Asus ROG is preparing for a high-impact presence at CES 2026, with teasers suggesting it will introduce its own RGB-stripe OLED monitors designed with improved text clarity. Alongside these displays, Asus is set to refresh its AM5 motherboard lineup with a new “Neo” series.

The most significant ROG display teaser centres on “zero fringing” technology. The language aligns perfectly with recent announcements from LG Display, which recently unveiled a 27-inch 4K OLED panel featuring an RGB stripe subpixel layout that promises to solve that same problem. Unlike current WOLED or QD-OLED panels, a standard RGB stripe matches how Windows and macOS render fonts, virtually eliminating the colour bleeding and blurring that have plagued OLED productivity. The upcoming Asus monitor is expected to utilise this exact panel technology. As such, one can expect 4K resolution, a 240 Hz refresh rate, and a dual mode with an alternative 1080p at 480 Hz preset.

Another teaser also shows Asus is also refreshing its motherboard stack with the “Neo” branding, covering ROG Strix, ROG Crosshair, TUF Gaming, and ProArt series. These woin't feature entirely new chipsets but rather a feature refresh of the X870E and B850 platforms. It's unclear what these new features are, but based on past mid-cycle motherboard refreshes, we assume these motherboards will bring improved connectivity, CPU support, and memory compatibility.

KitGuru says: Of the two products teased, which one are you the most interested in?

HKC has announced its presence for CES 2026, bringing a suite of world-first display technologies under its various sub-brands. The company is set to challenge the current OLED dominance with its new “RGB MiniLED” technology and push the boundaries of esports performance with a monitor capable of a staggering 1,080 Hz refresh rate.

In this lineup, HKC is highlighting the HKC M10 Ultra, which the company touts as the world's first monitor to feature RGB MiniLED backlighting. Unlike traditional MiniLED displays that use white LEDs filtered through a layer of quantum dots or colour filters, RGB MiniLED uses separate red, green, and blue diodes at the backlight level. This enables what HKC calls “true light-and-colour co-control”. The M10 Ultra features a 32-inch 4K panel with 1,596 physical dimming zones, which translates to 4,788 individual RGB colour control zones. Specifications are aimed at professional creators and high-end gamers, boasting 1,600 nits of peak brightness and near-total coverage of various colour gamuts: 99.9% DCI-P3, 99.9% Adobe RGB, and 98% BT.2020. It also supports a dual-mode refresh rate, switching between 4K at 165 Hz and FHD at 330 Hz.

For the competitive esports market, HKC's sub-brand AntGamer is set to steal the headlines with the ANT275PQ Max. After announcing the 750 Hz display earlier this year, the new model is being introduced as the world's highest refresh-rate QHD LCD. While it runs natively at 1440p, it features an “AI-powered” mode that allows it to reach 1,080 Hz at 1080p. To support this level of throughput, the monitor is expected to use the full DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 standard.

The lineup also includes the HKC M9 Pro, described as the world's first 5K AI esports monitor, which pairs a 5K resolution with 2,304 dimming zones and an 180 Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the Koorui brand will cater to the simulation and racing crowd with the S4941XO, a 49-inch OLED ultrawide offering a 5120 x 1440 resolution at 240 Hz.

KitGuru says: HKC is clearly not content with being a behind-the-scenes panel supplier. The M10 Ultra's RGB MiniLED tech is a fascinating technical pivot that could offer OLED-level contrast without the burn-in concerns. At the same time, the 1,080 Hz AntGamer display is a clear statement in the ultra-competitive FPS market.

Cygames has officially announced that the original Granblue Fantasy is coming to Steam. Revealed during the Granblue Fantasy Fes 2025 broadcast on December 28th, the title is scheduled for a worldwide release on March 10th, 2026, exactly twelve years to the day since its initial debut in Japan.

While the franchise has seen significant Western exposure recently through the Versus: Rising fighting game and the Relink action RPG, the original 2014 title remained a mobile and browser-only exclusive in Japan. Although a 2016 patch added an English-language option, Western players were forced to use Japanese browser workarounds or third-party app stores to access the game. This native Steam launch marks the first time the foundational title will be officially distributed in the West.

The Steam version is more than just a direct port of the mobile version. According to Automaton, Cygames confirmed that the game's layout is being overhauled for 16:9 screens. This is a significant change for a title built on decade-old web technologies, likely intended to make the combat and menu-heavy systems more palatable for desktop users.

The developer also confirmed there will be no account linking. Current players who have invested years into their browser or mobile accounts via Mobage, DMM, or Yahoo! Japan will not be able to transfer their progress. The Steam version will act as a completely separate ecosystem, requiring all users to start a fresh game. Furthermore, while the release is intended for the global market and includes English support, Cygames has confirmed it will be geoblocked in Japan, likely to avoid cannibalising its existing mobile player base.

KitGuru says: It is a bizarre decision to block account transfers for a game that is famous for its extreme longevity and “forever” grind. While the 16:9 widescreen update is a welcome technical improvement, forcing veterans to choose between their decade of progress and a native Steam client is a tough pill to swallow.

Asus is raising the bar for professional-grade monitors with the introduction of the PA27UCDMR, a 26.5-inch addition to the ProArt lineup that bridges the gap between high-speed gaming specifications and critical colour accuracy.

As shared by DisplaySpecifications, the PA27UCDMR is built around a 4K UHD QD-OLED panel with a 166 PPI pixel density, ensuring fine details remain sharp. While OLED is often associated with entertainment in the monitor market, Asus has tailored this specific model for the creative studio by incorporating a true 10-bit colour depth and near-total coverage of professional gamuts, including 99% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB.

The motion handling is where the ProArt PA27UCDMR deviates from traditional creative displays. With a 240 Hz refresh rate and a 0.1 ms G2G response time, the monitor can handle high-frame-rate video review and game development workflows. This speed can then be paired with dynamic range support for HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision content. Moreover, the monitor is VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black-certified.

The PA27UCDMR has an integrated hardware calibration solution, meaning you can calibrate it without relying on software-level profiles. This allows the user to switch between different systems without losing the preset. The inclusion of the Asus ProArt Calibration software, alongside compatibility with Calman and Light Illusion systems, reinforces its position as a tool for colour perfectionists. Furthermore, built-in ambient light and proximity sensors enable the display to dynamically adjust its brightness based on the studio environment or user presence.

Connectivity is equally good, headlined by a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports that support daisy-chaining and deliver up to 96W of power to a connected laptop. This single-cable solution is complemented by DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 inputs, alongside a high-speed USB 3.2 Gen 2 hub. Mechanically, the monitor offers the full suite of ergonomic adjustments, including a 130 mm height range and the ability to pivot to a vertical orientation, ensuring it fits virtually any professional workspace.

KitGuru says: The ProArt PA27UCDMR is a formidable entry into the professional market, effectively silencing the argument that you have to choose between high refresh rates and professional colour accuracy.

Nihon Falcom has released its latest “Business Plans and Growth Potential” report detailing its plan toward global self-publishing and multi-platform development. After a successful fiscal 2025 driven by the worldwide success of the Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter remake, the legendary JRPG developer is doubling down on its independent publishing efforts for the Nintendo Switch, the recently launched Switch 2, and the PlayStation 5.

As shared by Gematsu, the report includes a roadmap with multiple upcoming titles. Still, the most significant is probably the formal scheduling of Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter (the remake of Trails in the Sky SC), which is now locked for a fall 2026 release. Following the momentum of its predecessor, the title will launch simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. This simultaneous global release strategy marks a significant shift for Falcom, which historically relied on third-party partners for ports and regional launches.

Besides this remake, the internal roadmap reveals several high-priority projects currently in active development. Most notable is “Title C”, a new entry in the Tokyo Xanadu series. The 2026 schedule also includes a yet-to-be-announced “New Title” and a “Ported Title”, both aimed at the mid-year window.

Looking further ahead, the document confirms that unannounced mainline entries for both the Ys and Trails series (specifically referred to as Title I and Title H) are in production. The company is also exploring the potential of the Switch 2 for ports of its existing catalogue, with at least one dedicated Switch 2 port currently listed as “In Development”.

KitGuru says: Are you a fan of Falcom games? Which series is your favourite? Interested in any of Falcom's upcoming titles?

LG has unveiled a new lineup of high-end gaming monitors ahead of CES 2026, introducing a new flagship sub-brand named UltraGear evo. Designed to sit above its standard gaming lineup, the “evo” series prioritises high resolutions while aiming to overcome the hardware barrier to 5K gaming through integrated on-device AI upscaling.

The feature that sets all these new monitors apart is LG's proprietary 5K AI upscaling solution. LG claims this is the world's first on-device upscaler capable of taking lower-resolution signals and outputting them with “5K-class clarity” without taxing the user's graphics card. By moving the heavy lifting of spatial reconstruction from the PC to the monitor's internal scaler, LG suggests that gamers may even be able to skip a GPU upgrade.

The lineup includes the 39GX950B, a 39-inch 5K2K (5120×2160) ultrawide that uses LG's Primary RGB Tandem OLED technology. This “four-stack” architecture, which stacks multiple light-emitting layers, improves peak brightness and panel longevity compared to traditional WOLED. For enthusiasts who split their time between immersive sims and Twitch shooters, the 39-inch model features a Dual Mode toggle that lets users switch between 165 Hz at 5K2K and a blistering 330 Hz at WFHD.

For those who prefer high-brightness HDR over perfect blacks, the 27GM950B arrives as the world's first 5K “New MiniLED” monitor. This 27-inch display addresses the common “blooming” or haloing issues found in older MiniLED designs through LG's Zero Optical Distance engineering. By physically minimising the gap between the 2,304 local dimming zones and the panel itself, LG claims it has achieved professional-grade optical clarity. This model also supports Dual Mode, reaching up to 330 Hz at QHD resolution with a peak brightness of 1,250 nits.

Rounding out the “evo” family is the 52G930B, currently the world's largest 5K2K gaming monitor. With a 52-inch diagonal and a 1000R curvature, it offers a 12:9 panoramic aspect ratio. Despite its sheer scale, it maintains a native 240 Hz refresh rate. Finally, for those who crave high refresh rates, LG confirmed that the UltraGear GX7 (27GX790B) will go on sale the day CES 2026 opens. This QHD Tandem OLED display reaches a native 540 Hz, with a secondary Dual Mode pushing to 720 Hz at HD resolution, directly challenging the latest TN and Fast-IPS esports panels.

KitGuru says: G's push into 5K AI upscaling is a clever move to mitigate the rising cost of GPUs. If the on-device processing can truly deliver a crisp 5K image without the shimmering associated with poor spatial upscalers, it could change how we value high-pixel-density monitors.

Sapphire has officially entered the “cable-less” PC building arena with the launch of its Nitro+ PhantomLink series. Currently debuting in the Chinese market, this release signals Sapphire's adoption of the back-connector power delivery standard, offering a solution to the cluttered aesthetics that often plague high-end builds. The new lineup includes a dark grey motherboard, a limited white edition motherboard, and a GPU.

According to VideoCardz, Sapphire's implementation of the Asus-pioneered BTF 2.5 (GC-HPWR) standard is named PhantomLink. By using a high-power header adjacent to the primary PCIe slot, the graphics card draws power directly from the motherboard. This eliminates the need for the traditional power cables that typically trail across the front of the chassis. For builders not yet ready to commit to a specialised motherboard, Sapphire has wisely opted for a detachable GC-HPWR module, allowing the card to function with standard hardware via a traditional 12V-2×6 connector.

Image credit: VideoCardz

To complement the new GPUs, Sapphire has also unveiled two matching motherboards built on the AM5 X870E chipset: the Nitro+ X870EA PhantomLink and the Nitro+ “Aurora” X870EA PhantomLink Polar Edition. These boards act as the power delivery hub for the system, featuring a rear-mounted power interface that keeps all primary cabling hidden behind the motherboard tray. Beyond the aesthetic clean-up, these boards are high-spec enthusiast offerings, featuring support for PCIe 5.0 storage and graphics, as well as modern connectivity standards like Wi-Fi 7 and USB4.

Underneath the hood, the Nitro+ RX 9070 XT PhantomLink shares identical specifications (via VideoCardz) with the standard Nitro+ model, featuring 4,096 stream processors and a core clock that boosts up to 3,060 MHz. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory sits on a 256-bit bus operating at 20 Gbps, supported by 64 MB of Infinity Cache. Sapphire has also included a safety feature: a “PWR CONFLICT” LED that prevents the card from operating if a user accidentally connects both the PhantomLink header and the traditional 12V-2×6 cable simultaneously.

While these products are currently appearing on Chinese retail sites, a broader global rollout is expected to follow, likely coinciding with CES 2026. In terms of pricing, the Titanium model is listed at 5,799 RMB (approximately £611), while the white Aurora edition carries a premium at 5,999 RMB (roughly £632).

KitGuru says: Sapphire is clearly banking on the “clean build” trend becoming standard. While the reliance on a specific motherboard remains a barrier to entry, the inclusion of a detachable adapter makes this a much more sensible purchase for those planning a multi-stage system upgrade.

In recent weeks, DDR5 memory prices have begun skyrocketing due to a shortage brought about by AI companies buying up the majority of available DRAM supply. Gamers may be able to work around the shortages with a little ingenuity though, as desktop RAM can be replaced by SODIMM modules with the use of an adapter. 

Hardware Canucks (via Videocardz) put this idea to the test in a recent video to see how viable it is. By going to the used SODIMM memory market, PC builders can save a decent amount of money compared to current desktop RAM prices. As 3DCenter points out, these adapters are currently very cheap as well, so an end user would be looking at a 30% saving when buying 16GB of DDR5 SODIMM memory, plus an adapter, versus buying the equivalent amount of desktop memory at current prices.

However, this cost-saving measure is not without technical caveats. These adapters are fundamentally a hack, designed for repurposing spare hardware. Desktop motherboards are engineered for specific trace lengths and signal integrity, and introducing an additional physical interface via a passive adapter inherently degrades the quality of that signal path. Consequently, users should expect to lose some performance. Laptop modules typically operate with much looser timings and lower clock speeds than desktop kits from the likes of Corsair or G.Skill. To maintain system stability, further downclocking may be necessary to compensate for the electrical noise introduced by the adapter's additional circuitry.

This trend follows other DIY measures we've seen, such as the rise of “solder-it-yourself” memory kits. While these SODIMM adapters are a far more accessible solution that doesn't require specialised electronics knowledge, they represent a similar level of desperation in the current market. For gamers who have spare SODIMM sticks from an old gaming laptop or access to cheaper mobile stock, the adapter offers a viable bridge to a functional PC, even if it means sacrificing the low-latency performance of desktop modules.

KitGuru says: This may be a good workaround in a pinch, but we wouldn't necessarily recommend running your PC this way. 

After launching the compact Node 75, NuPhy has officially unveiled the Node 100, a new low-profile mechanical keyboard with a retro minimalist design and an 1800 layout. Designed for users who need a full numpad without the desk-consuming footprint of a standard 104-key board, the Node 100 is available in three colours and three switch options.

The Node 100 retains the design elements of its smaller sibling, most notably the dot-matrix LED indicators on the left and the touch-sensitive strip on the right, which allows intuitive shortcuts and media controls. Despite its premium features, NuPhy has kept the price competitive, starting at $99.95 (with a $10 discount). This is achieved through a high-quality plastic construction with a PCB gasket mount system, ensuring a bouncier typing experience.

NuPhy is launching the Node 100 in two distinct configurations. The low-profile variants are aimed at the “productivity on the go” crowd, featuring a slim front height of just 13.8 mm and weighing in at 787 g. It uses NuPhy's Low-Profile Nano switches (based on Gateron's LP 3.0 tech) and dye-sublimated nSA profile PBT keycaps. The high-profile options are for the traditional desk setup, with a front height of 18.9 mm and double-shot PBT keycaps in the mSA profile.

Both versions feature two-stage adjustable feet, offering typing angles of 6°, 9°, or 12°, and support tri-mode connectivity: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless, and wired USB-C. Moreover, the two versions can be acquired in dark gray, pink, or white with linear, tactile, or silent mechanical switches.

Under the hood, the Node 100 runs on NuPhyIO firmware, which is fully programmable through a web interface. Battery life promises to be quite good: with south-facing RGB lighting disabled, the low-profile model (3,000 mAh) and the high-profile model (4,000 mAh) last up to 1,000 hours on a single charge. Even with the lights on, users can expect roughly 100 hours of wireless use.

Moreover, NuPhy is releasing the 3D reference files for the keyboard. This allows users with 3D printers to create custom accessories for the Node 100's top rail. Pre-designed files include everything from pen holders and phone stands to LEGO-compatible mounts, making the keyboard a literal playground.

KitGuru says: The Node 100 looks like a perfect blend of minimalism, enthusiast features, complete layout, and a decent price point. While you may find equivalent or even better standard/high-profile keyboards at this price, in the low-profile market, it can be challenging to find one this promising.

The horror hit Buckshot Roulette continues to defy the typical trajectory of indie titles. Developer Mike Klubnika and publisher Critical Reflex have announced that the game has officially surpassed 8 million copies sold on PC, an impressive figure for a project that began as a small-scale experimental release.

To put that 8-million-unit milestone into perspective, the game has now outpaced several major AA and AAA releases of the year, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the lifetime sales of the entire Octopath Traveler franchise. Perhaps most impressive is that these numbers represent actual sales of a PC-exclusive game, as Buckshot Roulette has never been part of a subscription service like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus. The game's success seems to stem from its mechanical hook: a high-tension game of Russian roulette played with a 12-gauge shotgun in a grime-streaked basement.

On not-so-bright news, fans waiting for the promised console versions will have to wait a bit longer. Initially slated for a late 2025 release, the ports have now been pushed back to 2026. Critical Reflex cited “technical difficulties” as the primary reason for the delay. The game was built in the Godot engine, and the team is reportedly working through specific optimisation hurdles to ensure the console experience matches the PC original's atmosphere and responsiveness. Despite the delay, the franchise is expanding into the physical realm, but not as a release. Over the next year, fans can expect a physical release of the game's soundtrack, along with new merchandise.

For now, the only place to play Buckshot Roulette is on PC via Steam and Itch.io. With a multiplayer update already proving popular throughout 2025, the game appears well-positioned to maintain its momentum until it finally hits consoles next year.

KitGuru says: Eight million copies for a game about shooting yourself in a basement is a testament to how much “vibes” and a strong mechanical hook matter in the indie space.

Windows users have long relied on the default disk.sys driver for storage management, a component that has mainly remained fundamentally unchanged since its introduction in 2006. While Windows has supported the NVMe protocol since Windows 8.1, the legacy driver continues to treat modern high-speed solid-state storage as a legacy SCSI disk. To address this bottleneck, Microsoft has officially introduced nvmedisk.sys for Windows Server 2025, but apparently, Windows 11 25H2 also has it hidden away.

The team over at Notebookcheck tested this new driver on a Windows 11 PC, and as promised by Microsoft, the deeper NVMe awareness appears to be paying dividends in raw throughput. The testing suggests that nvmedisk.sys provides a measurable performance uplift across both sequential and random read/write workloads compared to the old driver. By bypassing the legacy SCSI translation layer, the new driver allows the OS to interface more directly with the flash controller, reducing overhead and improving latency on high-end drives such as the Samsung 990 Pro and Crucial T705. You can find the results before and after installing the new driver below:

Image credit: Noteboocheck

Although impressive, enthusiasts looking to force the transition should proceed with extreme caution, as the driver is not yet enabled by default for all hardware configurations. Current reports indicate that forcing nvmedisk.sys via registry modifications can lead to severe system instability or a total failure to boot if the underlying SSD controller lacks specific compatibility hooks. To verify which driver your system is currently using, users must navigate to Driver Details in Device Manager.

Given the potential for data loss or unbootable partitions, we strongly advise against manually switching drivers without a full-disk backup at hand. While the performance gains are enticing for those chasing benchmark records, the new driver is still in a soft launch.

KitGuru says: It is about time Microsoft retired a driver stack from 2006 for high-end storage. The question that remains is when it will arrive at a stable build.

LG Display is unveiling its new OLED technology ahead of CES 2026. The company has officially announced the development of the world's first 27-inch 4K OLED panel featuring an RGB stripe structure and a 240Hz refresh rate. This new monitor promises to address the most persistent complaint regarding OLED monitors: text clarity.

While OLED has long dominated in contrast and response times, the technology has struggled with productivity tasks. Current-generation WOLED panels typically use an RWGB structure, while QD-OLED uses a triangular RGB arrangement. Both configurations often cause “color bleeding” or “fringing” around text because modern operating systems like Windows are designed for the standard vertical RGB stripe found in traditional LCDs. By successfully implementing a true RGB stripe at 4K resolution, LG is promising a monitor that is finally as capable for spreadsheet work and coding as it is for high-end gaming.

The breakthrough isn't just about clarity, however. This new panel is the first of its kind to maintain the RGB stripe while pushing to 240Hz. To achieve this, LG applied new manufacturing techniques to increase the aperture ratio (the physical area of the pixel that emits light), allowing for higher brightness and faster refresh cycles without the need for an extra white subpixel found in standard WOLEDs.

For competitive gamers, the panel also features LG's Dynamic Frequency & Resolution (DFR) technology. This “dual-mode” capability allows users to switch between the native UHD (4K) at 240Hz for immersive gaming and a high-speed FHD (1080p) at 480Hz mode. We expect to see the first retail monitors using this panel at CES 2026.

KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of making the jump to an OLED monitor in 2026?

Samsung is setting an aggressive tone for CES 2026 with a new wave of high‑end monitors that mark several technical firsts for the company. The updated Odyssey lineup introduces a 1040Hz refresh rate, a glasses‑free 6K 3D display option, and broad adoption of DisplayPort 2.1 across its top models, signalling a clear push toward next‑generation bandwidth and visual performance.

Leading the announcement is the Odyssey 3D (G90XH), a 32-inch 6K (6144 x 3456) IPS monitor that aims to succeed where previous 3D efforts failed. By using real-time eye-tracking cameras and a lenticular lens layer, the G90XH delivers a glasses-free 3D experience that adjusts perspective based on the user's head position. While it runs natively at 165Hz, it features a “Dual Mode” that drops the resolution to 3K to enable a 330Hz refresh rate. Some games getting dedicated optimisations for this monitor include Stellar Blade and Lies of P.

For competitive gamers, the Odyssey G6 (G60H) is likely to be the most talked-about display of the year. This 27-inch QHD IPS monitor is the first in the world to break the four-digit refresh rate barrier, reaching 1040Hz in its “Dual Mode” (at HD resolution). Even at its native QHD resolution, the panel maintains a staggering 600Hz refresh rate.

The Odyssey G8 series has also been expanded into a trio of high-resolution displays. The first is the G80H, a 32-inch 6K IPS model that mirrors the resolution of the 3D flagship, offering 6K at 165Hz or 3K at 330Hz. Then there's the G80HF, a 27-inch 5K variant running at 180Hz natively or 360Hz in QHD mode. Lastly, the G80SH is for the OLED enthusiasts, featuring a 32-inch 4K QD-OLED panel. This model stands out by being VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500-certified and supporting DisplayPort 2.1 with UHBR20, providing up to 80Gbps of bandwidth.

All five models support AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and are Nvidia G-Sync Compatible. Samsung also stated that it will be showcased at CES 2026.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Samsung's 2026 Odyssey line-up so far?

Gigabyte has introduced the product page for its GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Windforce OC V2, a revision to the original GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Windforce OC that apparently doesn't use the “server-grade thermal conductive gel” that has been criticised by many users for leaking. This marks a departure from the cooling strategy the company heavily promoted at the start of the year.

The saga began earlier in 2025 when early adopters of the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 50 and Radeon RX 9000 series cards reported a viscous material oozing from beneath their heatsinks. This phenomenon was particularly prevalent in systems with vertical GPU mounts, where gravity caused the non-solid gel to drip away from the components, such as VRAM and MOSFETs. At the time, Gigabyte issued a formal statement defending the choice, claiming the leakage was a purely cosmetic result of over-application during early production runs. The manufacturer maintained that the substance could withstand temperatures up to 150°C and would not impact the reliability or longevity of the hardware.

Image credit: Uniko's Hardware

Despite that, the release of the RTX 5070 Ti Windforce OC V2 suggests a rethink behind the scenes. As spotted by Uniko's Hardware (via VideoCardz), the updated specifications and product imagery reveal that standard thermal pads have replaced the thermal gel. Gigabyte has not provided a formal reason for the swap, but given the reports, most would assume the gel would be the leading cause.

However, the thermal interface isn't the only aspect of the card to see a refresh in this second iteration. The Windforce OC V2 features a significantly altered physical footprint compared to the original SFF-focused design it replaces. The new shroud is approximately 43mm shorter, using a triple-fan array of smaller 80mm fans. Moreover, the PCB layout appears to have been modified, with relocated screw positions and the removal of the dual-BIOS switch found on the first generation. The backplate has also been redesigned with new visuals.

KitGuru says: There is more to this revision than the replacement of thermal materials, but that is the big one. New buyers will no longer have to worry about potential leakage. 

Square Enix has announced that the Octopath Traveler franchise has officially surpassed the six-million-unit sales milestone globally. This figure represents a significant jump from the five million units recorded in December 2024, suggesting that the series’s expansion to new platforms and the recent launch of a new entry have boosted its commercial momentum.

The original Octopath Traveler, which first debuted on the Nintendo Switch in 2018 before migrating to PC, Xbox, and eventually PlayStation 4 and 5, remains the primary driver of these figures. To date, the first game has sold over 3 million units. Its sequel, Octopath Traveler II, has contributed over one million units since its early 2023 launch.

The most recent growth in the series’ figures can be attributed to the release of Octopath Traveler 0 on December 4th. Serving as a prequel to the original and a clean version (no microtransactions) of the mobile title Champions of the Continent, this latest entry launched on day one across nearly all current hardware, including the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

With the series now established across almost every modern ecosystem, Square Enix is celebrating the milestone with various digital storefront discounts (up to 60%) on the first two titles.

KitGuru says: Did you play any Octopath Traveler games? Do you think Square Enix should keep investing in this series?

Games industry veteran and Respawn Entertainment founder, Vince Zampella, has passed away. Zampella had been a leader at Infinity Ward before forming his new studio, Respawn Entertainment, and then joining EA. 

According to NBC Los Angeles, authorities have confirmed that Zampella's vehicle had been involved in a crash in the San Gabriel Mountains on Sunday afternoon. A Ferrari struck a concrete barrier and then burst into flames.

As a co-founder of Infinity Ward, Zampella was one of the minds behind the Medal of Honor and Call of Duty franchises. Following a high-profile departure from Activision, Zampella co-founded Respawn Entertainment, where he continued to innovate with the release of Titanfall and its sequel.

Beyond shooters, Zampella’s leadership at Respawn oversaw the development of the critically acclaimed Star Wars Jedi games. Most recently, he had also been aiding the direction of the Battlefield series, including Battlefield 6.