Magic’s Final Fantasy Commander Decks Just Dropped To Another All-Time Low Price at Amazon
The complete Final Fantasy Precons bundle is down to just $184.99 on Amazon, a massive $95 off list price and the best deal we’ve seen yet.
Just last week, it was $200, already a good discount, but this drop takes it to the equivalent of $46.25 per deck.
It's a remarkably good offering, especially with the likes of Final Fantasy 7’s Limit Break deck still stuck at $72.50.
Amazon labels it 34% off MSRP, but given how pricey these decks have been, that’s underselling it. This is a rare bargain, and it probably won’t stick around long.
If it disappears before you can lock it in, TCGPlayer currently has the four-pack going for around $180 to $200 as well.
As a reminder, here’s our ranking of the four decks, one of which features in our handy best MTG decks ranking (focusing on precon decks you can still buy and play right now).
4 - Revival Trance (Final Fantasy 6)
Revival Trance isn’t just themed around Final Fantasy 6, but specifically the back half of the story, with Celes leading the charge to rebuild the party after the world falls apart.
It’s a fitting premise for a “revival” deck, except for one small problem — there aren’t many cards here that actually bring fallen allies back from the graveyard, yours or anyone else’s. Add in the lack of any major reprints, and it feels like a missed opportunity.
3 - Scions and Spellcraft (Final Fantasy 14)
Final Fantasy 14’s Commander deck is somewhat of a rare beast insofar as it’s a spellslinger-style deck in Esper colors (White, Black, Blue).
As a result, its focus is on non-creature spells and dishing out damage with Y’Shtola, one of the two Commanders. It’s just a little slow to get going, needing you to pull out as much mana as possible in early turns to be able to start slinging those big spells.
Propaganda and Snuff Out are decent reprints, but there’s little else of big financial value.
But, if you don’t mind mixing up your Final Fantasy titles, Noctis, Prince of Lucis could be a really neat addition to the Scions and Spellcraft Commander precon.
He can pay life to get artifact spells from the graveyard, while Y’Shtola, Night’s Blessed can help you get some of that life back.
2 - Limit Break (Final Fantasy 7)
Final Fantasy 7’s deck is absolutely fantastic, and actually dovetails nicely with Fallout’s Scrappy Survivors precon from last year (as long as you're happy with yet another bold RPG crossover).
It’s all about getting your creatures to 7 power to trigger additional effects from Cloud or Tifa, while minimizing equip costs to allow you to switch gear and keep opponents guessing.
Reprint value is decent, too. Not only do you get Darksteel Plate, Sword of the Animist, and Fire-Lit Thicket, but Clever Concealment has some amazing new art of Cloud’s disguise.
Thanks to its Final Fantasy synergies, Stoneforge Mystic has been shooting up in both popularity and price.
This two-mana staple slots perfectly into the equipment-heavy Limit Break deck, tutoring out gear with ease, and the market has noticed, it’s jumped from under $20 to around $50 in recent listings.
That’s some serious stonks, and it could end up being a smart long-term pickup.
It’s all about counters, meaning you can buff your creatures, deal damage, and proliferate. It really could get out of hand quickly, and you can even get creative with the Summons in the deck, too.
Reprint-wise, you can get Walking Ballista, Damning Verdict, and Bane of Progress, all with new artwork.
Ever since Final Fantasy’s Universes Beyond set launched, there’s been a spike in pricing for any cards that involve the use of counters, thanks to the focus of the FFX deck helmed by Tidus.
One of the recent beneficiaries is Filigree Vector, from the March of the Machine set. It’s a four-cost White Artifact Creature that essentially arrives with +1/+1 counters and can proliferate, making it an ideal fit for the Blitzball star’s deck.
There's also Magistrate’s Scepter, a 3-cost artifact that can be powered up with charge counters then used to take an entire extra turn.
Given how quickly Tidus can get those counters, this Core Set 2019 card is now up to $5 from just a few cents a few weeks ago, and well worth adding to the best Final Fantasy MTG precon.
There's plenty of other great additions to this deck if you want to get creative, and one we also spoke about recently in our Crashers and Climbers column was Wave Goodbye, which sends a board’s worth of cards back to an owner’s hand if their cards don’t have a counter on them.
Looking forward to Fallout Season 2 on Amazon? Me too! Fallout’s MTG Commander Decks were all pretty great, but now you can nab one with a third off the MSRP.
Science! (don’t forget that exclamation mark) is an energy-based deck that uses Artifacts to generate additional resources that Dr. Madison Li can turn into card draw or reanimation. It’s perhaps not the easiest to use for newbies, but still well worth a look.
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.
gamescom 2025 is fully underway and there have already been a ton of huge reveals that have given a glimpse at the future of video games. We've already had Opening Night Live and a full day of previews and interviews and news, and we've decided to gather all the biggest moments right here to ensure you don't miss a thing.
So, check out everything below and continue to check back throughout gamescom to see what other surprises have been revealed.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 New Trailer Reveals Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies Details, Release Date, and Much More
The story of Black Ops 7 takes place in 2035 and is a follow-up to both Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. The campaign supports solo play of up to four-player co-op, with global progression for the first time for the franchise.
How Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's Campaign Weaponizes Fear
We talk to Call of Duty developers Miles Leslie and Natalie Pohorski at gamescom 2025 to find out how Black Ops 7's co-op campaign takes cues from the Batman Arkham games by using fear toxin as the basis of the weirdest COD missions we've seen yet.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Shows Up at Gamescom: Opening Night Live With Almost 30 Seconds of New Gameplay, as a Treat
While we still don't have a release date, Hollow Knight: Silksong showed up in a big way during ONL with a confirmation it will be out in 2025 and with almost 30 seconds of new gameplay. We also won't have to wait long to learn more about this much-anticipated game as there will be a "special announcement" taking place this Thursday, August 22.
"Yes, we've been waiting many, many years for this sequel, but everything at this stage points to it being worth it. Each aspect feels authored and prescribed to a clear vision — a piece of playable art that is as fun to wield as it is to watch (I should know, the gamescom queue was very long)," IGN's Simon Cardy wrote. "It may have been the shortest of demos, but so far, Silksong is very much singing to me, maybe even more than the original."
"The maximalism of Kirby Air Riders is its core charm; it feels brewed from impish, chaotic-neutral alchemy," our previewer, Leanne Butkovic, said. "Even Nintendo is calling this a “vehicle action game,” not a kart racer, which honestly seems apt – a silly genre distinction for a purposefully unserious game. It might not have been the sequel the people were clamoring for, but I’m glad that it exists."
Resident Evil Requiem Hands-On Preview
IGN's Dale Driver had a chance to play a 20-minute demo of Resident Evil Requiem, and one of the biggest things we took away from playing the game is that a new, unstoppable stalker could be the scariest one yet.
Resident Evil: Requiem Trailer Shows Fresh Look at Grace Ashcroft's Backstory, But Where's Leon?
Resident Evil: Requiem showed up in a big way at ONL with a new story and gameplay trailer that dives deep into our protagonist, Grace Ashcroft. However, we are still waiting for Leon S. Kennedy, where is he?!
Resident Evil Requiem Takes Stalkers to the Next Terrifying Level
The latest stalker in the Resident Evil series takes the chase to the next level, hunting Grace Ashcroft throughout the hallways of the small but impactful Resident Evil Requiem demo. IGN's Matt Purslow and Dale Driver got to go hands-on with the game and discuss their initial impressions of the latest Resident Evil game coming out in 2026.
Pragmata Aims to Break the Rules of Third-Person Shooters
Pragmata was playable at gamescom, and we said that, "while it produces a combat experience quite different to anything I’ve played before, I’m left wondering if that same level of ingenuity will be felt in Pragmata’s exploration and level design, too."
Pragmata Rethinks Shooting but Is That a Good Thing?
Capcom's Pragmata has a new system for shooting mechanics, asking you to do a hacking mini-game before each enemy encounter. It's a fresh take, but is it a good thing? After playing the Pragmata demo at gamescom 2025, IGN's Matt Purslow and Dale Driver have some mixed feelings, enjoying the innovation but with slight concerns that the process could wear thin over a full game.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Skillfully Sharpens a PS2 Classic for a New Generation
Onimusha: Way of the Sword brings back the franchise for the first time since the PS2 days, and we walked away from playing this new game in a very positive way.
"The gamescom demo may have been short – little more than some winding paths and a boss fight in a temple – but it’s more than enough to convince me that Onimusha: Way of the Sword is built on rock-solid swordplay fundamentals," IGN's Matt Purslow said.
Onimusha Could be as Sharp as Sekiro Without the Soulslike Difficulty
Is Onimusha: Way of the Sword a triumphant return for the long-dormant franchise? IGN's Matt Purslow and Dale Driver got to play the demo at gamescom 2025 and share their thoughts about the supernatural samurai fighting demon combat and the inevitable Soulslike comparisons. How does Onimusha compare to the obvious Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro comparisons? Let's find out.
LEGO Voyagers Might Already Be My Favorite LEGO Game Ever
"Will LEGO Voyagers have some poignant moment waiting for players near the end like fellow dialogue-free physics puzzle platformers Limbo and Inside? That remains to be seen, but even if it doesn’t, it’s clear that Voyagers intends to make its memories along the journey if not the destination. But hopefully it’ll do so in both."
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Announced, Featuring Open World Gotham
"Whether he’s the wrathful Dark Knight, the brilliant detective, or the unlikely father of the ‘Batfam,’ Batman has constantly evolved — shaped by the world around him while remaining a timeless symbol," said Jim Lee, President, Publisher, and Chief Creative Officer, DC.
"This game brings together nearly every facet of his legacy, letting you experience the full range of what makes Batman iconic. Built with incredible care, creativity, and deep respect for the mythos,TT Games has crafted a love letter to the world of Batman.”
Microsoft Still Can't Say How Much the ROG Xbox Ally X Will Cost Due to "Macro-Economic" Conditions, Despite Announcing Release Date and Availability Details
Speaking to IGN today at gamescom, Microsoft and Asus said the companies still needed "more time to figure out the macro-economic impact to pricing". The statement comes amid a backdrop of frequently shifting market conditions, fuelled by ever-changing US tariffs.
Xbox Hardware Boss Says 'Who Knows What the Future Entails' Following Report Company Had Sidelined First-Party Handheld Plans
Amidst reports that Microsoft has sidelined first-party handheld plans with Asus' ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X on the way, we chatted with Jason Ronald, Microsoft's vice president of gaming devices & ecosystems, to see what we could find out.
"We're just really excited about the partnership with Asus, we've found an ideal partner to bring their strengths with our strengths, and for us we're really focused on just growing the category overall," Ronald said.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Offers 2 Very Different RPG Playstyles
A team of former creatives behind The Witcher 3 are working on dark fantasy RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker, and our hands-off demo showed how the game is handling the parallel playstyles of human and vampire action.
Ghost of Yotei Trailer Confirms Free Legends Multiplayer DLC Coming in 2026
"Set against the backdrop of the classic Chinese folktale 'Zhong Kui Banishing Evil,' Black Myth: Zhong Kui is a single-player action role-playing game rooted in ancient Chinese fantasy," GameScience said. ---"The game will deliver distinctive experiences and gameplay features that push our limits, while also bringing fresh ideas and necessary changes to address past flaws and regrets."
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is Xbox's First Nintendo Switch 2 Game
Alongside a trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's The Order of Giants DLC, it was also confirmed that the adventure will be released on Switch 2 in 2026. The Order of the Giants, on the other hand, will be released on September 4 and expands on the game's Rome location and has Indy searching for the helmet of the Nameless Crusader.
Silent Hill f Gamescom Trailer Reveals Suzie Yeung as Hinako
Fallout Season 2 Trailer Reveals First-Look at a Deathclaw, Mr. House, and a Release Date
gamescom is about more than games, as it was the place where the debut trailer of Fallout Season 2 was revealed. The much-anticipated new season arrives on December 17 and will see Walton Goggins' Ghoul and Ella Purnell's Lucy finally getting to Vegas.
Fallout: Season 2 Trailer Ties The Ghoul's Origin Story to Mr. House
Elden Ring on Switch 2 Is a Disaster in Handheld Mode
We played Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition in handheld mode on Switch 2 and came away very disappointed with the game's performance, especially when in the open areas like Limgrave. Frame rate drops were significant when turning the camera whilst exploring outside of the tutorial area, and this, combined with a confusing button layout on Switch 2, made combat confusing and exploration fairly dispiriting. We weren't allowed to record gameplay at the booth, probably due to this fact, but you can hear our thoughts on Elden Ring Switch 2 handheld gameplay in this video. Elden Ring Tarnished Edition releases in 2025, so hopefully there's time for Bandai Namco to work on its performance.
Borderlands 4 Has The Weirdest Weapons You'll Ever See
Harlowe is the latest exciting addition to Borderlands 4's vault hunter line-up. Randy Pitchford, founder and president of Gearbox teases what we can expect from the Gravitar-class hero, plus he reveals more about some of areas to explore and billions (!) of gun combos there are to play around with.
How Ninja Gaiden 4 Continues Ryu's Legacy in New Ways
Ninja Gaiden 4's producer and director Yuji Nakao reveals why they shifted away from the much-loved character of Ryu to new face Yakumo, goes into detail about its combat upgrades, and discusses how Ninja Gaiden 4 will continue the challenge the series is best known for.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Legacy of the Forge DLC Trailer Reveals September Release Date and Henry's New Home
"Returning to Kuttenberg, Henry puts his blacksmithing skills to the test to acquire and repair a legendary burnt-down forge, where his father, Martin, spent his youth as an apprentice,” an official description for the Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Legacy of the Forge DLC says. “Venturing down memory lane, Henry learns of his father’s legacy as a blacksmith, revealing a part of his life that has remained hidden until now. Gaining new blacksmith prestige, Henry becomes a forge master, helping the people of Kuttenberg with sword crafting, armor-smithing, and other quirky requests.”
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 Is Finally a Reality — but Its Developer May Surprise You
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 is real, but is not being developed by Relic Entertainment. Instead, it is in development at King Art Games, the studio behind Iron Harvest. In Dawn of War 4, which looks to return the RTS series to its roots, will have four facitons, "deeply satisfying gameplay," and a "brutal, expanded Sync Kill system."
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 – First Impressions From a Series Veteran
"I certainly wasn't expecting a new Dawn of War any time soon, much less from a studio other than Relic," IGN's Leana Hafer wrote. "But from the bit of it I've played, it seems like King Art Games understands the assignment. As a Dawn of War 2 fan, I miss the emphasis on cover and move-and-fire tactics. But Dawn of War 4 has nevertheless made a big first impression. I can hardly wait to get dug in next year."
Lords of the Fallen 2 Gets Official Reveal Trailer, Still on Track for 2026
CI Games has given Lords of the Fallen 2 its big coming out party, and this 2026 sequel looks to to be shaped by community feedback after an inital rocky reception at launch of the original game. As for the gameplay, expect to explore two parallel worlds, an expanded Umbral realm, and shared campaign progression in online co-op.
21 Years After the Original, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 Finally Has a Release Date
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 - We FINALLY Played It
We also had the chance to play Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, and we came out of our play session "cautiously optimistic." We may not love the combat yet, but its a well-written and well-voiced mystery story that also lets me explore our urban hunting ground with cool movement abilities.
Project Spectrum Is Looking Extremely Weird and More Than a Little Creepy
We had the chance to play eight minutes of Project Spectrum, and our previewer, Travis Northup, said it "left me with as many questions as I got answers, with lots left unexplained about how exactly this weird idea will work, but it also showed signs of a fairly new take on the asymmetrical multiplayer genre that’s become one of my favorite pastimes in recent years."
Where Winds Meet's Open World Could Take You 150 Hours to Fully Explore
Brutal sword fights and mastering devastating combos are at the heart of Where Winds Meet, an open world ARPG in which the action is so relentless there's barely time to soak up the gorgeous visuals. It's also massive, as the development team behind the game reveals in this gameplay walkthrough.
Monkey Island's Ron Gilbert Is Making a New Roguelike RPG Where the Scrolling Screen Is Trying to Kill You (Again)
Monkey Island's Ron Gilbert is working on Death by Scrolling, a rouguelike RPG when players are pursued throught Purgatory by a constantly-scrollins screen and Death herself.
Monster Hunter Wilds and Final Fantasy 14 Collaborations Reveal New Content Coming This Fall
Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes Aims to Deliver an FTL-Like Roguelike
Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hope is basically a turn-based roguelike that's giving us big FTL vibes with a wonderful layer of Battlestar Galactica on top of it. In this game, you are actually a junker who is trying to catch up with the Galactica in hopes to find safe haven and, hopefully one day, find Earth.
Bubsy 3D Is Getting a Sequel, Almost 30 Years Later
Bubsy, that talking orange bobcat mascot from the 90s, is returning for a brand-new adventure called Bubsy 4D, and it will be the first new entry in the franchise since 1996's Bubsy 3D.
Denshattack! Might Be a Killer Blend of Tony Hawk and Jet Set Radio
If you love Tony Hawk and Jet Set Radio, you may want to keep an eye on Denshattack!, which has you riding a train instead of a skateboard or roller blades. In this game, you have to be the fastest train on the track by doing incredible tricks.
Valor Mortis Announced From the Developer of Ghostrunner
Ghostrunner developer One More Level is back with a new game called Valor Mortis, and it is a single-player, first-person soulslike that takes place in an alt-history Eastern Europe during a ficitonalized version of Napoleon's invasion. Valor Mortis will be released in 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Hangar 13 has released the first two hotfix patches for Mafia: The Old Country. These are small updates that will fix a few bugs. They will not add new content or bring any major overhauls to it. So, let’s take a closer look at them. The first hotfix patch came out on August 13th. That … Continue reading First Mafia: The Old Country Hotfix Patches Released and Detailed→
There’s something about a stacked digital sale that makes me cave, even when my backlog is immense. This idle Thursday's crop had me dusting off wishlists, rediscovering old gems, and even contemplating LEGO shelf space I simply do not have. From reimagined fighters and RPG epics to nostalgic throwbacks and indie brilliance, here’s the gear I’d happily obliterate my piggy bank (or yours) to own.
In retro news, I’m celebrating the 16th birthday of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again, one of the best DSi downloads I ever nabbed. Minis March Again bolstered the original formula with four more game worlds of 10 stages apiece. Along with the brilliant DIY level creator that let me wirelessly share my conundrums with friends, this was just more of the same stuff (old school Nintendo game design with pitch perfect puzzle platforming and high sheen visuals). Please remake more of this sizeable series on Switch, Ninty.
Aussie birthdays for notable games.
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (DSi) 2009. Similar
- Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (PS3/4) 2014. Get
On Switch, Street Fighter 6 has made a surprisingly smooth leap to handheld. I grew up with this franchise, and Capcom’s meticulous animation frames are a sight to behold at 60fps portable. Also, Hogwarts Legacy is cheap enough to justify a trip back to Hogwarts. Even if you’re not a Potter diehard, the sprawling open-world design is pure Avalanche Studio ambition.
Over on Series X, Dead Space is the rare remake that honours the original while terrifying you anew. The sound design still gives me goosebumps with every creak and hiss of the Ishimura. And then there’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, which quietly boasts one of the prettiest foliage renderers I’ve ever seen in a game engine.
PS5-wise, Astro Bot is the new crown jewel in PlayStation’s first-party line-up. Team Asobi’s attention to DualSense haptics makes even collecting coins feel magical. I’d also vouch for Dragon’s Dogma 2, which kept me experimenting with wild vocation builds for days.
PC is where I double-dipped for Mortal Kombat 1, just to watch fatalities in maxed-out ray tracing. It’s absurd in the best way. I also loved revisiting Assassin’s Creed Origins, which was Ubisoft’s first real step into the RPG formula it thrives on today.
LEGO is a wallet trap all its own. I’m eyeing off Mercedes-Benz G 500 because it nails both display and build value. And The Mandalorian Ambush looks destined to become a centrepiece for any Star Wars shelf.
Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube.
If you're a Windows user that's looking for an affordable PC that's as small as the Apple Mac Mini, then check out this deal from Amazon just in time for the Back to School season. Amazon Prime members can pick up the recently released AceMagic Vista Mini V1 Intel N150 Mini PC for just $130.26 shipped after you apply coupon code "SLICKDLV1". You do not need to be an Amazon Prime member. This is an excellent price for a complete PC that comes ready to go out of the box with a CPU, RAM, storage, and even the Windows 11 Pro operating system. AceMagic is a popular mini PC brand.
AceMagic Vista Mini V1 Intel N150 Mini PC for $130.26
The AceMagic Vista is small, really small, measuring 4" x 4" x 1.3". Obviously this limits the gaming capabilities, but the components are certainly good enough to run all of your every day tasks. The mini PC is equipped with an Intel N150 CPU with a max turbo frequency of 3.6GHz with four cores and four threads. It's a very low voltage chip, only using 6W at base power. You'll commonly find it in entry level Chromebooks and home NAS servers. It's paired with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a 512GB M.2 SSD. Windows 11 Pro is pre-installed, however a common suggestion with overseas mini PCs like these is that a fresh OS install is highly recommended to get rid of any bloatware. You will need to re-install the drivers.
There are plenty of connectivity options here. Running down the list, the ports include two USB 3.2 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, one 3.5mm audio jack, and one gigabit ethernet jack. It's also equipped with Bluetooth and WiFi 5 (802.11ac) wireless networking.
Here's another similarly priced, similarly spec'd option
The Kamrui Intel N150 Mini PC is also on sale right now for Amazon Prime members for just $136.63 after you apply coupon code "3UDQBYBG". The specs on this mini PC are nearly identical to the AceMagic Vista M1, with the only difference being the case design (even the type of ports and the layout are identical). Kamrui is, in fact, owned by the same parent company as AceMagic.
AceMagic Vista Mini V1 Intel N97 Mini PC for $130.13
If you want something a little more powerful, this model upgrades the N150 to the N97 CPU for just $7 more for Amazon Prime members. The N97 is an older processor than the N150, but it's a bit higher-end in Intel's stack, performing roughly 5%-10% better than the N150 in single and multi-threaded CPU benchmarks. That might not seem like much, but since these tiny processors don't have as much computing power as full-sized variants, every bit of performance matters.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Walmart is offering a great deal on a powerful prebuilt gaming PC. The CyberPowerPC gaming PC, fearturing an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU and GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, is on sale for $1899 shipped. This is the best price I've seen so far for a 9800X3D and 5070 Ti combo and it's also generously equipped with loads of RAM and SSD storage.
CyberPowerPC AMD 9800X3D RTX 5070 Ti PC for $1,899
The CyberPowerPC gaming PC (model number SLC7700WST) is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics card, 32GB of DDR5-6000MHz RAM, and a 2TB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD. The system is cooled by a total of four 120mm airflow fans in addition to the three 120mm fans that are part of the 360mm liquid cooling system. It's all housed in a CyberPowerPC rebadged Lian-Li Prism 321V ATX midtower PC case with panoramic glass windows.
The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Was Made for Gamers
According to Passmark, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the second fastest gaming CPU available right now trailing just behind the pricier 9900X3D. It features a max boost clock of 5.2GHz with 8 cores, 16 threads, and 104MB of L2-L3 cache This is an absolute monster of a processor for gaming, especially at this price point. It doesn't have as big of a core count as some other modern day CPUs, but most games can't utilize more than eight cores.
The RTX 5070 Ti GPU Has Excellent 4K Gaming Performance
Of all the Blackwell cards released thus far, the RTX 5070 Ti offers the best bang for your buck, especially when pitted against the previous generation GPUs. It performs neck-and-neck with the RTX 4080 Super and marginalizes the RTX 5080, which is only about 10%-15% faster but costs 33% more. Like all Blackwell cards, the RTX 5070 Ti supports DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation. This GPU is capable of high framerates in nearly all games, even at 4K resolution. If you plan on using this card for AI, the RTX 5070 Ti may be a better value since it has the same amount of VRAM as the RTX 5080.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
If your workstation or gaming desk requires both USB ports and AC outlets, here's a very inexpensive solution to your problem. Amazon is offering a Baseus 3-Port 3-Outlet Desktop Charging Station for just $11.99 after you clip both $4.50 off and 50% off coupons on the product page. This compact desktop charger features both USB Type-A and Type-C ports as well as AC outlets for the ultimate versatility.
Baseus 3-Port 3-Outlet Desktop Charger for $11.99
The Baseus charging station is shaped like a cuboid and is meant to sit long side down on the desk for stability. There are a total of six ports: one USB Type-A port, two USB Type-C ports, and three AC outlets. All three USB ports boast a 20W power output, although if you use more than one at a time the output steps down to 15W. The three AC outlets can deliver a total of 1,625W of power output and feature 12,000J of surge suppression. They're widely spaced apart and positioned on different sides so bulky power bricks won't block every outlet. The charging station is compact and won't take up much of your desk space since it uses GaN technology. For $12, what more can you ask for?
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
After over a month of zero units available, Dell Outlet has finally restocked its inventory of Clearance, Like New (Refurbished) and Scratch & Dent Alienware Aurora R16 gaming PCs. There are currently several dozen different configurations available, and they are priced very competitively. For example, you can pick up a well-equipped Alienware RTX 5080 gaming PC with a one year Dell warranty for under $2,000. Curiously, Dell Outlet also has a limited number of RTX 4090 gaming PCs in stock for reasonable prices. That's pretty surprising considering the fact that RTX 4090 GPUs are discontinued, difficult to find, and the resale value on them is spectacularly high at the moment.
Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 4090 PC Deals
Despite being a generation old, the GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card is still the second most powerful GPU on the market, besting even the new RTX 5080. It also has the second most amount of VRAM at 24GB, making it a great card for anyone dabbling in AI. Considering the fact than an Alienware RTX 5090 gaming PC will run you over $4,500, a sub-$3,000 RTX 4090 system sounds like a bargain. It's increasingly more difficult to find an RTX 4090 prebuilt at all, since Nvidia has already discontinued the GPU. The graphics card is also selling for abnormally high prices on eBay, even though RTX 5090 GPUs have come down in price and are more readily available.
Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 PC Deals
The RTX 5080 is the second best Blackwell graphics card, surpassed only by the $2,000 RTX 5090. It's about 5%-10% faster than the previous generation RTX 4080 Super, which is discontinued and no longer available. In games that support DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation exclusive to Blackwell cards, the gap widens. This is an outstanding card for playing even the latest games at 4K resolution with high settings and ray tracing enabled.
Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5070 Ti PC Deals
Among the new Blackwell releases, the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is probably our favorite model. It is definitely the most affordable Nvidia graphics card that I'd recommend for gaming in 4K with consistent frame rates of at least 60fps. Compared to the previous generation cards, it's roughly comparable to an RTX 4080 Super but with the added benefit of DLSS 4 and multi-frame generation.
Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5070 Deals
The RTX 5070 performs comparably with the RTX 4070 Super and is a solid choice for gaming at 1080p or 1440p at frame rates of 60fps or higher. The gap widens in favor of the RTX 5070 in games that support DLSS 4. For FPS gamers with 1080p monitors, this is a good budget option for achieving 144fps or higher for smoother gameplay.
Check out more Alienware Back to School deals
Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one of the best brands we'd recommend. Nowadays, the best Alienware deals are competitive compared to the cost of building your own PC with equivalent specs. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, and excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models). Best of all, there are plenty of sales that happen throughout the year, so it's not difficult to grab one of these computers at considerably less than their retail price.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Asus isn’t reinventing the wheel with the ROG Pelta headset. Though I originally thought the name was a typo, as I’ve tested Asus’s ROG Delta in the past, this is a distinct headset, and a pretty good one at that. There isn’t necessarily anything new to get excited about, with the ROG Pelta not advancing gaming headset technology in any way. But with a $155 price tag, solid audio chops, flexible connection options, and a very comfortable fit, the ROG Pelta still has a lot to offer those looking for a worthy gaming headset.
Asus ROG Pelta – Design and Features
The Asus ROG Pelta is perhaps the least original-looking headset I’ve seen. From the tall oval shape of the earcups, the half-arc yokes, and the elastic suspension headband design, this headset may not be a clone of SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova lineup, but they certainly rhyme. In fact, they look a little bit like a mix between the newer and older models of the Arctis Nova headsets.
All that said, there’s nothing to complain about from design. The oval earcups provide ample space for a comfortable fit around the ear, the cushions have substantial padding, and the elastic headband does a great job dispersing the weight of the headset. All that makes it exceedingly comfortable, though its weak clamping force rules out any headbanging.
The headset’s controls are all on the left earcup. You’ll find a three-way switch, making it easy to turn off the headset or select between Bluetooth and the dedicated 2.4GHz wireless connection. There’s a USB-C port here for charging and wired audio (although there is no 3.5mm analog input). Rather conveniently, the recessed charging port is also just the right size to fit the USB-C dongle, providing a nice spot to slot the little transmitter when you’re taking the headset on the go.
Combined with the breathable fabric of the earcups, this headset is great for lengthy gaming sessions.
There’s also a volume wheel that’s easy to get at without having to feel around a bunch. A mic mute switch sits above this, and when activated, a little light ring around the mic will illuminate. Below the volume wheel is a simple control button that can control playback and skip forward or backward on audio tracks. On the outside of each earcup, Asus has put its ROG logo with just a touch of RGB lighting to back it up. If you’re out and about using the headset and don’t want the RGB lighting, you don’t have to dive into Asus’s Armoury Crate software to turn it off – holding the mic mute button for 5 seconds will toggle the lighting.
Next to the USB-C port is a 3.5mm jack for the headset’s boom mic. While I find retractable options more convenient since you can’t lose them, the option to remove the mic is still nice when you’re not gaming. The mic comes with a little pop filter, too. The ROG Pelta are compatible with most platforms except Xbox. And since they don’t have an analog input or come with an adapter like the Razer BlackShark V3 does, you can’t wire them up to Xbox controllers either.
Asus ROG Pelta – Software
Like any Asus peripheral, the ROG Pelta uses the rather bloated Armory Crate for customization. The software includes a 10-band equalizer, custom EQ presets, virtual surround sound, bass boosting, and various other sound enhancements. There is also some customization for the microphone with a noise gate, a feature called perfect voice, and an echo cancellation and noise reduction toggle. In the separate settings menu, the headset supports microphone sidetone. And this is a nice clean feed from the microphone that sounds like what other people will hear.
You'll find some basic control from the lighting of the headset inside the software suite. Here you can select from a static color, breathing, strobing, color cycling, or synchronization with other devices using Asus's Aura Sync. The headset can also display an alert using the exterior lights when the battery is low.
Asus ROG Pelta – Gaming and Performance
One of the first things I noticed about the ROG Pelta was its pretty meager passive isolation. When using it out in public, I heard a lot of what’s going on around me. It’s all slightly muffled, so it’s not perfectly clear, but it’s still loud. This sees me having to turn up the volume a bit to overcome the outside environment, often to slightly uncomfortable volumes. However, the audio performance is impressive. Listening to some music, I was surprised by the width of the soundstage and stereo imaging, which was expansive. I heard very localized drums in “The Court of the Crimson King,” and everything sounded nicely spaced out, not crammed in like it can on some headphones. While you’ll probably get a wider soundstage from an open-back headset like the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, the ROG Pelta is no slouch.
That wide soundstage only helps out even more in games, making it all the more easier to pick out where sounds might be coming from, so the headset delivers when you’re in the thick of the action. It has booming bass, hitting notes deep down in the sub-bass territory with ease. Explosions? No sweat. With balanced sound, the ROG Pelta presents game audio wonderfully and is not guilty of over-emphasis at the expense of other frequencies. There’s also support for virtual surround sound that may prove interesting in some situations, but it shouldn't be left on all the time. Listening to people talk in YouTube videos, I noticed it was introducing a bit more hissy, echoey background noise. Thankfully, you don’t need to try using it to enjoy a clear picture of your surroundings in games, as the wide soundstage of the headset will already have you covered.
The Asus ROG Pelta is solid, delivering great sound for gaming and an exceptional microphone...
The microphone does pick up a little bit of background static with its default settings, but my voice is clear and relatively full. There's a noise gate option within Armoury Crate that can help eliminate that static, but it also lowers the overall volume of my voice. There's another feature called Perfect Voice that almost seems to do the opposite – it seems to boost some of the higher vocal frequencies while also elevating the static. Lastly, there's Echo Cancellation and Noise Reduction that also has the effect of eliminating some of that static, but it introduces more digital artifacting in my voice. Activating all three features together doesn't result in a great sounding vocal presentation. Overall, the best result was with a small noise gate applied. At that level I was very pleased with the sound of my voice in test recordings, and I found the ROG Pelta competing admirably against even wired headsets, which tend to outshine their wireless counterparts.
The battery life on the ROG Pelta is rock solid, with the headset offering a 70-hour runtime using its 2.4GHz mode with RGB lighting disabled. Having used it extensively in both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth modes with RGB on, I have yet to need to recharge the battery or get a low-battery warning from the headset throughout my testing period – to state it plainly, you can use it all week and just remember to plug in once. Better yet, the headset is really good about idling; it’s easy to forget to turn it off at the end of the day, but even then, I haven’t seen dramatic battery drain from this even after leaving it on overnight several times during testing. With a long battery life like that, you might be inclined to wear the headphones for long stretches. Thankfully, they are very comfortable. Combined with the breathable fabric of the earcups, these headphones are great for lengthy gaming sessions.
Severance star Tramell Tillman will reportedly make his Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day in an unnamed role.
Details on the latest casting news for the new Tom Holland Spider-Man movie come from Variety. The site says information about which character he’ll be playing remains under lock and key for now.
Audiences are most likely to recognize Tillman for his work on the severed floor in the Apple TV+ series Severance, where he plays unnervingly calm Mr. Milchick. It’s a role that’s earned the actor a spot in the minds of TV fans everywhere, but he’s also spent the last few years in other projects, such as Marvel’s animated Hulu show, Hit-Monkey. Tillman can also be seen for a few brief but memorable scenes in May’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Whether he’s set to appear in a minor cameo role or as a major MCU superhero, Tillman is only one of many names set to join Holland for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Stranger Things regular Sadie Sink is also attached to star as a mystery character, with Marvel veterans Jon Bernthal and Mark Ruffalo back to reprise their roles as The Punisher and Hulk, respectively. Michael Mando, who first showed up as Mac Gargan a.k.a. Scorpion for a cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming, is also reprising his role in next year’s new MCU film.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has a release date of July 31, 2026, and is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. Production began in Glasgow, Scotland, just a few weeks ago and has already resulted in a number of set images and videos crawling their way around the internet. Video highlights include footage of Holland’s Spidey riding and swinging around a moving tank, while some early images have shown Peter Parker visiting a cemetery and even sharing a few words with Zendaya’s MJ.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
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