Seeing as how it's one of the few components still selling at a somewhat reasonable price, near MSRP or even better some times.  MSI added less yellow to the second version…

AMD is busy announcing new chips at the Mobile World Congress, including two new desktop processors called the Ryzen AI 400 and PRO 400 as well as an 84-core EPYC for telecom…

The third course in Walkabout Mini Golf's Passport series takes a trip back to the golden age of filmmaking.

The thirty-ninth course for Walkabout Mini Golf has been confirmed to be Passport: Hollywood. This is the third Passport entry, following trips to Venice and Tokyo. This new DLC is scheduled for March 12 for $4.99.

Prior to VR development, the team at Mighty Coconut spent ten years working in animation and VFX for Hollywood features and series. Many of its current team members have film backgrounds, so Passport Hollywood doubles as a love letter to the company's cinematic roots.

March 12 is also three days before the annual Academy Awards, so the timing for this course lines up with an increased attention on the filmmaking industry.

Walkabout Mini Golf Creator Lucas Martell Makes A Sandbox For Artists To Play Inside

Walkabout Mini Golf follows Alice down the rabbit hole into Wonderland this week. We sat down with game director Lucas Martell for an in-depth Q&A.

UploadVRIan Hamilton

Passport Hollywood is the first DLC for Walkabout under its new pricing structure, which was announced as part of a restructuring within Mighty Coconut following a twenty-five percent staff layoff. There will also be a reduction in DLC courses in 2026, going from seven to six and development of the iOS version will sunset sometime in the near future.

We will have full coverage of the Passport Hollywood course when it releases next week.

Walkabout Mini Golf is available on Steam, PSVR2, Quest, Pico, and Apple App Store. The game is also available as part of Meta's Horizon+ subscription service.

While fans have been eagerly awaiting the announcement of a brand new first-party Nintendo Direct showcase, the console maker has seemingly been doing everything but; having gone live with a partner showcase, a Nintendo Treehouse stream, and now an Indie World event. Set to go live later today, the relatively short presentation will include 15 minutes of new and upcoming Switch releases.

Taking to Twitter to make the announcement, the official Nintendo UK page shared the following: “Join us, March 3rd at 14:00 (UK time) for a new #IndieWorld Showcase! Tune in for roughly 15 minutes of news and updates on indie games coming to #NintendoSwitch2 and #NintendoSwitch.”

While quite a short showcase, Nintendo’s Indie Worlds are typically rather rapid in their announcements, and so it is possible we will still get quite a few notable titles unveiled.

Curiously, the Japanese version of the showcase is set to be 10 minutes longer, landing at roughly 25 minutes long, suggesting that it could include a number of region-exclusive releases.

As mentioned, many fans have been waiting for the official announcement of a new mainline first-party Nintendo Direct, and so the confirmation of an Indie World instead could be disappointing.

That said, indies are the lifeblood of the industry, and so it is always interesting to see what these smaller teams have been cooking up. The Indie World showcase goes live later today at 2PM UK time.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for the Indie World showcase? When do you think we’ll get the next mainline Direct? Let us know down below.

We first saw the new Intel Panther Lake laptop chip in action at their event in Arizona last October, and today we can review the finished result. This 2026 Asus Zenbook Duo packs the most grunty Panther Lake of them all, the Core Ultra X9 388H. The hardware includes 16 CPU cores and 12 Xe3 graphics cores but the headline feature is the Duo part of the name which refers to the dual 14-inch OLED screens. As you will see, it is pretty nifty.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
01:11 Meet the Duo!
02:02 Duo-screen basics and functionality
05:16 The quirks of the design
06:16 Core spec
07:25 CPU benchmark results
10:40 System test results
10:10 Game benchmarks
15:07 We’ve not taken it apart…
15:44 Dual batteries – does that explain benchmark curiosities?
17:04 Leo’s pros and cons

Features

• The most compact Zenbook Duo ever with new hideaway hinge design and nearly 20-inches expansive view.
• Perfect for mobile multitasker to enjoy professional-grade viewing: Dual 14-inch 3K 144Hz Asus Lumina Pro OLEDs, 1000 nits touchscreen display. Anti-reflection clarity outdoors.
• Lightweight mobile studio provides peak performance of up to Intel Core Ultra X9 Series 3 with discrete-level GPU acceleration, unlocking exceptional power for AI, rendering, and gaming on the go.
• Dual-screen laptop with 18+ hour battery life.
• From Ceraluminum chassis, hinge, kickstand to the screens, setting the gold standard for durability in portable computing.
• Versatile modes with intuitive smart gesture control. Asus Pen 3.0 support.

Specification

• Processor: Intel Core Ultra X9 Processor 388H (4x P-cores, 8x E-cores, 4x LP-cores)
• Graphics: Intel Arc B390
• Neural processor: Intel NPU (up to 50 TOPS)
• Display: 14.0-inch, 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 16:10, 0.2ms response time, 144Hz refresh rate, 500 nits typical, 1000 nits HDR peak
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X 9600MT/s (onboard)
• Storage: 1TB Samsung PM9C1b M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
• Ports (left side):
  • 1x HDMI 2.1
  • 1x Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps, display and power delivery)
  • 1x Headset jack
• Ports (right side):
  • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10Gbps)
  • 1x Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps, display and power delivery)
• Keyboard & touchpad: Soft keyboard, 1.7mm key travel, Precision touchpad
• Camera: FHD camera with IR (Windows Hello support)
• Audio: Built-in array microphone with Cortana support
• Network: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
• Battery: 99Wh, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion
• Power supply: 100W USB Type-C
• Dimensions: 31 cm (W) x 21 cm (D) x 2.3 cm (H)
• Weight: 1.68 kg (plus 0.48 kg charger and mains cable)
• Operating system: Windows 11 Home

Testing and Performance

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

in Geekbench 6 Multi Core we see the Asus Zenbook Duo performing well, with the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H some 30% ahead of the previous Core Ultra 9 285H.

Cinebennch 2026 Multi Core

It is a slightly different story in Cinebench 2026 Multi Core where we again see the new Intel Panther Lake wreck the previous Lunar Lake, however the top honours go to AMD with the mighty Strix Halo in the HP Zbook Ultra G1a.

Cinebench 2026 Multi Core points per Watt

Our Cinebench 2026 power efficiency calculation shows the amazing efficiency of Intel's new Core Ultra X9 388H which has good performance and very low power draw.

Far Cry 6 at 2,880×1,800 with FSR Performance Mode

In Far Cry 6 at the massive resolution of 2,880×1,800 running on the Ultra preset we used the FSR Performance Mode and saw average frame rates north of 70fps. This is remarkable performance from Intel's latest iGPU and it looks great on the Asus OLED screen.

Cyberpunk 2077 at 1,920×1,200 with Frame Gen Enabled

Cyberpunk 2077 is a stiff test with the Ultra preset, but running at 1,920×1,200 with Frame Gen Enabled we saw excellent frame rates from the Asus Zenbook Duo. Having said that, the HP Zbook Ultra G1a smashed it out of the park.

Battery Life

Battery life is a critical aspect of a laptop and the new Zenbook Duo does monumentally well, running for just under 24 hours. This is a superb testament to both Asus and Intel.

Closing Thoughts

The changes made by Asus to the 2026 version of Zenbook Duo are very good and we love the way the dual OLED screens almost merge into one display. As an added bonus the 2026 laptop is notably more compact than previous versions, and this approach to packing two full sized 14-inch displays into a fairly regular laptop demonstrates some impressive engineering by Asus.

The new Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is an impressive piece of silicon and our first impressions mark the Intel 18A process as a success. The CPU part of the chip has decent performance and requires very little power. In addition the 12x Xe3 graphics core delivers sufficient performance for daily use as well as serious gaming sessions.

You can buy the Asus Zenbook Duo UX8407A for £2,499.99 HERE

Pros:

• The dual 14-inch OLED screens are superb.
• Battery life is monumental.
• Intel 12x Xe3 graphics are impressive.
• Intel Panther Lake CPU is good.

Cons:

• Zenbook Duo is somewhat chunky and slightly heavy.
• Price is high.
• Ports and connectors are rather close together.

KitGuru says: The latest version of Asus Zenbook Duo comes with Intel Core Ultra X9 and delivers a superb experience. 

This week CyberPowerPC is launching a new range of pre-built PCs. The VIVID line-up is built around bold and colourful case designs from companies like Hyte, Thermaltake, Tryx and more. The spectrum of chassis options are paired up with high-end CPUs and GPUs to drive games at high refresh rates and resolutions.

The new VIVID gaming PCs start at £1999, with a base spec of a Ryzen 7800X3D, an RTX 5070, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 1TB M.2 SSD and an MSI Pro B850-S motherboard. For £100 more, you can get the same spec but with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D instead.

In the list below you can see each of the different VIVID PC options:

ViViD R77 RTX Next Day PC (£1999.00)

• Windows 11 Home (64-bit Edition)
• AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 12GB
• 32GB DDR5 5600MT/s ADATA XPG ARMAX RGB
• MSI Pro B850-S WIFI6E ATX Motherboard
• 1TB Kingston NV3 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

ViViD Ultra Gaming PC (£2098.80)

• Windows 11 Home (64-bit Edition)
• AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 12GB
• 32GB DDR5 5600MT/s ADATA XPG ARMAX RGB
• MSI Pro B850-S WIFI6E ATX Motherboard
• 1TB Kingston NV3 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

ViViD R97 XT Next Day PC (£2299.00)

• Windows 11 Home (64-bit Edition)
• AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
• AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB
• 32GB DDR5 5600MT/s ADATA XPG ARMAX RGB
• MSI B850 Gaming Plus WIFI6E ATX Motherboard
• 1TB Kingston NV3 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

ViViD Elite Gaming PC (£2299.20)

• Windows 11 Home (64-bit Edition)
• AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D
• AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB
• 32GB DDR5 5600MT/s ADATA XPG ARMAX RGB
• MSI B850 Gaming Plus WIFI6E ATX Motherboard
• 1TB Kingston NV3 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

ViViD R97 RTX Next Day PC (£2499.00)

• Windows 11 Home (64-bit Edition)
• AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB
• 32GB DDR5 5600MT/s ADATA XPG ARMAX RGB
• MSI B850 Gaming Plus WIFI6E ATX Motherboard
• 1TB Kingston NV3 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

ViViD Infinity Gaming PC (£2599.20)

• Windows 11 Home (64-bit Edition)
• Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB
• 32GB DDR5 5600MT/s ADATA XPG ARMAX RGB
• MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI
• 1TB Kingston NV3 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

The specs are configurable, for instance the price can change by +/- up to £10 depending on the case you pick. Through the configurator you can adjust the specs to your liking and also add-on optional services like CPU overclocking or grab a peripheral bundle.

You can find CyberPowerPC's full VIVID range HERE.

KitGuru Says: Are you thinking of going for a pre-built PC for a new upgrade in 2026? 

For the past year or so, we’ve been hearing an increasing number of leaks and rumours claiming that Bethesda Game Studio’s somewhat contentious Starfield would be leaving its Xbox console exclusivity behind with an impending arrival on PlayStation 5 (and possibly Switch 2). Though yet to be officially announced, known insiders have now offered what appears to be finalised details for Starfield’s PS5 launch, including its price and release date.

As reported by BillBil-Kun via dealabs (who has accurately reported on a bunch of PlayStation-related releases in the past), Starfield is set to land on PlayStation in just over a month’s time – launching on the 7th of April 2026.

The game will reportedly come in two forms – a Standard Edition costing £44.99 and a Premium Edition for £59.99, both of which will be offered in disc form. The contents of the Premium Edition is currently unknown, however Billbil confirmed that there is no advanced access planned for those with the Premium version.

While not included as part of the report, it is highly likely that Bethesda will launch Starfield's long-awaited 2.0 patch at or around the same time. The exact specifics surrounding this update remains somewhat vague, however Todd Howard himself has told fans to keep their expectations in check.

Starfield is easily one of the Bethesda Game Studios’ most controversial titles (Fallout 76 aside) and while the game has seen some improvements since its initial release back in 2023, it will be interesting to see how the game performs on PlayStation come its release next month.

KitGuru says: Did you play Starfield back when it was first released? What did you think? Do you have high hopes for the upcoming update? Let us know your thoughts down below.

Black Ops 7: Season 2 Reloaded is set to be massive for Call of Duty, with the mid-Season update reintroducing the fan-favourite Blackout mode from BO4 – an alternate take on the Battle Royale formula. Ahead of the update’s arrival next week, Activision have shared everything you need to know about Season 2 Reloaded and its Black Ops Royale mode.

Taking to their blog, the team at Activision offered a deep-dive into the new Black Ops Royale mode. Inspired by Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode, this alternate take on the BR formula is set to launch on the 12th of March and offers a ton of changes compared to Warzone – including but not limited to:

• No loadouts
• No gulag
• No buy stations
• Wingsuits instead of parachutes
• 5 attachment upgrade paths
• New backpack menu
• Lootable perks with no fixed slots
• Returning equipment including grapple hook and sensor dart
• Full omni-movement support
• Cradle Breaches featuring zombies

All of this will of course be taking place on the Avalon map which has so far been used for BO7’s Endgame mode (albeit with some visual changes).

Full details on the new Black Ops Royale mode can be found HERE, but in essence it seems to be sticking surprisingly close to the original Blackout experience.

Over the years, sentiment surrounding Blackout has grown, with many claiming that its biggest issue was being tied to the premium Black Ops 4 – meaning finding matches over time became increasingly tough. With this new Black Ops Royale however being tied to Warzone, it will be interesting to see how the mode is received, especially compared to the somewhat stale Warzone. We won’t have to wait long to find out.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for Season 2 Reloaded? Did you enjoy the OG Blackout back in the day? How does it compare to Warzone? Let us know your thoughts down below.

In recent years, Capcom has been hosting semi-regular showcases, informing its fans on what the publisher is currently working on. With Resident Evil Requiem now out and available for the world to enjoy, Capcom have announced that their next Spotlight showcase will go live later this week, featuring titles including Street Fighter 6; Pragmata and Mega Man.

Releasing a brief teaser trailer, publisher Capcom officially announced their next livestream, writing: “The Capcom Spotlight is a digital event that brings you the latest news from Capcom! We will be presenting the latest news on highly anticipated upcoming Capcom titles.”

Set to go live on the 5th of March at 10 PM UK time, the broadcast is confirmed to last roughly 35 minutes long, and will include new details on a number of upcoming titles, namely:

• Street Fighter 6
• Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
• Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection
• Pragmata
• Mega Man Dual Override

By far the most interesting of these titles is Mega Man Dual Override, with the 2027 game being the first brand new entry in the franchise since 2018’s Mega Man 11. Based on the previous teaser shared, the game looks to follow in the footsteps of the classic Mega Man entries. That said, we will likely learn much more regarding the minutiae of the game during this upcoming showcase.

Aside from a few stumbles (Monster Hunter Wilds), Capcom has been on a generational run, and so it will be interesting to see what they have planned for Mega Man.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to the showcase? What are your expectations for the new Mega Man? Do you want them to keep it simple? Let us know down below.

If you've ever wanted to review tech, then this is a perfect opportunity as we are now hiring for a new reviewer to join our team! Prior experience is not strictly necessary, but we would like to see some example works from applicants. 

We are looking for someone who will be able to produce reviews of a range of tech gear in video format and in the KitGuru style. Any experience in this sector is beneficial; however, we are open to all applicants provided you can give us a sample of your written or video work so we can assess your abilities.

KitGuru is a great company to work with, we are all tech enthusiasts who enjoy gaming, so we all have very similar interests. Behind the scenes it is very close-knit environment and many of our team have been with us for several years.

To be considered for this position you need:

• Skillset to present well on camera – and in English.
• The ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Strong communication skills.
• Some knowledge of video editing would be useful, but we have that capability in-house if we find the right candidate.
• Strong writing ability.
• This is a freelance position.

The successful applicant must be based in the United Kingdom, and we pay very well for this kind of work. If you are interested and feel you can meet the criteria above and want to work in this fast-moving sector then please send your CV along with any samples of your work to our Editor in Chief, Allan Campbell – allan(at)kitguru.net.

KitGuru says: We look forward to receiving your application!

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