB, with the publisher strongly recommending an SSD.

For a 1080p experience at 30 FPS on Low settings, users will need at least an Intel Core i5-9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 paired with a GTX 1660 Super or Radeon RX 5700. Those looking to push the visual fidelity to High at 60 FPS will need to step up to an RTX 3080 or Radeon RX 6800, alongside a beefier CPU like the Ryzen 7 7800X3D or the Intel Core i7-12700KF. The detailed system requirements can be found below:

MINIMUM

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 11
• Processor: Intel Core i5-9600K /AMD Ryzen 5 3600
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super / AMD Radeon RX 5700 / Intel Arc B570
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 70 GB available space
• Additional Notes: Estimated performance: 1080p/30fps with graphics settings at “Low”.

RECOMMENDED

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 11
• Processor: Intel Core i7-12700KF / AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX 6800
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 70 GB available space
• Additional Notes: Estimated performance: SSD is recommended. 1080p/60fps with graphics settings at “High”.

Pre-orders are currently live on Steam, with Standard, Deluxe, Ultimate, and Collector's Editions available. All pre-orders include a face paint and a weapon. The deluxe edition includes the base game with a 3-day early access, a custom outfit pack (3 costume sets and a weapon), and the upcoming DLC Mask of Idris. The Ultimate Edition adds to the Deluxe Edition with a digital mini artbook, a soundtrack, and a character costume set (6 costumes). Lastly, the Collector's Edition has everything included in the Ultimate Edition, plus an 18 cm figure, a 60-page artbook, and a metal case.

KitGuru says: Did you play the original Code Vein? Are you planning on getting the sequel? Is your PC ready for it?

The post Bandai Namco confirms PC system requirements for Code Vein 2 first appeared on KitGuru.

For Day 21 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with ADATA to give one lucky winner a memory and SSD upgrade. Our prizes today include the ADATA XPG Lancer Neon RGB DDR5 32GB CL30 memory and XPG Mars 980 Blade 1TB SSD!

The ADATA Lancer Neon RGB DDR5 32GB CL30 kit contains high‑performance dual‑channel memory, offering fast DDR5 speeds, low‑latency CL30 operation, on‑die ECC, a power‑stabilising PMIC, and a distinctive RGB‑lit eco‑friendly heatsink. The Mars 980 Blade 1TB SSD is a PCIe 5.0 NVMe drive that delivers up to 14,000MB/s read and 13,000MB/s write speeds.

How to Enter:

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is head over to our competition announcement post on Facebook, HERE. In the comments, leave an answer to the following question – How much RAM is in your current system? 

This competition is open worldwide.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 22nd, and a new competition will be announced for Day 22. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open worldwide, starting at 11AM GMT on December 21st and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 22nd. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all who enter, we'll be back tomorrow morning to announce a winner and turn the calendar over to Day 22!

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 21: Win an Adata 32GB DDR5 RAM kit and 1TB M.2 SSD! first appeared on KitGuru.

Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Our winner today is Sean Tugman. If you missed out this time then keep an eye out as we have a new giveaway each day through to the end of the month. Today's giveaway can be found HERE.

For Day 20 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar, we have teamed up with Thermaltake to give one lucky reader a big prize bundle. The winner today will receive a Thermaltake View 290 TG case, along with a set of ARGB Sync fans, a ToughLiquid 360 EX AIO liquid cooler and a Toughpower GF A3 power supply, creating a perfect starting point for a new build.

The Thermaltake View 290 TG ARGB is a mid‑tower chassis built around a curved tempered‑glass front panel and a full glass side panel. Thermaltake’s Toughpower GF A3 PSU is an ATX 3.0–ready power supply designed for modern GPUs, while the Toughliquid 360 EX AIO fits neatly into the case’s top‑mount radiator support, offering ample thermal headroom for high‑performance CPUs. The ARGB‑sync fans will allow you to add some extra colour to your rig.

How to Enter:

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is head over to our competition announcement post on Facebook, HERE. In the comments, leave an answer to the following question – What was your most played game this year? 

This competition is open worldwide.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 21st, and a new competition will be announced for Day 21. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open worldwide, starting at 11AM GMT on December 20th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 21st. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all who enter, we'll be back tomorrow morning to announce a winner and turn the calendar over to Day 21!

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 20: Win a Thermaltake hardware bundle! (Closed) first appeared on KitGuru.

Square Enix has confirmed that its Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series has officially surpassed six million units sold worldwide. The collection, which revitalises the first six entries in the long-running RPG franchise, has proven a commercial success since its initial rollout in 2021, validating the publisher's strategy of preserving its back catalogue with uniform standards for modern platforms.

While Square Enix has often faced criticism for its handling of legacy ports, the Pixel Remaster initiative appears to have struck the right chord with gamers. The project involved a complete overhaul of Final Fantasy I through VI, unifying the visual style across the NES and SNES eras. The original pixel artist, Kazuko Shibuya, returned to redraw the 2D character sprites, ensuring the new assets remained faithful to the source material. On the audio front, legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu supervised and orchestrated arrangements of the soundtracks, replacing the synthesized tunes of the 8-bit and 16-bit hardware.

The sales figures shared by Square Enix reflect performance across a staggered release schedule spanning multiple years and ecosystems. The first wave hit Steam, iOS, and Android between July 2021 and February 2022. Following sustained demand from console players, the collection was released on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in April 2023. Most recently, the series landed on Xbox Series X|S and the Microsoft Store in 2024, making the collection playable natively on all major current-gen hardware.

Beyond the audiovisual facelift, the commercial longevity of the bundle is likely aided by the inclusion of modern convenience features that respect player time. Square Enix implemented toggle-based boosters, allowing users to adjust experience gain, automate combat, or disable random encounters entirely. These optional tools have made the notoriously grind-heavy 8-bit entries significantly more palatable for a contemporary audience accustomed to faster pacing.

KitGuru says: It took Square Enix a few tries to get these ports right, but the sales numbers don't lie. With six million copies sold, the Pixel Remaster series stands as one of the publisher's most successful attempts at leveraging its heritage.

The post Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster surpasses 6 million sales first appeared on KitGuru.

This year's Game Awards has once again proven its dominance in the gaming calendar, setting a new viewership record for its 2025 broadcast. According to data reported by the organization, The Game Awards secured an estimated 171 million global live views, marking an 11% increase over the 154 million figure recorded in 2024.

Note that this figure represents strictly live tune-ins for the main show. It excludes the long tail of trailer views, social media clips, and viewership from premium partners like Prime Video. The data is aggregated across major open platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, TikTok Live, Steam, X, and Facebook, as well as major regional players such as JioHotstar in India and various Chinese streaming services.

Platform-specific metrics paint a picture of steady growth rather than explosive spikes. On YouTube, the official 4K stream saw an 8% rise in concurrent viewers, contributing to a total platform peak of over 2.4 million when co-streams are factored in. Twitch performance remained good as well, with peak concurrents climbing 5% to settle just above 1.8 million.

This trajectory continues a decade-long trend for the event, which has grown from a modest 1.9 million viewers in 2014 to the juggernaut it is today. The most significant historical leaps occurred in 2018, when it jumped to 26.2 million, and in 2020, when it hit 83 million. The 2025 numbers suggest that while the growth curve is flattening, the ceiling has not yet been reached.

KitGuru says: Did you watch the show? What platform were you watching it on?

The post The Game Awards 2025 breaks records again with 171 million live views first appeared on KitGuru.

Started all the way back in 1997, One Piece is one of the longest-running and most popular anime of all time – going stronger than ever after a quarter of a century. As with many successful anime franchises, One Piece has gotten plenty of video game adaptations over the years. One of its most popular series is the Pirate Warriors sub-franchise, with Bandai Namco now confirming that it has sold over 10 million copies.

Releasing a trailer thanking fans, publisher Bandai Namco confirmed that the One Piece Pirate Warriors series has sold a total of 10 million copies.

Beginning in 2012, One Piece Pirate Warriors is a musou-styled game similar in vein to the likes of Hyrule Warriors, Persona 5 Strikers and of course Dynasty Warriors. Since the first entry’s release, we’ve gotten 4 Pirate Warriors games in total with the most recent being Warriors 4 – arriving in 2020.

Despite being arguably the biggest anime/manga series of all time, One Piece has not had the best track record when it comes to video games, with a majority of their releases receiving relatively mixed reviews from critics (though fans are more lenient).

Still, with Pirate Warriors 4 alone selling 4 million copies – and the series as a whole having now exceeded 10 million – there is clearly plenty of demand for more video games set in the world of One Piece.

KitGuru says: What do you think of One Piece as a manga/anime? Are any of the games worth checking out? In your opinion, what’s the best video game of all time based on an anime? Let us know down below.

The post One Piece Pirate Warriors series officially passes 10 million copies sold first appeared on KitGuru.

Recently, we learned that Sony and Bungie had resolved a plagiarism dispute over Marathon with an artist. Coincidentally, the game's original art director has now left the company. 

Joseph Cross, who had a long career at Bungie spanning work across Destiny and Marathon, has left the company. Most recently, Cross had served as the art director on Marathon. As spotted by The Game Post, Cross has updated their LinkedIn profile to confirm that they are no longer working at Bungie.

Kotaku spoke with Cross after the news began spreading and learned that they left Bungie of their own accord, so there was no firing. Cross is leaving Bungie just after the company solidified the release plan for Marathon, which will now be launching in March 2026, with a $40 price tag. As plans for the final game have been locked in, the lack of art director during these final months of development should have no impact on the release.

Marathon was originally supposed to release this year but had to be delayed while the team generated new assets to avoid plagiarism issues. With this extra time, Bungie was also able to address some crucial feedback from the game's closed alpha test, adding more PvE events into the maps and adding features like proximity voice chat for better in-game communication.

KitGuru Says: Are you looking forward to Marathon? I'm still hoping for an open beta early next year so I can give it a try myself. 

The post Marathon art director leaves Bungie first appeared on KitGuru.

Global analytics firm Newzoo has provided an optimistic year-in-review for 2025 in gaming. The broader global picture shows an industry on the rise, driven heavily by a resurgence in PC gaming and the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2.

Newzoo (via VGC) projects that the global video game market will close 2025 with a total value of $197 billion, representing a healthy 7.5% increase over 2024. Although steeper than in recent years, analysts warn that looming economic factors like tariffs, the rising cost of living, and emerging memory shortages could dampen this momentum as we head into 2026.

The breakdown of this growth offers an interesting insight into current player habits. Mobile gaming remains the dominant revenue generator, expected to reach $108 billion, up 7.7% year on year. However, the PC sector has emerged as the growth leader, rising 10.4% to reach $43 billion. This expansion outpaces the console market, which is forecast to grow modestly by 4.2% to $45 billion.

Image credit: Newzoo

According to Michiel Buijsman, Newzoo’s Chief Market Analyst, the surge in PC revenue isn't necessarily due to a sudden influx of new players, but rather existing enthusiasts spending more deeply within the ecosystems they already inhabit. The top 10 PC games by revenue in 2025 were all released in 2025, and notably, none were free-to-play titles. This list included a mix of established brands and three completely new IPs, highlighting the platform's openness to system-driven design and varied experiences.

In contrast, the console market remains heavily reliant on established familiarity. The top 10 revenue generators on console were exclusively existing franchises, with half of the list comprised of annual releases. Electronic Arts appears to be the primary beneficiary of this trend, publishing nearly half of the top-performing titles. However, the standout success on the console front is undoubtedly Pokémon Legends Z-A, which managed to crack the top rankings despite being exclusive to a single platform.

Perhaps the biggest surprise taken from the engagement data is the reversal of fortunes between the industry's two biggest shooters. While Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 ranked only in the top 10 console titles by monthly active users (MAUs), Battlefield 6 has demonstrated remarkable staying power. EA's shooter appeared across all revenue and engagement lists for both PC and console, suggesting that 2025 will go down as the year Battlefield finally reclaimed the crown from its rival.

Significant structural changes and indie success also defined the year. Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 capped off a stellar year for independent developers by sweeping The Game Awards, proving that non-AAA titles can still dominate the discourse. Meanwhile, on the corporate side, the industry is grappling with consolidation, exemplified by EA's move to take the company private.

KitGuru says: If PC growth momentum continues over the coming years, the platform has a pretty good chance of catching up to consoles. If someone said this 20 years ago, it would probably be called crazy, but today, it's closer to reality than ever.

The post PC gaming growth outpaces console as global market hits $197 billion first appeared on KitGuru.

Popularised by the likes of Spotify, most services nowadays offer their users a year-in-review of sorts, in which you can learn about your consumption habits from the past 12 months. While Xbox has offered wrap-ups for previous years, an insider is claiming that budget reallocations have led to Microsoft cancelling 2025’s Xbox year-in-review.

As reported by known insider Jez Corden, Microsoft is not planning to have their own year-in-review for 2025. While this decision is rather odd as it is unlikely to be too costly to temporarily host a site featuring stats which the console manufacturer already tracks on a daily basis, according to Corden:

“A lot of the ‘marketing budget’ that would've typically been allocated to something like an ‘Xbox Wrapped’ is being poured into efforts to celebrate [upcoming] major milestones for Xbox, its brands, and some of its games” (such as Xbox’s 25th anniversary, Blizzard’s 35th and Bethesda’s 40th).

While there is no denying that 2026 could be a big year for Microsoft, the optics of being unwilling to spend a bit of money on a community-focused wrap-up using pre-existing stats and some basic graphics is concerning to say the least.

In case you missed it, PlayStation’s 2025 wrap-up went live a couple days ago, the details of which can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: Do you enjoy checking out your wrap-ups each year? Is budget reallocation a good enough excuse? Let us know down below.

The post Xbox reportedly not doing a player wrap-up for 2025 due to marketing budget reallocation first appeared on KitGuru.

Ahead of CES next month, Lian Li has introduced the Vector V100 MINI, a compact Micro-ATX case based on the original V100 design. The smaller form factor retains broad cooling support, with room for up to three 120mm side fans, three 120mm or two 140mm top fans, and one 120mm rear fan.

The case supports both standard and back-connect Micro-ATX motherboards. Front and side tempered glass panels provide a 270° view of the interior, while an integrated ARGB strip along the PSU shroud offers lighting control through motherboard software. Despite its reduced size, the V100 MINI accommodates high-end hardware. GPUs up to 415mm can be installed, supported by an adjustable anti-sag bracket. A cable opening in the PSU shroud helps maintain clean routing. Storage options include support for two 2.5″ SSDs or one 3.5″ HDD plus one 2.5″ SSD at the bottom, and an additional 2.5″ SSD behind the motherboard tray.

You can see the full spec sheet in the table below:

Specification	Vector V100 MINI	Vector V100R MINI
Dimensions	(D) 436 x (W) 221.5 x (H) 443.9mm
Color	Black
Material	Steel, Plastic, 4.0mm tempered glass
Motherboard Support	Micro-ATX / Mini-ITX
Back Connect Motherboard	Micro-ATX
Expansion Slot	5
Storage	Behind MB Tray: 1 x 2.5” SSD Hard Drive Cage: 2 x 2.5” SSD, or 1 x 3.5″ HDD & 1 x 2.5″ SSD (If PSU over 150mm, only support 2.5” SSD x 1 or 3.5” HDD x 1)
GPU Length Clearance	415mm (Max)
CPU Cooler Height Clearance	163.5mm (Max)
PSU	ATX (Under 200mm)
Fan Support	Top: 120mm x 3 or 140mm x 2 Side: 120mm x 3 Bottom: 120mm x 2 Rear: 120mm x 1
Radiator Support	Top: 360 / 240
Included Fans	N/A	Side: 120mm ARGB/PWM Fan x 3 Rear: 120mm ARGB/PWM Fan x 1
I/O Ports	Power Button x 1 Reset Button x 1 USB 3.0 x 2 USB 3.1 Gen.2 Type C x 1 Audio x 1
Dust Filters	Bottom x 1
Warranty	1-Year

The Vector V100R MINI variant ships with four pre-installed 120mm ARGB PWM fans: three reverse side intakes and one rear exhaust. Both versions of the Vector 100 Mini are available starting today, priced at $49.99/€49.90 for the standard version and $64.99/€64.90 for the Vector V100R Mini.

KitGuru Says: For builders on a budget, this case checks a lot of the right boxes, with plenty of pre-installed fans and the aesthetics to match higher-end options. 

The post Lian Li expands Vector line with V100 mini and V100R mini first appeared on KitGuru.

If recent reports are to be believed, Lenovo is planning to announce a new handheld at CES 2026. According to a new report, the manufacturer is preparing to unveil a version of its Legion Go Gen 2 running Valve's SteamOS, making it the first Ryzen Z2 Extreme-powered console running Valve's OS natively.

This development would mark Lenovo's second foray into the SteamOS ecosystem, following the Legion Go S. However, this Gen 2 model with SteamOS targets the high-end enthusiast. According to Windows Latest, the hardware configuration mirrors the Windows variant, meaning it would pack AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU, featuring eight Zen 5 cores and integrated Radeon 890M graphics. This CPU is backed by up to 32GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory and a PCIe Gen4 M.2 2242 SSD with capacities up to 2TB.

Image credit: Windows Latest

The display specifications remain equally impressive, with the unit retaining the 8.8-inch PureSight OLED panel found on its Windows sibling. This screen offers a 1920×1200 resolution at a 16:10 aspect ratio, a 144Hz refresh rate, and 500 nits of peak brightness. To keep this hardware running without a wall socket, Lenovo has equipped the device with a 74Wh battery and 65W USB-C charging.

If this report proves true, then the Legion Go Gen 2 would become the first officially supported device to pair the Ryzen Z2 Extreme with SteamOS, potentially offering a significant performance leap over the current Steam Deck OLED. For now, we await official confirmation, which could arrive during CES next month.

KitGuru says: This device would offer a significantly more powerful alternative to the Steam Deck. Now we'll just have to wait and see how much it will cost. 

The post Lenovo is reportedly preparing a SteamOS-powered Legion Go Gen 2 for 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.

PowerWash Simulator was a success not only thanks to its unique concept and satisfying gameplay loop, but also as a result of multiple unexpected crossovers from throughout media. It seems the team at FuturLab are utilising the same blueprint for its sequel, with the recently-released Powerwash Simulator 2 set to crossover with the popular Cartoon Network show Adventure Time.

Releasing a teaser trailer to make the announcement, the team at FuturLab confirmed that PowerWash Simulator 2’s first paid DLC will be crossing over with the popular 2010’s Cartoon Network show Adventure Time, writing:

“It's time for an adventure! No, that's not right…It's Adventure Time! Glove up those grabbers, the Candy Kingdom is covered in schmutz. Coming to PowerWash Simulator 2 Spring 2026. Get your buns over to Steam and Wishlist now.”

Very few details have been shared regarding this DLC, with the only confirmed aspect being that it will consist of 5 new levels to explore and clean up – similar to the first game. Assuming pricing remains equal too, then expect this Adventure Time DLC to cost roughly £6.50; though we will have to wait and see.

In case you missed it, FuturLab previously shared their DLC roadmap for PowerWash Simulator 2, confirming that the title will receive 3 paid DLC packs throughout 2026 (likely all crossovers) alongside 3 sets of free ‘Caldera Chronicles’ content drops.

Throughout its life, we saw PowerWash Simulator crossover with all sorts, from Final Fantasy to Shrek; Tomb Raider; SpongeBob; Back to the Future and even Wallace and Gromit. As such, expect plenty of more paid and free DLC from PowerWash Simulator 2 throughout 2026 and hopefully beyond.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the first DLC pack? Do you enjoy PowerWash Simulator’s crossovers? What game / film / TV show set would you like to power wash? Let us know down below.

The post PowerWash Simulator 2 x Adventure Time officially announced first appeared on KitGuru.

Pretty much since its creation, the Epic Games Store has gone all-in on its end-of-year promotions – offering a different title for free every 24 hours leading up to the new year. With a little under two weeks to go until 2026, Epic has officially kicked off its 2025 Christmas game giveaway.

From now until the 1st of January, the Epic Games Store will be giving away a different title for free every 24 hours. Available to add to your library right now (until 4pm UK time) is Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel – an isometric arena survival rogue-like in which you “Engage in adrenaline-fueled battles, fighting off endless waves of enemies as you strive to survive. Complete various objectives, defeat the final boss, and earn the ultimate prizes.”

Featuring multiple playable characters, meta progression, unlockable perks and more, there is plenty to enjoy with Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel.

As mentioned, Epic is offering a new game for free every 24 hours and so come 4PM today, Jotunnslayer will be replaced by an as-of-yet-unknown title. With pleasing visuals, fun looking gameplay and a price tag of ‘free’ however, there is no reason not to add Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel to your library.

KitGuru says: Will you be checking out the Epic Games Store each day? Had you heard of Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel previously? What game have you been holding out on, hoping it’ll come to Epic? Let us know down below.

The post The Epic Games Store is giving away a new title for free every 24 hours first appeared on KitGuru.

Today we are reviewing the hotly-anticipated ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQWMG. Announced back at Gamescom 2025, this screen is packing in the latest 4th Gen Tandem OLED panel from LG, promising a wide range of improvements compared to previous generations. On top of that, ASUS has fitted what it calls a ‘TrueBlack Glossy' coating, designed to offer a ‘zero-haze' finish while maintaining true black depth. There's a lot to talk about, so let's dive into the review.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro
00:53 Key specs + pricing
02:03 Design, build
02:52 I/O + OSD
03:47 The new TrueBlack Glossy coating
05:14 Fringing and burn-in
06:13 Default panel performance
08:36 sRGB mode + calibration
09:24 Response times / motion clarity
11:08 Real-world gaming experience
12:04 HDR testing
14:27 Closing thoughts

Starting off with the 4th Gen panel from LG, this utilises Primary RGB Tandem technology, which basically means a new 4-layer stack compared to the 3-layer stack of prior panel generations. This offers three key benefits, being higher brightness, wider colour gamut and also significantly increased lifespan.

The panel itself is ‘only' a 1440p 280Hz spec, so it's not pushing boundaries in the same way as the 500+Hz OLEDs that are hitting the market, but it's still a very capable spec. That lower refresh also means pricing is perhaps surprisingly affordable for a monitor using the latest generation of panel, with this model listed at Scan for £520, putting it in very similar territory to most 1440p 240Hz OLEDs.

Specification:

• Panel size: 26.5″
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Color space (DCI-P3): 99.5%
• Panel type: WOLED
• Resolution: 2560×1440
• Display viewing area (HxV): 590.42 x 331.88 mm
• Display surface: Glossy (TrueBlack Glossy)
• Pixel pitch: 0.229mm
• Brightness (HDR peak): 1,500 cd/㎡
• Contrast ratio (typ): 1,500,000:1
• Viewing angle (CR≧10): 178°/178°
• Response time: 0.03ms (GTG)
• Color accuracy: △E < 2
• Display colors: 1.07B (10-bit)
• Flicker-free: Yes
• HDR support: HDR10
• Refresh rate (max): 280Hz
• ASUS OLED Care: Yes
• GamePlus: Yes
• Game Visual: Yes
• VRR technology: Yes (Adaptive-Sync)
• Extreme Low Motion Blur: Yes
• DisplayWidget: Yes (DisplayWidget Center)
• GameFast Input technology: Yes
• Shadow Boost: Yes
• Aspect control: Yes
• A.I. Assistant technology: AI Visual, Dynamic Crosshair, Dynamic Shadow Boost
• DisplayPort 1.4 DSC: 1x
• HDMI 2.1 (FRL): 2x
• Earphone jack: Yes
• USB hub: 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
• Speakers: No
• Digital signal frequency: HDMI 30–480 KHz (H) / 41–280 Hz (V); DP 480–480 KHz (H) / 41–280 Hz (V)
• Power consumption: <26.8W
• Power saving mode: <0.5W
• Power off mode: <0.3W
• Voltage: 100–240V, 50/60Hz
• 1/4″ tripod socket: Yes
• Tilt: +20° to -5°
• Swivel: +45° to -45°
• Pivot: +90° to -90°
• Height adjustment: 0–110mm
• VESA wall mounting: 100x100mm
• Lighting effect: Aura Sync
• Proximity sensor: Neo Proximity Sensor
• Kensington lock: Yes

Firmware tested: MCM102

The post ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQWMG Review (4th Gen Tandem OLED) first appeared on KitGuru.

Update: This competition is now CLOSED. Our winners today are Steven Hunter, Jonathan Ruelle and Ari Ray. If you missed out this time then keep an eye out as we still have plenty more giveaways left for December. Today's giveaway can be found HERE. 

For Day 19 of the KitGuru Advent Calendar we have teamed up with Netac to give THREE lucky winners an SSD upgrade! Each winner today will receive a Netac NV150HK M.2 NVMe SSD.

The Netac NV150HK is a PCIe 5.0 M.2 NVMe SSD offering extreme performance with sequential read speeds up to 14,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 13,000 MB/s. It also features DRAM and SLC caching, as well as intelligent thermal control for stability and heat dissipation.

How to Enter:

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is head over to our competition announcement post on Facebook, HERE. In the comments, leave an answer to the following question – What is the first game you would install on your brand new SSD? 

This competition is open worldwide.

The winner will be picked randomly shortly after 11AM GMT December 20th, and a new competition will be announced for Day 20. The chosen winner has 48 hours to respond, if we do not hear from them, a new winner will be picked.

Terms and Conditions: This competition is open worldwide, starting at 11AM GMT on December 19th and ending at 10:59AM GMT on December 20th. Due to the busy Christmas season, prize deliveries could take longer than usual, and some prizes may not ship until January. In compliance with GDPR, we will not collect or store any personal information as part of this competition. Once the winner has been contacted and their prize received, personal details will be deleted from our email servers. Your details will not be shared, we respect your privacy.

KitGuru Says: Good luck to all who enter, we'll be back tomorrow morning to announce a winner and turn the calendar over to Day 20!

The post KitGuru Advent Calendar Day 19: Win one of THREE Netac 1TB NVMe SSDs! (closed) first appeared on KitGuru.

Thermal Grizzly has been rolling out a wide range of products for those building custom liquid cooling loops. This week, a new range of fittings arrives in the DeltaMate line-up, including new options for matt nickel finish, new rotary fittings, extenders and more. 

DeltaMate fittings are precision-engineered from CNC-machined brass and sealed with durable EPDM O-rings, ensuring reliable performance while delivering standout style.

Below is a breakdown of the full DeltaMate fittings line-up so far:

Water Cooling Tube Fittings-

• DeltaMate Fitting – ST16 Black / Matt Nickel
• DeltaMate Fitting – HT16 Black / Matt Nickel

Water Cooling Rotary Fittings-

• DeltaMate Rotary – 90° Black / Matt Nickel
• DeltaMate Rotary – FF90° Black / Matt Nickel
• DeltaMate Rotary – T Black / Matt Nickel

Water Cooling Extender Fittings-

• DeltaMate Extender – MF7 Black / Matt Nickel
• DeltaMate Extender – MF10 Black / Matt Nickel
• DeltaMate Extender – MF14 Black / Matt Nickel
• DeltaMate Extender – FF14 Black / Matt Nickel
• DeltaMate Extender – MF28 Black / Matt Nickel

Water Cooling Accessory Fittings-

• DeltaMate Plug – Black / Matt Nickel

The fittings can be modularly combined with one another to easily adapt to almost any tubing layout. They support soft tubes with a 10/16mm diameter and hard tubes with a 16mm outer diameter.

You can find all of Thermal Grizzly's cooling gear HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on upgrading to a custom liquid-cooling loop? Will you be considering any of Thermal Grizzly's new products? 

The post Thermal Grizzly expands DeltaMate line-up with new fittings first appeared on KitGuru.

Nvidia has announced the next wave of titles receiving DLSS updates. Games like Ashes of Creation, Splitgate and AION 2 and more are due to support Nvidia's upscaling technology, alongside other RTX features.

ARK: Survival Ascended – Lost Colony, the first major canonical expansion for the remastered survival game, now launches with DLSS 4 and NVIDIA Reflex, giving players smoother performance as they confront the demons of Arat Prime. Ashes of Creation, Intrepid Studios’ ambitious massively multiplayer game, entered Early Access last week with day-one support for DLSS 4 and Reflex.

SPLITGATE: Arena Reloaded, a fast-paced arena shooter blending classic mechanics with portal-based combat, also integrates DLSS 4 to maximise frame rates. SEGA’s Yakuza Kiwami 2 has been updated with DLSS Super Resolution and Frame Generation, enhancing image quality and doubling performance for PC players.

AION2 will add DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation in a December 24th update, building on its existing support for DLSS Super Resolution and Reflex. Dying Light: The Beast, a survival horror set in Castor Woods, now features ray-traced lighting, reflections, and shadows alongside DLSS 4 and Reflex. Finally, Lost Ark has expanded its Korean client with DLSS Super Resolution and DLAA, giving players the choice between higher frame rates or improved image quality.

At The Game Awards, trailers for Phantom Blade Zero, Resident Evil Requiem, and PRAGMATA confirmed that RTX technologies will continue to feature prominently in upcoming releases. NVIDIA has also issued a new Game Ready Driver, so if you have a GeForce graphics card, be sure to update to the latest driver for optimisations for all of the games noted here, as well as bug fixes and other improvements.

KitGuru Says: Will you be playing any of this week's new releases? 

The post DLSS arrives in several new titles this week alongside new Nvidia graphics driver first appeared on KitGuru.

In recent weeks, the prices of memory kits have surged to record heights, effectively ruining any plans consumers may have had for upgrading their machines in the near future. One of the most popular memory makers, G.Skill, has now offered a statement, acknowledging recent price hikes.

Here is G.Skill's statement in full:

“DRAM prices are experiencing significant industry-wide volatility, due to severe global supply constraints and shortages, driven by unprecedented high demand from the AI industry. As a result, G.SKILL procurement and sourcing costs have substantially increased. G.SKILL pricing reflect industry-wide component cost increases from IC suppliers and is subject to change without notice based on market conditions. Purchasers should be mindful of the pricing before purchasing.”

The warning confirms reports that AI companies are behind the shortage, as they are buying up the vast majority of supply on the market. Recently, Micron, one of the biggest memory suppliers in the world, killed off its consumer-facing brand, Crucial, in order to focus all of its efforts on serving enterprise customers. Recent reports indicate that SK Hynix, another one of the world's leading memory suppliers, is expecting shortages to last until at least 2028.

This is likely to have a major impact on the PC market in the coming year, impacting desktops, laptops, and other memory-equipped devices like smartphones and yes, graphics cards too.

KitGuru Says: PC enthusiasts have been through this before during the crypto-mining boom, which made sensibly-priced graphics cards impossible to come by for a long time. Now, rather than crypto-farms, we are contending with massive enterprises all looking to build the most powerful AI systems possible.

The post G.Skill issues warning on rising RAM prices due to AI demand first appeared on KitGuru.

For months, Sony has been pushing ahead with its lawsuit against Tencent, claiming the company's game, Light of Motiram, infringes on its Horizon Zero Dawn IP. Now, the lawsuit has been settled, avoiding the need for a trial, and Light of Motiram has been removed from stores.

As spotted by The Game Post, new court documents reveal that Tencent and Sony have reached a settlement, the terms of which are confidential. However, we can clearly see that the game has disappeared from platforms like the Epic Games Store, indicating that delisting the game was indeed part of the agreement.

As the dispute has been settled, the lawsuit will now be dismissed. Crucially, it will be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be re-filed in court again at a later date, putting the issue to rest for good.

Light of Motiram was intended to be a large-scale survival-crafting game with mechanical beasts and cooperative play. However, much of its world, characters and assets looked like they would have belonged right at home in the Horizon Zero Dawn or Forbidden West games. One of the core reasons Sony wanted the game taken down was the fact that it has its own multiplayer titles on the way set in the Horizon universe, including a mobile and PC MMO from NCSoft. It has also been reported that Guerrilla Games' next major release will be a multiplayer spin-off for PlayStation.

KitGuru Says: Do you think Sony was in the right here, or did you think Light of Motiram looked different enough from Horizon to now raise alarm bells? 

The post Tencent delists Light of Motiram as Sony Horizon lawsuit settled first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD has updated its product lineup with a new entry-level SKU based on the RDNA 4 architecture. Dubbed the Radeon RX 9060 XT Low-Power, this new variant aims to deliver the same core specifications as the standard model while operating within a tighter thermal envelope.

The card was first found on AMD's China regional website (via ITHome) before appearing on the global domain. According to the official specifications, the primary differentiator for this “LP” model is a reduction in total board power. While the standard Radeon RX 9060 XT is rated at 160W, this new variant has been tuned down to 140W. Consequently, the recommended PSU requirement has dropped to a modest 450W, making it an attractive drop-in upgrade for pre-built systems with limited headroom.

Despite the reduction in power consumption, the silicon configuration appears untouched. The card uses a die featuring 29.7 billion transistors and retains the full 32 CUs and 2,048 stream processors found in its fully fledged sibling. The architectural breakdown includes 32 ray tracing accelerators and 64 AI accelerators, alongside 128 texture units and 64 ROPs. This suggests that, rather than cutting physical cores, AMD has likely applied more conservative clock-speed curves to meet the lower-power target. The card is equipped with 32 MB of AMD Infinity Cache and up to 16 GB of GDDR6 memory across a 128-bit bus, operating at up to 20 Gbps.

It is currently unclear whether this low-power variant will see a widespread retail release or remain exclusive to system integrators. Unlike high-end SKUs that face export restrictions, there is no regulatory reason to limit an entry-level GPU, reinforcing the theory that this is simply a specialized bin aimed at optimizing performance-per-watt for specific thermal environments.

KitGuru says: Shaving 20W off the TDP doesn't sound like much, but in the world of SFF builds and OEM power supplies, it can be the difference between a stable system and a shutdown. It will be interesting to see if this “LP” badge results in a tangible performance penalty in gaming.

The post AMD quietly lists low-power Radeon RX 9060 XT with 140W TDP first appeared on KitGuru.

The next round of games for GeForce Now has been announced. There are five new titles joining the cloud gaming library this week, including Obsidian's beloved Fallout game, New Vegas. 

Fallout New Vegas is one of the big headliners this week, arriving on the GeForce Now servers at the same time as the premiere for Amazon's second season of the Fallout TV series. This is the only game in the series developed by Obsidian Entertainment, becoming loved by fans for the amount of agency granted to players while crafting their characters.

Here is the full list of new games joining GeForce Now today:

• Pioner (New release on Steam, Dec. 16)
• Fallout: New Vegas (Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox, available on Game Pass)
• For the King II (Steam)
• Hogwarts Legacy (Steam, Epic Games Store (free until Dec. 18), and Xbox, available on Game Pass, GeForce RTX 5080-ready)
• LEGO Harry Potter Collection (Steam)

On top of this, Nvidia has also migrated another big game over to the GeForce Now Ultimate RTX 5080-powered servers – Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, coinciding with the release of the latest film this week.

KitGuru Says: Will you be playing any of this week's new GeForce Now titles? 

The post GeForce Now adds Fallout New Vegas, For the King 2 and more first appeared on KitGuru.