We are one month on from the launch of the latest iPhone and that can only mean one thing – it is time for new Macs. Today, Apple announced its new M4 iMac line-up, bringing its latest silicon to its popular all-in-one computer line. 

The M4 chip found within the new iMac is up to two times faster than the M1-powered iMac in tasks like photo editing, and the M4 also introduced Apple's Neural Engine, allowing for AI. Apple Intelligence first launched on the iPhone last month, but now, it is coming to macOS, starting with the M4 iMac. This is Apple's own Copilot or ChatGPT style tool and in the company's usual fashion, it also boasted a greater level of privacy protection.

At the heart of the iMac is the display. With the new M4 iMac line-up, you'll have the option for a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, which leads to an impressive 218 pixels per inch (PPI). That level of pixel density will ensure a sharp and crisp image. The system also comes with a 12MP webcam built-in, and four Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting additional peripherals and devices.

The M4 iMac will be available starting on the 8th of November, with prices starting at $1,299. The iMacs are also available in seven colour options, including grey, blue, purple, red, orange yellow and green.

KitGuru Says: The M4 powered iMac line-up is looking good, although I would like to see a larger 27-inch option. What do you all think of the new iMac? Would you consider one for your desk? 

The post Apple unveils new M4 iMac line-up first appeared on KitGuru.

Microsoft has snapped up some of the biggest franchises in gaming over the past five years. While Microsoft Gaming is not currently the biggest publisher in terms of annual revenue, it does own a vast number of franchises that have generated over $1 billion. 

Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, published his annual open letter this week, looking back at the past 12 months inside of Microsoft and all that was achieved along the way. In the 2023-2024 period, Microsoft generated over $245 billion in revenue, a staggering feat that calls into question the reasoning behind mass lay-offs earlier in the year.

Gaming isn't the main focus of letter, but it does get its own little section, in which Nadella proudly reveals that Microsoft now owns 20 franchises that have generated over $1 billion in revenue. This number was of course bolstered by the acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023, which saw franchises like Call of Duty, Candy Crush, Warcraft and more falling under the Microsoft umbrella.

Unfortunately, Nadella doesn't list off all 20 franchises, but he does give particular shout-outs to the biggest hitters, including COD, Candy Crush, Warcraft, Diablo, The Elder Scrolls, Halo and Gears of War. We would be surprised if franchises like Fallout, Forza and Minecraft didn't also make that list of $1 billion franchises. The tricky part now for Microsoft is going to be keeping all of those franchises going.

KitGuru Says: Microsoft has an army of studios and IP to work with, now it just needs to buckle down and deliver the big games fans have been waiting for since the acquisition spree began in 2018.  

The post Microsoft owns 20 $1B game franchises first appeared on KitGuru.

At long last, BioWare has returned with its latest single-player game. The company's last major new release was 2018's Anthem, and we all remember how that turned out. Now, with a refreshed focus on single-player RPGs, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is launching to generally favourable reviews. 

The first wave of reviews for Dragon Age: The Veilguard have gone live this afternoon. There are over 70 critic-scored reviews currently live in the days ahead of launch. Over on Metacritic, this has led to a generally favourable rating of 84 overall, of which 80 percent are positive about the game and 16 percent are mixed.

The story is similar over on Open Critic, where the game has scored an 83 overall score based on 46 critic reviews.

BioWare was keen to send out PS5 codes for this title, with around 50 of them being based on that version. Around 20 reviews focus on the PC version of the game, and just a handful focus on the Xbox version.

Some of the positives reviewers have commonly pointed out include well-developed characters and the new action-focused combat. Meanwhile, reviewers have criticised a perceived lack of depth with the role playing elements of the game, as well as an uneven storyline that could have had better pacing.

It might not be the same GOTY reception that its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition received back in 2014, but for the most part, reviewers do seem to agree that this is a step back in the right direction for BioWare, as it gets comfortable with developing lengthy RPGs once again.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning on picking up the new Dragon Age game later this week? 

The post Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches to generally favourable reviews first appeared on KitGuru.

There are a lot of strong opinions about Starfield out there. Some, like myself, think its Bethesda's best work to date. However, a lot of fans think it is a weak effort with plenty of problems to be fixed. We have no idea if Bethesda has plans for a Starfield 2 at this stage, but former Bethesda designer, Bruce Nesmith, seems to be expecting one.

Bruce Nesmith was a veteran Bethesda developer who left the studio back in 2021, after spending a long time working on The Elder Scrolls and Fallout games. His biggest credit is as the lead designer for Skyrim, Bethesda's most celebrated-RPG ever developed.

Speaking on the prospect of a Starfield sequel, Nesmith told Videogamer that he's “looking forward” to it, adding that Bethesda was “missing a little bit” with the first game, but he expects that those holes will be plugged by taking the foundation from the first game and adding to it.

“When we built Skyrim, we had the tremendous advantage of Oblivion, which had the tremendous advantage of Morrowind. All that stuff was there for us. All we had to do was continue to improve and add new stuff in. We didn’t have to start from the ground up. If we’d had to start from the ground up, that would have been another two or three years of development time.”

Like other Bethesda leads, Nesmith seems to be of the opinion that Bethesda's Creation Engine is its biggest strength, with the ability to constantly build on it. Since the launch of Starfield, there have been growing calls from the fan base for Bethesda to switch to a new engine.

However, I think the opinion of a veteran developer should carry more weight in this discussion. There are so many things to consider when it comes to moving away from the Creation Engine. We're at a point now in the industry where most major AAA games are being built with Unreal Engine 5. Very few studios maintain their own in-house engines at this point and the Creation Engine offers so much freedom, not just for the developers actively working at Bethesda, but for fans too. You wouldn't have nearly the same modding potential if Starfield was built on Unreal Engine or Unity, rather than the Creation Engine.

Aside from that, we also have to consider the practical aspect of forcing hundreds of established developers to abandon the tools they know and relearn a whole new system, something that could delay development on future projects, like The Elder Scrolls 6, for years.

Bethesda has not announced any plans for a Starfield sequel as of October 2024. The company is now focused on developing the next Elder Scrolls title and after that, we're likely to get Fallout 5, which means a new Starfield game is going to be a long ways off.

KitGuru Says: Do you think a Starfield sequel can fix the issues some fans had with the original?

The post Former Bethesda designer speaks on potential for Starfield 2 first appeared on KitGuru.

We are supposedly a few days away from the debut of the new Ryzen 9000X3D series, but motherboard suppliers are already working on launching new features for the upcoming CPUs. A fresh BIOS update with the revised AGESA 1.2.0.2a microcode was launched, introducing a new “Turbo” mode for Ryzen 9000 series CPUs.

The new AGESA version looks to be geared towards the X3D series, but standard Ryzen 9000 series CPUs should also benefit from its new features. Starting with the new “Turbo” mode, Gigabyte startled everyone by making lofty performance claims for it. However, this is not a Gigabyte-exclusive function; it is currently included in the new BIOS updates for some ASRock, MSI, and Asus X870(E) motherboards, too.

This mode purportedly disables SMT (AMD's hyper-threading) and introduces latency and CCD optimisations (not detailed yet). For dual-CCD X3D CPUs, Turbo Mode may also limit operation to a single CCD. PPT looks to remain unchanged.

However, it seems that this feature won't benefit the X3D series alone. X user York (via Wccftech) already tested the new “Turbo” mode and claimed that its 9700X has seen some performance improvements. According to the data shared, memory bandwidth increased by over 10%. As for gaming, in Forza Horizon 5, the average FPS increased by 4.8%, and the minimum FPS by over 15%.

Although promising, these new BIOS are still in beta, so some problems may arise when running your system using the latest BIOS version. Update at your discretion.

KitGuru says: Will you try the new BIOS and features or wait for a stable release?

The post AMD AGESA update brings “Turbo” mode to Ryzen 9000 series CPUs first appeared on KitGuru.

Nintendo has made great strides with its mobile games over the last six years. One of the longest-running and most popular Nintendo smartphone games, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, is going offline soon. However, it will be replaced by a premium “complete edition”.

Nintendo announced plans to retire the current free-to-play version of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp back in August, confirming that the game would go offline starting on the 29th of November. However, Animal Crossing fans can continue building out their town with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete, starting on the 3rd of December:

This will no doubt be the best version of the mobile game to date, forgoing the microtransaction mechanics of the free-to-play version in favour of a simple, offline-playable version of the game that you can carry with you in your pocket.

As a complete game, the new version will carry a hefty price tag of $19.99, which is low for Nintendo game standards, but very high compared to the litany of free games available on Android and iOS. However, initially, the game will be sold at a much more palatable £8.99 until the 31st of January, so if you're thinking about picking this up, you best do it early on.

Save data from the original version of Pocket Camp can be transferred to the new Complete Edition via a Nintendo account. Your player level, Bells, friendship levels, furniture, crafting items, outfits and layouts will all carry over, so you don't have to start from scratch.

As you may expect, the paid version of the game will not include the premium currency, Leaf Tickets, nor will it include the subscription-based Pocket Camp Club service. As this is an offline version of the game, it also doesn't include multiplayer features, so you won't get to show off your campsite to friends without physically handing them your phone.

While this is seen as a moving-on moment for Nintendo and Pocket Camp, the company does have plans to release a few more updates for the Complete Edition in 2025, introducing new items and events for players to participate in.

KitGuru Says: At £8.99, I could be convinced to buy this, but at its planned $20 price tag, I don't see this topping App Store charts. Still, the game should have a strong launch at its lower price tag and hopefully, there will be regular seasonal sales to bring the game back down to its introductory price.

The post Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will be replaced by paid ‘complete edition’ first appeared on KitGuru.

The PCI Device ID database maintainers have just rolled out an update introducing various Nvidia products. This fresh batch of entries, including additions from early October, hints at identifiers for the Nvidia RTX 50 mobile GPUs.

The updated list brought up by @harukaze5719 lacks detailed specifications and verified SKU designations. These IDs often surface indirectly through software updates, validation boards, or maintainers who may have direct contact with the company. While the source of this information remains somewhat murky, the recent entries appear reasonably accurate.

Here's the list of PCI IDs for the upcoming Nvidia RTX 50 mobile series:

• 2C18: GB203M / GN22 [GeForce RTX 5090 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2C19: GB203M / GN22 [GeForce RTX 5080 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2C58: [GeForce RTX 5090 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2C59: [GeForce RTX 5080 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2D18: [GeForce RTX 5070 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2D19: [GeForce RTX 5060 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2D58: [GeForce RTX 5070 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2D59: [GeForce RTX 5060 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2D98: [GeForce RTX 5050 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2DD8: [GeForce RTX 5050 Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2F18: [GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Max-Q / Mobile]
• 2F58: [GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Max-Q / Mobile]

As we approach launch, expect these designations to undergo further revisions. In fact, some IDs won't even make it to market, as they may only be engineering samples. It's also worth mentioning that the Max-Q designation should be disregarded, as it is no longer the official term for these SKUs. Instead, they use a single nomenclature for all mobile variants, with partners reporting TGP figures independently.

Current rumours suggest that Nvidia plans to unveil its new gaming GPUs in early 2025, with the likelihood that both mobile and desktop iterations of the RTX 50 series will debut simultaneously.

KitGuru says: Are you interested in buying a laptop with an RTX 50 series mobile GPU when they come out? What GPU would fulfil your needs?

The post More Nvidia RTX 50 leaks surface first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD is gearing up to launch its eagerly anticipated Ryzen 9000X3D series, slated for release in two weeks. These next-generation processors are expected to include up to two chipsets, each housing eight cores, just like the previous X3D series. However, it looks like things are changing with the new 9000X3D CPUs, and that's the placement of the 3D V-Cache. Instead of being placed on top of the CDD, AMD is reportedly changing things around, putting the 3D V-Cache below the CCD (Core Complex Die).

In a recent post, HXL shared information regarding the repositioning of the 3D V-Cache. In the prior generation, the 3D V-Cache was located above one of the CCDs. The new design, however, places the CCD atop the V-Cache. Wccftech has also shared an image purportedly showcasing the Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU delidded, corroborating this claim. This photograph revealed the CPU without its integrated heat spreader, offering an early glimpse at the architectural adjustments AMD is making for this X3D generation.

This design shift is noteworthy, especially in contrast to the previous X3D series. The earlier iteration featured a visible outline of the 3D V-Cache and the supporting silicon. In the upcoming series, the 3D V-Cache is integrated behind the CCD, hiding this outline. While we can't definitively authenticate the image as belonging to the 9800X3D, it's possible that there are already a few samples of Ryzen 7 9800X3D in the wild, and one of them ended in the hands of someone with a delidder.

The AMD Ryzen 9000X3D series is set to hit the market on November 7th. Currently, the 9800X3D is the only confirmed model, but we also expect AMD will launch a 12-core 9900X3D and a 16-core 9950X3D variant, both expected to feature two chiplets and, possibly, double the 3D V-Cache. Additionally, a 6-core variant may also be on the horizon.

KitGuru says: The new design could potentially enhance heat dissipation and, therefore, also higher operational frequencies. However, losses in other areas, like memory latency, for example, could occur.

The post AMD Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs to have the 3D V-Cache below the CCD, unlike predecessors first appeared on KitGuru.

NUCs are a line of small form factor, compact PCs originally developed and designed by Intel. Back in 2023, Intel decided to cease development and hand over the reins of the NUC brand to Asus. However, with the licence being non-exclusive, we now have NUCs being developed by other companies – including the Cubi NUC 1M from MSI. Featuring a 0.8L chassis which houses an Intel Core CPU, up to 64GB of DDR5 memory and up to 2TB M.2 NVMe storage, can this tiny workstation provide enough performance to get the job done?

Timestamps:

00:00 Start
00:37 Cubi NUC / Pricing
01:40 Hardware specification
02:42 Gen 4 SSD / Performance
03:22 Motherboard I/O / connectors
04:55 Size, design and build quality
06:16 Taking it apart
06:45 Testing methodology
07:01 Cinebench R23 multi core
07:45 Cinebench R23 single core
08:25 3DMark TimeSpy
08:40 AIDA64 Memory bandwidth
09:46 PCMark 10
10:20 Real world use
11:08 Can you game on it?
12:06 Power, heat and noise
13:33 Closing Thoughts

Specifications:

• CPU
  • Intel® Core 7 processor 150U (12M Cache, 1.80 GHz up to 5.40 GHz)
  • Intel® Core 5 processor 120U (12M Cache, 1.40 GHz up to 5.00 GHz)
  • Intel® Core 3 processor 100U (10M Cache, 1.20 GHz up to 4.70 GHz)
• Graphics
  • Intel® Graphics
• Memory Type – DDR5 5200 MHz
• Module Type – SO-DIMM
• Max Capacity – Max 64GB
• M.2 slots – 2
• Wireless LAN –  Intel Wireless AX211 + Bluetooth v5.3, Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 + Bluetooth 5.4
• LAN – 2x Intel I226-V
• HDMI out –  2x (v2.1)
• Thunderbolt (R) – 2x (Thunderbolt 4)
• VESA size – 100 x 100 mm
• Product Dimension  – (WxDxH) (mm) 135.6 x 132.5 x 50.10

You can purchase the MSI Cubi NUC 1M with varying specifications starting at roughly £550 from CyberPower PC HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

Pros:

• Solid single core performance.
• Efficient CPU power usage.
• Quiet.
• Easy upgradability of memory and storage.
• Generous I/O.

Cons:

• Expensive.
• Weak multicore performance when compared to AMD-based competitors.

KitGuru says: While on the expensive side when compared to the competition, the Cubi NUC 1M is a small, sleek machine that offers decent single core performance. 

The post MSI Cubi NUC 1M Review (Core 7 150U) first appeared on KitGuru.

Steins Gate is an interesting game, with the visual novel first releasing back in 2009 to wide praise. Since then, the entry has seen a ton of ports and enhanced remasters, and has even gotten a full blown remake. In a surprising move, 15 years after its initial release, another remake has now been announced: Steins;Gate Re:Boot.

Making the announcement during their 15th anniversary celebration event, the Steins Gate devs ‘5pb’ alongside publisher MAGES announced Steins;Gate Re:Boot, a remake of the original 2009 visual novel.

As reported by Famitsu and translated by ‘kirikiribasara’ Re:Boot will bring additional story elements not seen in the original title alongside redrawn graphics created by the original artist Ryohei ‘Huke’ Fuke upon its release in 2025.

This is notable as the previous attempt at a Steins Gate remake (2018’s Steins Gate Elite) saw some criticism from long-time fans for its use of clips from the anime instead of original art. At the very least Re:Boot does not appear to be falling into similar trappings.

Given the fact that a thematic sequel to the original Steins Gate is currently in development and has been since at least late 2018, it perhaps makes sense that they would want to update the original game in alignment with it. That said, this is going to be the second remake for what is ostensibly a rather simple visual novel.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the announcement? Is this them trying to wipe their hands clean of Elite? When do you think the thematic sequel will come out? Let us know down below.

The post Visual novel Steins Gate is getting a second remake  first appeared on KitGuru.

As video games have gotten bigger, prettier and more complex, their file sizes have increased in tow. One such prime suspect is the Call of Duty series, whose popularity in combination with ballooning file sizes saw it break ISP data traffic records back in 2022. With the launch of Call of Duty Black Ops 6, they’ve done it again.

As shared by EE/BT (and reported by ispreview), the launch of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 saw the ISP undergo “the biggest ever amount of gaming traffic for a game launch” – peaking on the 21st of October during the game’s pre-load period.

Though no exact figures were shared, Xbox Live traffic increased by 144% during the period as a result of Black Ops 6’s inclusion in Game Pass Ultimate.

As mentioned, this isn’t the first time that Call of Duty has broken such a record, with Virgin Media reporting back in November 2022 that it had its busiest day ever for gaming thanks to the launch of warzone 2.0.

While not an apples-to-apples comparison due to being a different network, Virgin claimed that over 138 Petabytes of data was downloaded during its peak 24 hour period. It’ll be interesting to see whether BT winds up sharing more concrete figures.

KitGuru says: Have you been playing Black Ops 6? What do you think? Did you have to clear space on your PC/console to install it? Let us know down below.

The post Black Ops 6 breaks ISP data traffic records first appeared on KitGuru.

Following years spent in development hell, Dead Island 2 finally released last year to a surprisingly positive response, with the game selling millions of copies, supported by major post-launch updates and DLC. Following its recent addition to PlayStation Plus and ahead of its Xbox Game Pass debut, Dead Island 2 has surpassed 10 million players.

Making the announcement via a press release, the teams at Dambuster Studios and publisher PLAION , revealed that “Dead Island 2 – the thrilling First-Person Action zombie slaying RPG set in the iconic, gore-drenched streets of Los Angeles – has hit a record ten million players!”

This announcement came alongside the release of the Ultimate Edition – a complete version of Dead Island 2, its expansions and more. The Ultimate Edition is also being given for free to owners of the previous ‘Gold Edition’.

As mentioned, this announcement also came shortly following the release of Dead Island 2 onto PlayStation Plus Extra (15th October) which undoubtedly aided in this milestone to some degree.

That being said, Dead Island 2 is certainly a success, with the game having been confirmed to have sold over 1 million copies in its first 72 hours – with most recent sales figures from May of this year putting the title at 3 million. Not bad for a game which seemed for the longest time like vapourware.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the game? Was it worth the wait? Did you buy the game, or play it through a subscription service? Let us know down below.

The post Dead Island 2 surpasses 10 million players first appeared on KitGuru.

The Like a Dragon series is more popular than ever, thanks to the likes of Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Its rise in popularity can be traced back to Yakuza 0 (2015) and Yakuza Kiwami (2016) – a prequel and remake of the PS2 original respectively. Despite just arriving on Switch almost a decade later, Kiwami is reportedly “selling like hotcakes.”

In a recent broadcast hosted by Yakuza/Like a Dragon devs at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (and translated by via DeepL), the current studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama revealed that the recently-released Switch version of 2016’s Yakuza Kiwami – which launched on the 24th of October – has been “selling like hotcakes,” stating:

“First of all, I heard that ‘Kiwami’ is selling like hotcakes. That's good. The executives of the company were predicting the number of units. I missed it by a long shot. I think I looked at it a bit too conservatively. Kato, the marketing manager, guessed it, but it was very exciting.”

Speaking more on his expectations (or lack thereof) for the Switch release, Yokoyama continued, “It was 20 years ago when I made the first Yakuza game. And then it was changed to ‘Kiwami’, but even ‘Kiwami’ had already been released, hadn't it? It's been out for a long time, and I thought it was something that people all over the world had touched, but this time, with the Amazon Prime drama and all the other things that happened, it's on Switch.”

While Amazon’s Yakuza show has been met with some criticism, Yakuza Kiwami remains as excellent as the day it was released, and so it is encouraging to see Switch players picking it up.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Yakuza show? Have you played Kiwami? Are you on Team Kiwami or 0? Let us know down below.

The post Yakuza Kiwami on Switch is “selling like hotcakes” claims RGG Studio first appeared on KitGuru.

Today we take a look at the first in a new range of power supplies that we received recently from Corsair. The RMx series has received an update from Corsair to meet the latest ATX 3.1 standard. It also boasts a new fan control knob, allowing the user to adjust fan speed under light loads, from zero RPM to full speed. This unit is fully modular and adopts all Japanese capacitors with a low noise fluid dynamic bearing fan. Corsair supports this range with a 10 year warranty.

Key features:

• Fully Modular PSU: Reliable and efficient low-noise power supply with fully modular cabling, so you only have to connect the cables your system build needs.
• Intel® ATX 3.1 Certified: Compliant with the ATX 3.1 power standard, supporting the PCIe Gen 5 platform and resisting transient power spikes.
• Native 12V-2×6 Connector: Ensures compatibility with the latest graphics cards with a direct GPU to PSU connection – no adapter necessary.
• 100% Japanese Capacitors: Delivers steady, reliable power and dependable electrical performance with 105°C-rated Japanese capacitors.
• Low Noise with 140mm Fan: A 140mm FDB fan with a specially calculated fan curve ensures low-noise operation even at full load, with a fan speed adjustment knob on the back for quick manual control.
• Six-Layer PCB: A modular PCB with 50% more layers provides improved voltage stability and heat dissipation.
• 50oC Maximum Operating Temperature: For reliable power even under high-stress conditions.
• Modern Standby Compatible: Extremely fast wake-from-sleep times and better low-load efficiency.
• Cybenetics Gold-Certified: Steady power output at up to 90% efficiency, less noise, and cooler temperatures.
• Zero RPM Fan Mode: For near-silent operation at lower loads.
• Resonant LLC Topology with DC-to-DC Conversion: Provides clean, consistent power and enables use of more energy-efficient sleep states.
• Ten-Year Warranty: Your guarantee of reliable operation for peace of mind through multiple builds.

The post Corsair RM850x ATX V3.1 (3rd Gen 2024) Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Philips has unveiled a new curved gaming monitor in their Evnia 5000 series. Named the Evnia 34M2C5501A, this 34-inch monitor offers a UWQHD resolution and is designed for gaming. It's a more budget-friendly option within its category.

Following the releases of the 27-inch and 32-inch models, this monitor features a curved VA panel with a 0.5ms response time and Smart MBR technology, ensuring smooth visuals. With a 180Hz refresh rate and a UWQHD resolution (3440×1440), it provides the right combination of size and speed to suit most gamers. The monitor is certified with VESA DisplayHDR 400, has a 4000:1 contrast ratio, 10-bit color depth, and 300 nits of brightness. It supports various color gamuts: Adobe RGB 91%, DCI-P3 95%, sRGB 126%, and NTSC 105%. It also comes pre-calibrated for accurate colors.

Additional features include Stark ShadowBoost for improved visibility in dark scenes and AI-enhanced Ambiglow lighting that adapts to on-screen content. It offers good connectivity options with 2x HDMI 2.0 inputs, a DisplayPort 1.4, and a USB hub with 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen1 ports.

The monitor comes with two 5W speakers and a stand that can adjust height, tilt, and swivel. It also supports VESA 100×100 mounts. The Evnia 34M2C5501A is available for £299.99.

KitGuru Says: While you can find similar monitors with lower refresh rates for less, the Evnia 34M2C5501A's 180Hz refresh rate makes it a strong contender for gamers shopping in this price bracket.

The post New Evnia 5000 UWQHD curved gaming monitor launches at £299 first appeared on KitGuru.

Corsair has recently launched two new series of AIO water coolers: Nautilus RS and Nautilus RS ARGB. Designed for both performance enthusiasts and casual users alike, these coolers represent Corsair's new entry-level solutions, offering the core features of what makes an AIO a solid cooling solution.

The Nautilus RS series has a sleek, all-black design and is available in 240mm and 360mm radiator sizes. For those looking to add a touch of flair to their rigs, the RS ARGB variants are available in both black and white and feature vibrant ARGB lighting to enhance your setup.

The RS series uses an efficient, low-noise pump paired with a slightly convex cold plate, which comes pre-applied with XTM60 thermal paste. This design improves contact with the CPU's integrated heat spreader, boosting thermal transfer efficiency. Whether you opt for the 240mm or 360mm variant, the Nautilus RS series promises to keep high-end CPUs operating within optimal temperature ranges.

Each Nautilus RS cooler is equipped with Corsair RS120 PWM fans capable of rotating up to 2,100 RPM. The RS ARGB models have eight RGB LEDs per fan and on the pump block, allowing for stunning visual effects that can easily be synchronised through your motherboard's ARGB software. The fans use a daisy-chain configuration that simplifies installation, allowing you to connect all of them through a single 4-pin PWM and ARGB header.

The Nautilus RS family includes mounting hardware for various sockets, accommodating Intel LGA 1700 and LGA 1851, as well as AMD's AM4 and AM5. Pricing for the Nautilus RS starts at £89.99/$89.99/€104.90, while the Nautilus RS ARGB models start at £99.99/$99.99/€114.90.

KitGuru says: Would you prefer the cheaper and more subtle Nautilus RS series or the slightly more expensive and customisable Nautilus RS ARGB models?

The post Corsair introduces new Nautilus RS entry-level AIO CPU coolers first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD has launched new Ryzen 5000 series processors for the AM4 socket. The new CPUs, Ryzen 5 5600T and Ryzen 5 5600XT, were revealed in leaks just a few weeks ago. Both are Zen 3-based 6-core, 12-thread CPUs that promise better performance than their predecessors, the 5600X and 5600.

The Ryzen 5 5600XT has a base clock speed of 3.8GHz and can boost up to 4.7GHz, a 100MHz improvement over the 5600X. The Ryzen 5 5600T features a base frequency of 3.7GHz and a boost capability of up to 4.5GHz, marking a 200 and 100MHz increase over the 5600. Both CPUs support PCIe 4.0.

Regarding pricing, these CPUs have impressive specifications for entry-level processors, but the cost may be a concern. The Ryzen 5 5600T is listed at $186.58 (£144) and the Ryzen 5 5600XT at $194.02 (£150) on Amazon US. In comparison, the 5600X starts at around £114, while the 5600 can be found for around £100.

Although the performance improvements are modest (100-200MHz), the price increase might be hard to justify for some buyers. However, AMD's commitment to the AM4 socket, which has been around for nine years, is a positive aspect.

KitGuru Says: If you're planning to build a new entry-level gaming system soon, the Ryzen 5 5600T and Ryzen 5 5600XT CPUs could be worth considering, as long as they are available at a competitive price.

The post AMD launches new Ryzen 5000 CPUs first appeared on KitGuru.

The video games industry is rather secretive in some ways, especially when it comes to unannounced titles as well as the performance of games which have been released. That said, thanks to a new report from Circana, the top 20 best-selling games of each year for the past two decades (in the US) have been revealed.

As shared by industry analyst Mat Piscatella via Circana, the top 20 best-selling games of the year in the US, from 2000 up till 2023 have now been revealed. The full list of titles can be found HERE, but the no.1 spot for each year is as follows:

• 2000:Pokemon Gold/Silver
• 2001:Madden NFL 2002
• 2002:Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
• 2003:Madden NFL 2004
• 2004:Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• 2005:Madden NFL 06
• 2006:Madden NFL 07
• 2007:Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
• 2008:Rock Band
• 2013:Grand Theft Auto V
• 2018:Red Dead Redemption II
• 2023:Hogwarts Legacy

Observing the past two decades of video games sales in this way is interesting to see; being able to spot the shifts and changes in industry trends over the years – especially following the launch of 2009’s Modern Warfare.

For the sake of brevity, the top spot for all of the years not listed above went to whatever Call of Duty came out at the time. This means that over the past 23 years, COD managed to take the top spot in the US for 12 of them – with only GTA V, RDR2 and Hogwarts Legacy managing to dethrone it since its rise with 2009’s Modern Warfare.

It would be highly interesting to see what this list would look like in other regions of the world.

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KitGuru says: What do you think of the list? Are you surprised by any of the entrants? Will Black Ops 6 be the best selling game of 2024? Let us know down below.

The post The best-selling games for the past 20 years have been revealed first appeared on KitGuru.

8bitdo has amassed a strong reputation over the past few years for their high quality 3rd party controllers, with an emphasis on offering throwback designs and colour schemes to systems of old. Jumping into the telescopic controller space, the company has announced a new Xbox-inspired Bluetooth Android controller.

Launching on the 29th of November, the ‘8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller’ is a telescopic Bluetooth controller which uses the company’s 8bitdo Ultimate controller as a baseline for its design – being of course altered to fit its telescopic nature.

Supporting smartphones between 100mm to 170mm in length, the ‘8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller features Hall Effect Joystick and triggers for a drift-free experience alongside 2 back paddles; a profile switcher and turbo/macro options.

As it uses Bluetooth, the controller comes with a 350mAh battery, allowing for up to 15 hours of uninterrupted use.

Over the years, the mobile gaming controller sphere has expanded greatly, with an increasing number of competing companies creating their own controllers. Hopefully 8bitdo consider releasing a USB-C mobile controller next. The ‘Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller' costs $49.99 and will be available in black or white.

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KitGuru says: What do you think of the company's controllers? Do you own a mobile controller? If so, which one? Let us know down below.

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The Sonic series has had its ups and downs over the past many years, but the Blue Blur seems to be on a bit of a hot streak at the moment. Following the success of the first two Sonic films (and in anticipation of the 3rd), Sonic x Shadow Generations released to high praise and even higher sales – having already surpassed 1 million copies.

As shared in a press release by SEGA to the publication Sonic Stadium, just one day after its launch, Sonic x Shadow Generations has already sold over 1 million copies, writing:

“SEGA CORPORATION is pleased to announce that the worldwide sales of their game SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS that released globally on Friday, October 25, 2024, has surpassed one million units.”

The publisher lists its support for 12 languages as being one of the contributing factors to its immediate sales success – alongside a focus “on transmedia development as an important strategy, which involves the global expansion across various media verticals and merchandising.”

For the uninitiated, Sonic x Shadow Generations is a remaster of the much-loved 2011 3D platformer alongside a Bowser's Fury-esque standalone expansion focused on the titular Shadow the Hedgehog.

Sonic Generations was already one of the Blue Blur’s better selling games (with over 5 million copies estimated to have been sold), but even so, it seems as though Sonic is entering a new age of mainstream recognition and success once again – no doubt aided by the film franchise.

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KitGuru says: Did you buy Sonic x Shadow Generations? Is the year of Shadow a success in your eyes? What do you want to see next from Sonic Team? Let us know down below.

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MONTECH has announced a new Power Supply Unit series in its first collaboration with Seasonic. Available now, the TITAN PLA is a “premium platinum-rated” PSU supporting up to 1200W while sustaining a 90% efficiency rating.

Starting at $159 for the 750W variant (and going up to $229 for 1200W), the TITAN PLS power supply unit was developed in collaboration with Seasonic over the course of 18 months.

Available in 4 forms, all variants support the latest ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 standards for future-proofing; with 2X the power excursion and 3X GPU excursion.

Despite the high power flow, the TITAN PLA has received 80 PLUS and Cybenetics Platinum certifications with a 90% efficiency. In addition, the PSU features a Cybenetics LAMBDA A+ certified 135mm “ultra-quiet FDB fan” – which includes a ‘zero fan’ mode for minimal noise during stretches of low loads (15-20%).

Last but not least, the PSU is packaged with “luxurious embossed cables” which are 63% softer, 0.6mm thinner yet 39% more dense than traditional cables; helping with both aesthetics and power transfer efficiency.

The MONTECH TITAN PLA is available now, and includes OPP, OVP, UVP, SCP, OCP, and OTP protections alongside a 10 year warranty for peace of mind.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this new series? How important is efficiency to you? Would you utilise the ‘no fan’ mode? Let us know down below.

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For the longest time, it seemed as though Xbox and Microsoft operated somewhat independently of one another, with the recent spree of costly acquisitions bringing new light to the console subdivision in the eyes of Microsoft. Further evidence of this disorganisation has now come from the CEO of Microsoft himself – Satya Nadella – who recently shared some very mixed messaging on Xbox’s exclusive strategy.

As part of Microsoft’s annual report, CEO Satya Nadella spoke on the company’s gaming division, i.e. Xbox, claiming that:

“Growth of our Gaming business is determined by the overall active user base through Xbox enabled content, availability of games, providing exclusive game content that gamers seek, the computational power and reliability of the devices used to access our content and services, and the ability to create new experiences.”

Of course, the most notable part of this statement is where Nadella claims that “providing exclusive game content that gamers seek” remains a core part of its gaming business growth.

Given the fact that Xbox has been bringing an increasing number of exclusives to other platforms (with even more on the way), this statement comes off as a bit disconnected. Hopefully this messaging is properly cleared up once again.

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KitGuru says: What do you think of the statement? Was this a slip-up or an indication of greater issues internally? Let us know your thoughts down below.

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